The Black Sheep and the Hidden Beauty (15 page)

Thirty minutes later he wasn't sure who was more bored from walking in circles, him or Petunia. Mac had left somewhere around lap number fifty. So much for support. The last he'd seen of him, Mac was wandering down in the direction of Kate's office. Probably had her up against the nearest wall by now.

Rafe shut that mental path down. Especially because it wasn't Kate he was picturing up against a wall, but him and a particularly frustrating horse trainer. “How about we speed things up a little?” he called out, more to help rid him of the mental image than anything.

“We're about done for today,” Jackie called out. She was a compact blonde with thick, curly hair, a girl-next-door fresh face, and a body she had to have poured into her jeans. On pretty much any other day, she'd have attracted his attention. At least some mild flirtation, anyway, just to hear her laugh. Today his attention was split between watching the office door, and not falling off the horse.

“Just one time around at a trot?” he said. “Then we'll call it quits. Give me something to look forward to next time.”

He rounded the end of the ring and started heading back toward his instructor when a motion over by the adjacent stables caught his eye. Elena had exited the building and was getting into one of the farm golf carts. He must have tensed, because Petunia reacted by speeding up a little.

“Careful,” Jackie called out. “You want to kick a little with your heels and press gently with your knees.”

Rafe heard her in a buzzing-fly kind of way. His attention was fully on watching where Elena was zipping off to. Even if he trotted all the way to Jackie and left the horse for her to take care of, he'd never catch up with her. Unless…

He dug his heels in a little and pressed his knees more tightly against Petunia's sides as he grabbed the pommel and leaned forward. “What do you say we have a little field trip?”

Petunia, apparently as bored as he was, thought this was a fine idea, and immediately picked up the pace.

“Pull back just a little on the reins,” Jackie shouted. “Gently. Then release.”

Tracey was coming out of the barn just then and moving toward the paddock gate, perhaps anticipating the end of his lesson. He wondered if they needed Petunia for another class this morning, and sent silent apologies to Kate and her kids if that was the case. Surely they had enough horses to go around and could spare this one for twenty or thirty minutes.

Instead of heading toward Jackie, he steered Petunia across the paddock toward the opening gate. As if sensing the potential for adventure, her ears perked and she picked up the pace a little more, causing Rafe to grab the pommel more tightly. It was that or risk never having children. Sweet mother of God. He hoped he was just doing something wrong, because if this was what it felt like normally, it was a miracle cowboys anywhere ever procreated.

He spared a thought that perhaps this would have been a wiser move after more than, oh, two whole lessons under his belt, but he was committed to it now. And so was Petunia.

“Hey!” Jackie called, trotting across the ring as he headed through the gate.

“I'll have her back as soon as possible,” he shouted over his shoulder.

He nodded at Tracey as he trotted by, not daring to attempt the more suave tipping of the imaginary hat for fear of landing his suave ass in a pile of horse manure. She jumped out of the way easily and swung the gate wider, saluting him as he went past, either oblivious to Jackie's shouts or ignoring them for his sake. Her wink said partners-in-crime and he winked back. He'd remember that.

And then they were free of the ring and heading out across hill and dale, following the direction Elena had gone in her golf cart.

There was a clear cart path worn in the grass from the main stables to the far barns where she kept her horse, the same one they'd taken earlier. It didn't surprise him that she was headed that way, seeking some peace and quiet to deal with whatever that phone call had been about. But the speed with which she was racing out there made him wonder just what exactly had happened. If she'd been on the call the entire time, that was a lot of question-and-answer time for the investigator.

Petunia wanted to go faster—he could feel it with the bunch and pull of her muscles. He wondered how often, if ever, she was allowed more free rein than she could get inside a ring. He wondered if maybe she wasn't supposed to get this worked up. She was older, Elena had said. And more sweetheart than warrior. But she didn't seem labored and she wasn't lathering. In fact, he could swear, if a horse could smile, she was grinning ear to ear.

