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“I like her,” I said, lifting my chin a little higher. “She has character.”
The man snorted. “She’s a beautiful horse. But not a moneymaker. ‘Round here they need to make money to earn their keep. She seems to like you, though. I’ve tried bribing her with treats and she never so much as looked at me. Good luck with her.” He sounded sincere. He went into the tack room. He obviously knew his way around the place and didn’t need my help or anyone else’s to get his animal settled.
When I had researched Reese’s ranch in the past, I had seen the name Travis before. If I wasn’t mistaken, he was a world famous reigning champion. Any ranch would be lucky to have their name associated with him. I wasn’t going to correct him about Blossom and potentially ruin that relationship for the ranch. The money thing stuck out in my mind, though. Here I was living off Reese, not contributing to anything. My horse stayed here, eating the hay and grain, taking up valuable space. I lived in the house, eating his food and sharing his bed. All for free.
Sure, I helped out with chores here and there. But that was the hands more or less just placating me. They didn’t need my help. They knew how to run this place. I had a horse I could barely afford, at least not to keep her here. I didn’t even have a home, not really.
How in the hell had I ever fooled myself into thinking I was going to earn enough money to go to vet school and keep Blossom?
Eventually, Reese would grow tired of having a freeloader around. He’d want to find someone who was his equal, who could pay their own way. That person was not me.
I swallowed thickly, choking back the tears that threatened to fall. The walls were closing in around me. I was out of my element here. I didn’t know what Reese saw in me. I knew what I saw in him.
He was a good man. An amazing horseman and a fair boss. His employees looked up to him, and when he wasn’t sniping and teasing with his brother, the two of them had such respect for one another.
He was everything I could ever want in a partner and lover.
I was in love with him.
And he was out of my league.
Chapter 11
Reese
It wasn’t often that I was in the house and ready for dinner before Perry, but today I was. Mom had made a roast with mashed potatoes, gravy, and roasted carrots. I fixed my plate and Perry’s as soon as I saw him walking in from the barn.
A dark look clouded his features. There were worry lines on his brow that I didn’t like to see. I wanted to fix whatever it was that plagued him. The adamant desire within me to take all his troubles away scared the shit out of me, but I wasn’t fighting it.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
“Hm?” he said as he looked at me. He shook his head, as if shaking his thoughts away. “Yeah, fine.”
“Long day?”
He nodded. “Yeah, but a good one. We had a herd health check on a flock of sheep. It was interesting, to say the least. Then we preg-checked a bunch of goats. They aren’t easy to wrangle.”
I grinned. “No, I suppose they are not.”
Perry sat down at the table with me. The worry lines had disappeared, but I didn’t like that they had been there to begin with. “Thanks for making my plate,” he said. He dug in, as did I. Both our plates were empty within no time at all. Then we were clearing the table and in the kitchen putting the dishes in the dishwasher.
“Those something you might want some day?” I asked.
He raised a brow. “What?”
“Sheep or goats. Something besides horses.”
He closed the dishwasher, then leaned against the counter. “Not sure. I honestly never really thought past getting my degree and getting Blossom back. I suppose I wouldn’t mind chickens. Fresh eggs are the best, or so I’ve heard. Meat rabbits are easy to keep. Plus they are cute.”
“You have a dream of having your own place?”
He eyes took on a faraway look and a smile blessed his face. It was like sunshine lit up the room, only it was well past dark outside. “I grew up in a big house, right. So much wasted space and rooms that were just for entertaining people. There were rooms I wasn’t allowed in, ones I was only allowed in during certain times of the day. I can’t remember all the rules. It was just… pointless. The house I dream of having is small, cozy. With some land, so I can enjoy the sunset at night without seeing neighbors or buildings.”
I wanted to give him all that and more. I was about to offer that and more when movement outside caught my eye. Travis, one of the reigners that trained at the ranch, climbed into his truck and left. He would likely park his rig at Rory’s while he was in town, then crash at a hotel. He used to camp out in his trailer, but now that he’d made the big time he could afford a hotel.
I turned back to Perry and found that same dark look on his face that was there when he came in. “You sure everything is all right?” I asked.
His face cleared and his eyes turned again, this time with lust. “Yes, I’m fine.”
