Chapter 6
six
Tessa
“You should stay here,” Killian says as we approach the front door of his home so I can head back to my room, which was even worse in the daylight when I went to change.
I need to do some more work and it’s late, I’m exhausted, and tomorrow I’m spending the morning with another of Aarabelle’s clients since I’m in town.
I stare at him, sure that I misheard. “I…what?”
“I have plenty of room. This house has six bedrooms.”
“Killian,” I say quickly. “That’s probably a bad idea.”
No, not probably. It definitely is.
Today feels like one of the most intense and horrible workouts I’ve ever had. My muscles are tight, my body is aching, and my mind is unable to fully make decisions.
No matter what though, I know that staying on the ranch is not a good choice.
“You are going to have to be coming and going all day as we keep digging. Do you really want to stay in the antique store where it smells like mold?”
We spent pretty much five hours going through the notes, dates, paperwork, and anything he had regarding the horses.
After that, he once again made sure I had a meal while I did some preliminary research on Ivy Thorn Farms and Killian, hoping to find some good press here.
I didn’t.
Nothing bad, but nothing like he saved orphans from a fire that I could use in some way.
Killian is just a normal businessman. He has the ranch and his real estate company in Boston that he started with his friend, Nathaniel. Nothing that stood out as a red flag.
As much as I hoped for some good news, I’m glad it’s not bad.
“It doesn’t smell like mold,” I argue. Just dust and feet.
He sighs. “Tessa.”
I should not like the way he says my name, but oh, I do.
Because for one night, I was able to not be Tessa Elizabeth Rivers.
The girl who never feels whole. The one who fights so hard just to be the total opposite of her parents—a man ruins everything he touches, and woman who takes what she wants without caring about others.
But last night, I was just a girl who met a man at a bar and escaped the never-ending worries I face.
Only that girl is fiction, and I have to live in the reality. “You can’t honestly think that after everything, we should be staying together in your house.”
“Why? We’re both adults.”
I laugh once. “Yes, and professionals, but even I have a freaking limit. Plus, no, I can’t.”
He sighs heavily, and I can tell he’s frustrated. “You won’t even know I’m here.”
Yeah right. I’ve only been able to notice him. Think about him. Imagine his lips on mine or the way his cologne smells. Absolutely ridiculous and out of the question.
“I appreciate the offer…”
“You’d rather stay in that building that doesn’t have a working kitchen and God only knows what else. It should be condemned!”
Sure, it’s not a five-star resort, but I’m here for a week, two tops. I can suck it up. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
It’s bad enough all day I’ve smelled his cologne, watched his muscles beneath his shirt as he moves. I’ve seen his naked body in my mind more times than I care to admit. So, nope.
Not happening.
No. Freaking. Way.
“The bedroom is the first door on the right. I’ll bring some clean towels,” Killian says after bringing my bags upstairs.
I’m out of my damn mind for coming back here, but I was not staying in that room any longer.
After the second cockroach crawled onto my cup, I was done.
I would’ve slept in my car, but I didn’t think that was all that smart. So, I’m here.
Like a dumbass.
But I’m a smart dumbass.
I can do this. I’m professional. I know how to hold myself together because I’m going places in life. This is a hiccup in my plan to make this trip into my big break.
My job is literally to handle things.
So, I’ll handle it.
I mean, what could possibly go wrong?
“Thank you,” I say as he flips the light on.
Dear God, this is a guest room? It looks like a five-star hotel room. There is a large four-poster bed that faces huge windows that has the view of the back property. I walk over to look out and my breath catches.
It’s gorgeous. The outlines of the mountains are still visible as the sun is making its final descent, casting the sky in oranges and pinks. There’s a faint shimmer off the river that runs along the back of the property and a few horses are wandering in the open corral.
“This is really stunning,” I say softly.
“It is.”
I turn to find him right there, eyes locked on mine and the warmth of his body is so close. I remember how it felt to be in his arms and wish I could just lean in and feel it again.
But I can’t.
I need to stay right here.
He clears his throat and steps back. The loss of his warmth sends a cool shiver down my spine. “Thank you for letting me stay here.”
“Of course. It works out for both of us.”
I’m not so sure of that, but…I don’t say it.
