“When I was little, I wanted to be a mermaid,” she said. “I used to lie in the tub with my legs together, hoping they’d grow into a tail. As you see, that never happened. What can I say? I was a weird kid. Okay, your turn again.”

Conner sighed. She wasn’t making this easy. “Sometimes at night, I dream that I’m back riding bulls. In the dream, it seems so easy, just like floating on the bull’s back. But then, I fall off and wake up.”

“I have road trip dreams,” she said. “I’m always driving on the same road. It starts easy, but then it gets harder and harder, until I’m driving up this steep mountain, scared of falling off the edge.”

One more try, Conner resolved. This time, he’d take the truth deeper. “I was engaged a few years ago. We broke up before my accident. She’s married now. No regrets. It would never have worked out between us.”

“Why not?” she asked.

“Because I found out I couldn’t trust her. For two people to stay together, trust matters almost as much as love. Do you believe that, too?”

“Of course.”

He waited for her to say more. When she didn’t, he prompted her. “Your turn.”

“I’ve never been engaged,” she said. “I broke up with my last boyfriend because I couldn’t see spending my life with a man who was so insecure and needy—even though he was, and still is, my boss.”

“Sounds like smart thinking.” Conner sighed. So much for games. They were back in Branding Iron now, and he was turning up her street. He’d been tempted to invite her to the ranch, but with Travis gone and so much work to be done, the place was pretty much a mess. And given the urges his body had felt when they were kissing in the movie theater, being alone with her in the house might not be the best idea. He pulled into the driveway and came around to walk her to the door.

“Thank you.” She gave him a cautious smile, as if to warn him that they were probably being watched. “I had a wonderful time.”

“So did I.” He squeezed her hand at the door. “I’ll call you.”

She stood on tiptoe, pecked his cheek, and stepped inside. He could hear her greeting her family as he walked back to the Jeep.

Conner punched the dial on the radio as he drove. Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas” blared from the speakers. It had been a wonderful day. Being with Megan, talking with her, holding and kissing her in the movie, had been everything he’d hoped it would be.

But was it enough, when she still hadn’t told him what he needed to hear?

Chapter 13

Chapter 13