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“Is who alright?” Sonia asked. McGoven frowned, equally confused.
No wonder. Loren’s cheeks flamed as she realized her mistake. Esther, Bunny, and Xavier were namesshehad given the horses. Unlike the portrayals of stables on television, Officer McGoven didn’t have his animals’ names on the doors to their stalls, so she named each one based on its personality.
Esther, for her big, soulful eyes. Bunny, for those droopy white ears, and Xavier, who seemed too regal to be called anything else. It had never really entered her mind that theirrealowner might have called them something else.
“The horse,” she croaked, forcing herself to meet that piercing gaze. “Is h-he alright?”
Officer McGoven gave her the strangest look. “No.”
Loren’s heart sank. “Oh, God…I’m so sorry—”
“He’s spooked,” Officer McGoven explained matter-of-factly. “He’s winded…but he’ll live.”
“Oh.” Relief nearly barreled Loren over. Xavier was okay.
“See?” Sonia began tentatively. “You were worried for nothing. Bill, it’s fine. I can fix her up. You don’t have to—”
“I’ll do it.” He shifted to deliberately block Sonia’s path.
With a sigh, Sonia turned to the kitchen. “I’ll just make more tea.”
Nervous energy filled the air as she left. She seemed like the type who needed to keep busy, feeding everyone, or soothing emotions during a crisis. The natural-born mom.
Officer McGoven, however, eyed the first-aid kit as if he had no clue what to do with it.
“Hold it for me,” he ordered after a moment.
Loren scooted to the very end of the couch and wrestled the kit onto her lap. Seeming to change his mind, he took it from her, and she had nothing better to do with her hands than fidget with the hem of her dress.
It felt thinner than tissue paper as he sank to one knee before her. His scent flooded her lungs, intoxicating. Powerful. The first aid kit resembled a toy box in his large hands, flimsy and fragile.
“What were you thinking?” He posed the question so softly she barely heard him. “You could have been killed.”
“I just thought…” That somehow, stealing his horse would be okay in the long run if it got her off his property. “I’m sorry. I thought… It would be better if I left.”
His frown gave her the excuse to stop talking. He lowered his head, propping the kit on his knee. “Do you even know the first damn thing about riding a horse?” he asked.
“No.”
He made a deep sound in the back of his throat.Interesting. “Do you realize that the horse you took is a full-grown stallion who could havethrownyou the second he wanted to?”
Shehadknown that much, at least. “Y-yes.”
“And—” Officer McGoven continued. “Do you realize those horses will never leavemyproperty unless I give—” Abruptly, he changed the topic. “Open your mouth. You’re still bleeding.”
He gave her no warning, and she tried not to flinch as one of those massive hands cradled her chin. If only he felt as dangerous as he looked. Despite the muscles coiling beneath his skin, his gentleness was a shock. He barely touched her at all, just softly eased her head back so that he could dab at her bottom lip with a bit of antiseptic liquid smeared over the cotton ball.
Their eyes met, and Loren expected anger. Hatred. Rage. What she found in his gaze only confused her. Fear? Genuine fear that didn’t seem to ease until he wiped away most of the blood and set the first aid kit aside.
Rather than withdraw, he remained crouched. Then, much like Sonia had tried to, he tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear.
She didn’t recoil—she couldn’t. It was like her body became magnetic, drawn to his touch. Her toescurled,and an unfamiliar emotion flooded her belly. Another time she might have flinched at the sensation, but she was paralyzed.
It felt…nice having him there. Right.
Ours,that voice murmured, louder and more insistent.Ours. Mine. His.
She felt as though she could endure his touch for eternity. Longer, even.
