11

 

“Come on. No arguing. It’s time for you to relax.” Graham tugged Rori’s hand until she stood up. She’d been holed up in the house all afternoon, and now she sat hunched over the keyboard of her laptop. Invoices, checks, and paperwork scattered across the kitchen table.

Since he’d arrived at the ranch this afternoon, she hadn’t made it outdoors one time. Too busy or was she avoiding him?

His lips quirked up on one side. That wasn’t happening. Not if he could help it. Especially since he’d rearranged his schedule so that he could fly out in the morning rather than tonight.

“Relax?” she muttered, sliding her warm hand from his grasp. She stretched her arms above her head, and then rolled her shoulders. “Who has time to relax? I’ve got a ranch to run. Animals to feed and take care of.”

“Not tonight. You have the night off. The animals are all fed and tucked in for the evening.” He dangled the bursting-at-the-seams picnic hamper in front of her face. “And you have to eat.”

Her eyes brightened, and she perked up.

Now he knew what motivated her. Food.

“You did all that?”

He arched his brows. “The animals’ portion. Not the picnic. I thought we could spend a quiet evening together. Just you and me.”

Goliath let out a single bark, loud and echoing through the tiny house.

Graham’s gaze shot down to the dog sitting on his haunches next to them. He rubbed the soft fur on Goliath’s head, trying to glare at him, but not succeeding all that well. The dog couldn’t take a hint, and he surely wouldn’t stay behind. “Correction. You, me, and Goliath.”

Rori tossed that mane of silky, dark hair back and laughed. She crouched and rubbed Goliath’s ears. “That’s a good boy. You’ve trained your master well.”

She stood to her full height and lifted her pretty nose in the air. “Thank you, Graham. Actually, something to eat sounds awesome and it smells divine. What’s in there?”

“Dinner.”

She gave him a playful swat on his upper arm, and he felt the magnetism that constantly drew him to her all the way through his denim jacket. He grabbed her hand and took his time bringing her palm to his lips, his eyes never leaving hers. He caught the amber specks, burning like melted gold against the backdrop of her green eyes. The sharp intake of breath and the way her body stilled, waiting. He kissed the soft flesh on her palm and then guided her hand gently back to her side. This woman made his heart flap like crazy, but he didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize the tenuous thread that held them together. “Ready?” Willing his pulse back to a normal rate, he swept the air with his arm, inviting her to the front door.

She might have smelled crusty bread from the roast beef sandwiches, havarti cheese, and oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips from the basket, but all he breathed in was her jasmine and spicy cinnamon scent as she drifted past him. That and a slight whiff of the chocolate and peanut butter from her latest candy binge. He took two long-legged steps, beating her to the door, and opened it with a flourish. “After you, milady.”

Smiling, she complied, and they stepped onto the porch.

Brilliant white stars glittered across a not quite dark sky, the giant moon already hanging high and bright on the horizon.

Dinner under a star-studded sky with Rori.

Was he sure he could handle this? No. Not at all. But he would give it his best shot.

 

****

 

Rori stepped off the porch, the smells of dinner leading her, following on Graham’s boot heels just like Goliath.

He was so sweet to feed and take care of the animals, but he hadn’t stopped there. Somehow he’d managed to scrounge up dinner for them, too. When had he done that?

She ran a hand through her hair, flipping it away from her face. She’d been so engrossed in paying bills, she really wasn’t sure what time he had arrived at the ranch. Or even what time it was now. Judging by the darkened sky, it had to be late. And it was Thursday night. She gasped and touched his forearm, feeling her pulse speed up at the muscles that bunched underneath her fingertips. “Graham, why are you still here?”

He grabbed her hand with his free one, Goliath trotting alongside. “Worried about me?”

“No.” Well, maybe just a little.

Llama heads popped up as they trekked across the yard and towards a grassy knoll. A couple hums sounded, but they were too far away that Graham didn’t even flinch.

“I don’t fly out until tomorrow.”

“So does that mean the race is later?”

“No. That means I rearranged my schedule so that I could spend more time with you.” He angled his gaze in her direction.

In the waning light, she made out his boyish, hopeful expression. He’d already given her the gift of time on so many occasions, and again tonight. Her heart soared with this tiny glimpse of his vulnerability. But, what was she supposed to do with that?