Read Point of Contention (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Online
Authors: Louisa Neil
afternoons or early evenings are my favorite time to ride.”
“Somehow I don’t think it’s as easy as hop up and go.”
“Let me know when you decide. I’ll have one of the men teach
you. A few hours and you’ll have the basics. Then you can make an
educated decision whether to go further or not.” Again he caught her
look, and she studied him as if he were issuing a dare.
“No thanks. First I’d like to do some reading on the subject. Then
I can make an informed decision. I like to do my homework.”
“It’s a good idea. At least you’ll know what you’re getting into.”
Stuart heard the catch in his own voice and added, “And you won’t
regret it if it doesn’t work out?” Kay took a step back and shielded her eyes with her hand, blocking out the last moments of daylight that
guarded his expression. She studied him before speaking, and he
watched her eyes flash at him.
“Are we still talking about learning to ride a horse?”
“In a manner of speaking.” His grin could only be construed as
maniacal. “Let me know what you decide. If you’re interested, I’ll get
somebody to help you.”
“I’d rather choose my own teacher, if you don’t mind.” She
cocked her head to one side and let the tip of her tongue run over her
bottom lip. Stuart knew Kay knew exactly what she was doing, and he
couldn’t stop watching her intently.
“That might be dangerous on several levels!”
“Define which ones… It’s the only way to make an informed
decision.”
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Stuart drew a breath and looked down at her. While they’d
bantered, her hand had relaxed against the horse and was now
stroking his ear casually. He couldn’t decide if she was just teasing
him and messing with his head or if she was doing it on purpose.
Either way, he knew she’d won this round and he wasn’t willing to
continue the conversation in his current aroused condition. Bursting at
the seams didn’t begin to explain his situation. Staring down at her
cleavage wasn’t helping. He knew he had to get away from her or
he’d drag her up on the horse with him and take her into the woods
and show her just how to ride. The chill that ran through him was
visible, and she didn’t hold back her smile.
“It’s getting late. The mosquitoes will be out soon. We can
explore those levels another time.”
“Maybe. Thanks for the offer. I’ll get back to you. Good night,
Stuart.” She turned and walked slowly up the side staircase, then
along the balcony that fronted the four apartment doorways. She knew
he was watching and turned to him. “Wood or metal?” she called
down to him.
“Wood or metal horses?” he asked, teasing her.
“The cabinets for your house,” she told him with an exasperated
smile.
“Wood.” He only got a nod in return. No good or bad, no smiles
or long faces. As usual, she had him tied up in knots.
* * * *
Kay waited long enough to watch him turn his horse in the
opposite direction and spur it into movement. In the shower with her
eyes closed, her hands became his, and she knew the small release
she’d brought herself was nothing compared to what he might do to
her. The idea gave her goose bumps as she dried off.
It was early enough to drive the half-hour into Wilmington. Kay
decided to get away for a few hours. Maybe take in a movie.
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Anything to get her mind off Stuart and how he made her feel, how he
made her want for something she wasn’t sure existed.
* * * *
Tonight her cart held only a few special plants, all flowers. There
were several flowering hanging baskets, and she was deciding where
she could put one of them when he moved beside her.
“We’ve got to stop meeting like this every Thursday,” Stuart
teased. Freshly showered, the blue work shirt and clean jeans only
enhanced his full frame. His hair was still damp at the edges, and she
wanted to run her fingers through it.
“I’ll start coming on Wednesdays if it will make your life easier,”
she teased back. Not knowing what to do next, she waited, and so did
he. Finally, she started to laugh.
“Good lord, would you look at us. Two intelligent adults who
can’t seem to find the words to be civil to each other when what we
really want…” His eyes flashed at her, and she felt the heat brush
across her chest and inflame her neck and cheeks.
“What do you think I want, Kadence?” His voice was low, the
words spoken close to her ear. She drew a breath and smelled his
soap. “Tell me.”
“You already told me, that night in the kitchen,” she said
defensively. He took a step back when his hand reached toward her
cheek, just missing contact with her skin. Her eyes shuttered closed as
he moved away, knowing he’d shut down again.
“Have a good evening, Kadence. Drive carefully.” He slipped
away quietly, leaving her dumbfounded in the garden center once
again. She forgot about the baskets and ultimately pushed the cart to
the side, gathering up the few plants she’d already chosen and making
a beeline for the checkout. Only after she was safely locked away in
her car did she calm down. It was ridiculous, really. Talking to herself all the way back to the lodge, she argued both sides of their case, just
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as she had every legal case she took on. In the end, nothing changed.
She was attracted to a man who happened to be her boss and
apparently who didn’t have strong enough feelings for her to do
anything about them. With renewed enthusiasm for her self-imposed
celibacy, she resigned herself to getting on with the job instead of the man. The job was what was important. In a year, she’d decide where
she wanted to go next, but for now, the experience she was gaining
was golden. Travis was giving her more responsibility with each
week, and she was enjoying the challenge. After a few nights of
reading up on the finer points of horsemanship, she’d let Stuart know
when she was ready to ride.
* * * *
He found her sitting in the pen with the dogs. Some nights he
watched her with them from a distance, wishing he was the one she
stroked instead of the beagle. On those nights, he forced himself to
move away quietly. Tonight should have been one of those nights, but
after their last meeting in the garden center, he’d felt bad about the
way he left things with her. He knew she heard him approach; the
gravel walkway under his boots gave her time to realize she wasn’t
alone. Standing on the outside of the kennel, he spoke quietly.
