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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.
“I can help you with that.”
Cassie glanced over her shoulder to see Ian at the base of the ladder, his watchful gaze raking over her body. Great. She had red-rimmed eyes and a red-tipped nose, she was sure. She was not a pretty crier. She always got the snot-running, red-splotchy-face and puffy-eyes look.
Cassie slid a nail out and turned back around to place it against the wood. “I’ve got it, but thanks.”
She knew he hadn’t left, but Cassie didn’t say anything else as she worked quickly and repaired the rung. With a hefty tug on the wood, she made sure it was securely in place before she started her descent. Just as she’d gotten to the last rung, Ian moved his hard body against hers, trapping her between the ladder and a most impressive chest. Her body was perfectly aligned with his, causing ripples of heat to slide through her. They were both fully dressed, but the sensations spiraling through her had never occurred before, even when she’d been completely naked with her ex.
Yeah, she was doomed where this sexy stranger was concerned.
Cassie swallowed, closed her eyes. Ian made her aware of just how feminine she was. When was the last time she’d felt desirable? Was it so wrong to want a man to find her attractive? After being married to someone who kept looking elsewhere for his desires to be fulfilled, Cassie knew she was probably grasping at any attention at this point.
She also knew she didn’t care—not when his body was so hard, so perfectly perfect against hers. Not when his soft, warm breath tickled the side of her neck, and not when his masculine aroma enveloped her.
“What are you doing here?” she whispered.
Ian slid his arms up to align with hers, his hands covering hers on the wood. “I saw you walking this way. You looked upset.”
No. He didn’t care. He couldn’t. Not this soon and not about her. Sexual desires were clouding his mind...and hers, too, apparently, because she was enjoying the heat of his body a little too much.
What man would follow a woman into a stable just because she looked upset? No. He’d followed her for one reason and one reason only. A reason she certainly didn’t think she was ready for.
“I’m fine,” she lied.
Ian nuzzled her hair. Oh...when he did that she forgot all arguments about why being attracted to someone so full of himself was wrong. Her mind completely voided out any pep talks she’d given in regard to steering clear of lustful feelings and attractive charmers.
“You’re a very beautiful woman, Cassie.” His soft voice slid over her body, reinforcing those tremors that were becoming the norm where he was concerned. “I tried to ignore this pull I have toward you, but it was damn hard when I saw you during the shoot. How do you do that to a guy?”
Um...she had no clue. Power over men had certainly never been something she’d mastered. If it had, she’d still be married.
“Ian, we just met and...”
He used one hand and slid the hammer from her grasp, letting it fall to the concrete floor with a loud thud.
“And I’m older than you,” she continued. “I’m thirty-four. You can’t even be thirty.”
With an arm around her waist, he hauled her off the ladder and spun her around until she faced him—their mouths inches apart.
“I’m twenty-nine, and I assure you I’m old enough to not only know what I want, but to act on it.”
His mouth came down on hers, hard, fast, hungry. Cassie didn’t have time to think or refuse because her body was already melting into his.
The passion pouring from him stirred her desire even more as she gripped his thick biceps. Giving in to just a few seconds of bliss wouldn’t hurt.
And when Ian’s mouth traveled from her mouth down the column of her throat, Cassie tipped her head back as her breath caught. What was he doing to her? A full-on body attack. His mouth may be in one spot, but Cassie could feel every inch of her body tingling and wanting more.
Wait...this wasn’t right. She couldn’t do this.
Pushing him away, Cassie slid her hand up over the exposed skin peeking out of her shirt...the skin his mouth had just explored.
“Ian, I can’t... We can’t...” Words were useless because her mind was telling her one thing and her body was telling her another. “I just met you.”
“You’re attracted to me.”
She couldn’t deny the statement. “That doesn’t mean I should act on it. I don’t just go around kissing strangers.”
“After you learned my name this morning, I was no longer a stranger.”
Those dark eyes held her gaze. Even without a word the man exuded power, control. Derek had been so laid-back, so uncaring about everything that this was quite a change.
And Cassie would be lying if she didn’t admit the fact that Ian was the polar opposite of her ex turned her on even more.
“You’re only here for a short time,” she went on, crossing her arms over her chest. “We can’t just...you know.”
“Have sex?” he asked, quirking a brow.
Oh, mercy. The words were now out, hovering in the air, and from the smirk on his face, she was the only one feeling awkward at this moment.
“Yes, that.” Dear Lord. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t had sex before; she’d had a baby, for crying out loud. But she couldn’t discuss something like that with him. Now she felt foolish and juvenile. “Acting on sexual attraction isn’t something I normally do.”
