Rowan

by MarieRochelle

  Sighing, Akayie started her car and drove off, hoping after getting with Danya about the pictures, and working on the other parts of her list, that she would relax and push Rowan to the very back corner of her mind.

  Chapter Four

  The melody of hidden birds chirping within the trees around Rowan drew his attention as he took a seat in his favorite chair on his newly built deck. Without a doubt, right now was absolutely his favorite time of the morning. He could sit outside by himself without worrying about breeding horses or what his younger brothers had going on in their lives. He was concerned about nothing for the next several minutes.

  Sipping dark roasted coffee, he took a long look at the relaxing scenery surrounding him. He loved the fresh, clean air of the outdoors ever since he was a kid.

  Of all his brothers, he was the only one who spent as much time outside as he could, because he didn’t want to miss anything going on. For him, being able to come outside and become one with nature made him feel completely free. It gave him a peacefulness that he couldn’t find within his family, especially after he believed Dante had abandoned them for something better.

  When he was barely a teenager, he spent almost three weeks glued to his front porch watching and waiting for his big brother Dante to come up the driveway. He hoped that he would come back home to get them away from their controlling parents, but it never happened. Eventually he just gave up and cut his losses. Later on, he had heard from a few of his friends how Dante was living with another family outside of town. The hurt he felt hit him full force. He had never pain existed like that before. The closeness he still felt he shared with Dante died at the very moment. To help himself get over the anguish and loneliness of his brother’s abandonment of him and his brothers, he started looking for different ways to get over his issues.

  Not all of his decisions back then had been good ones. He wasn’t necessarily trying to be destructive, but he did push his parents to their limit and he didn’t care either, which wasn’t a bad thing. Especially after he found out how they treated Dante when he had wanted to come back home those first few weeks.

  He knew he was about to get placed somewhere like Dante. Actually, he was counting the days until his dear old father kicked him out of the house, and it happened two weeks after his eighteenth birthday. His dad believed it was his way or the highway, so Rowan took option two. It was the only choice left for him.

  He had found an ad in the newspaper for a local ranch a few miles from where he lived. The elderly owner was looking for a young person to clean out the stables and work on the property. He hated spending time at home listening to his parents lecture him about his bad choices, how he was messing up his life, and did he really want to end up like Dante…worthless.

  Instead of staying there, being torn down by his domineering father, he applied for the job and promised Mr. Willis that he was hardworking and didn’t mind getting his hands dirty.

  The following week, after graduating from high school, Rowan packed up his bags and moved away from the chaos that he used to think of as home. Most of the time, he spent so much energy working and learning the ropes at Mr. Willis’s ranch that he didn’t have time to left to do anything else but eat and sleep. Rowan liked how, as the days turned into weeks and his responsibilities grew more and more each day, he forgot about how much he had wanted Dante to come back home and save him from their father.

  Eventually years passed, and Mr. Willis got too old to run the place, and he mentioned to Rowan that he was thinking about selling it. Seeing his opportunity, Rowan brought up the idea of him buying the place. He had saved up his money, and put in his bid to pay for the ranch right then and there.

  “I thought I would find you out here. I don’t know how you can stay up so late and then get up this early just to stare out into space. You really need to get a woman, or your nickname is really going to become a reality for you.”

  Turning his head, Rowan looked up at Morgan before his brother took the seat next to him. He’d wanted this time to himself, but it didn’t seem like he was going to get it now. He loved Morgan, but sometimes he liked having his own solitude and there was nothing wrong with it.

  “I know you aren’t talking about that stupid name some of the people in town have given me,” Rowan said, eyeing his younger brother.

  “Yes I am.”

  “I’m not a loner. I talk to plenty of people when I need to, but I see no need to carry on an endless conversation about nothing. Besides, you know that I enjoy relaxing by myself in the early morning before my men get up. It helps me clear my mind and I need to do it even more now with her around.”

  “Are you and Ms. Mathis still at opposite ends? I thought after our talk you would have taken a step back. She’s a nice woman, but you haven’t made an effort to get to know her. She is going to be here for at least two to three weeks, so why make things even harder on her?”

  Why was Morgan bringing up something they had already been over? He was done keeping an eye of their pretty employee of the moment. She knew his rules weren’t meant to be broken. Now, he shouldn’t have any problems with her getting off track again. He was a busy man, which meant that he didn’t have any extra energy, let alone time, to babysit her like she was a child.

  “I told Ms. Mathis that I have decided to take a step back like you advised me to do,” Rowan answered. “I won’t be on her case like I was earlier. She can take pictures all she wants, but only to a certain point when it comes to my property, and I won’t change my mind about that.”

  Morgan chuckled, making him wonder what his sibling found so amusing. Sometimes Rowan felt like he was the butt of a joke without even knowing it. “What’s so damn funny?” he questioned.

  “Man, you need to let loose a little more,” his brother answered. “How are you going to handle your photo shoot with Ms. Mathis? Stop worrying so much and just breathe. Everything you let get underneath your skin is really over nothing at all.”

