Point of Contention (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (10 page)

afternoons or early evenings are my favorite time to ride.”

“Somehow I don’t think it’s as easy as hop up and go.”

“Let me know when you decide. I’ll have one of the men teach

you. A few hours and you’ll have the basics. Then you can make an

educated decision whether to go further or not.” Again he caught her

look, and she studied him as if he were issuing a dare.

“No thanks. First I’d like to do some reading on the subject. Then

I can make an informed decision. I like to do my homework.”

“It’s a good idea. At least you’ll know what you’re getting into.”

Stuart heard the catch in his own voice and added, “And you won’t

regret it if it doesn’t work out?” Kay took a step back and shielded her eyes with her hand, blocking out the last moments of daylight that

guarded his expression. She studied him before speaking, and he

watched her eyes flash at him.

“Are we still talking about learning to ride a horse?”

“In a manner of speaking.” His grin could only be construed as

maniacal. “Let me know what you decide. If you’re interested, I’ll get

somebody to help you.”

“I’d rather choose my own teacher, if you don’t mind.” She

cocked her head to one side and let the tip of her tongue run over her

bottom lip. Stuart knew Kay knew exactly what she was doing, and he

couldn’t stop watching her intently.

“That might be dangerous on several levels!”

“Define which ones… It’s the only way to make an informed

decision.”

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Stuart drew a breath and looked down at her. While they’d

bantered, her hand had relaxed against the horse and was now

stroking his ear casually. He couldn’t decide if she was just teasing

him and messing with his head or if she was doing it on purpose.

Either way, he knew she’d won this round and he wasn’t willing to

continue the conversation in his current aroused condition. Bursting at

the seams didn’t begin to explain his situation. Staring down at her

cleavage wasn’t helping. He knew he had to get away from her or

he’d drag her up on the horse with him and take her into the woods

and show her just how to ride. The chill that ran through him was

visible, and she didn’t hold back her smile.

“It’s getting late. The mosquitoes will be out soon. We can

explore those levels another time.”

“Maybe. Thanks for the offer. I’ll get back to you. Good night,

Stuart.” She turned and walked slowly up the side staircase, then

along the balcony that fronted the four apartment doorways. She knew

he was watching and turned to him. “Wood or metal?” she called

down to him.

“Wood or metal horses?” he asked, teasing her.

“The cabinets for your house,” she told him with an exasperated

smile.

“Wood.” He only got a nod in return. No good or bad, no smiles

or long faces. As usual, she had him tied up in knots.

* * * *

Kay waited long enough to watch him turn his horse in the

opposite direction and spur it into movement. In the shower with her

eyes closed, her hands became his, and she knew the small release

she’d brought herself was nothing compared to what he might do to

her. The idea gave her goose bumps as she dried off.

It was early enough to drive the half-hour into Wilmington. Kay

decided to get away for a few hours. Maybe take in a movie.

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Anything to get her mind off Stuart and how he made her feel, how he

made her want for something she wasn’t sure existed.

* * * *

Tonight her cart held only a few special plants, all flowers. There

were several flowering hanging baskets, and she was deciding where

she could put one of them when he moved beside her.

“We’ve got to stop meeting like this every Thursday,” Stuart

teased. Freshly showered, the blue work shirt and clean jeans only

enhanced his full frame. His hair was still damp at the edges, and she

wanted to run her fingers through it.

“I’ll start coming on Wednesdays if it will make your life easier,”

she teased back. Not knowing what to do next, she waited, and so did

he. Finally, she started to laugh.

“Good lord, would you look at us. Two intelligent adults who

can’t seem to find the words to be civil to each other when what we

really want…” His eyes flashed at her, and she felt the heat brush

across her chest and inflame her neck and cheeks.

“What do you think I want, Kadence?” His voice was low, the

words spoken close to her ear. She drew a breath and smelled his

soap. “Tell me.”

“You already told me, that night in the kitchen,” she said

defensively. He took a step back when his hand reached toward her

cheek, just missing contact with her skin. Her eyes shuttered closed as

he moved away, knowing he’d shut down again.

“Have a good evening, Kadence. Drive carefully.” He slipped

away quietly, leaving her dumbfounded in the garden center once

again. She forgot about the baskets and ultimately pushed the cart to

the side, gathering up the few plants she’d already chosen and making

a beeline for the checkout. Only after she was safely locked away in

her car did she calm down. It was ridiculous, really. Talking to herself all the way back to the lodge, she argued both sides of their case, just
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as she had every legal case she took on. In the end, nothing changed.

She was attracted to a man who happened to be her boss and

apparently who didn’t have strong enough feelings for her to do

anything about them. With renewed enthusiasm for her self-imposed

celibacy, she resigned herself to getting on with the job instead of the man. The job was what was important. In a year, she’d decide where

she wanted to go next, but for now, the experience she was gaining

was golden. Travis was giving her more responsibility with each

week, and she was enjoying the challenge. After a few nights of

reading up on the finer points of horsemanship, she’d let Stuart know

when she was ready to ride.

* * * *

He found her sitting in the pen with the dogs. Some nights he

watched her with them from a distance, wishing he was the one she

stroked instead of the beagle. On those nights, he forced himself to

move away quietly. Tonight should have been one of those nights, but

after their last meeting in the garden center, he’d felt bad about the

way he left things with her. He knew she heard him approach; the

gravel walkway under his boots gave her time to realize she wasn’t

alone. Standing on the outside of the kennel, he spoke quietly.

