Page 25 of Virgin's Stolen Nights with the Boss

‘Because Joel died,’ Laura snapped, and stood up. ‘I’m on settling duty.’

‘I’ll come with you,’ Carmen offered. ‘I’ll be doing it myself soon.’

‘Ignore John,’ Laura told her as they walked towards the yard. ‘He thinks I have a crush on Elias.’

‘Do you?’ Carmen smiled.

‘Of course!’ Laura laughed. ‘Everyone does!’

The yard felt different in the evening. Perhaps it was calmer because Dom was out, and most of the horses were resting. Not Capricorn, though; the pregnant mare was pacing.

‘I tried her on the treadmill this afternoon,’ Laura said. ‘Without water, but she hated it.’

‘Why not take her to the beach?’ Carmen asked. ‘The vet said it was fine.’

‘When do I have time to do that?’ Laura pointed out. ‘It might be easier now you’re here. Martin was her main carer.’ She glanced over at Carmen. ‘Elias fired him.’

‘For...?’ Carmen asked as Laura tried to soothe Capricorn.

‘Capricorn hates the water level on the treadmill going past her hooves, but Elias caught him filling it up just to upset her.’

No wonder Elias had been less than polite when he’d spoken about Martin to the vet.

‘I’ll take her for a walk on the beach and then settle her,’ Carmen said. ‘You go to bed.’

‘It’s your first night...’

‘Honestly, I’d love it. It will be nice to get my bearings.’

Laura showed her the track to the beach, and Carmen led the very tense mare down towards it.

‘You’re okay,’ she crooned to her new charge, deciding that Elias was right to be worried about her. ‘You need to sleep at night if you’re going to have a baby,’ she told her, but her words faded as she saw that Elias was on the beach with Dom.

‘Whatisit with him?’ Carmen asked her charge.

What was it with her?Elias thought as Dom galloped him through the waves and he saw Capricorn walking the shoreline alongside Carmen.

To see one of the grooms walking a horse certainly wasn’t an unusual sight—there was nothing nicer than salt water and the ocean, and he could see how relaxed Capricorn appeared, for once... Yet as he pulled Dom into a walk, he didn’t do it solely to avoid unsettling the restive mare.

Elias didn’t like the way he’d spoken to Carmen this morning, and how it might have soured relations with his newest stable hand. With his head clearer now, thanks to the ride, he wanted to put that right.

‘Hey...’ he said as he approached.

‘She was tense and pacing,’ Carmen said. ‘I thought a walk might help her.’

‘She loves the beach.’ He looked at Carmen. ‘Thank you.’

‘For what?’ She smiled at the glorious setting sun. ‘It’s not as if it’s a hardship. You live in a beautiful part of the world.’

‘Yes.’

He dismounted and walked the stallion alongside Capricorn. ‘How’s the lodge looking?’

Though she clearly wasn’t about to worship at his feet for providing the basics, she did push out a smile.

‘It’s better. You have a wonderful housekeeper.’

At first their conversation was awkward, but then she asked him about the upcoming polo semi-finals.

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