“Well, now that was delicious but why don’t you take Posy out to the barn to meet Honeypot, Stone. I’m sure she’d love to get to know you and your…horse.”
My head whips around, my brows scrunching. For some reason, his mom wanted to throw us together and she wasn’t subtle about it at all. I don’t know what to think about all of this.
But Stone gets to his feet and holds out his strong, tanned hand and I automatically slip my own into it like I’ve done it a million times before.
I’ve never actually had a boyfriend before. Never scratched that itch. I’ve been too busy moving from place to place.
He holds my coat out and I slip it on, sucking in a sharp breath when his big hands settle on my shoulders, warm andsolid. Closing my eyes, I fight the urge to lean back into him. He’s so big and solid and he feels like he could keep everything at bay. All the fears and disappointments that make up my daily life.
That keep me moving on over and over again, looking for something that I’m not sure I’ll ever find.
We slip out the door and he grabs my hand, nodding at me when my head whips around at him. It’s kinda dark out here. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
His warm hand holds mine and my fingers tingle with the most delicious feeling. Almost like the curl of desire in my belly.
I follow along beside him, the night air so damn cold that my chest hurts with each deep breath. Each puff of breath frosts the air and I smile.
He glances over at me, brow lifted.
“Nothing. It’s just nice out here.”
“It’s lonely. Dark. Not exactly nice.”
Cocking my head, I study his lean cheeks, the way his thick, dark lashes curl on his high cheekbones. “Are you? Lonely I mean?”
His head comes up and all I can see is a shimmer in the darkness. A brief flash of a glance. “No. I’m not.” His deep voice is short, tense and I push down anymore questions.
“Well, it’s nice.”
He nods and then we hit a big barn and he pulls the door open, his muscles straining under his coat and I bite my lip, my clit pulsing in my tight jeans.
He turns around and catches me looking at him and he grins, his brow lifting, a wicked curl on his full lips. “See something you like, Sugar?”
Stomping past him I ignore the rude question but stop short when a gorgeous horse pokes her head out of a stall and whickers softly at us. Stone strolls past me and grins atthe chestnut horse with the soft blonde mane and tail. She tosses her head and he laughs, “Hey, Honeypot. How’s it going, sweetheart?”
I nod at the horse and shift closer, itching to touch the beautiful animal. “That’s her name? Honeypot?”
She leans her head into his shoulder and huffs loudly, making me laugh. “Yeah. She’s my favorite ride. My best mare. I’ve had her since she was a little filly. She was born on this ranch.”
“How old is she now?”
“She’s ten. It’s a good age for a horse. She’s the best.”
I reach out tentatively, my hands shaking. “You can touch her,” he says.
Stretching out, I gently trace the soft crown of her head and she huffs into his shoulder again but she doesn’t move away. Her liquid-dark eyes stare at me and I swear it’s like she can see right through me.
“She looks like she knows all about me,” I sigh and run my fingers down to her nose, stunned at how soft and silky her coat is. There’s a thick white line that runs down to her nose and her pink nostrils flutter as she sniffs my fingers. Holding my breath, I watch her, enthralled.
“She’s beautiful,” I breathe.
He leans closer to me and I can see the shifting green and blue in his eyes. The damn man’s lashes are better than mine! He grins softly at me.
“She is.”
Like I can’t help myself, I ask, “Why does your mother seem to think we’re engaged? And why is she bandying it all around town? I couldn’t move all day without people asking me about my fiancé.”
Cursing under his breath, he groans and runs his huge palm down his face. “Ugh. The woman is nuts. She wants grandbabies.I have been afraid lately that she’d slip a woman into my bed. I suppose I should be happy that all she’s done is tell all the gossips that you’re my fiancé.”
