Six
Tessa slid out of her worn boots and set them beside the back door. Then she hung her heavy cardigan on the peg and moved through her kitchen toward her bedroom. Spring had arrived early, but the nights were still pretty cool, and she wanted to relax in a nice hot bath after her late-night ride. She was a creature of habit, and her raspberry-scented bubble baths were a nightly ritual and the only way she allowed herself to be pampered.
As usual, she hadn’t been able to fall asleep. But this time, instead of having horses and racing on her mind, her thoughts had been full of a certain Hollywood producer who had kissed her so gently, yet so thoroughly, she couldn’t even remember what kissing another man was like. Not that she’d kissed a slew in her life, but enough to know that Grant Carter knew how to please a woman.
And that was the main thought that had kept her awake. If he could cause so much happiness within her body with just a kiss—and a tender one at that—then what would the man do when he decided to really take charge and not hold back?
Her antique clock in the living room chimed twelve times. Midnight. The same time every night she found herself getting back home from her ride on Oliver. He always stuck his head out of the stall when she returned to the stable late at night. It was almost as if he knew her schedule, knew she’d be back for one last ride to wind down her evening.
Tessa padded into her bedroom, undressing as she went, so when she made it to the hamper she dumped in all her clothes. When she entered her bathroom, she paused.
Grant Carter was consuming way too much of her time, both in person and in her mind. She plucked the short cotton robe from the back of the bathroom door and went to the old desk in the corner of her bedroom to boot up her laptop.
For a man she’d met just two weeks ago, a man who’d kissed her like no one ever had, she really should learn more about him.
Of course, the internet gave only basics, but that was certainly more information than she had right now. He had a whole file on her life, her sister’s and her father’s. Grant and his crew knew way more about her childhood and the entire backstory of the Barringtons, so Tessa felt it only fair she level the playing field.
Clicking on a link, she quickly learned that Grant was a twin, but there was no other mention of this sibling.
She glanced at his birth date. A Christmas baby. Tessa’s eyes widened as she stared at the screen, inching closer because there was no way she was seeing that number correctly.
He was ten years older than her? As if her virginity, his obvious experience, her country life and his city life weren’t enough major blockers between them, he was ten freakin’ years older.
With a groan Tessa moved to her bed with the laptop and sagged back against her plush pillows. Grant was out of her league. She could tell by the way he’d kissed her, by how he flirted and his laid-back mannerisms, that he was more experienced with life than she was. But ten years was a hell of a lot of time.
She ventured into the area of pictures. Image after image she clicked through showed a smiling, sometimes heavy-lidded Grant, and in most of the pictures he wasn’t alone. Beautiful women were his accessory of choice, apparently. Surprise, surprise.
So, what? Was his kissing her just passing time while he was here? Did he choose a woman on each set to keep him company? No, he had that clause that prohibited that. But she had a feeling Grant Carter was a rule breaker when it came to getting what he wanted.
Hollywood was a far cry from Dawkins, Virginia, and the fast-paced city life was something she just couldn’t—and didn’t want to—grasp.
Another man, another city charmer with smooth words, flooded her mind. But he’d had hidden agendas: marrying her for her family name.
The hurt of betrayal still cut deep. Hindsight helped, because she could admit that she’d never loved him...at least not the way she thought she’d love the man she would marry.
Tessa’s eyes slid back to the screen, where Grant’s dark gaze held hers. Stubble covered his jaw, and she knew from experience how that felt against her palm, her lips.
Now more than ever she was convinced she needed to keep her eye on him. He was a slick one, probably expecting her to turn to putty in his hands. She wouldn’t be played, and she wouldn’t fall for another man just because of physical attraction. He couldn’t be the one for her. Tessa was merely confusing frustration for lust.
She honestly didn’t think Grant would do anything underhanded like Aaron had done, but she had to be cautious. No way would she be blindsided again.
But she also had to be honest with herself and admit Grant pulled emotions from her that Aaron hadn’t even touched on.
Groaning, she shut off the computer and returned to her spacious adjoining bathroom. Her bubble bath was calling to her. She had to be back in the stables by seven, so didn’t have time to waste online...no matter how intriguing the subject.
* * *
After several days at the stables, today they were changing up the precious spreadsheet. Grant couldn’t wait to spend the majority of the day with Tessa away from Stony Ridge. She was taking him around town to show him various locations, such as the old feed store and the church. Grant was banking on shooting a few scenes in the quaint, historic community.