“Easy there,” he told her, leaning over a little, trying like hell to find a way to sit in a saddle that didn't threaten his future as an active bed partner and someday father. “It looks a lot easier in the movies.”

They finally, blessedly, got to the barns, and Petunia mercifully seemed to understand that this was where her adventure came to an end. He pulled up, but she was already slowing, and came to a complete stop by the closed paddock gate. It was empty at the moment, so he slid—somewhat gingerly—from her back, then led her inside the ring and put the reins across her neck. He scrubbed her mane and scratched her between the ears. “
Gracias, mijita,”
he murmured. “I'll make sure you don't get into any trouble. And there will be extra sweet feed for you, promise.”

She pawed at the ground a bit and lowered her head, butting him on the shoulder, but settled after a few more strokes.

After making sure the gate was closed properly, he turned toward the barns and headed directly to where Elena's horse was stabled. One way or the other, he was going to find out what was going on. Game time was over.

E
lena paced the length of the barn aisle and back again. “Shit, shit, shit.” Springer grumbled a little and stamped impatiently inside her stall. “Sorry, sweetie,” she said, pausing by the door. Springer was obviously sensing her tension. She shouldn't have come out here. But she needed time to think. She needed space. And there were too many people around for her to disappear up into her loft. They'd knock first, but, if she was needed, they'd definitely knock.

At least out here, it would take some time to get to her, and she'd see them coming.

“Elena.”

She jumped, plastering her hand over her heart as she spun around to find a very dusty Rafe standing in the center of the aisle. So much for seeing them coming.

“What are you doing out here?” she blurted, heart racing. To be fair, it was still racing from the phone call. He was not improving matters any, though. “I thought you were in the middle of your lesson.” In fact, though she hadn't wasted any time in getting away from the stables, she had glanced over to the ring to make sure he was otherwise occupied.

“I saw you take off like a bat out of hell. I was concerned. So I took a little field trip.”

“Where I go and how fast I get there isn't any of your busin—” She broke off and narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean by ‘field trip?'” She angled her body to look past him, but didn't see anything outside the barn door.

“Petunia and I thought walking in circles was getting to be a real drag. So we walked in a straight line instead. All the way out here.” He shifted his weight on his feet. “Actually, we went a little faster than a walk. I'm guessing there's a way to do that that doesn't render a guy a eunuch. I'll have to get you to show me that.”

Any other time, she'd have fought a smile. At the moment, she was still too freaked out for it to register. All she knew was that she needed him gone. Now. “Jackie let you just waltz out of your lesson—”

“No, she had no say in this. I sort of cajoled her into teaching me—or starting to teach me—how to trot, when I saw you take off. Then Tracey was opening the gate—also not her fault, she was just entering the ring—and Petunia and I just sort of took advantage of it.”

“Are they on their way out here, too? Tracey and Jackie?”

“I'm…pretty sure Tracey headed Jackie off at the pass.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Why would she do that? What could Tracey possibly say to Jackie that would make her think I would want to be interrupted by—” She stopped as visions of the scene Tracey had walked in on earlier swam through her mind. She ducked her chin, and massaged her forehead. “Never mind. And, if you don't want to be a true eunuch, then you'd better not be grinning when I look up.”

“So cranky.”

“You have no idea.”

“I'm guessing the call didn't go all that well.”

His voice was closer, which meant so was he. She had to look up, but she really needed more space, and more time, before having to handle him, or handle anything. Dealing with Rafe up close in her personal space was more than she could take on at the moment. “I appreciate your concern.” She took what she hoped was a steadying breath, and looked up. “But I'd appreciate some time to myself.”

“I make a good listener. What did the guy want?”

“Another time maybe.” She stepped back, closer to the stall door and Springer. “It might be a good idea to get Petunia back to the main stables. She'll be needed for classes later.”

