“Oh?” I bat my lashes innocently. “And what is that, exactly?”
“You’re flirtin’ with me because you know I can’t do anything about it.”
I hold up a finger. “Not true. If I were flirting, Bretty Boy, you’d know about it.”
“You know whatwild cowboysdo to pretty little stable hands?”
“Stablemanager,” I point out.
He grins again. “They put them over their knees.”
My eyes widen. Oh,Daddy.“Uh, okay, now it’s like a river in my panties.”
Oh, doesn’t that just make him smirk even more. “I’m sure we could sneak behind a tree, the crew are all lookin’ the other way, or is that consideredfraternizing?”
“Don’t you even dare,” I whisper-shout, unable to keep the amusement out of my tone. “This is a professional operation. Plus, if we get caught, they could go on Trip Advisor or the website and leave a bad review.” Not exactly a good look, but something tells me Brett might have the gall to try it.
“Funny, you don’t strike me as the kind of woman who cares about what other people think.”
Okay. So, he has me all figured out.Smarty pants.
“I do when my job is on the line.”
“You know what I think?”
“Am I gonna be able to stop you from telling me?”
He laughs, running a hand through that wild hair of his, resting his cowboy hat on the stump next to us. “Not a chance. I think you have a wall up around your heart, Bailey Owens, and I’m sorry that some asshole in your life didn’t appreciate you when he had the chance, but I’m not that guy.”
My lips part.Get a hold of yourself, for God’s sake!“Oh? And just what kind of guy are you?” I find myself asking.
“I’m many things, not all of them perfect, but I’ve never broken a heart in my life. I’m not here to break yours, I promise, but I like you. I like you a lot and I’ve honestly never smiled so much in my goddamn life. My freakin’ jaw is startin’ to hurt.”
I laugh out loud, slapping a hand over my mouth.Hedoes this to me. He brings out all the damn smiles and giggles, ones I thought were only reserved for my family and friends, not a random guy I met in a bar. But Brett is far from random. No, he could be nothing other than extraordinary.
I press my hand to his jaw, pushing against him slightly. “You’re too pretty to be a bad boy, and too dirty between the sheets to be good, so which is?”
He brings my hand to his lips, kissing my knuckles chastely. “I’m the one you didn’t think existed.”
My breath catches in my chest as he lets go of my hand as if nothing happened.
I’m about to respond when I hear, “Bailey? Could you take a picture of us?”
Shit!I’m neglecting my hosting duties.
I nod, dusting off the non-existent dirt from my shorts. “Of course,” I say, my professional voice sounds a little offfor some reason.“I don’t need to remind any of you, but please stay on this side of the barrier. We don’t want any mishaps or search and rescues before afternoon tea.”
A few chuckles and laughs ring through the group as I take one of the guests’ phones and they get into position. A task I don’t usually enjoy—talking to people—somehow doesn’t feel as bad or as daunting, and I know it’s because of Brett.
Stupid.I tell myself.They all make promises they’ll never keep.
Is he different?
Can I really trust this man after only knowing him for a few short hours? My heart wants to believe it, but my head has serious doubts. Neither are a good combination.
CHAPTER 15
Brett
