Damn, he smelled good. She lost all train of thought; Ian’s masculine scent was enough to render her mind blank. How long had it been since she’d been with a man, felt his touch?
Too long. So why did this man with an inflated ego turn her on? Could she not attract the right kind of guy just once?
“I can wait till tomorrow,” he told her. His eyes searched her face as a hint of a smile played around his lips. “I’m a pretty patient man.”
Placing a hand on his chest to stop him may have been a mistake. A jolt of awareness tingled up her arm. The strength, the chiseled pecs beneath her palm... Yeah, she was very aware of the sexiness that encompassed Ian Shaffer.
“I appreciate the fact you’re taking the time to use your charm on me, but I’m too busy for games. Besides, I’m pretty sure I’m a lot older than you.”
Ian shrugged. “Age hadn’t entered my mind.”
Cassie laughed. “I’m pretty sure I know what entered your mind.”
He stepped forward again, giving her no choice but to back up until the gate to a stall stopped her. Ian put one hand on either side of her head, blocking her.
“Then I’m sure you’re aware I find you attractive.” His eyes dropped to her mouth, then traveled back up. “I can’t wait for that tour, Cassie.”
He pushed off the stall and walked out of the stable. When was the last time a man had caught her attention, inspired her sexual desire so fast? The danger of falling into lust scared her to death.
But she had to be realistic. There was nothing special about her. And if she did allow herself to act on these very new, very powerful emotions, she highly doubted he’d remember her name in a few months.
No way could she succumb to his charms.
Two
Cassie’s parents had been married nearly twenty years when her mother was killed suddenly in a car accident. She’d always admired the love her parents had for each other, always wanted a marriage like that for herself.
Unfortunately, a happy, loving marriage wasn’t in the cards for her. And hindsight was a harsh slap in the face because Cassie realized she’d probably married Derek too quickly.
She’d craved the love her parents had had and thought for sure Derek—the Barringtons’ onetime groom—had the same outlook on marriage.... As in, it was long-term and between only two people.
How could she trust her feelings for a man again? Cassie swiped the tear from her cheek as she headed back toward the stable. The sun was slowly sinking behind the hills surrounding the estate. Spring was gradually turning into summer, giving the evenings just a bit more light.
The day’s filming was complete and the scene she’d just witnessed had left her raw and hopeful all at the same time.
Max Ford and Lily Beaumont had beautifully reenacted Cassie’s parents’ proposal. Cassie had heard stories, had seen pictures of her parents’ early love. But to witness that moment in person... Cassie had no words for how precious the experience had been.
She’d stood with Tessa off to the side, and even with the directors and producers stopping and starting and rearranging in the middle of the scene, the moment had captured her heart.
Added to that, each time she’d glanced at Ian, his gaze had been on hers. He hadn’t even bothered trying to hide the heat that lurked in those dark, heavy-lidded eyes. Thankfully, at one point he’d slid on his aviator shades, but his dominating presence still captured her attention...and her hormones.
There went those lustful emotions again. She couldn’t afford to get swept away by a sexy body and killer smile. Lust was the evil that had overtaken her once before and look where that had gotten her. Oh, she didn’t regret her marriage because she had Emily, but the pain from the rejection and having her love blatantly thrown back in her face was humiliating. Who wanted to be rejected?
Cassie reached the stable, intending to work with MacDuff again, but her eyes moved up to the rung of the ladder that still hung vertically.
She’d meant to mention the problem to Nash, the new groom, but between the emotional shoot and a certain hot agent plaguing her mind, she’d simply forgotten. Besides, he’d been so busy today cleaning out all the stalls, she really hated to add to his list.
Her father took pride in his stables, always making sure everything looked pristine and perfect. Cassie would bite the bullet and fix the ladder herself. At least working on something would keep her mind off Ian...hopefully. Her tendency to fix things and have everything in her life make sense would have to be satisfied with just this piece of wood for now. The Ian issue—and she feared he was fast becoming an issue—would have to wait.
She grabbed the hammer and several long nails from the toolbox in the equipment room. She shoved the nails in her backpocket and held on to the hammer as she climbed the ladder that stretched to the loft of the stable.
The setting sun cast a soft glow into the structure. Horses neighed, stomped hooves and rustled in their stalls. The sounds, the smells—none of it ever got old. Cassie loved her life here and she looked forward to bringing her daughter up in such a beautiful, serene environment.
During her four years of marriage, she’d been away from the estate. Even though she and Derek had lived only ten minutes away, it just wasn’t the same as being on the grounds. Cassie loved living in the cottage, being with the horses and knowing her family was all right here helping with her emotional recovery.
With her tears mostly dry, Cassie sniffed. Crying had never been her thing. Anger fit more into her life, especially since she’d been abandoned only two months after giving birth. Tears hadn’t brought her cheating husband back, not that she’d wanted him after the fact, and tears certainly weren’t helping her raise her daughter or move on like the strong mother she needed to be.
Halfway up the ladder, she eyed the broken rung, then carefully slid it back into place. Widening her stance as far as she could to balance her body while holding the hammer, she reached around into her back pocket for a nail.