“That's assuming I can get back up on her and make it back there.”

“Something tells me you'll do just fine.”

He took a step closer, and she tensed. She tried not to show it, but that much was really beyond her at the moment. The stabilized world she'd thought she'd constructed for herself had just been proven to have very shaky foundations. And she didn't know what to do about that. What she did know was Rafe Santiago was the last person she'd ever reveal that to. He already had a way of looking at her, into her, like he saw far past her defenses, to some other place she was unaccustomed to people reaching. And that was without her handing it over to him.

“Elena, I know something's not right.” He said it quietly, but somehow the softer tone wasn't the least bit comforting. In fact, it only served to unnerve her further. He saw far too much, far too easily.

“Whether or not that's the case, I'd prefer to handle my own affairs my own way.” She put her hand out when he took another step. “Just because we lost our heads for a few moments this morning doesn't mean I need or want your interference. It's nothing personal, just, I've been taking care of myself for a long time, and I like it that way.”

“So you've made a point of saying.”

“I don't expect that pattern to change anytime soon.”

He stood his ground, kept his gaze steady on hers. “Just because you don't usually need help, doesn't mean you shouldn't consider accepting some when it's offered. I'm guessing that doesn't happen too often.”

“Do you do that? Accept help?”

His gaze shuttered a bit and she realized she'd said exactly the right thing if she wanted him to back off.

“That's what I thought. Please, get Petunia back to Tracey. We can set up another lesson later.” She turned away.

“Elena, I really think if you—”

She swung right back around. “You know, you're going beyond the bounds of being a nice guy here. In fact, you're being pretty adamant about this. What's really going on?”

It was hardly a blink, and if she hadn't been expressly looking for it, she'd never have noticed it, but there had been a flicker. She pounced on it without thinking twice. She was in survival mode now and he was the enemy. One of them, anyway. “Why are you so dead set on helping me out? For that matter, why are you really down here taking lessons?”

“What makes you think—”

“I'm not stupid. A bit slow at times, perhaps, but not stupid. One of the things that makes me good at my job is being intuitive with the animals I work with, picking up on subtle signals. People aren't so different.” She folded her arms. “If you have concerns of any kind, or if Kate does, or Mac, or Finn, or anyone else on Dalton Downs, why not just come out and ask? I'm damn good at my job and I thought things were going just fine, but if there's some other agenda at work here—”

His eyes went hard and flinty, and she had to resist the urge to shiver. “Is there?” Gone were those smooth-as-velvet, dulcet tones. In their place was a flat, steely voice that brooked no argument—something far closer, she realized now, to the kind of tone she'd have associated with him before they'd first spoken to one another.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Then it hit her. His sudden appearance, sniffing around her. Followed by that phone call out of the blue today. “Oh my God. It's you who did this, isn't it?”

“What are you talking about? Did what?”

“The phone call. The investigator. You had something to do with that, didn't you?”

“I have no idea who was on the phone or why they called. But I'll admit I'd be more than happy to listen to an explanation as to why an insurance investigator was so keen to talk to you today.”

“You've been checking up on me, haven't you? Snooping, making calls, maybe? To my former employer?”

He folded his arms. “Kate does background checks on all her employees.”

“I know,” she returned flatly. He wasn't the only one who could do steely. At the moment she didn't know whether she was more terrified of the ramifications of what had happened this morning, or pissed off at him for dragging her back into the situation she thought she'd safely left behind. “I passed mine with flying colors. What changed?”

“Things didn't add up.”

She felt the blood drain from her face. So it was true. He did have ulterior motives for being here. With her. It seemed ridiculous now, that she'd wasted even a second thinking otherwise. Of course a man like him wasn't going to be interested in a barn rat like her. The blood came rushing back, flushing her cheeks until they felt hot, as she realized how easy she'd made it for him. Key word being
easy
. For someone who'd made it this far living on her wits, she'd certainly lost them when she needed them most.

