Gavin followed her instructions, assisting with the setup of what would be Ghost’s stall. “You already have several horses. Why are you adding another to your stable?”
“Ghost is a rescue and I want to give him a good home. He didn’t deserve what happened to him, and I want to make sure it never happens again.”
Gavin straightened, setting down the shovel he’d been using to move the wood shavings. He came forward unexpectedly and wrapped her in a hug. “I know how you feel. Powerlessness is never a feeling I want to experience. You stand up for the powerless. You protect them. You’re a good person.”
Surprise flooded her. She hugged him back, blinking back the tears that were forming in her eyes. “Thank you for saying that. I have a soft spot in my heart when it comes to animals, especially horses.”
“I hope you have a soft spot in your heart for a human or two as well,” he said.
Brenne laughed, pulling slightly away. “Humans rank below horses, but they do make it on the board.”
Gavin smiled at her, then opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, another voice echoed through the stables. “I see you’re already getting a place ready for Ghost,” Alex said, coming out of the shadows.
A chill ran through her, and Brenne took a step away from Gavin. “That’s right. Gavin is helping me set up a stall for him.” She almost apologized for not asking him if that was okay first, but she’d decided there was no reason for deference. She was taking the horse and ending the whole charade of a job he’d given her.
Alex took another couple of steps closer, his eyes filled with a coldness she’d never seen before. “Were you planning on telling me, or were you just going to disappear with the—” His words cut off at the ring of Gavin’s telephone.
Brenne had already realized that Gavin was a little clueless when it came to interpersonal interactions, but she was still a little shocked to see him take a phone call, given the tension in the stables at that moment. “What is it? Uh huh. Yes, we talked about that. Okay. I’ll be there in twenty.”
She could feel Alex’s gaze on her while she watched Gavin hang up. “That was the advance team. They want to meet. I’ve got to go.”
“Thanks for the help,” Brenne said, giving him a grin.
“It was interesting to work with my hands,” Gavin said, then poked a raised bit of skin on his palm. His voice held a little awe when he said, “I might have even gotten a blister!”
“Enjoy that!” Brenne said, waving as Gavin showed himself out of the stable. The billionaire was nothing if not entertaining.
When she looked in Alex’s direction, all the cheer went out of her like a father fighting a fellow shopper for the last trendy toy on the day before Christmas. Resentment radiated from him as he drew closer, until they were only inches apart.
“Looks like you and the billionaire are getting quite cozy together.” His tone was casual, but she could read the subtext.
“Gavin is my friend. He’s a stranger in a new place, and I’m just a friendly face.”
“You go around hugging all the strangers who come to Whiskey River?”
Brenne couldn’t believe the man’s gall. “Yeah. I’m a regular old welcome wagon.”
Alex’s light brown eyes were bright and trained on her lips. “And I suppose I’ve worn out my welcome?”
“Alexander Parsons, I don’t know what game you’re playing but I don’t have time for it. Yes, I’m taking Ghost home. No, I didn’t ask your permission, but I figured this makes us even for lying about my brothers convincing you to hire me. And now you don’t have to worry about running into me at your country clinic.”
She reached into her pocket and pulled out her keyring. It only took a moment to dislodge the key to his clinic. Brenne slapped it into his chest, removing her hand and leaving him to scramble to catch it before it fell on the freshly wood-chipped floor of the stall. “Consider your welcome officially worn out.”
She expected him to leave, to turn and go and not look back, but instead he stayed there, staring at her lips. Brenne was breathing heavily, and the anger and hurt she felt were churning inside her, threatening to spill over at any second.
It’s because he’s looking at me like that. I can’t think straight when he looks at me like that.
She thought about pulling away, about slapping him again, but she didn’t want to be the one to show weakness this time. Fine. If he wants to stare at me all day, he can. Maybe he’ll finally get an inkling of what he gave up.
“Remember the graduation party your folks threw for you, the one during that miserable heatwave?”
Brenne started at his sudden question. She did remember. It had been ninety-eight degrees on the first day of June that year. She graduated high school two months after she turned eighteen, and during that party she’d had only one thing on her mind. Make Alex Parsons notice me.
He had, it turned out. “You were wearing a white sundress with little red strawberries on it. And your mama served strawberry shortcake. I remember you picked up a big red strawberry to take a bite, and the juice ran down your chin.”
His voice became husky, dropping an octave. “I wanted to lick that juice away with every fiber of my being.”
She gasped just as he grabbed for her, his lips sealing over hers and his tongue taking advantage of her open mouth. Brenne was lost in the swirl of sensation, every atom inside her focused on the place where their lips met.
How does he keep doing this to me? she wondered in the few seconds during which her mind worked. Then she was lost again, pulled under by the tidal wave of need his touch induced. His strong arms tightened around her, and Brenne pressed herself against him, forgetting everything that stood between them.
Alex walked her back a few steps until she felt the wall against her back. He grabbed hold of her hips and lifted, and Brenne let him pin her against him, wrapping her legs around his waist and giving as good as she got. Their mouths were on a mission, one that ended up with them both riding the wave of pleasure that threatened to consume them.
From the next stall came a loud whinny. Brenne’s eyes burst open, and she struggled against him. Alex set her down and she pushed him away. “Oh no. That is not happening again.” She pushed her way past him out of the stall, rushing for the stable exit.
Brenne heard his footfalls behind her and had a crazy urge to run. She picked up her pace, but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of running. Of course, his legs were longer than hers, so it didn’t take him long to catch up.
“We need to talk.” His voice was stern, his expression unreadable.
“I’ve got nothing to say to you, Alexander Parsons.” She put on another burst of speed, but he pulled her up short by grabbing her arm.
“I’ve got plenty to say to you, Brenne MacAllen. We can’t keep ignoring this thing between us.” His tone was urgent, and for the first time, she saw cracks in his façade.
“According to you,” she said, poking him in his chest with her index finger, “there is nothing between us.”
“Is this because of the billionaire?” he asked suddenly.
“What are you implying?” Her eyes narrowed, so sure was she that she wouldn’t like the next words to come out of his mouth.