Chapter Two

The rumble of a truck pulling into the long, winding, gravel driveway that separated the stable from the country road snared Dusty’s attention. Another aspect that had not only drawn him to this place, but had prodded him to purchase, the long distance from the road decreased noise, discouraged unnecessary visitors and gave him the vantage point to see who cared to stop by long before they ever stepped from a vehicle. The stable itself, painted a cheerful light blue, sat on the summit of a sizable hill with the pastures dropping away on all sides. He preferred to occupy the highest ground, a carryover from his SEAL days and time spent on the front lines. Safety and a sense of security came from surrounding himself with familiar landscape, one he could easily defend, if necessary.

Two rows of stalls bracketed a fairly decent-sized aisle with a dirt floor. Not nearly as fancy as cement or even the tile covering many thoroughbred farms used, but functional. Large sliding doors closed off the west end of the stable during cold months, but stayed open all summer long, encouraging cool breezes to lower temperatures for comfort. The stalls were made from wood on all sides, strong steel wire mesh in the door so even the foals could see out, with each door opening to the aisle. Every stall sported a window to the outside, which could be opened or shut depending upon the animal’s needs. An open area waited at the east end of the row of stalls, affording him room for feed, hay, straw and all the supplies any reputable stable might possess. Right past the storage area, a door led directly into his kitchen. The house was modest by most standards, but the close proximity to his work, while still providing for his basic needs, suited him.

Behind the stable stood another building, this one a smidgen smaller and shorter, an oversized garage of sorts. He used this space, complete with a cement floor, to store his two horse trailers and his truck when not in use. No sense letting big-ticket items sit outside, encouraging a less moral person to try to whisk them away. A thick chain and padlock served as deterrents.

From the moment he’d stepped on the property, he’d known he wanted to spend the rest of his life here, nestled in the pastures, hills and nearby woods, caring for the animals he knew best—horses. The setup called to him, even though the former owners had let things fall into disrepair. Hours and weeks of hard labor had brought the stable back to a state of glory and pride and he’d never looked back since.

Setting the hayfork aside, he stepped outside to check out who’d disturbed his afternoon. Ben, as always, trotted at his heels. The dog rarely ventured far, certainly never out of sight, another habit born of their time together in the combat zone. He brushed his fingers over Ben’s head and watched as a white truck entered the lane, a black stock trailer attached to the hitch.

He’d received a call yesterday from the woman who’d showed up unannounced that morning. She’d picked out a couple of horses at the Humane Society farm and they’d be arriving this afternoon. Curiosity piqued as he wondered about the animals she’d chosen. Two, she said. Nothing more.

He never minded taking in new horses, but something about the woman bugged him. Her tenacity, her smile, the swing of those hips. His mind kept replaying their interaction through the day yesterday, leaving his jeans a bit too tight. Odd, especially since he didn’t have much to do with women past a one-night stand these days. No commitment, no expectations, no jerking him around to suit their own needs. He preferred his women fast, hot and as a flyby. The woman, April, didn’t fit into the previous category, yet he couldn’t quite flush her from his thoughts.

Stepping out into the bright heat of late summer in Colorado, he noticed the stock trailer backing up to the large open door to the stables. Automatically, he waved the man closer before holding up his hand in a signal to stop, allowing plenty of room to unload the animals and lead them directly into the stalls.

A door opened and shut. He glanced around to find April hurrying back toward the trailer, her typical ponytail swishing with each step. Denim jeans were painted onto her lower body, sculpting her flared hips like an artist’s graceful touch. The tucked-in T-shirt showed off her modest breasts and outlined the rest of her figure. Together with a bright smile of happiness, she radiated beauty and salvation. The combination caught his interest enough that he chastised himself, recalling what vipers women could be.

“We’re here.” Her light, cheery voice carried easily to him. Though soft, the tone reminded him of a meadowlark’s call. Uplifting and intoxicating.

Get a grip, SEAL.

Ben trotted over and sniffed at the woman. Normally cool with strangers, he seemed to take instantly to the newest boarder, judging by the wagging tail and dog smile. She grinned and patted him with affection. “Aren’t you a pretty boy?”

Mentally shaking his head, Dusty reached for the latch on the trailer.

“Oh, you better let me.” April insinuated herself between Dusty and the gate.

The act set his back teeth to grinding. He’d been raised around horses all his life and had performed the mundane feat of removing horses from a trailer countless times. The fact that she pushed him aside like he didn’t have a clue irritated him to no end. “Lady, I can assure you I’m more than capable of unloading stock.”

