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nd waited for Joel to get back in. A full minute and two more vehicles passed before he opened his door.
Even as she blinked in the sudden flare of light, she saw him reach across his chest to holster his gun. He didn’t say a word as he started the truck and drove to park in front of the Sunset Vista Restaurant and Bar. The restaurant had already closed, but being a Saturday night during tourist season, the bar was still hopping at eleven-thirty.
“Why are you parking here?” she asked as he got out.
“So it looks like we’re in the bar.” He met her on her side as she closed the passenger door. “There’s an exit on the other side, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then we’ll head through here and go out to the barn that way.”
He motioned her ahead of him, and she glanced back as they climbed the stairs. “But no one followed us. Or are you—”
“Just being careful,” he finished for her.
She led the way inside where she smiled at some of the resort employees having drinks in the bar, but continued out the opposite door toward the barn.
The urge to run had her fisting the barn keys in her hand. Metal dug into her skin as they strode along the unlit lane that led to the closed up stables. The darkness pressed in and she couldn’t help moving closer to Joel. His hand grasped hers, the rough slide of his palm against hers a comforting reminder of his strength and protection. She squeezed her thanks. He squeezed back.
At the barn, he released her hand and she checked the double sliding doors, then moved to the office door just for show. Neither one budged.
“There you go,” Joel said. “Locked up nice and tight, nothing to worry about.”
She couldn’t leave yet. As she looked at him, the light directly overhead cast his face in shadow. Despite the frantic racing of her pulse, she managed a pleading smile. “As long as we’re here, I’d like to just go in and check on the horses. Say hi to Paelo. Do you mind?”
He hesitated long enough to make her worry. “No, go ahead.”
She fit the key in the lock and turned it just as a whicker carried across the yard from the arena. Britt jerked her head toward the sound. Gypsy. She’d forgotten about her being left alone out there, a helpless target with no way to defend herself. As soon as she saw Paelo was okay, she’d go out and bring the mare inside.
She pushed the door open, hurrying through the office and out into the main aisle, flipping on light switches as she went. The horses blinked in their stalls and a number of them neighed at the sudden activity.
Relief weakened her knees when she reached Paelo’s stall and he moved forward with a soft, welcoming whicker. She slipped inside to rub her hands over his satiny coat, then wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight hug. He arched his neck, trying to nuzzle her.
She smiled and whispered, “I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to you.”
Tears pricked her eyelids again. A sound from the aisle made her stiffen. She blinked a few times before turning as Joel stepped forward to run a palm down the stallion’s nose. “Looks like everything is all right here.”
“Yeah.” She stroked his sleek neck, then took the opportunity to slip past Joel as Paelo bumped his nose against his chest. “I think I’m going to bring Gypsy inside, though.”
“The mustang?” Joel’s gaze narrowed as he turned to look at her. “Why?”
“It’ll only take a minute. There’s a stall ready across the aisle. Get the sliding door for me, would you?”
“Brittany—wait.”
The frown was back in his voice. A sense of urgency dogged her heels as she ignored him and darted down the aisle, back through the office.
Chapter 27
Joel muttered a curse as he rammed the bolt home on the stallion’s stall and hurried to unlock the sliding door. She was hiding something. Considering it’d started back at the apartment when she’d insisted on coming to the barn, he knew it had something to do with the horses.
Why didn’t she trust him? He hadn’t given her any reason not to, had he?
He didn’t like her out there in the dark alone, but no more than he opened the door, she was back with the mare. His tension eased a tiny bit as he stood aside so she could lead Gypsy through. Her soft voice flowed with each step, keeping the horse calm, maintaining the trust she’d earned.
Maybe he should try that with her.
By the time he’d secured the sliding door once more, the mustang was in her stall, and Brittany stepped back out. She cast him a smile, quick and nervous, before looking back at the horse. Something was definitely not right.
