Southern Comfort - Natasha Madison Page 0,34

“I’m fine.”

“Darlin’.” He stands up, and I just look at him. “You are walking into a barn with your skin showing.”

“Ankles are not pieces of the body, cowboy.” I shake my head at him. “It’s just ankles. You know, in some countries, the ankles are considered the sexiest part of a woman’s body,” I say, tying up my hair, but my shirt rises, and he looks at me, shaking his head. “They are all covered from head to toe, but they keep their ankles out.”

“You don’t say?” he says from beside me. Our hands graze while we walk, and his pinky reaches out to hold mine. The rest of the walk to the barn is quiet. I listen to the sounds of birds in the distance, and I swear it’s the calmest place in the world.

When we get to the barn, he opens the doors. “Welcome to my office,” he says. Walking into the barn, I see it looks almost new. I follow him as he walks into the little kitchen to start the coffee. “Want to see Lady Princess?” he asks, and I nod as we walk to the first stall. The horse sticks her head out.

“Well, hello there, pretty girl,” I say, rubbing the front of her nose. She blows out, and her tail wags. “Aren’t you a beauty?”

“Do you ride?” I look over at him. Something about Casey is that I can’t keep my secrets from him. It’s almost as if I know it’s safe with him.

“I did when I was younger, and then it got in the way of other things.” I leave it at that. I don’t say that it got in the way of my pageant training, and the one time I came in second place, she sold my horse and refused to let me ride anymore. “I used to love it.”

He walks away from me, but I continue petting the horse. When he comes back out, he is holding two cups in his hand. He hands me one of the cups. “Come sit in the office.” I follow him in the office, and I don’t know why I’m expecting to see a dusty office with papers all over the desk, but what is there is a brown desk with four huge monitors on it. Then another desk on the side with six monitors as it flashes to different parts of the farm.

“You really have it all wired up,” I say, motioning to the screens. He nods while he drinks his coffee. Sitting in the chair, he reads something on the computer. I look at the pictures on the wall. Stepping closer, I see one of Casey all dressed up in a suit while he accepts some award. He’s shaking hands with someone while holding another award in his hand in another picture. Then an old picture in the middle of all of them has him dressed in chaps and a white shirt that is covered in dirt. He has a cut on his cheek, and he’s wearing gloves. His look is of pure anger, but he has a little smirk as he holds up his hand with the number one.

“What is this?” I turn to him, and he looks up.

“That was the last time I was on the circuit,” he says. “It was a do or die situation, and that picture”—he points with his finger—“captures the after.”

“Why?” I ask him. When he leans back in the chair, I shake my head, feeling I overstepped. “I didn’t mean to pry.”

“It’s just ancient history,” he says, and I don’t say anything else. I don’t know why it bothers me that he doesn’t tell me. Taking a sip of coffee, I decide to go back to the house.

“I’ll leave you to work,” I say and duck my head down. I turn to walk out of the room, trying not to let it get to me. Trying not to let it hurt that he hasn’t let me in. Why would he? Why should he? As soon as this is over, I’ll be just another memory for him.

Chapter Fourteen

Casey

“I’ll leave you to work,” she says, trying to sound like she’s okay. She walks out, leaving me wanting to kick myself. I just wasn’t ready to answer any of those questions. My stomach burns with the thought of her walking back to the house without me, and I’m out of my chair before she makes it to the barn door.

“Olivia.” I call her name, and when she turns back,