April spun around and blinked up at him, surprise and regret on her face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply you couldn’t do it. It’s just… There’s a reason I need to collect them.”

He scowled.

She sighed. “I’ll explain in a minute. Please just bear with me?”

He read the truth in her blue eyes and gave a brisk nod. Whatever her excuse, he’d hear it soon enough.

She unlatched the gate and swung it open.

He secured the gate to the side and stared into the trailer. His eyes landed on a solid white miniature horse. Totally surprised, he could only gape. He’d seen them now and again, mainly in parades. Didn’t think of them as much more than oversized dogs. Certainly, they were made to be pets and had little use outside of possibly pulling a cart. This particular one stood perhaps a little over three and a half feet high at the withers, putting his head right around Dusty’s stomach level, and about the size of a runt Shetland pony. He only hoped he didn’t trip over the bred-down version of a horse.

Looking farther, he found a dark dappled gray filly, eye-catching with the swirls of color over her body. A white tail brushed the ground while a matching mane hung to the left side of her neck, loose and light as if each lock had been brushed out daily to a glorious shine. If her looks alone garnered attention, her build would keep anyone familiar with horses fixated with awe. Her long legs and fine lines spoke of exceptional breeding, thoroughbred if he didn’t miss his guess. With a sturdy confirmation, muscular hindquarters and wide chest, she appeared more than capable of hitting the racetrack and dashing past any and all challengers. He couldn’t imagine how such a beautiful and refined animal ended up at the Humane Society rather than living her years at a breeding farm producing the next generation of champions.

April latched onto the filly’s halter with equal parts confidence and gentleness, then clicked her tongue. The horse followed her without a single complaint, until she spotted him. Then the animal set her feet and refused to budge, wide eyes locked on Dusty.

“Would you please step back, preferably out of sight?” April’s voice came across soft and coaxing as she whispered to her new addition.

Dusty did as bidden, moving to the side of the trailer, shielding himself from the filly’s vision.

Tugging on the halter, April managed to get the filly moving once more, stepping out of the trailer together. She paused long enough to call over her shoulder. “Come on, Mischief.”

The mini stood at the end and peered down as if judging the distance. He looked up at April, who led the filly deeper into the stable. A loud whinny pierced the air.

April paused and turned around. “Now, Mischief. We went through this earlier. You received your treat when you got in and you’ll only get your treat when you get back out.” She held out her hand and opened her fingers. Two sugar cubes sat in her palm.

Mischief stretched his neck out, then appeared to figure out the only way to obtain the sugar was to comply. He jumped out on a hop and trotted up to the pair waiting on him, taking his treat from her hand and eating with relish.

Dusty shook his head, amazed and amused at the antics of the mini. He’d give the horse credit for brains and cuteness. Still didn’t sell him on the idea of raising them, but his job revolved around caring for her animals, not debating the pros and cons of owning such small horses.

After unhooking the gate, he shut the metal barrier and secured it tightly before turning his attention back to April. “Let’s put them in the two end stalls.”

“Actually, they need to share the same stall.” She grabbed Mischief’s lead and absently scratched his head.

Dusty frowned and closed the distance between them, only to come up short when the filly swung his direction, flattened her ears and cocked her rear leg in preparation for delivering a vicious kick. He read the horse’s body language instantly and began to speak to her in low soothing tones as April had done before. “You’re okay, pretty girl. I’m not going to harm a single hair on that dappled body.” He sidestepped slowly and cautiously, staying out of the reach of the agitated horse, making his way around to a larger stall on the far wall. “Put them in here.”

Once he opened the stall door and stepped back, April led them both inside. After they were fully inside, he closed the door, cracking it enough to let April back out when she removed the lead ropes from both their halters. He secured the latch before turning on her. “Care to tell me what’s up with these two?”

She nodded. “Just a second. Let me get my stuff from the truck so the driver can be on his way.” She trotted off, opened the passenger door, collected her purse and a couple of folders, then bade the man thanks and farewell.

Heading back over, she handed him the brightly colored folders. “Here are their records. The contracts are filled out and in there as well.”

He opened the red one and sucked in a breath at the pictures staring back at him—the gray filly so thin flesh pulled tightly over bones. His gut erupted in fiery anger even as he immediately forgave her for her earlier aggression. Not aggression. Fear. He recalled the widened eyes and spark of terror that had sent ripples over the filly’s body. Scanning the information, he discovered she had every right to act up. “Damn.”

