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She touched the necklace instinctually, but the masking scent was still strong. Was his wolf fighting for control like hers did anytime he was around? She let her hands creep up his chest, feeling the hard muscles tense under her hands, and she pushed him away. She needed space before she did something she’d regret.
“Thank you for sending for a table. And the hotspot. You could have told me you had already made arrangements. Maybe then, I wouldn’t act an ass towards you.”
He only grunted, his face carefully blank again, before stepping back to wrap the sandwiches up in a napkin and drop them in a little bag on the counter. The moment was over, but her heart still pounded in her chest as they left the crowded office area. They made their way back to the picnic table where Gio and Travis sat on their phones, and she was immediately grateful for the boots. So much better than her damn wedges. She knew that this morning, but too many people were bossing her around, and it drove her crazy.
“Thanks for the sandwiches, man. Never underestimate the power of a simple turkey and cheese. Other than my mom’sleftover meatloaf, it’s really the best way to lunch.” Travis inhaled his, spitting while he talked, and Gio poked at her sandwich when he was done.
“Are there pickles on yours? Gimme.”
Gio reached over to snag a pickle, but she slapped his hand away, then popped it into her mouth. “Mmmh. Pickles make the world go round.”
“Of course you like pickles.”
“More like she likesthepickle.”
They both giggled at Travis’s joke, and with Nassau inches away from her, ignoring them all, she relaxed for the moment. She wiggled her eyebrows up and down suggestively, and they all cracked up. “I can like both.”
“So, what are your orders for the rest of the day? I’m surprised you’ve been given this much free time as it is.”
“Beta Nicholas said to stick with you, especially in the evening, and come back over there every morning for briefings, then back to you for lunch every day. That way we have a pattern and maybe crazy dude will follow you here for one of us to catch.”
“You gonna hang around here this afternoon then?”
“Nope. Supposed to make you look unguarded. I’m thinking we will go join Zhair in their training, then meet you back at the packhouse for dinner. Z swears he can whip me into shape fast. Gonna be Tuisa trained in no time.”
“Well, I’ll be here, watching my little rodeo show on repeat.”
They stood to leave, and Nassau gathered all their trash, still not saying a word through all their teasing and conversation. He had eaten slowly, not engaging with them, but she saw how he stayed sharp, keeping his eyes on the buildings, the pastures, noticing every movement around them. The man didn’t take a break.
She had decided this morning he was entirely too spot on about her. Not only did she need to be more careful around him,but she needed to play his game back. She could watch in silence too. Okay, maybe not complete silence, but she could learn about him without having normal conversation.
She couldn’t wrap her head around the idea that, despite her plan to make him hate her, she had an insane drive for him to like her, to get to know him and…fuck, she didn’t know what else she wanted. She didn’t know anything anymore. Everything was a jumble, and she was spinning. All she really knew was that they needed to catch the stalker. Then she could get back on the road, away from him, and she could take back control of her life.
Without a word to her, he disappeared into the stables, reappearing with more buckets. Another stable hand followed him with a fresh horse, and they got back to work in the pen. She sighed, pulling out her laptop again. There was always something she could do, but she really needed fresh material from the tour. Or something juicy to report.
Despite her resolve, her eyes were drawn to him as he worked. The hot way his sleeves were rolled over his biceps, even the undone buttons on his shirt. Every once in a while, he would take off his hat and wipe the sweat from his forehead, allowing her to admire the full look. Just like the other night, he wore it neatly braided from his hairline to the crown of his head, where it dropped over his shaved scalp, then down his back and neck.
Something about all that hair, about the perfect way he wore it, made her want to undo it and see it wild, see him undone, and she was captivated by that idea. Him losing control, snapping on her…she only imagined how hot it would be. But it was like he could feel her gaze, and he would look up and catch her staring. Any other time, she’d be blatant with her admiration of a man, but now she felt defensive, knowing she’d already been too open with him. She needed space between them.
But that didn’t stop her from enjoying the view. Remembering the guys brought her sunglasses over before commandeering herJeep, she slid them on with her laptop in front of her. If she was going to be forced to spend time with her mate, then she had decided she would enjoy it. She only wished she had a fruity little drink and some popcorn.
Watching safely from behind her glasses, she admired the gentle way he handled the horses, the smooth movements of mounting and unmounting them over and over while they got used to his weight, the confident way he held them, murmuring into their ears when they were skittish…had her wishing it was her he was touching. She imagined his hands traveling all over her own body, gripping her hair, fucking her from behind, and she could barely sit still.
What was even more annoying was that he was right. The longer she sat here watching and observing, the more she noticed about him. The other cowhands respected him—a lot. He was in charge, but not sitting in an office. No, that wouldn’t be for him. This place ran like a machine. He didn’t give orders, didn’t ask questions of anyone, and didn’t rush. He expected others to follow his lead, and they did. He hardly ever said a word, just some head nods, a jerk of his chin here and there, and maybe a grunt. Certainly, no smile, though.He was good. She could see why he was given the tough horses to break. So, when the last horse of the day was brought out, she stared admiringly at her.
A shiny light chestnut coat, solid blonde all over with a golden mane, she was taller than most mares, and already giving poor Braulio a hard time. She pulled on the halter, stomping and prancing around, and ignoring commands. Once the gate was closed, she was released to run around the pen a few times, and Nassau stood in the middle, waiting. Eventually, the mare slowed down, approaching Nassau, who only stood holding her treats. It was clear they had been through this many times because she tried to nip the carrot from his hand, but he heldit back until she followed his signals. He walked her through several calls, and the mare dutifully followed.
Bailey had observed Nassau’s training habits, noticing that despite the horses being all on different skill levels, they all had similar responses, one’s Nassau created, so they were predictable. But this one didn’t behave like the others, and she definitely treated him differently. She was playful, full of personality, and only appeared to be following his signals. She had seen how the horse treated poor Braulio, but she had a closer connection with Nassau, so she was listening…for now. There was hesitation and some willful opposition, but as long as she got her treats, she kept going.
Stretching her legs, Bailey stood, walking along the pen, drawing the attention of the mare, who immediately trotted over to her. Sticking her head over the pen, she nuzzled Bailey aggressively, and in return, she swept her hands along the mare’s neck, murmuring softly in her ear. She heard Nassau’s almost indiscernible signal several times, and judging by the twitching of the horse’s ear, so did she.
Bailey patted her a couple times on the neck, pushing her away gently. She trotted away, circling Nassau again. Climbing the slats of the pen, she perched on the top of the fence, watching as Nassau struggled to gain the horse’s attention and had to start the training session over again.But he was patient, and it was clear he had to do this often with her.
“What’s her name?”
“Ursula.”
“Like…the villain?”
