by Unknown
From: “Sanfrandani”
Subject: Yes!
I love horses. I need to finish up a project at work tomorrow, but can be done by one if that works for you.
To: “Sanfrandani”
From: “Bigbrother”
Subject: RE: Yes!
One o’clock works fine. Where do you want me to pick you up?
To: “Bigbrother”
From: “Sanfrandani”
Subject: RE: RE: Yes!
Pick me up at the corner of Howard and Beale. Near Starbucks. If you’re running late just give me a call 555-2328. See you tomorrow:-)
Yes! A date and a phone number.
Bryce reread Dani’s replies, noting the exclamation marks and the smiley face on her last e-mail. He grinned.
Many women liked flowers, others preferred chocolate, some favored sparkly jewelry.
But who would have known the way to Dani’s heart was with a…horse?
“How was it?”
“The best ride of my life.” Dani sat atop a gorgeous fourteen-hand bay gelding. Giddy with excitement, she smiled down at Bryce. “He’s a great horse. Fabulous gait, compliant, good attitude.”
“How does he handle?”
“Wonderfully. I think I’m in love.” She knew Bryce had only asked her to ride the horse because she was close to Caitlin’s size and hadn’t ridden in months. Dani didn’t care about the reasons. She leaned forward in the saddle to pat the horse’s hot neck. “Did you see those lead changes? They were great.”
He smiled up at her. “You were great.”
She sat taller in the saddle. “Thanks. I’ve always felt comfortable with horses.”
“It shows,” he said. “You’re fun to watch.”
He was, too, with his dark hair gleaming in the sun and a wide smile brightening his face. “Thanks for letting me ride him.”
And thank goodness she’d thought to bring her paddock boots or she might have missed the chance. What an opportunity.
With a final reluctant pat, she dismounted. She’d taken the horse through his paces and showed Bryce what he needed to know. Her job was finished.
Her feet hit the ground. She held the reins in her left hand and removed the helmet she’d borrowed from the stable with her right. “I forgot how much I enjoyed riding.”
“That’s what Caitlin said.” Bryce took the helmet from Dani and fell in step beside her. “Her fiancé, Mark, could tell she missed riding and told her to buy a horse. She used to be really competitive and he’s encouraging her to go for it again.”
As Dani led the horse around the ring to cool, she glanced toward the entrance to the indoor riding arena where the owners, a man and woman in their mid-fifties, spoke to a male rider.
Dani wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans.
The couple had kept their distance from her and Bryce once they’d realized Dani knew what she was doing. She appreciated the vote of confidence. “Caitlin will be able to do whatever she wants with this handsome fellow.”
“Good to hear.” Bryce moved with the grace and agility of an athlete. Dani would love to see him ride. “The vet’s already done an examination. He looks like a winner. I’m going to tell Caitlin to buy him.”
The horse snorted.
Dani didn’t blame him one bit. She wrinkled her nose. “Is that really your job?”
“Who else’s job would it be?”
“Caitlin’s.”
His grin crinkled the corner of his eyes. “That’s one of the things I admire about you, Dani. You say exactly what’s on your mind.”
“If I didn’t, you wouldn’t know what I was thinking.”
“It works both ways,” Bryce said. “So you know, I’m not trying to make Caitlin’s decision for her. She asked me to come out here and give my opinion. That’s all. There’s also something you don’t know about my sister. Something you should know.”
His eyes darkened.
“What?”
Bryce paused. His lips thinned into a narrow line.
His serious expression worried Dani. “What is it?”
He took a deep breath. “Caitlin fell in love with a man who wasn’t what he claimed to be. He stole her money and broke her heart. I don’t want her to be hurt like that again so I look out for her, whether it’s with love or horses.”
Dani respected how he looked after his sister, yet…“That’s admirable, but what about your father? Isn’t he the one who’s supposed to do that?”
“My father’s into his own thing. He was never around much when he and my mother were married and it’s gotten worse over the years.” Bryce’s jaw thrust forward. “He spends his time seeking young wives.”
“How young?”
Bryce grimaced. “His current girlfriend is the same age as Caitlin. He’s not exactly big on being a parent these days.”
He acted nonchalant about the whole thing, but an edge of bitterness in Bryce’s voice made her want to reach out to him.
The horse butted her with his nose.
Okay, she could take a hint.
Dani touched Bryce’s arm. His muscles rippled under her hand.
“At least your dad’s still around. That counts for a lot. He could have just…”
Bryce’s brows slanted. “What?”
She pulled her arm away from him. “Left.”
As she led the horse toward the gate, Bryce followed.
“My dad took off when I was six,” she explained. “My youngest sister was only a couple of months old. He said he loved us and would be back, but we never heard from or saw him again.”
Bryce’s eyes clouded with sympathy. “I’m sorry.”
She didn’t want his pity. “Thanks, but my mom said he wasn’t cut out to be a husband and father and we’re better off without him.”
“You must miss him.”
