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“So do you want to try, or are you too scared?”

Gabe rolled her neck. Gauntlet thrown. “Are you calling me chicken?”

Lori gave her a wicked grin. “That’ll depend on your answer, won’t it?”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Beth said and guided Cash between them. “I need to get Cash away from this combustible situation.”

Lori laughed and patted Cash’s rear end as he passed her. “We’re just kidding around, Beth. There’s no fire.”

Gabe clenched her jaw and other parts of her. They’d have to agree to disagree on that one.

“So what do you think?” Lori asked as they watched Cash and Beth head toward the stables. “If you haven’t got any plans, I’d like to make you dinner to say thank you for the tow.” She glanced at her watch. “But it’s still a little early for that, and I need to exercise the horses.”

Lori’s little show of hot minx had all but disappeared, and she seemed to be her usual controlled self again. Gabe let out a relieved breath, knowing she’d be powerless to resist that kind of game. “Dinner sounds great. Shay and Woody are taking turns on cooking duty, and neither one of them are Dominique Crenn.”

“You’re a foodie?” Lori hit the button to raise the trailer ramp.

“Nah, I just like to read about powerful and influential women,” Gabe said and winked, immediately regretting it. Maybe dinner wasn’t such a good idea. But she was never going to become immune to Lori’s charms without temptation and exposure.

“And beautiful women…”

Gabe forced herself not to interpret either Lori’s words or her tone. “That never hurts.”

“Sometimes it does.”

Lori’s playfulness disappeared entirely, and the sparkle in her eyes dulled.

“Yeah, I guess it can.” Gabe shrugged.

“Ah, of course, you’ve ‘never had any serious relationships where hearts have gotten involved on either side.’”

“Something like that,” Gabe said, “but given your curse-gift, it was probably exactly like that.”

Lori’s expression was answer enough. Gabe gestured to the truck. “How about you exercise your animals while I inspect the truck’s engine?”

“You really don’t want to give the horseback riding a try?”

“Another day, for sure,” Gabe said.

Lori arched her eyebrow. “You know I won’t forget you said that.”

“It really never fails?” Gabe asked. “How big must your brain be to hold all that information?”

Lori smiled. “Big enough or too big, depending on my perspective at the time.” She thumbed toward the stable. “If you’re sure, I’ll catch up with Beth, and I’ll be done in an hour.”

“Perfect.”

When Lori returned just over an hour later, Gabe was under the hood of the tow truck removing the final spark plug to clean it up. She hadn’t had much chance to check its engine since they’d bought it as part of the garage. And it hadn’t taken long to discover the source of Lori’s troubles, so she tinkered under the hood for something to focus on other than the thought of Lori’s lips and the way they’d quirked when she was teasing Gabe.

“Is it a good or a bad thing for me that you’re not still working on my trailer?” Lori asked.

Gabe glanced across as Lori got closer and pulled in a breath. Dressed in cowboy boots, jeans, a snap button shirt, and a cowboy hat, Lori looked like she was about to model for one of the calendars Gabe always had pinned up in her tent on base. She swallowed and pushed away the desire to press Lori against the truck, pull open that shirt, and bury her face between Lori’s breasts. “Er, I’m sorry to report it’s a bad thing.” She replaced the plug without tending to it and slammed the hood shut. Gabe was about to continue but Lori held her hand up.

“Stop. Please don’t say anymore. I don’t want to hear bad news on an empty stomach or without a glass of red wine in my hand.” Lori hooked her arm into Gabe’s and tugged her toward the house. “Do you like lasagna?”

“I love lasagna.”

“Excellent. I baked a couple fresh last night, so it just needs to be warmed while I rustle up some fresh garlic bread.” Lori opened the door, and Gabe followed her in. “The bathroom is the door at the far end of the corridor if you want to freshen up.”