“Now, what can I get you to eat? You haven’t had dinner.”
Tessa hadn’t given food a thought. “What do you have? Just something light. I’m still queasy.”
“I’m pretty sure there are some cans of soup in the cabinet.”
Laying her head against the back of the sofa, she nodded. “That will be fine. Any flavor, I’m not too picky.”
Even as tired as she was, she couldn’t close her eyes. Watching Grant bustle around the kitchen, getting her dinner ready, really hit her hard. Aaron had never taken this much care of her. He’d never tried to put her needs first. Of course, hindsight was a real eye-opener, because the man had been only out for himself to begin with.
But there was something special about Grant. He obviously loved his family, which was a huge indicator that he was a nurturer. The fact he was so easy to talk to also proved to her that he wasn’t the self-centered city slicker she’d first thought him to be.
When he brought her dinner on a tray, Tessa smiled. “You’re so good to me, Slick. I could get used to this.”
He took a seat on the coffee table across from her and smiled. “I could get used to you lying on my couch watching me.”
After taking a few mouthfuls of chicken soup, she glanced back over at him and sighed. His eyelids were heavy, his hair all messed from running his fingers through it. Normally he looked so polished, the picture of perfection. Now he looked...exhausted.
“I’m sorry, Grant.”
“What for?”
“This. Being a burden, scaring you.”
He blinked and eased forward, cupping her face with one strong, warm hand. “You could never be a burden to me, Tessa. If I didn’t want you here I could’ve taken you to the main house, to Cassie’s or back to your own home. I want you here so I can watch over you, and I want you here because something is building between us and I refuse to ignore it.”
Inching forward, Grant placed his lips softly on hers. “As for scaring me, if you ever do that again I’m going to hack into your computer and delete all your saved spreadsheets.”
Tessa laughed, reaching over to smack his shoulder. “You wouldn’t dare.”
He eased back with a half grin. “Maybe not, but when you fell...there are no words, but I’ll never forget that feeling.”
He glanced aside, almost as if he was trying to compose himself. Had he truly been that scared, that worried for her? This wasn’t the first time she’d seen the stark fear in his eyes when it came to horses. That first day they’d met he’d acted concerned for her safety.
“Hey,” she said, waiting for him to turn back to her. “I’ve been riding since I got out of diapers, Slick. That wasn’t my first fall and it won’t be my last. Yes, it sucks, but sometimes it just happens.”
Raking a hand down his face, Grant sighed and came to his feet. “Why don’t you finish your dinner, and I’ll go find you some more comfortable clothes to sleep in.”
“What about you?” she asked. “You haven’t had dinner.”
“Honestly, my nerves are shot. I couldn’t eat if I wanted to.”
With that revelation, he walked away. Obviously, her fall had torn him up in ways she never would’ve imagined. When she’d been lying on the ground and he’d been at her side, his face had been so pale, his eyes so wide as he’d tried to take in her entire body at once, assessing the damage.
At the E.R., he’d been forceful and matter-of-fact with the staff, almost demanding that she stay overnight for observation. The doctor had assured Grant that since she’d never lost consciousness, she would be fine to go home as long as someone watched her.
So here she was, being watched by a man who made her tingle with a simple touch, who kissed her as if she was the only desirable woman in the world, and who had her rethinking her reasons for remaining innocent.
This should be an interesting night.
“Melanie!”
Fear consumed him, bile rose in his throat as the scene before him unfolded.
Screams filled the evening, the thundering of hooves seemed to be in surround sound, and all Grant could do was look on as his twin sister held on to the out-of-control mare.
Their parents and the trainer all shouted commands, running after them, but Grant, still atop his own horse, could only stare from behind.
He’d done this. All in the name of a joke and a dare, he’d put Melanie in danger.
The shrill sound coming from his sister jolted him out of his horrified, frozen state, and he kicked his mount into gear and charged after them. He had to do something, had to rectify this somehow. Fear fueled him, while adrenaline blocked out all the possibilities of what might happen if that animal threw her.
He leaned into his horse, kicking his flank once again to move faster.
But it was too late. Melanie’s mare saw Grant’s coming in fast, and bucked, sending Melanie off the back. She landed with a jarring, sickening thud.
As he jumped off his horse and his parents and the trainer gathered around, Grant knew things had gone from bad to worse and hell was opening up to swallow him.
His beautiful, talented, always smiling twin sister wasn’t moving....
Grant jerked up in bed, the sheet twisted around his waist, sweat dampening his forehead, his chest.
Damn. That nightmare hadn’t made an appearance in so long, and he could’ve gone the rest of his life without having that dream.
There wasn’t a day that went by when he didn’t relive that life-altering moment. But the dreams...they were all too real and obviously the penance for his sin.
Grant swung his feet over the side of the bed, yanking the sheet off. He needed fresh air, some water, and he should probably check on Tessa.
Tessa. No doubt the events of today had brought on the nightmare. Because he’d been just as terrified seeing Tessa on the out-of-control stallion and then her fall...
Raking a hand over his face, Grant came to his feet and padded to the kitchen, careful to be quiet as he crept past Tessa’s door. He’d insisted she keep it open in case she needed to call him for anything. She’d fought him a little on the matter, but Grant had refused to back down.
After he grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and took a long drink, he set it on the counter, walked toward the patio and opened the door, welcoming the crisp night air. The refreshing breeze cooled his heated skin and calmed him, but that damn nightmare and images of today still rolled over and over in his mind.
Nothing was as nauseating, as horrifying or as crippling as watching someone you cared for caught in a helpless situation, and knowing there wasn’t a damn thing you could do about it.
But unlike Tessa’s situation, Grant had caused his twin’s. His beautiful sister could’ve been killed. Sometimes he wondered if death would’ve been better than being a paraplegic.
“You okay?”
He turned, finding Tessa standing in the shadows. His T-shirt hit her midthigh, leaving beautifully toned legs revealed.
“I’m fine,” he answered, turning back to the starry night, silently willing her to go away.
He couldn’t keep looking at her, not when his emotions were so high and his heart was still in his throat.
And not when he’d just admitted to himself