Her head titled, and she gazed with focus. “Harrison, like Kinky Spurs’ owner, Megan Harrison?”
“That’s right,” Shep explained. “Her father owns nearly as much prime Colorado land as we do. They own Irish Creek Ranch, and they’ve been my father’s biggest competitor over the years. There has been tension between the two families for as long as I can remember—over land, over customers, over cattle.”
She moved closer to him, twigs snapping beneath her feet. “Is that how you know Megan, then?”
“I knew Megan because we grew up together at the same school, but I’m also four years older. Nash knew her better since they’re the same age.”
She stopped in front of him, crossing her arms. “But you all seem to get along with Megan?”
“That’s because I like her. She’s nothing like her father.”
“Oh,” Emma replied, obviously understanding that meant Megan’s father was less than friendly. She went quiet, thinking something over, staring at the shelter. Shep moved in behind her, wrapping his arms around her. “What’s on that mind of yours?”
She leaned back against him, raising her hands to hold onto his arms. “I’m thinking that you have a really cool business. I respect that. It’s amazing that you took what you love and made a business out of it.”
The heaviness in her voice told him that her mind was on her past in New York City, her job, clearly one she had loved, and all the things she’d left behind. “It wasn’t always this way, Emma,” he told her softly. “There was a time I was lost too.”
She spun in his arms, hugged him tight, and sniffed.
He did what she needed him to do: he didn’t let go.
* * *
Forty-five minutes later, Emma sat next to Shep in the passenger seat of his truck on the way back to her place. She regretted that their sexy adventure had to end, and that they couldn’t have played again this morning. Not that she didn’t love learning more about Shep, but sex had never been this exciting. Ever. Not even with Jake. Sure, Jake could be playful, but this, with Shep, was certainly different. A game changer, where regular sex could possibly seem boring in comparison.
That, of course, might be a problem. But she refused to get too far ahead of herself. For the first time in what felt like a lifetime, even if it wasn’t truly, she was happy. Shep made her forget the pain, forget that her life in New York City ended. He made her forget Jake.
Again, she reminded herself that, for now, that was enough. Baby steps.
Shep turned the truck onto the driveway before coming to a stop by her porch steps. She grabbed the door handle, smiling at him. “Will I be seeing you tonight?” she asked.
“You can bet on it.” He grinned back, gesturing her forward with a flick of his chin. “Come here, give me something to think about while I’m gone.”
Warmth cascaded through her at the heat his gaze possessed, at the power. She’d thought that after last night she’d be drained of this uncontrollable lust, but the moment she leaned across the console and her lips sealed across his, the kiss he gave set her ablaze all over again, burning with all types of promise.
When she leaned away, he grabbed her chin and grinned. “Until later.”
“Bye.” She smiled, forcing herself to remember how to walk, and got out of the truck, shutting the door behind her.
Only then did she notice that the pretty sunrise had turned into a cloudy day. The rain was coming, the clouds thick in the morning sky, the thunder rumbling off in the distance. She stepped out of the way while Shep gave her a final smile then drove off. When the truck vanished down her driveway, she looked to the sand ring where Tadgh and Bentley should be but weren’t, since Shep had left them at his place. Apparently, Danny would bring them back on his way to the morning cattle drive, or so Shep had said on the drive home.
Emma drew in a long, deep breath, getting her thoughts all together. Last night still played on her mind. All the things he’d done to her. God, how hot it’d been. How naughty, even. She flushed just thinking about his seductive low voice brushing against her ear, his skillful hands stroking her flesh, his hard cock in her mouth . . . A loud bang coming from the barn reminded her she was about a half an hour late for morning feed, and she figured the goats weren’t going to forgive her.
Intent on getting her chores done, she pushed Shep from her mind, even though the warm wetness between her thighs told her that wasn’t so easily done. When she opened the barn’s double half doors, she was greeted by animals chastising her. Kicks against their stalls’ doors, loud vocal objections—obviously they were more pissed than she realized. “Oh, hush, all of you. I’m not that late. A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.” Still, feeling slightly bad, she quickly moved to the feed, grabbing one rubber feed bucket and scooping out some food.
By the time she was done gathering the feed, every set of eyes was pinned on her, and the one goat, Pumpkin, jumped on Pebbles’s back to get a better look. Emma laughed, placing their feed in their stalls. “You two are so silly.”
From there, she didn’t waste time, hurrying along until everyone had their morning feed. She finished adding hay to their stalls then leaned against the whitewashed post, watching them enjoy breakfast. Animals had it easy, she thought. Eat, play outside, sleep. What a life that would be.
Slowly, Emma exhaled, realizing she kinda was living that life right now. Things were easy, uncomplicated. This was maybe the first time in a long time she’d taken a moment to breathe. First, she’d been so focused in high school to ensure her grades were high. Then she’d worked her ass off at college. After that, she had put in twelve-hour days to work her way up the corporate ladder.
She exhaled again. It felt nice to breathe.
The loud chewing around soon grew quiet as the animals began leaving their stalls through the open door at the back to enjoy the day. She glanced down at her boots and nice clothes, and there was no way in hell she’d muck stalls wearing good clothes. With the animals settled, she was moving toward the barn doors to get changed when she heard tires crunching the gravel outside. She hurried her steps, discovering a white Honda coming down her driveway. She smiled, knowing exactly who it was.
Once the car stopped, Harper quickly exited and grinned. “She’s alive.”
“Am I not supposed to be?” Emma laughed.