“So, I was thinking.” He sauntered toward her, hands in his back pockets. “We’re both headed to New York with a similar travel schedule.”

“What are you suggesting?” Joy asked warily when he met her halfway.

“Seems pointless to drive two cars when we can ride together, don’t you think?”

Joy bit into her lower lip. Mark had offered to go with her. In fact, they’d fought over him going. He wanted to. She didn’t. She insisted on doing the journey alone. She also preferred driving alone.

As for Dylan, she hadn’t expected to see him this morning, let alone ever again.

“I’ll pay for gas,” Dylan said, sweetening his offer.

“I don’t know . . .”

“Let me ride with you to New York and you can check off another item on your sister’s list,” Dylan negotiated, changing tactics.

“What do you mean?”

He slipped his sunglasses down his nose, peered down at her, and slowly grinned. “I dare you to take me to New York.”

“That’s not fair.” Joy huffed. Dylan couldn’t be both make a new friend and do something daring items on Judy’s list. That would be cheating.

He moved in closer and lowered his voice. “I double dare you, Joy.” The rumble in his throat shot straight to her stomach and made her feel all sorts of things she shouldn’t be feeling.

She started to object when she remembered the reason she was on this trip. She could get through Judy’s list that much faster. She could get to Mark sooner. Anticipation fluttered through her chest and spread outward. Mark would be ecstatic if she arrived a day earlier.

“Fine. All right.” Joy held up her hands, giving in. “But we’re setting some ground rules.”

“I can do rules. We had them on the tour bus.”

“What sort of rules?” she asked, hooked.

“I’ll tell you when we get on the road. What have you got in mind?”

Joy went to her car and popped the trunk. “Rule number one: we don’t exchange last names.”

“Too late. You already know mine.”

“But you don’t know mine, so please don’t ask.” The last thing she wanted to risk was Dylan showing up on her porch stoop or sending an email because he found her on the internet. She’d have to explain to Mark who Dylan was and how they met.

Dylan broke eye contact and his shoulders slumped, but he agreed. “If that’s the way you want it, I promise I won’t ask. What’s rule number two?”

Joy dropped in her bag and closed the trunk. “What happens on the road stays on the road.”

“What are you expecting to happen, Joy?” His tone was teasing. The look in his eyes wasn’t. It was hot.