Summer Nights (Fool's Gold #8)(43)

Lewis had used sex to make her feel small. He complained if she didn’t want to make love and when she did, he told her she wasn’t a lady. Most of the time he hadn’t cared about her pleasure, and every once in a while he “allowed” her to have an orgasm.

Until him, she’d enjoyed the few lovers she’d had, even if the guys had been lousy at relationships. But Lewis had been the first man to claim he loved her. So she took the good with the bad and hoped the relationship would improve. Over the years, she’d realized that she wanted, no, needed more than someone who made her feel smaller than she was. So she’d walked away from him. He’d vowed she wouldn’t see a penny from him and she’d been fine with that. She’d taken her clothes and whatever personal belongings could fit in her car. That had been plenty.

She looked at Shane. She wanted to tell him that she wasn’t anyone’s idea of a goddess, except maybe his. It was nice to know she could move him in that way. In bed, he’d been a caring, giving lover, healing several of the wounds her ex-husband had left behind. They might never be romantically involved, but she appreciated what had happened between them.

“I’d like to be friends again,” she told him.

“Good. Me, too.”

“I’ll call off the town.”

He chuckled. “Seriously? Because I can’t buy so much as a nail around here.”

“Never forget Fool’s Gold is, at heart, a matriarchal society.”

“You gotta love that.”

“I do.”

They both rose. She tilted her head as she studied him. “Do we shake on it?”

“It’s that or go for it right here on your desk.”

The image filled her head and she found herself wanting to say yes.

He stepped around her desk. “Sorry. I was kidding.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek, then stared into her eyes. “I am sorry. I was wrong and I hurt you. There’s no excuse for that.”

“Thank you.”

He walked away.

She sank back in her chair, relieved to know that her initial assessment had been right. Shane was one of the good guys. Everyone screwed up. It was how the mistakes were handled that defined who a person was. He’d taken responsibility and made amends. Which made him just about perfect.

Except he wanted safe and boring. The exact opposite of what she did. Friends, she reminded herself, was a much better solution. It wasn’t as if they were going to be tempted into bed with each other again…right?

* * *

ANNABELLE PARKED BY the house on the Castle Ranch and watched yet another horse being unloaded from a trailer. She had a feeling this one was just a little fancier than the riding horses Shane had collected for the girls’ lessons. One clue came from the trailer itself. Not only did it look new and expensive, but there was some kind of heating and/or cooling unit on top. No AC via an open window for these horses.

The horse itself was beautiful. A light brown with a darker mane and tail. His legs were long, his muscles sleek. His head was well-shaped. Shane walked with him down the ramp.

Heidi came out of the house and walked over.

“One of the expensive ones,” she said with a grin. “I can’t remember his name.”

“He looks gorgeous,” Annabelle admitted.

“He should. He’s worth a ton. Probably not millions, but plenty. He’s a racehorse. Resting here on his way to Del Mar.”

“Del Mar as in racing? Horses on the surf and all that?”

Heidi grinned. “Sure. Shane has a dozen or so horses out racing. Didn’t he tell you?”

“Not really. He mentioned something about racing and I knew Khatar was valuable.”

Heidi’s grin broadened. “Yes, the horse you’re planning to paint.”

“It washes off,” Annabelle said defensively. “Besides, Shane said I could.”

“Of course he did. You could tell him to wear a tutu and he’d agree.”

“I’m less sure of that. Although Khatar probably would. He’s a very sweet horse.”

“To you.”

“And the girls who are taking riding lessons.”

“Maybe.”

They watched Shane lead the horse into the barn.

“I’m practically expecting him to get that horse a Sleep Number bed,” Heidi grumbled. “Only the best for his precious racehorses. Not that I can really complain. He knows what he’s doing. One of them came in second at Belmont.”

“He mentioned that. The one that’s part of the triple crown, right?”

“I think so. Rafe said something, but I was looking at bridal magazines and not really listening. Does that make me a bad sister-in-law-to-be?”

“No. It makes you human.”

Heidi laughed. “Thank you. Now I feel better. Come on. Shane’s going to be a while. In the meantime, we can go check on Persephone. She’s restless. I think she’s about ready to give birth. Cameron swears she’ll be fine, but I can’t help worrying.”

“Cameron’s the vet?”

“Yes. His large-animal practice sure took a jump when we showed up here. Between my goats, Shane’s horses and May’s menagerie, he’s one busy guy.”

They walked around the side of the house, toward the goat pen. During the summer, Heidi’s goats fed on the wild bushes and grass. They came into the goat house once a day for milking.