away from home. Kat looked up when she realized he was right, staggered by the proximity of him. His body was closer than she thought, she could feel the heat radiating off of him as he looked down at her. His lips were so close and so full.
“ I, uh, yeah. That sounds good .” She could have said anything to get away from him and out of there. She just wanted to be let go so she could run as far as possible.
But he did n’ t let her go. He pulled her closer, bent down and kissed her softly. She surrendered to him without any fight whatsoever. Her lips molded to his just as her soft curves pressed against him. He deepened that kiss, his tongue exploring her mouth, filling her as he gripped her with both hands, even tighter.
The effect was surprising, a surge of want flooded her senses and her body. She could feel the sticky wetness building between her thighs. An effect he caused. Business. Not personal. Was n’ t that they deal they struck?
Get a hold of yourself.
Kat pressed against his chest, separating herself from the burly cowboy, she was determined not to let him get the best of her. She took in one ragged breath, then another. Willing away her feelings.
“ Is that all, Mr. Daniels ?” She tried to turn on her cold business tone but faltered, her voice shaking instead. Using his last name made her feel less formal, and more silly.
This man knew exactly how to rock her.
“ For now, Ms. Brooks .” He released her, taking a step away from her, the crooked smile right back on his face.
“ For now . ”
Kat took a sip of her gas station coffee, just glad something was open and waiting for her at this ungodly hour. Five A.M. was not her choice time to be up, but if it was when the riders got started in training, she would be there. She never broke a promise.
So Kat was here. At the rodeo training facilities, waiting on a man that she barely knew, trying to convince him to sign with her.
Because Hank said he was important.
She walked over to the first corral that presented itself on her property. Her father had achieved his dream: a facility for every aspect of rodeo and equestrian on the property. Quite the operation. It was a theoretical nirvana for cowboys and cowgirls. A series of different pastures, holding pens and corrals as well as trails and courses, dotted the hundreds of acres. Each one set aside for a specific sport.
It was all encompassing, and it had been a strategy that a lot of people advised against. But he had a dream, to create something that could house many different peopl e’ s training. Especially because a bull rider may also compete in a variety of sports in the rodeo and a barrel rider may also work the equestrian circuit. Amateurs were not like professionals. They did n’ t always get to specialize and this facility accommodated them all.
Those who were n’ t sponsored were charged fair rates for the use of the training animals, and the land, and those who were got either discounted or included rates. It was the business that was n’ t supposed to work, but it did, and it worked well.
She did n’ t exactly know where everything was, despite having seen it on the maps and visiting the facility once or twice. It was to be expected. The tours were long and winding and she could never quite get her balance. She never expected to have to take over so soon, but then again, you do n’ t get to choose cancer, it chooses you.
This early in the morning she knew she would find someone working a horse in the training area. They always were. Each and every time she came here. And this was as far as she ever got on her own. Hank took care of almost every aspect of the business, so she had n’ t needed to venture that far in six months.
Hunter was right. Kat had been hiding from the business. She let Hank do all the work and it showed. Not because he was a bad person, but because he was only one man, trying to run a small business. Her father, Hank, and a