While it might be raining in Wynborough, it was a beautiful, clear day in Arizona. The air was chilly, but dry. There weren’t any clouds and the nearby mountains stood like silent sentinels. She inhaled the scent of cattle and horses, of trees and brush, of the fresh air preparing for winter and the distant promise of snow.
She’d pulled a wool jacket over her blouse, and she tucked her hands into the front pockets. Her boots crunched on the scattered leaves that littered the path to the main barn. The door stood open, so she walked inside. To the left were the tack room and feed bins, to the right, the horse stalls. She turned right and walked down the center aisle. Curious horses popped their heads over half doors to watch their visitor.
Alex paused to pet a beautiful bay mare. She stroked the animal’s smooth face and soft nose. Big brown eyes stared at her.
‘‘Hi, pretty lady,’’ she murmured. ‘‘You have a very lovely ranch here. Did you know that? I didn’t. Until just now I’d barely left the house.’’
The horse stomped in response. Alex felt some of her tension easing, although not her pain and confusion. About an hour before, Laura had called her from Aspen with an update on her sisters. Alex had forced herself to ask her social secretary the same question she’d asked her mother. The several heartbeats of silence followed by Laura’s insincere, ‘‘No, of course not,’’ had told their own story. Didn’t anyone like her?
‘‘What’s wrong?’’
Alex jumped at the sound of the male voice. She turned suddenly and saw Mitch standing in the center of the aisle. ‘‘I didn’t hear you come in,’’ she said.
‘‘So I guessed.’’ His dark gaze regarded her steadily. ‘‘I was driving back from the range when I saw you walk in here. You don’t make it a habit to visit the horses, so I thought I’d come see what was going on.’’
‘‘I won’t hurt them,’’ she said quickly, feeling defensive. ‘‘I just wanted to get out of the office for a little bit. I’ve always ridden, English not Western, but I’m good around horses.’’
‘‘I’m not saying you’re not,’’ Mitch said, holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender. ‘‘I meant I thought there was something wrong. With you, not with them.’’
He took a step closer. She could see the powerful muscles in his thighs bunching and releasing with the movement. He was so tall and so strong. He was also a stranger who resented her presence in his home.
‘‘I…’’ She pressed her lips together and tried to figure out what she was supposed to say. She opened her mouth again, but this time the words that tumbled out were not what she expected. ‘‘Everyone thinks I’m bossy and imperious and I’m afraid they might be right.’’
‘‘This is news to you?’’
‘‘Well, yes.’’ To her horror, she felt her eyes begin to burn. She blinked to hold back the tears. She never cried. ‘‘I’m a good person. I work hard. I take my responsibilities seriously. I have a sense of humor. People like me.’’
‘‘So it’s a trade-off.’’
She glared at him. ‘‘I see you’re very happy to discuss my problems, but what about the fact that you’re exactly the same? Except, possibly, for having a sense of humor. I haven’t seen any evidence of that.’’
‘‘Hey, wait a minute.’’ Mitch took another step closer and glared down at her. ‘‘I’m not bossy, I’m the world’s nicest guy. Just ask anyone. Just because you don’t like what you see in the mirror is no reason to blame me.’’
‘‘I like what I see in the mirror just fine.’’
‘‘Then why are you upset?’’
‘‘I’m not upset.’’ She planted her hands on her hips. ‘‘You’re the one who won’t even consider the truth about himself. Is self-inspection so frightening? Is the macho facade all you have going for you?’’
‘‘Macho facade?’’ Mitch repeated. ‘‘Listen, princess, it’s not a facade. As for my sense of humor, it’s a hell of a lot more developed than yours.’’
‘‘How would you know?’’
‘‘Because you’re just some—’’ He broke off and stared at her.
‘‘Some what?’’
His stiff body posture relaxed a little. ‘‘I don’t know. I want to compare you to something, but I don’t know you well enough to do that. Maybe you could give me a hint so I could come up with an insult and we could continue arguing.’’
His outrageous request made her smile. Then he grinned and before she could figure out how it had happened, all her tension eased. Her arms relaxed and she found herself breathing easily for the first time in hours.
Mitch joined her at the mare’s stall. ‘‘You’ve got some backbone…for a princess,’’ he said condescendingly.
‘‘Thank you. You’re not so very annoying…for a man.’’
He growled low in his throat. ‘‘I’m going to ignore that.’’
‘‘It’s probably for the best. Otherwise you’d be forced to think about it and that might tax your brain.’’
