by Krista Lakes
Her mouth went dry. “Here,” she said, holding out the brush, her heart pounding for no reason that she could come up with.
He took a step toward her, closing the small distance between them in half a heart beat. She could smell the soft scent of his aftershave. It was a nice clean scent, something with pleasant cedar notes that reminded her of camping under the stars. It was hard not to get melty when a guy smelled that good.
“Thank you.” He was suddenly very, very close. His hand closed around hers and the brush. The first time they'd touched had nothing on this. This time, her entire body tingled and goosebumps spread down her arms. She was sure he could hear the pounding of her heart in her chest.
His eyes were so blue they physically made her ache. The green accents deep within them only made her think of dark water and wonderful secrets, but it was the warmth with which he was looking at her right now that had her gasping for breath.
Commander shuffled his feet, unhappy with the lack of brushing. His rump ran directly into Ella's shoulder and knocked her off balance. Her arms flailed as she tumbled toward the ground, but she didn't fall. Jace caught her. As if in slow motion, his hand moved to her waist, pulling her in close to him. His strong body steadied hers, holding her upright and against him. Her hand splayed out on his chest, pressing against the firm muscle under his fine-linen dress shirt.
A tantalizing surge of desire to kiss him welled up inside of her. How would he taste? Would his face be smooth or prickly with a day's growth? Her lips needed to know, to reach out and touch him. Somehow, probably instinctively, she knew without a doubt that kissing him would be like tasting heaven.
Ella's brain worked in slow motion, desire warring with reason. She just met this man and he was a guest. She shouldn't be leaning in, rising up on her tiptoes, closing her eyes and holding her breath for him to do the same. Yet, all she wanted in this moment was this kiss. This perfect kiss.
She was glad she rescued him from the vultures.
Chapter Three
A soft giggle from the dark on the path outside the barn caught her attention. Jace and Ella froze, their lips so close Ella could feel his breath. The soft sound of high-heels on rock steps brought her down from the happy high she was on. The giggles grew louder along with a “let's check that barn again.”
Speak of the devil.
They stopped, a breath away from what promised to be an amazing kiss.
The magic spell that wove them together evaporated like mist on the wind. Suddenly, they were just two strangers standing a little too close.
“They're back,” Jace said, his shoulders creeping up and his eyes darkening. He released her, but kept his hands on her waist as he stepped back, moving closer to the shadowed corner of the stall. “I wish they would just leave me alone.”
His voice was calm and even, but Ella could sense the desperation seeping into his words. She didn't know how she knew it- from the outside he looked perfectly calm and collected, yet somehow she knew.
“You really don't want them to find you, do you?” she murmured, more to herself that to him.
“You have no idea.” His blue eyes pleaded with hers. “It's absolute torture to be around them. Please.”
“Don't worry. I'll be your knight in shining armor.” She smiled softly. As if she could say no to him and those eyes, especially after he had just told her that her dreams weren't crazy. She reluctantly pulled away from his touch. “Stay low in the stall.”
Her words had barely left and his head ducked down when the beautiful blonde's face popped out of the dark and into the warmly lit barn. Perfectly long-lashed eyes glanced disdainfully around the barn's interior. Her manicured hand moved from the barn door and she carefully wiped it on the hem of her short dress as though simply touching the barn had dirtied her.
Ella stepped out of the stall, taking her time to walk toward the intruding woman. “Can I help you?”
“You sure you haven't seen a tall, dark, and devilishly good-looking man wandering around here?” the blonde purred. She gave Ella a once over glance from head to toe, contempt flowing from her perfect doe-eyes. She waved a dismissive hand. “If you'd even notice that kind of thing.”
Ella's own hand went to her hair, smoothing it back in her ponytail. A piece of straw came out in her fingers and she tried not to blush as she tossed it on the floor. Raising her chin up a little higher, she locked eyes with the blonde and motioned to the two occupied stalls behind her.
“The only good-looking males in here are in those stalls. So, unless you're looking for a stallion, I'd look elsewhere.” She smiled so sweetly her teeth hurt. “Maybe try the bar.”
The blonde rolled her eyes and it took everything Ella had not to throw a handful of hay at her. Dislike rolled through Ella's stomach, but she kept the polite smile plastered on her face. Customer service was everything.
“Come on, girls. We have better places to be” The blonde glanced around one last time, letting out a contemptuous sniff. “Hang around here much longer and we'll end up smelling like the help.”
Ella held her smile so hard her jaw hurt. “Have a nice evening. Enjoy your stay at Blue Lake Inn and Resort.”
The women teetered away, still looking like they were about to topple over on the uneven cobblestones. For a moment, Ella wished they'd fall and break their necks before feeling bad. They were still guests. They could just break their heels. No injury needed.
The blonde lead the way, her chest puffed out and her hair perfect. Her voice carried in the warm darkness, heavy and full of intent. “Don't worry, girls. We'll find him. No bride is keeping that man out of my bed.”
