gritted his teeth.
That’s what galled him.
That’s what really galled him.
On some level he’d always known that something was missing in his relationship with Emma. She was sweet and lovely and exactly the kind of woman any man would be proud to have as his wife. But if he’d been honest with himself, he’d have admitted that there were no sparks between them, which didn’t bode well for their future.
In fact—and he couldn’t have admitted this to anyone—they had never been intimate. Emma had been reluctant, wanting to wait until they were married, and Reed had respected her feelings.
So when she’d broken their engagement because of another man, he’d been more embarrassed than hurt. But afterward he had wondered if her reluctance to engage in sex before their marriage had more to do with a lack of desire than it did with wanting to remain chaste, as he’d thought.
Now he questioned everything about their relationship, especially his own judgment. His ego was sorely bruised, and the fact that everyone in their circle knew exactly what had caused the breakup made the situation ten times worse.
Although Reed came from a big, gregarious family and really liked people, he was a very private person where his feelings were concerned. If he could have licked his wounds alone, he could have dealt with being jilted. As it was, he felt raw and exposed.
And stupid. Don’t forget stupid.
“Hey, boss, everything okay in here?”
Reed tried for a normal smile. “Everything’s fine, Max. Why?”
His assistant frowned. “I just saw Felicity rushing out of here. Thought maybe you’d had some kind of argument or something.”
“No, uh, she had an appointment, I think.”
Max nodded, but the speculative look remained in his eyes, and Reed wondered if he suspected what had really happened between them. “Which reminds me, there are some phone calls I need to make,” Reed added.
Walking out of the stable, Reed put on his sunglasses and headed for the office. In the distance he glimpsed the taillights of a silver SUV heading away from the farm. Felicity’s vehicle, he realized ruefully. Getting away from him as fast as she could.
And yet…
She certainly hadn’t shoved him away when he’d kissed her. In fact, he thought, she had responded rather enthusiastically. Just remembering that response and how good her slender curves and warm body had felt in his arms, he could feel himself growing hard again.
Maybe Felicity was just what he needed right now. If they were to get together, the gossips would have something new to talk about, and they’d stop feeling sorry for him. The idea was appealing, but after a moment or two he pushed it away. He couldn’t do that to Felicity. It simply wouldn’t be fair to use her that way. Especially when he knew, from comments Emma had made, that Felicity had been badly hurt by her former husband’s betrayal.
Belatedly he looked at the check she had shoved into his hand. A twenty-thousand-dollar refund of the deposit he’d given her when he and Emma had first begun planning their wedding.
That was generous of her. As it was, he’d lost the thousands he’d paid for the honeymoon he wouldn’t be taking. Not to mention the cost of the expensive diamond Emma had returned to him—a ring that he was sure the jeweler wouldn’t take back, or if he did, would give Reed only a fraction of what he’d paid for it.
He hoped Felicity wasn’t out any money because of the canceled wedding. Surely she would have deducted any expenses she’d incurred before making out the check. He made a mental note to ask her about that.
Reaching his office, he walked inside and smiled at his brother Daniel’s daughter, Colleen, who promptly handed him three pink telephone slips.
“Julianne Foster, Dr. Finnerty and Gram called,” Colleen said. “Gram just wanted to know if you’re coming to dinner tonight.”
“Thanks, honey.” Reed looked at his watch. It was after one. “Shouldn’t you be heading home by now?” Colleen was working half days for him this summer.
“I just wanted to finish up the newsletter,” she said as Reed headed into his office. “Then I’ll be off.”
Reed sent a monthly newsletter to his clients, who numbered in the hundreds—some living as far away as Texas, for Reed’s thoroughbred horses were renowned and commanded top prices. Rosedale Farms was a full-service facility providing the highest-quality care and environment for all boarding, foaling and bloodstock management needs. It sat on six hundred acres of rolling hills and pastures in a gorgeous setting that was the envy of many other horse breeders. Reed was justifiably proud of the farm named after his paternal grandmother, Rose Moran Kelly, who, along with her husband, Aloysius, had owned and run a successful horse-breeding farm in their native Ireland, and he hoped to pass it down to his children.
Children. At the rate he was going, he’d never have any. Too bad he couldn’t just arrange a marriage the way they had in the old country. Make it a strictly business proposition and pick a wife who wanted children the way he did. Of course, he wouldn’t want just anyone. She’d have to be smart, attractive and agreeable. Unwanted came the thought Someone like Felicity.
He grimaced. Oh, sure. As if Felicity would be interested. She’d made her feelings about marriage known to anyone who would listen. She’d been burned once and had no intention of being burned again. He and Emma had often talked about Felicity’s attitude, because Emma really cared about her best friend and wanted her to be happy.
“She told me,” Emma had said, “that from now on she’s devoting herself to her career and only her career. When I tried to tell her she could have both a successful career and a successful marriage—all it would take is the right man—she said she was happy for me if I felt that way, but marriage was not for her.”
Remembering that conversation, Reed told himself to put Felicity out of his mind. She was not a candidate to be Mrs. Reed Kelly.
Determinedly clearing his thoughts of everything but work, he sat down at his desk and picked up his phone to return the calls.
Felicity couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened between her and Reed. Dear heaven, what had she been thinking? Why had she permitted that kiss? And permitting it, why had she responded like a bitch in heat?
You know why. You’ve been lusting after Reed for a long time….
And now he knew it. Or if he didn’t exactly know it, he sure as hell suspected it.
Damn.
Her face burned just thinking about her wanton, out-of-control behavior. She couldn’t imagine what Reed was thinking. How could she ever face him again?
And Max. Why, she’d nearly run him down when she’d rushed out of the stables that way. She could just imagine what he’d been thinking. She’d muttered an apology and some nonsense about being late for an appointment and avoided his eyes. Oh, God…
She was still mentally berating herself when she got back to her office. Trying to regroup and forget what had happened out at Rosedale Farms—so Reed had
