Page 60 of Spencer and the Younger Girl
When she gotto the ranch, the first thing she saw was Spencer with Harbinger in the paddock. Did the man ever sleep?
She considered approaching him, but then flashes of the day before ran through her mind. He’d kissed her. A full-on toe-curling kiss.
She’d be lying if she said it wasn’t the best moment of her year.
But then he’d walked away, and no one treated her like that. It didn’t matter how adorable he was out there chatting with his horse or that she’d dreamed of his lips, his hands.
“He’s been out there since before dawn.” Damien walked up beside her, his hands stuck deep in the pockets of his faded jeans. “I don’t think he ever sleeps.”
Her lips curved up. “I had that same thought. Why does he spend so much time with that horse?”
Damien shrugged. “They used to be a pair. Harbi has always been difficult, but he became unmanageable after Spencer left.”
“Why did he leave?”
Damien was quiet for a moment. “He had his reasons.” He jerked his head to the barn. “Come on, we need to get the hay bales inside. Looks like it’s going to rain.”
She followed him across the dirt, sparing a single glance for the dark clouds overhead. They’d had an abnormally wet winter for Florida, but she loved the rain.
“When I was a kid, my grandpa and I used to go out to the beach in the rain and watch the waves kick up.” She sighed as she bent to grip the twine wrapped around a heavy bale of hay.
Damien chuckled. “On this ranch, rain always means a scramble. We have to make sure the animals are inside, as well as any tools or…” He gestured to the hay as he hoisted a bale and carried it to the open barn door.
Hadley strained to lift hers, her muscles protesting the action. She’d gotten used to the amount of work the ranch needed, but it didn’t make her any stronger.
Damien grinned as she half carried, half dragged a hay bale through the door.
“Not a word,” she growled.
His back shook with silent laughter as he took it from her and stacked it along the wall.
Gabe appeared to help them.
Damien sent him a shy smile. “Thought you’d be preparing for the circus today.”
“Circus?” Hadley looked between the boys.
Damien laughed. “Yeah, Gabe has the pleasure of teaching riding lessons every Sunday. Those kids are a little intense.”
Gabe hefted a hay bale off the ground. “Every single one of them canceled,” he grumbled.
“Ah.” Damien shook his head. He looked too Hadley. “They’re all rich kids who end up canceling a lot, especially when there’s any chance of rain.”
“I’m not upset.” Gabe grunted as he threw the bale onto the top of a stack. “But it hasn’t even started raining yet.”
The sounds of a horse’s hooves announced Spencer’s arrival. Harbinger threw his head back as Spencer tried to pull him through the door.
“Come on, ya beast.” Spencer dropped the reins. “Fine. Do it yourself.” He threw his hands up in exasperation.
Harbinger stood on the threshold eyeing them before taking a step into the barn. His head swiveled Hadley’s way, his eyes boring into her.
She didn’t know what made her approach him, but he couldn’t be as beastly as they said. Not when he held so much beauty in his gaze.
“Hadley,” Damien called. “Step back.”
But Spencer didn’t say a word. He only watched her, his gaze intense.
Harbinger shifted, angling closer to her.
