Page 23 of Pretty Little Scars

“I’ll walk you back.”

“It’s a few yards, Tucker. I’m sure?—”

Before she can argue any further, I simply take her hand in mine, lace our fingers, and walk her out the door.

The fact that she doesn’t jerk away from my touch makes me stupidly happy.

“Are you always bossy?” she asks as she walks beside me.

“I’m the oldest of five. What do you think?”

“Bossy,” she confirms. “Just like Holden. And, if I’m being honest, me.”

I glance down at her and lift an eyebrow. “No way.”

“I hear the sarcasm, Mr. Hendrix.”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Mm-hmm,” she returns as we get to her door. She unlocks it and pushes it open, then turns to me. “Thank you. Really.”

“You’re really welcome. I’m going?—”

“You can just touch me, Tucker.”

I slowly raise my hand and brush her hair back and over her ear. She’s so fucking soft. So sweet.

Leave the poor woman alone, man.

“Get some sleep.”

“I’ll try.” She steps inside, and before she closes the door, she says, “Hey, Hotshot.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m not interested in other dates. Just tossing that out there, for what it’s worth.”

She smiles softly and then closes the door, and I push my hand through my hair as I turn back to the house.

“I’m gettingthe hang of it,” Darby says with a proud smile on her perfect face as she rides Ellie through the pasture. It’s been a few days since that first time she rode, and we’ve been out here each day, getting her into the saddle.

She’s a damn natural. And the fact that her father kept her and her sisters off horses is a fucking shame. The man should be flogged.

“Christ, that’s pretty,” I say, unable to help myself, and she looks down at me, quirks her eyebrow.

“What is?”

“That smile on your face.”Everything about you.“You like this.”

“I actually do.” She rubs Ellie’s neck and gives her a little pat. “I should have taken lessons a while ago, but I just never did. Hell, my brother has dozens of horses. He and his wife have a rescue.”

“I heard,” I reply with a nod. “I think that’s awesome. Do you help him with the horses?”

“No.” She nibbles her lower lip and leads Ellie to the left. “I have a firm belief that I shouldn’t work for my brother. He and I are too much alike, and we butt heads. I want to keep liking him.”

I smirk at that. I get it. “Yeah, I’m close with my family, too, but we don’t work or live together.”

She nods, and then to my surprise, she leans forward and presses her cheek to Ellie’s neck.