Page 54 of A Rancher's Heart

Only Tamara couldn’t resist. “Your brothers said you were on the circuit. Do they know you’re actually a rodeo clown?”

A sharp snort of amusement rang out. “I don’t have the guts to be a bullfighter. They’re the ones racing toward the bull when everyone else is running like hell the opposite direction.”

“They are incredible, aren’t they?” Tamara agreed. “Dangerous line of work, but I’ve seen the results. They save lives.”

“They do.”

Tamara looked at Walker closer, not even pretending she wasn’t examining him. And when he turned his face toward her, as if assessing her right back, she ignored him and went on with her consideration.

She had spent a lot of time over the years getting into strange circumstances. She’d volunteered her nursing skills to people who’d been beaten up, broken down or otherwise abused. And, at times, she’d worked with the people wholikedto get beat up and put themselves in dangerous situations.

Some people craved that kind of adrenaline rush—a lot of the guys on the circuit thrived on it.

Walker didn’t play out right in her mind. Something was off.

“Do I have mud on my face?” he asked, dark brown eyes meeting her eyes boldly. A challenge.

“Nope. You look like a Stone, though.”

His lips twitched. “That didn’t sound like a compliment.”

“You ever hear what happened the first time I met your brother?” Tamara asked.

Now she had his attention. “When was that? I’d assume this past summer.”

“He showed up to check on your foster sister. She was in the hospital, and I was her attending nurse.”

“An angel of mercy. I can see it now,” he said dryly.

“Anavengingangel—Caleb overreacted and made a feint at my cousin. I got in the way and flipped him. He hit the floor hard. Knocked the wind from his sails long enough for his brain to come back online.”

Walker snickered. “I assume you know I will use this information to tease the hell out of him. You flipped him? That had to hurt his ego.”

“Tease if you want, but I told you that so you know—I can take care of myself. And I’ll take care of your nieces. I’m not here to mess around with anyone.”

He raised a brow. “Did I say you were?”

“Not in so many words, but yes.”

They sat in silence again, Tamara refusing to be the first to look away.

He finally turned his head and took a deep drink, humming appreciatively. “That’s good coffee.”

Which Tamara figured meant,theywere good. “And I didn’t even poison it.”

Walker paused in the middle of a sip, pulling the cup back to flash her his first real smile. “This time.”

She laughed. “If I ever decide to poison you, I’ll warn you, how ’bout? Give you a fighting chance.”

“Deal. Better odds than riding a bull.”

A car pulled into the yard, and Tamara rose to her feet. “And that would be Tansy.”

Walker had stood as well, cup in his hands. “Tansy Fields?”

“Yeah. She said this was the best time to stop in. She has to be back at the store at six a.m. to open the doors.” She wondered at the expression on his face. “Are you feeling okay?”

He shook his head as if trying to clear cobwebs before offering her a slow smile, far politer than he’d been up to this point. “Of course. Let me get the door for you.”