Page 65 of Shelter for Tanna

“I bet.” She wiggled a little to get comfortable and stared up at him. “Okay. What are these things we need to talk about?”

“First of all, you didn’t tell me about those guys.”

She sighed heavily. “I didn’t want to worry you.”

“If you’d told me, this might not have happened.”

“You don’t know that.”

He rolled his eyes. “No. I don’t know that, but I’m betting it wouldn’t have because I would’ve beaten both of them to a bloody pulp.”

“I’m sorry. It won’t happen again, I promise.”

Braden rolled his eyes. “Dear god, I hope not.”

“What else?”

“I want you to find a different job. Something not as strenuous, where you’re not outside working in the rain and snow. Where you’re not getting grease all over your hands.”

“Oh, something ladylike.”

“No. Somethingsafe.”

“Like what?”

“Like being a lunch lady at one of the schools.”

Her brow dropped and she glared at him. “I could turn a pot of boiling water over on myself and die from my burns.”

He glared back. “Now you’re just being a smartass.”

“Yes. I am. But I will think about it.”

“I also want you to move in here with me. You can sell your house and put the money in an investment so if someday you’re sick of me and want to leave, you’ll still have the money.”

“Oh. A backup plan.”

Braden shrugged. “I suppose you could call it that.”

“I see. And what if I told you I’m never going to get sick of you and leave you?”

“I would hope you’d be telling the truth.”

“Have you ever known me to lie?”

Braden’s eyebrows shot up. “Uh, two guys with a gun banging on your door? Hello?”

“That wasn’t a lie. It was just something I, um, didn’t mention.”

“I see we’re going to have to get a dictionary and define the word ‘lie,’ because apparently you don’t know what it meansandyou do a shitty job of it.”

“Oh, is that right?”

“That’s right, missy.”

“Okay. Anything else?”

“You’re going to marry me.”

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