“Says who?” she demanded, embracing the righteous anger that filled her, along with the terror that she'd been so close, and now it seemed like it was all unraveling at once. “Did Kate have a problem with me? My past employment? Again, why not come straight to me? And if she didn't like my answers, she could let me go.”

“She wasn't the one with the questions. But she is worried about you.”

“Worried? What reason did she have to worry about me?”

“You have a pregnant horse with prior problems.”

“Which I personally told her about. She seemed fine with it, very understanding, in fact. I have my own vet. You met him. It's not something that is going to affect my work here or create any problems for her. Is that what this is all about?”

“You leave the world of horseracing, a world you profess to love and have fought hard to succeed in, to work at a camp for kids.”

“To give my horse some peace and quiet, and because I wasn't sure where I was going to go after leaving Charlotte Oaks. And this isn't just any camp for kids. I resent the implication that what Kate does is somehow inferior to the field I was in. I think she'd take serious offense—”

“You know that's not what I meant. You claim to be taking a time-out, giving your horse some space to gestate in the relative peace and quiet of the Virginia countryside. Despite the fact that the operation you left has far more qualified medical personnel on hand.”

“Asked and answered. Horseracing is a crazy, intense atmosphere. Springer doesn't need crazy and intense, or a team of doctors. She only needs me and my vet. What, were you an attorney at some point? IRS maybe? You badger very well.”

“You also neglected to mention Geronimo in your job interview.”

She tried to keep from flinching at that. “I didn't see what that had to do with anything. It was international news, but it had happened some time ago when I was interviewed. I figured if Kate had a problem or concern, she'd have asked me. As it was, she wasn't even curious about it, didn't even bring it up.”

“Because she didn't know about it. Because you didn't think to mention it.”

“As I said, it was international-level news back when it happened. I didn't think I had to.” She tried to keep her heart from pounding out of her chest, but all of her worst fears seemed to be coming to some sort of fruition all at the same time, and she simply couldn't think straight, couldn't decide what to say and what not to say. But she clearly knew who not to trust. “So, because I didn't mention my horse's pregnancy issues and because I took for granted that the person interviewing me was already aware that Charlotte Oaks was a pretty well-known place, there are official concerns about me?”

“I'm just saying that what you call a time-out can also look a lot like hiding out.”

“And you make this brilliant deduction based on essentially nothing, unless there is something you're not telling me. And then, bam, you suddenly need riding lessons. What a coincidence! God forbid you just come out and ask me. I don't think I've ever been more insulted.”

“Which is exactly why we didn't ask you directly. I didn't want you to storm out of here. You're the best manager Kate could hope to find.”

“If I'm not some sort of nutcase, you mean, hiding out from something nefarious.”

“Elena, that's not—”

“And, I'm guessing that riding lessons weren't the sum total of your grand plan, right? Is that where that—” she waved her hand in the general direction of the main stables “—whatever the hell we did factored in? You didn't have to seduce me, you know. I was already starting to like and respect you as a person. A few more lessons and God knows the deep, dark secrets you'd have gotten me to expose.”

“What happened between us earlier had nothing to do with my initial reasons for wanting lessons. If you haven't figured it out, I was sort of starting to like and respect the person you are as well. It's why I'm out here right now.”

She snorted. “Right. It has nothing to do with the phone call I got earlier, which you were being quite pushy about ‘helping' me with. And because you respect me so damn much, you went snooping around in my past. Stirring up stuff. And now I've got investigators wondering if they missed something with me. Thanks. Thanks a hell of a lot.” She went to push past him, wanting nothing more than to end this conversation. She'd been badly rattled by the phone call and this little confrontation only sealed her initial instinct when she'd heard the name Geronimo. She needed to leave here. Tonight.

He took her arm gently but firmly as she brushed by and turned her around to face him. “I started this whole thing because I wanted to protect Kate. And her kids.”