shoulder. “You just got home from school, and you’re already putting the moves on someone? And what did we talk about with the whole calling of dibs?”
“Dad!” Blayze protested.
“She’s too old for you.”
“Aw, Dad, you’re embarrassin’ me in front of Miss Timberlynn!”
Timberlynn covered her mouth with her hand to hold back her laughter—at least until Brock took Blayze far enough away that he wouldn’t hear it.
“What is it with you Shaw men?” she asked, watching my brother and nephew walk away.
I shrugged. “I guess once we know when we want something—or someone—we fight for it.”
Timberlynn dropped her hand to her side and gave me a serious look. It was her eyes, though, that threw me. They were filled with sadness. “What if that something or someone isn’t…worth it?”
She nearly had me pulling her onto my horse, taking her away from everyone, and demanding why in the hell she felt like she wasn’t worth it.
“You are worth it, Timber.”
With a noncommittal shrug, she forced a smile. Before I could say anything else, my mother called out. “Enough playtime! It’s time to bake. Let’s go!”
“This year my sugar cookies will be better than yours, Tanner!” Ty called out as he helped a few of the ranch hands herd up the steers to put back out in the pasture.
Timberlynn’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “Wait, y’all are going to be baking with us girls?”
I feigned a look of shock as I moved my horse back toward the barn. “Are you trying to say baking isn’t something men can do? Did I have that reaction to you when you said you wanted to rope? Not only women can be in the kitchen, ya know.”
Another beautiful laugh slipped free from her soft pink lips. Lips that I longed to kiss again. “I would never say that.”
“Come on, help me with the horses, and then we’ll go show Ty and Kaylee how to decorate the shit out of some sugar cookies.”
She rode Rosie next to me, and as we slipped off the horses and started to take the saddles off, Timberlynn ducked her head under Trigger’s neck and looked at me with a worried expression.
“What’s wrong?”
“I should probably disclose to you that I’ve never made sugar cookies, let alone decorated them.”
“What?”
She nodded. “You might want to pick a different partner.”
I slipped under Trigger and stood in front of her. I placed my finger on her chin and tilted that beautiful face up so I could look directly into her eyes.
“You are the only partner I want.”
“What if I’m not good enough at the decorating part?”
I slowly shook my head as I leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. “Trust me, I know a good thing when I see it, darlin’.”
Her breath caught for a moment as our eyes locked.
I was going to listen to Brock’s advice. I’d be patient, because it was obvious there was something behind the sadness in her eyes. A reason for those walls. But I wasn’t going to give up. I was going to fight for this woman, because I knew deep in my heart, I was truly starting to fall in love with her.
Chapter Fourteen
TIMBERLYNN
After Tanner and I took care of our horses, blanketed them, and turned them out, we headed toward the house. I wasn’t surprised when he took my hand in his, and I fought the urge to pull it away, while at the same time holding on as tightly as I could.
I was confused. Lord, I was so confused. I wasn’t sure I could open my heart, even though I desperately wanted to. I needed things to go slow, and the way things were going between the two of us, slow didn’t seem to be in the cards.
It had taken everything out of me not to burst out with the news about the property Kaylee had showed me earlier. It had been perfect, and the moment I laid eyes on the darling, completely restored farmhouse, I knew it was the place I belonged. It was two-hundred acres of land tucked up against the Bitterroot Mountains, and the barn was perfect for all my needs. There was a large indoor arena, as well as one outside. Even in the winter months I could keep training horses.
Before we walked into the house, I pulled Tanner to a stop. “Tanner, I need to tell you something.”
He faced me, his expression serious. “Okay. Out here or would you rather go inside?”
I shook my head, still not exactly sure what I