another one of her selfish demands. And, eventually, had used it as an excuse to abandon her family for a richer man, shrugging off all responsibility for her actions.
Amy had used it, too. She’d said it to him over and over again after getting pregnant. As though that justified her deceiving him and trapping him into marriage.
He shook his head. “It’s just a word. A fantasy. The friendship we had was strong. It was real and my loyalty is, too. We’re a good team. Always have been.”
Her brow creased, eyes roving over his face, dull and heavy. “As good as Dom and Cissy?”
He clutched her hard and nudged a thigh between hers. “Better. We have history.”
A scornful laugh burst from her lips. “Bad history.”
“I remember the good. The rest can be forgiven.”
“And have you? Forgiven?” Her lips trembled. “And forgotten?”
He stiffened. He wished he could tell her what she wanted to hear. Ease her mind and put the light back in her eyes. But he couldn’t.
“I’m trying, Amy. We’ll try together. Take things slow. Work at forgiving and trusting each other again.”
The forgetting he wasn’t so sure about.
Her breasts lifted against him on an inhale. “Let’s just be for now. I’m tired.”
She sounded it. The husky note in her tone and heaviness in her limbs proved it.
Logan moved to his back, holding her close and trailing his fingers in wide circles over the smooth skin of her back.
“Then go to sleep,” he said. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”
And he would be. Every day. He could get things right this time. Remind her how good they could be together and prove their marriage wasn’t a mistake. That their daughter hadn’t been a mistake. He owed it to Amy and they both owed it to Sara.
He shifted, bundling Amy against him and sliding beneath the covers. She drifted off before he tucked the sheet around her, hand resting over his heart and quiet breath whispering across his chest.
Logan tried to follow. Closed his eyes and tried to dream. But he couldn’t silence his thoughts. Could only continue wondering silently how Amy could be right in his arms but still feel a million miles away.
“Over this way, Amy.”
Logan tapped the brim of his Stetson lower on his brow and leaned over the fence rail. Amy stood in the center of the round pen edging around Thunder’s frantic bucks. Just as she’d been doing every day for the past three weeks with no progress to show for it.
Amy passed one palm after the other farther up the lead rope, stepping slowly across the ground toward Thunder. Logan tensed.
“Something’s off.” Dominic shifted at his side and propped a boot on a low fence rung.
“I know,” Traci said. She grabbed Dominic’s shoulder and pulled, leveraging herself up to straddle the fence. “Thunder gets more aggressive every day.”
Logan sighed. He hated to admit it but it was the truth.
Every morning for the past few days, he’d woken before dawn to find Amy gone. By the time he yanked on clothes and made it outside, she’d had Thunder in the round pen, attempting to run ground work.
Attempting was the only word for it. She’d been at it for hours today, just like all the others, with no change in the stallion. Thunder ducked his head and attacked on several occasions, causing Amy to scale the fence more than usual. And every time Logan or Dominic tried to help, Thunder became more violent and left Amy even more discouraged. It seemed as though whatever ground she’d gained with Thunder, she’d lost it just as fast.
Logan grimaced and scraped his boot over the ground. Amy hadn’t been herself since he’d brought her home but she’d definitely been more out of sorts lately. The only explanation for it was their sexual encounter three weeks earlier.
He didn’t blame Amy for backing away. He blamed himself. With everything that had happened between them, he should’ve been more controlled. Shouldn’t have let the chaos of that day and one shared moment of success coax his guard down.
It seemed his body was as intent on betraying him as much now as it had before. But despite that, he couldn’t bring himself to regret making love to her. He’d missed her over the years and it’d felt good to comfort her. To be comforted. To hold her again.
But he felt as removed from Amy now as he would if she were already in Michigan. And only a couple of weeks remained before she left.
Logan balled his fists. Time. He’d never been on good terms with it. The earth could crack under his feet and the fool sun would still rise. But as soon as a moment of peace arrived, night would swallow it whole. Time kept ticking no matter what occurred.
“There he goes again.” Dominic smacked his palm on the fence, rattling it under Logan’s elbows as Thunder lunged and missed Amy by inches. “I’m worried she’s gonna get hurt. He’s starting to wear her down.”
“She’s being careful,” Logan murmured.
Hell if he knew who he was trying to reassure. Dominic? Or himself?
“Angle over this way, Amy.” Logan waved a hand, keeping his tone calm. “I can boost you over if he charges again.”
Dominic sighed. “I know she doesn’t want to hear it but have you talked to her? Asked her to ease off a bit? Take a break?”
“I’ve tried,” Logan said. “But she’s adamant she can bring Thunder around. Keeps fantasizing that he can be saved.”
“It’s not a fantasy, Logan. There’s always a chance. But she needs to take a step back. Rest and regroup. Let us take over for a while.”
“That won’t help,” Logan said. “Thunder trusts us less than he does her. And no amount of time is going to change the final outcome.”
“So, that’s your solution?” Dominic cocked an eyebrow. “Just give up? She can handle him, Logan. More than handle him if she gets her bearings again.” He jerked his chin at the enclosure. “She’s gentled more horses in that pen than I can count.”
“This is different.”
“How? There’s a horse and a round pen. Same as before.”
“It’s not the same—”
“Shhhh.”
Logan jerked his head back around to find Amy scowling in their direction. Thunder, rattled by her hiss, snaked his head and charged. Logan shot over the top rail, catching Amy as she jumped out of Thunder’s path and assisting her over the fence.
She
