by Erica Penrod
* * *
Boone couldn’t help himself. She was the one woman he couldn’t walk away from, not when she looked at him with fire in her eyes, and he didn’t care if he got burned. Her kiss made him believe that forever thing was true. He didn’t want to hurt her—she’d been through enough—but she tasted so dang good, and he couldn’t think straight. He was riding high.
Only when he had to catch his breath, did he pull away. Her eyes widened, like she waited to gauge his reaction. When he smiled, she grinned. Her hands were still on his face and he leaned into her palm.
The intensity still flickered deep in the blue-green depth of her eyes. He told himself just one more kiss, and then he could remember why he should stop. The ridiculous desire he felt for this girl made absolutely no sense. They hardly knew each other, and he didn’t want to admit he was living a country love song. One look at her, and he knew his heart would never be the same.
She bit her lip, like she’d made her move and waited for him to make his. This time, he didn’t hold back—he kissed her so hard they fell into the door, and as it swung open, they fell onto the floor. They stopped long enough to laugh before she rolled over and kissed him into oblivion.
Chapter 14
Lucas clenched a fist around his phone; the last thing he wanted to do was fly to Texas. Not now when he was spending so much time with Viv. But there was business that couldn’t be handled by phone. Over a month ago, the night she found out about her mother, things had changed between them. They were … friends. With the possibility for more … he hoped.
He watched her with his horse and knew he’d made the right decision, even if in the beginning it was personal rather than professional. Vivien McIntyre was something he always wanted, and she never looked prettier than when she rode with her hair flying in the wind. Sometimes they’d take a ride together out through the hills and talk for hours. Sometimes she wouldn’t shut up and sometimes neither would he.
Viv felt like the first true friend he’d ever known. A person who saw past his last name and how much money he had. She wasn’t impressed with his usual flirting tactics, and there were times she seemed so close he believed she cared for him. So now wasn’t the time to leave her, not when Boone was still her roommate.
She never mentioned Boone directly, which he hoped was a good sign, but he wasn’t about to take a chance.
Picking up his phone, he called Viv. “Are you busy?”
“No, not at the moment,” she said. “What do you need?”
“Want to go to Texas?” he asked.
“What?”
“Texas. I’ve got to go for some business, but also there’s a couple horses for sale. I want you to check them out with me.”
“Really?” Her voice squealed with excitement. “But what about Knight?”
“I can get someone to keep him exercised while we’re gone.”
“Okay,” she said. “When?”
“Tomorrow,” he said, grateful she couldn’t see his cheesy smile. “I’ll make the arrangements and let you know.”
* * *
Viv hung up the phone and ran out to the arena where Boone sat on a sorrel mare.
“Hey,” she called, but mouthed sorry when she saw he was on the phone.
A smile as wide a sunset crossed his face when he saw her. He motioned to give him a minute. Viv climbed up the fence and sat on the top rail. She used to believe there was nothing more beautiful than a horse, but now she’d witnessed one of God’s greatest creations: Boone on a horse. The way his body moved with ease, like he was an inherent extension of the animal. The dirt flying, like nature’s special effects chasing him around like he was a movie star.
Boone slid the phone in his shirt pocket and kissed to the horse. He pulled up on the reins right in front of her. He leaned over and kissed her.
“Hey there, beautiful,” he said.
“Hi,” she said, still giddy from his kiss. “Guess what?” she asked.
“What?” he said.
“I’m going to Texas,” she said.
“Texas?”
“Yeah,” she said. “Lucas just called and wants me to go check out a couple horses with him.”
“Oh,” he said. His smile just got bucked off.
“Hey,” she said. “It’s only for a couple days. I’ll be back before you know it.” Even though she shouldn’t, she couldn’t help but love the way he seemed sad to have her go.
“Not fast enough,” he said, and kissed her again.
She almost fell off the fence, but steadied herself at the last second.
“Hop on,” he said.
“Okay.” She stood up, then swung her leg over the back of the saddle behind Boone. She wrapped her arms around him and leaned into his back. “Where are we going?” she asked as the horse started walking.
“I don’t know.” He turned his head toward her. “I just needed an excuse for you to hold on to me like that.”
She squeezed him gently. “You don’t ever need an excuse. I’m happy to hold on to you anytime, anywhere.”
“Promise?” he asked.
Viv put her chin on his shoulder and whispered in his ear. “Promise.”
She felt him squirm and laughed.
“You better be careful,” he said. “I’m the one driving.”
They rode out the gate and up the drive, where a dirt road detoured off to the left and followed along the base of the mountain.
Viv knew she’d never felt anything like this before. The way Boone stayed on her mind every second of every day, and the way she couldn’t wait to wake up in the morning just to see him again. Ever since that night in the rain, she never wanted to be away from him again. And the craziest thing of all was that he seemed to feel the same way.
They kept their relationship a secret. Everything had happened so fast, and they couldn’t explain it to themselves, so how could they explain it to anyone else? They wanted to get to know each other, to spend time together, to find out what this was between them. Boone thought discretion was still a good idea because of Alexandra. He didn’t want word to get to back to her about him and Viv. So, the only place they showed affection was at the house when they were the only two people there, like they were the only two people in the world.
