Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 100367 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100367 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
“It’s not that I don’t trust him, I don’t know him.” He lets out a breath. “I’ll take the side-by-side so I’m faster. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“I’ll be in the barn. Brushing horses. Perfectly safe.” I wink at him and walk away, making my hips sway a little more than normal. I can’t believe I told him so much about what happened when I was a kid. I can’t believe that I wanted to.
But I feel better because now he knows everything, and he still wants me around. I don’t have to wonder or second guess, and that makes me feel better. Now we can just settle right into whatever this is that’s blooming between us.
Sex.
Hopefully it’s dirty, naughty, fun sex that’s blooming.
With a smirk, I get busy organizing the tack room while Peter gets started on the first horse. He watched me for a second, but then he got to work, and I chalked it up to us being strangers and general curiosity.
I don’t get the creep vibe from him. He’s handsome but doesn’t hold a candle to Tucker. No one holds a candle to the sexy rancher. It’s not long before Peter’s done with the first horse, and I take her outside to brush her down and give her some love in the paddock. Ellie nudges my shoulder, and I give her a carrot, letting her munch while I brush.
Once we’re three horses in, and Peter has been respectful of my space, I return to the barn and watch him work, staying back, out of the way. It’s not an easy job, and I see why he’s in such good shape, having to hold onto those feet and legs, and the amount of force he has to use to clean out the hoof, take the old shoe off, and then apply the new one.
It’s a whole fascinating process.
With that horse finished, Peter passes him off to me, and I lead him outside but then discover that I’m out of carrots, so I walk back in and find Peter drinking some water, taking a break.
“That’s hard work,” I mention as I cross my arms over my chest. “How did you get into this?”
“I’ve been doing it since I was in high school. My dad was a rancher, and I learned from him.”
I nod and then turn toward the fridge, but his voice stops me.
“I haven’t seen you around town before.”
“Oh, I’m new to the area. I’m working as a vet intern for Tucker for the next year or so.”
He nods, and starts to walk toward me, and a little alarm bell rings in the back of my head. So, I step back, but that doesn’t make him stop advancing.
“Are you single?” he asks, his eyes drift down my body, and I immediately tense. Oh, hell no.
“I’m not interested,” I reply, any trace of friendliness gone from my voice. I want nothing to do with this guy. “You can stop right there.”
Peter smirks and my stomach sinks, but I tip my chin up and meet his gaze head on.
“Or what?”
“I’m telling you to stop because I’m not interested in anything except for work. Plain and simple.”
His dark eyes roam over me, making me feel like I’m coated in oil and filth. I need to recalibrate my creep meter if it wasn’t going off the second I saw this asshole.
Tucker must have sensed it.
I can hear the side-by-side coming toward the barn, and relief rushes through me, but Peter must not hear it because he advances on me, manages to get his hands fisted in my shirt, and yanks it up while he tries to kiss me, but I jerk my face to the side, out of reach.
“Get your fucking hands off me!”
CHAPTER NINE
TUCKER
“Thanks for the lift back,” Scott says, staring down at his phone. His wife called a few minutes ago and said her water broke, and he’d better get his ass to the hospital. “Are you sure Alan will be okay with my horse?”
“It’s no problem,” I reply. “The horse will be fine. I’m glad I was there when she called so I could get you back to the barn faster.”
We’ve made it back in record time. I can see the barn now, and I can make out Darby’s figure just inside the door.
But I don’t like the way she’s holding her body. She looks defensive, and there’s no reason that my girl should be holding herself that way.
“Something’s not right,” Scott murmurs beside me, and I nod in agreement.
Something’s definitely not fucking right.
Suddenly, Peter’s there, with his hands on her, pulling up her shirt, and I see absolutely fucking red.
I screech to a stop by the doors and yell to Scott, “Call 911!”
Darby’s back is to me, and her shirt is up, so I can see some of her scars, and that fuels my rage as I yank Peter off her and punch him so hard, he stumbles to the ground.