“Good evening, Kadence.”

“Evening, Stuart.” They were the first words that had been passed

between them in over a week. Kay’s hand rose to her chest then

fanned her face. He decided she didn’t realize her actions, but he

noted her nipples budded through the cotton shirt she wore. “Chloe’s

getting big,” she added, sounding lame, as if she were searching for a

neutral topic. Hell, he was hoping not to embarrass himself. In the last days he decided he wanted her, then not, seventeen times over.

“She’s gonna get bigger,” he whispered, trying to sound normal.

“Will it be the first birth at the lodge?”

“Yes.” He hadn’t thought of it from that perspective. It lightened

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his mood to think of new life on the land. “Brunch went well today.”

“Thanks, the team makes the difference. We’re all getting to know

each other a bit better, all working in a better rhythm now.”

“Any problems I should know about? Anything to help you settle

in?”

“No, but thanks. I’m quite comfortable in my apartment and with

the job. Anything you’d like to revise?” She watched him catch her

words and look away.

“Just checking.” He wanted to tell her yes, he’d changed his mind

and he wanted her in his bed. That she’d managed to bury herself in

his mind and he’d not been quite sane since they met, but he didn’t

and wouldn’t.

Kadence stood and brushed off the back of her jeans. When she

reached the fence, Stuart unlocked it for her and watched as she

slipped past him. So close, he wanted to touch her. They stared at

each other for seconds before she spoke.

“I overheard the guys talking about running the dogs tomorrow.”

“Just practice. I have a new radio system I want to check out.”

“I’ve never seen dogs hunt,” she started and then looked away.

Apparently she hadn’t missed how his shoulders stiffened at her

insinuation. Letting out a slow breath, he decided it wouldn’t do to

embarrass either of them further. It was quite obvious he didn’t offer

to have her join him. “Good luck with the test,” she finally said,

adding, “See you Tuesday.” She walked away quickly but stopped

several yards away from him. “Will Chloe run tomorrow?”

“No.” He took off his hat and slapped it against his thigh, the dust

settling in a light cloud around his hip. She didn’t answer, just started walking again. When he knew she was out of his sight, he let himself

breathe again. “Damn her,” he said.

Stuart stayed with the dogs for a long time, berating himself. He

had ignored her when she asked to come along, pretended he didn’t

get her inference. He wanted to kick himself several times over. But

he also knew if she was along, the radio wouldn’t be the only thing

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tested. His willpower would be on the line, and in front of the crew he

didn’t want to have to deal with his emotions on view. Only now that

he’d effectively turned her down, again, he really wanted to kick

himself. It seemed he’d been wrong about her and Travis. They were

good friends, but they didn’t seem to be romantically involved. Yes,

they laughed and hugged, but Travis was always away on his

downtime. And twice Stuart had run into him in town, both times with

a woman, a different woman at that.

Still, he felt she wasn’t an option. No woman was for him, even if

she was tall and dark with curves and a killer smile. Even if she was

the first woman in a long time to make him actually feel again. And

then he knew what the problem was. Kadence Farrell made him feel

again, and that was dangerous territory. Emotions had always gotten

the better of him in the past, and he’d managed to stay unattached and

unencumbered these past years. That was how he liked his life, sane

and settled. Or at least how he liked it until Kay came to the Lodge.

Best to just get on with his game plan, he reinforced to himself.

Only lately it was getting harder and harder to do just that. Even

the plans for his home were on hold until he made some final material

decisions, and he hadn’t made those choices yet. Deep down he knew

why he was holding off, but it wasn’t rational. Building his home

should be his domain, so why was he holding off with the details of

the kitchen? The answer kept coming back and slapping him over the

head. He was waiting to figure out how to get Kay’s input. He wanted

her to be comfortable in the space he would finally build. He laughed

resignedly at himself. Hell, he couldn’t even talk to her most of the

time without getting tongue-tied and an erection. He’d ignored each

of her attempts to get closer, yet here he was picturing her in his

home, their home. The irony wasn’t lost on him, just unappreciated.

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Chapter Nine

In the weeks that followed, life at Agrarian Lodge became crazed.

They were full to capacity and had taken on several part-time staff as

well. Kay had seen Stuart in passing mostly. With both guest houses

full as well as the lodge, she’d been pressed into longer hours. In

summer the guests who went fishing on the lake boats always took

lunch, and it was now Kay’s department to handle. While it was part

of her expressed duties, the first weeks she was there, the waters had

still been cold. In the last two weeks, the fishermen had arrived and

cold or not, they were going to fish! This left Kay working three extra

hours each weekday. Her days flew past, her lazy afternoons a thing

of the past.

Stuart was still keeping his distance from her, and she decided to

just write him off as a possible sex partner. In the few hours they had

off duty, she and Travis had taken a few motorcycle rides, his

knowledge of the area making him a great tour guide of back roads

and quiet beaches. On one such outing Travis pulled the bike to a

secluded section of sandy beach, allowing them privacy and quiet to

watch the gentle tides peaking against the shoreline.

“You’re not happy lately, Kay. Anything I can fix?”

“Not in the kitchen,” she told him, laughing. “I’m just horny, and

self-satisfaction just isn’t cutting it anymore.” Kay knew her answer

would create a situation that might turn sexual and let out a sigh.

“Okay, we had an agreement to just be friends, but…”

“But you’re not getting anything from Stuart, and I’m the next

best thing.” He said it with a smile, but she wondered if his feelings