Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 128313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
The minute I mentioned Henry, Jasper’s walls crumbled, and a proud expression engulfed his face. A throaty, raspy laugh slipped from between his full lips. “That sounds about right.” Jasper looked at me, a loving smile on his face and my heart clenched. “Henry is always the one to steal hearts.”
Not just Henry, I wanted to add but thought better of it. He probably knew he could walk into any room and command everyone’s attention.
“He’s beautiful,” I said. “The best horse there’s ever been.”
Jasper nodded, as Jordan Davis next crooned from the speakers. Then, “He let you fuss him,” Jasper said, almost in wonder.
“What?” I asked, confused.
“Henry,” Jasper said, briefly looking at me as he turned the car right. I realized most of the hour had passed. It had felt like five minutes. I suddenly wanted the journey to last a lot longer. “He’s a loving horse, especially for a stallion. But only to people he lets in.” Jasper cast me a wry grin, as if he knew he could have been talking about himself.
Jasper sighed. “I’ve never seen Henry allow someone to pet him as quickly as he did you.”
Two things destroyed me in that moment: the first was just how soft and tender Jasper’s voice got when talking about his beloved horse. And secondly, that Henry had taken a shine to me.
“Well, that’s just made my life, right there,” I said, and I laughed. Jasper watched me laugh, and he swallowed deeply again. But this time, his eyes heated as they fell on me, and every part of me sparked with life.
I turned my head to the window and fought to keep my heart from bursting from my chest.
Too close. That felt too close.
The car fell into a peaceful silence after that, and I closed my eyes as the perfect dulcet tones of “Neon Moon” came sailing from the radio. I didn’t even realize I’d fallen asleep until I felt a fingertip lightly tap my shoulder. I blinked, my body snug and warm in the soft seat.
“Hallie,” a gravelly, deep voice said, the most perfect-sounding voice I’d ever heard. “We’re home,” the voice said again. I didn’t want to move. I was comfortable, and I felt safe.
Suddenly, I was weightless. In my subconscious, I heard a door unlocking, and then I was on a soft surface again. A blanket was laid over me, but I didn’t open my eyes. My body was fighting to stay asleep, but my brain was screaming at me to wake up. My body won, shivering as that ghost of a touch slid over my cheek.
“’Night, Angel,” that perfect voice said again, and I caught the sounds of a door locking and a car pulling away over gravel.
Angel . . . angel . . . angel . . . replayed in my head, like a mantra. Then, I’ve never seen Henry allow someone to pet him as quickly as he did you . . .
My eyes suddenly snapped open, and I fought to breathe. I was wide awake now.
He knew Henry let me fuss over him. He knew Henry hadn’t fought me. How did Jasper know that, unless . . . ?
The cameras.
Jasper had clearly played back the CCTV. Goose bumps broke out on my skin again when I thought of why. But now I knew that he’d seen us. He’d seen me help him. Saw us holding hands . . . Seen me sleeping on his chest, his arm wrapped tightly around me.
All my hard work to keep Jasper from my mind immediately crashed into rubble. He’d smiled at me, chosen me to lead his apparel’s campaign.
And he called me angel.
Chapter Seven
Jasper
Golden Oaks, Surrey
Stupid, stupid, stupid, I chastised myself as I let the waterfall shower rain over my head. What the fuck was I thinking, driving her home like that? Seeing her curled up in my passenger seat, watching me with those sleepy fucking turquoise eyes.
Turquoise.
Shit. In my madness, I’d called in a new colorway for this season’s collection last minute. I’d pawed and pawed through the Pantone swatches until I found the color that had been seared into my brain after that night in the barn.
Hallie-fucking-turquoise.
And rather than just leave it there, I left my office in the warehouse to go to the photo shoot and watched Hallie’s tight, curved body showcase Knighton Equestrian clothes in a way no one else could, her dark hair falling like a silk curtain over her perfect tits and hips. And like I’d been possessed, I’d demanded to see her in that damn new turquoise set.
The one that was now, suddenly, headlining the entire collection.
The water pelted down on my head, but it didn’t stop the visions of Hallie in my car from assaulting my brain. Second by second, my cock grew harder until I clenched my fist against the shower wall with one hand, and with the other, I slipped it around my too-hard dick, hissing when Hallie’s smiling face was all I could see in my mind. I pumped my dick up and down, faster and faster until I grit my teeth to hold back my shout and spilled on the shower floor.