That was an understatement, considering she’d had sex with one man and that had been her husband. What if she did throw caution to the wind? What if she had some sordid affair?
Seriously? Was she contemplating that? She was a mother—a mother to a little girl. What kind of example was she?
“You’re thinking too hard.” Ian started to step forward, but he stopped when Cassie held up a hand.
“Don’t. I can’t think when you’re touching me.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Cassie rolled her eyes. “You would.”
“See? You know me already.”
One of them had to think rationally. Apparently it would be her. She maneuvered around him toward the opening of the stable.
“You’re going to have to keep your hands and your mouth to yourself.”
Those tempting lips curved into a smile. “You’re no fun.”
“I don’t have time for fun, Ian.”
And more than likely he was the proverbial good time back in L.A. She could easily see him hopping from one party to the next, beautiful women draped over his arm, falling into his bed.
Cassie flicked the main switch to light up the pathways between the stalls. The brightness from the antique horseshoe-style chandeliers put a screeching halt to any romantic ambience that had been lurking in the darkening stable.
When she turned back around, Ian had his hands on his narrow hips, his focus still locked on her. There was a hunger in his eyes she’d never seen from any man before.
Without a word, he closed the gap between them. Cassie’s heart had just started to settle, but now it picked back up again. She should’ve known better than to think the intense moment would pass.
Ian framed her face with his hands and brought his mouth to within a fraction of an inch of hers. “A woman who kisses, who responds to my touch without hesitation, has pent-up passion that needs to be released.”
His lips barely brushed hers. “Come find me when you’re ready.”
Ian walked around her, leaving her still surrounded by that masculine scent, his arousing words and the tingling from his touch still on her lips.
She’d known the man twelve hours. There was no way she could handle him being on the grounds for two more months. She was a woman—a woman with needs.
And a part of her wondered just what would happen if she allowed herself to put those needs first for once.
Three (#udab38ae7-a8bd-5af6-81af-1c5ee66fcd91)
Two days had passed since she’d been up close and personal with Ian, but Cassie was more than aware of his quiet, yet dominating, presence on the estate. She’d seen him from a distance as he talked with Max. She’d found out she’d just missed him on the set of one scene she’d gone to watch, but she refused to admit she was wondering about his schedule, about when she’d see him again. Feel his body against hers.
She refused to fall for another man who set her hormones into overdrive, so where did that leave her? Considering a fling?
Groaning, she made her way from the stables to the main house. The sun was making its descent behind the mountains and Emily was at her weekly sleepover with Tessa and Grant. After witnessing the shooting of the engagement scene over the past couple of days, Cassie was feeling more and more nostalgic.
She missed her mother with each passing day; seeing Rose’s life depicted in the film had Cassie wanting to feel closer to her. And with Emily away for the night, this was the perfect opportunity to reminisce and head up to the attic, where all her mother’s things were stored.
Rose’s unexpected death had shaken up the family in ways they’d never even imagined. As teen girls, Tessa and Cassie had really taken it hard, but they’d all been there for each other, forming an even stronger bond. But Cassie still ached for her mother’s sweet smile, her encouraging words and her patient guidance.
Because right now she truly wanted a mother’s advice. Ian had her completely tied in knots. When he’d left her in the stables two days ago, Cassie had never felt so torn, so conflicted in her life. And he hadn’t approached her since. What was up with that? Had he changed his mind? Had he decided she wasn’t worth the trouble?
Why was she even worried about this anyway? No doubt Ian was used to those flawless women who had been surgically perfected. More than likely Cassie’s extra pounds and shapelier curves were not what Ian was looking for in a...fling? What was he doing exactly with his flirting? Where had he expected this to go?
Never mind. He’d thrown out the word sex like nothing. Cassie knew exactly where he was headed with his flirting.
Leaving the attic door propped open, Cassie headed up the narrow wooden staircase. At the top she flicked on the small light that was so soft, it really only set off a glow on one wall. But that was the wall where her mother’s boxes were stacked.
In the silence of the evening, Cassie was all alone with her thoughts, her memories. She pulled the lid off the first bin and choked back tears.
How could anyone’s life, especially that of her beautiful, loving, vivacious mother, be condensed to a few boxes? All the memories, all the smiles, all the comfort Rose Barrington had offered to the world...all gone. Only tangible items remained stored neatly in plastic bins.
Cassie couldn’t help but smile. Her very organized mother wouldn’t have had it any other way.
