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me, just the thrill of hanging on the arm of a professional cowboy.’
    She blinked slowly allowing the glare from outside to distort her vision. Yeah, she knew how that felt. To have people wanting to be seen with you for what you were rather than for who you were. She shrugged those painful memories away.
    ‘I’ve never heard a guy worry about getting too much before. What’s the problem? Can’t you keep it up?’
    Stony silence greeted her comment and she tensed. Would he finally lose it? The waitress brought the coffee and food. Robyn pretended to fuss over her pancakes and find her cutlery. Eventually she had to look up and found herself staring straight into Dakota’s hazel eyes.
    ‘I can keep it up just fine, thank you.’
    ‘As I’m unlikely to ever need to know that information, thanks for nothing.’
    He winked. ‘You’ve given up on me already?’
    ‘I don’t give second chances.’
    ‘And why’s that?’
    ‘Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.’
    He slowly chewed some toast and swallowed. ‘See there’s my problem. I never feel ashamed of anything I do, especially in bed.’
    Robyn licked her lips and tasted maple syrup and coffee. Despite his amiable farm-boy exterior, Dakota was as sharp as a tack. Perhaps she’d better be more careful about baiting him.
    ‘Well, with all your extensive “experience” you should know better than to brag.’
    He shook his head. ‘That was lame, Robyn. What’s up? Lost your nerve?’
    ‘Not at all. I’m just trying to back away from you and your huge ego.’
    He sat back, coffee mug in hand and stretched. Her gaze was drawn to the flexing muscles in his chest and shoulders. His smile was slow and deliberately sexy. ‘But is it ego when it’s all true?’
    ‘You are one of the most irritating and conceited men I’ve ever met.’
    ‘Thanks. From you, I’ll take that as a compliment.’
    Dakota glanced across at his silent companion. She hadn’t said a word since they’d left the diner. He’d enjoyed seeing her eat though, enjoyed teasing her too if he was truthful. But then she’d clammed up and all the easiness between them disappeared just like that. Of course that was women all over. One minute everything was fine, the next – nothing. He could never keep up.
    ‘This isn’t the way back to the motel,’ she said.
    ‘You’re right.’ He kept walking, waited for her to speak again.
    ‘Then where are we going?’
    ‘Back to my truck. I told you I have stuff to do.’
    She stopped and stuck her hands in her pockets. ‘Then do it. Give me the key and I’ll go back by myself.’
    ‘My, you have a lousy memory, don’t you?’
    ‘What?’
    She raised her chin to glare at him, her dark eyes striking sparks. He fought back an appreciative smile.
    ‘I said I need some help and you’re it.’
    ‘I can’t fix your truck and I’m certainly not pushing it.’
    ‘No? A big strong girl like you?’
    Leaving her rooted to the spot, he kept walking until he reached his pickup and unlocked the driver’s door, letting out the accumulated heat. He fished inside the glovebox and found his other set of keys. Robyn’s shadow fell across him as he turned around.
    ‘The truck doesn’t work, dumb ass. It is broken,’ she said.
    ‘These aren’t for the truck.’
    He unlocked the double back doors of the trailer and let them swing wide. The familiar smell of horse manure and leather washed over him. Two of the narrow diagonal stalls were empty awaiting the return of his horses, the third was full. With a satisfied grunt, Dakota whipped off the sheet covering his other pride and joy.
    ‘It’s a motorcycle.’
    He smiled at Robyn. ‘Yeah. And not just any motorcycle, it’s a Ducati 1098.’
    ‘Is that supposed to impress me?’
    ‘I doubt anything would impress you, lady.’ He kicked off the stand and reversed the bike out of the stall. ‘We just need to clean it up and then we can go shopping.’
    ‘Shopping?’
    Dakota