Dani shrugged. “I don’t remember him. I have some of his DNA and his last name. That’s all I ever want from him. I think what I miss is the idea of having a dad, but my sisters and I have done great, thanks to my mom.”
Bryce shook his head. “I don’t see how a man could desert his family like that.”
Neither did she. Especially since her father had left them with nothing. But Dani wasn’t about to let his selfish actions years ago ruin this beautiful day. She looked up at Bryce, the sun warming her already heated face. “Not all men are like you.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you.” A welcome breeze blew through her sweaty hair. “I can tell when you get married you’ll be a great husband and father because of the things you do for your sister.”
“I can’t help being protective over the things I care about.”
Would he ever care about her? Dani wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer.
As she led the horse out of the ring, his hooves kicked up dirt.
“Being protective is an honorable trait, but not many guys would spend a weekend afternoon driving to the other side of the Bay and checking out a horse their sister wanted to buy.”
“Well, spending twenty-two thousand dollars on an animal deserves some checking into.”
Dani stumbled. She clutched the reins. “Twenty-two—”
The price was so ridiculous she couldn’t even say the amount.
Bryce nodded. “Caitlin thinks he’s worth it.”
Of course, she would. Dani had cleaned the stalls and exercised horses for rich little girls like Caitlin. “The question is, do you think the horse is worth it?”
“Now that I’ve seen you ride him, yes.”
The words came out strong and sure. His certainty made her feel good about her riding abilities, but she was having trouble coming to terms with the cost.
“Doesn’t that price seem a tad…” she searched for the right word—indulgent and ridiculous probably wouldn’t go down well “…excessive?”
He shrugged. “It is expensive for a horse, but you get what you pay for.”
“Twenty-two thousand would pay for a lot.”
Her mother didn’t make that much money after taxes in a year.
A teenaged boy wearing jeans, a long-sleeved shirt and paddock boots approached them. “I’ll take him from you.”
Dani stared at the kid with acne on his face and a love of horses shining in his eyes. She’d been like him, mucking stalls so she could be around the animals she loved and exercise them when their owners didn’t have as much time.
Bryce stood waiting, hands in his pockets.
Giving the kid the horse felt wrong though, until she remembered that was his job. Dani didn’t want to get him into trouble. She handed over the reins. “I put him through his paces.”
The teenager smiled. “I’ll take care of him.”
“Thank you.” Dani watched him lead the horse away. She noticed his boots. A lot like hers. Scuffed and creased after years of use. She never could afford new ones so kept cleaning the leather with Murphy’s Oil and Saddle Soap. Bryce’s boots were the opposite of hers—newer and very expensive.
Uneasiness crept down her spine.
Dani knew she and Bryce were from totally different worlds, but being out here with him drove the point home. He was a horse owner; she was a stable hand.
She’d spent her high school years surrounded by people who’d treated their animals with more respect than they’d treated her. She’d lived in apartments, a car and a single-wide trailer.
He’d grown up in a world of nannies and chefs and chauffeurs. Where his father dated women young enough to be his daughter. Where paying an obscene amount for a horse was considered normal.
Her heart twisted.
“Thanks for helping me out today,” he said.
“It was my pleasure.”
And it was. In spite of the jolt of reality, she’d enjoyed being with him today. Truth be told, she didn’t want the day to end. She didn’t want their differences to come between them. She wanted to focus on the good things, not what gave her pause.
For the first time in a long while, Dani wanted to believe in happy endings, that obstacles, no matter how big, could be overcome. That just because people came from opposite worlds, things could still work out. That loving someone didn’t mean you’d eventually be left with nothing but a broken heart.
“Being out here has been like a dream come true,” she admitted.
“I know.” The intensity of his eyes made her feel as if she were the only woman in the world. “I wouldn’t want to be here with anyone but you.”
Her breath caught in her throat. Dani wanted to be the only one for him. She forced herself to breathe.
Dani didn’t want to care. A lifetime of being disappointed, of struggling, of simply surviving didn’t want her to care. But, heaven help her, she did care. About what he’d said. About him. She couldn’t help herself.
“Me, either,” she said.
Desire flared in Bryce’s eyes, but his attention didn’t make her feel cheap, like some man’s possession or plaything du jour. He made her feel beautiful, sexy, wanted. A way she hadn’t felt in…forever.
She wanted him to kiss her. Her lips parted in hope.
He lowered his head and covered her mouth with his. The touch of his lips brought a jolt of electricity crackling through her.
His lips ran over hers with such tenderness tears stung Dani’s eyes. His kiss flowed through her, a current of affection, filling all the empty spaces inside with warmth.
He tasted like the coffee they’d drunk on the drive—warm, strong and rich. But there was more—salt, heat, male.
She drank up his kiss as if she’d never taste another drop.
As he increased the pressure of his mouth, her knees went weak. She’d heard the phrase “being kissed senseless.” She finally understood what those words meant.
She wrapped her arms around his shoulders to keep from falling.
If he kept kissing her this way, she’d be a puddle on the ground.
Dani didn’t think she would mind.
