A Man of His Word by Sarah M. Anderson Page A

Tanner would only shake his head. “Just promise, little sister.”
    At the time, she hadn’t thought Tanner would ever run into something that was too dangerous for him. She’d always thought he’d be able to take whatever came his way. Until that night… “Promise.”
    The neon sign seemed less bright, and more like blood spilling into the night. This place was dangerous. The promise was old and Tanner was dead, but that didn’t change what she’d promised.
    She looked over at Dan, the words Let’s go somewhere else right on her lips.
    But then she saw the look on his face—a broad smile, fingers tapping on the steering wheel. “Now this is my kind of joint!” he said, checking out the row of bikes.
    â€œAre you sure you don’t want something else? Something nicer?”
    He only shook his head. “There’s a lot to be said for a good old-fashioned honky-tonk on a Saturday night.” He turned a blinding smile to her. “Almost feels like home.”
    Shoot. Well, she’d gotten herself into this mess. Unless she wanted to admit—out loud—that she was scared and had no clue about dining options of any sort, she had no choice but to tough it out. And if she stayed close to Dan, no one would give her any trouble, right?
    Swallowing down her hesitation, she turned to Dan. It took a second for her to remember what they had been talking about. Oh, yeah. Ecoterrorists staring down the business end of a shotgun. “So, about that truce?” She’d just focus on Dan—which was also dangerous, but in a totally different way.
    â€œBribery,” he said as he unbuckled his seat belt. “Once, they were my friends. I couldn’t forget that. So certain people who shall remain nameless are on the company payroll.”
    Not what she’d expected. “Seriously? That’s the truce?”
    â€œThat and the fact that if anything else happens to mypumps, the FBI will be all over them like white on rice. I’m literally the only outsider to know who some of these people are.”
    She was silent for a moment. He really could keep a secret—did that include car repairs and dates? “Is that what this is? A bribe? My car magically gets fixed and I’m supposed to shut up and go away?”
    His hand was on the door, seconds from opening it, but he froze. Moving at glacier speed, he turned, his face hard to read in the flashing red light. And then his thumb brushed against her cheek before he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck, pulling her to him until their foreheads were touching. She flinched. He was going to kiss her—the third kiss. Three and she was out.
    â€œI don’t want you to shut up,” he said in a whisper that made his drawl sound like it belonged in a bedroom. “And I most definitely do not want you to go away, darlin’.” His other hand traced the hollow in her neck before it drifted down to her shoulders, leaving a trail of fire in its wake.
    But he didn’t kiss her. He didn’t even cop a feel. She wasn’t out yet.
    â€œWhat do you want, Dan?” Her heart pounded away in her chest as her hands found their way to his cheeks. The stubble scratched at her palms, small pricks of irritation that did nothing but turn her on. Kind of like Dan himself. Tell me the truth, she thought. A truth I can believe .
    â€œI want to buy you dinner, and if the band is halfway decent, I want to dance you around.”
    â€œIs that all?”
    â€œNope.” He touched his lips to her forehead, leaving a scorch mark on her skin. Not a kiss, she quickly justified. Didn’t count if it wasn’t on the lips, which conveniently meant she wasn’t out yet. Anything to still be in—even Bob’s Roadhouse Bar and Grill. “But that’s all I’m asking for right now.”

Nine
    H is “please” smile got them a quiet table in the back of