“Why?” She pulled her keys from her purse, slid one into the lock and threw the bolt. “It’s not like we’re dating or anything.”

Another jab that took the dagger deeper. Whether she’d intended to was beside the point. “Dating or not, I find the idea of a man not calling on a woman at her door repulsive.”

“Repulsive?” Spinning back to him, she dropped the keys into the black hole of her enormous purse and tucked her hair behind one ear. He couldn’t exactly call the expression on her face a frown. More that of a woman thoroughly confused. “That’s a bit strong, don’t you think?”

“Failing to personally meet a woman at her door is lazy and ignoble, both of which are repulsive traits in my book. So, no. I don’t think it’s too strong at all.”

Her instant smile was disarming. A bright moonbeam shining on an otherwise black velvet night. “Did you just say ignoble?”

“Are you unfamiliar with the word?”

“Are you kidding?” Not waiting for him, she flounced down the steps, but glanced back at him at the bottom of the stoop. “Impressed is more like it. I’d say more than half the men I know don’t have that word in their vocabulary and English is their native language.” She waited until he reached her on the street level then added, “Aunt Frieda says I’ve got a word fetish.”

“Is that so?” He cupped her elbow and checked the street for oncoming traffic before he guided her across.

His touch startled her for a moment, but she rebounded quickly and stayed in lock step the rest of the way. “Well, I do have a love for writing, and I come from a family full of people who require three-syllable words, minimum, for most conversations, so you can’t be too surprised.”

Actually, he was. Pleasantly so since he found it disappointing how little most people availed themselves of the options available in the English language. But then, every time he’d been around her, she’d found some new and interesting way to leave him awestruck.

He opened the passenger door and motioned her in. “An articulate woman who insists on frugal outings and strictly platonic relations.” He waited until she was seated and looked up at him. “You do keep me on my toes, Miss McClintock.” With that, he threw the door shut, got himself situated and pulled out of his parking spot.

Cassie made it all of two blocks before she rubbed her palms against her jean-clad thighs and studied the neighborhood out her passenger window. “So, where are we going?”

“Ever the seeking and curious mind.” He turned onto Rampart Street. “Nowhere extravagant, I assure you. How about you share how the remainder of your evening went yesterday and leave our destination as a surprise?”

Her features pinched in a mix of dismay and consideration. “I’m not especially good with surprises.”

“Ah, but I’m quite fond of the expressions you make when I keep you guessing, so I suspect this surprise won’t be the last. Besides, you’re a reporter. The vast majority of your job centers around new discoveries.”