“Actually, I just wanted to say something, I guess.”
“I’m listening.” He braced for whatever it was she was going to say. What he already knew. That he wasn’t good enough for her. Wasn’t good for her period.
“Don’t hurt her.”
“I won’t.” His answer was instinctive, but he almost asked if dreams, daydreams, could hurt a person. If he could be a husband? A father?
Could he hold a newborn baby if he imagined ripping someone’s heart out, smiling while they screamed for mercy? As a professional, what did she think that said about him?
He looked up to find Mia’s eyes narrowed, studying him carefully. “Never mind. I don’t want to hurt her either.”
“She’ll never see herself as beautiful.”
“Are you asking if I do? See her as beautiful?” He glared at Mia, hating what she’d said but knowing it might be true. “She is beautiful. But I see her as way more than that.”
Mia stood a moment or so longer before patting him on the arm and walking away.
His eyes tracked over to Hannah and the horses. She wore jeans today instead of riding breeches, which looked just as hot, and a thin long-sleeved shirt, which he now understood. Her hair hung in a thick braid the color of summer wheat. The hair that had been wrapped around his body all night and spread over his chest when he woke.
Lola rode Big Ben, Hannah walking beside her. The child had drawn a crowd, eagerly telling all she knew about how to make a horse go and where to put her feet. Allie sat atop Hazel, her big brother stood beside her, a protective hand on her leg. It looked like he was stepping up as Hannah had hoped.
She’d told Stephen all about it lying in bed one night. How maybe Allie’s brother could come out and ride with her, something they could do together, since there were so many things they couldn’t. Stephen had promised her and himself he’d do everything he could to see that they had the opportunity. And that Hannah was there to see it.
Hannah lifted another small child into the saddle. She was doing too much and she’d be sore tonight. But, he thought with a smile, he’d take care of that in some very enjoyable ways.
“Hey, man.”
Matt and Andrew joined Stephen at the fence, leaving their post at the grill. Surprising to see Matt more than a few yards from Abby. His brother was in major protection mode of his pregnant wife.
“You know,” Matt said, “you keep smiling like that, your face might get stuck.”
“Shut up.” But he was happy. Especially as he remembered soaping her up in a fruity lather this morning, rinsing her off. He’d slept with her sexy ass nestled against his crotch, her breast filling his hand. Had turned to her in the night, hard, throbbing with need and she’d opened to him, for him. Yeah, he was happy.
“No, seriously,” Andrew said. “It’s downright frightening.”
“Don’t you guys have anything to do? Where’s Lizzy?”
Matt grinned. “If you call her over, she’ll give you a job. Besides, we’re on break.”
Stephen made a sound of agreement, but kept an eye on Allie’s father moving to stand next to Hannah. He was about Stephen’s age, maybe a little older.
“I see you got a new ride,” Andrew said, motioning to Stephen’s truck.
“Yeah.”
“A little more manly?”
“Shut the hell up.” His sports car had gone with his image but it wasn’t really him. Or maybe it was, just not the him he wanted to be. “What do you drive? A minivan?”
“Don’t dis on the minivan. It’s got doors that open on my command.”
Matt laughed. “Let me know when you boys want a real ride.” Matt gestured to his black Hummer sitting off to the side.
“Hah.” Andrew smirked. “You bought that because Jack said it was cool.”
Stephen raised an eyebrow. “You bought an eighty-thousand-dollar car because a six-year-old said it was cool?”
Matt just shrugged, unfazed. “He liked it. And it is cool. Don’t be jealous, minivan.”
Stephen was no longer listening to his brothers’ smack. He didn’t care for how close Allie’s dad was standing to Hannah, and when his hand touched her shoulder, Stephen saw red.
He’d unleashed a passion in her, revealed it to her, as he’d meant to, but the thought of her revealing it to someone else…Just the idea of another man touching her, sharing what they shared—his mind rejected it. But as he watched Hannah with Allie’s father, he wondered if the man dreamed of torturing and killing the drunk driver who’d killed half his family.
Their laughter floated to him and he figured not.
“Uh-oh.” Andrew followed Stephen’s line of sight. “Looks like smiley man has been replaced. Don’t lose it, dude. You’ll upset the horses.”
“Fuck you.” He didn’t want her to smile at anyone else, laugh with anyone else. Stephen headed off to make sure there were no misunderstandings.
“Stephen.”
He was halfway there when he turned at the sound of his name, surprised to see Dave striding toward him.