I think this is going to end with me either on my back, under him, or in my car, running the hell away and quitting my job.
“Hopefully we have everything wrapped up quickly,” I say, walking over to where my bag is. I bite my lower lip, feeling really uncomfortable with all this. “Do you want me to pay per night or can I invoice it as my hours?”
Killian’s jaw tightens. Oh, boy. “I’m not charging you. Putting aside the fact that we spent hours having sex less than twenty-four hours ago, you work for me. You’re here, on my request, to help me save this damn ranch. I’m not asking for compensation—this is what I should be billed regardless.”
I didn’t expect him to react that angrily, but I’m sorry, there are a million reasons why I would think the way I do.
“Take aside the sex comment, I have no idea what your contract with Anchor Light is. I’m helping out Brynlee, who is your publicist. So, if I were going on basic business principles, I would not assume you would be responsible for my lodging expenses.
” I huff. “And not to mention, Mr. Thorn, it is because of the sex we had that I think we’d want a strictly contractual arrangement regarding money. ”
He takes two steps closer. “I don’t have a contract with you.”
“My company then.”
Hopefully it’ll remain my company because if they ever find out about what we did, I’ll be fired.
There are strict company policies that we have to adhere to. No drugs, absolutely no discussing anything about our clients with anyone outside the company, we have morality clauses, and no sleeping with clients or anyone in the office.
Killian pinches the bridge of his nose. “I just wanted you to be comfortable, and close, in case this whole damn situation goes to shit.”
That part I understand. Today there was a reporter who called asking where Travis was because he wanted to get a quote.
I wouldn’t have been concerned since Travis is a very well-known trainer, but when I suggested he speak with me or Killian, he said he would as soon as he had the rest of his story straight.
Which means something is up.
It’s why we started to go through all the sales contracts, but there are just so many and so far, nothing has jumped out at either of us.
My hope is to find a pattern, something that shows the house isn’t in order.
If not, at least I can build a list of people who recently bought horses and then canceled, if I reach out to one of them, there could be an answer there.
“I appreciate it,” I say. “I need to do a little more work and it definitely will be easier here.”
Killian smiles and nods once. “I’ll let you get to it.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll be downstairs if you need anything.”
He leaves and I have to grip the pole on the bed to stop myself from collapsing. I’m exhausted and my mind is a clusterfuck.
Still, I grab my laptop and start to work. I sit on the bed, legs crossed, and go through my notes. After speaking with Thea, we agreed that putting any kind of statement out at this point is a mistake.
We don’t know anything.
Saying something could be seen as admitting to guilt.
What we need to do is find Travis, and I need to know why all these people are pulling out of the sales they’d agreed to.
I put together a list of possibilities. Sometimes it just helps to think through the scenarios.
Travis was recruited by another farm and left.
Travis stole something we haven’t uncovered and ran off.
Travis is in trouble.
The buyers were only dealing with Travis, and he was doing something nefarious, which spooked them enough to cancel.
The ranch didn’t actually produce any winners and they’re pulling out because of it.
God only knows the other reasons.
As I tick them off, I start to make arguments and counter arguments to each one. Hours later, I’m unable to turn my mind off.
I hate this about myself, but I’m a perfectionist to a fault.
The clock shows it’s eleven. I’m never getting to sleep at this rate. Unable to lie here anymore, I get out of bed and grab my laptop. The house is dark and quiet, so I head out to the back deck to sit on the porch swing.
It’s one of those perfect nights, thick with the summer air wanting to come in.
I love the end of spring.
I lift the top and the screen comes to life. I pull up my search results about Killian, reading through some of the notes I highlighted.
He was a professional football player who left when the company he invested in started to take off. The article talks about the injury he sustained his rookie year and how he didn’t see a lot of playing time after it.
After leaving football behind, he invested in his best friend from college’s company and together, they grew their real estate firm into a huge success.
I look through photos of him and Nathaniel that have been shown over the years.
Nathaniel is a good-looking guy—not anything like the specimen that Killian is, but not ugly.
Yet in every other photo there’s a woman who could be a supermodel on Nathaniel’s arm, where there’s not one of Killian with someone.
It’s funny to me because he’s ten times better looking, so why is he single?