Chapter 6
Sierra
“This is probably a huge mistake,” I whispered to myself as I headed out to Asher’s barn later that day.
I could see Asher in the distance. He was already out of the barn, the horses ready to ride.
He’d found me at lunchtime.
I didn’t eat lunch, but he’d insisted that I down one of his protein shakes and come out to the barn to see his thoroughbreds.
As expected, his horses were gorgeous, and the shake hadn’t tasted like a typical protein shake.
Asher actually made a pretty tasty drink to fuel his body.
I’d actually enjoyed that short break from my normal routine.
However, spending a longer period of time with Asher was, most likely, a horrible idea.
The man was ridiculously attractive, and the more he relaxed and actually talked to me, the more desirable he seemed to me.
Okay, he wasn’t exactly chatty now, but he seemed a little more approachable.
I’d actually been honored when he’d shared a little about his current treatment with me.
Seeking help was something that wasn’t always easy to talk about.
I’d probably always known that Asher wasn’t the cold and unemotional guy he pretended to be, but seeing a hint of warmth when he shared some things with me was more than enough to make me want to be closer to him.
There was a kindness in Asher that most people would never see because he revealed it to no one, but it was there.
It was the reason he made me eat breakfast.
It was the reason he’d invited me on this ride in the first place.
Those gestures probably meant more to me than he’d ever know.
They also lowered my defenses, and that wasn’t something I should ever allow.
Asher was my boss.
I needed this job, and lusting after the person who provided my living was freaking dangerous.
My heart tripped when Asher shot me a small grin.
I’d actually never seen him smile, and it was devastatingly attractive.
My hands shook just a little as I reached out to stroke the pretty mare.
“Do you need a hand up?” Asher asked as I took the reins.
I shook my head adamantly.
If Asher didn’t like to be touched, he probably didn’t like body contact of any kind.
“I’m probably rusty,” I said lightly. “But I was taught by one of the best riders in Texas. I’ll manage. What’s her name?”
I sprang into the saddle without a lot of fuss. The mare was the perfect size for me, muscular and stout, and probably not much over fourteen hands.
In comparison, the paint looked dainty beside Asher’s big-boned quarter horse.
“Sadie,” he answered as he mounted his horse.
“Not a name I gave her. I took her on as an adult because her owner died. It was supposed to be temporary, but she got attached to Atlas, and I ended up keeping her. She was probably lonely in her old place. She’s too small for me, but I can usually find someone to exercise her. ”
I looked at the large quarter horse that Asher was riding, thinking that Atlas was probably the perfect name for the big bay.
“Who rides her now?” I asked curiously as I nudged Sadie into a walk beside Atlas.
“My barn manager. I have someone who works part-time, but his main responsibilities are to help with the thoroughbreds. Luckily, he’s smaller than me and doesn’t mind taking Sadie out when she needs exercise.”
I took a deep breath as I surveyed my surroundings.
Technically, Crystal Fork was in the plains, but it was such a clear day that it was easy to see some of the distant mountain ranges.
The temperature was perfect for me.
It was warm enough not to need a jacket, but cool enough to be comfortable.
“I don’t think we’re going to see a lot more weather like this,” Asher mentioned casually.
He was right. It was actually unseasonably warm today.
“I know,” I said wistfully. “This will be my first fall and winter in Montana. It probably won’t be easy for a Texan.”
Asher shrugged. “It’s not horrible. Yeah, we get a lot of snow sometimes, but it doesn’t accumulate much. The Chinook warm winds will blow in and thaw us out occasionally. The subzero days suck, but at least we don’t have several feet of snow that hangs around all winter.”
I shuddered. “I have no idea what subzero feels like. We got occasional freezes in Texas, but not very often.”
“It’s cold,” he said in an amused voice. “Colder than a Texan can imagine. You’ll need the right clothes and it’s survivable. You’ll also need to learn to drive in the snow.”
I wasn’t about to tell him that I was already preparing for the cold by haunting thrift stores and looking for reasonable winter clothing.
“Trial by fire,” I joked. “I don’t think I can really practice winter driving. I lived in Houston where we got heavy rain and occasional freezes. I think I can handle it. It’s not like the roads are incredibly busy here in Montana.”
My drive from Billings to Crystal Fork was stress-free, with no traffic once I left Billings.
“That doesn’t mean the roads are safe in the winter,” Asher rumbled. “I’m going to worry about you driving from Billings every damn day in the winter.”
My heart melted.
It wasn’t like Asher to mention that he worried about anyone, and I felt like he’d just uttered the sweetest words imaginable.
“I’ll be fine,” I insisted. “If I need driving tips, I’m sure you’ll give me some.”
Asher was extremely good at trying to boss me around sometimes.
