“Hey.” Once again, I look over, and he’s smiling.
“Apart from Joy, you’re the one person in Darling Creek who made coming home feel okay.”
I have to unpack that for a moment. “What does that mean?”
Tanner fixes me with a warm gaze even though he’s not smiling.
“It means you’re the only one who doesn’t feel the need to bring up the past. Maybe because you don’t know about it. But that doesn’t change the fact that I think you’re a decent lady.”
“A decent lady,” I repeat, then press my lips together, so I don’t embarrass him by laughing. The man is pouring his heart out, and I’m over here feeling embarrassed by compliments. “Thank you.”
“And a beautiful one.”
I scoff and brush the crumbs off my jeans.
I move to stand up, but Tanner stands first. He holds his hand out to help me, and I reluctantly take it. Maybe slightly less reluctantly than I would have a few hours ago.
He doesn’t let go of my hand right away when I come to my feet.
I clear my throat. “I gotta finish up a few things in the barn. You can go.”
Tanner’s brow furrows. “Are you sure? You want me to feed the cattle? You still gotta replenish the hay from this morning.”
To tell the truth, I’d like a break from that job.
“You know how to drive a tractor? How to spike the bales?”
He smiles. “Sure do.”
“My girls are picky,” I say, smirking. “They like their hay spread out for them.”
“I wouldn’t dream of doing it any other way.”
My eyes study him, and I have to ask. “You’ve worked on a ranch before.”
“Yeah, and?”
“You didn’t say you worked on a ranch before,” I press.
“Was I supposed to disclose that fact before our date? Would it have made a difference?”
Tanner crosses his arms over his chest.
“I’m surprised.”
“Why?”
I know where this is going, and I’m going to get myself in trouble, but I say it anyway. “I possibly, stupidly assumed bull riders didn’t have real-world experience. I thought it was just athleticism. Eight seconds and you’re done.”
Tanner steps closer to me, towering over me as he says, “I can go a lot longer than eight seconds.”
“Oh really?”
“Yep.”
“How much longer, cowboy?”
He glances up at the sky and lifts one shoulder. “Hmm. About 35 seconds, at least, before I’m rolling off you and falling asleep.”