Page 7 of Her Grumpy Cowboy

I blink in surprise. “An apology?”

He runs a hand through his dark hair. “For the way I treated you at the dance studio. I was rude and dismissive, and you didn’t deserve that.”

“It’s okay,” I manage to say. “I shouldn’t have?—”

But he cuts me off.

“No. It isn’t okay,” he insists. “You were just trying to do the right thing for Maisey. And I was a jerk. I want to make it up to you.”

My heart skips a beat at his words. “What did you have in mind?”

Luke takes a step closer and brushes his finger across my cheek. “How about a tour of the ranch before the bonfire starts?”

“Um, yeah. A tour sounds nice.”

He gives me a sexy grin and I feel my knees go weak. “Well, let’s go then.”

Luke takes my hand in his again, and this time he threads his fingers through mine. His palm is warm and callused against my skin, and I can’t help but marvel at how perfectly our hands fit together.

As he leads me out the back door of the kitchen, I feel a thrill of excitement run through me. The cool evening air hits my face, and I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart.

Luke glances down at me as we walk. “Maisey’s going to be thrilled to see you tonight. She’s been talking about you nonstop since your last class.”

“Aww, really?” My heart swells. “I’ve missed her. Honestly, I’ve missed all my students. Teaching those kids, seeing their progress and their joy... it means everything to me.”

“Have you decided what you’ll do next now that the studio is shutting down?”

I sigh. “Not exactly. I’ve been looking into dance jobs nearby, but pickings are slim. I might have to expand my search. Maybe even consider heading back to Chicago.”

“Chicago?” His hand tightens around mine. “Is that where you’re from?”

“Yep. Born and raised. My dad still lives there, too.”

He nods, his jaw working as if he’s chewing on his thoughts. I wait, sensing he wants to say more, but instead, he changes the subject.

“This is the west barn,” Luke says as we approach the sprawling wooden structure. “It’s where we keep the horses overnight and store all the tack.”

He slides open the heavy barn door and ushers me inside. The earthy scent of hay and leather envelops me as my eyes adjust to the dim interior. Rows of stalls line either side of the barn, and I can hear the soft nickering of horses echoing in the rafters.

“Wow,” I breathe, taking it all in. “This is incredible.”

Luke leads me to a stall near the back. A beautiful chestnut mare pokes her head over the gate.

“This is Whisper.” Luke strokes the horse’s velvety nose with a gentleness that makes my heart squeeze. “She’s a real sweetheart, isn’t she?”

I extend my hand tentatively, letting Whisper snuffle at my palm. When she nuzzles into my touch, I can’t help but laugh, the sound echoing in the quiet barn.

“She’s gorgeous. I’ve never actually ridden before.”

“Never?” He looks genuinely surprised.

I wink at him. “I’m from Chicago, remember?”

Luke grins “Guess I’ll have to take you out on the trails sometime. Show you what you’ve been missing.”

For a moment, I let myself imagine it—long rides across the open range, Luke’s strong arms around me.

I’ve never had a boyfriend before, but something tells me that Luke would be the protective type, the kind of man who would always keep me safe. I let my mind wander, imagining what it would be like to really kiss Luke, to feel his hands sliding over my skin.

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