“All while making you look like a stud yourself.”
“If you underestimate the value of personal connections, you haven’t been in this business long enough.”
Despite being much younger than him—he’d guess almost ten years—he could see she understood. She knew how this industry operated. Potential customers wanted to work with people they knew, people who had already been vetted and accepted.
“We will attend together, and if I’m satisfied at the end of the season, all will be forgiven.”
“No,” she said, to his surprise, as she caught him in that narrow gaze once more. “Seems to me you’d be getting a lot of value for very little effort on your part.”
“Is there something else you’d like me to...offer?”
“Yes. A ten percent discount on your refund.”
Kane waited, almost amused at the vibration of energy holding her taut. What would that much emotion feel like? Taste like?
“Attending a bunch of events is going to cost me a good bit—of time and money. I think it’s only fair to be compensated since you are the one getting the positive publicity.”
Kane nodded slowly as he thought. He could afford to be generous at this point. “I think a consultation fee would be even more than that. Let’s make it forty percent.”
Those green eyes widened, which made Kane want to chuckle. Obviously she hadn’t expected him to be so generous, but the facts were: he had more money than he knew what to do with and he wanted to spend more time with this woman. No matter what it cost him.
“But you will pretend to be my lover.”
This time her protest was clear in her expression. He cut her off before she could speak. “No one is going to care about your endorsement if they know you’ve been paid to give one. And lovers touch. So this is part of the deal. Take it or leave it.”
“Then one other condition,” she said, holding her finger up in warning—as if that would ever hold him back. “You keep your hands to yourself.”
“I’ll keep my hands to myself, except when necessary.”
“You mean when you think it’s necessary?” Her disgusted tone told him just how she felt about his caveat.
She was a smart one. Considering the volatile extremes of this encounter, Kane wondered just how long that condition would last.
Or how long he’d be able to talk himself into obeying it. “But Presley, you are welcome to touch me any time you see fit.”
* * *
“Since I’m being so generous,” Kane said before Presley had a chance in hell of processing everything that had happened in the last half hour, “I propose we go into the house and get started.”
“What?” Yeah, processing was not her strong suit at the moment. Which she didn’t like. Being in control meant a lot to her.
“If you want to take Sun home tonight, there’s no time like the present.”
Why did his arrogant expression make her want to both smack him and rub the pad of her thumb along the arch of his raised eyebrow?
“Once we’ve made an appearance, I’ll even make sure he gets properly loaded myself.”
He gave her clothes a once-over. She’d come dressed to fit in with the party crowd, even though she had no intention of setting foot in the house. The irony wasn’t lost on her. Kane thought he’d gained a sidekick who would give him an entrée into the tightest circles of racing society.
What would happen when he found out Presley was far from a social butterfly?
Large groups of people made her break out in hives. She’d only attended parties when her father insisted and usually spent the time doing her best wallflower impression. The men who constantly called her for advice and dropped by the stables to ask about their mares’ latest ailments seemed to grow blinders the minute she slipped into a dress.
Not that she could blame them. Formal clothes looked bad on her and made her uncomfortable. Still, she was well enough known now that plenty of people would drop by her corner to talk business. But the endless conversations about horses dried up when prettier women entered the picture, making parties a minefield Presley had no ability or desire to navigate.
Maybe Kane wouldn’t realize that until she had Sun safely home...
“Shall we?”
Kane graciously waved a hand to indicate she should precede him out of the stall. But Presley had now had an up-close encounter with the power and stubbornness behind the manners. They might have an agreement, but one look into his dark eyes told her he’d release the information about her stepmother and ruin her if she didn’t cooperate.
A wolf tended to hide behind the good ol’ boy facade here in the South.
She picked her way out of the stall, taking care not to dirty her sandals. The soothing cocoon of familiarity she always felt in the presence of animals immediately disappeared as she slipped into the wide alley that cut through the stables. As she passed Kane, she was once more impressed with his height; she barely reached his chest.
What little she knew of the Harrington brothers had come from local gossip after they had taken over the manor, and then it had mostly covered Mason. Kane hadn’t moved here full-time until very recently, and lived in his own home in the historic district downtown. According to the gossip mill, he had yet to hook up with anyone, but that wasn’t for lack of trying on the ladies’ parts. More than a few were eager to take Kane for a test drive.
Which meant Presley would not be their favorite person. Her steps slowed as she came back to the major flaw in his plan: she was not the best person to help Kane gain acceptance. And though she’d never admit it in a million years, the thought of this virile, astute man seeing just how inadequate she was in this situation had her cheeks burning already.
But she also couldn’t let her reputation be ruined because of her stepmother’s greed and ineptitude.
When she got close to the main door of the stables, Presley let her trepidation bring her to a full halt. Kane got a little ahead of her, then paused. He threw a look over his shoulder that seemed to ask what the problem was. How could he say so much with just a look? She had the feeling time spent with Kane Harrington would not be filled with idle chitchat.
Which would be a welcome prospect after endless hours of it with her stepmother.
Shoot! She’d forgotten her stepmother had spent all week expounding on what an event the Harrington’s open house would be, which meant Marjorie would be a witness to this command performance. And she was a woman who was more than aware of Presley’s faults and not shy about bringing them up when she had the chance. Not vindictively—it just never occurred to her flighty little self that what she was saying embarrassed Presley to no end.
Presley just couldn’t do this. She’d end up falling flat on her face, literally and probably physically, too.
“What is it, Presley?”
If he had demanded, she might have lied. Instead his coaxing tone brought the most unexpected words to her lips. “How can I possibly pretend to be the—” she choked a little “—lover of a virtual stranger?”
Kane didn’t seem the least bit fazed by her naive question. Instead he retraced his steps until he was all too close and her body was a jumble of sparks she didn’t recognize.
“Would you like to practice first?” he asked, his husky tone sending a singular shiver down her spine.
Yes. “No! I just need time—”
“And