the peg and moved through her kitchen toward her bedroom. Spring had arrived early, but the nights were still pretty cool, and she wanted to relax in a nice hot bath after her late-night ride. She was a creature of habit, and her raspberry-scented bubble baths were a nightly ritual and the only way she allowed herself to be pampered.
As usual, she hadn’t been able to fall asleep. But this time, instead of having horses and racing on her mind, her thoughts had been full of a certain Hollywood producer who had kissed her so gently, yet so thoroughly, she couldn’t even remember what kissing another man was like. Not that she’d kissed a slew in her life, but enough to know that Grant Carter knew how to please a woman.
And that was the main thought that had kept her awake. If he could cause so much happiness within her body with just a kiss—and a tender one at that—then what would the man do when he decided to really take charge and not hold back?
Her antique clock in the living room chimed twelve times. Midnight. The same time every night she found herself getting back home from her ride on Oliver. He always stuck his head out of the stall when she returned to the stable late at night. It was almost as if he knew her schedule, knew she’d be back for one last ride to wind down her evening.
Tessa padded into her bedroom, undressing as she went, so when she made it to the hamper she dumped in all her clothes. When she entered her bathroom, she paused.
Grant Carter was consuming way too much of her time, both in person and in her mind. She plucked the short cotton robe from the back of the bathroom door and went to the old desk in the corner of her bedroom to boot up her laptop.
For a man she’d met just two weeks ago, a man who’d kissed her like no one ever had, she really should learn more about him.
Of course, the internet gave only basics, but that was certainly more information than she had right now. He had a whole file on her life, her sister’s and her father’s. Grant and his crew knew way more about her childhood and the entire backstory of the Barringtons, so Tessa felt it only fair she level the playing field.
Clicking on a link, she quickly learned that Grant was a twin, but there was no other mention of this sibling.
She glanced at his birth date. A Christmas baby. Tessa’s eyes widened as she stared at the screen, inching closer because there was no way she was seeing that number correctly.
He was ten years older than her? As if her virginity, his obvious experience, her country life and his city life weren’t enough major blockers between them, he was ten freakin’ years older.
With a groan Tessa moved to her bed with the laptop and sagged back against her plush pillows. Grant was out of her league. She could tell by the way he’d kissed her, by how he flirted and his laid-back mannerisms, that he was more experienced with life than she was. But ten years was a hell of a lot of time.
She ventured into the area of pictures. Image after image she clicked through showed a smiling, sometimes heavy-lidded Grant, and in most of the pictures he wasn’t alone. Beautiful women were his accessory of choice, apparently. Surprise, surprise.
So, what? Was his kissing her just passing time while he was here? Did he choose a woman on each set to keep him company? No, he had that clause that prohibited that. But she had a feeling Grant Carter was a rule breaker when it came to getting what he wanted.
Hollywood was a far cry from Dawkins, Virginia, and the fast-paced city life was something she just couldn’t—and didn’t want to—grasp.
Another man, another city charmer with smooth words, flooded her mind. But he’d had hidden agendas: marrying her for her family name.
The hurt of betrayal still cut deep. Hindsight helped, because she could admit that she’d never loved him...at least not the way she thought she’d love the man she would marry.
Tessa’s eyes slid back to the screen, where Grant’s dark gaze held hers. Stubble covered his jaw, and she knew from experience how that felt against her palm, her lips.
Now more than ever she was convinced she needed to keep her eye on him. He was a slick one, probably expecting her to turn to putty in his hands. She wouldn’t be played, and she wouldn’t fall for another man just because of physical attraction. He couldn’t be the one for her. Tessa was merely confusing frustration for lust.
She honestly didn’t think Grant would do anything underhanded like Aaron had done, but she had to be cautious. No way would she be blindsided again.
But she also had to be honest with herself and admit Grant pulled emotions from her that Aaron hadn’t even touched on.
Groaning, she shut off the computer and returned to her spacious adjoining bathroom. Her bubble bath was calling to her. She had to be back in the stables by seven, so didn’t have time to waste online...no matter how intriguing the subject.
* * *
After several days at the stables, today they were changing up the precious spreadsheet. Grant couldn’t wait to spend the majority of the day with Tessa away from Stony Ridge. She was taking him around town to show him various locations, such as the old feed store and the church. Grant was banking on shooting a few scenes in the quaint, historic community.
The script already had several locales specified, but Grant wanted to get a good idea of lighting during different times of day, possible angles, and the atmosphere of each place.
Last night he’d been unable to sleep, so had emailed Bronson and Anthony all the notes he’d taken thus far. The grounds and main house were going to be the primary focus, as well as tracks to showcase the actual racing and practicing.
While drafting his email, he’d seen headlights cut through the darkness. When he’d peered out his window, he’d noted Tessa’s Jeep parked next to the stables, and had smiled.
Every part of him had wanted to go to her, had wanted to get her alone in the night. He’d had to conjure up every bit of his strength not to go see her, kiss her and discover just how far they could take this attraction.
But he’d refrained, because he had work to do and only a narrow window of time to get it all done. Besides, he wanted to keep her guessing about his motives, because in all honesty, he had no clue what the hell he was going to do about Tessa. She held too much control over him, and he didn’t like it. Never had a woman posed so much of a challenge and appealed to him all at the same time.
There were moments when she seemed so sultry and sassy, and other moments when his words or actions seemed to take her by surprise in almost an innocent way.
Added to that convoluted mess, that damn clause was going to come back and bite him in the butt if he wasn’t careful.
Was Tessa Barrington worth all this flirting, seducing and sneaking? Seriously, was he willing to risk this film on a roll in the sack with her?
Hell no. But he hadn’t bedded her, and if he did...well, he’d have to make sure no one ever knew.
And bedding her was all he could do. He was already treading a thin line, emotionally, where the beautiful jockey was concerned. Her life revolved around horses, and his...well, it was in the city, far away from the risk of horses and the life he’d once known in a small country house in Kentucky.
Some might say he’d run to one of the biggest cities in America to get away—and they’d be absolutely correct.
