Summer Nights

by Susan Mallery

  Rafe raised his arms in a gesture of surrender and took a step back. “No, thanks. You’re doing a great job.”

  “I figured you’d say something like that.” He turned back to the trailer, where not one, not two, but four horses were being unloaded, and held in a groan. As promised, Mayor Marsha had come through with animals suitable for riding.

  He’d tried to get out of the purchase, but when he’d balked, his mother had simply written a check. Now the horses and gear were being delivered. Horses he didn’t want for him to teach little girls he didn’t know how to ride.

  “You’ll be fine,” Rafe assured him.

  “I don’t think so.” He squinted as a fifth animal was led down the ramp. “Hold on a damn minute. What the hell is that?”

  Rafe glanced toward the trailer and chuckled. “Looks like a pony to me.”

  “I said no ponies. I hate ponies. Mean-spirited little shits.” He stalked toward the guy leading a small brown pony down the ramp. “Stop. There’s no pony. I didn’t buy a pony.”

  “I know,” the driver said cheerfully. “You’re getting him for free.”

  “I don’t want him.”

  “He’s actually a pretty good guy. Name’s Reno.”

  Shane assumed the guy meant the pony rather than himself. “No ponies,” he said between gritted teeth.

  The driver grunted. “Okay. If you insist.”

  “I do.”

  The man tied Reno to the fence and walked toward the other four horses. “Where do you want them?”

  “Over here. I’ll keep them close to each other while they get settled.” He’d prepared four stalls in the barn.

  Rafe joined them. It didn’t take long for them to get the horses settled. Shane compared the items delivered with the invoice and carefully crossed off the line about Reno being “thrown in for good measure.” He and Rafe then waited while the truck driver called his office.

  “You got to admit, the pony’s funny,” Rafe said.

  “Not to me.”

  “Good thing Mom’s not here. She would insist he stay.”

  “Then I’m glad they left for Tahoe this morning.” He glared at his brother. “She’s not to know about this.”

  “That you’re turning out a poor, old, homeless pony? What’s he supposed to do now? Who’s going to take care of him?”

  “The guy who owned him in the first place.”

  No way Shane was going to back down on this one. He’d never met a horse he couldn’t handle, but ponies were another matter entirely. As far as he was concerned, they were vicious animals who terrorized kids and took great pleasure in their actions. He’d been six when a pony had thrown him, then tried to trample him at a local farm. Rafe had been the one to pull him from beneath the sharp hooves.

  Rafe glanced back toward the stable. “You’re taking on a lot.”

  “The riding lessons?” Shane shrugged. “I couldn’t figure out how to say no. It’s a few lessons. How much time could it take?”

  “Not a question you want to ask,” Rafe told him. “It’s this town. One minute you’re minding your own business, the next it’s sucking you in. Look at me. I’m moving my whole company here. Dante’s not happy.”

  “He’ll get over it. He’s a lawyer. He lives to compromise.”

  Rafe chuckled. “He’d prefer to win, but he’s dealing. He’s driving over in the next week or so and we’re going to find a suitable space. Anything we buy will have to be remodeled which means commuting or renting something temporary.”

  Shane knew his brother nearly as well as he knew himself. “You’ll rent close,” he said confidently. “Heidi likes having you around.”

  Rafe nodded. “I like being around her, too.”

  Because making his bride-to-be happy was what Rafe lived for. Shane could remember when his brother had lived for the deal. Much like Dante, he wanted to win. But all that had changed when he’d fallen in love.

  Shane had acted the same way. Maybe it was part of the Stryker DNA. Their mother had mourned the loss of their father for decades. Until she’d met Glen, over twenty years later. He didn’t want to be like that—waiting that long until he was willing to trust again.

  The delivery guy ended his call and walked toward him. “Okay, I’ve been cleared to take back Reno. Where’d you put him?”

  Shane glanced toward the fence line, where the pony had been last. The animal was gone.

  “We didn’t move him.”

