* * * *
No sooner had Night sat the heavy cooler full of drinks in the bed of his truck, than Summer hopped in the passenger's side. Once he got settled behind the steering wheel, she was directing him to the south side of the house. Sure enough, near the large water tank, an old metal gate rested heavily on the ground.
He climbed out, grabbed his shovel and crow bar, and walked to the crumbling log post. "It's seen better days."
Summer followed, a long lead rope in hand. "Definitely. I was afraid it would break off before I could get it fixed. I didn't want the horses getting out and possibly on the road."
"Speaking of…" He gestured to the small herd, making their way along the fence line to their location.
"They are quite nosey, like little old ladies searching for the tiniest bit of gossip. Have to be in the middle of everything." The tone of her voice spoke of affection and endearment rather than criticism.
He grinned, watching the animals. The gray led, his trot flowing, fluid, and effortless, saying a lot for his outstanding bloodlines and conditioning. The image could go onto a calendar for its simple beauty. Tolly followed behind, moving a bit slower, but no less enthusiastic. For an old animal, he still held his own. Domino pulled up the rear, his movements more stiff and deliberate. Night felt for the animal, understanding how arthritis probably offered him daily pain as well as limited mobility, frustrating and downright sad for a racehorse with such a resume.
"He gets medication for his arthritis and the vet keeps a close eye on him. Tolly gets it too, but only at certain times of the year. His main need is senior feed because it's hard for him to chew and he needs a special mix." Summer shimmied around the gate, hooking one end of the rope to the side fence and another to the front fence, essentially blocking off the area they would be working in.
Glancing behind, he noticed the small, but well built barn he'd glimpsed earlier from a distance. It appeared fairly new, covered with painted wood, and sporting shingles on the roof. It wouldn't hold many horses, but could easily handle the three she owned. "Nice barn."
She looked up from her task, glancing at the building. "Thanks. I saved up for a full year in order to get it built. Once I realized the needs of the horses I wanted to adopt, I knew the barn was essential, along with some amenities."
He looked up at her, meeting her eyes. "Amenities?"
Summer shrugged. "It has water plumbed into it, for bathing or filling water buckets for their stalls. The whole place is insulated. I didn't have the funds to heat it. Even if I did, I doubt I could afford the winter electric bills, so I did the best I could with top of the line insulation. I lined that with hay and straw bales, to help curb the frigid wind. There are three stalls, but the other half of the barn is an open space, where the horses can simply hang out together and not be confined."
"Nice."
She smiled brightly. "Thanks. I like it."
His gut clenched with the expression and glow on her face, making her appearance shine. How he'd considered her plain, he didn't know, not when she became prettier each and every day. "Looks like we have to dig this old post up, then replace it with a metal one."
"Yep. I have the metal post in the barn. I'll go get it when we're ready for it. In the meantime, I'll be glad to shovel."
He stalked over, pushing on the wooden post, cringing when it wiggled under the pressure. "Definitely rotten. Let's pull the fence off it first, then work on digging it up." Night focused on the task at hand, intent upon getting the new gate up before sundown.
Chapter 9
Summer smiled, wiping her forehead with her dirt-smudged hand. Finally. With Night's assistance and hard labor, they'd managed to pull out the old post and replace it with a new metal one, guaranteed not to rot.
She watched the muscles ripple under his sweat-soaked T-shirt as he attached the wire fence to the new post. More than once she'd found herself staring at the man as he worked, hoping he might shed his shirt under the summer sun, and dreaming of what other physical perfections his clothing hid from her view. What she could see kept her near drooling, wanting to reach out and run her fingers over his flat stomach and around to his delightful rear, squeezing to test for buoyancy.
Good grief. Where did those thoughts come from? Never had she lusted after a man before. Not like this. A couple hours in Night's presence and she turned into a hussy with seduction on her mind, not unlike a few heroines in the romance novels she read. She needed to face facts. Night remained out of her league, through money, status, and that splendid physique. She couldn't match him in any area. Besides, his mother was a client. Surely dating the woman's son would be a conflict of interest at worst and awkward at best.
