Leaping Hearts(68)

“And he’s righted a wrong, hasn’t he?”

“Yes, he has.”

“Please be careful.”

“Are you warning me because you don’t like him?”

“No. Because I love you.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“When will you be back?”

“I don’t know. Sometime, I’ll call.” She turned to go.

“Arlington?”

“Yes?” She faced him again.

“Your mother would have liked him. He’s a strong man and I can see in his eyes the love he has for you.”

Her father wasn’t looking at her. Instead, he was staring up at the portrait. When at last he pivoted around, A.J. saw him framed against the image of her mother. Tears came to her eyes.

“Thank you for saying that,” she whispered.

As they embraced, A.J.’s eyes drifted up to meet her mother’s.

Yes, she thought. Mummy would have liked him.

Pulling into Devlin’s driveway, she couldn’t wait to go up to the farmhouse but, as soon as she stepped out of the car, she heard Sabbath whinny for her. Hastily scooting into the stable, she opened the top of his stall door. The horse’s head came out like it was sprung from a toaster and he snuffled over her.

“I’m back,” she reassured him as she slipped him a sugar cube.

After a few more moments with the stallion, during which she checked his water and ran her hands over his legs to reassure herself, for the umpteenth time, that he wasn’t lame from their debacle, she took a deep breath. He was good to go. And so was she.

A.J. shut the stall door, and with an erotic anticipation that had her burning, she rushed back to her car, picked up the tuxedo jacket and her bag and ran to the farmhouse. She found Devlin in the kitchen, filling the coffeepot with water. As soon as she came into the room, he dropped what he was doing and captured her in an embrace that bent her almost in half. Lips clamoring together, hands searching out zippers and buttons, they undressed their way up to his bedroom and collapsed in a mad tumble onto his bed. When he entered her with a deep, hard drive, his name left her lips in an explosion as their bodies came together, thrusting and pounding. With a shattering of sensation, they gripped each other fiercely as they were overcome by white heat.

After they came back down to earth, it was a while before Devlin lifted his head and spoke.

“Sorry about that. Usually I have a little more self-control.”

A.J. licked his lower lip, making him groan. “Discipline is overrated, in my book,” she said.

“God, I want you all over again.”

In the silence of the morning, they heard noises drift up from the barn.

“Chester’s here,” he muttered, wishing for once his old friend would have had the courtesy of being late to work.

In a tornado of shirts and blue jeans, the two scrambled into their clothes, just making it to the kitchen as the groom burst through the front door. He was wearing a happy grin.

“Well, it’s just fine to have the family back together again,” he said, looking over at A.J.

“Sure is,” Devlin said, going back to the coffeepot. He’d left the water on and the sink was close to overflowing.

Chester noted the near-accident with a knowing smirk before asking A.J., “Are ya rough-ridin’ ready?”

She smiled as she sat down. “And rarin’ to go.”

“Well, so’s that stallion, let me tell ya. Almost pulled m’ arm out a’ the socket yesterday on the lead line.” The groom settled down at the table as Devlin pushed his breakfast in front of him. “Speakin’ of arms, how’s yours feelin’?”

“Perfect. Just perfect.” She flexed for him, hiding a wince with laughter. “Sabbath was so happy to see me this morning, he was on the verge of speech.”

“He’s missed you, all right,” Devlin said as he put a couple of English muffins under the broiler.

“And wasn’t the only one,” Chester interjected. “This one with the nooks an’ crannies was miserable to be around.”

“I wasn’t that bad.”

“Compared to someone with their foot in a bear trap, maybe.”

After the muffins were done, Devlin threw them onto a plate and offered them to A.J. Taking a few for himself, he settled down into his chair, stretched his long legs under the table and rubbed his foot against her ankle. She smiled at him.

“Better eat up, girl,” Chester said. “That stallion a’ yours is goin’ to be a lot to handle today an’ breakfast is the most important meal a’ the day.”

“Hey, I’ve got to ask,” she said. “How many years have you been eating that same breakfast?”

“Since fifty-nine.”

“What’d you have before that?”

“Bananas.”

“Just bananas?”

“Yup.”

“Nothing else?”

“Nope.”

“You are what you eat,” Devlin offered.

“Have you always had such odd eating habits?” A.J. inquired.

“Like to start m’ days off simply,” Chester explained. “Life gets complicated real quick on its own. No need to anticipate chaos with a breakfast a’ confusion.”