by Laura Ann
“Your performance wasn’t bad, but there were still mistakes.” Ritton folded his hands over his chest. “Next time you need to—”
“How about we let her rest a little, then you can give her a lecture,” a deep voice interrupted.
Kinsley’s eyes nearly popped out of her sockets as she listened to Sawyer interrupt Coach Ritton. No one interrupted the famous coach, and she prepared herself for a terrible backlash.
Coach Ritton glared at Sawyer. “You have no right to interfere here.” He pointed a finger at Sawyer. “Babying her won’t make her a better horsewoman, and that’s what I’m being paid to do.”
“Driving her to the brink of exhaustion won’t either,” Sawyer argued, standing strong against the cranky coach. “Let her rest, see what her score was, and then you can talk strategy for the next ride.”
Coach Ritton’s face grew an angry red, but he kept his mouth closed. Finally, he turned to Kinsley. “It’s your money going to waste if you don’t want to hear what I have to say. No skin off my back.” With a huff, he turned and walked back over to the spot he observed the riders from.
“Oh my gosh,” Kinsley whispered. “What are you doing?”
Sawyer smiled, causing Kinsley’s heart to flutter. “Giving you a chance to catch your breath before he beats you into little pieces.”
“Do you realize how tough he’s going to be on me during practice now?” Kinsley shook her head. She was a mixture of annoyed and awestruck, and wasn’t sure which emotion should win. “While I do need to sit down, I’m also dreading what he’s going to do when we get home.”
Sawyer grabbed her hand and began walking her down the hall. Kinsley quickly grabbed Amadeus’ reins, the horse walking sedately beside her.
“Practice is the time to break down what went wrong. That’s when he should work you hard. But during a show, he should be encouraging.” Sawyer looked over his shoulder and winked. “The guy is a total bully, and they never handle it well when they find someone they can’t intimidate. Most of the time, they back off, not willing to risk looking like a fool.”
Kinsley shook her head and whistled low. “Pretty gutsy, if you ask me.” She absolutely loved the feel of his hand holding hers. As busy as she was with her horse shows and modeling, Kinsley rarely had a chance to test out the dating scene. And now that she was experiencing what real chemistry was like, Kinsley wasn’t sure she ever wanted to go back to the way things were.
She was fully aware that Sawyer was putting on an act, but there was no way to ignore the fact that the two of them had sparks. During those couple of times when he’d let down his guard, she had seen the same desire in his eyes that she felt in herself. He might not want to admit it, but he’s just as interested in me as I am in him. Now, if I could just convince him that it doesn’t have to be fake. But maybe that should wait until after we catch whoever’s out to get me.
“Did you see anything suspicious when you checked on my stuff earlier?” Kinsley whispered as they drew near to her stall.
Sawyer glanced around and shook his head. “No. Though I did have an interesting conversation with Tyrone.”
Kinsley pulled to a stop. “What did you say to him?” she asked, immediately defensive. “You didn’t hurt him, did you?”
Sawyer’s eyebrows furrowed. “No, I did not.” He sighed and scrubbed his face with his hands. “Look, Kins. I’m not trying to hurt anyone. I’m trying to protect you. It’s easy to see that Tyrone isn’t treated well around here. I promise I didn’t hurt him, but I did try to egg him on a bit. I need to know whether he’s capable of taking your stuff or not.”
Kinsley huffed. “I’ve already told you he’s harmless.”
“And I’ve already told you I’m not sure about that.”
Kinsley closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Look.” She shook her head. “I don’t want to fight about this. I’ll do my best to stay out of your way and not stop your investigation, but please...just be nice.”
Sawyer stepped up close, crowding Kinsley. She felt her eyes widen and she automatically stepped backward, right into Amadeus’ neck.
“I wasn’t mean to him, Kins,” Sawyer said softly. “I promise.”
Kinsley swallowed hard. Those last two words echoed through her mind. I promise. He was completely serious, and Kinsley could feel the ring of truth to his words. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Sawyer nodded, but didn’t back up. His blue eyes were warm and inviting, and just like before the show, they were dark with intensity.
