Page 157 of Shattered Silence Duet

Tucker

She’s quiet as we drive towards our destination. I hope she likes what I have planned. I wanted to do something she would enjoy, that also tells her a little more about me.

I glance at her and sigh when I notice she’s looking out the side window, her fingers fidgeting nervously. I hope her nerves are because this is her first date and not because she’s nervous to be spending time with me. We haven’t spent any extended time together yet, thanks to school. But with what we know about Simon now, I’m not sure there’s a point in going to that high school anymore.

Gideon and the twins agree with me, but Dom doesn’t. I think he wants us there because then it feels like we’re doingsomethingto work this case. The problem is even with Simon as our prime suspect, the only photos we have are from the security cameras outside Mina’s old home, and we have no idea where he could be.

But I’m determined not to let the thought of him or the case ruin our date. Especially since Ben texted me and told me it’s her first dateever. I’m going to make damn sure it’s one she remembers fondly forever.

We drive under the large wood sign that readsBurbury Ranchand Mina perks up as she asks, “we’re going to a ranch?”

“Yep. Have you ever ridden a horse before?”

I drive us up the gravel driveway as she looks out at the fields that surround us on both sides, and watches a few horses grazing.

“No, is that what we’re going to do today?” she asks, turning her gaze to me. I’m relieved when I see excitement shimmering in her eyes.

“Yep.” I pull the car to a park, undo my seatbelt, and she follows suit, but before she can reach for the door handle I grab her hand. “Mina, wait.” I turn my body to face her and pull her hand between mine, making sure I have her full attention before I continue.

“Before we go out there, I want to say something. I know I’ve broken something between us, that you don’t think you can fully trust me because of how we deceived you when we first met. I just need you to know that I never saw you as a case or suspect. I just saw this lonely, beautiful girl, and I wanted to get to know her better, to help her, to make sure she was okay. The fact that you were possibly connected to the case was always second to that for me, for all of us, honestly. If you had no possible connection to the case, we wouldn’t have treated you any differently.”

“Really?” she asks, watching me with so much hope in her eyes.

“Really, Sugar. Now, tonight I need you to do something for me, okay?”

“What’s that?”

“I need you to tell me the moment you aren’t enjoying yourself, or a bad thought comes into your head, or even if I say or do something you don’t like. I’m going to be honest, it’s been incredibly hard to hold myself back from you. I’m not the sort of guy who lets a girl take the lead, but I’m trying… for you. If I… touch you in a way you don’t like, you tell me to stop or push me away. You don’t even have to explain why. Is that something you can do for me, Sugar?”

She licks her lips before responding. “Yeah, I think I can do that.”

I slowly lift her hand to mouth, and when she doesn’t pull away, I rotate her hand and kiss the inside of her wrist. Satisfaction fills me when she shivers. Hmm… She likes that.

“Now what do you say we go have some fun?” I let go of her hand and she smiles as we exit the truck. I grab the backpack out of the back and slip it on before reaching for her hand, and I’m relieved when she intertwines her fingers with mine.

We head towards the large barn when an older man dressed in overalls and a cowboy hat steps out and greets us warmly. “Howdy y’all! I’m Marvin Burbury. You must be Tucker, and who is this lovely young lady?”

“This is my…. friend, Mina,” I tell him, catching myself before I accidentally call her my girlfriend instead.

“Well, Mina, Tucker, I have a couple of beauties picked out for you in the back of the barn, if you want to follow me?”

We walk through the barn and Mina stares with wide eyes at all the horses in the stalls. When we reach the back, there are two horses saddled up for us. A beautiful brown and white speckled mare, and a smaller white female.

“You’ve both ridden before, yes?” he asks, turning to look at us.

“I have, but Mina hasn’t.”

He looks at Mina as he responds. “Well, we can give you a lesson to make you comfortable in the saddle today, or…” he trails off, his eyes darting to mine before a hint of a smirk appears there.

“Or…?” she asks, her hand gripping mine a little tighter.

“Or you can ride with Tucker.”

“Oh, I don’t want to be a bother or stop you from enjoying your ride,” she says, looking up at me with worry.

It takes everything I have not to laugh, and by the expression on Gavin’s face, I know he’s thinking the same thing as me. She would only enhance my enjoyment. Having her sit in front of me as we rode… Yeah, now it was in my head, I needed that to happen.

“Sugar, if you think I wouldn’t enjoy riding with you, you’re crazy.”