by Mandy Morgan
I gave her hand a squeeze and encouraged her to continue with her story, waving the waitress off when she came by to see if she could get us anything else.
“It started with him yelling at me and telling me I was a useless cow that couldn’t do anything right. And then he started slapping me around. I just couldn’t take it anymore!”
“Of course, you couldn’t,” I said in the same soothing voice I used on frightened horses. “I can’t imagine how hard that all must have been for you.”
Hannah went on to tell me how she’d packed up her things and snuck away in the middle of the night. She hinted that she was worried Todd might come after her and I was amazed by her bravery.
On the outside, I was calm and compassionate, but on the inside, I was seething with anger at this Todd asshole. I’d give anything to get my hands on him and teach him a lesson about treating women like punching bags.
How could he see her curvy frame as anything but sexy as hell? I should knock him out just for calling her a cow…
Hannah seemed better now that she’d gotten the worst of her story out. I was happy that I could help her in any way at all, but I didn’t want our time together to come to an end.
I wasn’t one to fall hard and fast for women. Hell, I’d never even been the kind of guy that spent much time thinking about the opposite sex, outside of the occasional hook-up. I was too busy running the rescue.
But there was something about Hannah that made me feel protective and possessive of her. And if that Todd asshole did coming looking for her, I wanted to be the one he found – it was time for him to come at somebody that fought back.
“I’ve got to get back to the rescue with the feed I picked up earlier,” I told her as I laid some bills down on the table to pay for our teas. “I could use a hand, if you don’t have a more pressing engagement elsewhere. And my guest room is available, if you don’t already have a reservation at the local concrete box we call a motel.”
Hannah’s eyes grew wide at my suggestion, but I couldn’t help but notice the beginnings of a smile at the corners of her mouth. “Oh, I couldn’t do that!”
I dropped her a wink, stood up, and held my hand out to her. “Sure you can,” I said firmly. “You don’t want to let the horses down, do you?”
She looked at me for a long moment and didn’t say a word. Just when I thought she was going to turn me down flat, she slid her hand into mine and smiled.
“I don’t want to let anyone down, let alone some sweet rescue horses. Let’s hit the road…”
Chapter Three
Hannah
I wasn’t sure if I’d lost my mind completely or if I was just desperate for some kindness. But something deep inside of me told me to trust Chance.
The entire time I was confiding in him about Todd, I had to keep tearing my eyes off his ruggedly handsome features, chiseled chest, and perfectly muscled arms.
I knew I shouldn’t be lusting after anyone at this point, especially someone I’d just met, but I couldn’t help myself from picturing Chance with his shirt off.
Lord, maybe I really am losing my mind…
Just being close to him in the cab of his pickup truck was delicious torture. He smelled of sunshine, fresh-cut hay, and a citrusy aftershave.
I couldn’t get enough of being around his strong, calming presence. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, taking in his scent and just enjoying being in the moment.
“Here we are, home sweet rescue home.”
Chance’s deep voice sent a shockwave through me and I jumped in my seat. Even in such a short sentence, I could hear the pride he felt in his place, and I sat up and looked around me. What I saw took my city-girl breath away from the very start.
There was lush green grass everywhere I looked and pristine wooden fencing stretched as far as I could see. Each carefully maintained paddock was dotted with happily grazing horses.
“Oh, Chance,” I said with awe. “It’s so beautiful!”
He pulled his truck up in front of a big red barn and turned to give me a smile. “Almost as beautiful as you are, sweet Hannah.”
His words made me feel as if I was melting from the inside out and my cheeks flamed up. I tried to remember if anyone had ever called me beautiful before and couldn’t recall a single time I’d heard that word used about me.
There was a long beat of silence and for a moment, I thought Chance was going to lean over and kiss me. Every hair on my body seemed to stand on end and I hoped that he couldn’t hear my heart about to pound out of my chest.
Chance shook his head and gave a short laugh. “Got lost there for a second. Let’s go get you settled in at the house and then I’ll take you out to meet some of the herd. Sound good to you, little lady?”
I gave a small smile and nodded. I was feeling confused, disappointed, and excited all at once. It was a strange mix, but it beat the way I was feeling before I’d met Chance by a long shot.
I didn’t know what was going to happen here in Haven or even what tomorrow would bring. But I did know I was in a good place. I could feel it in my bones.
And I also knew that I wanted to see Chance’s house, meet his horses, and get to know him a lot better…
Chance
I was kicking myself in the ass for not kissing Hannah when I had the opportunity when Jose came out of the barn and started grabbing bags of feed out of the bed of my truck.
“Sorry it took so long, man,” I said to him. “I’ll be out to help you before too long.”
Jose just gave me a smile and handed me Hannah’s duffle bag, which had been sitting next to the feed bags. “I think I can handle things, boss. You and your new friend take your time.”
I slung Hannah’s bag onto my shoulder and turned to offer her my arm. “Well, you heard the man. This way to the guest room, Miss Miller.”
