Oh fuck. I loved the way he said my name. I shook that thought loose. I should not be thinking that. He was my employee. Or rather, I was his client. And that put firm boundaries in place. I should not be lusting after this man because of his voice.
Though if he wanted to read me the dictionary while I jerked off, I wouldn’t be mad.
“Great!” I said, forcefully yanking my mind out of the gutter. I was a professional, dammit. “I’d like to be there when she arrives.”
That gust of wind again, but this time, I knew for sure it was a sigh. I held back the chuckle that wanted to escape because I was sure he wouldn’t appreciate it.
“Then we’ll see you at two on Saturday,” Harrington said shortly. “I’ll email you the information.”
“Looking forward to it.” I meant that. I couldn’t wait to get eyes on my new mare and even more, I couldn’t wait to finally meet the man who was going to train her. His reputation was outstanding.
“Goodbye.”
He hung up before I could respond. I let out the laugh I’d been holding in. Damn, he was prickly. But I didn’t care about that. He could be as ornery as he wanted. As long as he produced quality results, what did I care?
Excitement and anticipation bubbled in my veins. It had been years since I’d looked forward to something this much. I shot Marielle a message.
Book me a flight and arrange for a car. I need to be at Blue Creek Ranch by two PM on Saturday.
The ranch was even better than I imagined. Only now that I was turning onto the property did I think that, perhaps, I should have looked it up myself instead of leaving the details to Marielle. It was all lush pastures, miles of fences, and horses dotting the landscape.
As I rounded the curve in the drive, I jumped at the loud scream. It took a second with my heart racing to recognize a donkey, standing at a fence line, and braying for all it was worth. Jesus Christ, the thing had about given me a heart attack. It was a good thing I hadn’t been trying to be stealthy because that alarm call could probably be heard for miles.
I continued on, following the signs, and the instructions Marielle had forwarded to me. GPS had gotten me to Blue Creek Ranch but now that I was on the property, I had to rely on the rest to get me to the right barn. There were several of them. I left the huge house and the even bigger evergreen tree in my rearview and continued on. After a few minutes, yet anotherbarn came into view. I thought it might be the right one and slowed down.
Two men ambled out the open door. One was tall but stocky, age weathering his face. The other was shorter and leaner, wearing a ball cap that hid most of his features. I rolled to a stop, but the shorter one waved me on, pointing to a spot farther away. I steered the SUV over there, parked next to an ATV, and got out.
The air smelled amazing. Manure was faint in the background, and I could have done without that, but the clean, crisp scent of hay and sunshine filled my nose. I took a deep breath, and then another, before I headed toward the men.
The shorter man took me in from head to toe, and his shoulders tightened. The older guy gave me a tight smile. I held out my hand.
“I’m Carter Cahill.”
He shook it. “Nice ta meet ya. I’m Russ.”
There was the drawl I’d been looking for the other day. But then his name penetrated my brain and whipped my gaze to the other guy. This close I could see how young he was. Couldn’t be older than twenty-five. Annoyance crept in, though I did my best to keep it off my face. Harrington couldn’t even be bothered to greet me himself?
“Hawk Harrington,” the man said, that deep voice I would recognize anywhere washing over me.
My eyes went wide. “You’reHarrington?”
His grin was a little feral, as though he was pleased he’d shocked me. “One of ‘em, anyway.”
I could only stare. How? I was led to believe Hawk Harrington was one of the top trainers in the west. Hell, the whole country. Marielle had vetted all the prospects thoroughly, and I trusted her research. But he was a fucking kid!
I opened my mouth but didn’t get the chance to let my anger out. The rumble of a diesel engine caught all our attention, and as a unit, we turned toward the drive. A few seconds later, a heavy-duty truck came into view, a trailer on the hitch. Harrington left me standing there as he moved to direct the driver in. Then didn’t say a word to anyone as he went to the rear of the trailer.
He had no qualms about climbing inside. I tried to get closer, but Russ put a hand on my arm.
“Sometimes they’re a mite jumpy after a long haul. Wanna stay clear until she has all four feet on the ground.”
I grumbled but obeyed. I would have to take his word for it. I’d wanted a horse like this since I was a kid. It had been my dream. But I wasn’t a “horse person.”
Harrington led her off the trailer and though she did a fancy-looking sidestep, she settled as Harrington murmured to her. For my part, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She was perfect. Exactly what I wanted. A black appaloosa with the snowflake patterning, her spots just enough to give her a speckled coat without taking over.
Her ears swiveled and she flared her nostrils, but otherwise stood docile at Harrington’s side. Russ let go of my arm and I took that as a sign that I could approach. I held out a hand and moved slowly, because I wasn’t an idiot, and after a second, she bent her head and let me rub her nose.
“It’s like velvet,” I murmured, awe in my voice.