After going through pictures from her parents’ simple, elegant wedding day, Cassie knew the wedding dress was around. Tessa actually planned on wearing it for her upcoming vows, and Cassie couldn’t wait to see her baby sister in their mother’s gown. Just that image was enough to have her tearing up again.
This film was certainly wreaking havoc on her emotions, that was for sure.
Cassie kept searching through storage bins, looking for a box or a folded garment bag. Would the crew need to duplicate that dress for the wedding scene? More than likely they’d already researched pictures to find inspiration for the costumes, just as they had for the settings.
Cassie had been itching for a chance to look through the old photos again herself.
Moving from the bins, Cassie went and looked inside the narrow antique wardrobe, where she discovered a white garment bag. Slowly unzipping, so as not to tear the precious material inside, Cassie peeled back the bag and pulled out the classy gown she’d been hunting for.
The dress had been preserved so that the cream-colored material was still perfect. Tessa would be just as beautiful a bride as their mother had been.
Cassie had thought about wearing it for her own wedding, but her ex had insisted on getting married at the courthouse. She should’ve known then that he wasn’t the one. Not that there was anything wrong with a small civil ceremony, but Derek had known she’d always wanted a wedding in the small church where her parents had married. She’d wanted the lacy gown, the rice in her hair as they ran to their awaiting car...the special wedding night.
None of those young-girl dreams had come true.
Unable to resist, Cassie stripped from her jeans, boots, button-up and bra and pulled on the strapless floor-length dress. A straight cut with lace overlay may be simple to some, but the design was perfect to Cassie.
Smoothing a hand down the snug bodice, Cassie went to the antique mirror in the corner. If she fell in love one day—real love this time—maybe she could wear it. Wouldn’t that be a beautiful tradition? Rose, Tessa and Cassie all wearing the same gown. Perhaps if the material held up and the gown was well preserved again, little Emily would one day walk down the aisle wearing the dress her grandmother had.
If it weren’t for baby weight, the frock would fit perfectly. Unfortunately, right now her boobs threatened to spill out the top and lace was definitely not a forgiving material, so her curves were very...prominent.
Behind her, the attic door clicked. Cassie turned, her hand to her beating heart as footsteps sounded up the stairs. No time to cover up all her goods, so she kept her hand in place over her generous cleavage.
“Hello?” she called.
Ian rounded the landing and froze. He took in her state of dress—or undress, really—of course zeroing in on where her hand had settled.
So much for her evening of reminiscing. Could fate be any more mocking? Dangling this sexy stranger in her face when she knew full well that nothing could or should happen?
“What are you doing?” she asked, keeping her hand in place and trying to remain calm. Kind of hard when she was on display and just the sight of the man had her heart accelerating.
“I wanted to apologize for the other day,” he told her, coming up the last couple of steps. “I never force myself on a woman, and I didn’t want you to have that impression of me. But if I’m going to be here any length of time, and I am, we need to clear the air.”
Clear the air? Cassie sighed and prayed because she had a sinking feeling they may be there for a while.
“Well, now’s the perfect time because if that door latched all the way, we’re locked in here.”
Ian drew his brows together. “Locked in?”
“The door locks from the outside. That’s why I had left it standing open.”
Pulling up the hem of the dress with one hand and trying to keep the bodice up with the other, she moved around him down the steps and tugged on the handle. She leaned her forehead against the door and groaned.
“I didn’t know,” he murmured behind her.
Cassie turned and looked up the steps to see Ian looking menacing and dangerous—in that sexy way only he could—standing at the top. His muscles filled out his long-sleeved T, those wide shoulders stretching the material, and his dark jeans fit his narrow hips beautifully.
She knew firsthand exactly how that body felt against hers. Knew just how well he could kiss a woman into forgetting her morals.
In a house this size, with only her father living here and his bedroom on the first floor, no one would hear them yell until morning, when they could open the small window and catch someone’s attention.
Risking another full-body glance at Ian, Cassie knew she was in big, big trouble. Her attraction to him was the strongest she’d ever felt toward a man. But it wasn’t so much the level of heat between them that scared her; it was the quick onset of it. It felt as if she had no control over her own reaction. She’d been helplessly drawn to this intriguing man. How could she trust her emotions right now? He was honestly the first man to find her desirable since her ex. Was he just a sexy diversion or were her feelings more in-depth than that?
Earlier tonight she’d flirted with the idea of a fling, but now the reality of being trapped with Ian made her heart flutter and nerves dance in her belly.