Hannah slid her hand into the crook of my arm and we headed across the barnyard to the house. Just the warm pressure of her touch was enough to have me kicking myself again for that missed moment in the truck.
Bright sunlight glinted off the windows and I tried to picture how my tidy little house looked through Hannah’s eyes after having lived in a big city for so long.
“My parents ran this place as a working ranch my whole life,” I explained as we mounted the steps to the wrap-around porch. “When they retired and moved to Florida, I took it over and turned it into a horse rescue. There’s not much money in this business, but it sure is satisfying.”
I opened the front door, led Hannah into the entry way and saw her taking everything in with wide eyes. “So, what do you think?”
“It’s wonderful, Chance,” she breathed as she spun around slowly. “I love the wood and the rustic charm, as they’d call it in the design magazines.”
I laughed. “Around these parts, we just call that ‘our stuff,’ but I can see where they’d get that name for it.”
Hannah stepped away from me and slid a hand over the shining wooden staircase bannister. “This is so much better than the metal and glass that Todd has in his condo…”
Her soft voice trailed off and I didn’t want her getting sad again, so I jumped in to distract her. “The guest room is upstairs. You ready to see where you’ll be staying?”
Hannah snapped out of her funk and smiled at me. “Oh, I’m more than ready! Although, I still can’t believe I’m staying with a stranger, if I’m being totally honest.”
“We won’t be strangers for long,” I said as we climbed the stairs together and headed down the hallway to the last door on the right. “Hard work has a way of making fast friends out of folks. Especially when you’re caring for animals together.”
I opened the guest room door and stepped back so Hannah could enter before me. I let her take a look around as I set her bag on a chair by the window. When I glanced back at her, she was wearing a big grin.
“This is lovely, Chance,” she said in a low voice as she locked eyes with me. “I don’t know how I’ll ever thank
you for everything you’ve done for me.”
My thoughts instantly went back to that missed kiss in the truck, and I found myself moving closer to Hannah, almost as if my feet had a mind of their own.
I reached out and stroked Hannah’s cheek, enjoying the soft feel of her skin under my own, and the way her head tilted toward my touch.
“I’m sure you’ll come up with something,” I said softly and then I leaned in to press my lips to hers, letting everything else but the meeting of our mouths slip away.
Chapter Four
Hannah
All of my senses came to life when Chance kissed me. It was like I woke up from a long nightmare in that moment and I melted into his arms as if I was coming home.
I pressed into his strong chest and could feel his heart pounding against mine. Everything other than Chance’s touch vanished and I found myself responding to him in ways I never had with any other man.
I’d just slipped open my lips to deepen our kiss when Chance drew back quickly and held me at arm’s length. He had a serious look on his face as he tilted his head to one side and stared over my shoulder.
“What is it?” I asked softly, feeling disappointed that our intimate moment had ended so abruptly.
Chance held a finger to his lips and locked eyes with me, his eyebrow arched in concentration. “Did you hear that?”
I listened hard but didn’t hear a thing and shook my head to let him know. But just then, I did hear something, and my flesh broke out into goosebumps.
There’d been a loud crash from outside and my mind went instantly to Todd. Oh God, he’s found me! I should have run farther and faster, but it’s too damn late now…
I’d frozen in place but Chance was on the move. “Stay right here, you understand? I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
His normally pleasantly rumbling voice had gone sharp and I nodded as he strode out the door, down the hallway, and pounded down the staircase.
I listened to the front door open and then slam close, and did my best to calm myself down by breathing deep and slow, counting to a hundred as I moved over to the window and tried to see what was happening.
But my view was blocked by a large oak tree. I’d just have to wait and pray that everything was okay out there. I was sick to my stomach at the thought of anything happening to Chance or his horses, which made waiting even harder.
I tried to distract myself by unpacking my duffle bag, but that didn’t take very long, since I hadn’t brought much with me. I sat down in the chair near the window and found my thoughts drifting to the relationship I’d just run away from.
The more I thought about how Todd had shamed me about my weight, the angrier I got. I’d only been away from him for a short while, but my former self was already coming back with a bang.
I’d been confident and happy before meeting Todd. I might not have been a super model, but I was proud of my curves and the way I filled out a size fourteen. Todd had changed that with all of his “useless cow” comments.
Screw him and what he thinks! I’m not some idiot that can’t take care of herself. And I deserve better than him!
I stood up suddenly and headed for the door. I know Chance had told me to wait in the guest room, but at that moment, I was sick of having men tell me what to do.
I wasn’t going to sit ideally by and be controlled anymore. I was going to take back my power, starting with going out to the barn and checking on things myself.
Chance
I was seeing red by the time I crossed the front yard and burst through the main barn door. I know Hannah was worried that her ex might show up looking for her, but I was actually looking forward to it.
Showing up here would be a very big mistake for that asshole, I thought to myself as I looked around the barn for anything that was amiss.
Everything looked normal to me, but I was on high alert right then. After all, it wasn’t just rescue horses I was protecting anymore. It was Hannah, too.