The script already had several locales specified, but Grant wanted to get a good idea of lighting during different times of day, possible angles, and the atmosphere of each place.
Last night he’d been unable to sleep, so had emailed Bronson and Anthony all the notes he’d taken thus far. The grounds and main house were going to be the primary focus, as well as tracks to showcase the actual racing and practicing.
While drafting his email, he’d seen headlights cut through the darkness. When he’d peered out his window, he’d noted Tessa’s Jeep parked next to the stables, and had smiled.
Every part of him had wanted to go to her, had wanted to get her alone in the night. He’d had to conjure up every bit of his strength not to go see her, kiss her and discover just how far they could take this attraction.
But he’d refrained, because he had work to do and only a narrow window of time to get it all done. Besides, he wanted to keep her guessing about his motives, because in all honesty, he had no clue what the hell he was going to do about Tessa. She held too much control over him, and he didn’t like it. Never had a woman posed so much of a challenge and appealed to him all at the same time.
There were moments when she seemed so sultry and sassy, and other moments when his words or actions seemed to take her by surprise in almost an innocent way.
Added to that convoluted mess, that damn clause was going to come back and bite him in the butt if he wasn’t careful.
Was Tessa Barrington worth all this flirting, seducing and sneaking? Seriously, was he willing to risk this film on a roll in the sack with her?
Hell no. But he hadn’t bedded her, and if he did...well, he’d have to make sure no one ever knew.
And bedding her was all he could do. He was already treading a thin line, emotionally, where the beautiful jockey was concerned. Her life revolved around horses, and his...well, it was in the city, far away from the risk of horses and the life he’d once known in a small country house in Kentucky.
Some might say he’d run to one of the biggest cities in America to get away—and they’d be absolutely correct.
Grant left his cottage and made the short walk to the stables. He’d purposely left thirty minutes early to throw Tessa off even more. Damn spreadsheets. He had his lying on the kitchen table, but hadn’t looked at it since he got it. He was always allotted the same time bracket each day: two hours after lunch.
Except for today, when his green column was wider and took the slots from nine to three. Six hours, and he was going to make the most of them...both professionally and personally.
Tessa was heading from the stable to her Jeep as Grant neared. Once again she had her hair tied back in that ponytail—he had yet to see it any other way—and she had on a long-sleeved plaid shirt tucked into well-worn jeans and battered knee boots.
She might be prim and proper, but her wardrobe was nothing new. Tessa wasn’t a spoiled princess who just looked the part of a jockey. She was all jockey, and her appearance proved it. He’d never seen her fuss with her hair or worry about her appearance. Hell, he’d never seen her with makeup on.
And yet she still stole his breath each time he saw her...which just proved his point of how fine an emotional line he was treading.
“Let’s get going, Slick,” she said, not missing a step as she got to the Jeep and hopped in.
Grant bit back a smile at her abrupt tone. She was something. Most people, women especially, would be tripping over themselves to please him because of his celebrity status. Yet somehow, with Tessa, he felt as if he had to work to gain approval.
And that was just another layer of her complexity. She couldn’t care less about his status, and that suited him just fine. Caused more work to get her attention, but still suited him. At least this way he could keep his feelings separated and not go any deeper beneath Tessa’s very arousing surface.
Grant hopped in the passenger’s side and barely got his seat belt clicked in place before Tessa was speeding down the driveway.
Her white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel and her clenched jaw were telltale signs she was agitated. And being angry only made her sexier.
“Want to tell me what’s wrong?”
She spared him a glance before gripping the wheel even tighter and turning onto the two-lane country road taking them toward town.
“That kiss,” she muttered. “It won’t happen again.”
Um...okay. She’d seemed to be a key player in the exchange the other day, but something had ticked her off, and apparently she’d spent a lot of time thinking about this because she’d worked up a nice case of mad. One step forward, two steps back.
“You didn’t enjoy it?” he asked, knowing he was on shaky ground.
“My enjoyment doesn’t matter,” she countered, eyes focused on the road. “I won’t be the one you use to pass the time while you’re working here. I’m too busy, and I’m not into flings.”
Confused, and working up a good bit of irritation himself, Grant shifted in the seat to look at her fully. “I don’t use women to pass the time,” he informed her. “I’m attracted to you, and I acted on it. I wasn’t in that kiss alone, Tessa.”
“You’re ten years older than me.”
Why did that sound like an accusation?
“And?” he asked.