Kinsley held his gaze, daring him to complete the move they had been interrupted from earlier. His eyes darted down to her lips and Kinsley found herself leaning forward ever so slightly in invitation. Putting one hand on his chest, Kinsley tilted up on her tiptoes.
Sawyer squeezed his eyes shut and groaned, then leaned down and took control of Kinsley’s lips.
Oh my word...Kinsley felt herself melt into the touch, and she was enjoying every minute of it. When Sawyer’s arms slipped around her waist and tugged her in closer, a smile pulled at her lips, breaking their kiss.
“What are you laughing at?” Sawyer breathed as he moved to her jaw and cheek.
“Nothing,” Kinsley said, tilting her head to give him better access. “Nothing at all.”
“We really shouldn’t take things this far,” he said in a gruff voice. “This is supposed to be fake.”
“I know,” Kinsley said breathily, loving the feel of his lips still roving over her skin. But that doesn’t mean I want it to be that way.
Sawyer sighed and rested his forehead in the crook of her neck. “Kins...”
Kinsley also sighed, but this time in disappointment. “I know.” She closed her eyes, wishing he could just give in and admit that there was really something between them.
Sawyer straightened, his emotionless face back in place. “Come on. Let’s get Amadeus taken care of so you can eat.”
Kinsley nodded and waited for Sawyer to open her stall gate so she could take her horse inside.
WHAT WAS I THINKING? Sawyer chastised himself. I wasn’t, and that’s exactly the problem. I’ve never had trouble controlling myself before. How does she do this to me?
Sawyer watched Kinsley take care of her animal, cooing and talking to Amadeus as if he were human, and Sawyer couldn’t help but grin. He was coming to realize more and more that this woman was a nurturer. She watched out for everyone, especially the underdog, as evidenced by the way she stood up for Tyrone. And now, watching her treat her horse so well was just another piece of the Kinsley puzzle. Unfortunately, she’s proving to be anything but the princess I thought she was.
Determined to put his mind on something else, Sawyer grabbed Kinsley’s lunch cooler. “You ready to eat? You need to maintain your energy.”
Kinsley smiled and shook her head. “You’re supposed to be watching out for the bad guy, not worried about my stomach.”
Sawyer shrugged. “I’m committed to taking care of all parts of you, whether outside or inside.” As soon as the words slipped out, he wished he could take them back. They were far too revealing as to where his emotions were headed regarding the gorgeous woman in front of him. By the look on Kinsley’s face, his slip hadn’t gone unnoticed.
“Sawyer...” she started.
Sawyer shook his head and held up the cooler. “We can’t, Kins. Let’s just get you fed.” The hurt on her face hit Sawyer right in the chest and he could have sworn his heart stuttered. He opened his mouth to apologize, then snapped it shut. He couldn’t. He couldn’t give into his growing feelings. Not only did he need to hold onto a professional demeanor during this case, but he refused to be just another matchmaking statistic in Harlan’s firm. His older brother needed someone on his side, and with all the other bodyguards pairing off right and left, it was making Harlan’s life much more difficult as he no longer had access to his workers twenty-four-seven.
He needs at least one of us to stay the course, Sawyer reminded himself. And i
t looks like that’s going to be me.
Kinsley held out her hand for the cooler, then sat down on a bale of straw in the corner of the stall.
Forcing himself to stay outside the gate so he couldn’t cuddle up to Kinsley and take advantage of their solitude, Sawyer turned around and leaned against the gate, folding his arms over his chest.
His eyes went up and down the hallway, scanning the other people and keeping an eye out for anything unusual. The place seemed to run like a well-oiled machine. Workers in their recognizable black button-up shirts hurried around, cleaning stalls, answering questions, and sending the contestants in the right direction.
As Sawyer’s eyes went to the right, they suddenly clashed with an amused smirk.
Mary Ann wiggled her fingers at him, her lips pushed out in a flirty pout.
Sawyer snorted softly and gave her a polite nod, then turned away, doing his best to convey his disinterest without actually having to say anything. That girl is starting to get on my nerves, he grumbled internally.
