He didn’t want to add that it was always the people you least expected who could do the most harm.
Nine
Despite their rocky start, Chloe had enjoyed her day with Beth. Miles’s older sister was very passionate about what she did, and her enthusiasm pulled Chloe along in her wake as they visited the Texas Cattleman’s Club here in Royal and then met with Beth’s fiancé, Cam, for lunch at the club. Initially Chloe had felt uncomfortable—as if she was intruding on the newly engaged couple’s time together, but Cam had hastened to assure her she was welcome and had shown a great deal of interest in her teaching when he’d heard what she did.
Back at the house, Chloe had decided to make the most of the pristine swimming pool. Her wrist was feeling much better today, and she’d been busy doing laps when she felt a frisson of awareness that told her she was being watched. She glided to the edge of the pool and looked up.
“Oh,” she said. “You’re back.”
A c
url of sheer joy unfurled from deep inside as she looked up at Miles. He was dressed for business in a light gray suit and a crisp white shirt that was open at the neck. A pulse of need rippled through her. She couldn’t wait to take it off him. But then she noticed the lines of strain on his face and the tiredness in his eyes.
“Nothing wrong with your powers of observation,” he teased, and with the light humor she saw some of the tension on his features begin to ease.
“Did you want to swim with me?” she invited.
“Actually, I came to find you to see if you’d like to go for a ride before tonight’s barbecue.”
“Do we have time? If it’s going to be as formal as last night, I’ll need plenty of time to get ready. I really wouldn’t want to offend your mom.”
“It’ll be casual and out here on the patio and lawns. We have time.”
“Then I’d love to go for a ride with you. I’m assuming you mean on a horse?”
That earned her a belly laugh, and the last of the strain fell away from his face. “Yes, on a horse, although I’m open to suggestions.”
“Let’s get away from here first and see what comes up.”
He didn’t miss the double entendre. “I’ll make sure I pack a blanket.”
He held out a hand to assist her in getting out of the pool and she dried herself quickly before wrapping the towel around her and hurrying upstairs to get changed. She didn’t bother drying her hair, instead twisting it into a loose knot secured with a clip at her nape. Miles wasn’t far behind her. He shed his suit and shirt and threw on a pair of jeans and T-shirt together with a pair of boots. Chloe searched her case for her own jeans and a light sweater. She hadn’t brought boots so she pulled on a pair of socks and trainers that had seen better days.
“Will these be okay?” she asked, gesturing to her feet.
“Sure, unless you’d like me to see if Beth or Harley has a pair of riding boots lying around that’d fit you. There are always spares at the stables.”
“No, it’ll just mean it takes longer before we’re out on our own. I’ll manage,” she said, slipping her hand in his. “Let’s go.”
At the stables she was mounted on a gentle-natured gelding, while Miles, predictably, rode a more spirited animal. Chloe leaned forward and patted her horse’s neck. “I hope he’s as gentle as you say. It’s been years since I’ve ridden. I’m probably going to be hellishly sore tomorrow.”
“We can take it easy,” Miles said, urging his mount forward. “I just need to clear my head a little.”
“Do you want to ride on ahead at your own pace?” Chloe suggested. “I’m happy to toddle on behind with my new best friend, here.”
“No, I want to be with you. You remind me that life shouldn’t be all about work.”
Chloe fell silent as they walked the horses away from the stables and down the hill toward a small lake on the property. Miles had sounded serious. Very serious. It was a reminder to her that her reasons for being with him were not entirely altruistic, and it left her feeling more confused than ever. When she was with Miles, she wanted to be truly with him, heart and soul. It was easy to forget about the sins of his father and her long held dreams of revenge when they were together.
He only had to be within ten feet of her for her entire body to crave him. And when he spoke she found herself genuinely wanting to listen to what he said. Whether he recited a grocery list or the Declaration of Independence, it would make no difference to her. The timbre of his voice was as alluring to her as his physical attributes. And, of course, those were outstanding. He seemed to know exactly what she needed. She’d never had a lover like him before.
Of course, it wasn’t just his physical presence or bedroom prowess that drew her like metal filings to a magnet. He was genuinely good, from what she could tell. In his case, the apple had fallen far, far from the tree. The way he’d treated her from the moment they’d met was a case in point. She had no doubt that he’d feel utterly betrayed if he knew of her ulterior motive in meeting him and inserting herself into his family gathering.
She was beginning to doubt her own motives, too. It was one thing to grow up in a household infused with her mom’s desperate unhappiness, which was fueled by anger and a desire to seek recriminations, but quite another to come face-to-face with the perpetrators of those emotions and find they were, in fact, for the most part anyway, decent people. The jury was still out on Ava, Chloe thought to herself. But the woman hadn’t been rude or unkind. Instead she’d been deeply protective of her family, not wanting their current dirty laundry to be aired amongst anyone she didn’t know she could trust.
Would Chloe have been any different under the same circumstances? She doubted it.
“Are you planning to ride to the border?”