“Not me.”
“Liar.”
She held his gaze. “Yeah, I’ll think about it, too. Come on.” She tugged him toward the front of the sleigh. “I want to drive.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He helped her up, climbed in beside her and handed her the lines. “Just slap these lightly on his rump and tell him to go.”
“Move out, Thor!” The Belgian took off without her having to tap him with the lines, which made her laugh. “He really does want to go home.”
“He knows I brought him some carrot chunks.”
“Where are they?”
“In my truck. You don’t have to stick around for that, since you probably want to get back to reading. Just take the box and vamoose.”
“That’s not fair. I’ll help you unhitch and brush him.”
“Nah, I’ve got this.” They rounded the bend in the road. “And I’ll have help. See Buck walking up to the barn? He must have figured we’d be back about now.”
“Should I try to hide the box under my coat? I’m not sure I can. It’ll look like I’m smuggling something.”
“It doesn’t matter if he sees it. He knows I gave you a Christmas present, just not what it was.”
“Then he knows you’re interested in me?”
“He does. Quite a few people know. They just think you don’t like me.”
“I’m not sure I do.”
“Fair enough.”
“What if he asks me about the gift?”
“Just tell him it’s a book you’ve always wanted.”
“We’ve established I’m not a convincing liar.”
“And here I thought you’ve been hoping I’d write a book so you could read it. I’m crushed.”
“You don’t crush easily. Okay, I’ll tell him— I don’t know what I’ll tell him. I’ll think of something.”
“Now you’re starting to sound like me, creating subterfuge on the fly.” He waved at Buck, who waved back.
“But the difference is you love intrigue. You eat it up with a spoon while it makes me nervous as hell.”
“Because you don’t do it enough. You’ve got the brains for it, just not the nerve. Stick with me and you’ll get better.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
“Don’t worry, Lani-lou. I’ve got your back.”
She groaned. “What would it take to get you to stop calling me that?”
“I’d tell you, but you can’t afford it.”
“You want me topay you? That’s extreme, even for you.”
“I’m not talking about money.”