Digging through the cooler on the tailgate of his truck, she pulled out two iced down bottles of water. As soon as he stood, she shoved one in his hands. "Here you go."
"Thanks." He used his shirtsleeve to wipe the dripping sweat from his face before unscrewing the lid, and drinking deeply.
Summer watched as his Adam's apple bobbed with each swallow, finding the motion not only intriguing but sexy. I'm losing my mind. With a shake of her head, she marched through the newly hung gate, untying the lead rope that served as a physical barrier to keep the horses in the pasture and out of their work area. Hours ago, the animals grew bored with watching Night and Summer work. They stopped by the water tank, drank their fill, before heading for the shade trees and meadow grass, escaping the scalding sun of midday.
"Thank you, Night. Without your help, I would still be struggling with that silly old wooden post." She stepped back through the gate, latching it tightly behind her.
He glanced in her direction. "No problem." Emptying his plastic water bottle, he tossed it in the back of the truck along with his tools. "Hop in. I'll give you a ride back to the house."
Summer didn't waste any time, climbing into the passenger seat, struggling to keep her mind on business and not on the sweaty hunk beside her. "Why don't you come in and wash up?"
He cranked the engine. "I'm a walking dirt pile."
She grinned over at him. "Yeah, so am I. Come in and wash up anyway."
A smile appeared on his face, knocking the breath out of Summer. His eyes softened as did his facial features. All the more breathtaking when he showed amusement and happiness.
"I can use the water hose."
"I hear cold showers really suck." She grinned impishly, unable to resist teasing him.
He chuckled and shook his head. "Not going there."
"Well, drat. Here I looked forward to hearing the ins and outs of men and their cold showers."
His gaze met hers, amusement flashing through his eyes. "You're fishing in an empty pond."
"Hmmm… Wonder where I can find a stocked one then?"
Pulling into his earlier parking space, he cut the engine, and turned his full attention to her. "Just what kind of fish are you looking to catch?"
Her face heated at the not so subtle innuendo. Dang it. He turned the tables on her. "I don't know?" When in doubt, play dumb.
Night stared at her for a long moment, his lips twitching. Obviously satisfied, he released her gaze, gracefully sliding out of the truck.
Summer followed suit, a bit unsettled from his intensity. It was like he could see into her deepest thoughts. A man being able to read a woman's mind could be quite embarrassing. After all, what if he stumbled across the image of her shucking his clothes off at amazing speed and hopping astride for a session of ride 'em cowgirl? Talk about mortifying.
Seconds later, he followed her up the front porch steps, both pausing to slip their muddy shoes off before entering in the house. Murphy greeted them at the door, nosing first Summer then Night.
"Hi, girl." He greeted the large dog.
She pointed out the bathroom. He followed her directions, striding quickly to the small room to his right. She heard the click of the light switch. Taking the opportunity, she dashed to the kitchen to wash her hands, then returned to the l
iving room, arriving in plenty of time to meet Night as he emerged from the restroom. Murphy sat on the large area rug, looking from her to him and back.
"How much do I owe you?" She reached for her purse.
"Nothing."
Her back stiffened. "Yes. I do. And, I will pay you."
"No, you won't," his voice though soft, encouraged no argument.
"But, I need to pay you, do something for you. You worked hard out there."
He shrugged. "I enjoyed it. I don't get to do a lot of manual labor like that anymore. It made for a good day, an honest day's work."
"Thank you. Really. I didn't realize what a task that would be and couldn't have done it without your help. At least let me fix you something to eat."
The corners of his mouth lifted. "That I will do."
She returned his smile, already heading to the kitchen. "Any preferences?"
"As long as I don't have to kill it, I'm good." He trailed behind her.
"Okay. Let's see." She nosed through the fridge then a couple of cabinets, tossing out suggestions.
