She glanced at Thor standing patiently, harnessed up and ready to rumble. “That sounds like fun.”
“But now I’m thinking you’d be more comfortable sitting in the sleigh.”
“While reading your book.”
“It’s a thought. Not that you couldn’t drive the sleigh at some point. If you want to.”
“I do.” She was also itching to open the package. But she couldn’t do it here and the longer they debated the subject the more likely someone would show up and blow their cover. “Ninety-nine thousand words is a lot. I can’t possibly?—”
“You’d get far enough to make an evaluation.”
“True.” Excitement ramped up her heart rate. She lived for this. Every manuscript was a voyage into uncharted territory. No one had been there before her. In this case, literally no one.
On top of that, the unlikely author was a drop-dead gorgeous cowboy. She’d fought her attraction to him for months. If it turned out he could write….
“Shall we go?”
She sucked in a breath. “Yes.”
CHAPTER THREE
Rance wasted no time settling Lani in the sleigh and heading out.
“What’s in the backpack?”
“A thermos of hot chocolate and a couple of mugs.”
“Can you drink and drive?”
“No, and you probably shouldn’t try drinking it while we’re moving. Our turnaround point is a pretty little meadow. We can stop there.”
“Um, okay.”
She was suspicious and he didn’t blame her. He’d fantasized kissing her while they were stopped in the meadow. But the mood had to be right. If it wasn’t, he’d wait. His time would come.
At least Mother Nature had cooperated with his plan. A recent snowstorm had dropped enough of the white stuff to fill ruts in the ranch roads but not so much they required a plow.
Perfect for a fast getaway. He urged Thor into a trot up his mom’s road to the main ranch road. At the juncture he went left, which would take them past his cabin. Maybe Granny would hear the sleighbells and know he’d made it this far into his scheme.
The distinctive jingle and the clippity-clop of Thor’s hooves stood out in the silent, wintry morning. The rustle of paper as Lani unwrapped the box stood out, too.
“I’m impressed you found paper with sleighs on it. Nice touch.”
“My specialty.”
She snorted.
He’d automatically given a cocky response, but despite the cold, he was sweating bullets. What if she didn’t like it?
Worse yet, what if she was bored? The book was his emissary. If she was bored with it, she’d be bored with him and all his dreams would die a miserable death.
A soft scrape and pop signaled she’d opened the box, which meant she’d seen his title,Tequila Shots in the Dark.“That title can change. I just wanted something bar related.”
“I like it.”
His breath hitched and a small spark of hope flickered in his heart. “Thanks.”
“No pseudonym?”
