LITMIR.BIZ

       Chapter 7

      I wasn’t going to die today. At least that’s what I kept telling myself as I climbed out into the sticky heat. Summer didn’t want to loosen its hold on this area at all.

      My hands trembled as Jase joined me. Unfortunately, he tugged a white shirt on over his head, covering up the feast for my eyes. That was a damn shame, because if I was going to end up breaking my neck today, at least I would do so staring at his chest and abs.

      The barn door creaked open, and an older man stepped out. Having never seen him before, I still knew right off the bat he was Jase’s father. It was like staring at Jase thirty years from now.

      Hair the same rich, brown color, skin dark from either a life in the sun or long-forgotten ancestry, he was as tall and lean as his son. Steely gray eyes moved from Jase to me and then widened as they returned to his son.

      He sat the metal bucket he was carrying down on the gravel as his dark brows furrowed. A small surprised smile appeared on his handsome face.

      Jase grinned as he placed a hand on my lower back. ‘Hey, Dad, this is Teresa. She’s Cam’s sister.’

      Recognition flared. ‘Cam’s little sister? Ah, the dancer.’

      I felt my cheeks flush. How in the world did this man know that? And if that piece of background news had come from my brother, God only knew what else Cam had told him.

      ‘That’s her,’ Jase replied, moving the hand on my back up a notch.

      ‘Hi,’ I said, waving my hand as awkwardly as humanly possible.

      His father’s smile spread as he strode toward us, his head cocked to the side in a mannerism that reminded me of Jase. ‘You cannot be related to Cam. There is no way a pretty girl like you shares DNA with that ugly mug.’

      A surprised laugh broke free. I think I liked this guy.

      ‘And there is also no way you’re here with this one.’ He nodded his head at Jase, who frowned. ‘You must be lost.’

      Okay. I really liked this guy. ‘You’re right. I don’t even know who this person is.’

      Jase’s frown slipped into a scowl as he glanced down at me. ‘What the hell?’

      I grinned.

      His father winked, and in that moment, I realized that Jase got not only his looks, but also his personality from his father. ‘So what are ya’ll doin’ here?’ He pulled a red handkerchief from his back pocket and wiped his hands as he eyed his son. ‘Jack’s with your mom, down at Betty’s.’

      ‘I know. He goes there every day after school.’ Jase dropped his hand, and the spot along my back tingled. ‘I’m showing Tess the horses.’

      Mr. Winstead eyed his son. ‘Well, I’m going to be out back if ya’ll need anything.’

      ‘We’ll be fine, Dad.’ Jase started to turn.

      ‘Wasn’t tellin’ you.’ He looked over at me, mischief in his eyes. ‘If this boy’s improper with you, you let me know and I’ll take care of him.’

      ‘Oh God,’ Jase groaned, rubbing a hand down his jaw. ‘She’s a friend, Dad.’

      ‘Uh-huh.’ His father backed up, picking up the bucket. ‘Friends with a pretty gal like that, then you’re doing something wrong, son.’

      My smile reached my ears as I turned to Jase slowly.

      ‘Don’t even think it,’ he warned. He looked like he wanted to strangle his dad as he reached down, wrapping his hand around mine. ‘Come on, before I embarrass my father with a good ole-fashioned redneck thumping.’

      His father chuckled as he gave our joined hands a pointed look. ‘Friends?’

      ‘Dad.’ Jase sighed.

      I giggled as he tugged me toward the fence and his father disappeared back into the barn. ‘I like your dad.’

      He snorted. ‘I’m sure you do.’

      ‘He acted like you don’t bring … girls here a lot.’

      ‘I don’t.’ Stopping, he let go of my hand and faced me as he stepped over a small retaining wall. ‘Then again, you just met my dad, so I’m sure you can understand why.’

      Part of me was flattered that he had brought me to his home, a place where no other girl had traveled. But I was his friend and the other girls probably weren’t that.

      ‘Here,’ he said, placing his hands on my hips and lifting me up over the wall like it was nothing to him. ‘There you go.’

      ‘I could’ve done that,’ I murmured.

      He shrugged. ‘I know.’ Taking my hand again, he carefully led me through the high grass, toward the edges of the split-rail fence. ‘Be careful. There’s a damn groundhog or a family of them living on this farm. Holes everywhere.’

      ‘Okay.’ I wasn’t thinking about farms or groundhogs. Focused on the weight and feel of his hand wrapped firmly around mine, I had little room in my mind to worry about holes in the ground.

      He was quiet as he guided me toward the gate in the split rail. Letting go of my hand, he unhooked the lock. Hinges groaned as the metal gates swung open.

      I hesitated. ‘I don’t know about this.’

      An easy grin appeared as he swaggered up to where I stood. ‘Tess, come on. You said you trust me.’

      Shifting my weight from foot to foot, I stared over his shoulder. At the other end of the large pen, two horses grazed, their black tails flicking idly. ‘I do trust you.’

      ‘Then come with me.’

      One of the horses, its coat a mixture of black and white, reared its massive head. It turned, angling its muzzle toward our side of the fence. Neither of the horses had saddles on.

      ‘They’re not going to trample you to death.’ He took my hand again. ‘And I don’t even expect you to get on one.’

      My chin jerked up. ‘You don’t?’

      He smiled slightly as he caught a piece of hair that blew across my face, tucking it back. ‘No. This is a horse meet and greet.’

      ‘I’ve never done a horse meet and greet before.’

      ‘You’re going to love them.’ He pulled me forward, and my lips twitched. ‘They really are gentle. Jack’s been on them a million times, and if I thought they were dangerous, he wouldn’t be anywhere near them.’

      That was a good point. ‘Okay,’ I said, taking a deep breath. ‘Let’s do this.’

      He didn’t give me a chance to second-guess myself. Within seconds we were inside the pen. Another steel bucket sat on the ground, full of grain. ‘I’m going to call them over, okay? They’re going to come flying. It’s close to feeding time. So be ready.’

      Throat tight, I nodded.

      My fear seemed a little unreasonable up until Jase lifted two fingers to his perfectly formed mouth and let loose a high-pitched whistle. The horses’ heads jerked up and then they took off, their hooves pounding on the beaten earth, racing straight for us.

      Holy crap.

      I took a step back, hitting an unmovable wall of muscle that was Jase and bouncing off. An arm wrapped around my waist from behind when I started to move away, keeping me firmly in place, his front pressed

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