Steph
I’ve never been your typical girl. I didn’t grow up in a warm fuzzy family, and emotions weren’t something I needed now. Love has never been something I could wrap my mind around, so why bother? I know what I’m good at. I’m a great friend, have a passion for healing others, and a way with horses. I can be all those things at the same time without ever discussing my own feelings.
Until him.
Lawrence
I’ve always been told I have a way with words. It’s one reason I manage the family business so well. I can wine and dine with the best of them, selling bloodlines and high-priced stallion services over a five-course dinner. I’m able to talk myself into or out of just about anything and anyone.
Until her.
****
Young and carefree, living worlds apart, they indulged in what seemed like the perfect fling.
Until Lawrence decided he wanted more.
Until Steph’s careful world fell apart.
Until they had to decide if love was worth the fight.
I’ve never been your typical girl. I didn’t grow up in a warm fuzzy family, and emotions weren’t something I needed now. Love has never been something I could wrap my mind around, so why bother? I know what I’m good at. I’m a great friend, have a passion for healing others, and a way with horses. I can be all those things at the same time without ever discussing my own feelings.
Until him.
Lawrence
I’ve always been told I have a way with words. It’s one reason I manage the family business so well. I can wine and dine with the best of them, selling bloodlines and high-priced stallion services over a five-course dinner. I’m able to talk myself into or out of just about anything and anyone.
Until her.
****
Young and carefree, living worlds apart, they indulged in what seemed like the perfect fling.
Until Lawrence decided he wanted more.
Until Steph’s careful world fell apart.
Until they had to decide if love was worth the fight.
Ten minutes later, I had to walk back through the kitchen to get some laundry from the dryer in the mudroom. I had a towel wrapped around my waist and that was it. Steph’s eyes followed me, her eyebrows raised as she sipped on a glass of wine and lazily stirred whatever was in the pan. I winked as I passed by.
I returned a minute later dressed in sweatpants and a T-shirt.
She was still in the same position. “That was indecent.”
“What? The towel?”
She pursed her lips and nodded.
“Sweetheart, you’ve seen me in less. And what we’ve done together could never be considered decent. You’re lucky I was covered at all.”
She laughed loudly, taking another long sip from her glass and turning back to the stove.
I reached into the fridge for a beer and popped it open. “Sure you don’t need me to help?”
She responded without turning around. “Nope. Why don’t you find something on TV to watch and I’ll bring dinner in just a sec.”
I nodded as I walked to the living room, really just to myself since she wouldn’t look at me. Sighing heavily, I sank down on the couch and closed my eyes for a moment. I’d lied earlier. I was tired. Not only was I pulling long hours in the saddle, but I’d been spending most of my free time on the phone with clients from home. A couple of them were causing problems, and my dad needed me to talk them off the ledge. It’s what I excelled at.
I was startled awake by the sound of a plate being set on the table in front of me and the feel of the couch dipping as Steph sat down, smirking.
“Gosh, you need to get in better shape.”
“Shut up,” I muttered as I sat up, rubbing my hands over my face. At least now she seemed infinitely more comfortable in her own skin since she had something to tease me about. “I was just resting my eyes.”
“You were snoring.”
“I was not.” I started to laugh.
“Totally snoring.”
“I don’t snore,” I insisted.
“How would you know? You’re sleeping.”
“Someone would have told me.”
“No girlfriend would ever mention it,” she pointed out.
I shook my head. “I wasn’t talking about a girlfriend.”
“No one-night stand would ever mention it.”
“You just did!”
There was a moment of silence after I blurted that out. Steph’s eyes were wide, but when they met mine, we both erupted into laughter, doubling over, shoulders shaking. My stomach actually hurt by the time we were finished. Steph wiped under her eyes and I took a deep breath, relaxing back into the couch with a sigh.
“Let’s face it,” she said. “I’m more than just a one-night stand.”
I live in beautiful Northern Virginia with my incredible husband, two awesome kids, three dogs, and two budgies. My husband and I both grew up riding and competing horses and have our own equestrian operation that we run together. In my spare time, I read through the hundreds of stories awaiting me on my e-reader.
My love of books started early, and my mom used to ration my reading time so I didn’t go through them too quickly. I love all things romantic, whether it’s dark or light or silly or dirty, but I really love a happy ending!
In my small moments of quiet time, you’ll find me sipping on wine and reading while any movie where people randomly burst into song or dance plays in the background.
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