Page 6 of Beg Me

Jory laughs. “Couldn’t have said it better myself.”

“What about you?” I ask, curiosity getting the best of me. “Where are you from?”

“California. The Bay Area, specifically.”

“How did you wind up in Sugar Creek?” I take money from a customer and hand them a peach jam. “Gus said he was new to town like you moved here, but people don’t just move to Sugar Creek for no reason.”

“Long story. The short version of it is that I have Gus for the summer. I usually just bounce around until the season starts, but I needed a home base until he goes back to his mom in August.”

“Makes sense.”

He picks up a jar and inspects the label. “I know a handful of people from Sugar Creek, and they all say great things about it. One of my friends had a house for rent, and I thought this might be a good place to hang out with Gus for a couple of months.”

He takes out a twenty-dollar bill and gives it to me. My fingers brush against his rough palm as I drop the change into his hand. The contact sends a flurry of goose bumps across my skin and for a second, I’m borderline embarrassed. I’m Markie St. James. I don’t get flustered by guys. But I haven’t had physical contact with anyone from the opposite sex in four months, and I’m only human.

Besides, I’m sure Jory gets this all the time.

“I think you’ll like it here,” I say, pulling my hand away from his. “It’s safe. The Sugar Days Festival is next month, and that’s always a blast. And I told Gus that there are always kids his age hanging out at the park.” I grin. “Since, you know, he might want to hang out with some people his own age.”

There you go, Gus. I threw you a bone.

Jory rolls his eyes, grinning. “I know, I know. But I’ve only had him alone for three days since we visited my mom before coming here, and I wanted to spend a little time together, just the two of us. I guess that’s over.” He shakes his head. “You know, there are people out there who pay for meet and greets with me, but somehow, I’m not cool enough for my own kid.”

“I think that’s just how that works.” I laugh. “Try not to take it personally.”

“Don’t take it personally? It wounds me.” He laughs, too. “But, yeah, you’re right. And I knew this would happen. I just thought I might get a week in before he started begging for time apart.” He shifts his weight from one foot to another. “You know, he is going to make all these new friends, and I’ll have a lot of free time on my hands.”

The coy grin on his face is somehow both adorable and sexy.

I get what he’s hinting at, and it’s a much better angle than his original cheesy line—although I didn’t hate that one, either. But on a normal day, I don’t take the bait that easily, and I’m not about to bite now.

“That’s too bad,” I say, just as playfully. “It’s a good thing you know Gray. There are always chores to do on the ranch.”

“I can’t expect Gray to entertain me every day.”

I snicker. “Good luck getting him to entertain you ever. Gray might meet you for a beer or let you hang around for a day or two, but I don’t see Gray entertaining anyone except Astrid.”

“You’re right. You’re absolutely right. So I guess I’d better find someone else to have dinner with on the nights I’m home alone.”

“You should most definitely do that.”

He lifts a brow. I lift mine right back.

A silence settles between us for the first time since we met. It’s comfortable … and expectant, like we’re both standing at the edge of something, waiting to see who jumps first.

“Would you have dinner with me?” he asks.

“No.”

He laughs in surprise as if he really expected me to fold that easily. The challenge in his grin meets the one in mine. This feels strangely less like turning him down and more like the opening round of a competition.

Game on.

“It’s nothing personal,” I say as a bead of sweat trickles down my back. “You seem like a great guy, but I’m not dating right now.”

“Can I ask why?”

I blow out a hasty breath. “I’m just not. Men have consistently disappointed me over the past … decade, if we’re being honest. Come to think of it, besides my dad and grandpa, I’m not sure a man has ever not disappointed me.”