  “I wish you, Lucas, and Tanner would just leave me alone. What’s so bad about me wanting peace and quiet, especially after the way we were raised? I’ve worked extremely hard to get where I am today without help from anyone in our family.”

  His brother’s eyes grew harder. “I’ll tell you what’s wrong with it. Anytime you spend too much time with yourself, you become too intense, and when you finally decide to interact with people again everything is made worse than it really is. I know you’re going after your dream of expanding your breeding ranch, but do come up for air every once in a while.”

  Rowan turned his head, his hands clenched at his side in his seat. He hated when any of his brothers brought up that he needed to leave the past where it was and move on with his life. He was happy with the way things had been going for him. Why couldn’t they understand and leave him alone?

  Who was he hurting?

  No one at all.

  “How can you give me advice when you are the same way?” he accused, looking back at Morgan. “I can’t recall the last date you went on. So, how about you stay out of my business and I won’t bring up your lack of a personal life?”

  Morgan’s left eyebrow started to twitch, which showed that Rowan had hit a nerve. “Why are you always so disagreeable? All I was trying to do was help you out, but you had to turn our conversation in an argument. Well, I’m not going to let you pull me down that hole with you, Rowan. I do have a life, and if you found a way outside these walls more than once or twice a month you wouldn’t be in the dark about what is going on in your brothers’ lives, or with Akayie.”

  Getting up from his chair, Morgan walked back into the house without looking back at him. Instantly Rowan felt bad for his harsh comments. They were uncalled for.

  “Morgan, wait─” Rowan yelled over his shoulder, but it was too late. His brother was gone and already out of sight.

  Fuck! He didn’t want to start his day off like this. He wasn’t proud of getting into a fight with any of his siblings. They were be
ginning to grow closer again and sometimes he loved that fact, but there were times like today he wished they would give him some breathing room and let him just be.

  Glancing out at his pride and joy, Rowan watched as the ranch slowly came alive with his dedicated workers starting their day. The sun was barely up over the horizon, but he felt like he had already been working for hours though he hadn’t moved from this spot.

  All he wanted to do was make it through the day without any major issues coming up with any of his racehorses. A few of them hadn’t been performing the way he hoped they would. Black Thunder, who he purchased only a year ago, was having problems with his hind leg after one of the trainers worked him too hard. Once he found out when he came back home from his business trip, he fired the guy on the spot but he feared the damage was done.

  The veterinarian he made an appointment with was scheduled to show up later today, but he wasn’t holding out hope for any good news. It just seemed like everything was going downhill for him and he couldn’t figure out why. Hopefully he was wrong about the problem with Black Thunder and the issue with his leg was something simple and easy to be fixed without putting too much stress on the powerful animal.

  He still hated the fact that he hadn’t been able to see past his ex-trainer’s fake smile and firm handshake to his true intentions before hiring the bastard. But, he was so busy hiring new staff that his famous radar hadn’t picked up on anything concerning the son of a bitch. Now, he made sure that he paid more attention to the men he employed to deal with his prize-winning horses.

  Hearing the sound of a car driving up, Rowan turned his head as Akayie pulled up into the driveway. He glanced at his watch and was surprised that she was here so early. Yesterday she’d arrived right after his men had eaten breakfast. Yet, today she was here before most of them had left the bunk house. He wondered why she decided to come so much earlier today. Getting up from his chair, Rowan made his way towards the photographer his brothers Morgan and Lucas were so mesmerized by.

  Maybe a new day would make him see Akayie as less pushy or bossy. However, he seriously doubted his opinion of Ms. Mathis would change that quickly. Once his mind was made up, it took a lot to make him see things differently. She might be successful at using her beauty to make men fall for her. He had seen it before from women, especially when his horses started winning races and the money began rolling in at Braden Ranch. Women who never truly cared about him before because of his tough exterior flirted with him.

  He’d fallen for some of them in the past, but he was more selective now and he wasn’t about to pick Akayie Mathis for anything. She was too much of a pain under his skin. Yeah, she might have a stunning face, but he wasn’t seeking out any kind of romantic fling at the moment. He had moved on past a night of hot, sweaty sex with nothing to come from it the next morning. He’d better ways to spend his time, and staring at Akayie wasn’t even in the top five of his to do list.

  Since Akayie wasn’t even the tiniest bit interested in him romantically, it wouldn’t even matter. However, he couldn’t allow his past experiences with cunning women to be placed on Akayie. She wasn’t more than a part-time employee to him who would be gone soon. Morgan and Lucas were right. He was spending too much time worrying about her comings and goings instead of staying out of her way so she could do her job and leave town.

  Taking a deep breath, Rowan prepared himself to deal with Akayie. They hadn’t been on the best terms with each other. He only hoped that he would be able to talk to Akayie without it coming off as a lecture. He didn’t have the patience for another unwanted conflict with her.

  Chapter Five

  Turning off her vehicle, Akayie swallowed down her yawn as she tossed her car keys in her purse. She’d have rather slept in and not laid eyes on Rowan Braden. She was so fed up that she almost let Danya take over so she could get her first experience dealing with a challenging client. However, Akayie wasn’t easily intimidated, so she rolled out of her comfortable, cozy hotel bed, jumped in the shower, and now here she was pulling into Braden Ranch.

