Page 41 of Piece Of Me

“What if I don’t want to.”

“You don’t have a choice.”

“You’re being bossy again.”

“It’s one of my flaws.”

“Why?” she asked lightly.

He raised a questioning eyebrow.

“Are we taking this slow? I’ve heard it’s not your MO.”

At first, he didn’t say a thing, then he kissed her forehead. “I don’t want to make any mistakes. I think we could be something. This feels different.”

His raw honesty made her speechless and she was embarrassed by the fact that she blushed. Actually blushed. Had anyone ever spoken to her like that? Most of the men she’d been with had been afraid to be vulnerable. As if putting themselves out there somehow impacted their masculinity. She rested her head against his chest and said nothing.

“I should get you back,” Taz said after a while. Scarlett nodded and got busy with Hank. He was still sound asleep, and she secured him in the carrier, cuddling him while Taz packed up their picnic.

The wagon ride back to the house was nearly an hour and it was pushing five o’clock by the time they arrived. While Taz took care of the horses, she sat on his porch and fed Hank, and for that small window in time everything felt perfect. When she was done, she changed his diaper and settled him in his car seat, then climbed into the truck.

She watched Taz walk up from the barn and couldn’t help the spark of desire that sat low in her belly. He didn’t stop until he was beside her. He rested his elbows on the window.

“What are you looking at?” she asked quietly.

“You.” He leaned close and swept a light kiss across her mouth. “So, there’s this rodeo thing on the weekend.”

“I heard something about that,” she managed to say.

“A dance on Friday night.”

“Cal’s band is playing.”

“I think we should go.”

“Together?” she blurted, equally pleased and surprised.

“As opposed to…”

She laughed. “No, I mean, I have plans to go. Dad is coming out to the ranch to babysit Hank and Nora.” She bit her lip considering her options. Then thought, fuck it, her brothers would behave. “I’m meeting Benton, Cal, and Millie for dinner before the show. Do you want to join us?”

Taz straightened. “You asking me on a date?”

“I guess I am.”

He leaned real close again. “We making this thing official?”

“I guess we are.”

“Let me know what time and I’ll pick you up.”

“No,” she said in a rush. “We can meet in town. I’ll just come in with Benton.”

“Scarlett,” Taz said slowly, drawing out her name in a way that had those butterflies in her stomach swirling faster than a riptide. “I don’t know what kind of men you’ve dated in the past, but I don’t meet up with a woman I’m interested in. I’ll pick you up. Let me know what time.” His tone brooked no argument.

“Okay,” she replied softly, feeling a little more of herself melt.

“I was right,” he said quietly, hand on the open window of her truck.

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