April stood at the stall door. The top of the wood partition hit her at shoulder height, allowing her to peek at her horses while giving the animals ample opportunity to check out the entire stable from their individual stalls, all except the miniature horse that lacked the vertical height to do so. He had to peer through the metal holes of the stall door. “Yeah. Breaks your heart.”

He shut the folder but couldn’t dispel the stark images from his mind. Stepping over, he stood next to April and stared at the newest members of his stable family. “The mini keeps her calm?”

“Yeah. They were at the same horrible place together. Bonded there, I guess. Anyway, the Humane Society said Mischief was the only thing that kept Miracle going some days. She’d have given up except for him. They were inseparable from day one. Always together. Trying to get them apart causes an uproar and a lot of stress for them both.”

He studied the animals in the bright daylight streaming through the windows. Both were clean and appeared quite healthy, certainly showing no hint of what they’d been through.

Miracle shifted to her left, checking out the thick straw, sending illumination across her pretty hide and revealing long white lines across her back and hindquarters.

Dusty’s rage grew. “Someone beat her.”

April nodded sadly. “She carries several scars. I can only image the horrors she faced.” Twisting, she faced him. “The Humane Society says you’re a magician with horses. The only reason they let me adopt them is because they knew you’d work with Miracle and her issues with skill and great care. She fears men, is hesitant around everyone else. Yet she came right over. Chose me. I couldn’t leave her behind.” She bit her lip and her gaze dropped. “I know she’s going to be a challenge, and I realize I’m asking a lot. But I’ll pay whatever in addition for you to work with her, help her learn to trust again.” Her blue eyes lifted and met his gaze.

His heart lurched. He’d have to be an absolute bastard to refuse her after she’d asked so kindly, even offering to pay extra for the time he would need to spend with the traumatized filly. Not to mention he felt for the animal after just reading a brief summary of what she’d endured.

Something nagged him as he stared into her face. Her words went deeper than the obvious. Unwilling to open that particular can of worms, he focused his attention back on the unusual pair of horses in the stall and made his decision.

He couldn’t turn his back on either of them any more than he could build rain clouds and order a soaking shower.

“She’s home now. I can’t make any promises, but I’ll give her my best shot.”

A smile spread on April’s face. “Thank you.”

April breathed a sigh of relief at Dusty’s words. In all honesty, she hadn’t been sure he’d be accommodating of her pick of horses. While Mischief might be a handful in his own right, Miracle would take hours of patient work in order to bolster her confidence in the human race. Even then, the outcome teetered in the balance.

She’d asked around and researched nearby stables over the past few weeks. One name kept coming up. Dusty Delaney. Everything she’d found lavished praise on the man and his way with the large beasts. With just a bit over a mile separating her rental house from his property, she’d felt the stars lined up too perfectly to be a coincidence. Meeting the man, she’d found him intriguing and tough, yet he had to have a softer side when horses were involved. She’d just seen the first glimpse.

She’d watched his face when Miracle had flagrantly warned him off and again when he opened her file. The tightening of his lips as he’d looked at the pictures and sharp intake of breath told her he’d been just as affected by the cruel abuse and neglect as she. His mood had remained unchanged in dealing with Miracle’s threat—calmness and a soothing tone had emerged. Both instances had impressed her and her confidence in the man had soared.

Out of the corner of her eye, she studied him. Tall and built came to mind. Short black hair topped his head while chocolate-brown eyes sparked with sharpness and intelligence. A dimpled chin promised stubbornness while his dark five o’clock shadow added a certain down-to-earth roughness. He carried himself with confidence and appeared totally comfortable with his body and abilities. Each motion could be called graceful and easy, as if he expended little energy to accomplish each task, reminding her of a jungle cat, smooth yet predatory. A sturdy frame carried plenty of muscles, judging by the ripped arms displayed by the short-sleeved shirt and the jeans outlining a rear she’d love to squeeze. In all honesty, the man was gorgeous.

I wonder what he tastes like. Watching his face, she idly pondered what the stubble on his face would feel like against her skin. Abrasive in a sensual way, or magically stimulating as he rubbed his cheeks against her inner thighs, well on his way to exploring her secret parts?

She blinked at the thought, completely unlike her. She’d pretty much given up on men after three disastrous short-term dating relationships. The first boyfriend had used her as a fill-in until he found someone he desired more. April had thought she loved the man, thrown herself into making him happy, and found herself alone when he’d caught another woman, this one prettier, fancier and obviously a ton more experienced.