  The other man shook his head. “I tied him up myself. He couldn’t have gotten away.”

  “Evidence to the contrary,” Rafe murmured.

  “This is just like a pony,” Shane said, looking around. He didn’t see him by the barn or the house. Not in the garden or the—

  Rafe nudged him. “I think you’ve got a problem, bro.”

  Shane turned and saw that Reno had made his way to the elephant enclosure. Priscilla stood right by her fence, her trunk slipping between rails as she rubbed Reno’s bony back in a gesture even a human could tell was an invitation to be friends.

  Beside him, Rafe started to chuckle.

  Mayor Marsha had been right. The cats probably weren’t enough companionship for a social animal like Priscilla. The mysterious Wilbur hadn’t arrived yet and the mares hadn’t bonded with the elephant. Which meant he couldn’t turn away the pony, no matter how much he wanted to.

  “Well, damn,” he said, then turned to the delivery guy. “Just leave him.”

  “You sure?”

  No. He wasn’t sure. This was hell. He’d been happy to be coming back to Fool’s Gold, to buy land and start his breeding program. What he’d gotten for his trouble was a bunch of animals he didn’t want, a woman he couldn’t forget and a sense his life was being managed by forces he couldn’t understand or control.

  Rafe patted him on the back. “Reno is one of us now, Shane. You’d better get used to it.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  ANNABELLE PARKED BY the house on the ranch and quickly got out. She hurried to the corral where four unfamiliar horses waited. Shane carried saddles out of the barn. As usual, the sight of him doing something tough and manly set her girly hormones humming in appreciation. She ignored the quiver in her tummy and the desire to feel his mouth on hers and focused on the more important question.

  “Is it true?” she asked when she saw him. “Did Glen and May really elope?”

  He put down the saddles. “They phoned last night to say it was a done deal.”

  Annabelle had gotten the call that morning. Everyone in town was buzzing about the romantic news. “So the trip to Tahoe wasn’t just a getaway.”

  “I guess not.”

  She thought it was romantic, that the older couple had found happiness together, but maybe May’s children didn’t see it the same way.

  “Are you doing all right with this?” she asked. “Is it weird to think of your mom as married?”

  Shane walked closer. As he approached, he removed his hat and she could see his dark eyes. They glinted with amusement.

  “They’ve been sleeping in the same bed since I got here,” he told her. “I’ve had to deal with their whispers and giggles, not to mention all the stuff they’re doing that I don’t want to think about. Marriage is pretty tame by comparison.”

  “Okay, sure. That makes sense. Still, it’s pretty romantic. Them running off and not telling anyone.” The fact that Glen and May had found each other gave her hope that love could pop up when least expected.

  She glanced at the new horses.

  “For the lessons?” she asked.

  “Yes. Right after you.” He didn’t look happy as he spoke.

  “You should get business cards printed up. You know, for the riding school you’re starting.”

  “Thanks for the support.”

  Before she could say anything else, Khatar came strolling around the barn. He was already saddled, but judging by the reins hanging to the ground, she would guess he’d been tied up.

 
; “You’re so smart,” she said, holding open her arms. The horse walked up to her and nuzzled her cheek.

  Shane muttered something unintelligible under his breath. “I don’t know how he always gets free.”

  “He’s a good boy.” She rubbed and scratched behind his ears. “So you’ve accepted that I’m going to ride him in the ceremony.”

  “I know when it’s time to stop betting against the house.”

  She turned toward the saddle and noticed the pony in with Priscilla.

  “Oh, look. She has a new friend.”

  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “What do you mean? She’s adorable. So tiny.”

  “He. His name is Reno.”

  “Look at those little hooves. What a cutie.”

  Shane was muttering again. The few words she could make out didn’t sound polite.

  “Don’t you like Reno?”

  He laced his fingers together for her to use as a step. “No.”

  She put her boot into his hands and grabbed the saddle. Khatar obligingly went perfectly still.

  “But he’s just a pony.”

