Page 64 of His Eighth Ride

“That’s great, Opal,” Tag said, his voice barely louder than the quiet radio playing in the background.

“Would you—would you look at the proposals with me and help me choose?”

He glanced over to her and took her hand in his. “Yes,” he said simply.

Warmth filled Opal, and she relaxed into the seat behind her. Finally. “I think I might move out while the house is built.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” she said. “Mike and Gerty keep saying it’s fine if I’m there, but I don’t know. I have this feeling it’s not okay.”

“Where will you go?”

“I’ve been looking at a couple of places,” she said. “For rent. Houses for rent. My house is going to take at least six months to build. Probably longer.”

“At least you won’t be moving in the winter,” he said.

“I have so much stuff in storage in California,” she said, her mood dropping at the thought of having to go there and get it. “Maybe I’ll just buy all new everything.”

Tag chuckled and squeezed her hand. “Spoken like a true Hammond.”

Opal opened her mouth to protest, or at least defend herself. Then she remembered what she’d spent on this dress, and she started to laugh. “I suppose so,” she said through her giggles.

She leaned back and watched the night flow by. “I feel so much more in control of my life,” she said.

“I’m glad.”

Looking over to him, she wondered if God would cut off her vocal cords again if she tried to ask the question dancing through her mind. She decided to open her mouth and try, and this time, she easily asked, “What about you? How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine,” he drawled.

“You know what I mean,” she said.

“I’m not looking for a house or a farm,” he said. His voice had taken on a black note, and Opal wanted to backtrack quickly.

“I meant about us,” she said. “About your life in general. Not where you live.” In truth, she wanted to know all of it, but she didn’t want anything to ruin tonight.

“I feel great about us, honey-love,” he said. “I love my life at the farm, and I’m not sure I need anything different.”

Opal grinned at him. “That’s great. I’m glad.”

Tag nodded, but Opal saw how tight his jaw remained. When they arrived at Velvet, the words spelled out in gold lights, Opal waited for him to come help her from the truck. As she found her footing, he wrapped her up tightly and held her.

She smiled against his chest, the feelings of love rising within her. “I’m worried I’m not enough to hold your attention,” he murmured.

Opal pulled back. “What? That’s ridiculous.”

“Nevertheless.” Tag gave her that sexy smile, and Opal just wanted to reassure him that he was the only man who’d held her interest for longer than a date or two in years. In her heels, she only had to tip up a few inches to kiss him, and she did exactly that.

An inferno roared to life between them, and surely he felt that. Every kiss with him felt like the first time, and Opal simply didn’t believe that was only on her end. He certainly kissed her back with a sense of urgency and passion.

“You’re mine,” she whispered against his lips. “Okay?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he murmured back. “But I actually got you a giant teddy bear that’s holding a heart that says, ‘Be mine.’” He touched his lips to hers again, and Opal wanted more, more, more. “So can you be mine too?”

“Yes,” she whispered. “But I’m going to need to see the bear.”

Tag chuckled, and Opal smiled way down in her soul. “You’re mine,” he said, pulling her as close as she could get. “Bear or no bear.”

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