Gentle Cowboy Take My Heart (Maxwell Love #2) (COMPLETED)

Chapter 22

Neither of them say a word until he extends his hand to her. "You ready to go, Miss Beautiful?"

She blushes deeply. "Sure am," she looks back over her shoulder at Jeremiah then adds under her breath, "Handsome gentlemen."

As they get to his pickup he opens the passenger side door for her and waits till she is in until he closes it. Even though he doesn't want to he can't help, but to look back at Jeremiah leaning up against the porch post. Once again he feels like a teenager as he puts his pickup in drive and lifts a finger in wave to Jeremiah.

Shortly after the house is in the review mirror Gary looks over at Brooke and smiles.

"What?" She asks looking around.

Chuckling he shakes his head and moves his gaze back to the road. "Nothing, you just look very pretty this evening."

"Well thank you."

Slipping his arm over the back of the seat and loosely around her shoulder he says, "Anytime, princess."

She narrows her eyes at him. "You sure are flirty today."

"Me?" He looks at her sideways. "Surely not me!"

Laughing she playfully elbows him. "Yes you goofy. By the way, Jae didn't tell me where we are going and neither did you."

He grins and laughs. "Sweetheart, that's because I want it to be a surprise. I like surprises, you know."

She turns away from him a bit so that she can look at him better. "Okay Mr. Maxwell what is up with you? You are acting like the 'southern gentlemen' not the Texas cowboy you are."

"Oh so you don't like me being sweet?"

A glare is shot his way. "I didn't say that now, did I? I'm just curious what caused it."

Pulling her back up against his side he chuckles. "Well, that is for me to know and you not to worry about."

"Okay Mr. Secretive."

About a half hour later Gary pulls his pickup next to his brother in law's. He looks over at Brooke with a curious grin plastered to his face. "Well, what do you think?"

"They brought Alyssa here?"

Gary can't help rolling his eyes and laughing. "Well, I know how I rank now."

Brooke playfully shoves him. "Sorry, I think it is a very nice place. You did an excellent job picking the first date."

"I'm glad you think so." He opens his door then turns back to her. "For the record mom has Alyssa."

When he opens her door and extends his hand for her she says, "Do you want me to stop talking about your family?" She looks him in the eye and is slightly surprised when he smiles.

He grins, curves his arm in a formal position, and extends it to her. "I don't mind. I like to see you smile."

Slipping her arm though his she doesn't even try to hold back her smile. "I have something I want to ask you on the way back."

"Okay," he looks at her sideways. "Why don't you just ask me now?"

"Cause I want you to be able to think about it and answer truthfully."

He nods in response as Jaelyn and Tyson walk up hand in hand. The two couples enter the rustic dance hall together. Jaelyn spots a table off to the corner and leads the way with Tyson following right behind her. Gary grins at Brooke and motions for her to go first.

Once they are seated Brooke pokes Jaelyn in the side. "You know you are a liar by omission."

Jaelyn narrows her eyes at Brooke. "And just what do you mean by that?"

"You didn't correct me when I said I get to have baby snuggles," Brooke states matter of factly.

Before Jaelyn has a chance to reply Gary taps on Brooke's shoulder. "Can I interrupt long enough to ask you a question? Can I have this dance?"

Giggling like a school girl she nods. "Yes, you may." She follows a hatless Gary out on the wood floor as Cody Johnson's Every Scar Has a Story gets started playing. Her eyes grow wide when he spins her around pulling her towards him.

He grins at her while looking into her eyes. "Do you dance fancy?" As he asks and winks at her.

"How about you just wait and see." She looks him in the eye, "Just don't let me fall."

One of his eyebrows shoots up. "You really think I'm going to let you fall?"

She grins at his one eyebrow knowing hers only go up together. They aren't bold enough to do it alone. "No," she says quietly with a small content smile on her face. This might just be the most romantic, thoughtful, yet silly thing that anyone has done for and with her. Not silly in a bad way. Just silly because he is a goofy kind of guy. That's the way she likes him though.

When the song comes to an end Gary twirls her around in about three circles before the last one spins her right into his toned chest. He smiles down at her for a brief moment before leading her off the dance floor.

"You are a really good dancer," she comments as they sit back down at the table.

A smile gradually forms until it beams widely. "Well, thank you. You aren't half bad yourself." He adds a wink at the end so she knows he is only joking.

The two couples talk amongst themselves while a couple songs pass. Brooke instantly perks up when the tune to a familiar song begins to come from the live band. Gary smiles at her and instead of saying anything he just extends his hand to her. A smile bigger than the moon spread across her face and her eyes light up.

"Who knew you were such a country music fan," he says once they are on the dance floor two stepping along with the music.

His comment makes her laugh. "I'm going to go out on a limb and say there are lots of things you don't know about me yet."

"Does that mean you want me to know them sometime?"

A mischievous smirk hanging just behind her lips she shrugs. "I guess that's up to you."