“Sawyer...” Kinsley’s voice was soft and strained and Sawyer hung his head, knowing she was going to want to talk about what happened earlier.
He closed his eyes and prayed for courage before straightening up. “Look, Kins—” Sawyer turned and immediately cut off his words. His eyes widened as he watched Kinsley fall off the bale and begin to convulse. Panic shot through him and Sawyer jumped into action, his body knowing exactly what to do, though his mind was a scrambled mess. “SOMEBODY CALL 911!” he bellowed, ripping open the gate and diving inside. Amadeus snorted and shifted to the side, stomping a little, but Sawyer ignored the horse.
“KINSLEY!” He picked her up in his arms, shaking her a little. “Kins, answer me, hon. Please.” His voice dropped into a hoarse whisper. “Please, it can’t end like this.” Desperation pulsed through him and Sawyer put his ear to her chest. Closing his eyes, he said a quick prayer of thankfulness that her heart was still beating, and though her breathing was shallow, she was still taking in air.
Suddenly her back arched and she stiffened in his arms, shaking like she was having a seizure.
“What’s going on?” Coach Ritton came storming up to the stall, his face livid, but when he spotted Kinsley, all the red fury immediately drained. “Kinsley?”
“Call 911,” Sawyer ordered, not knowing if anyone else had heeded his previous command.
“I’ve got it!” a worker called, running up to the stall. She gasped when she saw Kinsley. “What’s wrong with her?”
Sawyer shook his head. “I don’t know. One minute she was fine, and the next, she was on the floor, shaking.” He looked to Coach Ritton. “Take Amadeus out of here.”
The horse was getting agitated, shifting around and throwing his head back as if he knew his master was sick.
The coach nodded and grabbed a bridle, quickly throwing it over the horse’s head and leading him out of the stall.
A strangled gasp caught Sawyer’s attention and he turned just in time to see Mary Ann standing with her hands over her mouth. Sawyer narrowed his gaze, wondering if the girl had a hand in this. Was she trying to take out the competition? He shook his head. There’s no time for that now. Focus on Kinsley.
A large crowd was gathering around the stall, but Sawyer ignored them all. He kept a hand on Kinsley’s chest, keeping an eye on her breathing and heartbeat, and his other kept touching her face, while he murmured soothing words.
“It’s okay, Kins. Help is on the way.” He brushed back her hair. Her eyes were wild, but she focused them on him. She looked terrified, and Sawyer tried to smile. “Just keep breathing.” He nodded when she sucked in a gasping breath. “That’s it. Just keep breathing, and help will be here any minute.”
“Out of the way!” A deep voice came from down the hallway, causing the crowd to part like the Red Sea. Two men and one woman burst into the stall, a stretcher left in the walkway. “What do we have?”
Sawyer backed up to let them work, reluctantly giving up his connection to Kinsley. The loss of touch sent his heart into overdrive and he realized that by helping her, he had also been keeping himself calm. I’m in even deeper than I thought. He scrubbed a hand down his face. “She was eating lunch and suddenly went into convulsions. That’s all I know. Her breathing has been rapid and shallow, and her heart racing.”
“Grab the lunch,” the man said to one of the other paramedics. “Did she ever lose consciousness?” he asked Sawyer as he shone a light in Kinsley’s eyes, looking for dilation.
“Not that I’m aware of,” Sawyer added. He stood and folded his arms together. The need to hold her was overwhelming, but he knew the paramedics needed him out of the way.
“Let’s get her loaded,” the woman said. Together they lifted Kinsley and put her on the stretcher. After grabbing their supplies, they took off, Sawyer trailing behind them.
“Hold it,” the woman said when Sawyer tried to follow them into the ambulance. “Just who are you?”
“I’m her—” Sawyer stopped himself before he said bodyguard. We’ve got to catch who did this. I can’t give myself away yet. “I’m her boyfriend.”
The woman eyed him. “Family only in the ambulance.”
Sawyer felt every muscle in his body stiffen. There was no way he could be separated from Kinsley and keep his cool. “Does fiancé count as family?”
The paramedic narrowed her gaze. “You said boyfriend.”
Sawyer shrugged. “The engagement is very recent.”
