Page 70 of Cowboy Seeks Husband

“You did?”

“Those nipple piercings gave it away, baby.”

Roan flushed. “Speaking of…what areyoudoing out here? I thought you were on a group date?”

“It’s over. Thank God.”

“Yeah?”

Walker smiled slyly, and Roan shivered a bit despite the ever present humid heat.

“Where are John and Molly? And the camera guys?”

“Off with Andy looking over the footage they got. I’m free for the rest of the day. Not even mic’ed. Thought I might take a horse out for a ride.”

“Wow. So you’re not mic’ed right now?”

“Nope.”

“Me either.” Roan’s stomach danced wildly. “Took mine off too.”

Walker tsked at him. “You’ll get in trouble for that.”

Roan shrugged. He nodded up at the motion-detection cameras above them. The red light showing they were filming…but the question was who was watching? “They’ll probably be here any minute to scream at us and record everything we do and say.”

Walker tipped his hat back. “Maybe. And maybe not. The horses set off those cameras all the time. I think they’ve stopped paying much attention to the stable feed.” He considered Callie with a smile. “I have an idea. You want to go for a ride?”

“Oh.” Roan cocked his head. “Like for a date?”

“Yeah. Just you and me.”

“I thought we didn’t have the insurance for that? Won’t Andy mind?”

“Andy’s not here. Yet.”

Roan swallowed thickly. “I’m not very good on a horse.”

Walker’s smile widened, his eyes burning with intensity. “We won’t go fast. Just fast enough that they can’t catch up to us until we want them to.”

“What will Ben say about you sneaking off with me?” Roan asked, hating that he was showing his cards just by asking.

“Ben’s not here either.”

Oh. So if he was here, then what? He’d be the one asked on this impromptu rule-breaking getaway? Roan took a step away from Walker and crossed his arms. “I don’t know. I don’t think we should risk—”

Reaching out, Walker put his hand on Roan’s shoulder and rolled the tight muscle between his fingers, effectively pinning Roan in place. “That didn’t come out right. I don’t want to be here with Ben. And I certainly don’t want to be here with Andy, or Molly, or John. I want to be here with you. Alone. Let’s go for a ride. Talk a little. Just you and me.”

“It’s getting dark,” Roan said, his throat feeling dry.

Laughing a little, Walker said, “Not for a while yet. You afraid to be alone with me, Roan?”

Oh, God. Roan shivered a little again. “Yes.”

“And why’s that?”

“Do you need to ask?”

Walker stood so close Roan could smell him. He was just wearing jeans and a shirt with its sleeves rolled up, but he smelled sophisticated, and Roan wondered if he’d changed out of a suit from his mystery group date before he came here. Or maybe he was smelling of one of the other contestants. Roan shook the jealous thought aside.