Graham slammed him hard against the fence one last time then pushed him away. “See that it doesn’t.”
“Angus, are you all right?” Lilia rounded the corner, arms overflowing with folded padding and a leather saddle.
Angus bobbed his head up and down, stealing a quick glance at Graham as he coughed and thumped his fist against his chest. “Aye. Just fine, m’lady. I must have sucked a midge down my throat.” He hurried away, trotting to catch up with Vivienne and Alberti, where they had disappeared into a separate wing of stalls.
Lilia hiked the saddle higher against her chest as she watched Angus scurry away. “I hope he’s all right. His face is awfully red. Thatmidgemust’ve been the size of a horsefly.”
“The man is fine.” Graham hefted the saddle out of her arms, cutting off what he knew would be a protest with a stern shake of his head. “Not a word or I’ll bend ye over my knee again.”
She cocked a brow and totally failed at assuming a reprimanding scowl. The corners of her mouth twitched with a barely held-back grin as she spoke. “You and I need to have a long talk about your predilection for spankings.”
Aye. That’s it, lass. Allow yer heart to warm to me.Graham wasn’t entirely sure whatpredilectionmeant but he did admire the wicked gleam in her eyes when she said it. “Aye, sweetling. I would love to have such a long discussion with ye anytime ye like.” He swallowed a grunt as the inseam of his jeans cut even deeper into his crotch. Damn and for certain. A hard cock was a hindrance in these trews.
A delightfully rosy flush spread across her cheeks as she hurried around him. She cleared her throat and waved him toward a nearby line of stalls. “Uhm . . . this way. Odin’s over here.”
Graham chuckled to himself. Lore, he loved when the color rode high on her cheeks. They came up even with the stall just as a long black nose pushed open the top half of the wooden double door. Ignoring Graham and Lilia, the great black horse mouthed at the metal latch on the outside of the door until he managed to rattle free the mechanism and unlatch it. Then he nosed open the lower half of the door and walked out of the stall.
“Odin.” Lilia’s tone reminded Graham of a mother’s affectionate scolding of a favorite child caught stealing a treat from the kitchens. “You know you’re not supposed to do that.”
The monstrous black horse whickered in reply and bumped his nose against her with an affectionate rub. She hugged his muscular neck, smiling as she stretched on tiptoe to scratch behind the tall horse’s ears. Odin obligingly leaned her way, rumbling with a happy grumble as he guided her hand to the perfect spot with a turning of his head. “You knew it was time to ride. Didn’t you?”
Odin replied by grumbling some more.
Graham settled the saddle across the low wooden railing beside Odin’s stall without taking his gaze from the horse. Fine animal. Strong. Big. The perfect warhorse. The symmetry of the horse’s lines gave testament to his pure blood—until Odin turned to fully face him. One side of the horse’s face was badly scarred and his right eye was missing.
For the first time since they had arrived, Odin noticed Graham. The eerie-looking beast flattened his ears, bared his teeth, and stomped a pace toward Graham, clearly daring him to come closer.
“What happened to him?” Graham held both hands open, palms up, and didn’t attempt to approach the horse. Before he had been cursed to live as a dragon by day and a man by night, he had spent his days training Ronan’s father’s horses. Respect from the animals had to be earned.
“Abuse.” Lilia bit out the word as though spitting out poison. She pressed a cheek against the horse’s neck and hugged him close again. “But Odin ismyfriend now and the one who hurt him will never deal out such suffering again. Ever.” Her tone was cold, the look in her eyes even colder as she turned and leveled an emotionless gaze on Graham. “I do not tolerate the abuse of innocents.”
Graham understood completely and admired her for it. “I hope ye killed the bastard slowly.”
“Oh no,” Lilia replied softly. “I didn’t kill him—at least not physically. In this day and age, the destruction of a person’s image . . . his public persona . . . is much more satisfying than their death.” A chilling look of satisfaction settled across her as she affectionately combed her fingers through Odin’s long black mane. “They suffer longer when you take them down financially and ruin their careers.”
A yapping black ball of fur exploded out of the stall, charged between the great horse’s feet, then came to a stop right in front of Graham. Tiny teeth bared, bouncing forward then back with every growling bark, the viciously vocal fury made it clear in no uncertain terms that Graham was not to take a step closer to the horse.
Lilia’s hardened expression softened and she smiled down at the little dog. “And this is Buzz, protector and best friend to Odin, the fearless black Percheron.”
Graham slowly squatted then extended the knuckles of his right hand toward Buzz. “Courageous beastie, ye are. Will ye find me friend or foe?”
“I wouldn’t do that. Buzz hates every . . .” Her words faded away as Buzz eased forward, still rumbling but with his tiny, black nose twitching as he cautiously circled Graham’s hand. The small dog paused, his short, pointed ears perked at Graham, then charged ahead with an excited wiggle and a high-pitched yipping bark. He bounced around, yapping and licking Graham’s fingers as though they were reunited best friends.
“I’ve never seen him react like that with anyone except me.” Hands fisted atop her hips; Lilia studied the little dog as though he were some alien creature. “How did you do that?”
“Animals know.” Graham scooped up the little dog and cradled him in one arm. Odin ambled forward with a grumbling nicker then shoved his velvety black nose between Buzz and Graham’s chest. “Poor beast. Never fear.” Graham understood Odin’s uneasiness. “I would never hurt yer wee friend. Ye can be sure of that, I grant ye.”
Odin jutted his nose up under Graham’s chin and gently shoved as though testing to see if the man could be trusted. Cautiously, Graham lowered Buzz to the ground, then slowly straightened. He lifted his right arm out to his side, palm up. Best let the lad see his hand preparing to touch him. Let the beast know him to be safe.
Odin stepped forward, tilting his head so he might better see Graham, then tossed his head toward Graham’s hand.
“Aye, lad.” Graham gently rubbed the horse’s muscular neck. “Ken me as a friend. I will never bring ye pain, I swear it.”
Odin responded with a more relaxed whicker as he leaned into Graham’s touch.
A sharp, hiccuping intake of breath pulled his attention away from the horse. Graham turned toward the sound. “Lilia?”
She turned away, ducking her head while furiously raking the back of her hand across her eyes.
