She’d dated a cowboy once. He’d been on break from his horse ranch in Montana and stayed at the inn for a week. It hadn’t taken them long to connect and fall into bed. They’d had only a few nights together, but Harper had liked the tough wildness of his body, the way he spoke about his home and his animals. It was a satisfying affair, with the end fully accepted by both of them. She thought of him sometimes but never to contact him. Harper understood they lived separate lives. She’d never leave Gardiner, and he’d never leave Montana. He’d been able to quench her loneliness for a bit, and for that she was grateful.
At first, she wondered if Aidan attracted her because of the memory of her own cowboy. But something was very different between them. The connection was beyond a physical attraction. He dug deeper, with his words and his intense gaze and his quiet power that captivated her. He was more dangerous than her ex-lover. Because with Aidan, she had a terrible feeling one tumble in bed with him would never be enough.
Who had broken his heart? A lover? Fiancée? She ached to know the truth beneath his quiet demeanor. But if he opened up, she worried she’d only fall deeper into the trap.
Better to avoid the whole mess. In three days, he’d be just another memory.
She refocused on her spreadsheets, and too soon he popped his head through the door. “Harper?”
She barely looked up. “Yes?”
“I’m finished with Owen. Is it okay if he knocks off for the day?”
“Absolutely. Thanks for taking him for his first ride and a good day’s work. We appreciate it.”
“Do you?”
The question forced her gaze to meet his. His sun-bleached brow quirked. “Of course. I told you that several times.” Her voice came out a bit defensive, but she ignored it.
He leaned on the doorjamb, arms folded in front of his chest. “Your words don’t match your actions. You seem to avoid me.”
Her fists clenched in her lap as her heartbeat ramped up. “That’s ridiculous. Listen, if you’re not interested in coming back tomorrow, I completely understand. No hard feelings.”
“Bet you’d like that,” he murmured. “It’d be easier.”
“You’re talking in riddles,” she said with annoyance. Usually, she was direct, having no time for false denials or game play. But he threw her off balance, and she didn’t want to admit his presence affected her. She didn’t want to admit he was right. “Would you like a handwritten Hallmark card to convey my real gratitude?”
“Maybe. Will you add those extra emoji hearts so I believe it?”
She couldn’t help it. A smile tugged at her lips. She had a feeling it would be hard staying mad at him for long—his dry humor beckoned her to laugh with him. “I’m sorry. I just have tons of paperwork to get through, but I am thankful. And I hope you find what you’re looking for in California. I’m assuming a horse to take on?”
“We’ll see.” His eyes became shadowed. “It may be time for a change. Finding a horse to train is difficult. There’s a ton of factors to consider. Usually, the horse picks me, not the other way around.”
She tilted her head with interest. “What do you mean?”
His shoulders lifted in a shrug. “Working intimately with a horse is like any relationship. There has to be a connection. I’ve learned forcing myself on a horse doesn’t work. I’m usually guided to the next opportunity, and then I know it in my gut.”
“What if the owner doesn’t want to work with you?”
“Doesn’t matter. Once the horse and I connect, all obstacles usually fall away, including a reluctant owner. I’m very good at getting what I want.”
“Winning?”
His lips tightened into a firm line. “Sometimes winning is the only thing that matters.”
She considered his words. She thought of Phoenix and how badly she wanted to see him run on the track, to watch him come into his true power and feel the glory of a win. The road was a long battle, and she was already drowning in work. Was it worth it? Could she really handle a professional racehorse and all it entailed? The finances alone could break her.
Aidan was right. Once she dipped a toe in that world, it was all about winning. What if she didn’t have what it took to get Phoenix to the next level?
“I guess you’re right.”
He studied her, probing her expression. Slowly, the air began to crackle and hum, and that damn surge of heat threw her off guard. She sensed the focus had shifted away from horses. “I am, but I also never forget one important thing,” he said.
“What’s that?”
He gave her a sexy smile. “The first step to winning is getting yourself in the game.”
She sucked in a breath. The challenge hung heavy in the air while tension whipped around them. Oh, it was a tempting game, but she refused to participate. Because he’d spoken the truth.
This game between them, she’d never win. She had a sense this man was out of her league—used to the art of flirtation, seduction, and walking away to the next challenge. Her? Not so much. She was too direct, and too focused on Phoenix to allow any distractions, as tempting as Aidan O’Connor might be, even for a night or two.
She turned away and refused to look at him again, choosing to ignore his last words. “Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow.” The dismissal was clear. She waited to see what he’d do with it.
The sounds of his footsteps retreating made her shoulders slump in relief.
Aidan woke up the next morning and wondered if he should just stay in bed.
Two days left. He could go to Mohonk Mountain House for a challenging hike. Grab a few beers in town afterward and chat with the locals. Anything but show up at the barn to shovel shit and stare at Harper Bishop with moony eyes all day.
Humiliating.
He’d never been so sexually attracted to a woman who specifically did nothing to encourage male attention. Maybe that was it. She was so comfortable in her own skin, it was hard not to imagine what she’d be like in bed. With him. For one endless, perfect night.
She wasn’t interested in a one- or two-night stand, though. Usually, he’d respect her decision and move on without another thought. But something about Harper intrigued him—gave him an itch he’d never experienced before. Spending more time with her was an opportunity he didn’t want to pass up, even though she’d made her decision. His instinct told him he’d regret not using his last days here helping her on the farm, even if she did make him feel like a tangled-up schoolboy.
He glanced at the clock. Five thirty a.m. No one would be up now, and he craved a long, brisk walk and the reverent silence of a sunrise. He took a quick shower, pulled on jeans and a hoodie, and quietly made his way outside.
He walked the same path that had led him into the woods the other day. Shadows closed around him, and he used his phone’s light to pick his way through until he reached the barns. Aidan caught his breath at the vision before him: the shapes of massive rock slowly being revealed by the crawl of the sun pushing itself above the horizon.
He settled himself on a large rock and let the natural beauty of earth soothe him. As much as he missed Ireland, he enjoyed the opportunity to carve out a new path on his terms. He’d been trapped in the same routine for too long, always balancing his goals with what his business partner wanted, what the owner demanded, and what the horse required to thrive. A delicate balancing act he’d juggled since he was fifteen. With his fortieth birthday approaching, maybe this was the right time to step away from horse training and find something else to fulfill him, not just temporarily but for good. God knew he couldn’t take any more frustration and heartbreak in this field.