Chapter 10
ten
Tessa
This farm is beyond what I ever imagined. I’ve never been happier to go on a horse ride than I am right now.
Killian owns over forty acres, and I am blown away as we climb a little part of the mountain range and trot down into a small, wooded valley.
There is a large clearing, which is one of the pastures, but there are huge evergreens around and I swear it’s as though we’re the only people in the world.
“This is so peaceful,” I say softly.
“It is.”
For the first time in so many damn years, I feel at ease. It’s as though all the struggles just melted away as we rode farther and farther away from the chaos.
“You know, I can’t thank you enough for this.”
“It’s me who should be thanking you. I haven’t had a lot of time as of late to just come out here and ride. You gave me the perfect excuse.”
I grin, liking his words way more than I should. “I forgot how much I loved to ride.”
Killian comes up beside me on Bentley, eyes slightly hidden under that sexy hat that I want to rip off him and ride him instead.
Bad idea, Tessa. Get your head out of the gutter.
“How did you learn how to ride like this?”
Oh, the whole story is definitely not one I’ll share, but there are bits and pieces I can give.
“When I was in high school, I really hated everyone. My dad, he’s the worst and caused so much turmoil in our lives.
He left when my brother was little, but really used the two of us to manipulate my mother.
He’d show up before disappearing, leaving Reece and me trying to understand what we did wrong.
My junior year of high school, I was a mess.
I went from being a really great student to skipping class all the time and… I needed help.”
I needed so much help.
“Is this where the horses come in?” Killian asks.
“My teacher, who is an absolute saint of a human being, stepped in. She spent her summers working with an equine therapy program for kids from broken homes. It was a lot of money, and we didn’t have any.
However, she got me a grant or—” I snort out a laugh “—knowing Mrs. Knoll, I would bet she paid for it herself. Anyway, I went for the summer, and it was the single best thing I ever did in my life. It completely changed me. I ended up volunteering during the summers when I was home from college.”
Which was a whole other thing because when you are working just to live, taking two months off really messes with your cash flow.
Still, I didn’t care. It paid for itself in other ways.
“You made it sound like this was just a camp, not that it was so life-changing. Why didn’t you tell me how much the horses meant to you?”
I shrug. “I don’t know.”
I do know—it’s because my life was a mess.
I’ve worked so hard not to be that girl.
The one who was angry at everyone, wanted to burn the world down because nothing was fair.
Life isn’t fair, I know this, but I had a victim mentality until I went to that camp.
I saw people who had it way worse than me.
All of that changed me, but it was my therapist there, who gave me the permission to make my own decisions.
To go to college because I deserved it.
Feeling unworthy my whole life was hard, but being told by my parents I didn’t deserve better broke me.
I saved me by believing in myself.
Who the hell wants to say all that to a guy she banged and is trying to be professional with?
Not me.
“I’m glad you told me now,” Killian says with a grin. “We have two more things I want to show you.”
“Oh?”
We ride a little deeper into the forest and we emerge into a meadow. It’s not like the other pastures, this one is…untouched.
“Come on.” He smiles and then dismounts.
We’ve been riding for over three hours, and I don’t know that my legs will work. Instead of having to worry about my body betraying me, Killian is there, his hands outstretched, and I hook my leg over Billie-Jean, allowing him to help me down.
“Thank you.”
I clear my throat and drop my hands that were resting on his chest.
“I’d like to show you something that means a lot to me.” Killian extends his hand, palm up.
This is a bad idea, holding hands and walking through this beautiful vista, but, well I’m an idiot, what can I say?
I put my palm in his, and we walk through the meadow.
This is one of those movie scene meadows too.
It’s lush, green with sprinkles of different colored flowers.
The wind blows softly, causing it to sway back and forth.
We get to a three-rail fence and I look around, waiting for whatever it was that he wanted to show me.
“It’s just on the other side,” he says.
Of course it is. Thankfully, I’m in jeans and since I’m staying with Killian, I can wash my clothes. I climb over and he follows, then takes my hand again. We walk through and there’s the sound of rushing water.
We get through a clearing and I gasp as I see the most beautiful waterfall. It’s at least a twenty-foot drop, and while the water rushes, it then hits the pool and is calm and beautiful. “Wow, this is spectacular.”
