For a good half hour, they didn't say much. Cassia was more familiar with Dallas than he was, and offered a few directions to cut the drive time down. Cassia didn't find the silence awkward. She was consumed with thoughts of how she would handle this once they stopped but she felt a level of comfort and ease with Dylan she didn't feel with anyone else in her life. Even her friends, people she'd known since grade school, felt the need to fill the quiet spaces with chatter about work or a new haircut.
Before long, they were free of the trappings of the city, the lights fading in the distance behind them.
Dylan's deep voice broke the comfortable silence. "So, do you have an actual destination in mind, or are you taking me out to drop me off in a farmer's field somewhere and leave me there?"
Cassia laughed. "I don't know how you think I could manage that."
He cleared his throat and when she looked over at him, his smile was crooked. She loved that smile. "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I'm sure you could disarm me without a struggle."
Cassia bit her lip, not at all certain she knew what he meant. She knew what she hoped. Her heart kicked into double time again. Then she spotted the sign ahead and pointed out the windshield. "Take that exit right up there."
He did as she directed, turning off the interstate and then down a few rural roads until they reached their destination.
When Dylan cut the engine, he looked over at Cassia with a worried expression on his face.
"What?"
"You promise you're not going to abandon me here?"
She laughed. "It's your truck, your keys. How will I abandon you here?"
"You're a mechanic. I'm positive you know how to hotwire a vehicle."
She pasted an innocent look on her face and climbed out of the truck, laughing when she heard his muttered grumbling. He followed a moment later, meeting her at the back of the truck as she lowered the tailgate. He eyed her as she clambered up and swung around, leaving her legs dangling.
"Come on." She put her hand on the spot beside her.
"We could have sat in the diner, you know. Eating pie at the same time."
"Man, all this time, I never knew what a whiner you are. Get your ass up here."
"All this time, I never knew how bossy you can get." But he climbed up and sat beside her. "So what are we doing here?"
"I used to love coming out to the country with my dad when I was a kid. He'd take us fishing or out to some deserted country road where we could practice driving." She smiled and tilted her head back. "He'd always end up keeping us out until after dark and I'd lay down in the back of the car on the drive home, staring out the window."
Dylan tipped his head back as well and let out a low whistle. "What a sight."
For several long minutes, neither of them spoke. Cassia's breath caught when she spied a shooting star. With a contented sigh, she reclined back, heedless of the cold metal and ridges of the truck bed. Beside her, Dylan glanced back.
"It's easier on the neck this way."
He followed suit, laying back beside her, their shoulders touching. In another minute, Cassia was warmed through, and couldn't help but wonder if he felt the same.
"You brought me out here to look at the stars?" His voice was pitched low, as if he didn't want to disturb the peaceful darkness around them. And it was very dark. The moon was the barest sliver off in the distance and they were well outside the city.
Cassia took a deep breath. "Not exactly."
He didn't reply and Cassia was scared to look at him.
"So you did bring me out here to murder me and leave my body for the coyotes."
She burst out laughing and reached over to give him a playful shove. He chuckled with her and she rolled onto her side, propping herself up on one elbow. She could barely make out his features in the dark. But the longer she looked, the better she could see the shape of his smile and the glint in his eyes.
"I wanted to thank you for everything you've been doing for me. You've been so great, and all I've done is go to that casino night with you."
"There does seem to be a lot more going on in your life than mine."
"I guess. I feel bad sometimes that you're having to put on a show and I feel like I haven't been keeping up my end of the bargain."
He chuckled. "I'm not keeping score, if that's what you're worried about."
It wasn't. Not really. She was stretching out the moment, afraid to come to the point. Then again, if she waited too long, she might lose her nerve.
He spoke up again before she could. "I do have another team event later in the month, that you could come to, but if you want, why don't you come to a game?"
"A game?"
"Yeah. You'd probably see some of the people you saw at the casino night, and you could cheer me on, play the part."
She stared down at him, his offer throwing her off. It had never occurred to her to ask to attend a Stars game. The thought was exciting. She'd always loved live games, and had only been to a handful in her entire life. "But... I wouldn't have anyone to go with. None of my friends care about hockey."
"What about your mom?"
She made a face. While her mother had apologized earlier, she didn't know if she was ready for an entire night of her mother's well-meaning but pointed questions about any relationship of hers.
"Or Jill?"
"Jill? Howie's wife?" Cassia had enjoyed talking to the other woman at the cookout. "Yeah. Maybe."
"There you go."
He turned his head, his gaze going back to the night sky. Cassia continued to study him. He lifted one arm and rested his head on it. When she still didn't move, or look away, he let out a short laugh.
"You're starting to make me nervous."
"I'm sorry. I just... I still feel bad about how much you're having to do with all this. You probably didn't imagine family dinners with third degrees when we made this deal."
"I guess not. But it's fine. I like your family."
She narrowed her eyes. "Even my brothers?"
