“Don’t call me that,” I gritted out. “And I didn’t tell you because I’m not married to him. Well, maybe legally as the stupid dick hasn’t signed the papers, but that is as far as it goes.”
Wilder moved in front of the fire, opened it up and threw another log on it. Confident and comfortable in my space.
“You still should have mentioned it.” His jaw tensed as his spine lengthened. “Can you imagine what I felt when he said he was your husband?”
“I have no idea how you feel about anything,” I snapped. Because wasn’t that the truth. The man was more closed off than a mausoleum. “We’re just sex remember.”
“And I repeat, I don’t have sex with other men’s wives.” He shrugged. “Their mothers and sisters maybe, but not their damn wives.”
Annoyance flared through me, hot, blistering frustration, activating every angry corner of my DNA.
“I have no idea where I am with you.” I threw my hands into the air. “You come around blowing off about me being shackled to a man I haven’t spoken to in months and then make jokes about having sex with other women. Including people’s mother’s!”
“I’m not prejudiced about age, so sue me.”
Breathing out slowly I went to the kitchen area and pulled two mugs from the cupboard and poured us both some coffee. “Here.” I thrust the hot, black liquid at him. “And while we’re on the subject of not disclosing things, why didn’t you tell me what you were doing with the money I pay for Dreamy’s board?”
He took a sip of the scolding coffee and winced, even though I knew that it hit the right spot for him. It was exactly how he liked it. He affirmed it with a sigh.
“Gunner didn’t want it, but he knew you would insist on paying. And I’m guessing it’s my big mouth brother who told you.”
“Yes he did and I’m grateful that he did. I don’t want charity, Wilder. Dream Maker staying here and being trained by Gunner is expensive.”
Wilder shook his head, leaning back against the counter, the mug resting against his broad chest. “You work here, it means we take care of you. And if that is by allowing your horse to be trained and boarded here for free, then that’s how we do it. The money is there for whatever you need it for.”
“When were you planning on telling me about it?” The amount of money in there was already a fair sum, even though Gunner had insisted Ipay far less than the usual rate. “And what the hell am I supposed to do with it? I have a home, I don’t need a car because I have a ranch vehicle, I have enough money for what I need in life.”
He shrugged again, that lazy confidence of a man who felt he always made the right decisions. Did the right things.
“I don’t know. Buy into Gunner’s training program? Invest in the wedding venue? Sponsor the kid’s camp? I have no idea, Brownie.”
Oh, so I was back to being Brownie. Maybe the coffee had soothed his temper, but it hadn’t mine.
“Seriously, Wilder. Why would you just not let me pay my way?”
“I told you. Ask my brother. It was his idea.”
“God damn it, now I’m mad at both of you.” He smirked behind his coffee mug. “You’re lying, it was all your idea wasn’t it? You know Gunner must be wondering why you would suggest doing that. I bet he knows now that we’re having sex.”
Wilder snorted a deep throaty laugh. “Don’t worry about it and don’t think I haven’t forgotten that you didn’t tell me about the fucking little elf in the orange toy car.”
His words elicited laughter from us both, but when my gaze landed on his, his stare turned serious. Eyebrows drawn together and lips pursed.
“Why the hell did you marry him?”
Non-judgmental. No condescension. Just interest. Like always, interest and care.
“Loneliness.”
Wilder swallowed and put his coffee mug down. “Did he take advantage of that?”
“Maybe.” I shrugged. “I don’t know. I didn’t think so at the time. Now…who knows.”
“How did you meet him?” His jaw was tight again, his fingers gripping the edge of the countertop behind him.
“He’s one of Bernard Kennedy’s jockeys.”
“The trainer you worked for?”
