“Fuck.” Logan shot off, careening down the driveway as if the bike was part of him, and they were part of the road.
It took me five minutes before I relaxed into him. Then I raised my head that had been pressed up against his back and it felt like old times.
It was exhilarating.
The vibration of power beneath me took hold and refused to let go. I felt part of him again.
This was something he loved, which made me love it too.
The ride went by too quickly. Logan stopped the bike outside the gates to a long driveway lined with willow trees. Paddocks with thoroughbreds grazing on the lush grass lined either side. The owner had called me about a racehorse that’d been in an accident. The trailer had flipped over on the Four Hundred highway, and the horse had been trapped for hours. It took the Jaws of Life to get the stallion out, and since then, the horse panicked whenever he felt pressure on him. According to the owner, the champion racehorse also couldn’t go into a stall without a tranquilizer.
Logan rolled the bike up to the intercom and pressed the button. A male, heavily accented voice, asked if I was Emily. The gates opened as soon as I verified who I was.
I gestured to the long driveway. “Take it slow, rock star. Scare the horses, and I lose this job.”
The twitch in the outer corner of his lips appeared. “I like you calling me rock star, Mouse.” He turned back, revved the throttle then passed through the gates at a snail’s pace.
It took all of five seconds after meeting the owner of the estate and the racehorse before I had to stop Logan from knocking the guy on his ass. Tattooed rock star ex-fighter and rich developer didn’t mix; unfortunately developer guy Rob wanted his racehorse fixed, and supposedly, I was his last hope.
Blame it on the sweetness of my name—shit, I don’t know—but Rob took me in with his eyes, and it was clear he planned to have me in his bed by noon. Logan was juicing up his male testosterone, ready to slam his fist through Rob’s aristocratic face as soon as Rob’s eyes went from my face down to my toes.
Rob wore a cocky expression and a half-smile as he took my hand and kissed it. “I wasn’t expecting a beautiful woman. I’m a little caught off guard here, Emily. I’m suddenly wishing now that I was the stallion with the issue.”
Uh oh.
Logan was standing behind me, but out of nowhere he was in front, the bulldog effect. I put my hand on his arm and squeezed. Please don’t ruin this for me. Rob was willing to pay whatever it took, and the horse needed me.
Rob laughed; it was more of a fake crackle really. “Sculpt from Tear Asunder. Just saw your picture in the Toronto Now magazine. Didn’t know you had a hand in horses. Not thoroughbreds, I imagine. I know everyone in the racing world. Shetlands, perhaps?”
I balked. I knew Logan wouldn’t have any idea what a Shetland was, and I was thanking God for that. The miniature ponies were cute and fuzzy, not something Logan would find amusing coming from Rob.
“Emily and I bring in abused horses. We’re not prejudice about the breed.” Logan looped his arm around my shoulders and tugged me close. Logan obviously believed that possession was nine-tenths of the law.
Suddenly Logan had made us into a couple, and I was uncertain whether he was just saying that to give Rob that impression or if he really did consider us together.
Rob’s brows rose. “Oh, I didn’t realize. And the pretty blonde in the picture?”
Wow. Rob knew how to play hardball, and I tried to ignore the comment, but still a wave of jealousy sifted through me at the thought of any pretty blonde on his arm. Was she a groupie maybe? Kat said the band was pretty popular now, and there would be tons of girls wanting more than just a picture with Logan.
I cleared my throat trying to draw both of their attention away from one another. “So, where’s the horse?”
Logan set his helmet down on the seat of his bike. It was a calculated move—slow, deliberate, and it freed up his hands. I’m sure Rob had no idea that Logan grew up fighting.
And I was going to lose a client which possibly meant a whole slew of new clients.
“I don’t play games, Richard. Emily belongs with me. You want to fuck with that then we have a problem. Give me a problem, then it makes Emily have one. She wants to work for an ass like you, that’s her business. You hitting on her, that’s mine.”
Yeah. I just lost a client.
My heart was racing probably just as fast as a thoroughbred’s in a starting gate. Rob was watching us both, his face showing me nothing as to whether he was going to kick us off the property or not.
“Let’s see that horse, shall we.” Rob turned and walked towards the barn, and I breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Then I smacked Logan in the chest. I hurt my hand, but refused to admit to it.
Logan didn’t react, but what he did do was cup my face, lean down and meet my eyes. “You, Emily. You’re worth fighting for. I fought all my life, but never for anything worthwhile. Now … Now I’m fighting for my heart. Bullshit ends here and now.”
Any argument I had was burned with those words. But I couldn’t help still imagining him with his arm around some blonde. I pulled from his grasp and stepped back. “And the blonde?”
His look of surprise changed to a smile. “Blonde was a fan, baby. Wanted an autograph for her little brother.” He was quick as he snagged me around the waist and kissed me on the lips. “But I love you being jealous. It’s hot.”
“Hey, you coming? Horse is behind the stable,” Rob called.
Logan dropped his hands from my waist and I turned and headed for the barn, hearing Logan’s sexy chuckle behind me.