Mick took a step toward Reagan as he grinned a little too big for her taste. “I hadn’t planned on joining the flight, but maybe I should.”
Reagan really didn’t care if he did or didn’t. She wanted some time with Carter to make sure they were okay. There had been a lot of words said last night and a lot of tears cried. The only thing she knew for sure was a life without Carter would be very dark indeed.
“We better get going,” Mick said, stepping back to grab hold of Suzanne’s hand. “We’re having breakfast with some friends. It was great meeting you both. I’ll talk to Sam and maybe I’ll join you tomorrow for the flight. We can spend the night at that hotel you like so much and see Miss Mambo settled. I’m sure we can catch a flight back the next afternoon.”
Suzanne smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’d like that. It was good seeing you again, Carter. Will you give your father and mother my best?”
“Of course,” Carter said, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze.
“I’m so glad to have met you, Reagan. I look forward to flying with you tomorrow.”
“You too, Mrs. Bristol. I’ll take good care of you and Miss Mambo.”
Reagan watched the couple head off to a flashy sports car parked in front of the horse transport. “Was something wrong with Mrs. Bristol?” Reagan asked. “She seemed, I don’t know, tense.”
Carter nodded as he smiled and waved at the couple as they drove off. “She came to me because Mick has fraudulently bilked her out of two hundred thousand dollars for the purchase of this horse. She thinks he has plans set to do it again at the sales next month.”
“She seems so nice. That’s horrible. Have you called Ryan?”
“Yes, but I got his voicemail.” Carter turned and looked at her with concern. “How are you doing?”
Reagan let out a deep breath. “I know one thing and one thing only right now. I love you, Carter. I should never have been embarrassed or fearful about telling you my feelings.”
“I love you too. I have for a very long time. Do you remember that first flight together?” Carter grinned wickedly at her, and she felt her heart speed up.
“It wasn’t the first flight, as I recall, it was the overnight stay. We talked the whole flight, and then, well, then things got interesting.”
Carter’s grin widened as he pulled her against him. “Interesting is what you call it? It was so interesting you tore off my shirt and had your wicked way with me?”
Reagan laughed as she wrapped her arms around his waist. “That was after you got me drunk on your kisses.” Oh, she remembered those kisses well. Carter was an artist when it came to kissing. Something so simple could drive her wild. He knew the right amount of pressure, how to use his fingers to heighten the kiss, the way to move his tongue that sent sparks straight to her core. It had taken one kiss in the hotel elevator to send Reagan into a lust-induced frenzy.
“I wish I didn’t have to go to the airport, but I need to get everything ready for the flight. The flight down will be easy, but I have to have everything ready for the full return flight.” Reagan slipped her hand into his as they walked toward the stallion pastures on the other side of the farm.
Quarterback Sneak, one of the promising new race horses, was tossing his head in the air as he pawed the earth with his hoof. Reagan watched the stallion fling his head to the side and take off across the field. They were beautiful animals. She looked back at Miss Mambo who was happily trotting around with her ears up and her long chestnut tail almost wagging in excitement. It was such a shame she would be embroiled in a possible crime.
“What will happen to Miss Mambo if this Mick guy is really committing fraud?” Reagan asked.
“I think Suzanne will keep her anyway. She has a big heart for animals, and as you can tell, Miss Mambo is truly a sweetheart,” Carter told her as he pulled out his phone and looked at the time. “I’m sorry. I wish we could talk more, but I have a busy day. Your father stopped me this morning to see how you were.”
Reagan’s heart sped up. She didn’t want a confrontation right now. “How was he?”
“Worried. But, he did ask me to come work out with him tonight at five. Do you want to meet me at the café at seven for dinner?”
“You do know he’s using that as an excuse to get you into the boxing ring, right?” Reagan asked worriedly. She didn’t want Carter to have to handle her father.
“I do. It’s not like I’m completely without talent. I was a wide receiver in college. I can take a hit.” Carter tried to joke, but Reagan didn’t laugh.
“Be careful. I won’t lie. I wish you wouldn’t go. I’d rather have the night with you before I begin my crazy season of flying.” Reagan didn’t like this side of her—the side that needed him. The side that felt unsure about everything.
Carter smiled and palmed her face, tilting her lips up toward his. “You’ll have me all night long. If this helps your father realize I’m not going anywhere, then it’s worth the time apart. Reagan, it’s important you know that no matter what your father throws at me, I’m not going to run. I want to be with you, and nothing is going to change that.”
Carter lowered his lips to hers, and he flexed his fingers into her hair, letting her know he needed her as much as she needed him. He could say so much with a kiss. And this one told Reagan all she needed to know—Carter loved her.
“I’ll see you at the café at seven. I love you,” Carter told her, his voice husky from the emotions he’d poured into the kiss.
“I love you too.”
* * *
Carter headed to the office while Reagan walked toward the house as she called her sister to help deliver her car. In twenty minutes, two cars pulled in front of Carter’s house. One was hers and the other was her sister’s. Her sister got out of her own car as her assistant, Aniyah, got out of Reagan’s.
“You naughty girl!” Aniyah grinned as she sashayed her curvy body toward Reagan.
Where Reagan was athletic with strong muscles from horseback riding, Aniyah was all soft curves, giant breasts, and a booty that songs were written about. Her brown skin glowed from the reflection of the morning sun and her long swooping black bangs that were normally dyed red were pinned back with a diamond bobby pin. Aniyah was the definition of good things coming in small packages. And she knew how to use it to her advantage. It was something Reagan had always been in awe of. Reagan was more comfortable in jeans and a T-shirt, but Aniyah could wear jeans and a T-shirt and somehow look ready to go shopping on Fifth Avenue.
“How could you keep a fine man like Carter Ashton a secret for over a year?” Aniyah wondered as she joined Riley to stand in front of Reagan.
“I think last night answered why I kept him a secret,” Reagan said, embarrassed all over again. “Do you think Layne and Walker and Uncle Miles and Aunt Morgan will forgive me?”
“Forgive you?” Aniyah cried. “Haven’t you heard? It was the highlight of the reception. See, I got the whole thing on video. Miles had me send it to him.”
Aniyah pulled out her phone, and in slow-motion glory her dad was seen leaping from the tabletop. “It’ll be hard to top this when my sugarbear and I get married.”
“You and DeAndre are getting married?” Riley asked. DeAndre Drews had been a security guard at the capitol building when Riley had been attacked. He was so good at his job, Matt had helped him become a state trooper. Then when Matt retired from the state troopers to take the Keeneston sheriff’s job, DeAndre got assigned to the district. As far as Reagan knew, DeAndre and Aniyah had been together for a couple of years, but no one had mentioned marriage before.
Aniyah shrugged a shoulder. “Eventually we will. If you’re with a man for over a year, it’s inevitable or you’re wasting time. By the end of a year together, you know if he’s the man you’re going to marry or not. Isn’t that right, Riley?”