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Chapter Thirteen
It occurred to Sky, as the rain pelted the windowpanes of the quaint cottage she rented from Jack, that she had no intention of leaving the inn. If she was serious about it, she would have given Reese her resignation by now.
Granted, she was wholeheartedly into her songwriting and even considering some performances in Luckenbach. Plus, she’d started in on her recipe book, which would be a work in progress for a while, yet something to occupy her time. Despite her other interests, though, she did not have the burning desire to walk away from her job at the Painted Horse. Now that word had spread that the inn had a baker on staff, she was getting requests for wedding cakes and other desserts for special functions. She was busier than ever—and loving it.
The only downside was Sam. He was back from his latest trip. Sky didn’t know for how long. Seeing him in the stable nearly a week ago had been hell on her. Her pulse had raced, but her heart had constricted. There’d been a tense air between them, and she hadn’t been able to decipher the look he’d given her, other than seeing that he was impressed she’d helped to calm Midnight after his recent ordeal.
Dalton had told her the horse would be ready for adoption soon. That left Sky scrambling to come up with a plan, because she was filing an application for him. The easiest solution would be to plop down another manufactured home on the land in Luckenbach while she had a permanent house built there. She could have the property landscaped and arrange for the appropriate facilities and necessities to be set up in a relatively short amount of time. A month from now, she could be prepared to bring the horse out.
But a little tickle in the back of her brain made her hesitate to take Midnight from the ranch. No, she didn’t want anyone else adopting him—and she was certain she’d get first dibs, given her relationship with the horse and the fact that all of the parties concerned knew she’d take excellent care of the stallion.
Yet she couldn’t deny he belonged at the Painted Horse. With Sam close by.
So she made a split decision and picked up her cell phone. She hit a speed dial number and everything inside of her melted when Sam answered.
“Hey there, darlin’,” he said in his sexy drawl that made her toes curl.
“Hey.” She tried to get her suddenly quick breathing to slow. No such luck.
Sam said, “Can’t tell you how glad I am you called me.”
“I have a proposition I’d like you to consider.”
“Wouldn’t involve a horse, would it?”
She laughed, despite the perpetual knot in her stomach. “You talked with Caleb?”
“He proposed I board Midnight for you on my part of the ranch. Is that something you two discussed?”
“No. Actually, I’ve been considering taking Midnight—if the adoption goes through—to Luckenbach. I’ll turn my property into the best accommodations I can for him, but… Well, it’s just that… He doesn’t really belong anywhere other than the ranch. Don’t you think?”
She heard a ruffling noise and figured he was settling more comfortably in a chair or his sofa. That sofa they’d made love on. Christ it seemed as though that night was a million years ago. As were all of the nights they’d been together.
Sky suddenly forgot the reason for her call and momentarily lost herself in the remi
nder of Sam’s hands all over her body. God, she missed him. She missed his kisses. She missed having him inside her. She missed…everything about him.
“You’re moving back to Luckenbach?”
He snatched her from her errant thoughts. The knot pulled tight. “Yeah. Though, I don’t think I’m quitting the inn. I haven’t really made a final decision on that.”
Sam was quiet a few seconds, then asked, “What are you proposing?”
“Joint custody. That horse adores and trusts us both. And the feelings are mutual, so why not keep him out at the ranch?”
More silence ensued. She would have given anything to see his expression. What was he thinking? What was he feeling? What did he really want?
He didn’t keep her in suspense for long. He said, “The familiar setting and people would help to keep him at ease, I suspect. Aid in even further recovery.”
“I think so too.” She gave a sigh of relief. Then she told him, “I’ll pay for everything.”
“You know that’s not an issue.”
“We’ll work it out.”
“That’s not all we need to work out,” he said.
“I’m not ready to talk about this,” she told him.
