Jamie ran a hand through his thick hair, his tone turning more reflective.
“They were the first thing that taught me power doesn’t have to be loud. It’s quiet. Certain. Earned. Just me and them… No noise, no pressure. I could forget everything else. It was the first place I ever felt peace.”
He looked at her then, gaze steady and unreadable. “Even now, that kind of stillness is rare. But I get flashes of it around you.”
Her heart skipped a beat. With a few words, he’d tapped into something deep inside her, a sensation she’d experienced a hundred times over at Meadow Dawn.
“I get what you mean,” she said. “It’s like when I wake up on a summer morning, and the sun’s rising over the hills. The horses wander down from the fields and gather at the gate when I shake the feed bucket. There’s no one else around. Just me and them.”
“How many horses do you have?” he asked, his smile still irresistible, but there was a new warmth in his eyes.
“None.” She sighed. “I just do the legwork.”
An unexpected thought popped into her head. “Would you like to meet my first love sometime?”
A rush of heat flooded her cheeks as she realised how eager she sounded.
When his lips parted, she swallowed her embarrassment,waiting for him to make his excuses. She stared at the misted glass, her gaze following the tiny beads of water.
“If you like horses, you’ll love her. She’s called Venatrix, but we call her Trixie,” she added, reinforcing the fact that he would meet the horse, not just her.
“I’d really like that.” His voice was low and steady, cutting through the noise of the busy lobby.
“Sure, whenever you’ve got time, just text me.” She shrugged, acting nonchalant.
“Tomorrow,” he said without hesitation.
Her heart skipped as he thumbed his lower lip, his gaze lingering on the exposed skin of her cleavage. That subtle movement made her breath stutter.
“Oh, there’s no rush. She’s at Meadow Dawn yard.” She almost panted, the intensity of his gaze sending a shiver up her spine as it finally returned to her face.
“I know the yard,” he said, his voice rougher now, huskier. “If she’s your first love, then who’s your second?”
Shannon let out a shaky breath. “She’s my one and only. I don’t have time for silly things like love. She’s my life right now.”
“Good to know.” He winked.
The waitress returned with more drinks, her sweet smile unwavering, though the subtle disappointment in her eyes was impossible to miss when Jamie didn't even spare her a glance.
He couldn’t help being carved to perfection, oozing sex appeal, and wrapped in dangerous charm.
Shannon nibbled her fingernail, aware of his gaze on her, yet uncertain of what it hid.
“What about you?” she asked, freeing her finger from her teeth. “Did you ever get a horse or riding lessons?”
When he started to reply, a tall man escorting a beautiful woman joined them.
“Hey, Jamie. Why are you down here when all the fun’s upstairs?” The man shot Shannon an odd look, as if he didn’t quite understand her place in the situation.
The attractive woman hung back, lingering on the edge of the conversation.
Diamonds adorned her earlobes, and an expensive necklace caught the light, casting little rainbows. Shannon’s gaze followed the sparkle, drawn to it.
Up close, the necklace wasn’t just expensive looking. It was thick, snug around the base of her throat. Decorative, sure, but something about it made Shannon think of a collar.
Neither man acknowledged her, nor did they glance in her direction. But her attention locked on Jamie. Her tongue traced her lips, and she teased the jewels near her throat when he spoke.
The woman sized him up, like she wanted to savour every inch of him, or worse, like they’d shared a past that left her hungry for more.
