Page 30 of The Cowboy's Unlikely Love

“You don’t have it wrong, Tanner. You’re awesome. I might give you a hard time but that’s only because I don’t know what else to do. I … I don’t date much. More honestly, I don’t date at all – haven’t for years. So, yeah, I feel like there’s something here, something happening between us but …” She dropped her chin wondering if she should tell him why she didn’t date anymore.

He tucked his fingers under her chin and made her look up at him. His expression was so earnest, her heart felt as though it melted a little bit.

“That’s because something is happening, baby. And I know what you’re going to say …”

She held her breath, wondering how he knew.

“… you’re only here for a week. You don’t know if there’s any point. You’re not the kind of girl who just sleeps with a guy for nothing more than the fun of it.”

She nodded; he was right, but that was far from the whole story.

He leaned in and her eyes drifted shut when he brushed his lips over hers. He kissed her deep and slow. The whole world faded away as he stepped in closer, resting the weight of his bigbody against her, trapping her against the side of the truck in a way that made her want to never escape.

When he finally lifted his head, he held her gaze as he dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose. “Say you’ll hang out with me this week? Have some fun with me. If you’re going to go back to your life in Napa, why not take a memory with you? I think we should grab all the chances we get in life. You never know which day’s going to be your last.”

He looked deadly serious as he said that, and she had to wonder who he’d lost. He rested his forehead against hers. “Not trying to get all depressing on you, but it’s true.” He pecked her lips and when he straightened up, his smile was back. “Won’t you feel terrible if you find out next week that I kicked the bucket, and you denied me my only chance at having a real relationship?”

She rolled her eyes at him. “You had me for a minute there.”

“I’ve got you for more than a minute, and we both know it. I reeled you right in, didn’t I?”

She had to laugh. “I’ll hang out with you, but that’s in spite of you trying to lay a guilt trip on me, not because of it.”

“Awesome! I didn’t mean it as a guilt trip, though.”

“I know, you were only playing.”

He opened the truck door for her and this time he put his hand on her ass and gave her a shove as she climbed up.

“And I thought you were such a gentleman,” she said once she was seated.

“I am. I was just lending a hand.”

“Where I come from, we call that copping a feel.”

He grinned happily. “That too.”

Everly checked her watch as they left the lake and was shocked to see that it was only ten-fifteen. It felt like they’d spent the whole day together already.

“Do you have any plans for the rest of the day?” Tanner asked.

“No. Well, I don’t really, but I’m still hoping that my dad might call.” She blew out a sigh. “You’d think I’d know better by now, but I fall for it every time.”

“Want to talk about it?”

“No. Thanks for offering, and it’s not that I don’t want to tell you about it or anything, but I’d rather not dwell on it, you know? Inside, I’m hoping and hoping that he’ll call and explain why he didn’t show. But in the meantime, I’d rather think about something else – anything else.”

“I get that. So…” He shot her one of his sexy smiles. “Are you asking me to distract you?”

She laughed but it was an appealing idea. “What do you have in mind?” she asked.

“Well, we can do anything you want to do. If you want to see more of the valley, I can drive you around. If you want to see Yellowstone, I’ll take you down there. Or …”

She watched his face, wondering what other option he was about to suggest – and whether there was any reason whatsoever that she should turn him down if he said what she expected.

He seemed uncomfortable when he spoke again. “I … I need to go check on the horses. I …”

She felt so dumb! He had work to do. “Of course! I don’t need to take up all your time. Do you want to drop me off at …”

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