  Shane lifted her into the air. She swung her leg over the saddle and settled easily into place. After gathering the reins, she leaned over and stroked Khatar.

  “I hate ponies,” Shane said darkly. “I never wanted Reno in the first place. The guy who owned the riding horses sent him along as a bonus. Before I could send him back, Priscilla had decided she liked him.”

  Which meant Reno got to stay. Annabelle did her best to hide her smile. Shane might have his flaws, but at heart, he was one of the good guys. Between the pony and the little girls who wanted to learn to ride, not to mention caring for his mother’s menagerie and Khatar’s insistence that he was Annabelle’s one true love, Shane didn’t have much say in his life anymore. But instead of trying to get his way, he did what was best for everyone else.

  He handed her the reins. She took them and urged Khatar forward. He went easily, walking directly through the gate, into the corral where Shane led them through walking, then trotting.

  “Let’s go through the first part of the dance,” he said, motioning to the center of the corral.

  She’d given him a few books that described Máa-zib rituals, specifically the Dance of the Horse, and had offered her suggestions for what she and Khatar could do. It was all simple stuff, with a few crossover steps and a couple of turns. Just enough to intrigue the crowd until the final moment when she pretended to cut out the male sacrifice’s heart. She figured that was enough for a big finish.

  About an hour later, they were done. Khatar had quickly learned the next steps in his dance. Annabelle realized her main job was to sit on the big guy’s back and let him do his thing.

  “I think he might be smarter than me,” she admitted, swinging her leg over the saddle and sliding to the ground.

  Shane stepped up close behind her. He put his hands on her waist and guided her down. When she turned, he was standing very close. Close enough that she had to rest her fingertips on his shoulders to steady herself and tilt her head back to gaze into his eyes.

  They were almost touching. Almost but not quite and she found herself wanting to move that last inch or two toward him. She wanted body against body, his arms around her, drawing her nearer still until they had no choice but to kiss.

  Her gaze dropped to his mouth and she would swear she felt her own lips tingle in anticipation.

  Shane sure knew how to kiss. She had a feeling he knew other things, too, and imagined his work-roughened hands against her bare skin. The visual was clear and powerful. Her breasts started to ache and she felt both restless and unable to move.

  Bad idea, she told herself firmly, looking back into his dark eyes where sexual fire tempted. Bad, bad idea. While she liked Shane and respected him, he had relationship issues. He wanted tidy and sensible, she wanted messy. He’d been burned and she’d yet to feel what she would consider fire. Sleeping with him would be dangerous because she didn’t think she could give her body without at least a little of her heart tagging along. And then what? A night of great sex wasn’t worth the pain. Even a night of spectacular sex wasn’t enough, although it and he were a temptation.

  A car pulled up next to the stable. At the sound of the engine, Shane drew back and she turned to Khatar. Seconds later doors opened and four young girls came racing toward them.

  “We’re here! We’re here!”

  “Is that one of the horses we’re going to ride? She’s so pretty.”

  “Will I fall?”

  “Can we go really fast today?”

  The questions came on top of each other as the girls came to a halt in a circle around Shane. He looked harried and trapped, which made Annabelle smile.

  “You girls look very ready,” she said, taking in their shiny new cowboy boots and worn jeans. They were adorable. All excited about a new adventure.

  “We are,” Mandy told her, the girl’s hair fastened into a braid. “Oh, I brought you this.” She dug into her front pocket and pulled out three worn dollar bills. “I helped my dad clean out the garage over the weekend. I was thinking I would save the money for a new computer game, but then I started thinking about all the kids who want to read and can’t get books. So I’m giving it to you for the bookmobile, instead.”

  Annabelle smiled at her. “You’re very generous.” She didn’t really want to take the girl’s money, but knew that learning to give to others was an important lesson. “I’ll use this to buy a book,” she promised. “I have bookplates that say who donated the book. Would you like to come in and sign the bookplate, so everyone who reads the book knows it came from you?”

