and all Grant could do was look on as his twin sister held on to the out-of-control mare.
Their parents and the trainer all shouted commands, running after them, but Grant, still atop his own horse, could only stare from behind.
He’d done this. All in the name of a joke and a dare, he’d put Melanie in danger.
The shrill sound coming from his sister jolted him out of his horrified, frozen state, and he kicked his mount into gear and charged after them. He had to do something, had to rectify this somehow. Fear fueled him, while adrenaline blocked out all the possibilities of what might happen if that animal threw her.
He leaned into his horse, kicking his flank once again to move faster.
But it was too late. Melanie’s mare saw Grant’s coming in fast, and bucked, sending Melanie off the back. She landed with a jarring, sickening thud.
As he jumped off his horse and his parents and the trainer gathered around, Grant knew things had gone from bad to worse and hell was opening up to swallow him.
His beautiful, talented, always smiling twin sister wasn’t moving....
Grant jerked up in bed, the sheet twisted around his waist, sweat dampening his forehead, his chest.
Damn. That nightmare hadn’t made an appearance in so long, and he could’ve gone the rest of his life without having that dream.
There wasn’t a day that went by when he didn’t relive that life-altering moment. But the dreams...they were all too real and obviously the penance for his sin.
Grant swung his feet over the side of the bed, yanking the sheet off. He needed fresh air, some water, and he should probably check on Tessa.
Tessa. No doubt the events of today had brought on the nightmare. Because he’d been just as terrified seeing Tessa on the out-of-control stallion and then her fall...
Raking a hand over his face, Grant came to his feet and padded to the kitchen, careful to be quiet as he crept past Tessa’s door. He’d insisted she keep it open in case she needed to call him for anything. She’d fought him a little on the matter, but Grant had refused to back down.
After he grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and took a long drink, he set it on the counter, walked toward the patio and opened the door, welcoming the crisp night air. The refreshing breeze cooled his heated skin and calmed him, but that damn nightmare and images of today still rolled over and over in his mind.
Nothing was as nauseating, as horrifying or as crippling as watching someone you cared for caught in a helpless situation, and knowing there wasn’t a damn thing you could do about it.
But unlike Tessa’s situation, Grant had caused his twin’s. His beautiful sister could’ve been killed. Sometimes he wondered if death would’ve been better than being a paraplegic.
“You okay?”
He turned, finding Tessa standing in the shadows. His T-shirt hit her midthigh, leaving beautifully toned legs revealed.
“I’m fine,” he answered, turning back to the starry night, silently willing her to go away.
He couldn’t keep looking at her, not when his emotions were so high and his heart was still in his throat.
And not when he’d just admitted to himself he was starting to care for her more than he thought he would. There was no way he could keep all his emotions separated now. More penance for his sins.
“Sorry if I woke you,” he told her. “I was going to check on you in a minute.”
Bare feet padded along the hardwood floors, and Grant clenched his fists as Tessa came to stand beside him. Her sweet jasmine scent mixed with the cool night air and surrounded him.
He hated how vulnerable he was. Hated how his need for her consumed him.
Turn back. Turn back before I take what I want.
“Want to talk about it?” she asked, her soft voice washing over him.
Sparing her a glance, he shook his head. “You should be in bed.”
“I feel fine,” she insisted, reaching out a delicate hand to grip his bare biceps. “What’s keeping you up?”
Songs of crickets flooded the night, and Grant couldn’t find the words. Right now he couldn’t even think, given his vortex of emotions. Her fall, her nearness...her virginity.
“I guess I’m just still keyed up after today’s excitement.”
“Is that why I heard you cry out in your sleep a few minutes ago?”
Grant jerked around, causing her hand to drop. When she said nothing more, only crossed her arms over her chest, he muttered a curse and raked his fingers through his hair.
“I used to have nightmares,” he admitted, not going into further detail. “I had one tonight. It’s no big deal.”
Bright blue eyes studied him for a moment before she spoke. “They must be a big deal if this is an ongoing thing, Grant. Have you talked to anybody about them?”
“Like a shrink?” He laughed. “No. I’m fine.”
Her gaze slid over his bare chest, then back up. She might as well have touched him with her soft fingertips because the effect was the same. His body responded, and there was nothing he could do to stop the heavy dose of arousal that kicked into high gear...as if he needed his hormones to bump up a notch.
“You should get back to bed,” he told her, silently begging her to get her barely covered butt out of here before he forgot how delicate and innocent she truly was.
If she only knew the control she held over him...
“I want to help you.” Stepping forward, she slid that delicate hand back up his arm and over the curve of his bare shoulder. “You may not want to talk about the dream, but I can stay up with you so you’re not alone.”
Grant’s control snapped as he grabbed Tessa’s slender shoulders and backed her up two steps to the frame of the patio door. Her eyes widened as she peered up at him.
“It’s best I’m alone right now,” he growled. “I want things I shouldn’t, and my mood isn’t the best. Go to your room, Tessa.”
Her eyes filled with tears as she brought up her hands to cup his face. “You don’t scare me, Grant. Whatever you’re dealing with, I can help.”
“I may not scare you, but right now I sure as hell scare myself.”
Closing the slim gap between them, Grant crushed her lips to his. Her soft hands slipped around to grip the back of his neck, her fingers threading through his hair.
Why didn’t she listen? He wanted her, more than any other woman before. If she’d just gone back to her room... Granted, he’d given her about a minute’s warning, but damn, she was here in his house and barely dressed in the middle of the night. And he had all these emotions whirling around. This was so much more than lust, and it was so much more than sex that he wanted
