“That was kind of stupid,” Aidan said.
Harper spun around and treated him to a level glare. “Excuse me?”
He squared his shoulders. “Jumping in the middle of two charging animals? Not. Smart.”
Her gaze narrowed. “It was a chicken I know very well and a horse I was able to grab in time. It wasn’t like I was in Spain with dueling bulls.”
“You could have gotten hurt.”
She studied his face for a while, then seemed to relax. “But I didn’t. I can handle myself.”
It happened so fast, he had no time to rein in his reaction. His hand shot out and gripped her upper arm. He felt the sleek flex of feminine muscle beneath him. “Not saying you can’t. But I’m not going to apologize for not wanting you to get hurt.” His grip gentled, his thumb brushing her soft skin. “Especially on my watch.”
Her pupils dilated, and for endless moments, they stared at one another, locked in their own intimate world.
He liked the surprise on her face almost as much as the fleeting flicker of longing. She wasn’t used to people giving a crap about her, other than family. She was a lone wolf, used to doing everything on her own without apology. Aidan didn’t want to change that. But the primitive part of him needed her to know he was with her every step of the way, and damned if anything or anybody was going to hurt her. The protective instinct was new for him, but now that he’d felt it, he couldn’t pretend the urge wasn’t there.
Just another crazy element he experienced with the woman.
He waited for her to jerk away and snap at him for being overbearing. Instead, a smile touched her lips and she softened under his touch. “Getting all alpha on me, Irish?” she asked. “Too many males challenging each other for their turf?”
He grinned back, opening his fist so he could stroke her entire arm with his palm. God, her skin was like velvet. He could only imagine what she’d look like naked, sprawled out in her bed. His body shuddered at the thought. “Maybe.” He paused, diving deep into those jeweled green eyes. “Or maybe I’m trying to put my own claim in.”
She jerked, strangled out a breath, and stepped away. Yeah, she wasn’t ready to hear that. He couldn’t blame her. He’d just broken the strict rules she’d set up between them. Especially since he was now staying at her house.
Cursing under his breath, he rubbed his face with his hands. “Sorry. I was outta line. I’ll meet you back here in an hour.”
He turned and left her, refusing to look back.
Chapter Ten
Two weeks later, Harper stared out at man and horse and wondered why she still couldn’t stop thinking about his strange declaration.
Maybe I’m trying to put my own claim in.
She’d spotted the regret carved on his face as soon as the words left his lips. His quick apology and even quicker retreat should have made her happy. Yet she kept going over the exchange, wondering what he would’ve done if she’d questioned him. Stepped closer. Whispered his name.
It was good she’d managed to stay in control.
After all, she was known for her levelheaded actions. Ophelia had been known for her temper when she was young, but age and Kyle had mellowed her. Harper had always been more like her brother. Able to shut down her emotions when threatened. The talent had gotten Ethan all the way into special ops. Her? Well, she was able to run a profitable horse rescue without falling apart each time she failed an animal. She was trained to shove down all those messy emotions and lock them away. It was the only way to not just survive but also thrive.
Lately, though, she’d been wondering if all that practice had put her soul into a deep freeze with little chance of thaw.
She pushed her sunglasses up her nose and hooked a leg over the lower fence post. The dogs were lined up, as if sensing a show, faces framed with longing as they watched Phoenix warm up in the field. The horse was breaking better from the gate and had settled into a good pattern. After early morning workouts, he munched out and relaxed, then lounged in the sun by his favorite tree, running off any animal visitors. He now recognized the vet, who he had tried to chase away several times, but Aidan insisted on regular checkup visits, citing too many instances of early injuries from pushing a young horse too hard. Harper knew many critics believed racing equaled cruelty. But her heart told her Phoenix was born to run, and it was her job to keep him safe, healthy, and happy while pursuing a racing career.
It was funny how they had formed a quirky type of family revolving around daily routines. Afternoons were for gate practice and social interaction. Aidan had settled into his own routine at her house. Breakfast was quick and punctuated with the day’s schedule, which blurred by in a steady cycle focused on Phoenix and regular barn work. Dinner was takeout, usually from the Market in town, maybe a shared beer and summary of the day, and then he headed to bed with a polite “good night” and an averted gaze.
He was a perfect roommate, careful about respecting her space. Since his slipup, he’d made no move to touch her. If they got too close and that intense energy roared up between them, he made an excuse to leave the room.
Things were perfect.
Things suck.
Harper sighed and tried to settle her uneasy thoughts. Why was she acting like such a girl? She hated when words contradicted action. Aidan wasn’t playing any bullshit games. He wasn’t trying to get her into bed for an extra added bonus. It should make her happy.
The voice slyly peeked out and rose up within. What would it be like to be the woman he wanted? To be claimed by his rough hands and warm lips and demanding voice?
Heaven and hell.
Orgasms and regret.
It’d be worth it.
She shook her head hard to rattle the voice and headed to the barn to get Maximus ready for the upcoming ride. The two horses tolerated each other’s presence enough to test on the track. Aidan warned they needed to gauge how Phoenix dealt with competition in order to figure out the next steps to training. With his first race fast approaching, today would be the first time Aidan tried to pit Phoenix against a competitor. He had run with Flower a few times at an easy pace and didn’t seem threatened by her presence. They all figured it was time to step up the experience so there were no surprises at Saratoga.
She tacked him up, seated herself in the saddle, and rode out, forcing her mind back into work mode. Elmo was ready, and Phoenix danced around in a spirited fashion, always happy when he got to run.
Aidan greeted Maximus with his usual warmth and raised his gaze. “You ready?”
She nodded. “Do you want me to let him set the pace or hold him back?”
“This is a practice, so just let him go. I’ll be watching how Phoenix handles it, and we’ll tweak later.” A slight frown creased his brow. “Be careful.”
Warmth flowed through her. She ignored it. “Always.”
Aidan walked both horses around, loaded Phoenix in the gate first, then Maximus. Both horses eased in without a fight. Harper mentally counted it out, and then the buzzer screeched. She broke out in one clean jump, guiding Maximus to the right to give Phoenix a bit of space.
Clumps of dirt flew up over scrambling hooves, and she leaned forward, urging him with her squeezed legs as Maximus settled into his pace. Harper concentrated on her mount, glancing only once toward Phoenix in order to ground herself. The turn rose up, and she urged Maximus faster, sensing Elmo was ready to push Phoenix harder. The wind hit her face, and her body screamed with elation over the sleek, moving muscles flying over the track. At the next turn, she opened the horse up and hung on, letting Maximus run full speed, tightly focused.