Page 36 of Tinsel in Telluride

“Just say yes, Leigh.”

I don’t want to.

I really don’t.

Because if I do, I might learn more about this man. As it is, I’m already having a hard time keeping the lines of past and present from blurring.

But he’s right. Zach will love seeing the horses.

And this is about him.

Which is why, despite shaking my head in defeat, I reluctantly agree.

“Fine.”

“That’s not a yes.”

This man is infuriating. And kind. And I don’t know what the hell to think anymore. One minute he’s reminding me that I’m the world's shittiest human being for keeping secrets, and the next he’s making my insides melt with his thoughtfulness—both toward Zach and me.

My lips move before I can stop them. “Yes.”

“Great.” Luca clasps his hands together, and I swear I see his mind moving a million miles a minute. “I’m going to call the wranglers and let them know that we’ll take the sleigh in addition to the trail horses. We leave in an hour. Will that be enough time to get Zach ready?”

Anxiety slithers up my spine, but it’s accompanied by a hint of excitement.

I nod. “I’ll meet you out front.”

“Perfect.”

He pulls out his phone, and I turn back to the guest house. As my hand twists the doorknob, Luca calls my name.

“Oh, and Leigh?”

I look over my shoulder and see he’s at the mudroom door. “Yeah?”

“My friends are off limits.”

This presumptuous jackass.

“No need to be jealous. Asshole jocks aren’t my type.”

Luca’s chest shakes with a deep chuckle as he pushes into the main house. “If you say so.”

“I do,” I whisper to myself.

Though I’m not sure who I’m trying to convince more—him or me.

CHAPTER NINE

LUCA

My ass is sore.

And not from the stick Leigh and my friends assume is perpetually stuck there.

Why Enzo thought it was a good idea to ride horses…in the snow…for thirty minutes, just to have brisket and beer with a view of the mountains Jack wanted to visit (solely because they were on the can of his favorite light beer) I’m not sure. We might all be ex-pro athletes who have stayed decently in shape, but I’m fairly certain nothing could have prepared our bodies for this.

I shift in the saddle, trying to hide my discomfort.

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