License to Love: Holiday Box Set (Contemporary Romance) Page 11

  “Sorry,” he gasped against her neck. “You got the better of me.”

  She laughed under him, shaking them. He ran his fingers through her hair, pulling it to his nose to smell her lavender shampoo.

  “Missy.”

  “You sure like saying my name in the bedroom.” She spoke with a smile, gazing into his eyes.

  Did he? What else did he say while making love to her?

  “Because you like having me in your bedroom so much.” He rolled so they lay stomach to stomach and skimmed his hand over every inch of her. “Do we have time for round two?”

  “What else do we have to do today?” She followed his lead and flattened her hand on his chest before running it all over his bare skin. While he’d been nice and touched her sensitive places, she teased and ran around his.

  With a sly smile, he said, “The new horse will be here in an hour.”

  “Oh!”

  “Did you forget?”

  “Not until you showed up at my door.” She continued to tease him. “A lot can happen in an hour.”

  His body responded to her hands. What if the owner brought the horse early? Didn’t matter, he couldn’t move. “Do I make you forget things?”

  “Let’s find out!”

  * * * *

  Forty minutes later, they were scrambling to make it to the stables in time. Brent would have never guessed he would enjoy watching her dress. She’d yanked on her jeans and a sweater and pulled on a navy coat to protect her from the biting cold outside. A cold front had interrupted their mild weather, but at least it wasn’t below freezing right now.

  As they walked together down to the road, Brent heard a truck rolling toward them on the gravel.

  “We made it just in time,” Missy said when the truck pulled up with the horse trailer behind it.

  “Mr. Henderson!” He greeted the horse’s owner when the truck door opened. He’d picked up the horse before, but Henderson seemed nervous about leaving him this time.

  Stepping out, the older, thin man nodded at them both. “Hello, Brent.”

  “This is Missy Nelson. She’s running the place along with me now,” he introduced her, not caring if the way he did it implied they were more than business partners. They were, whether or not she wanted to see it that way.

  Henderson flicked a thumb back towards the horse. “He’s anxious over this trip. So if he gets too rowdy, please call me. We’ll turn around if this doesn’t work out.”

  “We can handle it. I've had tense hoses here before without any problems.” Brent motioned for Missy to help lead the horse out of the trailer.

  “Well, Jumper here is a Draft Cross, so I didn’t expect him to . . . well, fit his name the way he does. We love him, but he’s a handful. And the trip over shook him up pretty bad.”

  Brent let Jumper smell his hand while he petted its muzzle. “Seems calm enough now. I can put him in a stall, if that’s all right.”

  “Well . . . he’s been in the trailer two hours longer than I planned. Our road turned into a mud pit last night, and I had to do some digging on the way over.” Mr. Henderson rubbed Jumper’s neck. “He might like to get out and stretch.”

  “Alright. Come on, big boy, time to stretch those legs,” Brent said as he led Jumper out into a partitioned pasture. He expected Henderson to stay and watch the horse at least a few minutes, but he looked at his watch and said his family was already waiting for him.

  “That mud threw off our schedule. I’m sure you’re right. He seems right at home,” Henderson said as Brent closed the gate to the pasture.

  They waved when Mr. Henderson pulled his truck around the circle and headed out.

  “So you think he’ll calm down?” Missy asked as she watched the truck drive down the road.

  “Seems to be doing fine now,” Brent answered. “We’ll just keep him away from the other horses, and us, as much as we can help it. Let’s give him room.”

  Together, they each hitched a foot on a wood beam of the fence and watched the horse adjust. Brent slid a sideways look at Missy while she focused on the horse. While she still had a lot to learn, she’d proved how easily she could learn it. She might not be able to guess at a horse’s sickness, but she’d feel something was off. That intuition was the best start she could hope for.

  Within minutes, Jumper had circled the area and was now running and bucking. Brent got chills up his back, but tried to shake off the unease starting to form over him like wet dew.