  If the wish she made on the way here came true, Rowan would be gone on another extended business trip, so he wouldn’t be here in her face.

  Why the hell does Mr. Rowan Braden think I need any help from him?

  The last article she’d read about him bragged about him being a successful horse breeder trying to get a contender for the Kentucky Derby. Nothing in there mentioned him having any skills behind the camera lens. She, on the other hand, had won several awards for her photography skills and talents over the past few years. It would be in both of their best interests if he just agreed to what was in the contract the both of them signed.

  Suddenly, a knock on Akayie driver’s side window jerked her away from her inner thoughts. She turned her head and found Rowan staring at her through the window looking like a picture-perfect cowboy. He was wearing a black and white checkered shirt tucked into a pair of denim blue jeans. He wasn’t hurting in the looks department. Without a doubt, Rowan was bound to capture a woman’s attention, but she wasn’t one of them.

  Blowing out a deep breath, Akayie plastered a smile on her face and then pushed the button to roll down the window. “Good morning, Mr. Braden. How can I help you?” she asked. Secretly, she prayed she wasn’t going to regret pulling into the driveway.

  “I was outside and I noticed you driving up. If you have a few minutes, I wanted to speak with you before you got started with your day,” he said through the opened window.

  Akayie stared at Rowan, wondering how she could get out of speaking with him, but technically she couldn’t because he was her boss. If she wanted this calendar to get done, then she would have to deal with Rowan.

  “Alright, can you give me a few minutes and I’ll talk with you.”

  “Fine, I’ll be in the house waiting for you in my office. Do you remember where it is?” he asked.

  She nodded. “Yes, I do. Morgan took me there on my first day here. It’s at the very end of the hall and the first door on the left.”

  “I’ll see you in ten minutes.”

  Narrowing her eyes, Akayie watched Rowan saunter away, wondering if she should make him wait even longer for giving her a time limit. She wasn’t one of his men, but an independent photographer he hired. She truly didn’t have to answer to his every beck and call.

  She took one final glance at Rowan’s retreating figure, trying not to notice how the jeans hugged his perfect ass. Spinning around, she gathered up her personal items in the passenger seat. Whatever he tossed her way, she would show him that he wasn’t going to make her experience at the ranch a bad one. He might stay in a constant, unpleasant mood but she sure as hell wasn’t going to let his issues rub off on her.

  Danya and other people who knew her loved her friendly, upbeat attitude. One nasty rancher wasn’t about to change her. Opening the car door, Akayie grabbed her owl messenger bag along with her Starbucks black coffee, and then got out of the car before slamming it closed with her hip. She took a long sip, enjoying how the taste calmed her nerves, before taking off in the direction Rowan had disappeared.

  * * * *

  Looking over his expense report, Rowan wondered how much extra money he should spend towards the purchase of Wuthering Heights from Bill Spencer. Both parents were past Kentucky Derby winners, but Spencer quoted him a number way above what he believed was a fair price. If he hadn’t taken the trip to California to see Dante, he would have been at the auction to bid on the prime thoroughbred himself. Horse racing wasn’t even his neighbor’s hobby; Bill only bought the animal because he had heard of Rowan’s fascination with owning the prized horse. He heard rumors that Wuthering Heights was spending most of his time in the stables until Bill got the price he wanted for the animal.

  Rowan knew Wuthering Heights was still very young and needed to be trained to be a winning Derby horse. He wasn’t going to invest a large amount of money on a possibility because the bloodlines were there. Bill thought he had
him over a barrel, but his greedy neighbor was wrong. Nobody made him do anything that he didn’t want to do involving his business or his personal life.

  Since it was never an easy decision, he took several things into consideration before purchasing a horse. There were no rules written in stone since two horses could be from the same bloodlines, and be near the same height, but have totally different characteristics. There was no such thing as the perfect horse; however, he had found out over the years the more he checked out the previous owners and researched the animal, the odds of getting a thoroughbred with the best speed and stamina—along with the right rider—only got better.

  After going through a lot of trials and tribulations, tossed in with a bit of good luck, he prayed everything would come together for him to find the perfect combination of horse and jockey to work towards taking it all at the Kentucky Derby.

  Hearing a light knock on his office door pulled Rowan away from his dreams of achieving his ultimate goal.

  “Mr. Braden, are you there? It’s me, Akayie.”

  He shouldn’t have confronted her earlier at her car. If he hadn’t, she would probably be on another part of his property taking photographs right now instead of standing on the other side of the door. Morgan was wrong. He didn’t hate Ms. Mathis, and he did see how gorgeous she was. He would have to be a blind man not to, but he wasn’t going to let her attributes distract him. It would stay strictly business between them, and that was the main reason he kept on her so much.

  “Come in,” Rowan yelled out.

  A second later, Akayie opened the door and walked inside. He tried not to notice how the white top she was wearing enhanced her perky breasts, or how her dark blue jeans with the holes in the knees molded against her thighs. God, everything about Akayie was very appealing but he had to make sure he stayed unaffected by her pretty face and sexy body.