Lola rode Big Ben, Hannah walking beside her. The child had drawn a crowd, eagerly telling all she knew about how to make a horse go and where to put her feet. Allie sat atop Hazel, her big brother stood beside her, a protective hand on her leg. It looked like he was stepping up as Hannah had hoped.
She’d told Stephen all about it lying in bed one night. How maybe Allie’s brother could come out and ride with her, something they could do together, since there were so many things they couldn’t. Stephen had promised her and himself he’d do everything he could to see that they had the opportunity. And that Hannah was there to see it.
Hannah lifted another small child into the saddle. She was doing too much and she’d be sore tonight. But, he thought with a smile, he’d take care of that in some very enjoyable ways.
“Hey, man.”
Matt and Andrew joined Stephen at the fence, leaving their post at the grill. Surprising to see Matt more than a few yards from Abby. His brother was in major protection mode of his pregnant wife.
“You know,” Matt said, “you keep smiling like that, your face might get stuck.”
“Shut up.” But he was happy. Especially as he remembered soaping her up in a fruity lather this morning, rinsing her off. He’d slept with her sexy ass nestled against his crotch, her breast filling his hand. Had turned to her in the night, hard, throbbing with need and she’d opened to him, for him. Yeah, he was happy.
“No, seriously,” Andrew said. “It’s downright frightening.”
“Don’t you guys have anything to do? Where’s Lizzy?”
Matt grinned. “If you call her over, she’ll give you a job. Besides, we’re on break.”
Stephen made a sound of agreement, but kept an eye on Allie’s father moving to stand next to Hannah. He was about Stephen’s age, maybe a little older.
“I see you got a new ride,” Andrew said, motioning to Stephen’s truck.
“Yeah.”
“A little more manly?”
“Shut the hell up.” His sports car had gone with his image but it wasn’t really him. Or maybe it was, just not the him he wanted to be. “What do you drive? A minivan?”
“Don’t dis on the minivan. It’s got doors that open on my command.”
Matt laughed. “Let me know when you boys want a real ride.” Matt gestured to his black Hummer sitting off to the side.
“Hah.” Andrew smirked. “You bought that because Jack said it was cool.”
Stephen raised an eyebrow. “You bought an eighty-thousand-dollar car because a six-year-old said it was cool?”
Matt just shrugged, unfazed. “He liked it. And it is cool. Don’t be jealous, minivan.”
Stephen was no longer listening to his brothers’ smack. He didn’t care for how close Allie’s dad was standing to Hannah, and when his hand touched her shoulder, Stephen saw red.
He’d unleashed a passion in her, revealed it to her, as he’d meant to, but the thought of her revealing it to someone else…Just the idea of another man touching her, sharing what they shared—his mind rejected it. But as he watched Hannah with Allie’s father, he wondered if the man dreamed of torturing and killing the drunk driver who’d killed half his family.
Their laughter floated to him and he figured not.
“Uh-oh.” Andrew followed Stephen’s line of sight. “Looks like smiley man has been replaced. Don’t lose it, dude. You’ll upset the horses.”
“Fuck you.” He didn’t want her to smile at anyone else, laugh with anyone else. Stephen headed off to make sure there were no misunderstandings.
“Stephen.”
He was halfway there when he turned at the sound of his name, surprised to see Dave striding toward him.
“Hey, man. What’s up?”
“Just out.” Dave adjusted his sunglasses. “Thought I’d come by and support. Looks like quite a party.”
“Yeah. It’s a good turnout.”
“So where’s the special lady that’s gotten you so off track?”
Stephen felt his jaw tighten. “No one’s got me off track.”
“Ah. Would that be her walking over here with the big bright smile on her face?”
He didn’t like Dave’s tone or the way he lowered his glasses, making a show of checking her out top to bottom.
“Very nice. I can see why you resisted the purchase deal.”
Stephen slid a protective and possessive arm around her as she came to stand beside him. “Hannah, this is Dave Pietro, my partner at Trace Development.”
“And his right-hand man,” Dave added, holding out a hand to shake Hannah’s.