“Sir, there’s a trailer out—”
The words barely registering, Kane turned to find his stable manager, Jim Harvey, standing in the doorway of the barn. Jim’s gaze moved from Kane’s face to Presley.
His eyes widened.
“I’m so sorry to interrupt—”
“No problem,” Kane cut him off quickly. He had a feeling Presley was on the edge of bolting at any moment. He needed this to be short and simple to set her at ease.
“Jim, this is Presley Macarthur.”
Jim nodded. Recognition softened his expression, and he slipped off his cowboy hat. “Pleasure, ma’am.”
He looked back and forth between the two of them, obviously curious about what he’d walked in on but smart enough to know when something wasn’t his business.
“Give us about an hour, if you don’t mind,” Kane went on, “then load Sun up for Miss Macarthur in the trailer so she can take him home.”
Despite his confused look, Jim didn’t question Kane in front of Presley. “Yes, sir.” He turned to the woman who hadn’t spoken a word. “I’ll be right nearby, ma’am. We’ll inspect the trailer when you get back.”
“Thank you, Jim.”
Ah, they were back to the confident, businesslike voice now. Probably for the best, though the off-guard squeaky one was Kane’s favorite so far. What would she sound like if he kissed her again? Touched her more intimately? Cutting off the interesting train of thought, he offered Presley his arm and escorted her out of the stables.
They had barely stepped into the night air when she paused. “I don’t understand. You’re just gonna hand him back over to me?” She waved toward the brightly lit house. “Don’t you want to test the goods before you make that decision?”
Kane couldn’t help smirking. “I believe I already have.”
Feeling the wave of shock shoot through her, he patted her hand in a benign gesture and continued on. As they crossed the drive back to the house, Kane found himself hyperaware of the woman at his side. The top of her head barely reached his shoulder, which made her taller than the average woman. She would fit right into the crook where his chest met his arm. The faint scent of honeysuckle teased his nose, an unusual perfume and one that reminded him of some of his happiest times on a horse in the countryside near his childhood home.
Honeysuckle had also grown on the edge of the yard at the house where he’d grown up before his mother died. He could still vividly remember her first attempts to teach him the gentle force needed to get the liquid from the honeysuckle flowers—and the tiny burst of sweetness on his tongue when he succeeded.
“Besides,” he continued on, “I never go back on my word. Sun will be home tonight.” They’d reached the covered side entry, and Kane paused with his hand on the doorknob. “This situation is tricky, but I know you’ll do what’s best for your family and your business.”
Blackmail wasn’t a sexy subject, but before they stepped onto the stage, Kane wanted Presley to remember exactly what was at stake here. The stiffness of her body told him more about her state of mind than her simple nod of acquiescence.
He ushered her inside with a hand at the small of her back, and the lights from the Swarovski crystal chandeliers left her blinking. In fact, her whole demeanor changed the minute they walked through the door. If someone had told him a person could become invisible, he wouldn’t have believed them—until he saw Presley practically pull off the impossible.
They’d barely made it halfway down the back breezeway when Mason and EvaMarie stepped out of the office. “Kane,” his brother called.
Only as he stopped and registered the concern on Mason’s face did Kane remember that he hadn’t taken the time to shut down his computer before storming out the door. The knowledge sat between them like a lead brick. Mason knew exactly what that email from Vanessa Gentry would have done to Kane—he’d been there when Emily had left him behind, and watched as Kane systematically let everything disappear from his life except their shared goal.
Because life was easier that way.
Hoping to ward off any questions from his impulsive sibling, Kane preempted the conversation. “Mason, this is Presley Macarthur.”
His brother blinked, then focused on the woman on Kane’s arm. “Oh, from Macarthur Haven?”
Presley’s hand tightened on Kane’s elbow. But she relaxed a touch when EvaMarie nodded and smiled. “Hello, Presley.”
“Congratulations, EvaMarie.”
The lovely woman, who had been Mason’s first love and had been the epitome of a woman defeated by life when they’d returned to Kentucky, now practically glowed. “Thank you.”
As the women chatted for a moment about the engagement, Mason looked at Kane with a raised brow.
“There’s been a change of plans,” Kane murmured, keeping his voice low though he’d moved slightly away from Presley.
“As in?”
Kane turned to face his brother. “It appears Ms. Macarthur didn’t have the proper authority to sell Sun.”
Mason cursed. “That’s a helluva mistake to make.”
An understatement if ever there was one. But then, Kane was being generous when he labeled Marjorie Macarthur’s actions a mistake.
“What are we gonna do now? Our plan going forward hinged on having a celebrated stud for the stables.” Mason’s worry practically vibrated in his voice.
“Never fear,” Kane assured him, as he had many times in the last two years. They’d been through a lifetime of ups and downs together. Kane wasn’t about to let them fail. “I’ve got a new plan that will work just fine.”
His brother’s gaze followed him as he turned back to the women and slipped his arm around Presley’s shoulders. The muscles beneath his palm tightened and her smile faltered for a moment, but he didn’t move away. The sooner she became used to his touch, the better.
The more he touched her tonight, the sooner word would start to spread. Nothing overtly sexual. He’d keep it completely casual—not that anyone would interpret it that way.
Kane wanted his name linked with hers from this moment forward...for however long this situation remained beneficial to them both.
Mason continued to watch him with interest and just a touch of shock. Not surprising, since Kane hadn’t been publicly involved with a woman since Emily left.
He hadn’t wanted to be and was actually shocked by how much he wanted it now. But then he spotted Presley’s stepmother over Mason’s shoulder. When her stepdaughter’s presence registered, Ms. Macarthur trotted their way with the grace of an overadorned poodle, and Kane had only a moment to wonder if he really knew what he’d gotten himself into.
Her
