to let that happen again. She was finally here, back where she belonged and he was determined to keep her here.
Well, she wasn’t exactly where she belonged, he thought ruefully. He wanted her here, in his house and in his bed every day and every night. But he’d get her there. One way or another.
Taking a deep breath, he moved closer, but not too close, gauging his distance by the fear that came into her eyes. This was one scared filly, he thought, damning the man who had done this to her.
“I need to go,” she said, looking down at her jacket that had fallen to the floor. She bent down and quickly picked it up, holding it in front of her like a shield. “I’ll talk to you later,” she said and scooted out of the office.
“Chloe,” Sam called, but she was already out of the office and rushing down the hallway. He stepped out into the hallway and called to her once again.
Chloe debated about just ignoring him, but odds were that he would take a few steps and catch her, that would put her ri ght back into his arms and she was just too fragile right now. Instead, she turned around and looked back at him, keeping her eyes on his chin instead of looking him in the eye.
“We have that dinner event tomorrow night. Can you be ready by six o’clock?”
She nodded, uncaring if it was true or not. She just had to get out of the house and back to safety.
“Fine. I’ll see you later.”
Chloe turned back around and almost ran out of the house, desperate to find some place to hide. She th ought about returning to her dad’s house, but that wasn’t a good idea. She was all alone with nothing to do there. Her mind would only cause her proble ms and ask questions she didn’t want to answer right now.
Rushing outside, she pulled on her coat, grateful for the cold gust that hit her in the face as she moved out of the warm house. Her face was flushed and she didn’t want anyone else to see her like this. They would know instantly what had happened. Especially Jessy . That woman had been dropping hints that Chloe and Sam should get together. Little did she know…Chloe thought.
On impulse, Chloe swung by her dad’s pickup truck and grabbed her camera bag, thinking that maybe taking pictures would be a good outlet for these strange feelings she was working through.
Nutmeg! What she needed was a long, hard run and Nutmeg was just the guy to help her do it. She rushed across the yard and down the pathway to the stable s, ignoring the heavy bag hitting her leg with each step and feeling oddly as if Sam were watching her from one of the windows. That didn’t make sense though because his office was on the front of the house and the stable s were in the back. Besides, he was too busy to watch her walk anywhere. The man had been helping her out, ignoring his own phone calls so he could get her through the details of her business plan.
Hurrying down the pathway, she entered the stable through a side door, unwilling to risk running into anyone at this time. She found Nutmeg in his stall and patted his nose, moving on to the others and giving them attention as well. She wanted to run with all of them, but right at the moment, she needed to ride as fast as possible.
Saddling him up was quick since he obviously was ready to run as well. He was very cooperative, even nuzzling her when she moved in front of him. With the blanket and saddle in place, she led the stallion out of the stable and through the gate, then climbed up onto a fence and threw her leg over the horse. Within moments, they were flying over the ground, leaving the problems of the last hour behind her.
It took more than an hour before Nutmeg was worn out enough. They rode over hills and across the flat plains, Chloe careful to not take on any unknown pathways that might have holes that would hurt the horse.
Well, she wasn’t exactly where she belonged, he thought ruefully. He wanted her here, in his house and in his bed every day and every night. But he’d get her there. One way or another.
Taking a deep breath, he moved closer, but not too close, gauging his distance by the fear that came into her eyes. This was one scared filly, he thought, damning the man who had done this to her.
“I need to go,” she said, looking down at her jacket that had fallen to the floor. She bent down and quickly picked it up, holding it in front of her like a shield. “I’ll talk to you later,” she said and scooted out of the office.
“Chloe,” Sam called, but she was already out of the office and rushing down the hallway. He stepped out into the hallway and called to her once again.
Chloe debated about just ignoring him, but odds were that he would take a few steps and catch her, that would put her ri ght back into his arms and she was just too fragile right now. Instead, she turned around and looked back at him, keeping her eyes on his chin instead of looking him in the eye.
“We have that dinner event tomorrow night. Can you be ready by six o’clock?”
She nodded, uncaring if it was true or not. She just had to get out of the house and back to safety.
“Fine. I’ll see you later.”
Chloe turned back around and almost ran out of the house, desperate to find some place to hide. She th ought about returning to her dad’s house, but that wasn’t a good idea. She was all alone with nothing to do there. Her mind would only cause her proble ms and ask questions she didn’t want to answer right now.
Rushing outside, she pulled on her coat, grateful for the cold gust that hit her in the face as she moved out of the warm house. Her face was flushed and she didn’t want anyone else to see her like this. They would know instantly what had happened. Especially Jessy . That woman had been dropping hints that Chloe and Sam should get together. Little did she know…Chloe thought.
On impulse, Chloe swung by her dad’s pickup truck and grabbed her camera bag, thinking that maybe taking pictures would be a good outlet for these strange feelings she was working through.
Nutmeg! What she needed was a long, hard run and Nutmeg was just the guy to help her do it. She rushed across the yard and down the pathway to the stable s, ignoring the heavy bag hitting her leg with each step and feeling oddly as if Sam were watching her from one of the windows. That didn’t make sense though because his office was on the front of the house and the stable s were in the back. Besides, he was too busy to watch her walk anywhere. The man had been helping her out, ignoring his own phone calls so he could get her through the details of her business plan.
Hurrying down the pathway, she entered the stable through a side door, unwilling to risk running into anyone at this time. She found Nutmeg in his stall and patted his nose, moving on to the others and giving them attention as well. She wanted to run with all of them, but right at the moment, she needed to ride as fast as possible.
Saddling him up was quick since he obviously was ready to run as well. He was very cooperative, even nuzzling her when she moved in front of him. With the blanket and saddle in place, she led the stallion out of the stable and through the gate, then climbed up onto a fence and threw her leg over the horse. Within moments, they were flying over the ground, leaving the problems of the last hour behind her.
It took more than an hour before Nutmeg was worn out enough. They rode over hills and across the flat plains, Chloe careful to not take on any unknown pathways that might have holes that would hurt the horse.
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