Classy, thought Ella. One of them giggled, high pitched and over-the-top girly. It made Ella want to vomit. If Delores held a class on how to gold-dig one's way into riches, the blonde and her friends would have gotten top marks.
“They don't know anything,” Ella whispered to herself, taking in a deep calming breath as she slid the barn doors shut. The evening air was cool and refreshing, but she didn't want the catty women coming back any time soon. “And I don't smell.”
She took in one more big deep breath before turning around. Better people had said worse about her. She was used to being the brunt of someone else's joke. She wasn't about to let those awful women get the best of her.
“Stallion, huh?” Jace's head popped up over the stall door along with Commander's and then Captain's. Her laugh came out easily and smooth. It had been a long time since someone made her laugh with just two words. The stress melted from her shoulders without her thinking about it. Jace winked at her. “Considering both these horses are geldings...”
“Oh, shut up,” Ella replied, knowing that her cheeks were burning scarlet. She hadn't thought about her choice of words. Neither horse was a stallion anymore. The only “real” male in the barn was Jace. “At least they don't know anything about horses.”
Jace laughed. It was an easy, wonderful sound that sent her heart tumbling. I could listen to that laugh all day, Ella thought. Instantly, her brain was searching for something clever or funny to say, just to hear him laugh like that again.
She was going to have to ask him for his room number. He would be the very first guest that she ever approached like that, but the way he smiled, the sound of his laughter... she wanted more. A few minutes in the barn hiding from predatory women wasn't enough. She was even willing to risk her stepmother's disapproval, and that meant something.
Ella opened her mouth, ready to ask the question. What room are you staying in? Can I see you again? Want to groom the horses again tomorrow? Each sounded lamer than the last, but she knew she had to do something. Jace was wonderful and it was no wonder the blonde and her little group of fiends wanted to find him.
Yet, something was wrong with this image. Fantastic, handsome, wonderful men didn't fall into Ella's lap. There had to be something she was missing, something that didn't fit. Fate loved screwing with her too much to let something as obviously good as Ja
ce just happen to her.
No bride is keeping that man out of my bed... The blonde had said that. It was an odd phrase. She would just have to ask Jace what she had meant. Ella frowned, trying to place the name from the wedding guest list. Jace... She'd been over the guest list a thousand times and there wasn't a Jace listed. However, the groom for the wedding tomorrow was named Jason. Jace would be an easy nickname. It also made the blonde's “soon-to-be-ineligible bachelor” comment make a lot more sense.
The realization hit her like a punch to the stomach.
He was the groom.
And she had almost just kissed him.
She hurried back over to the Captain's stall, holding onto the big white horse like a lifeline to sanity. Jace was the Jason getting married the day after tomorrow. No wonder he was so perfect. He was someone else's.
Ella shook her head, trying to keep her heart beat steady and her stomach from flinging its contents all over the barn. He must think her a complete idiot. He hadn't tried to kiss her, he was just catching her from falling. She was the one doing all the kissing. She was a terrible person. She was no better than those vicious trollops hunting for him outside. He was supposed to be getting married!
“You okay?” Jace asked after a moment. She was frozen, the brush paused in mid-air. She looked over and her heart sunk just a little bit more. His eyes were still far too blue for her to look at, especially now that she knew they weren't meant for her. He was probably just being nice to her for letting him stay in the barn and hide from the overzealous party guests.
“Yeah, I'm fine.” It almost sounded true.
“Don't let those women get to you,” Jace said, his voice low and comforting.
Damn him, even now she wanted him. Why did he have to be sweet and sexy?
“It's fine,” she replied, hating how bitter she sounded even in her own head. She steadied herself against Captain, drawing on his steady strength. She needed to change the subject. Something that would remind her that she shouldn't let her guard down, even for a minute. “So, I bet you'll be glad when this wedding is over, huh?”
Jace blew out a heavy sigh. “You have no idea. It's taken over my life. I can't wait for it to be done.”
Of course you can't wait, Ella thought to herself. You'll be happily married. I wouldn't want to wait for you either.
“Oh, come on- it's a wedding,” Ella pressed, determined to sound pleasant and happy. “You should be excited.”
“I am excited. Don't get me wrong,” he quickly replied, holding up one of his hands like a shield. “I am very excited for the wedding. The part with the vows and the declarations of love is the only reason I'm putting up with all the other things that come along with it.”
Damn it. He was romantic too.
“It can't be that bad.” Ella worked the brush harder on Captain's coat, making him turn and look at her. She wasn't usually this heavy-handed. “Weddings are nice.”
“Not this one,” Jace said, shaking his head. “Most of the people here aren't family. Most of them are just looking for ways to get their hands as deep into other people's pockets as possible. It's all about money and status. They aren't here to celebrate. They're here to be seen and possibly find a way into a billionaire's checkbook.”
Ella had never thought of it that way. Weddings were supposed to be about love and romance, not about family connections and upping one's status. She could see how having all the guests vying for the top position to earn a dollar would spoil the magic of love. The blonde popped into her mind, especially since she was looking to score with the groom.