The familiar scents of dirt, hay and horse reminded her of the farm, but here in Bryce’s kiss she’d found the only home she needed.
His arms wrapped around her, pulling her against his chest. Dani wanted to get closer. Body pressed against body. She hadn’t realized he was so strong, so solid before.
All the while his lips caressed, his tongue explored.
Sensation pulsated through her. She hadn’t known it was possible to feel this way.
Every nerve ending sizzled. Her stomach quivered. Her heart melted.
This was how she’d dreamed of being kissed someday. Dani couldn’t believe it was happening now. Here. With Bryce.
She might not have been looking for a boyfriend, but somehow she’d found him. And, even though she didn’t want a relationship, she might need one.
The realization should have scared her more than it did.
As Dani ran her hands through his hair, he trailed kisses along her jawline. She arched back, wanting…
More.
He returned to her mouth, stealing her breath and her heart…
Warning bells sounded. Rational thought returned. With her hands on his shoulders, she pulled her lips away from his.
The emotion in his eyes and the smile on his face made her want to start kissing him all over again.
But that would be too dangerous. She didn’t want to lose herself in him. She couldn’t.
Dani tried to catch her breath, regain control.
He pushed a strand of her hair off her face. “That was amazing.”
Awesome was more like it. She stared up at him, wanting to memorize everything about him, from the faint lines at the corner of his eyes to the way he smoothed her hair with his hand. “Yes, amazing.”
Somewhere a horse neighed.
“Ready to head back to the city?” Bryce asked.
No. A sense of inadequacy swept over her. She wanted to go somewhere else—a neutral place, where they could just be themselves and not have to worry about their jobs, their families, their lives. Their differences.
“Not really,” she admitted.
Bryce laced his fingers with hers and gave a squeeze. “We can come back.”
We.
Hope surged. Dani didn’t want to let go. She didn’t want to say goodbye.
Not today. Not ever.
She looked up at him. The tenderness in his expression brought a sigh to her lips.
Happiness bubbled, threatening to spill from her heart. She wanted this feeling to last.
Today, tomorrow, always.
That couldn’t happen unless she did one thing…
Tell Bryce the truth.
About her job. About everything.
CHAPTER SEVEN
“WOULD you like something to drink?” Standing in the doorway to her kitchen, Dani wrung her hands. “Eat?”
Bryce wanted to put her at ease, not make her wait on him. “No, thanks.”
Her nervousness disturbed him. Especially after the great time they’d had at the stable.
He understood how she felt though. They were alone in her studio apartment after some really hot kisses. He was a bit on edge himself. Maybe a little conversation would help.
“Nice place.” Bryce noticed the futon sofa that probably doubled as her bed. He looked away. “Comfortable.”
“Thanks.” Her voice sounded shaky. “It’s small, but I don’t need a lot of space.”
A photograph of her riding a large black horse caught his attention. Even in the still frame, he could see the fluidity of her body as she and the animal made a jump. “Where was this picture taken?”
Her faint smile seemed to relax the rest of her face. “A stable near the farm where I worked during high school.”
He noticed she was wearing the same old paddock boots in the photo as she’d worn today. Functional and well-worn. She deserved new one
s. “You should come out to my family’s stable and ride.”
Uncertainty crept into her eyes. “You have a stable?”
Darn, he’d wanted to put a smile on her pretty face, not make her feel worse. “Not me, my family.”
She paced in front of the doorway to the kitchen. She reminded him, not of a hummingbird, intent on reaching its next destination, but of a cat, trying to decide whether to chase after a mouse or not. The indecision seemed out of character for Dani.
Something must be on her mind. Bryce hoped she wasn’t thinking he wanted to take their kiss further. Okay, he did, but not if it made her act like this. He wished he could go back and change things because, even though he liked Dani, he didn’t like the complications relationships often brought with them.
Not that kissing her meant he was in a relationship.
Yet…she’d gotten under his skin.
Her friendliness, her sense of humor, even her evasiveness intrigued him. And he couldn’t deny he wanted to kiss her again.
Bryce crossed the room and held her hands. “Today has been great, but since we got here you seem a little tense. Don’t be. There’s no rush. The only thing I want is to see you smile.”
“I want to smile, except…”
He led her over to the futon and pulled her down so she was seated next to him. He kept hold of her hand. “Tell me what’s going on.”
She took a breath. And another. “Well, you know I’ve told you how I grew up.”
Bryce nodded. “You didn’t have it easy. No father. No place to live at times.”
“We’re very different.”
She’d mentioned that before. Maybe he could ease her concerns. “In some ways, we are. No matter whether someone’s family has money or not, I believe a person has to make their own way in life. I’ve done that. And so have you. I respect how much you’ve overcome, Dani. I just wish you didn’t have it so tough, but look at the person you are now. Where you are. That’s what counts.”
Dani looked at the floor. “I’m not very happy with where I am now. I mean I’m happy I’m with you, but not…my job situation.”
The sadness in her voice squeezed his heart. He’d been wrong about what she was worried about. He rubbed her hand with his thumb.
