Chapter Nineteen
Hallie
I slumped down in the scalding water of my bath and tried not to let the cavernous feelings of disappointment fill me.
Huxley would be flying back to England tomorrow night, and we were moving on to Saint-Tropez.
Atticus told me it looked like I would be riding Lady Marjorie until Huxley was healed.
Leon had left the yard with Jasper to sort it.
Maybe I would have her for the rest of the season.
She was an amazing mare, one I’d had the privilege to ride at Golden Oaks.
She was beautifully natured and nowhere as crazy as Fefe. But . . .
She wasn’t Huxley.
Together, my gentle stallion and I had formed an unstoppable team, and I adored him. I inhaled, the scent of sandalwood filling my nose, which only reminded me of Jasper. I had no choice but to carry on. This was my career, and things like this happened all the time.
The clicking of the bathroom door opening had me jumping up in shock. I held my hand over my racing heart, only to see Jasper walk through. “Jasper,” I said, breathlessly. “You scared the hell out of me!”
I sank back into the water, and Jasper sat down on the ledge.
He ran his hand down my cheek, so affectionately it brought butterflies to my chest. But the careful touch also made my sadness barrel back.
“I’m okay,” I said honestly. “Just sad.” I frowned.
“How do you always get a key to my hotel rooms?”
Jasper smiled wide and my heart skipped a beat at how handsome it made him look. “I have my ways.”
For the first time since Huxley was injured, I laughed. “You mean you just asked the girl at the front desk to have it, and so affected by your stunning good looks, she handed it straight over, no questions asked.”
“Something like that,” he said. I stared at him a little longer.
“Joking! It’s my name on the booking so it wasn’t hard.
” I laughed again. It took me a second to absorb how he was dressed, in a Knighton Equestrian black base layer top, matching breeches, and .
. . his riding boots? I blinked and blinked again.
It made me realize that apart from the night I caught him jumping Henry in the family barn, I hadn’t seen him in riding gear at all.
“Why are you dressed like that?” I asked, and sat up. I could smell the scent of horse on him too.
Where had he been?
Jasper got to his feet and grabbed my towel from the heated rack. He held it out to me. “I’ve come to take you somewhere.”
My pulse kicked into a sprint. “Where?”
“It’s a surprise.” Jasper cast me a flicker of a smirk, and I decided right then that I loved this playful side of Jasper. I checked my watch. “It’s ten o’clock at night. And it’s dark,” I said.
“You’ll be fine,” he said, and flicked his head. “Come on, Cinderella, I promise I won’t have you back too late. There’ll be no turning into a pumpkin on my watch.”
I laughed, but confusion ran thickly in my veins. But I trusted Jasper, allowing him to drink his fill. He’d been gone for over a week, and I’d missed him so much. But mostly, I’d missed those heated midnight eyes on my body and having him inside me. I rubbed the oil from the water into my skin.
“I know what you’re doing, Angel,” Jasper said, his voice growing raspy. He stepped closer. “And just know that when we get back, I’ll give you exactly what you want.” His teeth raked over his bottom lip as he roved his gaze over me. “I’ve missed the taste of your pussy.”
Breathlessly, I said, “Do we really have to go out?” Him tasting my pussy sounded like a much better plan.
Jasper groaned. He put the towel around me, and I noticed the bulge in his breeches. “I can help with that,” I said, and stepped out of the bath. He leaned in and kissed me. I moaned as he did, realizing that the phrase “missing him” wasn’t a strong-enough explanation for what I felt.
“You’re tempting me to stay, Angel. But we have somewhere to be first.” Taking my hand, he led me from the bathroom and into the main area of my hotel suite.
Waiting on the couch was the turquoise base layer and riding leggings set that I modeled all those months ago for Knighton Equestrian at his warehouse.
I turned to Jasper, heart swelling. He shrugged. “I’ve called it Hallie Blue.” He stepped close to me, and leaned in, kissing my cheek. “To match those turquoise eyes of yours.”
I was so gone for this man.
Jasper pointed to the set. “Put them on.”
“What?” I asked, completely confused. I’d just had a bath.
“Put them on, grab your hat and boots. You’re coming with me.” I stared at him with an eyebrow raised. Jasper glared back in silence. After a strained few seconds, he said, “Don’t make me get the handcuffs.”
“That sounds like a good time,” I said, and watched his lips twitch. But then . . . nothing. I got it. He was sticking to his guns and wasn’t telling me shit.
