Page 28 of Preacher

“Yeah, I can make that work.” He gave me one last smile, then turned and started back up to the house. “See ya tomorrow, Tabitha.”

“See ya tomorrow!”

I stood there and watched as Preacher walked back up to the house. He walked like he had all the time in the world. Once he made it over to his friend, I forced my attention back to Titan. I gave him a few more strokes with the brush before I led him back out to the pasture.

He trotted off, leaving me alone to deal with the crazy in my head.

I needed something to do, something to distract me, so I headed inside to start cleaning stalls. I figured busy hands would lead to a quiet mind. It seemed like a good plan, but no matter how hard I tried to keep my focus on the task at hand, my thoughts kept drifting back tohim.

Tomorrow, I would be spending the better part of the day with him, and the thought of being near him for hours on end sent a rush through me.

I was being ridiculous. I was a grown woman. I had no business getting worked up over some man’s attention. But no matter how much I tried to ignore it, I could feel the anticipation building in the pit of my stomach.

By morning, it was a full-blown knot, and I was a nervous wreck.

I told myself I was being silly, but that didn’t stop me from taking a little extra time getting ready. I tried on at least three pairs of jeans before I found the ones that fit just right. I put on a black t-shirt and my boots, then I took a few extra minutes to style my hair. I had no business styling my hair.

I was going to be working in the barn with horses and manure. After chastising myself, I tossed my brush on the counter and went to the kitchen for some coffee. By the time I made it down to the stalls, I was starting to regret ever making this silly deal with Preacher.

I had no business getting involved with him or any man. I was too old for this nonsense. The doubts continued to riddle my every thought as I busied myself with putting out fresh hay and having a lengthy talk with Faith. The pregnant mare didn’t give me any grand advice, but she was a great listener. I was telling her all about our little bargain when I heard it.

The low rumble of his motorcycle coming down the drive.

A thrill shot through me.

Ishouldn’tbe this excited.

It was silly.

I knew better.

But as that rumble drew closer, I felt a slow, traitorous smile tug at my lips. I was in trouble.

I wiped my hands on my jeans, then stepped out of the stall and watched him park near the barn. I felt like I was going to jump out of my own skin, but I managed to hold myself together as I made my way out to the front gate. Preacher swung his leg over his bike and removed his helmet. He took a quick moment to stretch out his shoulders before making his way over to me.

He looked a little different from the day before.

There was no biker vest. No Satan’s Fury emblem on his pocket. He was just wearing a plain t-shirt and a pair of worn jeans that had clearly seen their fair share of hard days. As he got closer, I crossed my arms and smiled. “I can’t believe it. You actually came.”

“Of course I did.” His lips curled in a confident smirk that made my stomach tighten. “You really think I’d back out?”

“I had my doubts.” I lifted a brow. “I figured something would come up. An issue with the club, a sudden injury, bad weather, or flat tire.”

“You underestimate me, Tabitha.” He gave me a wink. “When I say I’ll do something, I do it.”

“Guess we’ll see about that.”

“You’re killing me with all these doubts.”

“Not doubting. Just reserving judgment.” I shot him a teasing smile before nodding toward the barn. “You haven’t seen what I have in store for you yet.”

“That doesn’t sound good.”

“It’s nothing a man like you can’t handle.”

“Guess we’ll see about that.”

“Yes, we will.” I led him inside and stopped at the first troubled stall. I ran my fingers over the loose hinge on the door, jiggling it so he could see just how unstable it was. “These are a little loose.”

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