"Well, no. They're tabbed."
"Tabbed."
"Don't say it like that."
"Like what?"
"Like it'scute."
"Ms. Dempsey.” He puts a hand over his chest. “I would never."
I wish I could pour my tea over his stupidly attractive head.
"Listen," he says, and there's something gentler in his voice now. "We can make it work. You with your tabs and your logs and me with my vibing. Riot’s smart. I’m sure he'll adapt to a system. But he'll test it, too."
"You also said he’d test me earlier. But he didn’t."
He lets out a long breath after taking a swig of beer. “No, he didn't. Highly unusual. I guess he just likes you. Can’t fault him there."
He smiles.
"Where did Riot come from?" I ask, searching for something else to think about.
"My parents mare, Honey, and our neighbor’s stallion, Bandit. Riot was a little firecracker from the start…reactive, mouthy, smart enough to be dangerous. I knew he’d be something special."
"And you trained him for film all by yourself?”
"From the ground up. Took me two years before I'd put him on a set. Another year before I'd let him near pyro." He smiles. "He was the best partner I ever had."
"Well, he has a lot more years to cause a ruckus, I’m sure."
"Yeah, he does." He tilts his head. "How'dyouget into it?"
"My granddad ran quarter horses in Montana. My mom rode before she could read. By the time I came along it was just…what my family did. Maverick took to ranch work. I took to the horses themselves." I shrug. "Some kids have a thing. Horses were mine."
"You're good at it."
"I know."
He laughs. "And modest."
"Look who’s talking."
"Touché.” He raises his beer bottle.
I chuckle.
When we’re finished I get up. “I’ll do the dishes.” I go to take his plate, but he grabs my forearm.
“Ms. Dempsey, please. Ineedto do the things that aren’t terribly taxing on my ankle, or I’ll go crazy.”
I pull my hand away. “Fine, but I’ll bring all the dishes over to the sink, so you’re not having to walk back and forth needlessly.”
“Deal.” He grins.
I begin moving all of the dishes. “Thank you for dinner. It was quite good.”
He gets up and walks to stand near me at the sink. “Glad you enjoyed it.”
