“So what does this mean for Ryker’s horse?” Brenne asked, disappointed at the lack of clarity.
“I’m still of a mind to advise isolation, at least until we get conclusive results. And he needs to thoroughly sterilize anything that’s come into contact with the horse. What is your opinion, Miss MacAllen?”
It made sense to her. “I don’t have a degree, but it sounds like practical advice if the other possibility is a stable full of horses with strangles. You should call Ryker. But what is he going to do with the horse in the meantime? It looked like his facility was filled to the gills with rescues.”
“That’s a good observation.” Alex pulled off his gloves and disposed of them, then retrieved his phone from his pocket. He hit a button and put the phone to his ear. After a moment, he spoke. “Hey, Ryker. I’m afraid I don’t have any conclusive results for you, but I have reason to worry that what your horse has might be infectious.” He paused, listening to Ryker’s response, and Brenne was frustrated that she couldn’t hear what the other man was saying.
“Be that as it may,” Alex continued, “I’m still recommending quarantine. Strict isolation far from other equines and advanced sterilization procedures.” He paused again, then broke in. “I know you don’t have space in your facilities, which is why I’ll take him off your hands.”
Brenne was surprised to hear him say that, then wondered why she was surprised. She’d never known Alex not to be generous, but considering the work this horse would take, she knew it was a big commitment from an already busy man.
“The sooner the better,” Alex said. “We’ll start getting things ready, and when you can get the trailer hitched up and the horse on it, we’ll be waiting.” He hung up, put his phone in his pocket, then rubbed his hands together. “That’s taken care of,” he said, a smile lighting up his handsome face.
A rush of warmth flowed through her. All the old feelings, the same feelings she’d held on to since she was still a girl, flooded her. Alexander Parsons was not only attractive and downright sexy, but he had a good heart. He was generous to a fault, kind to animals, and incredibly smart and capable to boot. No wonder I’ve never looked twice at another man.
“We are going to have to get that stall ready for its new occupant,” he said, indicating the space across from them. “Let’s head over to the barn and borrow some straw.”
The barn was just as she remembered it. They’d played here sometimes, in the long summer days when Brenne barely came up to Alex’s waist. The smell of the straw and the beams of sunlight pushing through the wooden slats of the barn wall took her mind back to those times. “Remember how we used to have hay fights and play ‘hay and seek’ as we called it in here?”
Alex laughed. “I remember it was damn near impossible to find you once you wiggled down into the straw. Where did you used to tuck yourself back in those days?”
“I’ll never tell,” she said, her tone full of mischief. “It’s a trade secret. If I give it away, you’ll have an advantage next time we play.”
“Next time, huh?” he said, his eyes sly. In a flash, he bent and picked up some straw off the barn floor and shoved it down the back of her shirt.
“You jerk!” she yelped, shimmying to try and get the stray straw out from under her T-shirt. “I’m gonna be itching all damn day now!” Brenne wasn’t one to back away from a challenge, so she grabbed her own handful of straw and moved menacingly in his direction.
“Oh no, you don’t,” he said, grabbing her by the waist and pulling them both down into the pile of straw.
Brenne was laughing heavily while trying to squirm away from him, but Alex’s grip was firm. He pulled her closer until they were both breathing heavily, their faces inches apart. Suddenly, liquid heat filled her limbs. When she saw the same heat in his eyes, she did what came naturally.
She closed the distance between them, pressing her lips to his. One taste, and she was lost.
CHAPTER 9
ALEX
One taste, and I’m hooked all over again.
He couldn’t stop kissing her. Not when she was kissing him back with such abandon. Not when she felt so damn good in his arms. Alex pulled her tighter into his embrace and slowed the kiss down. The same intensity was there, but his tongue made long, slow laps in the way he knew drove her crazy.
Brenne moaned, wrapping her legs around him. Alex found himself pressed against her, only their clothing keeping him from rubbing his skin against hers. I will rip every stitch of fabric from both our bodies, the moment I can pull myself away from her gorgeous lips.
Alex forgot everything. The straw scratching against him. The old barn surrounding him. The reason he ever told Brenne they should stop seeing each other, should stop doing this. The only thing that mattered was wringing every ounce of pleasure imaginable from her perfect body.
She shifted in his arms, her head falling back to expose the line of her pale neck. He couldn’t resist the temptation to bury his face there and inhale her enticing scent. His lips couldn’t get enough of her, and from the way she was squeezing him, the feeling was mutual.
His hands slipped to the bottom of her shirt then slid underneath. His first contact with her smooth warm skin had him groaning into her neck. When his fingers reached the lace of her bra, need overwhelmed him.
I’m going to strip her naked and make love to her, right here in the barn. And it will be the highlight of my month. Hell, the way she feels right now, maybe my lifetime.
Alex was a heartbeat away from pulling her shirt over her head when he heard the creak of the old barn door. His heart froze, and when it started again, he was a foot away, adjusting his clothing and slapping the stray pieces of straw off his jeans.
Brenne wasn’t as quick as he was and was still struggling to stand when Alex’s father caught sight of them and stopped his advance. “Is that Brenne MacAllen?” he asked, his tone full of confusion. He looked back and forth between them, his brow furrowing.
“Sure is,” Alex said, moving jerkily toward the wall of the barn where pitchforks and shovels hung on hooks. “I hired her to help out. We were just getting some straw for the stall in the clinic.”
“Help out? Getting straw?” Alex could tell his father was suspicious. Dale Parsons was a skeptical man by nature, and he had a healthy fear of anyone trying to take advantage of him. He was the scourge of mechanics and contractors all over Texas. “She looks like she took a dive in the straw. And you don’t look much better.”
“Yes, sir,” Brenne said, a sheepish expression on her face. “I lost an earring and your son was trying to help me find it.”
His father took a step closer, leaning in with narrowed eyes and searching her expression. “I don’t see the other one in your ear. You were wearing one earring?”
Her fingers flitted to her left ear. “Oh no. I must have lost them both somewhere.” She bent back to the straw, digging in it frantically. Alex closed his eyes, fighting off his mortification. This is exactly what we don’t need.
He approached his father, putting his arm around him and turning him in the direction of the exit. “She’ll find them. I have every confidence. Now, I wanted to let you know that I’ll be bringing a new horse into the clinic.” As he spoke, he started walking, his father following suit. Relief filled him. “It’s going to be confined to the clinic until we can make certain it isn’t contagious. You’ll be seeing more of Miss MacAllen, as she’ll be helping me with the animal.”