Bound by Fire

by Tracey Jane Jackson

  She shook her head. This was harder than she could have ever imagined. “If I move myself and Jonesy over to Scotland, what happens when you…” She swallowed. “…um, decide I’m not who you want?”

  “I thought Sam talked you out of that.”

  Pepper gasped. “Can you hear Sam in your mind?”

  “No, but I can hear you. Kade filled me in on what Sam was saying.”

  “I knew it! I knew you were eavesdropping.”

  He shrugged. “If you’re going to insist on shutting me out, I’m going to fight all that much harder to get in.”

  She held her hands up in defeat. “Fine. But it doesn’t change the fact that you’re asking me to risk everything after just a few days. I don’t have the resources you do. If it doesn’t work out, I won’t be able to bounce back.”

  “Then I’ll stay here.”

  “What?” she squeaked.

  “If you don’t feel comfortable coming with me, I’ll move here.” He leaned against the railing. “Jonesy can stay where he feels content and you can have the time you need.”

  “Time?”

  “You obviously need time to elapse in order for you to believe it’s going to work.”

  “That’s not a bad thing!”

  “Sweetheart, I’m not saying it is.” He squeezed her hand. “Stop trying to find something nefarious in everything I say.”

  Pepper narrowed her eyes. “Stop trying to psychoanalyze me.”

  “I don’t need to psychoanalyze you, love. I know you better than you know yourself.”

  “I know you better than you know yourself,” she mimicked in a sing-song voice.

  He smiled. “I’ll give you whatever you need, but I won’t live apart from you. That defeats the whole purpose of being together.”

  “What about your horses?”

  He shrugged. “Max can run the farm.”

  “He’s going on tour.”

  “Niall, then.”

  “Niall will be with him, won’t he?”

  “Then I’ll make Brodie do it.”

  “Connall, I cannot make you do this.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because you have a life in Scotland. You can’t give that up for me.”

  “Why not?”

  She blinked back tears. “Because.”

  “Because why?”

  “Because I’m not worth it!” she snapped.

  “And therein lies the problem, eh?” He smiled gently and stroked her cheeks with his thumbs, wiping her tears away. “Somewhere you got the idea in your head that you’re not worth it. You’re convinced I’m going to figure out who you really are and run, right? Which leaves you stuck in Scotland with no way home and your horse held for ransom…unless…”

  “Unless what?”

  “Well, you could accept my offer, and then you’d be in the very precarious position of needing to be perfect, right?”

  She dropped her head.

  He lifted her chin. “So, in your mind, you have three choices. One, you come with me and act the perfect angel, catering to me, never arguing with me, really showing me how grateful you are because of everything I’ve done for you. Two, you come with me, act yourself, and I’ll figure out I’ve made a really bad investment and send you packing, but I’ll keep your horse, because at the very least, you owe me that because of everything I’ve done for you. Or three, you stay here, because you know this life and can function within it, even if it’s less than what you deserve.” He raised an eyebrow. “Am I close?”

  She shrugged.

  “You’ve forgotten the other option,” he said.

  She sighed. “What?”

  “You could come to Scotland, bring your horse and go to MGA, vet school, train for the Olympics, or all three if your heart so desires. You will never owe me anything and can walk away at any time. You can set up an escape plan with Samantha. I don’t need to know anything about it if that helps. I will put this in writing, etch it into stone, or put it on a billboard, if that makes you feel comfortable. The bottom line is, I cannot live without you. I know you don’t know what that means right now, but you will, and then you’ll hopefully understand the depth of what I feel for you.” He cupped her cheeks. “I love you. Every part of you, especially the part that argues and fights and falls on the dramatic side. When I prayed for you, I could have never imagined I would have been given everything I asked for and more.”

  Pepper snorted. “It’s the ‘more’ you may give back.”

  “Never.” Connall chuckled. “I want it all.”

  She closed her eyes, laid her hand on his chest, and “listened.” But it was when he kissed her that she was truly lost. She broke the kiss and leaned against him. “You’re killing me.”

