Sure he won’t.
-Candice
Try to be nice, Candice. I know it doesn’t come naturally.
-Beau
Are you two just going to fight it out on the bulletin board instead of having a real conversation?
-Jenny
Yes.
-Candice
Make that two yeses.
-Beau
4
CANDICE
A knock soundsthrough the house, startling me awake from where I was sleeping on the couch. I shrug off the hand-knit blanket I’d wrapped around myself and push my hair out of my face. It’s probably just Jenny or Tomás with a question. Whoever it is pounds on the door again, and fear lances through me. What if one of the horses is having a problem? What if it’s Brown Sugar?
I fling open the door.
“Oh,” I say. “It’s you.”
Standing in front of me, cowboy hat in hand and an arrogant look on his face, is Nathan.
“Don’t sound so disappointed, Candice,” he says. “Most women would love to wake up from a nap and find me waiting for them on their doorstep.”
“Well I’m not most women and besides, I wasn’t taking a nap.”
“The fuzzy socks and t-shirt say otherwise.” He stares pointedly at my shirt, which has a picture of a sleeping foal on it, with little zs drawn above its head. I look down and notice that my nipples are starting to poke through the thin, white material. Fuck me.
Crossing my arms for protection, I ask, “Why are you here?”
“Beau told me you could take me to the bunkhouse,” he says, mouth hitching up into a lazy half smile. “I’d really appreciate it if you could show me around.”
Nathan’s smile reminds me of why I hate him so much. In addition to being a complete and total ass, he only has two modes of engaging with women: flirting, or ignoring them. When I first met him, I was treated to the latter. But now that he wants something from me, he can’t help but flirt.
I say as much to him. “You just can’t help it, can you? Can you really not turn it off?”
“What are you talking about, Viper?”
“I’d explain but I doubt you’d understand.” The news that there are women on planet Earth who don’t want to sleep with him would probably melt his brain. “Why can’t Beau show you himself? I’m done with work for the night.”
“He said you deal with the volunteers. Said he didn’t want to step on your toes.”
Damn my brother. “Fine,” I say. “Just give me a minute to put my coat on.” Nathan starts to take a step through the doorway and I say, “Nope. No coming inside. Wait here.”
I slam the door in his face and hastily get myself together. I throw on an old Star Mountain sweatshirt and a puffer vest, wrestle my hair into a braid and shove my feet into my boots. I look in the mirror and the thought of putting on a bit of makeup, and of Nathan staring at me with that panty-melting gaze of his, flashes through my mind.
“What the fuck,” I whisper out loud. Two minutes in his presence and my brain is already addled. No wonder women fall at his feet.
I leave the house, without makeup on because fuck that, and find Nathan outside, staring at the endless night sky.
