Page 120 of Chasing the Wild
She wouldn’t suspect a thing.
How fucked up is it to know that you’re already going through heartbreak, and the loss of the greatest love you’ve ever known, when he’s still right fucking there? When you can still catch his scent as you walk down the hallway and find his favorite coffee mug in the cupboard.
Even worse is the fact that he pretty much admitted that he felt everything I’m feeling last night. He didn’t exactly saythe wordsbut he told me he wanted to. Colt told me he wanted to say them, but that he wasn’t going to. Not at that moment.
I think I fell even deeper in love with him as he uttered that gritty whisper.
He respects me enough, and cares about me enough, that he wasn’t going to give me something so valuable while I was drunk and needy in a tiny bar bathroom.
“So this is where you hide out all day, huh?”
A voice that makes my fine hairs stand on end comes from just behind me.
For a brief second, I close my eyes and take in a measured, deep inhale through my nostrils.Be civil.
“Hey, Chy.” Turning around, I flash her a plastered-on smile, then promptly duck underneath Ollie’s neck, to stand on the other side and begin grooming the opposite flank.
The side that I’ve already groomed. But Chy doesn’t know that, so here we are.
At least I’ve got a thousand pounds of horse separating the two of us.
“Sure seems to keep you busy, being out here.” Chy is peering all around. She’s at least put on a coat and covered up her tits, but I can’t help feeling like she’s out here seeking the older Wilder man.
God, it’s so fucked up. Why can’t Kayce smell the bullshit rolling off this woman? Oh, wait. Not my problem.
“Just doing my job.” I keep that smile on my face, but it feels like I’m just gritting my teeth.
“And you and Kayce’s dad… you’ve been up here this whole time… alone?”
Oh, she isn’t daring to go this route, is she?
“Uhh, well, firstly, it’s my job to be here on the ranch. Secondly, he’s my boss, so of course, I’ve been working alongside him.” My eyes stay fixed on the glide of the grooming brush over the glossy flank. The fingers of my free hand stroke Ollie’s nose.
She must agree something about this girl smells off, because she stamps a hoof.
“But, it’s been weeks and weeks that just you two have been up here.”
“Can't exactly leave the mountain very easily when the road is blocked, can I?” I’m trying to keep my voice level while talking through a clenched jaw.
I don’t like where this conversation is going, nor her accusatory tone. Especially not the fact she’s sniffing around looking for evidence of something that is one hundred percent true, but is none of her goddamn business. Whatever transpired between me and Colt does not need to be dug up or uncovered by this meddlesome bitch.
She sighs and leans a shoulder up against the stall. And yeah, I don’t miss the way she looks me up and down.
“I hope there’s no hard feelings, all things considered.”
My throat tightens. “About what?”
“Oh, just the whole thing with Kayce…” She runs her tongue over her teeth, dark eyes still beady and narrowed on me.
“I don’t know if I follow.” Not that I want to. I’d quite like for her to fuck right off.
“He didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
“That we first started hooking up last autumn, on and off… then you know, he moved away for a bit with his rodeo shit… but by the summer, he realized what he was missing.”
My teeth grind.Great. So not only was Kayce taking advantage of my kindness—when I gave him a place to stay, and let him into my bed—but he was in an on-again-off-againthingwith this skanky bitch.
