think of the past without the sharp stab of pain.
She wanted to ride. She’d ask him later.
“Hey.” Noticing her, he flashed a smile and dipped his chin. “This is my newest mare. She’s a roan, which is rare among Arabian horses.”
Dutifully, Skylar raised her camera and began snapping pictures. She thought she got some good shots—she’d check them later when she reviewed the camera’s display.
Finishing with the lunging, Matt had the horse stop and then led her over to Skylar. “Glad to see you made it,” he said, smiling. Though the corners of his eyes crinkled and, for a heartbeat, her mouth went dry, she sensed something edgy inside him, as though he were trying to be in two places at once.
Shrugging this off—when would she ever stop this ridiculous romanticizing of him?—she gestured toward the old barn across the parking lot. “I thought you’d have a bunch of employees out here, leading out the horses for me to photograph. Sort of like putting on a show.”
“Nope.” Still cheerful, he turned and began leading the mare toward the old barn. “This morning it’s just you and me. Come with me. You can pick the next mare.”
Following him, she was struck by the contrast between this barn and the newer one that had just burned down. The new one had been huge and modern and efficient. But this one had...character. Stone walls made up half of the exterior, and lumber made up the rest. The openings to the horses’ stalls were large, and she could see there’d once been runs on this side. They were still attached on the other side, and it looked as if a few hasty repairs had been made.
Still, this barn was half the size of the other.
“What’d you do with the remaining horses?” she asked.
“I had some runs with three-sided lean-tos. I put the rest of them there.” His smile turned into a frown. “I’m trying to get the insurance guy moving, but since it appears to have been arson and they’re going to do a formal investigation, it looks like I’m just going to have to start construction on a new barn in another spot on my own.”
“Seriously? Then what, get reimbursed later?”
“Maybe.” He put the mare in her stall and turned to face her. “Or just have two barns. I’m lucky I can afford to build another without waiting for the insurance.”
Just like that, the warm, fuzzy feeling she’d been having about him vanished. Of course he had the money. He was a criminal, after all.
“Must be nice,” she quipped, careful to keep her voice warm and hide the coldness that had iced through her.
Moving past him, she stopped at a stall and began stroking the head of a beautiful gray horse. “I’d like to see this one next, I think.”
“Good taste!” Offering her a quick smile, he took down the halter hanging outside the stall and put it on the horse. Clipping the lunge line to it, he led the horse out.
“Why do you say that?” she asked, curious.
“Because this is another of the horses I plan to make the cornerstone of my breeding program, along with Saint. She came all the way from Egypt. She’s won numerous awards in the show ring, and now we’ve bred her to Saint. I have high hopes for her foal.”
Outside in the bright sunlight, Skylar realized the mare was even more beautiful than she’d looked in the stall. Once they’d reached the lunge arena, a circular, fenced-in place, and she began to move, she appeared to float through the air.
Heart in her throat, Skylar raised her camera and began snapping. She didn’t know if her rudimentary photography skills could even begin to do the majestic beast justice, but she’d certainly try.
Especially since Today’s Arabian Horse magazine had agreed to consider publishing any article she wrote, as long as she was amenable to heavy editing.
This precaution had been taken in case she’d needed to prolong her cover story.
For the next several hours, she stayed with Matt as he lunged horse after horse. He kept up a
She wanted to ride. She’d ask him later.
“Hey.” Noticing her, he flashed a smile and dipped his chin. “This is my newest mare. She’s a roan, which is rare among Arabian horses.”
Dutifully, Skylar raised her camera and began snapping pictures. She thought she got some good shots—she’d check them later when she reviewed the camera’s display.
Finishing with the lunging, Matt had the horse stop and then led her over to Skylar. “Glad to see you made it,” he said, smiling. Though the corners of his eyes crinkled and, for a heartbeat, her mouth went dry, she sensed something edgy inside him, as though he were trying to be in two places at once.
Shrugging this off—when would she ever stop this ridiculous romanticizing of him?—she gestured toward the old barn across the parking lot. “I thought you’d have a bunch of employees out here, leading out the horses for me to photograph. Sort of like putting on a show.”
“Nope.” Still cheerful, he turned and began leading the mare toward the old barn. “This morning it’s just you and me. Come with me. You can pick the next mare.”
Following him, she was struck by the contrast between this barn and the newer one that had just burned down. The new one had been huge and modern and efficient. But this one had...character. Stone walls made up half of the exterior, and lumber made up the rest. The openings to the horses’ stalls were large, and she could see there’d once been runs on this side. They were still attached on the other side, and it looked as if a few hasty repairs had been made.
Still, this barn was half the size of the other.
“What’d you do with the remaining horses?” she asked.
“I had some runs with three-sided lean-tos. I put the rest of them there.” His smile turned into a frown. “I’m trying to get the insurance guy moving, but since it appears to have been arson and they’re going to do a formal investigation, it looks like I’m just going to have to start construction on a new barn in another spot on my own.”
“Seriously? Then what, get reimbursed later?”
“Maybe.” He put the mare in her stall and turned to face her. “Or just have two barns. I’m lucky I can afford to build another without waiting for the insurance.”
Just like that, the warm, fuzzy feeling she’d been having about him vanished. Of course he had the money. He was a criminal, after all.
“Must be nice,” she quipped, careful to keep her voice warm and hide the coldness that had iced through her.
Moving past him, she stopped at a stall and began stroking the head of a beautiful gray horse. “I’d like to see this one next, I think.”
“Good taste!” Offering her a quick smile, he took down the halter hanging outside the stall and put it on the horse. Clipping the lunge line to it, he led the horse out.
“Why do you say that?” she asked, curious.
“Because this is another of the horses I plan to make the cornerstone of my breeding program, along with Saint. She came all the way from Egypt. She’s won numerous awards in the show ring, and now we’ve bred her to Saint. I have high hopes for her foal.”
Outside in the bright sunlight, Skylar realized the mare was even more beautiful than she’d looked in the stall. Once they’d reached the lunge arena, a circular, fenced-in place, and she began to move, she appeared to float through the air.
Heart in her throat, Skylar raised her camera and began snapping. She didn’t know if her rudimentary photography skills could even begin to do the majestic beast justice, but she’d certainly try.
Especially since Today’s Arabian Horse magazine had agreed to consider publishing any article she wrote, as long as she was amenable to heavy editing.
This precaution had been taken in case she’d needed to prolong her cover story.
For the next several hours, she stayed with Matt as he lunged horse after horse. He kept up a
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