Standing at the base of my backyard, lit by floodlights that had apparently been installed above the back deck, stood Phoenix, as tall and thick as the trees around him, with an axe in his hand and a massive pine tree at his feet. The exact dead tree that he was worried would fall on my house.
Sweat shimmered off of his tanned forehead and thick arms, his grey T-shirt clinging to his body like paint. And below that, tight-fitting Levi’s and combat boots to complete the bad boy outdoorsman fantasy. As if that weren’t sexy enough, a magnificent white horse stood on the other side of the tree, saddled, with its reins dropping below its cute little nose.
The man had ridden to my house on his white horse.
Whitehorse.
Knight in shining armor.Check.
I watched him as he raised the axe, his muscles flexing against thin cotton that was stretched to the seams, then swing it down with a speed and control that told me it wasn’t the first tree he’d chopped down.
Saliva pooled in my mouth, heat warmed between my legs. It was the sexiest thing I’d ever laid eyes on—kiss or no kiss earlier.
He stilled, sensing me. It was a weird sixth sense we somehow already had with each other. He straightened, looked over his shoulder, and met my gaze.
Butterflies burst in my stomach.
The corner of his lip curled.
What are you doing,I mouthed through the window, cheeks blushing.
He jerked his chin to the tree.
I laughed and shook my head. I held up a finger—one minute—then darted to my bathroom like a lovesick schoolgirl.After stripping off my work clothes, I searched the closet for longer than I cared to admit, then settled on a fitted T-shirt that said ‘I-didn’t-try-too-hard-but-look-at-my-curves,’ a pair of skinny jeans, and pull-on boots. After smoothing my hair, I dabbed on some lip gloss and a touch of French perfume behind the ear—the good stuff I saved for special occasions.
That’s when I knew I had it bad.
I grabbed a bottle of water then jogged down the steps of my back deck.
“What the heck are you doing?” I couldn’t fight the smile as I jogged across the yard.
“Supposed to get bad storms tomorrow. Hurricane force winds. This tree would have been in your living room.”
His smile reached his eyes as he looked down at me. He was happy to see me, but there was something else, too. Heat. His gaze lingered, searching my face, making my heart skip a beat.
I handed him the water. “Sounds like I owe you a thank you then.”
“You owe me a new axe.”
“Done.” I shifted my attention to the gleaming white horse beside us. “Who is this beauty?”
“Her name’s Spirit.” The pride was evident in his voice.
“Hi there, Spirit.” I stroked her ink-black mane and she nestled into my shoulder.
“She likes you. She’s skittish around people she doesn’t know.”
“She’s beautiful.” I held her snout. “You’re beautiful, baby girl.” I turned to Phoenix. “I think I have some carrots if she’s hungry?”
He laughed at this. “She’s all filled up on carrots and apples for now.”
“What? Horses don’t eat carrots and apples?”
“Mainly in the cartoons.”
“I bet it’s a better dinner than hay.”
Spirit snorted.