  “What happened?” she asked him. “He’s acting up again.”

  “He got scent of the mares.” He watched the new boarder with unease as he bucked around his section of pasture.

  Missy watched Jumper, then threw Brent a worried look. “I’m not sure Jumper and the fences are getting along.”

  “The good news is that’s flexi fence on the back half, and it won’t hurt a horse like wood railing would, if they hit.” Brent paused. “But I’m starting to wonder if he can jump them.”

  No, he didn’t like this one bit.

  “Can you calm him down or should I bring in the mares?” Three mares grazed in their own pasture, but it touched one corner of Jumper’s.

  “He’s spooked.” Brent straightened. “Stay back if he gets out of control. I’ll get him into a stall to calm down.”

  * * * *

  “Don’t get hurt,” she called to Brent before turning away. Not wanting to watch Brent with Jumper, she entered the stables to see if Ivan had mucked out a stall for their new arrival.

  Inside, she stopped when she saw Ivan leading Jeffrey to a new stall. “What’s going on?” Brent didn’t have anyone else care for his horse.

  “I’m almost done with a stall for the new horse. I’m moving Jeffrey further down.”

  That seemed like a good idea, but just then Brent came around the corner to lead Jumper inside. She felt uneasy about the situation, especially when she saw Brent’s eyes go cool and calculating. Straight fear shot up into her stomach.

  “What’s Jeffrey doing out?”

  “Ivan’s moving him.” She backed away from Jumper as he pawed the ground. Now closer to Ivan and Brent’s horse, she hoped to help guide him away from Jumper and back into a stall.

  “All right, I’m taking Jumper back out for a minute.” Brent turned Jumper to leave just as Jeffrey reared up. Missy flattened against the wall, praying no one would get kicked.

  “Watch out!” Ivan exclaimed in a panic-laced voice. She knew better than to get underfoot as Jeffrey charged to the exit.

  Something clanged. Jumper bucked, but Brent kept hold of his reins.

  Still, the horses faced off with wild eyes and flying hooves. Jeffrey gave a startled horse screech and charged past.

  “Jeffrey!” The horse didn’t slow his pace even as Brent called out. He wrestled Jumper into a stall, slammed the door and took off at a run to find Jeffrey.

  She knew she couldn't help with Jeffrey, so she tried to soothe the agitated animal they’d just penned. She talked to Jumper the way she heard Brent talk to the horses. “That’s right, boy, settle down. Everything’s okay.”

  “Is he hurt?” Ivan asked from behind her.

  “I don’t think so. Stay with him a minute.”

  She rushed outside and spotted Brent. Jeffrey hadn’t made it far. He was injured. He stood by the fence, a hind leg lifted, as Brent approached.

  “Hey, boy, it’s just me.” Brent took slow steps, coming up to Jeffrey at an angle. He held out his hand toward the horse’s nose. “Come on, boy. I need to see your side.”

  She stayed still to give them space while Brent settled him down. She could make out the wound on Jeffrey’s side, where his stomach and hip met.

  Ivan walked up beside her, and they watched Brent from the stable entrance.

  “This isn’t good,” she whispered to Ivan. “Jumper kicked Jeffrey. See by his hind leg?”

  She glanced at Ivan and saw the horror on his face.

  “It was just a misunderstanding,�
� she added. As bad as things were, they could have been much worse. She valued the horses, but not over Brent.

  She watched while Brent looked over his horse and called the vet on his cell phone. After squeezing Ivan’s shoulder, she walked halfway to Brent and the horse.

  “Can I help?” she offered, but he shook his head - a quick, don’t bother me shake - without turning to look at her. All right, it was his horse. She backed up to the stables, trying not to let her anxiety show.

  Ivan looked nervous too, so she suggested they clean up in the stables. A few things had been knocked over, and the horses were making noises.

  Dancer snorted when he saw her, his way of calling her over. Ivan turned and saw her pet him.

  “You two getting along now?”