“Good evening, Kadence.”
“Evening, Stuart.” They were the first words that had been passed
between them in over a week. Kay’s hand rose to her chest then
fanned her face. He decided she didn’t realize her actions, but he
noted her nipples budded through the cotton shirt she wore. “Chloe’s
getting big,” she added, sounding lame, as if she were searching for a
neutral topic. Hell, he was hoping not to embarrass himself. In the last days he decided he wanted her, then not, seventeen times over.
“She’s gonna get bigger,” he whispered, trying to sound normal.
“Will it be the first birth at the lodge?”
“Yes.” He hadn’t thought of it from that perspective. It lightened
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his mood to think of new life on the land. “Brunch went well today.”
“Thanks, the team makes the difference. We’re all getting to know
each other a bit better, all working in a better rhythm now.”
“Any problems I should know about? Anything to help you settle
in?”
“No, but thanks. I’m quite comfortable in my apartment and with
the job. Anything you’d like to revise?” She watched him catch her
words and look away.
“Just checking.” He wanted to tell her yes, he’d changed his mind
and he wanted her in his bed. That she’d managed to bury herself in
his mind and he’d not been quite sane since they met, but he didn’t
and wouldn’t.
Kadence stood and brushed off the back of her jeans. When she
reached the fence, Stuart unlocked it for her and watched as she
slipped past him. So close, he wanted to touch her. They stared at
each other for seconds before she spoke.
“I overheard the guys talking about running the dogs tomorrow.”
“Just practice. I have a new radio system I want to check out.”
“I’ve never seen dogs hunt,” she started and then looked away.
Apparently she hadn’t missed how his shoulders stiffened at her
insinuation. Letting out a slow breath, he decided it wouldn’t do to
embarrass either of them further. It was quite obvious he didn’t offer
to have her join him. “Good luck with the test,” she finally said,
adding, “See you Tuesday.” She walked away quickly but stopped
several yards away from him. “Will Chloe run tomorrow?”
“No.” He took off his hat and slapped it against his thigh, the dust
settling in a light cloud around his hip. She didn’t answer, just started walking again. When he knew she was out of his sight, he let himself
breathe again. “Damn her,” he said.
Stuart stayed with the dogs for a long time, berating himself. He
had ignored her when she asked to come along, pretended he didn’t
get her inference. He wanted to kick himself several times over. But
he also knew if she was along, the radio wouldn’t be the only thing
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tested. His willpower would be on the line, and in front of the crew he
didn’t want to have to deal with his emotions on view. Only now that
he’d effectively turned her down, again, he really wanted to kick
himself. It seemed he’d been wrong about her and Travis. They were
good friends, but they didn’t seem to be romantically involved. Yes,
they laughed and hugged, but Travis was always away on his
downtime. And twice Stuart had run into him in town, both times with
a woman, a different woman at that.
Still, he felt she wasn’t an option. No woman was for him, even if
she was tall and dark with curves and a killer smile. Even if she was
the first woman in a long time to make him actually feel again. And
then he knew what the problem was. Kadence Farrell made him feel
again, and that was dangerous territory. Emotions had always gotten
the better of him in the past, and he’d managed to stay unattached and
unencumbered these past years. That was how he liked his life, sane
and settled. Or at least how he liked it until Kay came to the Lodge.
Best to just get on with his game plan, he reinforced to himself.
Only lately it was getting harder and harder to do just that. Even
the plans for his home were on hold until he made some final material
decisions, and he hadn’t made those choices yet. Deep down he knew
why he was holding off, but it wasn’t rational. Building his home
should be his domain, so why was he holding off with the details of
the kitchen? The answer kept coming back and slapping him over the
head. He was waiting to figure out how to get Kay’s input. He wanted
her to be comfortable in the space he would finally build. He laughed
resignedly at himself. Hell, he couldn’t even talk to her most of the
time without getting tongue-tied and an erection. He’d ignored each
of her attempts to get closer, yet here he was picturing her in his
home, their home. The irony wasn’t lost on him, just unappreciated.
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Chapter Nine
In the weeks that followed, life at Agrarian Lodge became crazed.
They were full to capacity and had taken on several part-time staff as
well. Kay had seen Stuart in passing mostly. With both guest houses
full as well as the lodge, she’d been pressed into longer hours. In
summer the guests who went fishing on the lake boats always took
lunch, and it was now Kay’s department to handle. While it was part
of her expressed duties, the first weeks she was there, the waters had
still been cold. In the last two weeks, the fishermen had arrived and
cold or not, they were going to fish! This left Kay working three extra
hours each weekday. Her days flew past, her lazy afternoons a thing
of the past.
Stuart was still keeping his distance from her, and she decided to
just write him off as a possible sex partner. In the few hours they had
off duty, she and Travis had taken a few motorcycle rides, his
knowledge of the area making him a great tour guide of back roads
and quiet beaches. On one such outing Travis pulled the bike to a
secluded section of sandy beach, allowing them privacy and quiet to
watch the gentle tides peaking against the shoreline.
“You’re not happy lately, Kay. Anything I can fix?”
“Not in the kitchen,” she told him, laughing. “I’m just horny, and
self-satisfaction just isn’t cutting it anymore.” Kay knew her answer
would create a situation that might turn sexual and let out a sigh.
“Okay, we had an agreement to just be friends, but…”
“But you’re not getting anything from Stuart, and I’m the next
best thing.” He said it with a smile, but she wondered if his feelings