He should hate her and probably did. That didn’t stop him from being the one guy she’d struggled to forget and couldn’t. The one who made every man she met pale in comparison.
Now, here he stood, not eighteen inches away from her and wearing the same heart-stopping, tummy-fluttering smile that had caused her to fall for him in the first place.
“What are you thinking?” he asked in the husky drawl that still invaded her dreams.
“Nothing.”
I hurt you badly, and I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have just walked out like that. It was wrong and not what you deserved. But nothing’s changed.
“Sam,” she amended. Safe conversation gave nothing away while ignoring him would reveal too much.
“Sam?”
“You know my dad. Nicknames for all his daughters.”
“I’d forgotten, Rhonda.”
She rolled her eyes, wishing she’d never told him. “Sam has a lot of talent. She can also be stubborn to a fault.”
“I wonder where she gets that?” Nate moved marginally closer.
Ronnie stilled, acutely aware of him. “I’m only stubborn when I’m right.”
“Which, if memory serves, is always.”
“Not true.” Sorrow consumed her. “I’m sure you haven’t forgotten.”
“Ronnie.”
She forced herself to stroll casually away, intent on removing herself from his rugged good looks, aw-shucks charm and dancing blue eyes that by all counts should be outlawed. Naturally, he followed her, further weakening her already vulnerable state.
Heaving a soft groan, she reached for the top railing of the arena fence, using it to steady her wobbly knees. If she weren’t careful, Nate might realize her feelings for him weren’t completely extinguished. His ego was already big enough.
At least, it used to be. He did seem a bit more...humble than before, something she found both out of character and intriguing.
“Big John is a valuable horse,” she said, staring off at the distant McDowell Mountains. Anywhere other than at Nate. “I’d hate to see him turned into a kid’s mount because of an injury.”
“I agree. Championship horses cost a lot of money. I doubt Samantha can afford to buy a new one.” He lowered his voice to the range that had always sent a delicious tingle skittering up her spine. “It’s really nice of you to let her borrow your horse.”
She started to tell him more about Sam’s sudden appearance this past summer and how she, Mel and Frankie had been devastated to learn their father had lied to them for nearly two decades. At the last second, she bit her tongue. She and Nate didn’t have that kind of relationship anymore.
“How are your sisters?” he asked. “They were always a hoot and a half.”
“Fine.”
“Just fine?”
“What did Sam’s mom tell you?” She spared him a quick glance.
“That besides starting her own vet practice, Mel got married, and Frankie has twin girls.”
There was actually considerably more, such as Mel being pregnant, Frankie’s new catering business, the recent return of the twins’ father and the sizable amount of money Ronnie’s father had won in the state lottery. She mentioned none of it.
Nate reached for her left hand, sending a sudden zing racing through her system. She clamped her mouth shut before a gasp escaped.
“What are you doing!” she demanded.
“No wedding ring, I see.”
Bristling, she reclaimed her hand. “Sam’s mom skip that part?”
“As a matter of fact, she didn’t.”
“Then why—” She abruptly stopped when he broke into laughter. “You’re such a...” Damn him for flustering her.
“Can’t blame me for trying. You always had the softest skin.”
“How long are you staying in Mustang Valley?”
As intended, her question sobered him. “I’m not sure. A couple days. Possibly longer. It all depends.”
“On what?” Please don’t say me.
“Sam, for starters.”
She resisted asking what else. “I thought you were heading to Houston.”
“There’s no rush.”
The humbleness Ronnie had noticed before returned. Though, on second thought, she decided it might be something else. Embarrassment, possibly? Or secrecy? For whatever reason, Nate was definitely holding back.
“Where are you staying?” she asked.
That earned her a lengthy once-over. “Why do you care?”
“I’m not coming over, if that’s what you’re hinting at.”
“Darn it.” He feigned disappointment. “Foiled again.”
“Seriously, Nate. There’s the Morning Side Inn.”
For a moment, he appeared as if he might deliver another jab. Instead, his expression changed and he said, “I have my horse trailer. The one with living quarters. I just need to find a place to park it. Hopefully, near wherever I wind up boarding Breeze.”
Ronnie’s determination to remain indifferent instantly dissolved. “You still have Breeze? How old is she now? I figured you might have retired her.”
“She’s twenty-one. And retired, other than pleasure riding. I thought about leaving her at my folks’ place.”
“Except you couldn’t bear to part with her.” Ronnie was admittedly touched.
“We’ve been together a long time.”
Nate had owned the mare since he’d competed on the junior circuit in high school. Besides rising to bull and bronc riding fame, he’d also won multiple steer wrestling championships—all of them on Breeze.
“The Morning Side Inn has stalls to lease,” she offered.
“We’ll see.” Again, his expression changed, as if he were hiding something.
Ronnie had to ask. “Is Sam the only reason you came?”
He hesitated briefly before saying, “It’s enough of a reason.”
His lack of a real answer worried her.
“Are
