It would certainly be less awkward than sitting at a table with the very man who had, not less than a couple of hours ago, whipped her backside with his belt. Although, Annie noted, Rafe didn’t seem at all uncomfortable. Even though he rarely smiled, he complimented Jenny on the meal – and it was a fine meal, Jenny was a good cook – and kept up a steady conversation with Tom about anything and everything to do with ranching. Annie found herself sneaking glances at him when she thought he wouldn’t notice. He was the same height as Tom, and that’s where they parted ways. Rafe was brawnier, his shoulders wider and more muscular than Tom’s. His arms and chest seemed to strain at the material of his shirt. And while Tom was fair-haired and had clear blue eyes, Rafe’s hair was so dark it looked to be almost black. His eyes were dark too, with dark brows above them that seemed to frown fairly regularly, at least from what Annie had noticed. He didn’t smile much.