  “Yeah, we like each other, don’t we?” She’d made the effort and he’d warmed up.

  The worry in Ivan’s face added to her own.

  “Why don’t you go home to Tina?” she suggested.

  Turning, she came face to face with Dancer. “Hey, there, boy. It’s okay.”

  He pawed and made noises that she’d come to think were for agreement.

  Night fell outside and the temperature dropped. She sighed and watched her breath in the air.

  Would Brent be upset with her for what happened? She didn't know if anyone was to blame, or maybe they all had needed to work together better.

  She laid her face on Dancer's muzzle. She enjoyed their friendship as he made soothing noises to her. Then, at the crunch behind her, she guessed Dancer had chosen to let Brent walk up unannounced behind them.

  She glanced up and found Brent's eyes were soft, questioning. He’d already taken his jacket off, and pulled it around her shoulders. His cologne surrounded her, underlain with the smell of his skin. She hugged it close while turning to him.

  “Is Dancer calmed down?” That quiet voice of his washed over her.

  “He’s doing good, and we’re friends now.” She turned to the horse again, afraid to look at Brent’s eyes because she needed to see something there, and she wasn’t sure she would.

  “Missy.” His whisper made her pause, and his arms wrapped around her and pulled her back against him. She could see their breath in the night air. “Come back to my house with me.”

  That wasn’t anger in his voice. It was flat out desire.

  “Okay.” She patted Dancer before leaving. Brent put his arm around her and shock ran through her at how much she needed him.

  “It’ll be alright.”

  His words put tears in her eyes, but she hid them by pressing her face closer to him. What had happened today? It felt like more than an accident occurred.

  In his bedroom, he trailed kisses all over her body while he undressed her. She felt the need he always sparked, but her heart ached with strange emotions. Unable to speak, she clung to him for comfort and warmth and the fulfillment he offered. Spending their mutual need left them entwined in each other’s arms. Missy wasn’t sure who was holding who, but she needed his arms around her.

  “Today reminded me of the day Ben died,” Brent said softly. Despite his quiet voice, she jumped into alertness, her heart thudding hard.

  Why hadn’t she seen that?

  Raising her head, she looked into his face in the dim light. “Today wasn’t your fault. Neither was that day.”

  “You weren’t there.”

  She didn’t care what the facts were. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

  He shrugged, and since they were lying down together, his shoulders moved under her. “I lost control.”

  This must be the male mind at work. She wouldn’t argue now, but just let him talk. “Of your horse, you mean?”

  “I wasn’t clear enough to Ivan. I didn’t give enough weight to Jumper’s mood. I should have checked before bringing Jumper into the stables.”

  She wanted to say what’s done is done, but that wouldn’t help him. This was the first time she’d seen this side of him, one that worried and admitted weakness.

  “Jeffrey will recover, won’t he?” She grabbed unto that because she didn’t see any way to relieve Brent’s guilt.

  “He’ll heal.”

  So why couldn’t Brent let go of it? They’d all learned something. She almost pointed out that she was more to blame, but he’d feel bad for that, too.

  “How did you lose control when Ben died?” she asked instead. She couldn’t ask before, but he’d brought it up this time. He wanted someone to listen, she could tell that much.

  After several deep breaths, he said, “I could have gone. I planned to, but he didn’t want to wait. So he went and got in the accident.”

  She could see why it was hard on him, but he didn’t cause the accident or make Ben drive the truck that day. “You didn’t ask him to go?”

  “No, but I should have just gone.”

  “You can’t change the past.” Wow, big revelation there. That should help him out. “I don’t think it was your fault, and I don’t think Ben would want you to regret that day for the rest of your life.”

  He didn’t answer, but pulled her closer to him. She laid her face on his chest and listened to him breathe.

  He seemed to be waiting for something. What else could she say? Minutes ticked by and he didn’t go to sleep, but rubbed circles on her bare shoulders with his hand.