They spent hours riding and talking about training techniques. He told her about his childhood, and she told him about her dreams of running her own ranch. They held hands on the couch while they watched John Wayne movies and had popcorn fights.
In these stolen moments, when she had arms around him, she knew she’d found her own piece of heaven.
* * *
Boone couldn’t tell her not to go … there were so many things he couldn’t tell her, and the deceit was killing him. Viv was young and so naïve and he felt a certain amount of responsibility because he was so much older. He didn’t take advantage of their living situation. He was a gentleman and gave her privacy, even though she drove him mad in her cut-off jeans and T-shirt. He was mastering the art of self-control. Because if this was the real thing, if she could forgive him for what she didn’t know, he wanted to do this right. He wanted to change her last name.
Chapter 15
Viv’s stomach flipped like she was upside down on a roller coaster, and the feeling had nothing to do with the plane touching the ground. She hadn’t seen Boone for two days. Even though Texas was amazing, and Lucas bought another horse for her to train, nothing compared to the way she felt in Boone’s arms.
“I’m anxious to see what you’ll be able to get done with this new horse,” Lucas said, bringing Viv’s thoughts back to the plane.
“Yeah, me too,” she said. “I can’t wait till she gets here.”
Another trainer was driving a trailer back to Utah and would bring the two-year-old chestnut mare with him. She’d be here in a few days.
“There’s a cutting competition coming up in October in Vegas,” Lucas said. “Do you think you’ll be ready to show Knight?”
“I think so,” she said. “But getting him to a couple shows here in Utah would be good …” She smiled. “You know, before we go for the big money.”
“I think so too. I’ll get him entered when we get home,” he said.
She smiled, and her mind drifted back to the cowboy waiting for her … she couldn’t get back fast enough.
“Viv,” Lucas said. “You’ve done a really good job with Knight. You really are a good trainer, and people will soon find that out after they see what you’ve done with my horse.”
“You think so?” she asked.
He put his hand on her knee. “I know so. Pretty soon you’ll have so many horses, you won’t have time for mine.”
“Like that would ever happen,” she said, and touched his hand.
“Just remember who gave you your first job.” He winked at her. “I don’t want to lose you as my trainer.”
“I won’t,” she said. “Thanks, brother.”
But there was something in the way he touched her and in the way he smiled that made her stomach tie up in knots. There was nothing brotherly about it.
* * *
The old truck flew up the road, and Boone had never seen anything so wonderful in his whole life. He walked back to the porch and sat down. He didn’t want her to know he’d been pacing the yard for the last half hour, but one look at the worn path and his cover would be blown. He lifted his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. What in the world had this woman done to him?
When the truck parked and the door opened, he couldn’t help himself … he ran.
That wildfire hair was piled on her head, her eyes were brighter than the Fourth of July, and when she saw him, she jumped into his arms. He spun her around as she squealed, until he couldn’t stand it anymore. She hopped down and wrapped her arms around his neck. He breathed her in.
“You might want to close your eyes for this,” he said as he put his lips on hers and gave her a proper hello.
* * *
Lucas put the car in park and leaned his head against the seat. There was a wreck happening right in front of him and even though he slammed on the brakes, he couldn’t stop it. A heart crushed by an airbag wouldn’t have hurt this much. The air escaped his lungs as he watched Viv in Boone’s arms. Lucas felt the head-on collision when she kissed Boone with the force of a wrecking ball, and if he managed to walk away from this, there was nowhere to go to repair his heart.
He shoved the car in reverse and spun around. He put his foot on the gas and got halfway down the road before he slammed on the brakes. With both hands on the steering wheel, he leaned back in his seat and knocked his head against the headrest. How could he have been so stupid? He was the one seeing things, and yet … how could he have been so blind?
Chapter 16
Viv hung the halter over her shoulder as she made her way to Knight’s stall.
“Hey, boy,” she said, and scratched the horse between the ears. She opened the door, stepped in, and slipped the strap around his neck.
“You’re here early.” Lucas’s deep voice filled the space.
Viv jumped and spooked the horse. “Easy, boy,” she said, petting him. “Geez, Lucas. You scared me.”
“Sorry,” he said.
“Are you okay?” She walked the horse out of the stall. “You don’t look so good.”
“Rough night,” he said.
“I’m sorry,” she said as she tied up the horse and began to brush him.
He held up a bag. “You left this in my car.”
“Oh, thanks,” she said.
Lucas stood there.
“You can hang it right there,” she said. “I’ll grab it on my way out.”
“I saw you.”
“What?”
“I said I saw you yesterday,” Lucas said.
“I know, I saw you, too.” She grinned. He must’ve had a rough night.
“No,” he said. “I saw you and Boone.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets and kicked at the dirt.
“Oh, that,” she said. His brows furrowed as he stared through her, his lips pursed while the muscle in his jaw tensed. She knew exactly what he meant.