“I’m...you’re...”
She let out an unladylike growl, and Grant again had to bite back a smile. “What does age have to do with attraction, Country?”
“When I started kindergarten you were getting your driver’s license!”
This time he did laugh. “I believe we’re all grown up now.”
“It’s just not right. Your life experiences, they’re levels above mine, and I won’t be played for a fool.”
The word again hovered in the air, and Grant wanted to know what bastard had left her full of doubts and insecurities. But he refused to let himself cross into anything too personal.
Tessa’s shoulders tensed up as silence settled between them. Grant didn’t want her angry. He wasn’t even sure what had spawned this, but he was here to work and there was usually enough drama on sets. He didn’t need this on top of it.
“I read you have a twin,” she told him, breaking the silence. “But I never saw anything else.”
Tension knotted in his belly. “My family isn’t up for discussion.”
“Seriously? You know everything about mine and you—”
“Not. Up. For. Discussion.”
Tessa shook her head and sighed. “Looks like we’re at a stalemate then.”
Stalemate? No. He refused to discuss his family—his sister—but he also refused to let this attraction fizzle because of a past nightmare that threatened to consume him at any moment.
“Pull over.”
She jerked her gaze to his briefly. “What?”
“Pull over.”
Once she’d eased to the side of the road, Grant waited until she’d thrown the Jeep into Park before he reached across the narrow space, grabbed her shoulders and pulled her to meet him in the middle.
A second later his mouth was on hers, and she all but melted. Grant indulged in the strength of the kiss for long moments before he let her go.
“Don’t throw stumbling blocks at me, Country. I’ll jump them,” he told her. “Don’t lump me with whatever jerk broke your heart. And do not downgrade yourself by thinking I’m using you simply to pass the time.”
She lowered her lids and sighed. She was exhausted. Physically and emotionally. No wonder Cassie was worried. Guilt tugged at Grant’s heart. Damn it. His heart had no place in this.
She didn’t want this movie made, didn’t want him here and was fighting this attraction. He wanted the movie and he wanted Tessa.
Grant hated to tell her, but she was fighting a losing battle.
“What’s really bothering you?” he asked. “I realize you’re uncomfortable with...whatever we’re doing, but that wouldn’t have you this angry.”
When she met his eyes, she shook her head. “I’m not sure. It may be nothing, but I’m just so paranoid lately.”
“Tell me what it is, and I can help you decide if it’s nothing. That way you won’t drive yourself insane with your internal battle.”
“Too late,” she said with a smile. “My dad hired this new groom a couple days ago. We needed to fill the slot, but this guy...I can’t put my finger on it. He almost looks familiar. It’s his eyes, but I can’t place him. He’s really quiet and keeps to himself.”
Squeezing her shoulder in reassurance, Grant said, “I fail to see an issue.”
“It just seems like every time I turn around he’s there. I don’t know if he’s spying on me or what.” She paused, bit her lip and went on. “I know this sounds silly, but what if he’s out to harm the horses or sabotage my training? We don’t know this man and the timing...”
Grant didn’t think this was a big deal, but if Tessa was concerned, he’d definitely look into it. Because she was right, the timing was perfect if someone wanted to ruin her racing season. Better to be safe than sorry. And he sure didn’t want anyone to screw up this film before it got started. This was his big shot at producing with the biggest names in the industry. No way in hell was someone going to come in and ruin everything.
“He passed the background check, and from what I can tell he’s a very hard worker.” Tessa blew out a sigh. “Maybe I’m just paranoid because of Cassie’s ex. We thought we could trust him, too.”
Grant cupped Tessa’s cheek, stroking her soft, delicate skin. “I’ll keep an eye out for the guy and do a little digging of my own.”
“Really?” she asked, her eyes widening.
“Yeah. I mean, I can’t have some random guy wreaking havoc on the set. Best to get to the bottom of this now before my crew arrives.”
Tessa nodded and pulled from his grasp. Putting the car back in gear, she drove back out onto the highway.
Grant realized his words may have hurt her, but he wasn’t quite ready to admit he was falling for her a little more each day. So there was no way he could tell her that he’d be watching this stranger like a hawk to make sure he wasn’t out to take advantage of Tessa or any of the other Barringtons.
He may have told her it was all about the movie, but that was a lie. A good portion of it was because he refused to see Tessa hurt.
Damn. There went that heart of his, trying to get involved. But a little voice whispered that his heart was already involved.