Page 22 of Virgin's Stolen Nights with the Boss

‘A riding school... I have my own horse there... I went through all this with Blake.’

‘But you havenopolo experience?’

‘As I said to Blake, none.’

Carmen was smiling on the inside. She knew the jobhadto be hers after the way she had handled Winnie.

And she was not wrong, because with Winnie stabled, and after a glance over to Laura, who was still stuck with the farrier, Elias said, ‘I’ll show you where you’ll be staying.’

On the way, he pointed out the old riding school and arena.

‘It’s next to the vet and therapy facilities. We’ll probably move Capricorn there soon, but I don’t want any unsettling changes for her right now.’

‘Your place is gorgeous,’ Carmen said, smiling. ‘The old riding school reminds me of where I had my first lessons.’

But he clearly wasn’t hanging around to hear about that, and she had to run to keep up with him.

They went past the immaculate polo lawn only used on game day, then the practice fields and schooling arenas, and finally, after a morning of seeing the very best of the best, they came to a tall wooden building that had definitely seen better days.

‘The front door doesn’t work,’ he said, and took her around the back, where there was a large covered summer kitchen.

‘Everyone takes it in turns to cook,’ Elias explained, scrubbing out what must be her predecessor’s name from the chalkboard. ‘But I’m sure they’ll let you off tonight.’

‘I would hope so,’ Carmen said, with a flutter of panic erupting in her chest as she realised that she would have to cater for everyone on Mondays.

‘I’m sure Laura can better explain. I know they usually make enough for lunch the next day too. Go ahead—’ he gestured to a rather flimsy door ‘—take a look around. I think Laura said you were to have the attic.’

‘Aren’t you going to show me around?’

‘I’m sure you can find your way,’ he responded tartly. ‘Attics are usually at the top...’

He felt her scowl, and knew it was deserved, but Elias could not face going in there. He stood in the bright morning sun and thought he really didn’t care if his tour guide rating would suffer as a result. He hadn’t set foot in the place for five years. Not since the night Seraphina had—

He absolutely would not be taking Carmen up the stairs to the attic.

Elias stood there, frozen to the spot, trying not to recall coming out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist, unaware that Seraphina was planning on betraying her new husband with his own twin...

He felt the churn of bile in his stomach as he couldn’t help but remember aggressively wiping from his lips the taste of lipstick that had transferred to his mouth when she’d tried to kiss him. When he had recovered from his shock—at first incredulous, then furious—he’d packed up his things, and had been in the process of departing when Seraphina had confronted him again.

He’d been telling his sister-in-lawexactlywhat he thought of her just as Laura had come through the door.

‘Where are you going in such a hurry?’ she’d asked.

‘I’m moving out while the bathrooms are being renovated,’ he’d said, and had watched Laura’s expression change as Seraphina had come down the stairs behind him...

The slam of a door brought him back to the present, and he saw Carmen walking towards him—a welcome distraction from the darkness of his memories.

Elias glanced at his watch. ‘I have to head into work.’ He saw her frown and explained, ‘My other office is in LA.’

‘Oh.’ She glanced at his attire. ‘You’re going into the city dressed like that?’

He smiled rather than give an answer—a real smile—and she saw his beautiful teeth. It made Carmen feel all lit up inside...

‘Laura will sort you out with a yard uniform.’

‘Er...not so fast,’ Carmen said, halting him before he could walk off. ‘Am I being offered the job?’

‘I’ll leave the official offer to Blake, but yes.’

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