  He hugged her. “Oh, baby, we’re going down together.”

  “I don’t want to disappoint you.”

  “You probably will. Just like I’m sure to disappoint you. But I’m not going anywhere.” He kissed her temple. “And neither are you…except for a trail ride.”

  She smiled up at him. “None of this makes you a genius.”

  “Yes it does.”

  “Will I ever win an argument?”

  “Not with a genius!”

  She giggled. “You’re impossible.”

  He leaned down and kissed her again. “I haven’t been on a horse in almost a week. I’m dying for a ride.”

  She grinned. “Me too. Are you sure? I’m giving you one last chance to save yourself.”

  “Having you is saving myself.”

  With one last kiss, Pepper followed Connall back to the barn, where they tacked up the horses and took off for their adventure.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  TWO DAYS LATER, Pepper stood in Jonesy’s stall and ran a brush over his withers. “It’s a big day today, boy. We’re going to get on a plane and fly across the ocean, all the way to Scotland. I don’t know much about it, other than they have a sexy accent.” She dropped her head onto his back and giggled. “I suppose that doesn’t really matter to you, though, huh?”

  Jonesy let out a quiet whinny and nodded his head up and down.

  “I knew you’d understand,” she retorted.

  He’s going to be fine, love.

  What about me?

  “You will be as well,” Connall said as he poked his head over the stall door. “Are you ready? The trailer’s hitched up.”

  She nodded and attached Jonesy’s lead to his halter. Connall opened the stall and Pepper led her horse out of the barn and toward the trailer on loan from Maggie. When Jonesy figured out where he was going, he began to fight against the lead and Pepper was having a difficult time calming him. Her anxiety probably wasn’t helping things either.

  Connall reached out and grasped the halter. “Let me do this, love. You can wait for him at the other end.”

  “Okay.” Pepper climbed into the trailer and watched nervously as Connall stood with Jonesy, speaking low and quiet. She bit her lip, concerned Jonesy would freak, but then Connall guided him into the trailer without incident and Pepper was a little shocked at how calm he was.

  Max closed and secured the back doors and Connall tied Jonesy’s lead off.

  “How did you do that?” she asked.

  Connall patted Jonesy’s neck. “I simply explained to him how this was going to go and what would happen if he didn’t cooperate.”

  Pepper chuckled. “I do that all the time…he just doesn’t usually listen.”

  Connall smiled. “Do you feel comfortable enough to leave the trailer?”

  “Is that a loaded question?”

  “He’ll be fine.”

  Pepper gave Jonesy a peppermint and kissed his cheek and then let herself out the side door and waited while Connall made sure everything was secure. Maggie was driving the pickup, while Max rode shotgun and Pepper and Connall would follow behind in the rental.

  “Ready?” Max asked.

  Connall slapped his palm against the trailer and nodded.


  “Maybe I should check him one more time,” Pepper countered.

  “He’ll be fine, Pepper.” Connall waved to Max. “We’ll see you there, Max.”

  Max nodded and climbed into the truck.

  Connall wrapped an arm around Pepper’s waist and guided…no, dragged…her to the car. Pepper bit the inside of her cheek to keep from yelling for Maggie to stop the truck.

  “The sooner you get in the car, the sooner we can catch up,” Connall said.

  “Right.” She glanced up at him. “You have to let me go in order for me to get in the car.”

  He did with a laugh and she jumped into the car and put her seatbelt on, waving for Connall to hurry.

  “I’m coming, love.” He slid into the car and started it, securing his seatbelt as he pulled the door closed. “The plane won’t leave without us, you know.”

  Pepper snorted. “You’re a laugh a minute today.”

  Connall caught up to the truck and Pepper felt her heartbeat start to regulate. He reached over and linked his fingers with hers, which calmed her further.

  She turned her head to watch him and smiled. “Thank you for this.”

  He glanced at her and then back at the road. “For what?”