“Yeah,” he said gruffly. “My one and only tip would be not to drive when the roads suck. I’ll live if you don’t show up on bad days during the winter.”
He might be all right with that, but I really wanted to get a full paycheck so I could continue to send money to Mom.
“We’ll see how the winter goes,” I said noncommittally. “Is that the river up ahead?”
I didn’t want to lie to Asher, and I couldn’t promise him that I wouldn’t try to get to work every day, even when the roads were less than perfect.
I wasn’t an idiot. If we were in the middle of the blizzard, I’d stay safe. But I couldn’t take the day off just because of a little snow. It snowed a lot in this area.
“This is my favorite spot,” he confirmed as we approached the riverbank. “It has some mature hackberry trees along the water that give it some shade in the summer. It’s a relaxing place.”
Asher got off his horse, but I paused for moment so I could soak in the ambiance. I wanted to remember everything about this place because I knew I could use it for inspiration in the future.
“It’s incredible,” I agreed as I started to dismount.
“Careful,” Asher warned as my foot caught in the stirrup for a moment, just long enough to make me stumble when both of my feet hit the ground.
Asher’s reaction was lightning fast, and he had his arms wrapped around me from behind before I even realized that I was probably going to fall on my ass.
I froze for a moment, loving the feel of his strong body supporting me, but knowing it was probably difficult for Asher to be this close to someone.
“I’m sorry,” I said breathlessly as I tried to pull away from him.
“You’re good,” he said in a husky voice beside my ear. “Relax.”
I stopped fighting to get away, and in one swift motion, Asher turned me around and pressed my body against a nearby hackberry tree.
He pinned my wrists over my head, his hold light but firm.
Our gazes locked, and my heart stuttered as I saw the fierce look in his swirling gray eyes.
Asher was always intense, but I’d never seen him look quite like this before.
Never in a million years could I ever have imagined that Asher Remington would be looking down at me with what could only be explained as hot, rampant desire.
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” Asher said with raw honesty in his voice. “I’ve wanted to touch you from the day we met.”
“This isn’t uncomfortable for you?” I asked in a dazed voice, feeling like I was in the middle of a very pleasant dream.
“No,” he answered as he searched my face. “You want me to kiss you.”
My entire body was trembling with need, and I replied truthfully. “Yes.”
I wasn’t going to lie to Asher and pretend that I didn’t desperately want him to kiss me right now.
My body and my face would betray me in a heartbeat.
“Don’t try to touch me,” he ordered hoarsely. “Just fucking kiss me back.”
It vaguely entered my mind that Asher might be afraid of what he might do or how he would react if I did touch him, but as he lowered his head, every thought fled from my brain.
The sweet, sultry desire in his embrace blew me away.
It started as a sexy exploration that morphed into a kiss so hot that it made my toes curl.
Asher Remington knew exactly how to devour a woman’s lips until she was half crazy, and I couldn’t have stopped myself from kissing him back if my life depended on it.
While my mind had balked for an instant at having my hands restrained, I was mostly okay with it because I knew I could easily pull away.
He devoured my mouth with a hunger that made every nerve in my body react with a longing for so much more.
A chemistry that had probably always been simmering between us caught fire, and I burned for everything I hadn’t had in a very long time.
“Asher,” I moaned when he released my lips and buried his face in my neck. “This has to stop.”
I regretted my words as soon as he released my wrists and backed away.
The moment his body wasn’t against mine, I felt a sense of emptiness like I’d never experienced before.
“I shouldn’t have done that,” he said flatly. “But I’m not going to fucking pretend that I regret it.”
I sagged against the tree as I answered, “I don’t regret it, either, but it can’t happen again. You’re my boss, and I’m your housekeeper. I don’t think either of us needs for this relationship to get complicated.”
I couldn’t afford to lose this amazing job, and I probably should have thought about that before this man had laid his dangerous lips on mine.
Yeah, we were attracted to each other, but Asher and I came from two different worlds.
Asher nodded sharply and his expression suddenly shuttered. “It won’t happen again. Let’s head back.”
Damn! The last thing I’d wanted was to make him completely close down.
He’d just started to open up a little.
Maybe he thinks I rejected him?
Not possible.
A man like Asher Remington could have just about any single woman he wanted.
Still, as we silently made our way back to Asher’s home, I couldn’t help but notice that his defenses seemed to be firmly back in place.
Maybe it was safer that way, but I was definitely going to mourn the man I’d just started to get to know.
And I was definitely going to relive that kiss thousands of times in the future.
Asher is still just a fantasy, Sierra. Let it go!
By the time we got back to the barn, I’d managed to convince myself that our kiss had been an experiment for him, something he’d forget in record time. He was getting help, so it made sense that he wanted to test his boundaries, right?
Unfortunately, that heart-pounding embrace was probably something I’d never forget.