She smiled guiltily. “Sorry about that. When it comes to racing, I have no common sense. I think about how to win and consider the other factors never.”
“I could tell. You’ve got a competitive streak.”
“Guilty,” she said, watching as he wiped his hands on his thighs, drawing her attention to how delicious he looked in faded blue jeans and a white polo that brought out the golden color of his skin. The man was hot as hell even covered in mud, but right now he was flat out stunning. He looked good enough to eat, and she had a feeling noodles wouldn’t be the only thing she’d be devouring before the night was through.
The thought made a ribbon of heat thread through her core.
“We can skip the walk around the property if you want,” she said. “If you’re suffering.”
He shook his head. “No, it’s just a little pulled muscle. I want the full tour.” He turned, gazing out over the fields stretching away from the house. “This is a beautiful place. Have you parents always lived here?”
She nodded as she led the way down the steps into the back yard. “Ever since they were married. They met while they were both getting their agriculture degrees at the university and moved back here to take over the farm when they graduated. My dad’s parents had died a few years before and left the place to him. It’s been in the family for generations.”
“That must be nice,” he said, pulling in a deep breath. “To have such a sense of place. My parents moved around a lot when I was a kid. Always in the Bay Area, but often enough that no one house or neighborhood ever felt completely like home.”
“Honestly, Lonesome Point never felt like home when I was younger.” She started across the grass, down the tree-lined path leading between the fields. “I think I was born itching to get out of this town.”
He frowned. “Really? Why?”
She shrugged. “It was so small, and I thought I needed a bigger sandbox to be happy. But as time passed I realized that there was something to be said for a place where people know your name, your history. It’s comforting to be part of something bigger than yourself, even if it’s just a little corner of Texas. And the people here are some of the nicest in the world.”
“I agree, I’ve never—” He broke off, his stomach rumbling loud enough to be heard over the wind whistling through the trees above them.
Yasmin laughed. “Maybe we should cut the tour short and head back to the kitchen? I’ve got some leftover spring rolls you can munch on while I boil the noodles.”
“That’s probably a good idea,” he said. “I was so busy hunting patio furniture I missed second lunch.”
“Second lunch?” She arched a brow.
“It’s like second breakfast, but it happens between lunch and dinner.” His boyish grin was completely charming. “Fast metabolism.”
“Lucky. Mine slows down if I even think about…” Her words trailed off, sticking in her throat as the deck, and the surprise waiting at the base of it, came back into view.
She cursed, shaking her head in disbelief.
“What?” He followed her gaze, tensing as he spotted the threat. “Is that—”
“Sampson the third, out of his pen again,” she confirmed, bracing herself to run. But so far it looked like the rooster had yet to spot them. “And it looks like he won top cock at the festival. See the blue ribbon around his neck?”
“So he’s come to show off, is that it? Engage in some sibling rivalry? Rub it in that he won a prize at the festival and you didn’t?”
She stifled a laugh. “Don’t. If I laugh, he’ll hear, and we’ll never get inside to our dinner. He’s perfectly capable of blocking all entrances.”
Noah stood up straighter, rolling his broad shoulders back. “Oh, hell no. That bastard isn’t keeping me from my Chinese-Texan food. I’ve been looking forward to that shit all day. This is going down. I’ll take him out ninja style.”
She snorted and the rooster’s head cocked in their direction. As soon as he spotted Yasmin, his breast feathers puffed up and a low, menacing gurgle sounded from his throat. “Shit,” she hissed. “Now you’ve done it, ninja style. I haven’t had a chance to heal from my last run in with him yet.”
“He’s not going to touch you,” Noah said, fingers wrapping around her upper arms as he moved her behind him. “I’m taking this for the team. You just head for the back steps. I’ll keep him away from you.”
“But don’t hurt him,” she said, heart beating faster as they crept cautiously forward, each step mirrored by Sampson, who had clearly entered stalking-his-prey mode. “If you do, my mother will never forgive you.”
“Is this the face of a man who would hurt a rooster?”
She glanced up at him, but before she could ask what the face of a man who would hurt a rooster looked like, Sampson charged.
“Go, go, go!” Noah yelled flapping his arms as he turned to meet the rooster head on. With a squeal, Yasmin made a break for the back deck. She sprinted hard, taking the steps two at a time, and dashed into the kitchen, grabbing the first non-lethal weapon she could get her hands on.
Back out on the deck, she took aim with a granny smith apple and let it fly, hitting the ground in front of Sampson just as he lashed out, nearly taking a chunk out of Noah’s knee.