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Duke’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “New York Strip. T-Bone’s too much work, and I don’t like fighting with my food.”
I chuckled, relaxing into the moment. “Figures that you’d go for efficiency.”
He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. “And you? Still a ribeye girl?”
I grinned. “Damn right. More marbling, more flavor.”
He nodded approvingly. “Can’t argue with that.”
I tapped a finger against my glass. “Alright, sauces. A1 or homemade?”
Duke pretended to be offended. “If you ruin a good steak with A1, you deserve to eat boot leather.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “That’s the right answer.”
His eyes twinkled. “What about you?”
I drank some wine. It wasnice, I guess. “I’d rather go without than drown a steak in sauce, but if it’s got a good peppercorn or chimichurri, I won’t say no.”
He lifted his glass. “To knowing what’s good.”
I clinked my glass against his. “To good food and….”
Duke watched me over the rim of his glass as he took a sip and then added, “Andbettercompany.”
I flushed. “Okay,” I continued, shifting gears, “best salad dressing?”
He wrinkled his nose. “None.”
I scoffed. “You just eat dry lettuce like some kind of psychopath?”
“I don’t eat lettuce at all.”
I rolled my eyes. “Of course, you don’t.”
He shrugged. “I’m a meat and potatoes man, darlin’. You can take the boy out of the ranch, but you can’t take the meat and potatoes out of him.”
“Yeah, yeah.” I waved him off, unable to hide my smile.
He chuckled, then cocked his head. “Alright, my turn—mashed potatoes or baked?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Loaded baked. What about you?”
His lips quirked. “Mashed. Simple. No nonsense.”
I shook my head. “They do it really well here. You’ll be missing out.”
“Nah,” he said, looking at me like he wasn’t just talking about food. “I know what I like.”
I swallowed hard. We were flirting.Really flirting. And suddenly, it wasn’t just playful banter anymore—it was a slow, unfamiliar dance.
I cleared my throat and reached for my drink. “Alright, last one?—”
“Dessert,” Duke finished for me.
I nodded. “You a pie man?”
He leaned forward. “I’d like to eat you for dessert, baby.”