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“Maybe so. Can you hold the reins for a minute?”

“Sure, but what if I do something wrong?” She pressed her back to his chest, like she needed the contact and reassurance.

“You won’t. Just hold them gently. Don’t tug in one direction or another.” He released the reins and wound his arms around her waist. “I just needed a minute to be closer to you.” He rested his cheek against hers. “Don’t you love being out here, without the noise of the city or commitments nagging at you?”

A happy sigh escaped Kat’s lips as Hope followed the trail around a wide bend. The smell of damp earth and chillier air enveloped them as the river came into view.

“I’ve always loved it here,” Kat said. “But I like it even more being here with you.”

“Me too. I think you’d like my property in Sweetwater. I’ll have to take you there sometime. We can skinny-dip in the lake.” He felt her bristle against him.

“I don’t do deep water.”

Eric tightened his hold around her middle, thinking of the little girl from his past. “Just another thing we can overcome together.”

As the sun set, the lights on the trees came to life, illuminating the trail down to the river. He held tightly to Kat as they descended the mountainous slope, and when they reached level ground, Eric helped Kat off of Hope.

“How’d you do?” He brushed her hair away from her face so he could see her eyes and felt himself getting lost in the emotions he saw there.

“That was remarkably romantic. I never knew riding a horse could be romantic, but that was…” She sighed a contented, dreamy sigh that tugged at his heart. “Wonderful.”

He touched his forehead to hers and breathed her in. “I’m so glad. And there’s more romance where that came from.” He kissed her softly, loving the sweet sound of appreciation she made.

Together they unpacked the backpack and spread a blanket out on the ground. Kat took out the sandwiches he’d made while she was getting ready for their date.

“When did you have time to make these?”

“Right after I picked up your flowers.” He smiled, watching her move to Hope’s side. She looked thoughtfully at the horse.

“Don’t we have to tie her to a tree or something?” She petted Hope.

“Any other horse, maybe, but not Hope. She never takes off. I swear sometimes I think Hal is right about her ability to understand humans.” He removed a bottle of wine and two plastic wineglasses from the backpack.

“You thought of everything,” she said as she came to his side.

Eric held up one finger as he took candles out of the side pockets of the backpack. “Now all we need are candleholders.” He scanned the ground and found two big, flat rocks and placed them by the edge of the blanket. He set the wide-based candles on them and pulled a lighter from his pocket. “Feel free to lavish me with praise now,” he said as he lit them.

She rolled her eyes, and he tugged her against him, making her laugh. He loved her laugh. Hell, there was no denying how much he loved everything about her. She was sassy and sharp, and the way she looked at him made his stomach go all sorts of funky, in a very good way. It occurred to him that he should probably be freaked out by how quickly he’d become taken with her, especially since he’d felt himself falling for her from the moment he first set eyes on her. But freaking out wasn’t anywhere near his radar screen. He wanted to bring her deeper into his life, to drive full speed ahead into the feelings she stirred in him.

He pressed his lips to hers, and they sank down to the blanket side by side. He handed her a sandwich and poured the wine. “To our first date.”

“So, this is how a race car driver woos a woman? I was expecting fast cars and faster hands.” She leaned back on her palm and shifted onto her hip, looking radiant in the evening light. Her lips were curved up in a smile, and her baby blues hovered between shy and seductive—a look that was not only hard to resist but also seemed to come straight from her heart. It was probably the most honest look he’d seen on anyone in a very long time.

“You’ve already experienced my fast hands, and you know I love fast cars.” He sipped his wine, enjoying the way she was waiting to hear what else he had to say. She was so different from the women he usually dated, none of whom would enjoy a meandering horse ride to a river. He wanted to enjoy every second with her and not rush through any part of their date.

“I don’t usuallywoowomen, but I think you know that by now.” He stretched out beside her. “I want to woo you, Kat. I want to get to know you and let you see the real me, which I can assure you, will also include fast hands and fast cars.”

“The real you? Tell me about the real you.” She finished her wine and set her glass aside.

Eric thought about her question as they ate, and when they finished, he slipped off his boots, then rolled up the bottom of his jeans. “The real me wants you barefoot, please.”

She smiled and did as he asked. “I’m game.”

He rose to his feet and reached for her hand. With their jeans rolled up to midcalf, he led her along the water’s edge.

“Are you avoiding my question?” she asked.

“No. Just thinking about it. I don’t often think about who I am with any real significance, and I don’t want to give you a glib answer—a race car driver, an adrenaline junkie. I guess over the past few months I’ve been learning more about who I want to be, so who I am is changing.”