Page 5 of Grey (Little River Stallions #2)

Tatum woke in the late morning, and the very first thing she thought of was Grey.

He was… really an incredible guy.

So handsome, but also so kind. He hadn’t called her an idiot for getting lost in the woods; he’d made her feel like anyone could have made the mistakes she did. Granted she felt like an idiot, but at least he hadn’t reinforced it.

It was strange.

She felt like she was destined to meet him. But how crazy was that? She’d made some mistakes and wound up lost in the dark, and she just happened to be on the border of the farm where he lived and worked. It was a coincidence.

Right?

She hummed as she showered and scrubbed off the dirt from her trip through the woods. The moment she’d entered the cabin, she’d stripped and fallen on the bed, every inch of her tired and sore. It had taken her a while to get to sleep because she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Grey.

Her knight in shining armor.

She’d never pictured herself as a damsel in distress, but he’d rescued her all the same. She felt pretty damn lucky.

Because her phone was lost somewhere in the woods, she used her laptop to locate the nearest store for her cell phone provider and then had to drive thirty minutes out of town to get there. As she waited for her new cell to be activated and added to her account, she considered her date that night.

She hadn’t been on a date in a long time.

Even while she’d been with her ex, he never wanted to take her out.

So this felt like a momentous occasion. Not only because she’d pretty much decided not to date for a long time and had immediately changed her mind when she’d been on the porch with Grey and looking up into his handsome face.

But also because she just felt very good around him.

Safe.

And she hadn’t felt safe in a very, very long time.

“Do you know if there’s a mall around? Or a department store?” Tatum asked the woman as she handed her the box her phone came in.

“Sure,” she said. “There’s a big department store—Reinharts—down the road on the right. And the mall is less than ten minutes away.”

“Thanks,” she said.

Getting into her car, she decided to go to the department store and find something to wear for her date. It was about time she started taking care of herself and treating herself like she mattered—because she did.

She wasn’t trying to rush into anything, but she was really looking forward to seeing Grey again. Six o’clock couldn’t come fast enough.

It was nearly six when Tatum found her old jewelry box in one of the suitcases she’d stuffed into the closet and hadn’t had a chance to unpack yet.

Inside, she located the necklace that she’d been thinking about wearing.

It had belonged to her mom and had a gold heart pendant with tiny rose-gold roses along one side.

As she put the necklace on, thinking it was the perfect touch to the casual but flattering peasant blouse and skirt, she heard the gravel crunch outside and an engine rev slightly before turning off.

He was here!

Her nerves took that moment to kick in.

Oh gosh. She hadn’t planned to date anyone. She’d even considered becoming one of those eccentric library cat ladies with lots of cats and a house stuffed full of books. But one look at Grey and she’d been helpless to say no to his invitation.

Okay, calm down. It’s dinner, not a lifelong commitment.

Rubbing her trembling palms down her skirt to smooth it and to also help them stop shaking, she walked to the front door and opened it.

He looked effortlessly handsome, with his dark hair casually tousled and his jaw clean-shaven.

He was broad-shouldered and muscular; even the long-sleeve shirt he wore that was rolled up to the elbows couldn’t hide the muscles beneath the fabric.

Her hands weren’t trembling now, but she sure as heck wanted to touch him.

And more.

Shaking the wild thoughts from her head before she said something crazy about the bedroom or how clothes weren’t necessary, she said, “Hi, Grey.”

“You look lovely, Tatum, did you rest well?” He brought a small bouquet of brown-eyed susans from behind his back. They were tied with a black gingham and burlap bow, looking rustic and charming.

“Oh, thank you,” she said. “I love these.”

“There’s a big patch of them near the farmhouse. Daisy kept trying to get them from me.”

She invited him in and took the flowers to the kitchen, setting them in a tall drinking glass because she didn’t have a vase.

He told her he’d made a reservation for dinner at a homestyle restaurant outside of Little River, and in moments they were on their way.

The cozy restaurant served the best chicken and dumplings she’d ever had, ending with a piece of strawberry cheesecake that she and Grey shared.

Their conversation over dinner had been easy and light, and by the time he was driving her back to her cabin, she couldn’t deny the connection she felt to him.

It wasn’t just that she was attracted to him, because she was. He had the most beautiful gray eyes—which he’d been named for—and a sexy smile. But it was more than that. He seemed to really care about her and want to know all about her.

But despite the attraction and the connection between them, she couldn’t help but feel like he was holding something back from her.

It was odd to feel that way since they’d just met, but he’d continually steered the conversation to her and her past, while keeping things current for himself.

He did share that he was estranged from his brother and father and had said it was related to a bad boss, but there seemed to be more to it than that.

Not that she had any right to his history so soon, of course, but it did make her wonder as he would start to tell her something but then seem to choose his words carefully. What was he afraid to tell her?

And also? What if she was just being paranoid because of her own past?

Grey wasn’t Ryan and he wasn’t her father either.

But despite that truth, she wasn’t going to let herself get swept away in anything. Trust had to be earned, even for sexy guys like Grey. His steady gaze and genuine interest in her made it hard to doubt him, but the little voice in her head wouldn’t stay quiet.

Grey walked her to the door of her cabin. She felt a magnetic pull to him, like they were somehow already tied together even though they’d just met.

He leaned down and kissed her.

The kiss was…everything. Intense but tender, and utterly consuming. She melted into the kiss, momentarily forgetting all her doubts.

She nearly swooned against the door when the kiss ended, like some kind of romance-book heroine.

“I know you have work tomorrow,” he said, “but I’d like to see you again. I could come to the library when your day is done and we could grab dinner?”

“Sure. The library is open until five. I have to clean up after we close, so just knock on the door when you get there.”

“Perfect. I’ll see you then. Goodnight, Tatum.” He kissed her cheek and walked off the porch.

“Night, Grey. I had a really nice time tonight.”

“I did too,” he said, putting his hand on the truck door. “You’re wonderful company, and I’ve enjoyed getting to know you.”

With a smile, he got into the truck and shut the door. She walked into the house and closed the door, listening to his engine roar to life and then fade away as he drove off.

She touched her lips, still tingling from the kiss.

How could she be so affected by a kiss?

And why did she still feel like he might be keeping something from her?

Was she paranoid or was she just making good choices by not falling headfirst into anything with a guy she hardly knew?

“You know what?” she said out loud. “I’m going to give him a chance.”

Because she wanted to see him again and she wanted to get to know him better. Maybe he was just holding back some of himself until he knew her better. And maybe as time passed, they’d both share everything.

Heck, she hadn’t told him the more serious stuff from her past.

Nothing about her dad or her ex, but she had shared about her mom.

Who would have liked Grey a lot, especially since he’d rescued her.

Her mom believed in love at first sight and had told Tatum that the love of her life might come out of nowhere, a chance meeting that would change her life forever. For a while, she’d thought it was Ryan, but she knew better now. That man was not the love of her life.

Was she in love with Grey?

Heck no! It was too early and she wasn’t some fantasy heroine falling too hard too fast. But she was definitely attracted to Grey and intrigued by him.

And maybe he was the guy her mom had been talking about.

A chance meeting, a life changed forever.

Who knew what tomorrow would bring?