Change Rein (Willow Bay Stables #1)(14)

After turning the engine off, he steps out from behind the wheel, and my body sways into the neck of the horse beside me. This man, whoever he is, is beautiful. My heart is wildly lunging to have him next to me, but my body is too weak from his presence to take me there.

The denim of his jeans does nothing to hide the muscular shape of his legs as he moves around the vehicle, the heels of his boots ringing out on the pavement. My eyes greedily trace up his body, taking in the white dress shirt that’s rolled up to his elbows and showing off every line of the lean body underneath it. It’s, however, his face that, unregretfully so, does me in.

His strong jaw clenches, and the five-o’clock shadow covering it seems a stark contrast to the fine lines of his clothing. Brown hair a few inches long is styled messily on top of his head, and I desperately wonder what it would feel like to run my fingers through it. I bite down on my lip as I look at his full ones, sure I’ll have dreams haunted by them in my future. The burning desire to see his eyes floods me as I find them covered by black Ray-Ban sunglasses.

He’s a mere five feet from me, and my heart pounds in my chest. A part of me hopes he doesn’t talk to me, as I don’t trust my mouth with words in this moment. Another part of me is certain I’ll die on the spot if I don’t hear his voice.

If I could think of anything but him for even a fraction of a second, I’d be sure to find my sanity gaping at me in horror with the way I am behaving. He’s stolen every thought from my mind, all of which now belonging to the cowboy heart throb coming my way.

Lord, have mercy on me.

I want to throw a child’s tantrum when Charlotte steps into my line of vision.

“Branson,” she coos, resting a palm on his bicep. A growl creeps up my throat when my heart realizes she’s touching him. “I didn’t realize you were coming.”

Branson.

Heavens, if his name doesn’t suit him perfectly, both of them capturing elegance and grit in one entity.

“Daniels family, meet my friend”—her emphasis on the word rubs me remarkably the wrong way—“and employer, Mr. Branson Tucker.”

Well, hell.





I LOOK DOWN TO WHERE Charlotte is touching me and immediately want to rip her hand from my arm. The woman I’m here for has gone rigid at the interaction, and I’m wrapped up in fury that this moment is causing her any kind of discomfort.

I push my sunglasses up onto my head and eye her once before looking back down to the offending touch. “Charlotte.” My voice rumbles with an unspoken warning.

Reading my tone with accuracy, she hastily returns her arm to its rightful position by her side. I glance past her to see London standing but a few feet away, leaning against my horse’s neck. Without seeing her eyes, I know her attention is entirely directed at me.

As it should be.

Following my gaze, Charlotte sparks into action and struts towards her, clearly not blind that there is more to this situation than she’s been made aware of. “I’m sorry, Branson. I had yet to tell them Street was not to be handled by others, but she”—she draws out the word, and I clench my teeth to refrain from reprimanding her ridiculous behavior—“began unloading without any direction.”

“I’m sorry.” London’s voice falters briefly before Street nudges her playfully with his head. Her passion becomes distracted, now shifting from me to my horse.

Green with envy, I’m captured by the smile forming on her unmasked face.

“He’s just so beautiful.” She pats his neck down. “I had to see him,” she says in a harsh whisper.

I can sympathize. That is a feeling I’ve come to know all too well.

Charlotte reaches to grab the lead rope from London’s hands, and my mouth disobeys my head.

“Stop,” I demand.

Subsequently, the two women freeze.

It’s the first time I’ve spoken loud enough for everyone to hear, and the object of my affection brings her focus back to me as I close the remaining distance between us.

“She will be responsible for Street from now on.” I close her open hand around the lead rope, proudly watching her body shiver from my touch.

Without looking at my barn manager, I can tell she wishes to object. This is something I’ve never done. Street is like a child to me, and I hardly let romantic or lustful whims allow anyone to touch him, but this is more than that. She is more than that.

“I don’t want to hear another word about it. Are we clear?”

“Yes, Branson.”

Without looking away from the camo-clad blonde in front of me, I correct her sharply. “Mr. Tucker, Charlotte. Let us not forget our roles in the presence of new company.”

If I’m mistaken, a smirk has formed on the lips of my angel. She is most certainly not a fan of Charlotte. Duly noted.

It’s not lost on me that, throughout the altercation, we’ve gained the onlooking eyes of her family. Although I would wish for nothing more than to have her all to myself in this moment, it would be in poor taste not to meet her family. Hell, her daddy sure as shit needs to love me. Come hell or high water, that will be a reality.

I am more certain than I’ve ever been in my goddamn life that my soul is tethered to hers, and I have yet to taste her.

If anyone could hear the way I am thinking about her, they’d send me to the nuthouse. I am pretty sure I’m in love with this woman, even though I am only meeting her for the first time. Even I’m not ignorant to how absolutely crazy that sounds.