Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
Renn
Make Your Move
Walking into the musty barn he scanned the length of the paddocks.
There were at least twelve stalls and most of them looked to be occupied.
Miranda was spreading fresh hay in one and he couldn’t help but enjoy the view of her curves wrapped in jeans and a fitted shirt.
But as she started to hum, he coughed to make his presence known.
“Took you long enough,” Miranda said as she stabbed a bale of hay to put fresh straw into one of the mare’s stalls.
“Sorry about that,” Renn said.
When she spun around to face him, she stumbled over the hay and almost landed in the dirty wheelbarrow.
Reaching out he gripped her arms to hold her up so she could stay on her feet.
And he instantly felt a rush of need to be close to her.
They were alone again and all he could think about was how much he wanted to kiss her.
“I thought you were my brother,” she said, sounding out of breath. “He was supposed to come back to help with the horses.”
“He had so much mud in his hair. I told him I would help you.”
“Careful, I’m starting to think you’ve been sent to be my knight in shining armor.”
“I’ve been called worse.” He grabbed a pitchfork and started on the next stall.
Her blonde hair was pulled back into a long braid, her cheeks were flushed, and she looked beautiful. From the expression in her eyes, he would bet she was thinking about their night together because she couldn’t stop staring and he stared right back.
“You don’t need to stick around and help. You’ve met the good Samaritan quota.”
“I don’t mind. I miss working on the farm. The smell of the horses reminds me of home.”
“Where’d you say that is?”
Renn smiled. “No small-town gossip about me yet huh?”
“I’ve learned not to listen to gossip. It’s so often about me.”
“I’m from a little town called Duluth, just outside Atlanta.”
“And you’re in town visiting the Hart family?”
“Yep.” She was fishing and he wasn’t sure what he was willing to admit. But he’d bet every last dollar in the bank Wes’s girlfriend Shelby already filled her in on who he was.
“If you’re planning to stick around you better have a good story, because the people here are relentless. And you’re too noticeable for them not to want to find out exactly who you are.”
“What’s your story?” he said, picking up a pitchfork and heading into one of the empty stalls.
“I’m sure you’ll hear it soon enough, probably several versions.”
“I’d rather hear your version,” he pressed as he finished one stall and started on another. Keeping his hands busy helped him fight the urge to pull her into his arms and taste her lips again.
“My daddy was a gambler and connoisseur of fine thoroughbred horses. He could choose the strongest, healthiest horse out of hundreds. But he was terrible at paying his debts. So, when he died from a sudden heart attack, he left me this ranch, several horses, a dozen debt collectors, a half-brother, and an ill stepmother to care for.”
“And that’s your version?”
“You’ll also hear that I’m a gold digger who thinks she’s too good for this town.”
“That’s it?”
She laughed and her big green eyes sparkled with mischief. “I left out the part that my father was enjoying one of his many girlfriend’s charms when he had his last heart attack.”
“Wow, this town must love your family.”
“Love talking about us, you mean.”
He finished the second stall and moved on to the third and they worked in companionable silence until all ten stalls being used were cleaned.
“You do good work. I guess you can come visit these beasts anytime you get to missing home.”
He was surprised she made the offer because she projected this stay back type of persona. “What if I want to come by to see you?” he asked looking her in the eyes so there was no doubt how much he wanted her.
She sighed and met his stare. “The other night was amazing, and if I were going to live up to my bad reputation I would drag you into one of these stalls and let you do all the things I’ve imagined you could do to me right now.”
His heart skipped a beat.
“But my little brother and stepmom need me back inside to cook dinner, and I’ll be up at the crack of dawn for more chores. I don’t have the kind of freedom or time to have a careless affair.”
He nodded. “Who said anything about an affair? Look, I’m not sure how long I’ll be in town, but I’d like to spend more time with you.”
Miranda walked closer and held out her hand. “You’re welcome to come by and clean a stall or ride a horse anytime. And I won’t think any less of you if you change your mind.”
He held her soft but strong hand in his a beat longer than was probably necessary, but he couldn’t help feeling entranced by her.
“Deal, and maybe we could go out for that ice cream?”
Her smile was so big it touched her green eyes and made her look carefree. “You must really like ice cream and trouble,” she said, shaking her head. “But I don’t think you want to be linked to me.”
“I think I do, but we can be discreet if you’re worried about more gossip.” He still held her hand and she didn’t pull away, which he took as a good sign.
She shook her head. “No offense, but last night was a one-time thing. I’m too busy and not looking to complicate my relationship with the Harts. They’ve always been good to me.”
He nodded. “I’d like a chance to be good to you too.”
“I guess we’ll see,” she said, dropping his hand and taking his pitchfork to put it back on the wall. Then he followed her back outside the barn where the night sky was lit with stars.
“I almost forgot how the sky looks outside the city,” he said.
“Feel free to stare at the stars as long as you like, but I’ve got to get started on dinner,” she said before walking away, effectively putting her wall back up.
Leaving the Sutton Ranch he felt an odd stirring in his soul.
Like he was exactly where he was supposed to be.
It was comforting and worrisome because he wasn’t convinced the Hart family would want him to stick around too much longer, and Miranda had made it clear she wasn’t looking for anything beyond what they’d already shared.
But he was used to having to put in some work for what he wanted.
He definitely wanted to spend some more time with her.
Back at the inn he took a long shower and checked his phone.
There were multiple calls from his agent and a dozen media outlets.
He was going to have to decide what to do about his contract soon.
Did he want to stay in Georgia or not? Did he even want to accept any of the offers to be a starting quarterback?
It was such an unexpected change in his career, he still couldn’t believe it.
Everything had changed in the matter of a few months, and he couldn’t help but think he needed to stay in Sandy Point to find the answers.