He chuckles. “It is. The funny thing is, this isn’t even the Ember Falls.”
My eyes narrow and I tilt my head. “What? There’s more than one?”
“This town is full of old folklore, all of it is stupid, at least, the bits and pieces I know. Apparently you have to have grown up here or be married or dating someone who did to get the full story.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “That is ridiculous.”
“Yup, so this is Falls Ember, as I call it.”
“Ember Falls in reverse? Cute.”
“The legend has it that the falls by Lachlan’s house have a magical pool that can make you invisible or some shit if you go in. So, this pool doesn’t do that, but it will make you an exceptional lover.”
I burst out laughing, not expecting that. “Really?”
“I’m pretty sure you can attest to that being true.”
My cheeks heat and I look away because I sure can. “Anyway…”
“I own it, so really, I’m the only one who reaps the benefits of this waterfall, which is why when we were together, it was as good as it was.”
“I see, you were storing up your powers and I was the lucky woman who got to release them?”
“Lucky, huh?”
I roll my eyes. “Poor choice in words. I guess I should say, one of the many women.”
I don’t want to even think about how many women he’s used this asinine story on.
He takes a step closer. “I haven’t been with a woman in a while, Tessa. There’s never been anyone to tempt me to want more, not until you. So, lucky is the right word.”
A flutter in my stomach feels as though it could take flight. I gaze up into his green eyes. “You were lucky then too.”
“I know full well I was.”
“Right, and…you know…so the falls,” I stumble through my words as I shift.
The sex. The kiss. The almost moments. The stupid butterflies and nights I dream of him are a mistake. I have to resist him because come what may, in a week or two, I’m going back to New York and he’s staying here.
We are client and publicist. This is literally the definition of bad publicity.
If Aarabelle—or even worse, Brynlee—found out that this is what I was doing, I’d be fired. Hell, I should fire myself at this rate. I’ve broken several rules in my contract and I can’t even claim I didn’t know anymore because I let him kiss me in the kitchen.
So, no, I won’t do anything else to jeopardize my career.
Killian returns his gaze to the water. “The falls are part of what I love about this land. Everything around it is exactly like it’s meant to be, and when I use this part of the farm, I want it to be for something truly special.
Something that has meaning, you know? I don’t want to just have this be another pasture. ”
I smile. “I do. You’ll find that something.”
“I think I will.” My chest grows tight as he stares at me before smiling and stepping back. “Come on, let’s head back. We should probably dig into the piles.”
I place my hand in his and let him lead me away, praying we find something so I can leave before I become enchanted with this place.
Our ride yesterday was amazing, but we lost a day of work which means today, I’m paying for it.
I woke up early, got dressed, and thought I’d get a jump on things.
After I spent three hours going through the documents, I decided I needed a break from it all.
I need to stop having breakfast with Killian, where he cooks and I tell myself that I feel nothing for him.
It’s a lie. There’s nothing professional about any of this.
If this were any other client, I wouldn’t be staying with them, eating meals, dreaming of them, and also having slept with him, wishing for it again.
So, I came into town for breakfast. There were a bunch of adorable shops and I want to explore.
Or—escape.
Either term is applicable.
I pass the antique store and shudder—no need to go in there—and keep walking down Main Street. There’s an ice cream store, a pizzeria, the bar is over on the other side, none of those are good breakfast options.
Finally, I stop outside a cute little store called Prose & Perk that has a coffee cup on the logo. That’s promising. Maybe they have breakfast items.
“One second!” I hear someone yell from the back as I enter.
It’s really cute. There are three big bookcases that have a bunch of books, the tables and chairs are all mismatched in an old-world type of style. My favorite part is that the walls are papered in the old pages of books, overlapping.
I instantly love it here.
“Can I help you?” A sweet voice calls to me.
“Hi, sorry.” I make my way to the back of the store where a woman who is probably early thirties with long blond, curly hair is behind the counter. “I was just admiring the store.”
She grins. “Thank you. I’m Hazel, I own the place.”
“I’m Tessa. It’s nice to meet you.”
“You too. Did you want to order anything?”
I look at the menu and purse my lips. “Hmm, what’s your favorite coffee here?”
“It’s not on the menu.”
“Really?” I ask.
Hazel nods. “Do you like strong coffee?”