She shook her head.

He nodded once and then got into the truck and started it up, and then they started the long drive back to Painted Barrel.

It was quiet in the truck cab, and Becca fidgeted with her purse and the hem of her dress, wondering if she should say anything. Eventually, curiosity got the best of her. “Would you have really—”

“Yes.”

Well. All right, then. It was hard to dislike a man that was willing to go to jail for your honor. She found herself smiling in the darkness and glanced over at him again. “You really scared that guy, you know.”

“Good.” A ruthless smile crossed his face.

She tilted her head, watching him as he drove. “What did you say to him?”

He glanced over at her for a moment, as if debating whether to tell her. Then Hank turned back to the road once more. “Told him I had my skinning knife in my truck and I wasn’t afraid to go to prison for wearing him like a fur coat.”

Becca paused. “Well . . . that’s rather savage.”

“That’s the idea.”

“Would you have—”

He snorted. “No. But he didn’t know that.” Hank glanced over at her again. “I’m sorry.”

He was sorry? “For?”

“For not doing more.”

The man had the ability to shock her, constantly. “Are you kidding me?” Her voice rose to a screechy note and she made herself calm down. “Hank, I dated a man for ten years and he never would have done that for me.” If anything, Greg would have chastised her for wearing too short a dress and causing a scene, like she was the problem. “I can’t thank you enough for standing up for me.”

“Hated that it happened on our date.”

“Yeah, well, me too.”

“One thing’s clear, though.”

She turned to him. “What’s that?”

“You have shit taste in men.”

A horrified giggle escaped her. “I do not!”

“As one of those men, I can safely say your taste could be better.” He grinned over at her, and for the moment, the mood between them was crackling and fun. She forgot all about the awkward dinner date and the jerks at the bar. This was the Hank she wanted to go out with. The one that made sly, sharp comments. The one that looked at her like he wanted to eat her alive. She just had to get him to show up instead of the silent, broody guy who made her feel like an idiot.