Page 20 of Beckon

When he threw the car in park, Tami turned to undo her seat belt. “Wait right here. I’ll be back in two shakes.”

“O-okay.” Confusion flooded her mind. She was baffled about what he could be up to. Obsessing really, because well, that has always been her MO. She stared at the door in an effort to calm her racing mind. Chandler appeared carrying apicnic basket?

The eyebrow waggle he did as he placed the basket on her lap had her blushing yet again.

He got back in the car and they continued down the dirt road without a word. Just a smile on his face and the drone of the radio in the background.

Tami had never been past the restaurant, wasn’t really aware there was abeyond the restaurant. There were pastures with cows and horses. She even spotted goats and sheep, and… “There’s an actual ranch behind The Ranch House?”

“Yep. The ranch has been here a lot longer than the restaurant. They do a chuck wagon brunch on Sundays, so sorry, all you get is a picnic with the horses today. If you want to come back on Sunday, we can.”

“Oh my gosh, Chandler. This is just…” Her words were blocked by the lump forming in her throat. To be on the receiving end of this kind of attention both elated and terrified her.

Reese had been a great husband. Loving, patient, and kind. All the things a woman could want. However, he’d never been a grand gesture type of man.

Chandler parked the car and had her door open before she’d even realized they stopped. She was too mesmerized by the scenery.

After he grabbed the basket, he took her hand and led her to a paddock with horses being saddled and cared for by ranch hands.

“Hi. I’m Marta.” One of the ladies busy with a horse, stepped toward them. “You must be Chandler?” He nodded, but all of Tami’s attention was on the pretty dappled horse meandering their way. “I got a blanket all spread out for you there under the tree. Whenever you’re done, just put everything in the basket and leave it there. Then come find me and we’ll go out on an easy trail ride.”

Her last words grabbed Tami’s attention. “Ride? As in horses?” Surely, she’d misheard. Picnic and horses meant petting and eating, not riding.

“Well, that was the plan,” Marta answered before Chandler had a chance to.

“I’m sorry, I assumed when I said dress for the adventure you want, you took me seriously.” His gaze trailed down her body and back up again, causing a slight shiver of awareness. There wasn’t a hint of sorrow in his voice. There was, however, a challenge. “We can just have the picnic if you want to. We don’t have to ride.”

Hiswe don’t have to ride, was the same as Chester’syou don’t have to tell me another story. Words said one thing and voice said a whole different thing. Manipulation at its finest… and cutest.

“You sound like you’d be very disappointed if I said that,” she teased. Truth be told, she was freaking ecstatic. No way she’d miss out on a ride.

“Of course, I would. I’d miss the chance to impress you with my mad cowboy skills.”

“Mad cowboy skills, huh?” Marta had walked away and left them to their discussion. Tami turned toward the blanket and Chandler followed. “Well, what kind of date would I be if I denied you the chance to showboat?”

“A terrible one, that’s for sure.” Chandler plopped down on the blanket and opened the basket. Tami took a moment to appreciate the sight before her. Chandler was leaned back on one elbow and lifted stuff from the basket with his free hand.

The wine-colored T-shirt he wore was crisp and snug. Her eyes traced down his toned body. The definition not hidden at all by his clothing. His black belt matched his watchband and shoes. Dark denim encased his powerful thighs. It was funny how he made casual clothes look sharp and put together.

There was a reddish undertone to his brown eyes that gave them a warm-brandy feel. Shafts of light pierced the leafy cover of the trees, creating a dreamy effect over their picnic.

The highlights in his dark hair reflected a beam with each movement he made. If that moment was in a movie, she would be drooling buckets, with a romantic soundtrack playing in the background.

The realization that she wanted Chandler took her by surprise but felt right. Reese would want her to move on, so thinking about doing just that didn’t feel wrong. Then a wave of guilt washed over her anyway. She’d loved her husband, but the physical desire she was feeling for Chandler was wholly new to her. Not that she wasn’t physically attracted to Reese, she was. They had a vigorous and healthy sex life, but this was just… different. That was the part that felt like disloyalty.

“Are you going to join me for a bite or stand there staring and undressing me with your eyes?”

Tami snapped her gaze to his only to realize he had no idea how close to the truth his words were. He was teasing.

Curling her knees to the side, she joined him on the blanket. “Do you know when you’re genuinely amused, you smile with your whole face?” Tami snatched a dinner roll.

“Oh, yeah?” He continued pulling food from the basket. “What makes you think all my amusement isn’t genuine?”

Tami nibbled thoughtfully on the bread as Chandler served the rest of the food.

“Because your eyes don’t lie. In the short time I’ve known you, I’ve seen you hurt with all your heart, grin with just your lips, and laugh with only your voice. But just now, you smiled with your soul.”

Nervously, she picked at her bread before adding in a hushed tone. “But it only lasted a second. It’s like you refuse to live in the moment.”

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