Page 18 of Savage Reins
"Good work," Yuri says, breathing hard. He wipes water droplets from his forehead and shakes my hand then says, "I'll check the main barn, make sure nothing else is coming down."
He disappears into the rain, leaving Mira and me alone among the wreckage. Her shirt is transparent now, clinging to every curve, and I force myself to look at her face instead as she squeezes the water out of her braids.
"You could have been killed," I say.
She shrugs, flipping her braid over her shoulder. "Well, I wasn't."
"That beam was rotted clean through."
"But it held me up." She snorts, lifting one eyebrow at me in defiance.
"This time."
She starts walking toward the main barn, and I follow. The rain pounds the roof above us as we step inside. Horses shift in their stalls, spooked by the storm. Mira moves toward the tack room, but I step into her path.
"We're not done talking."
Her eyes narrow. "I was saving feed," she snarls, but I can see she's shaking, probably cold from the rain and the rush of adrenaline too. She could've been in that feed shed when it came down. That makes my heart pound a little harder too, and notjust because our horse trainer may have been taken out. Mira is more than just an asset to me for some reason.
"You were showing off."
"For who? You?" She laughs, but there's no humor in it. "I don't need to impress anyone, especially not some enforcer who's here to burn my home down."
The words hit deep, but I don't flinch. "You think I wanted to watch you fail?"
"I think you don't care either way."
"Then you're wrong."
She stares at me, rain still dripping from her hair. We're standing close now, close enough that I can see the pulse beating in her throat, the way her eyes flick down to where my lips are parted. Lips that still feel the heat of kissing her moments ago.
"Why?" she asks quietly.
I don't have an answer, can't explain why watching her risk her neck made my chest tight, why the thought of her broken and bleeding in the mud made me want to put my fist through a wall. I've watched men die. I've killed men. I should be able to watch one stubborn woman take a stupid risk without feeling my heart try to climb out of my throat.
"Because for some damn reason, I don't want to see you get hurt," I say finally.
My admission makes her pause mid-breath. Her lips part slightly, and I can see the confusion in her eyes. She doesn't understand it any more than I do.
"I don't need protection," she whispers.
"You're getting it anyway."
She shakes her head, but she doesn't step away. "This is insane."
"Yeah. It is," I tell her, stepping closer. The space between us shrinks. I can feel the heat coming off her body despite the cold rain soaking through our clothes. Her breathing has changed,gone shallow and quick. Mine has too. It's insane because letting my dick lead will only cause problems down the road, but here I am wanting her anyway.
"Renat…"
I don't let her finish. I lean down and cover her mouth with mine, claiming a kiss again. She goes rigid against my body, much like she did moments ago, and her hands press against my chest, but then she melts into me. Her mouth opens under mine, and she kisses me back with a hunger that matches my own.
This time, I don't let her walk away. My hands tangle in her wet hair, pulling her closer. She makes a soft sound against my mouth, part protest, part surrender. Her fingers grip my shirt, and I can feel the tremor in her hands.
When we break apart, we're both breathing hard. Her lips are swollen, her eyes dark. She looks at me like I'm a problem she can't solve.
"This is a mistake," she breathes. "Your boss won't like it."
"Probably."
