Since he was off the clock, Rocco had free time on his hands after his visit with Kimble. Their chat had left him in a pensive mood. He’d thought about the explosion a million times—was it possible, as Kimble suggested, that there were still things he wasn’t letting himself remember about the days leading up to that terrible event?
Before he was aware of it, Rocco had wandered over to the stables. Kitano stood in the far corner of his corral. Rocco wondered how he was today, if what happened last night had set him back. He climbed the fence and dropped inside the corral. Kitano watched him walk slowly over to him, following the fence line. Rocco stayed upwind of Kitano so the horse could get his scent. He didn’t shuffle away, didn’t put his ears back or stamp the ground. He didn’t do anything that indicated he was agitated by Rocco’s presence.
It felt like a victory. But Kitano was nothing if not wily. Wouldn’t be any kind of surprise if he waited until the last moment to flip out, when he could do the most damage to Rocco. But he remained still and let Rocco come close. Rocco paused just to the side of his head, giving the horse another chance to smell him. Rocco held his hand near Kitano’s nose, always watchful for a nip.
“Hey, Kitano. Just me,” Rocco murmured. “I wanted to see how you were after last night.” Rocco stepped closer and patted Kitano’s shoulder. “I’m sorry for scaring the bejeezus out of you. You were brave.” He looked at Kitano’s eye, which was calm, not white-rimmed. “Did you see the angels, too? Kimble says they were just in my head, but you must have seen them, too. Otherwise, you would have killed me, screaming at you like I was.”
Rocco put both hands on Kitano’s neck. The crazy horse stepped a little closer. Rocco leaned in to him, resting his forehead against the horse’s muscled neck. He chanced a full hug, which Kitano stood still through. When Rocco straightened, he patted Kitano’s shoulder again. “Thank you.”
Rocco started back toward the far side of the corral, intending to go looking for Mandy, but Kitano kept pace with him. When Rocco went to the fence, Kitano nudged him. “Feel like a ride, do you?” Rocco scratched his ear. “Let me see if I can steal Mandy away. If not now, then soon. I think my boy would like a long ride, too.”
He should have felt foolish talking to Kitano, but he didn’t. He felt understood.
Mandy had watched the whole thing from one of the horse stalls. She’d kept still, worried for Rocco, worried for her horse. But what she saw was stunning. Rocco and Kitano had a bond now. Against all odds and reason, the horse trusted the man.
Rocco climbed out of the corral and started over to the stables. He looked up and saw her, then flashed the biggest grin. It was in his face and in his eyes and in his stride. It was as if he caught the sunshine and gave it to her. He was the old Rocco again. Mandy’s breath snagged, then came tears. God, how she had missed him.
Seeing her reaction, the warmth left his face. He walked up to her, not stopping until his feet bumped hers. He reached for her, catching the base of her skull, and pulled her to him for a kiss. Mandy’s tears kept coming. He held her face in both hands and let the salty streams spill past his thumbs as his lips met hers.
Mandy dropped the rake she’d been using to muck the stall and wrapped her arms around him. Rocco bent and lifted her, then carried her inside the stable. He set her on her feet inside the shadowy corridor, then looked around. Mandy took his hand and led him to the long hay storage room.
He pulled off his shirt and set it on a hay bale for her. She kicked off her boots and slipped her jeans and panties down. He kissed her as he unbuttoned her shirt. Her bra unfastened from the front. He released it, then sucked in a sharp breath as he looked at her bare skin. Her stomach was a little more rounded than usual, but that seemed to please Rocco. She could still fit into her jeans, but she wasn’t sure how long they’d be comfortable.
Rocco caught her breasts in his big hands then leaned over and kissed her cheek. He held his face against hers, breathing her scent, touching her body. She was starved for him. Reaching over, she ran her hands over the dark hair lightly covering his chest, following it down to his waist.
She sat on his shirt. He stepped between her legs. The hay bales were perfectly stacked to be just the right height. She unfastened his belt, trying hard to focus as his lips nipped along the curve of her neck. She reached into his pants and caught his rigid penis. He thrust himself against her hands. She spread her legs, bracing her heels on the slim edge of the hay bale below the one she sat on, then drew him to her.