The second fell into the category of arrogant and egotistical. He’d seemed charming enough until she’d spent more time with him and learned he viewed the world as if it revolved around him. Everything was his, about him, and pertained to him. He cared little for anyone else and put women down more times than not. His outdated male chauvinist view on a woman’s place in life left her offended and angry.

Just when she regained the courage to date once more, she’d stumbled across a devil in disguise. He might have been in the same English class in college, but they truly were worlds apart otherwise. What started out as a promising relationship had soon turned downright ugly. Smiles and laughter had gradually transformed into harsh criticism and yelling. One night he’d slapped her. That marked the end of the road for that particular man and for her interest in dating. After the last debacle, she’d thrown her arms up in surrender and focused on her own life. If she ended up a spinster, so be it. Better than a life saddled to a dipstick, especially one who specialized in domestic violence.

Giving up on the dream of finding a life partner, April had poured herself into work and her dream of horse ownership after becoming a nurse. Who needed a man when she could provide for herself and live out her own life?

Maybe that was why she’d gravitated to Miracle. They had both suffered at the hands of men and carried deeply embedded scars as a result.

“I don’t know how to thank you.” She whispered the words as she watched Mischief try to groom Miracle. Due to his short stature, he only managed to nibble on her lower shoulder. April couldn’t help but smile at the warm gesture.

“No problem.” Dusty shrugged.

She noted the muscles contract and nearly licked her lips. Powerful mass rippled under his shirt, snaring her attention and stoking her recently awakened libido.

My hormones must be in ample supply. What other reason could there be for her to be suddenly not only aware of the yummy man standing next to her but be more than interested in seeing him naked?

With a shake of her head, she stepped away from the stall. “What time will you be feeding them tonight and in the morning?”

He turned toward her, leaning his back against the wood. “In about three hours for dinner and around seven for breakfast.”

“Okay. I can come back at those times.”

He arched an eyebrow. “Why?”

“To help you feed my horses. Or did you already forget Miracle thinks you’re the next best thing to a hungry mountain lion?”

The corners of his mouth hitched up in a slight grin. “Lady, the day I can’t convince a horse that eating is more fun than trying to take a bite out of my hide, it’s time to retire.”

She found the smile as contagious as his amusing statement. For some reason, he put her at ease. No warning bells went off in her head each time she stepped into the stable. Even with him a foot away earlier, she felt nothing but attraction. A novel experience for the past four years—a promising sign and a welcome arrival. Although she didn’t have a clue how to process her interest in the man. Lois said he didn’t care for women, yet he seemed kind enough to her.

I’ve been wrong before. She tamped down the small flicker of hope with reality. If he only took care of her horses like others reported, she’d consider him a hero.

“Fair enough.” She couldn’t keep the humor out of her voice. “Still, I want to spend a large chunk of time with them. What time can I arrive in the morning?”

“I’m normally up by six,” he answered flatly, his eyes raking over the area.

The dog trotted up, his tongue hanging out as he panted. She scratched behind his ears and let her silliness run free for a moment. “I’ll try to be around after that time. Don’t want to rouse you from bed and risk finding out what you actually wear in the line of pajamas.”

He blinked at her as if the statement surprised him. She grinned at his obvious puzzlement. For the first time in forever, she found herself relaxing and actually teasing a man. April reveled in the rare luxury.

With one more pat on the dog’s head, she walked out of the doors and into the near-stifling afternoon heat.

“Where are you going?” Dusty’s voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Home.”

“In what? There’s no car here.”

She shrugged. “I didn’t want to keep the Humane Society worker waiting. Besides, I only live about a mile away. The exercise will do me good.”

Dusty muttered under his breath she couldn’t quite make out. He shook his head and pulled keys from his jeans pocket as he strode over. “Come on. Ben, hier bleiben und zusehen.”

“I don’t understand.” She tilted her head in question, noting the dog laid down in the shade at the stable’s entrance and stared at them with keen yellow eyes.

He paused and met her gaze. “It’s boiling out here, for one. Not to mention there’s no sidewalk on these country roads. The way idiots fly over these hills, they’ll smash you before you know what happened. Personally, I’d prefer to avoid road kill. Dead clients don’t pay their stable bill.”

She blinked at him, then automatically followed him to the large black truck. Granted, she didn’t know this man from Adam, but something inside locked onto his inner goodness. Not every man would see a damsel in distress and offer to drive her home.

The thought comforted her as she hopped into the passenger seat and grinned warmly at the man who stepped up to the plate in more ways than one. “I seem to be thanking you a lot today.”

He shoved the key in the ignition, started the engine and pulled out into the road.

Though he remained mute, his actions spoke volumes.