  She wanted to ask what he wanted, because she felt stiffness in his shoulders. With a jump in her heartbeat, she remembered what he wanted. Another conversation came to mind, the tense talk they’d had that morning in his kitchen. She’d asked him to share then, and he had demanded the same from her.

  Now what? Her heart took off running, and she wanted to bolt from the bed, too. She noticed his heartbeat was running a little fast as well while he waited for her to say something.

  This wasn’t something she could throw out there on the spur of the moment. She didn’t know if she could ever tell him.

  Several slow and tense minutes passed before he sighed. They didn’t speak again, but he didn’t let her slip away that night.

  * * * *

  Brent woke up early and smelled lavender. He felt the warmth of her bare back pressed against his front.

  He wasn’t remembering her scent, he smelled her. There, with him, asleep. Hugging her closer, he breathed in her scent and kissed her cheek, her neck, that little spot where her neck met her shoulder where his face fit perfectly. Their bodies fit just right as they lay there together.

  The night before crashed back into his thoughts, like the waves beating the beach. A throb started in his temples. He’d opened his heart, expecting her to do the same. What could be so big and dark that she couldn’t tell him? After all they’d shared, she couldn’t trust him the way he trusted her.

  Maybe she didn’t plan to stick around.

  She made a little noise and turned to him. When her eyes opened and he saw uncertainty there, his stomach knotted up. “Missy, will you be all right today?”

  She nodded.

  “Will you come to me if you need to talk?” he asked, and she nodded again. That nod didn’t necessarily mean she’d talk to him about whatever hurt her before though.

  Holding her, he kissed her face and reassured her before getting up. Seeing her in his bed made him feel torn between his responsibility for his horses and the woman he loved.

  She wanted space. He could see it in her desperate look. “I need to go down to the stables, but you can stay there as long as you like.”

  Nestled down into the covers like that, she had her face half hidden and didn’t give away anything in her expression.

  “Thanks,” she said when the moment drug out. He took her hand and reluctantly let go to leave. What could he do with a woman like that? He loved her enough to let her get away with it. But he knew she’d eventually need to talk about it.

  He could tell that Ivan was expecting to get it for the incident. The young man readily agreed to check on the horse during the night and the morning before
Brent could make it over. He didn’t bother saying anything to Ivan about the accident, knowing it wasn’t needed. Some things in life weren’t learned through words. Instead he made small talk with him and reassured Ivan he was doing a good job.

  He went to the stables and to his horse. “Hey, old friend. Just couldn’t let that other horse show you up, could you?”

  The soft footsteps surprised him. He’d expected Missy to stay in bed a while or find something to keep her busy. So far, she hadn’t felt the need to spend all her time with him.

  Maybe she was here to talk to him. It could happen, just like he could win the lottery or find gold on his property. He turned to look at her while still running his gloved hand over Jeffrey’s nose. She wore a sheepskin coat, her hands tucked into her pockets. With her long hair pulled back into a ponytail, she had a strange aloof look that didn’t go with her personality.

  Something was stirring in the air, and he got a bad feeling about it.

  In the minutes while he waited, he caught her quick glances.

  “I have to ask you something.” She’d kept the distance between them, and he could tell this was hard for her to do.

  “Shoot,” he said. Guilt flashed through her eyes, filling him with dread.

  She pulled in a breath, taking forever. “I need some space. I think we need a little space so we’re thinking clearly. We can’t keep our heads around each other.”

  Out of all the possible requests, he hadn’t seen that coming. Though the air hung misty and silent around them, her words seemed to echo in the cold.

  “Brent?”

  “Why?” Why do you want to gut me and leave me to die?

  “I’m not sure how to handle all of this,” she said, her voice shaking.

  He heard her loud and clear: Missy didn’t want to explain all her fears to him. She didn’t want to let him in.

  He stepped closer, wanting to take hold of her arms, but she backed up. “I can tell you’re lying,” he said.

  “What do you know?” That city girl cover was back, the one she’d worn the day she came to his porch.