"It looks like spaghetti, grilled cheese, or white chicken chili."
Night took a seat at the small dining table, petting Murphy as she plopped down next to him. "Let's go with the chili."
"Okay." Summer grabbed a couple of cans of white beans, chicken broth, and poured them into a pan to heat. After that, she pulled out three large chicken breasts from the freezer, dropping them into a separate pan full of water. Turning the stove on high, she went about gathering spices, and setting the table. Noticing how her pet leaned and begged for attention from Night, Summer couldn't help but smile. "Animals seem to like you."
He shrugged, finding an itchy patch on Murphy's back, which sent her back foot to thumping. "Ever since I was a kid, I liked animals. Went to summer camp at a working ranch a few times."
A bit surprised, she grabbed a couple of glasses from the cupboard filling them with ice. "Why don't you have them, then? Even if you don't have acreage for large animals, you can still have a dog or a cat. Heck, I hear people keep pot bellied pigs and even snakes in the house."
"I bring a snake in the house and my mother will screech to high Heaven, proceed to kill it, then take the hoe to me." He threw his head back and laughed with genuine humor.
"I don't blame her a bit." Summer agreed, enjoying the conversation and glimpse into his life. "What about a dog or cat?"
"I'm not home very much with my work. Any animal would spend more time in a kennel than in my home. That's not fair to them."
"But your mother's home all the time. Perhaps now might be the time, if she likes pets?"
He seemed to ponder that. "I hadn't thought about it, to be honest. I'll have to ask her. She's always talked about getting a Persian cat, but never did so."
"It might give her good company while you're away. Someone to talk to. I know Murphy is a great companion for those cold nights when you just talk to hear a voice."
The dog looked up at her, hearing her name. Her ears cocked, before she opened her mouth, that pink tongue hanging out once more.
The chicken began to boil; returning to the stove, she decreased the heat a bit so it wouldn't splash over the side. "What does your job entail?"
He leveled a gaze at her before sighing. "I own a business."
Summer bit her lip, uncertain about pushing for details, but more curious than ever. "May I ask what your business is?"
His hand rested on Murphy's head. "I employ former military men and veterans to work in personal and private security."
The way he chose his words told her he left some major details out. "So you're a former military man, too?" She decided to tiptoe around the tulips and see what else he might tell her.
"Army. Green Beret."
"Wow." Now she really was impressed. Those men held a legendary status in nearly every American's mind. No wonder his physical prowess outclassed everyone she knew. "Translated to simple terms, you protect people and things from the bad guys?"
He smirked. "Something like that."
"That's quite the noble cause. I never thought about it before. Someone has to do the dirty work. I guess that's where you come in."
"Yeah."
Her mind whirled for a minute more before landing on an idea, like a ball clinking into the number slot on a roulette wheel. "You get to play with lots of weapons, machine guns, that kind of thing?"
Night arched an eyebrow. "And?"
She smiled brightly at him. "I would love to shoot a cannon. That's got to be fun."
He shook his head and chuckled. "Too noisy."
"I'm sure we can find some ear plugs…" she tossed out hopefully.
"I don't think so. Nice try, though. Besides, we don't use cannons. Much better to rely on stealth and quiet in our business."
She pouted. "Darn. A cannon would've been great."
"To each their own." His mouth turned upward.
"I guess so." Grabbing a spoon, she stirred the beans. Forking the chicken, she decided they had boiled long enough, plunking each one onto a plate, where she cut them into smaller pieces before adding them into the bean mixture, along with several spices. "As soon as that heats back up, dinner will be served."
Night stood up, heading to the fridge. "What else do you want out of here?"
She peeked under his arm as he opened the door. "Let's take out the salad and fruit. Maybe the cottage cheese, too."
He grabbed each item, setting them in the middle of the table. Summer set to making a pitcher of tea. Finishing that, she added it to the growing pile.