“Jill, we gotta go!” one of the men shouted from his spot inside.
Jill rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Jump in or get left behind. We’re leaving.”
Sawyer wasted no time in scrambling up and plopping himself on the opposite side of the paramedics. He immediately grabbed Kinsley’s hand, and the squeeze she gave him let him know he had made the right choice. “I’m here, Kins,” he said softly, stroking her cheek. “I’m here.”
CHAPTER 10
Kinsley blinked rapidly. The bright lights above made her eyes water and the noise of the hospital room was giving her a migraine. She clenched her teeth together as she felt another spasm roll through her body, and the doctors and nurses scrambled to keep her from falling off the bed.
The words they were shouting sounded as if they were in another language as they gave medical orders and parried ideas of what could be happening to her. However, one word has been easy enough to recognize. Poison. The doctors believed she had been poisoned.
How could I have been poisoned? Was there something wrong with my lunch? We just got groceries a few days ago and nothing smelled bad or was moldy.
“She’s lucky it was such a small dose,” one of the nurses murmured.
This is a small dose? Kinsley wanted to yell, but her pain level was too high for her to be able to speak coherently. Instead, she gripped her sheets and prayed for it all to be over. A needle was stuck in her arm and connected to an IV, where they immediately began to pump fluids and medication into her system.
“This’ll help bring down those spasms,” a nurse said as she put her face in Kinsley’s point of view and smiled.
Kinsley tried to nod, but every muscle in her body was so exhausted from the episodes that she could barely lift her chin. Where’s Sawyer? she wondered. I need him back. His calm presence and warm hand had been the only thing she could focus on when she’d first fallen ill. His deep voice was so strong, and his protectiveness came through each time he spoke, helping her feel as if it would truly be all right.
“Okay, then...” The doctor sighed and pulled off his gloves. “Looks like we finally got it under control.”
At his words, Kinsley realized her tight muscles were finally relaxing, and though she was still in pain, she didn’t feel any imminent spasms. Thank goodness. Now they can send Sawyer in. As her muscles relaxed even more, Kinsley’s eyelids began to feel thick and heavy.
“Sleep, honey. It’ll help you feel better,” the nurse from earlier urged. “We’
ve got it all handled for now.”
“Does she have family in the waiting area?” the doctor asked.
“Her father and fiancé are there,” came the response.
Fiancé? What the heck? Kinsley’s eyebrows shot up, even though her eyes remained closed. She had no idea who they were talking about, but the shock wasn’t strong enough to pull her from her exhausted, medically induced slumber. With a soft sigh, she gave in and slipped under.
When consciousness came again, the room was much quieter than before. All of the doctors and nurses must have left, as there was no sound coming from the space around Kinsley. It took her a few tries to open her eyelids. Her body still felt overly heavy and tired from the events of the afternoon.
Her room was semi-dark and she realized the light was off, though a bathroom light was on over in the corner, providing just enough visibility for Kinsley to look around the room. She fumbled at the side of the bed for the button to push herself upright.
“Kinsley?”
Kinsley snapped toward the sound and gasped as she watched her father rise from the couch. “Dad!”
He rushed over and embraced her, being careful not to disturb any of her tubes and wires. “Oh my darling.” His shoulders shook as he cried into her neck. “How could this have happened?”
“It’s okay, Dad,” she whispered, clinging tightly to his back. “I’m here. It’s okay.” Kinsley rubbed her hands up and down, doing her best to soothe her sobbing father. Her heart sank as she thought of what would have happened if she’d died. He’s never gotten over losing Mom. Losing me, too, would have crushed him.
Garrett stood up and wiped his eyes. Wrinkles were far more prominent on his face than normal, and dark bags lay under his eyes, causing Kinsley to feel terribly guilty for everything she was putting him through.
“I’m so sorry, Dad,” she rushed to say. Her voice was hoarse and she coughed a little, clearing her throat.
“Here.” The voice Kinsley had been dreaming of hearing came from her other side and she slowly turned. Sawyer stood beside her bed, concern radiating from every part of him as he held out a hospital mug full of ice water.