Her breath caught in her throat when he climbed on behind her.
“Let’s make sure you’ve got the hang of it before I let you ride solo.”
The attraction she felt while riding behind him was nothing compared to the surge that ricocheted through her when his firm chest pressed against her back, and his hand rested on her thigh. A sense of safety enveloped her as though he sheltered her from danger. Her body, however, felt like it was on fire. She struggled to breathe normally as she followed his instructions.
Relief filled her when he declared she was ready to ride solo. She spent the next thirty minutes grinning as she followed him across the varied terrain of the ranch to a shooting range, where she got another safety lesson—on guns this time.
She was less eager to tackle this new challenge, but before she knew it, Damon pointed out three targets down range. "Go ahead. Give it a shot."
"Haha. Very funny."
"I thought so." He chuckled. "I've been waiting all morning to use that pun."
Grace rolled her eyes and lifted the gun. Her first shot hit the dirt four feet in front of the closest target, sending up a plume of dust. She squeezed her left eye shut and tried again. The bullet sent dirt flying again.
"Wait a second." Damon stepped behind her and put his arms around her. "Brace the butt of the gun tight against your shoulder and lift this front arm higher. That way, you're lookingstraight down the barrel without craning your neck so much." His warm breath brushed her cheek, making her heart skip a beat.
She turned her head to look at his face, which was mere inches from hers. Her breath caught when his gaze dropped to her lips. Moisture filled her mouth at the thought of kissing him.
No, I can't kiss him again.
She pulled her gaze away from his and looked down the barrel of the gun. Kissing him would only complicate their friendship. And friendship was all she could give him right now.
That's why I don't want him to talk to my mom.
He would ingratiate himself too deeply into her life and heart. Then it would be impossible to keep from falling for him.
He cleared his throat as he lifted her left arm. "Keep this elbow up too. It'll keep your aim straight."
"O-kay." Squeezing her eyes shut, she chided herself for the breathlessness in her voice.
Thankfully, he stepped back, and she was able to focus on her next shot which hit the edge of the target.
"There you go, you're getting it." Damon's voice filled with pride.
Relief filled her when he stepped away, but the tension remained because she was attracted to a man who would leave soon.
Damon waitedfor Grace to take a seat at the table before he sat. He couldn't help letting his gaze wander around the diner. It was all so familiar yet different. The arrangement of the tables and booths hadn't changed but the decor and color scheme had, including the design of the menus on the table in front of them.
Maybe bringing Grace here was a mistake.
The hostess had seated them by the window, giving him the perfect view of his dad's repair shop across the street.
It's not Dad's anymore.
Even though his dad passed away five years ago, Damon found comfort in seeing the Knight's Repair Shop sign every time he came home to visit. Now the sign read: Ken's Auto Repair. He had no idea who Ken was. He thought the family sold the shop to Scott Wheeler.
"I've heard a lot about this place," Grace said. "According to Paige and most of your family, it's the best place in town to eat."
"It's the only decent place if you want something other than fast food."
"Paige told me it used to be owned by your mom?" When Damon nodded, she continued. "But Paige's sister-in-law Amy owns it now?"
Again, Damon nodded.
"I wonder why Amy didn't change the name."
"Because I respect Charity too much to change her legacy." Amy walked up to their table with two glasses of water. "And because she patiently taught me everything she knows about running a diner. I owe her a lot." Amy leaned down and gave Damon a hug. "Welcome home." Then she did the same to his companion. "Welcome to Providence, Grace. I'm sorry we haven't had the chance to meet yet other than in passing. I look forward to getting to know you better."
