The Lawman's Noelle. Stella Bagwell

she simply shrugged her acquiescence. “Okay. I’ll be glad to.”

      Jessi returned with Evan’s coffee and roll. As he began to eat, Noelle placed a tip by her empty plate and rose to her feet.

      As she picked up the little box containing her Christmas gift, he asked, “You’re not leaving, are you?”

      “Yes. I need to get home and unload the feed before it starts to snow.”

      He glanced over his shoulder and looked out the window at the parking lot. “That’s your truck? The black one with the feed sacks stacked in the back?”

      “That’s it,” she answered. “Guess you were too groggy the other day to remember it.”

      Dismayed, he turned back to her. “You’re not going to unload all of that by yourself, are you?”

      She smiled vaguely. “Like I told you, I take care of the ranch by myself. I’m strong. Lifting a fifty-pound feed sack is nothing new to me.”

      His appreciative gaze traveled over her. “Then the other day in the gulch, you probably could’ve slung me over the saddle.”

      “I’m not so sure. But I would’ve certainly tried.” She turned to leave. “Goodbye, Evan.”

      Before she could step away from the bar, he caught her arm. “Please. Wait a minute,” he said. “I have something to ask you.”

      Curious, she eased back onto the stool. “About Lonesome?”

      “No. I’m not worried about him. He’s in good hands.” He released his hold on her arm, even while his gaze held fast to hers. “I was wondering—do you have anything pressing to do tomorrow?”

      His question caught her completely off guard. Instead of being able to think quickly and give him a resounding yes, she paused too long to make anything sound convincing. “Not exactly. Just routine chores.”

      “How would you like to take a drive with me up to Virginia City? My maternal grandparents, Tuck and Alice Reeves, live close to there, and I’ve been promising them a visit. Tomorrow is the only day off I’m going to have for a while.”

      The invitation stunned her. She had been rude to this man, and the two of them were barely acquainted. “Why would you want to take a stranger with you to visit your grandparents?”

      He smiled at her and as Noelle’s gaze followed the line of his white teeth, she inwardly shivered. The mere idea of being close to this man shook her senses. Behind that incredibly masculine face and rock-hard body, he was a lawman. How could she be attracted to him?

      She couldn’t answer that. She only knew that for the first time in years, she remembered that she was a woman. And the feeling was too good to pass up.

      “Oh, I think I’ll be safe in your company,” he said with a lazy grin. “And I thought you might enjoy seeing something other than that little ranch of yours. Just in case you’re wondering, my grandparents love having company. You’d be very welcome.”

      Since she’d moved to the Carson City area, she’d been asked out on a few dates by men she’d met through connections to her work. She’d refused all of them. And something told her if she was smart now, she’d give Evan Calhoun a loud, decisive no.

      But something strange was going on inside her. For the life of her she couldn’t seem to form the word, much less say it to the man.

      “Actually, it might be nice to see Virginia City,” she said before she could stop herself. “I’ve never driven up that far north.”

      Before she could guess his intentions, he reached for her hand and clasped it tightly between both of his. “Great. I’ll drive out to your place and pick you up in the morning. Is ten okay?”

      Across the room, she spotted Jessi staring curiously at the two of them. Noelle wondered whether the heat from Evan’s hands was racing straight to her cheeks and staining them red. They definitely felt as if they’d turned a hot scarlet.

      “Ten is fine.” She awkwardly eased her hand from his. “I’ll see you then.”

      He lifted a hand in farewell, and Noelle left the café.

      On the drive home, she tried to think of anything and everything besides Evan Calhoun. She had a whole list of chores to be finished before nightfall. She didn’t have time to daydream about a man. Any man, she told herself.

      But a half hour later, she was home and changing out of her sweater and boots when it dawned on her that she’d been so shaken by Evan’s invitation, she’d forgotten to pay the ticket for the coffee and cinnamon roll.

      Feeling worse than sappy, she picked up the phone and punched in the number for the café. Thankfully, Jessi answered.

      “It’s Noelle,” she told the waitress. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed yet, but I forgot and left the café without paying my bill. Can you take care of it for me until I come back in?”

      “Don’t worry. I’ve already taken care of it,” Jessi assured her. “But I would like to know what’s going on with you. Evan Calhoun was holding your hand! What was that all about?”

      Noelle drew in a shaky breath, then blew it out. “I’m not sure, Jessi. I think I might’ve just made the biggest mistake in my life.”

      Either that or she was finally waking up from a long, cold sleep.