Page 18 of The Cowboy's Unlikely Love

“Oh!” She eyed him suspiciously.

He laughed. “Honestly! That’s what I meant. If you think about it, you’re the one who jumped to the wrong conclusion.”

She pursed her lips. “Shit! I’m sorry.”

He shook his head with a smile. “No, don’t apologize. I suppose it was a reasonable conclusion for you to jump to, but that doesn’t change the fact that it was the wrong conclusion. I promise. So, what do you say? Would it be all right if I come to pick you up tomorrow – take you out for breakfast?”

She held his gaze and smiled. “Yeah, it would. Thanks, I’d like that.”

“Okay, then. And can we play it by ear from there? See how long I can get you to hang out with me?”

“Sure – or how soon you want to bring me back here and get rid of me.”

“If it were up to me, I’d tell you to pack your bag right now and bring you back to the ranch with me.”

They both turned when the front door to the lodge opened, and a couple came out. Tanner watched them walk hand in hand down the steps before heading over to a circle of Adirondack chairs where they sat to look up at the stars. It made him wish that he’d suggested that he and Everly should do that.

When he looked over at her, she was watching the couple. She turned when she sensed his gaze on her. “What?”

He grinned. “Those people gave me an idea. Want to go for a walk?”

“A walk? In the dark?”

His heart sank. Maybe she was one of those prissy, city girls who…

She interrupted his thoughts. “Sure, why not?”

“You’re not afraid of the dark, then?”

She laughed. “No. I don’t know why I said that. I…” She met his gaze and held it. “If you want to know the truth, I was debating with myself whether I should just invite you inside.”

All his breath caught in his chest. Was she saying…?

She gave him a wry smile. “But you’re right, a walk in the dark is probably a better idea.”

~ ~ ~

Everly reached for the door handle. She was surprised at herself for even considering inviting him to come up to her room, and even more so that she’d told him so.

“Wait there,” he told her.

She didn’t know why he wanted her to wait, but she did as he asked while he got out and jogged around the front of the truck. When he reached the passenger door, he opened it for her and offered her his hand to get down.

All her breath got caught in her chest when her feet hit the ground, and he reached past her to close the truck door.

He tilted his head to the side, and a small smile played on his lips as he asked, “You okay?”

She nodded rapidly, not trusting herself to speak. When he leaned in close like that, it was hard to remember why inviting him up to her room wasn’t a good idea.

He pointed to the path that she knew looped around the guest cabins before arriving back at the entrance to the lodge. “Want to go that way?” he asked.

“Sure. You’re familiar with this place, then?”

“I am. The Remingtons are good friends of ours. We all grew up together.”

“Oh. That makes sense.” It shouldn’t matter to her, but she was relieved to hear his explanation. She’d assumed that he knew his way around from bringing girls back here. On the other hand, she wasn’t thrilled that he knew the Remingtons well. “Did you go to school with them?” she asked.

“Sure did. I imagine you’ve met Shane since he runs the lodge, but there’s Mason, Beau, and Carter as well.”

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