Thirty-Three

Haisley

Working with Saxon in the stables the past two weeks had made having to give up my job at the yoga studio worth it. I loved getting to watch him ride. He was sexy as hell on a horse. We’d had more sex in the stockroom than we had in the bedroom lately. Once he got off a horse, I was so turned on that I was drooling.

He seemed happy about having me around too. I had worried I would be in the way, but he found ways to keep me close to him. I’d gotten to know the other stable hands, horse trainers, and Kenneth. It was like a family, and I had found a place to fit in.

Melanie had come down to invite me up to the house for tea more than once. She showed me Saxon’s baby and childhood picture albums. When she had mentioned the fact that they’d emptied the bedroom across the hall from theirs and were going to turn it into a nursery for when they got to keep the baby, I’d started to cry. Having her accept the baby meant more than she could imagine. My own mom still didn’t want to talk to me when I called.

I knew, one day, Mom would get the news that AJ was missing or that he was dead. There was no way he could just vanish. I still dealt with it at times and broke down, but I was crying for the brother that he had been once. Not the monster he’d turned into.

Rig finished the carrot I had given him, and I patted his head, telling him he was a pretty boy before heading out to see what was taking Saxon so long. He’d said we were going to the house for lunch, but that had been fifteen minutes ago.

I shaded my eyes from the sun with my hand and scanned the men until I found Saxon standing with a girl I didn’t know. I made my way over to them. Saxon’s back was to me, but the girl he was talking to saw me, and she paused what she was saying before turning back to Saxon with a flirty smile. When she reached out and touched his arm, I tensed.

What did she think she was doing?

I stopped beside Saxon, and he looked down at me. A smile instantly touching his face.

“Hey, baby,” he said, wrapping his hand around my waist. Then, he glanced up at the girl. “Haisley, this is Allegra Grace. She’s the jockey who is working with Rig. Allegra, this is my girlfriend, Haisley.”

Allegra had light-brown hair and pretty blue eyes. However, those eyes were currently looking at me like she wanted to stomp on me. She was attractive. I wondered if she and Saxon had ever had a thing.

“It’s nice to meet you, Allegra,” I replied, smiling at her for Saxon’s sake.

She gave me a tight smile, then looked at Saxon. “You didn’t tell me you had a girlfriend now,” she said. “Must be new.”

I felt a sick knot in my stomach. I could trust Saxon. Right? Yes! He loved me. She was just trying to make me feel uncomfortable. It wasn’t going to work. I leaned into Saxon’s body.

“We talk about Rig when we speak,” Saxon told her. “Not relationships.”

Allegra raised her eyebrows, as if amused. “Now, Saxon, that’s not true. We’ve done more than talk in the past.”

Okay. That was it. I was over this.

I placed a hand on his chest and looked at her. “Whatever you did in the past with Saxon is just that. In the past. Don’t bring it up with me standing here in an attempt to intimidate me or make me think there is something going on between the two of you.”

His hand tightened on my waist, and I wasn’t sure if that was a warning or not, but I didn’t care. He could get over it. I was sure she wasn’t going to quit because of me. And if so, well, there were other jockeys.

“A bit aggressive. I’m sure Saxon can decide for himself if our fucking is in the past,” Allegra said, tilting her head and giving Saxon a suggestive grin.

I stepped in front of him. My temper was now in full-blown force. “You’ve not seen aggressive. And, yes, you fucking him is in the past.”

Saxon’s hands were on my hips, pulling me back against him. “All right, baby,” he said gently. “Allegra, we have a business arrangement, but I’m not going to let you upset my girlfriend. Clearly, she trusts me, but she shouldn’t be faced with a situation like this. You can apologize to her, and I will let this go. It’s time for me to take her inside and feed her and the baby,” he said, placing a hand on my stomach.

I liked the way her eyes widened on Saxon’s hand on the small bump.

“Oh, wow, pregnant. I hope it’s yours,” Allegra said to him before giving me a haughty look.

Saxon moved me to his side and took a step closer to Allegra. The furious expression on his face surprised me. “You crossed a line. You can take your things and go. Don’t come back.”

“You can’t fire me,” Allegra snapped back.

“Yes, I fucking can. You disrespected Haisley. I won’t allow anyone to hurt her in any way. If you were a man, I’d have a gun at your head.” His voice was cold and low.

Allegra tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Whatever. This is bullshit.”

Saxon took my hand. “Let’s go, baby.”

He passed the stables and stalked toward the house. I hurried to keep up with his pace. His long legs were eating up the ground. I knew he was angry, but I thought it was just at her, not me. When we reached the house, he slung open the door and crowded behind me as I walked inside.

I turned to look at him, about to ask if he was okay.

“Get your jeans off,” he ordered me.

“What?” I asked as he started unbuckling his belt.

“You getting jealous. I need to fuck you.” He threw his belt on the ground.

“Because you’re mad?”

He shook his head. “No. Because it was hot as hell. Now, get naked. I’m not going to make it to the bedroom.”

Smiling, I began to take off my jeans as he watched me hungrily. I needed to remember that he liked me getting jealous. If it made him react like this, I’d do it all the time.

I barely got my jeans and panties off when a completely naked Saxon went down on his knees in front of me.

“Open your legs,” he told me, grabbing my thighs and pushing them open.