  Mandy nodded vigorously. “That would be fun. Thank you.”

  Mandy’s mom walked up. “Hi. I’m Darlene. You must be Shane.”

  They shook hands. Darlene turned to Annabelle. “Thanks for organizing this. The girls are really excited about the chance to learn to ride.” She glanced back at Shane. “At the risk of being one of ‘those’ mothers, it’s safe, right?”

  He nodded. “The horses we’ll be using are gentle and well trained. I rode them all personally to make sure they’re suitable.”

  Mandy gazed up at Khatar. “Is he one of them?”

  “No. In fact I’ll be putting him away now.”

  “But he’s so pretty.”

  “I like how he’s almost shiny in the sun.”

  The little girls swarmed around Khatar. Shane lunged for the reins, but the girls were quicker. Not that it mattered. Khatar stood quietly, accepting all the attention. He lowered his head so the little hands could stroke and pat him.

  “That’s a horse who loves the ladies,” Annabelle said.

  Shane stared. “It’s the dam—um, darnedest thing I’ve ever seen.”

  “It looks like you have everything under control,” Darlene said. “I’ll wait in my car. I have a new book and this is a perfect excuse for a little reading time.”

  Shane rounded up the girls and herded them toward the waiting horses. “We’re going to start with a few rules on safety,” he said.

  Annabelle touched his arm. “I’ll take care of Khatar.”

  “Why? I’m sure he’ll take off his own saddle and brush himself, if you ask.”

  She laughed. “Bitter because he loves me more?”

  “No, but he really is a dangerous horse.”

  “I can see that.” She found herself caught up in his dark gaze. “I know you didn’t ask for all this.” She lowered her voice. “The riding lessons and the pony and everything. But thank you for helping the girls.”

  He shifted uncomfortably. “Yeah, well, it’s fine. If I can teach a bunch of teenage boys how to rope a calf, I can teach ten-year-old girls how to ride a horse.”

  She wanted to point out she wasn’t admiring his skill set so much as his character, but decided not to go there. Where Shane was concerned, she was already in a weakened state. Better that he not know the power he
had over her.

  * * *

  LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON Shane found himself in town. He’d finished his chores for the day and had driven into Fool’s Gold without a particular destination in mind. He parked and got out, then stopped on the sidewalk, not sure where to go. Jo’s Bar was off limits. Too many women and not enough sports. Rafe was with Heidi, so he couldn’t hang with his brother.

  He wandered through the main part of town, stepping around tourists going in and out of the stores. Morgan’s Books had a big crowd for a signing for Liz Sutton’s latest mystery. He thought about buying a copy for his mom, but didn’t want to wait in the line.

  He couldn’t figure out what was wrong. He should find a quiet bar, get a beer and watch a game, then call it a night. Instead, he checked his phone for messages—there weren’t any—then kept walking.

  About a mile later, he stopped in front of an unfamiliar house. It was small, with a nice yard and well-tended flowers. He hadn’t been there before, but somewhere he’d picked up the address. He knew who lived there and he was clear on what would happen if he knocked.

  He wasn’t indecisive. He knew exactly what he wanted. What kept him from acting was the consequences. Because sex complicated everything. The better the sex, the bigger the complications. Because wanting Annabelle was driving him crazy but having her might be another level of hell.

  Still not sure what he was going to do, he stood on the sidewalk and stared. After a couple of minutes her front door opened and Annabelle stepped out onto the porch.

  It was light enough for him to see the details. She wore white shorts and a green T-shirt. Her feet were bare, her long red, wavy hair was loose. She looked young and pretty and sexy and he knew then he had to have her. There was no longer a choice.

  “One of my neighbors phoned. She said there was a strange man staring at my house and asked if I needed her to call the police.”

  He glanced around and saw an old lady peering at him from behind a half-drawn curtain. He waved and she drew back into her house.

  “Didn’t mean to frighten you,” he said.

  “What did you mean to do?”

  “I haven’t figured that out yet.”