“Fine! You win,” I said, dropping my towel to the floor. I reached for the set, only to feel Jasper’s hand graze my ass as I bent down.
“Fuck, Angel,” he groaned, sounding like he was in pain.
Heat traveled straight to my clit at the sound of desperation, but I stood straight, moved to my drawers to get my panties and a sports bra, and said, “No, no, Mr. Knighton. We’re apparently in a rush.
” I pointed to his hard cock showing through his breeches.
“Get yourself under control until we’re back from . . . wherever it is we’re going.”
I strutted past him, but Jasper stood in my way, and lifting my head with his finger under my chin, said, “Just know I won’t go easy on you when we get back.”
I rose to my tiptoes, kissed him on the cheek, and said, “I’m counting on it.” Jasper growled as I went back into the bathroom and got dressed. I threw my hair back in its usual braid and exited the bathroom.
When I reached Jasper, he took hold of my hand, twirling me around. “My favorite color I’ve ever created,” he said, and I couldn’t stop the blush that rose to my cheeks. With another long, passion-filled kiss, Jasper pulled back only an inch and said, “I missed you so much, Hallie.”
I melted. “I missed you too.” Jasper’s responding smile was blinding.
Taking my hand, he led me from my room. Will was there, alongside Debbie, my personal bodyguard. I tried to drop Jasper’s hand so they wouldn’t see, but he kept tight hold, shocking me.
“Jasper,” I said, gesturing to our hands when they walked ahead of us. “They’ll know.”
“Good,” he said, acting completely out of character. He smirked, but then whispered, “Plus, they’ve signed NDAs so can’t say anything without the might of my legal team coming down upon them.”
I laughed and held on to his hand as we took the elevator down to the basement, where two cars were waiting. There was no driver in the blacked-out Land Rover Defender at the front.
Jasper opened the passenger-side door and held out his hand. I slipped into the seat and relaxed when I discovered it had a massage feature. Jasper got in the driver’s seat beside me and smiled. In the side mirrors of the Defender, I saw Debbie and Will get into the car behind us.
“Are you going to tell me yet where we’re going?” I asked as Jasper pulled out onto the Parisian streets. The city was as vibrant at night as it was during the day.
I smiled when the radio came on and my favorite country music station was playing. Lainey Wilson sang about whirlwinds as we cut through the busy roads. It wasn’t until we made our way out of the city that I turned to Jasper. “Okay, this is getting ominous,” I joked.
Jasper smirked and put his hand on my thigh. It was a little thing, a small sign of affection, but it was one of my favorites. “You’re onto me, Angel. I’m taking you to my secret chateau that has a sex dungeon, where I’m going to tie you up and have my wicked way with you.”
I squeezed my thighs together. “Don’t promise me a good time and not deliver, baby.”
Jasper laughed, and when city limits gave way to rolling fields, we made a right turn. We were entering a horse farm—an expensive one, if the outbuildings were anything to go by. “I have literally no idea what’s happening,” I said, but Jasper, maddeningly, kept silent.
When we stopped, Leon was waiting for us outside of an arena. I waved at my trainer. I looked to Jasper for answers, but he was getting out of the car, then opened the passenger door for me.
“Hallie,” he said, offering his hand. It was clear he wasn’t going to tell me what was happening either, so I just kept my mouth closed and waited for it all to be revealed.
“Jasper, Hallie,” Leon greeted. There was a playfulness to his expression too, and nerves began building within me.
“Let’s go,” Leon said, leading us through the pedestrian door of a truly impressive indoor arena.
I flinched under the bright overhead lights after having been inside the dark car for so long; as my vision cleared, I could see the arena filled with a Grand Prix–level jumping course.
It was expertly designed and, judging by Leon’s smug expression, I knew it was he who had set this up.
“Okaaaay,” I said, “I’m suitably confused, so can you please . . .” My words trailed off to nothing when a large door at the end of the ring slid open to reveal Golden Oaks’ Benjamin leading a huge, bright-gray stallion. My heart leapt to my throat as they approached.
“Henry,” I whispered.
I whipped my head to Jasper and said, “You’re joining the circuit?” To say I was excited was an understatement. He was going to ride with us, by our side?
Jasper stood in front of me and cupped my cheeks.
I searched his face for an answer, but he shook his head, making me more perplexed than ever.
“I’m not joining the circuit.” Jasper pointed to Henry, who was now standing behind him.
Every time I saw this stallion, I was awestruck.
Jasper nodded in the direction of his prize horse. “Henry is.”