I’d been falling for her even before we shared that steamy first kiss. Now I wanted to know what every smooth, curvy inch of her felt like under my hands, and I wasn’t going to let anyone come between us.
“Jose? Everything alright out here?” I called out. “I heard something crash all the way in the house!”
My stable hand poked his head out of the feed room, looking surprised to see me again so soon. “Doing fine, boss. Sorry, I knocked over a couple of feed cans. You look shook up though. What’s going on?”
I quickly filled Jose in on Hannah’s situation and told him to keep an eye out for anything suspicious, especially any strange men wondering around the property. Then I asked him how the new gelding was doing.
Jose was just telling me that our latest addition was eating well and had even let him run a hand down his legs when I heard a noise at the front of the barn.
I spun around, ready to do battle with Hannah’s asshole ex-boyfriend, when I saw it was the curvy beauty herself coming through the door.
My fists loosened instantly and I smiled. Until I remembered that I’d told Hannah to stay put for her own safety. She could have walked into a dangerous situation if Todd really had shown up at Safe Haven.
“What are you doing out here?” I barked before I could stop myself. “I told you to wait upstairs, Hannah.”
I watched the smile she’d been wearing fade from her face and her chin began to tremble. In a moment, I was across the barn and had gathered her up into my arms.
“I’m sorry, honey,” I told her softly. “I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I’m just trying to keep you safe.”
“It’s alright,” Hannah mumbled. “I know I should have stayed in the house. I was just so sick of having to hide and not being able to make my own choices.”
I could see that she was teetering and I realized that she was right. Hannah should be able to make up her own mind. From everything I’d seen so far, she was more than smart and capable enough. She’d gotten out here all on her own, after all.
“Damn straight, you’re sick of it,” I declared with a smile. “You’re smart and gorgeous, and you deserve to be your own woman, Hannah Miller.”
I watched her face light up at that and saw how beautiful she was when she was feeling happy and comfortable in her own skin. It made me want her even more than I already did.
“Come on over and meet two of the most important men here at Safe Haven Stables,” I told her as I took her hand in mine and led her back to Jose and the gelding.
I watched her melt as she saw the big horse that had obviously known better days. Hannah held out her free hand for him to sniff and gave a small cry of delight when he began to nuzzle her fingers.
After she and Jose had been introduced, she walked around the gelding and gently touched his neck and mane, taking in his size and chestnut red coloring.
“He’s wonderful,” she said softly. “What’s his name?”
Jose and I looked at each other and laughed. “He doesn’t have one,” I admitted. “He was dropped off here and Jose and I managed to forget about giving him a name.”
“Redemption,” Hannah said softly as she ran her fingers through the horses mane and he nickered. “That’s his name and what he’s found. What we’ve both found.”
Chapter Five
Hannah
After meeting Redemption, I didn’t want to leave the barn, and I spent the rest of the day brushing his coat until he was shining like a new penny.
I’d never spent much time around horses before, but the big gelding and I seemed to be soulmates. Chance had to tear me away at dinner time to go back up to the house and eat the meal he’d cooked for us.
“I’m glad to see you’re settling in nicely,” he said after we sat down at the table in his homey kitchen. “Jose is happy to have another set of helping hands. And that gelding is definitely glad you’re here.”
I blushed at the compliments. “Sorry I wasn’t around much earlier. I just wanted to spend some more time
with Redemption and help him however I could.”
“I was starting to get jealous,” Chance said and tipped me a wink that left me feeling weak at the knees. “I’m glad to have you all to myself again.”
Heat rushed up my neck and into my cheeks. I reminded myself to stay cool – I’d only known this man for a short time and I was coming out of a bad relationship, after all.
You don’t really want to get involved in something again so soon after Todd, do you?
My mind was telling me one thing, but my body and heart were telling me something else. All I knew was that I felt safe and cherished around Chance. Should anything else really matter?
I snuck little glances at Chance as we ate, and I smiled and nodded at what I hoped were the right places when he spoke, but I was in such a fog about things, I couldn’t really be sure. All I knew was I needed to get away for a bit and think.
“Would it be alright if I took a quick shower before I turned in for the night? I’ve had a long, dusty day since I stepped off that bus.”
“Hannah, I want you to consider this your new home, and treat it as such. Do whatever will make you happy, you hear?”
I smiled and blushed yet again as I thanked him. Am I ever going to be able to look at him without feeling like an awe-struck school girl talking to the football star?
Chance showed me where to find everything I’d need. I gathered up some clean clothes and headed into the bathroom at the top of the stairs, breathing a sigh of relief when I stripped down to my birthday suit and stepped under the hot spray of water.
I’d always felt better after a good shower. A lot of things had changed in my life recently, but that wasn’t one of them, and when I stepped out to towel myself dry, I almost felt reborn.
I wiped the steamy mirror over the sink and was shocked by what I saw reflected back at me. I didn’t look like the scared and beaten woman I’d been. I was wearing a confident smile that I hadn’t seen on my face in a long time.