The words come without thinking. “Because this doesn’t feel like work.” I’m not sure if I mean raising horses or the idea of teaching her what I do, but the answer is the sameregardless.
I don’t mean to check her out, but it’s hard not to notice her beauty or her warm amber eyes. Those rosy, flushed cheeks. Her teasingsmile.
Tori twists her long hair up into a top knot, and I can’t help appreciating her gracefulneck.
Which has me looking down her body, my pulse quickening from the generous curves of her breasts beneath the maddeningly snug tanktop.
I look away, not wanting to bethatguy.
A moment later, her voice draws my attention back toher.
“Must be nice to have something you love so much.” A cool breeze blows through the barn, and she tilts her head and closes her eyes. “To have something that’s so a part of you, you feel it all the way down to the soles of yourshoes.”
“It’s fulfilling, for sure, and there’s nothing like teaching someone who loves horses how to ride.” It’s true. It’d be a damn delight to show her the ropes if she’s as interested in these guys as I think she is. Peeling off my baseball cap, I wipe the sweat off my forehead and put my baseball cap on backwards, so I can feel more of that breeze on my face. I lower my voice, so my children don’t overhear. “But I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t stressful. Being here, doing this for my family, it’s a lot of pressure. As much as I love the ranch, I wish I could spend more time with mykids.”
She studies my face, and those crazy golden eyes turn wistful. “You’re a good guy, EthanCarter.”
Her praise washes over me, and I’m almost speechless from the compliment. I open my mouth, but a shrill female voiceinterrupts.
“Ethan, honey. Yoo-hoo!” Mallory struts through my barn even though I don’t have her down for a lessontoday.
The sweet, dreamy gaze in Tori’s eyes shutters faster than my brother drops his drawers on a Fridaynight.
Mallory flutters up to us. “And who is this?” She eyeballs Tori up and down, but Tori gives her a smallsmile.
“I’m nobody. Just the nanny. I’ll get out of your hair so you guys can work.” With a quick wave, she wrangles the kids and is out the door before Mallory’s claws fullyextend.
After I get my client out of my hair, I’m still thinking about Tori and how she made us lunch. Apparently, my brother istoo.
He elbows me when I reach for the leftover cookies in mydesk.
“Maybe you don’t need to head out to find yourself a little hookup.” He wiggles his fingers around his head. “Because the sparks were flying around here earlier with you and your newemployee.”
“Shut the fuck up,” I grunt. “You and I both know I have too much on my plate right now to entertain anything likethat.”
But sometimes, I wish Ididn’t.
12
Tori
Even with mybedroom door closed, I can hear the kids in the kitchen. The way their dad talks sweetly to them. His deep voice. Theirlaughter.
Part of me—abigpart of me—wants to go out there and enjoy dinner with them, but after we had lunch in the barn with Ethan and his brother, I don’t need more opportunities to see Ethan with his children. To see how much he adores them. How hard he works to provide for them. How much he wants to spend time withthem.
Luckykids.
Wish I could’ve seen my dad in the middle of the day like that. Laughed with my sister so easily when we were young. The thought makes my stomachache.
I’m not sure who that woman in the barn was, but she gazed at Ethan like he was a prized stallion she wanted to mount, with or without the audience. I’m surprised she didn’t lean over and lick him to showownership.
No amount of sexy ruggedness is enough to get me interested in a guy who might be involvedelsewhere.
Never mind that he’s stillmarried.
Yeah,complicated.
I’ll stick to my single lifestyle, thank you verymuch.
