The question didn’t catch me as off guard as the grit in his tone. He sounded tired. No, not tired. He sounded raw. Like putting up with me had taken all the energy he had.
My cheeks heated. At the same time, the burn in my belly expanded. I didn’t know how to verbalize the feelings racing through me. He was rough and real and so damn broken. “I don’t know. All I know is that I’m not ready for it to end.”
That was the most honest answer I could give him. Something about the ranch pulled at me. Something abouthimtugged at a set of heart strings I didn’t even know I had.
“What happened between us earlier…” he looked up at me with a haunted look in his eyes. “I can’t have you here anymore. Do you understand that? We can’t… goddammit, Whitley. You’ve got to go home.”
The sting of tears burned the back of my throat. I opened my mouth to argue, but no words came out.
Chase got out of the truck and left me sitting in the front seat. My eyes stayed dry until he reached the porch. Then the tears started to fall. I’d found something at the ranch. Something worth fighting for. He might try to send me away, but that didn’t mean I’d have to go peacefully.
A shadow moved across the drive in front of the barn. Jessie. He was sweet to offer to take me for a ride. I wasn’t ready to spend time under the same roof as Chase, not after he’d rejected me. So, I climbed out of the truck and slipped through the front door to change into a pair of jeans. If Chase was going to try to kick me out soon, at least I could squeeze in a ride on one of the horses before I went.
Ten minutes later, I stepped into the warm barn. I walked down one side, stopping to run my hand over the velvety noses of each horse as I passed. Trigger had earned a special place in my heart. Daniel told me Chase had agreed to take him in when he got so sick his owner couldn’t take care of him anymore. When I’d heard that, I knew with certainty there was more to the man who tried to keep me at a distance.
“Hey, I wasn’t sure you were going to show.” Jessie had already saddled a tall brown horse named Amarillo. “I’m glad to see you made it.”
“Thanks. Looks like I’ll be heading home tomorrow, so I thought it would be fun to fit in a ride before I go.”
“Leaving already?” Jessie’s mouth turned down at the corners. At least someone might be a little sad to see me go.
“I don’t get the impression Chase is very happy to have me around.”
Jessie let out a laugh. “Don’t take it personally. The boss is never happy. Did y’all at least have a good dinner?”
“We did.” My cheeks warmed as I replayed what had happened earlier that afternoon. I hadn’t imagined the attraction between us. It was as real as the horse standing in front of me, whether Chase wanted to admit it or not.
“Are you okay riding Western?” The arch of Jessie’s brow told me there was only one right answer to his question.
“Of course.” Though I’d learned how to ride in the English style, how hard could it be? I knew the difference. All I needed to do was sit heavier in the saddle.
“Great. Why don’t you take Amarillo here and I’ll saddle up Minestrone.” Jessie emerged from another stall a few minutes later, tugging on the reins of a gorgeous white horse with a dark mane and tail. “Ready?”
Nodding, I waited for him to put his foot in the stirrup and fling his other leg over the horse’s back. Then I held onto the horn and did the same. He clicked his tongue and gave Minestrone a gentle nudge in the belly with his heels. The horse walked out of the barn with an easy, slow gait.
“Let’s go, Amarillo.” I pulled on the reins and steered the horse to follow after Jessie. He didn’t move. “I said come on, boy.”
The horse let out a whinny and took off after Jamie and Minestrone. My butt bounced up and down in the saddle, making my teeth knock together.
“Need any help?” Jessie called back.
“No, I’m good.” I didn’t know how many little white lies a girl could tell in one day, but I might be going for the record. My fingers wrapped around the saddle horn with a death-like grip.
Jessie led the way down the drive toward a trail that cut behind the back pasture. I turned around once and could have sworn I saw a dark shadow standing on the front porch of the house, watching us go. Then the horse nearly ran me into a fence post, and I had to face forward. When I looked back again, the shadow was gone.
9
CHASE
I should have puther into her fancy SUV and sent her back where she came from as soon as she arrived. Now she was headed off to who-the-fuck-knew-where with Jessie. My blood boiled as I paced the length of the porch. I wanted to go after them. Wanted to wrap my arms around Whitley, carry her straight to my bed, and lose myself between her thick thighs.
Giving into temptation would be the end of me, or at least the end of my business relationship with her father. She was too young, too sweet, too good for a broken-down cowboy like me. I didn’t deserve her, no matter how much I wanted to claim her. Whitley had her entire future rolled out before her like a fucking red carpet. All I had to offer was this ranch, along with what little was left of my heart.
The best thing to do would be to tell her she didn’t have what it took to build a life for herself in the country and send her back to her dad. It was too late to save my own sorry soul, but there was still time to save hers. I wouldn’t let her throw her life away on a bitter old man who would have to reap what he sowed.
I was about to turn back and drown my sorrows in a bottle of Jack when I heard her scream. High-pitched and as sharp as the edge of my hunting knife, the noise sent chills down my spine. I didn’t think, just reacted. The first stall I came to in the barn housed General. I didn’t want to take time to saddle him up, so I flung myself onto his bare back and took off like the devil himself was on my tail.
With the entire pasture stretched before him, General grew wings and flew. The wind rushed by, and I shivered against the chill. All that mattered was getting to Whitley. If she was hurt… I wouldn’t let myself entertain the thought.