  “Being patient with me.”

  “What reason would I have to be impatient?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. My general mistrust and freak-outery over the last few days,” she retorted.

  Connall laughed. “Freak-outery?”

  She grinned. “It’s a new word I’m trying out.”

  “I like it.”

  “Anyway, you’ve been amazing, and I appreciate it.”

  He squeezed her hand. “I love you, Pepper. I’m enjoying every minute. No patience required.”

  She stared at his profile for several minutes as they continued to follow the truck and Pepper realized he was right, she did base every relationship on time. But if she was being honest, she knew the moment she met Sam that they’d be friends forever and they had been so far. She also knew the moment she met Connall that there wasn’t anyone else for her. He knew it too.

  The question was whether or not she was willing to put her feelings into words. Saying them out loud was hard. It meant she was making a commitment and would look like a fool if she was wrong.

  Before she could dwell on this any further, Connall released her hand and shifted gears in order to turn onto a private road. Maggie pulled the trailer off to the right and Pepper realized they were arriving at an airstrip not far from Savannah’s International Airport. A large plane came into view and Pepper was drawn to the immensity of the aircraft. “Gunnach Stables” was painted on the side amidst blue and green tartan, and a container with matching design was ready and waiting for Jonesy.

  Connall pulled the car to a stop and set the brake. “Ready, love?”

  “I think so. What about the bags?”

  “The crew will get your bags. You just have to focus on Jonesy.”

  “Thanks.”

  He smiled and slid from the car, jogging to her side to open the door for her. “Do you want to load him, or would you like me to?”

  Pepper climbed out of the car and tented her hand over her eyes in an effort to block out the sun. “Would you mind? I’m a little nervous and I think he’ll pick up on it.”

  “Not at all.” He took her hand. “You can supervise.”

  As they made their way to the trailer, Connall threw his keys to a young man in an orange vest. Max opened the side door of the trailer and then unlatched the back. “I’ll open this when you’re in.”

  “Aye,” Connall said and climbed inside.

  Pepper chose to stand with Max and watch as Connall led Jonesy out of the trailer and over to the large containers without any problems. Although Pepper was impressed with the large square container, she was concerned there was a roof.

  “Why is the top closed?”

  “We don’t want him to rear. It’s open enough for us to lean inside if we need to, but Jonesy won’t be able to poke his head out or hurt himself by rearing.”

  “Oh. Makes sense.” As Connall guided the horse inside, Pepper wrinkled her nose. “I think he likes Con more than me.”

  Max chuckled. “I highly doubt that.”

  Connall stepped back out and secured the door and then made his way to Pepper so Jonesy could be lifted into the plane.

  It wasn’t long before all hell broke loose.

  As the container started to rise in the air, Jonesy began to whinny. Pepper grabbed for Connall. “He’s going to freak.”

  “Give it a second.”

  Jonesy started to scream and kick at the walls.

  “Crap. Con, he’s scared.” She started toward the crate, but Connall pulled her back.

  Max managed to jump and haul himself up onto the ledge of the container, making his way to Jonesy.

  “Watch,” Connall instructed.

  Max laid his hand on Jonesy’s forehead. Max’s lips were moving, but Pepper couldn’t hear what he was saying, due to the noise of the hydraulics. Within seconds, Max had Jonesy calm and almost asleep by the look of it.

  Pepper let out the breath she’d been holding and grasped Connall’s arm. “How did he do that?”

  Connall shrugged. “Magic.”

  Pepper rolled her eyes. “Is he going to stay with Jonesy the whole time?”

  He nodded. “If you want him to.”

  “Really?”

  “Really. Come on, I’ll show you.”

  Taking her hand, Connall led Pepper to the opposite end of the plane and up the stairs. They were greeted by two flight attendants dressed in the same blues and greens as the plane’s decoration. Connall stood back so that Pepper could enter the compartment first. The cabin was huge and set up much like a living room rather than an airplane. It almost looked like a tour bus.

