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Taking a deep breath, she shook off the last of her nerves and walked the last few steps. The sight that caught her eyes made her gasp in the back of her throat. A coal black stallion with a white strip going down to its muzzle stood in the middle of the stall. His liquid brown eyes stared back at her like he was trying to decide if she was his friend or his enemy.“Why aren’t you out toward the front with the other horses?” Syleena whispered. Slowly she moved closer to the magnificent animal and she talked softly so he wouldn’t be frightened of her.“Hello there, aren’t you something to look at? I bet you get all kinds of attention with your beautiful black coat.” The horse raised his ears like he always understood what she was saying to him. Syleena bit her lip to keep coming laughing when he moved cautiously toward her voice. Only a few more inches and she would be able to touch him. “Come here, boy, will you let me touch you?” She moved her hand out slowly toward his muzzle. He moved to the edge of the door and stuck his head out at her.“See, I knew you wanted some attention form me.” Leaning in closer to the amazing animal she whispered. “I don’t want the other horses to hear, but you’re the most striking one here.” The stallion shook his head at her like he understood every word coming out of her mouth.“Do you know what you’re doing is really dangerous? What if he had tried to bite your hand?” Syleena flinched at the sound of Storm’s usual growled behind her. She noticed even the stallion moved its head back when Storm’s voice echoed around them.She wiped her hands on her jeans, then spun around to look at Storm. “Why did you do that? I was having a good time talking to him and you scare him away?”“Thunder is very dangerous. Most of the men here are scared to come within ten feet of that damn horse. Then I walk up on you and he’s practically eating out of your hand.”“Maybe I’ve a better connection with him.”“Really….? What would you call the connection-Beauty and the Beauty?"Syleena tossed one last look at Thunder, then brushed past Storm. “I don’t have stand here and listen to you insult me.”“Wait…. I didn’t mean it as an insult.” Storm yelled after her. “Stand still so I can apologize.”She didn’t want to hear it, so she kept walking toward the front of the stable. She heard Storm’s footsteps gaining on hers, but she didn’t turn around. How much more of him could she really take?“Damn it! Woman…will you slow down!” Storm hissed. His hand wrapped around her arm and jerked her back around to face him. “Will you stand still and let me apologize?”She glanced down at Strom’s fingers attached to her wrist. She was surprised by his dark tanned. How did he get so dark if he spent all his time at the office? “Let go of my arm first.” Slowly his grip eased off her arm and he moved back.“I’m sorry for what I said. I was joking, but you didn’t take it that away. How about I make it up to you with riding lessons?”Her mind tingled with the possibilities of being alone on horseback in the woods with Storm. Stop it, girl! This man doesn’t want you. “When would you want to start the first lesson?”“It’s almost dinner time so it’s too late to start now. How about later on in the week? I’ve to check my schedule at work first.”“Sounds like a plan to me.”“Do you think Brian will mind you spending so much of your free time with me?She could barley control her eye roll this time. Here we go again.“No. Brian is very understanding and he won’t care. Actually, he’ll love I’m finding things to do while I’m here for the wedding.” “Yeah…the wedding I still can’t believe Vicki’s son is your date.”“Who’s your date for the wedding?”“I don’t have one.” “You’re kidding right?”“No, I don’t have a date,” Storm replied.“Why not? I’m pretty sure you could find one at the drop of a hat. So what is the hold up?”“What if I told you the woman I wanted to take already had a date and I was jealous?” “I guess you should have asked her before the other man did, but I can’t believe you would be jealous of another man.” “Don’t you want to know who the woman is?” Syleena stood frozen in front of Storm. She didn’t know what to say. A part of her wanted to know, but the deeper part of her didn’t. It was like of she found out it would change how she looked at him.“Do you want to know?” Storm asked again moving closer to her.She took a step back and shook her head. “No….I don’t think it’s any of my business.”She didn’t fight when Storm wrapped his fingers around her upper arms and tugged her to his body. She could feel the heat from his body through the layers on clothes on their body. Syleena was so taken back that she didn’t know what to do when Storm’s lips brushed her ear.“Syleena, live a little and ask me who she is?”“I…I don’t want to….know who it is.”Dark gray eyes flashed with sudden anger before Storm’s mouth started to lower toward hers. Syleena wanted to feel guilty about wanting this kiss, but she didn’t. Storm’s firm lips were an inch from hers when she heard.“Syleena, are you in there,” Brian yelled from outside.She wrestled her body from Storm’s tight grip and stumbled backwards. What in the hell was wrong with her? She couldn’t let Storm kiss her. Pressing her hand against her chest, she took several deep breaths.“You better answer him before he comes in looking for you.”She hurried away from the temptation of Storm for the safety of Brian. “Yes, I’m in here.”“Good…I’ll come in there to you.”“Don’t come to me I’ll come to you.” She rushed out the stables right into Brian. “Brian, what are you doing here? “I thought you were helping your mom finish planning the wedding.”Brian smiled. “I left early because I wanted to take you out to dinner.” She observed him through lowered lashes. The crisp white shirt and dark slack did compliment his blond good looks. She would be an idiot to turn Brian down after what almost happened with Storm. “You look very nice, Brian.” “Thanks, so I that a yes to dinner?“Yes….Just let me go shower and change then I’ll be all yours.”“Great, do you mind if I wait for you outside in the car? I’ve to make some business calls on my cellphone.” “No, that will be fine,” Syleena said.“Let me walk you back to the house.” “Sure.” Syleena agreed. Without turning around, she knew Storm watched them every step of the way back to the house. She could feel his eye drilling a hole into the back of her head.
Avaiable on October 20th from Phaze Books
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