“Like those women who are so intent on catching you,” she said softly. She looked up at him, doing her best wide-eyed innocent expression. “But they seem so genuine and kind.”
Jace snorted a laugh and it warmed her heart. Damn him again. All she wanted was to make him smile, even if he could never be hers.
Her watch beeped, reminding her that her time wasn't her own either. It belonged to Delores, and it was time to get back to work. But that meant leaving Jace here alone or having to push him out. She couldn't ask him to leave, not with those harpies still hanging about.
He'd have to stay without her. She wasn't planning on going back in that stall with him again. Not after how close she had come to kissing an engaged man. She didn't want to look like a fool again, but she wanted to check Jace's work and make sure that she could leave the horses alone with him.
She picked up the body brush and went into Commander's stall, making sure to keep the big horse between them this time. The gelding's coat was almost gleaming even without the final body brush. Jace certainly did know how to groom a horse, and the gelding was as happy as she'd ever seen him.
“You do good work, Jace,” she said as she patted Commander's neck. He whickered softly, taking the praise for himself. Such a male.
“I'm guessing that watch beep means you have to go,” Jace said, his eyes following her movement on the opposite side of the horse. He frowned when she nodded. “I have to ask then...”
Her heart started pounding for no good reason. He's taken! She reminded herself. He's not going to ask where you're staying or if you're doing anything later. He's getting married!
“Since you know the place so well, do you know any good places to hide?” Jace finished his question. It took a moment for Ella's brain to follow, especially since she wanted his words to be something else entirely.
“Other than your room?” she replied, knowing it was a lame answer. She just needed a moment to resettle herself.
“I can only hide out there so long before they learn how to pick the locks,” Jace teased. Ella couldn't stop the smile from crossing her lips.
“Well, guests aren't really allowed in here, but I name you honorary stable boy. You can hide out in here,” she offered. Secretly, she hoped she'd run into him again and at the same time she prayed they wouldn't. He couldn't be hers and it was just asking for heartache to even imagine that she had a chance.
“No one else is going to yell at me? Threaten to throw brushes at my head?”
“I didn't threaten to throw a brush!” Ella laughed as he mimicked her stance when she first found him, finding that she did have the brush ready to use as a weapon. She rolled her eyes, making him laugh.
“I don't know if I can take any other beautiful women threatening me this week,” Jace teased.
She tried to ignore the word beautiful in the sentence. “I have a teenager come in and help out, but she won't give you any trouble. And if you see Magnus, the carriage driver, just tell him I said you could be here.”
“Thank you.” He smiled at her and she knew he meant it. Her heart melted just a little bit more, which wasn't fair at all.
“The only other place I would recommend is the gazebo by the lake. Not the big one where the wedding will take place, but the smaller one just a little further down the path. It's hidden, but it's actually prettier than the big one.” Ella tucked a strand of hair out of her face and shrugged. “Not many people go there.”
“Thank you, Ella.”
The way he said her name made her shiver. He probably did that to all the women. He was a rich, handsome man about to marry a billionaire's sister. That meant he had to have some charm. This was probably just a normal day for him.
He probably broke hearts just by breathing and never even know it.
Her phone chimed, reminding her that the watch beep was just the warning. She had to get going now, especially if she wanted to change and not smell like horse for the rest of the evening.
“I have to go,” she said, turning off the alarm in her pocket.
“More horses to groom?” Jace teased, his smile so sweet it made her ache.
“Something like that,” she agreed. “I have a strict bedtime I have to adhere to. And lots of work before that.”
“I don't want you to go, but I'd hate for you to turn into a pumpkin at midnight if I don't.” He grinned. Again, why did he have to be so damn charmi
ng?
“Will you clean up when you're done?” she asked, motioning to the brushes and pointing to the spot where they belonged.
“Of course,” he replied with a nod. “It would be my pleasure.”
She had to go. Delores would know if she was late or if she arrived back smelling like horse and she'd never hear the end of it. Yet, her feet didn't want to move. She forced herself to pat Commander one last time, and then to move her feet away.
As she walked to the barn door, she knew Jace would clean up and make sure that the two horses were ready for the evening. She knew it as surely as she knew her own name. She just wished she had a better excuse for when she eventually came back here later this evening, hoping to still catch him here. He'd be long gone by then, but she still knew she'd come check. Not on the horses, but for him.
“Ella?” Jace's voice caught her as she pulled open the door, making her stomach do back-flips and her heart flutter. She turned, seeing his blue eyes over the stall door. “Thank you.”
His gratitude was palpable and it made her chest ache. It was the first time in a long time that someone had legitimately thanked her for something more than a fresh set of towels or a cleaned room. It felt wonderful.
“You're welcome,” she whispered, not really trusting her voice. Before she could do anything else she would regret, like kissing an engaged man, she hurried out the door and into the deepening night.
As she ran along the path back toward the inn, she hoped that scrubbing down the kitchen, starting the laundry, and all the other chores she still had to do would distract her from thinking of those blue-green eyes and soft smile.
But she had a feeling they wouldn't.
Chapter Four