  Six rows on the left provided comfortable seating for twelve. A long set of cabinets with a granite countertop was secured to the right side of the plane.

  Pepper let out a squeal of excitement when she caught sight of Sam and Kade sitting by the window. Pepper rushed toward her as Sam stood and wrapped her arms around Pepper. “Surprised?”

  “Yes!” Pepper exclaimed. “I thought you were leaving with everyone else.”

  “We kind of let you believe that, but there was no way I was going to let you arrive in Scotland without me.”

  Pepper smiled. “Thank you.”

  “Let’s check on Jonesy, love, then we can visit once we take off,” Connall suggested.

  She faced him. “I forgot the peppermints. They’re in my bag.”

  “Are they now?” He pulled his hand out from behind his back. He was holding a jumbo tub of Starlights.

  My word, I love you.

  His eyes widened and Pepper bit her lip.

  Sorry. I really wanted to say that in private and out loud, then give you a really hot kiss, but I couldn’t wait.

  He grinned. “Let’s go see Jonesy.”

  He pointed out a door to a private bathroom and then two other doors led to separate bedrooms as they made their way toward the back of the plane. They arrived at a wall where the plane seemed to stop, but then Connall pushed a semi-hidden door open, and Pepper was surprised to see a huge open space where four containers, big enough for two horses each, were secured in the middle. Seating was set up, bench-style, near the windows, and Max was working with the airport crew to lock down Jonesy’s box.

  “Wow,” Pepper said, and giggled when Jonesy started whinnying. She headed to his stall and stroked his muzzle. “Oh, so you do remember me.”

  Connall unwrapped a peppermint and handed it to Jonesy and then left Pepper briefly to speak with Max. Pepper took a few precious moments to slip inside and look Jonesy over. He seemed perfectly content and happy to see her when he slid his head over her shoulder and “hugged” her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed. “Aw, buddy, I love you too. You’re such a good boy.”

  She h
anded him another peppermint and double-checked his blanket. She’d chosen the thick one, unsure how cold the plane would be. She was glad she did. It was freezing.

  “Wheels up in fifteen minutes, love.” Connall leaned over the wall. “Do you want to stay here or go back to the main cabin?”

  She let herself out of the container. “Will Max be here or in the cabin?”

  Connall smiled. “Wherever you’d like him.”

  She frowned. “If I say back here, will he be okay with that?”

  “Yes.” Connall chuckled.

  Pepper glanced at Jonesy and then at Max. Jonesy seemed perfectly content where he was, but she was still nervous.

  “If there are any issues, Max will find you,” Connall promised.

  She bit her lip. “Jonesy seems calm and Max was great with him earlier…”

  Connall stroked her cheek. “He’ll be fine. I’d like a minute alone with you before we take off.”

  She widened her eyes. “Do we have time?”

  “If we sneak out now, yes.”

  “Lead on.”

  He grinned and led her back through the cabin door and into one of the bedrooms. Pepper only had a few seconds to appreciate the queen-sized bed nestled between two ornate side tables before she was pulled into Connall’s arms and kissed until she couldn’t breathe.

  “You’re killing me,” he rasped between kisses as he pushed her gently onto the bed and laid his body over hers.

  “Back atya,” she retorted as she slid her hands under his shirt. “I want more.”

  “I know.”

  “Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats and secure your seatbelts,” the captain said over the P.A.

  Connall kissed Pepper again, this time quickly, and rolled onto his back. “Saved by the bell, so to speak.”

  Pepper licked her lips and took a deep breath. “Stupid bell.”

  He turned his head toward her and smiled sadly. “Aye.”

  “We have a few minutes, right? It’s not like they’ll leave without us being buckled.”

  He rolled over to face her, cradling his head in his hand. “You’re not making this easy.”

  “I know.” She sighed and faced him, mimicking his actions. “But you’re gorgeous and sweet and I love you, even if you’re turning me into a hussy.”