“Yeah, that,” he said.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” she said. “We haven’t told anyone.”
He looked up at her, and his eyes were ice blue, freezing her in her tracks.
“Lucas …” She touched his arm. “I’m sorry I didn’t say anything.”
He stepped back. “Don’t worry about it,” he said. “It’s not like you owe me anything.”
“Lucas,” she said. She didn’t understand why he was so upset, and then she understood. She remembered his hand on her knee and the look he gave her. “I’m so sorry.”
He started to walk away, but he stopped and turned to her. Déjà vu hit her between the eyes. The scowl on his face reminded her of the jerk she’d witnessed in high school.
He’s hurt, she told herself as she took a step back.
“Did you wonder why our parents ended up together now?”
“Yeah, of course.”
“Boone was in trouble with the law, so my mom called your dad and asked him to give her brother a job. He was cooperating with the FBI and needed a legitimate place to go.”
Viv shook her head as a rock rammed her in the gut. “He would’ve told me.”
“My mom helped your dad purchase the horse so Boone could work while the FBI tried to collect enough evidence against that Alexandra woman.”
“You’re lying.” Her heart pounded, ready to burst.
“You know I’m not,” Lucas said. “Boone still might get jail time.”
She leaned over and put her hands on her knees, trying to catch some air.
“I’m sorry,” Lucas said. “But I thought you should know.”
He left her standing there as she stood up, tears falling down her face.
Nausea began to rise in her throat.
How could Boone lie to her?
She’d fallen for someone just like her father had been—always keeping pieces of the truth to himself.
Viv ran to the garbage can and retched, purging anything that might have been in her stomach. She felt empty. There couldn’t be anything left inside … not even a heart.
* * *
Lucas watched from his car window as Viv pulled out. He expected to feel better after discrediting his uncle, not worse. The look on Viv’s face would haunt him for the rest of his life. She was still crying as she drove away; he could tell by the way her shoulders shook. Even though Boone was the reason for her tears, Lucas couldn’t help but blame himself.
She deserved to know, he told himself over and over. He’d done the right thing, even if it was for the wrong reasons. Now, when she put Boone in the past, she’d find a future with him. He would give her everything.
So why did his heart feel split down the middle? There was a hurt so deep he couldn’t describe it, but he knew pain like that was self-inflicted, maimed by his selfishness. An agony only acquired by hurting someone you loved, and he loved Vivien McIntyre. He’d done it to have her, but at what cost?
* * *
Viv flew up the road, the tires spewing gravel in their wake. Boone’s truck was parked by the barn. She didn’t stop at the house, but kept on going as the tears ran down her cheeks. When she stopped, she noticed a black Lexus on the other side of Boone’s truck.
She slammed the door and marched towards the voices. She stopped when she heard the dogs growling. Sirens blared in her head, warning her she was about to walk into the eye of the storm. Viv chose her steps carefully as she entered the barn. Temporarily blinded by the bright sunlight as she walked into the dark, she bumped into someone.
Or something.
The giant.
“Viv,” she heard Boone cry. “Run!”
Goliath turned, revealing the barrel of a gun pointed at Boone’s chest.
Don’t panic, don’t panic, she thought as she slowly raised her hands in the air. He
r insides felt on fire, like thick smoke clouded her muscles and her mind. She couldn’t get either one to work.
“Run,” she heard Boone say again.
His eyes pleaded with her. She backed up and took off.
* * *
“You’ve got me,” Boone said, his hands up. “Now let’s get out of here.”
“I don’t know,” Daniel said. “Alexandra might want me to take care of the girl before we go.”
“Don’t you dare touch her.” He gritted his teeth. “I will kill you myself.”
The man laughed and pushed the gun deeper into Boone’s chest. “Somehow, I’m not too worried about that. But I want you to call off your mutts.” He looked at the dogs baring their teeth. “I don’t want to waste the bullets.”
“That won’t be necessary.” Eli appeared out of nowhere with a pistol in his hand. The same one Boone had seen hanging on the wall in his bedroom.
“Now this is my idea of fun,” the giant said. “The more, the merrier.”
Just then a loud crash echoed off the walls and Goliath fell to the ground. Viv stood behind him with a shovel raised in the air, her chest heaving in triumph. Her wild hair matched her eyes, and there was a feral snarl across her lips.
Relief washed over Boone at seeing her healthy and alive and fierce.
“It’s not a slingshot.” She waved the shovel. “And I’m no David, but I got the job done.”
“Don’t mess with a farm girl and her shovel,” Eli said as he unloaded his gun.
Boone laughed, and for just a moment the nightmare seemed like it was over. Images flashed of Viv in a white wedding dress, a little girl with her momma’s freckles, riding on a Shetland pony and maybe a boy as stubborn as himself … a future. He saw their future … Until he didn’t—
Alexandra held a gun to Viv’s head and cocked the hammer.
“Viv!” Boone shouted.
Panic filled Viv’s eyes. Boone lurched towards her.
“That’s far enough,” Alexandra commanded. “And drop the shovel,” she said to Viv.
