He genuinely attempted innocence.
It was terrible.
“You know.”
One ranch hand looked between them.
Then stood.
“I suddenly have work.”
The others followed.
Within seconds, the table emptied.
The cowboy watched them flee.
“Cowards.”
The ranch woman leaned forward.
“You kissed me in your head and now we’re discussing ink?”
“I did not kiss you.”
“You said you wanted to.”
“That’s different.”
“Not to me.”
He leaned back.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Stop pretending it didn’t happen.”
“It didn’t happen.”
“The conversation happened.”
“Yes.”
“So?”
He stared at her.
“So what?”
The ranch woman wanted to throw bread at him.
Instead she stood.
“You are impossible.”
“I warned you.”
“Everyone warned me.”
“Then why are you surprised?”
She stormed from the room.
The cowboy waited until the door closed.
Then dropped his forehead into one hand.
The oldest ranch hand appeared from the hallway.
“Went well?”
The cowboy looked up.
“Go away.”
The hand laughed.
Three days later, a thunderstorm trapped them together in the barn.
The ranch woman had been checking stored inventory.
The cowboy had been moving tack.
Rain suddenly slammed against the roof.
Horses shifted in their stalls.
Thunder rolled across the valley.
The ranch woman stood near the open barn door watching rain turn the yard gray.
“Looks like we’re stuck.”
The cowboy remained behind her.
“No.”
She turned.
“You planning to walk through that?”
“Yes.”
“You’ll be soaked.”
“I’ve been wet before.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“You’re running away again.”
“I’m going to the house.”
“In lightning?”
“Yes.”
“Coward.”
He stopped.
She smiled.
He looked at the storm.
Then at her.
“You enjoy testing me.”
“Very much.”
“That is dangerous.”
“You keep saying that.”
“And you keep ignoring me.”
She stepped away from the door.
“Maybe your warnings aren’t convincing.”
The cowboy folded his arms.
“You think I’m joking?”
“I think you’re afraid of wanting something.”
His face changed.
The ranch woman continued.
“You hide behind being bigger than everyone.”
“That isn’t hiding.”
“Yes, it is.”
His eyes narrowed.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Then explain.”
Thunder rattled the barn.
The cowboy walked toward her.
Each step slow.
Controlled.
The ranch woman stood her ground.
He stopped directly in front of her.
“If I stop being careful around you, I’m not sure you understand what that means.”
She looked up.
“Try me.”
His hand lifted.
Then stopped halfway.
The ranch woman waited.
Finally, his fingers touched her jaw.
Barely.
She leaned into his palm.
The cowboy inhaled sharply.
“You see?”
“What?”
“You make everything worse.”
She smiled.
“That doesn’t sound romantic.”
“It wasn’t meant to.”
His thumb brushed her cheek.
The ranch woman’s eyes closed for one second.