Page 27 of Her Double Desire

Veronica's smile is a beacon of joy. “Yes, please!”

I'd hoped to clear my head of my feelings before getting close to this girl again. Taking her riding... just the two of us... is the opposite of my goal.

But honestly...

It feels incredibly good to be selfish for once.

****

We ride through thevineyards at a solid pace.

Veronica follows my chocolate stallion on a silvery-gray mare, never struggling to keep up with me. She climbed onto the horse like a natural as well. “This isn't your first time,” I call, “is it?”

“My mother had horses when I was younger,” she says. “I rode them constantly. I got in trouble a lot for always running off to ride instead of helping out or doing my homework.”

A laugh rises from me, and god, it feelsgood.“Rebellious even then.”

“I'm trying to be less so, Sir.”

“You don't have to call me that out here,” I say, peering back at her. Veronica's eyebrows arch high in surprise. “Stone House has rules, but there's no need to enforce them everywhere.”

Her forehead crinkles. Kicking her horse forward, she pulls up beside me. “Then I can speak my mind without getting in trouble?”

“I can't forget the things you say,” I remind her, smirking. “But unless it's incredibly offensive, I doubt I'd hold it against you.”

Pushing her mouth into a pout—one that I ache to kiss—she clears her throat. “Why were you so angry at me last night?”

I dig my heels into my stallion. The horse snorts, shaking its head, and I have to take a minute to trot it in a circle and calm him down. When I'm done, I eyeball Veronica, then motion at a hill ahead. “Follow me.”

I don't wait for her to agree. I just start my horse galloping.

The wind is glorious on my face. Everything smells fresh and green out here by the mountains. Together, we ride up the slope, then at the top, I dismount. Veronica is a second slower than me. “Look,” I say, throwing my arm out back towards the house.

She turns, and the both of us take a moment to enjoy the view. It's nice from the kitchen, or most anywhere on the property, but here, on the hills, it's magnificent.

Veronica inhales until her chest rises. I watch helplessly, thinking about the ways I could strip her dress from her body. Her eyes dart to mine, the pupils wide, serious. “Answer my question.”

Fuck. “I don't know what you expect me to say.”

“I want to know why you were giving me so much attitude. You told Shawn to do whatever he had to, and he did.”

“I didn't expect him to go so far with you so fast.”

She tightens her jaw, but some of the hardness melts from her glare. “Well, it sucked having you act so awful. Okay? I'm confused enough by this situation. I don't need you making it worse with your petty attitude.”

A grim line forms across my lips. “I know I told you the rules don't apply outside of the house, but don't think that means I'll stand here and let you speak down to me.”

She crosses her arms, turning away. The joy of our ride has vanished quicker than the trip to get here on the hill.She's fuming,I think, watching her silently. I don't like being made to explain my confusing emotions to anyone, let alone her.

I also hate seeing her being miserable.

Thinking of a solution, I start to speak in a calmer voice. “I don't want you to be confused. Or stressed, if I can help. That does nothing for any of us. If you have other questions, ask me them.”

Slowly, she looks up at me. “You told me that Oliver was more than your boss. Then what is he?”

“A friend. Our families knew each other, we grew up together. When his father passed away, the vineyards became his.” I falter as the memory of his grief comes at me. Oliver had been close to his dad, and though the death hadn't been a shock, he'd gone to a dark place for some months. “I... helped him through that tough time.” I'd done more than that; I'd taken over signing paperwork, pretending it was his signature, despite the risk of being caught.

Veronica folds her legs so she can sit on the ground. “He's lucky he had you in his life.”

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