By the time she carried the large pot of chicken chili to the table, Night had filled their glasses. They sat down to eat in relative silence, Murphy stretched out on the kitchen tile next to them.
"Why don't you have a boyfriend?"
Summer nearly choked on the out-of-the-blue question. Grabbing her tea, she took a couple of sips, trying to clear the blockage.
* * * *
Night bit back a grin at her reaction. Keeping her off balance proved to be fun and amusing. The more time he spent with her, the more he found himself interested, helping the constant tension to ease away. She did that for him. More than once today he felt her gaze glued to his body, caught the flash of appreciation in her large brown eyes. He could almost see the hamster wheel in her head rapidly spinning, imagining him without clothing and her hands touching every place her gaze presently did. The rapt attention raced to his head, bolstering his confidence, and stirred his pride. It also made him want to pursue Summer, take her in his arms, and kiss her until the cows came home.
She took a deep breath, her gaze flickered up to meet his eyes before lowering back to her plate. "Boyfriend? Let's see. I guess it's because I work all the time, I'm picky, and I just haven't stumbled across the perfect man yet."
His lips twitched. "That sounds reasonable."
"What about you? Why don't you have a girlfriend?"
A full-fledged smile broke out on his face. "I work all the time, I'm picky, and I just haven't stumbled across the perfect woman yet."
"Touché." She laughed. "So, where does that leave us?"
His groin tightened at the low sultry tone in her voice. He braced himself to move carefully and with patience. As much as he would love to toss her over his shoulder, carry her to her bed, and show her how she affected him, he had to make sure he didn't pressure or rush her. In almost stunned amazement, he realized he wanted a relationship with Summer, not just a fling. A roll in the hay wouldn't suffice. Instead, he longed to spend hours with her, learning all about her, working beside her, making a life together.
Damn. You've got it bad.
"Where do you want us to be?" He returned her question, letting her take the lead with this more romantic discussion.
Her eyelids lowered as she puffed out a breath of air.
That small action sent a definite reaction to his groin. Ignoring the tightening jeans, he focused on her face, watching for key sign
als.
"I'm… I'm not sure. What if you don't want the same thing?" She peeked up from under those long eyelashes, a shy but endearing action.
He leaned forward, scooted his plate aside, and rested his arms on the table in the open space. "Try me."
She worried her lower lip as if making a difficult decision.
Night reined back a groan while watching her, his mind conjuring images of her sucking certain parts of him, those pink lips wrapping around him, her tongue flicking out for a small taste.
"I don't do one night stands." Her back straightened as she met his gaze.
He nodded, pulled from his erotic thoughts. "I didn't think you did." When she said no more, he once again prodded. "What do you want?" His voice soft, carrying with it his wishes.
"I want…"
"Yes?"
"To kiss you." The words tumbled out in a rush.
He smiled as the tension in his shoulders dissipated. "I would like that, too."
Her eyes widened. "Really? You aren't just playing with me?"
"Really." He stood, reaching his hand out to her.
She confidently latched onto it, letting him pull her upright.
His gaze locked onto hers, refusing to let her look away. Reaching around, he pulled her closer before lowering his head. She wrapped her arms around his neck as her eyelids slowly began to close.
Night initiated contact, gently meshing his lips with hers. As easy as a summer rain, he coaxed and caressed, enticing rather than demanding. Summer opened her mouth beneath his, offering entrance for his questing tongue. He rewarded her with a deep exploration and a quick game of tag. She responded delightfully, encouraging him to further plunder, becoming more demanding as the need swiftly rose in him.
Summer pulled back, panting for breath. "Wow."
His lips tilted upward. "Just the beginning, Yazhi."
Her head tilted. "Yazhi? What does that mean?"
"Little one." Night cradled her cheeks between his large hands, tilting her chin up for another meeting with his mouth.
This kiss rose like the tides of the ocean, swells and lulls, until both of them clung to one another as an anchor in the newly discovered depths of feeling.
Summer's Night Page 5
