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Taking a deep breath, steeling herself, she got out of the car, locked it, and hefted her handbag over her shoulder. She turned and immediately, their eyes locked. The car park wasn’t empty, but straight away she knew it was him. Age had changed his appearance a little bit, but he looked pretty much the same as he did all those years ago. She swallowed as she recognised him, gathering her courage. She could do this.
He was scruffier in real life than he’d been on the telly. For competitions, he dressed the part: immaculate jodhpurs, crisply pressed shirt and coat—a stark contrast to the work clothes he’d worn every day. Seeing him outside of competitions, it would be easy to believe the man didn’t even know what an iron was. He’d clearly made an effort today though, and a little thrill went through her—it made her feel like she mattered. She mattered enough for him to clean himself up, for him to dress nicely.
The jeans and black t-shirt he wore clung perfectly to his tall, lean body. He was bigger than she remembered. Not taller, but more solid. Broader. And definitely more muscular. She licked her lips appreciatively. He looked far better in real life than he did on the telly.
She stood there and eyed him up, her tummy flipping in excitement at how good looking he was. Stubble darkened his jaw, his too-long hair flopped over his forehead, nearly to his eyes. Oh, gosh, his eyes! She’d forgotten the way they pierced into her, staring right into her very soul, holding her captive.
He smiled, just the way he always used to do, with his eyes lighting up first, before the smile moved to his mouth and slowly spread through the rest of his body. Jason wasn’t the kind of man who only smiled with his lips. When Jason smiled, it was visible in every part of him. Years ago, she’d lived for those smiles. They’d filled her with warmth, made her feel like she was the most important person in the world. She looked at him now, at his smile, and started feeling the same way. Like she mattered.
“Catherine.” It was a statement, not a question, and the way her name rumbled off his lips in his deep voice made her heart skip a beat.
“Hi!” She smiled shyly, her bravery from last night gone. Meeting up with him again in the flesh was entirely different than rekindling their romance with flirty emails and doubt took hold of her, settling itself deep inside.
Part of her wanted to step closer to him, but the other part of her wanted to get back into her car and drive back the way she’d come: to run. She was good at running. Running was easy.
He stepped closer, just one step, and stopped directly in front of her, the perfect distance away, not crowding her; ever the gentleman. He smelled the same way she remembered: leather, horses, saddle soap, grain, molasses, mixed with the same musky, masculine-scented deodorant he’d always worn. She inhaled discreetly, reminding her body of who he was, breathing in his familiar, comforting scent.
“You look good.” He sounded genuine, and smiled warmly. “I was half expecting you to turn up in pyjamas or ugly trackpants or something.” He chuckled, then gestured up and down her body. “But you look good. Really good. You’re even more beautiful now than you used to be.”
Catherine felt herself blushing. Heat flooded her body, spread across her face, shot to her core.
“Really?” The doubt in her voice was pathetic and she hated herself for it.
“Really.”
She shook her head. “I’m not beautiful. Especially not now.” With all her heart, she believed those words to be true. It was a long time since she’d felt beautiful. So long, that she couldn’t even remember it. What had happened to the carefree, confident girl she’d once been? Old Catherine happily accepted compliments and wasn’t shrouded in self-doubt like this Catherine was. Old Catherine was fun-loving and playful and full of life. This Catherine was anything but.
Jason stepped forward and placed his hands on her shoulders. “No more running yourself down,” he told her softly. “It’s not allowed. You’re beautiful; don’t argue.”
“And if I do?”
The back of his hand stroked her cheek and the tiniest of grins played at the corners of his mouth. “You know what happens to naughty girls.”
A little thrill went down her spine at the threat in his words.
His hand slid down her face to grasp her chin, tilting her face up to look at him. “If you say anything bad about yourself again, you’re going to find yourself over my knee.”
She swallowed, her heart pounding. She tried to tear her gaze away from his but found herself trapped in his intense stare.
“Even if it’s true?” she asked, breathless.
“But it’s not true.”
“Some of it might be,” she insisted. He frowned. “At a later date,” she hurriedly added.
He shook his head. “No. Not allowed. Not ever.”
He let go of her chin but kept his eyes fixed on her, his intense stare holding her captive. A shiver rippled through her.
“Yes, sir,” she whispered.
* * *
Yes, sir.The way she whispered the words made his cock hard. He swallowed, willing his body back under control. It was inappropriate to be reacting this way, so soon after meeting her.
But you’re not just meeting her,the rational part of him reminded.She was the other half of you, years ago. It’s not like she’s some random stranger you just picked up.
The way she bit her lip and looked cheekily up at him almost made his cock explode.
