there?” a woman demanded behind him as he moved past the empty stalls to the large back horse in the corner.
Jordan squinted in the darkness, glancing in the direction of the unfamiliar voice. “I’m here. Who are you?” he asked the darkness enveloped around him.
Light flooded the barn, blinding him momentarily while the large horse behind him whinnied his complaint.
“It’s okay, boy,” Jordan assured him, moving to the stall and speaking quietly to the horse while searching the barn. “Apparently our company would rather watch than be seen,” he added, loud enough that whoever was in the barn with him would hear.
“What is there to watch?” the woman asked, her strong Kiwi accent strict and confident.
Jordan spotted the woman standing at the end of the stalls. “There you are,” he said, smiling at her. “Do you tend to the horses?”
“Among other things.” She tilted her head, brushed a wisp of gray hair behind her ear and hooked her thumb in the belt loop of her jeans.
Something about the woman immediately made him think of Aunt Penelope. He didn’t like the thought that she was on her own on the ranch right now, and possibly could be put in a similar situation to this woman at the moment.
“I’m Jordan Anton,” he offered, walking to her with his hand extended. “And you are?”
“Sara, Sara Bird. This is my island.”
3
Amber fisted her hands at her hips, fighting the urge to march right back to the castle. Outrage steamed inside her, making her shake, but she held her ground. Standing outside the barn and listening to the servant talk to Jordan Anton pissed her off more the longer she listened. How dare the rogue lead her to believe he was one of the hired help. And then proposition her.
She wasn’t sure if she was angrier with his deception, or the fact that she possibly would have fucked him. Or possibly it was both that pissed her off. Shifting her weight, she listened to Sara talk, finding herself drawn into the friendly accent, as well as to the history lesson she offered Jordan on the castle and the island. Another time, once she’d calmed down, Amber would seek Sara out and learn even more about the history of this place. Never in her life had she dreamed such an incredible castle, which was apparently as old as it appeared, actually existed anywhere other than in fairy tales and movies.
“What’s the matter, Bess?” Sara asked, her tone softening as she made clucking sounds. “You’re edgy, girl.”
“Maybe she’s telling us we have company.” Jordan stepped outside the barn, apparently closer to the door than Amber had realized, and smiled at her. “There you are,” he said, grabbing her arm and dragging her into the lit barn. “Sara, meet my friend, Amber.”
“Are both of you going to ride?” Sara sized Amber up with a quick look. “Bess is easy enough, but Lord is spirited. He’ll let me ride him but I won’t be responsible if he throws you.”
“I don’t ride horses,” Amber stammered, trying to pull her hand free from Jordan’s firm grip.
He wouldn’t let go. “I admit I inspected the barn thoroughly earlier today. I was impressed with your saddles. We’ll ride Lord together.”
“I don’t know,” Sara said, frowning as Jordan marched farther into the barn, still holding onto Amber. “If you’re not a really good rider.”
“I am,” Jordan said without hesitating.
“Lord doesn’t always take well to strangers,” Sara continued.
“We’ve already become great friends.” Jordan let go of Amber’s hand and lifted a heavy-looking saddle into his arms.
“Enjoy your ride,” Amber stated, marching out of the barn. “Sara, it was very nice meeting you. I look forward to more time.”
She didn’t even realize Jordan had put the saddle down. “Not so quick, my dear,” he growled, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her against him. “Tell me,” he whispered. “Are you afraid of the horse, or of me?”
“Neither!” she hissed, fighting to twist in his arms, but stilling when Sara watched them curiously. “I don’t care for deception,” she whispered, tilting her head to glare into his incredibly handsome, chiseled features.
His amused grin outraged her even further. Worse yet, it hit her with annoying clarity that as much as she ached to slap that pompous smile off his face, she couldn’t. For the next month, she would be working for Jordan Anton, arranging his social life for him and his fiancée.
“Good night, Mr. Anton,” she began.
“Sara, would you mind saddling up Lord for us?” Jordan asked without looking over his shoulder. Instead, he took Amber by the arm, walking her out of the barn. “Give me a minute to assure Miss Stone that I’m an expert rider and that she’s in good hands with me.”
Amber wasn’t sure if Sara snorted her disgust or chuckled in amusement. Either way, she disappeared into the barn while Jordan led Amber by the arm under the moonlight.
“Why the sudden change of heart?” he asked after walking her a short ways from the barn. “You came here to see me and now you wish to leave?”
“When I came down here I didn’t know you were Jordan Anton,” she accused, yanking her arm from his grip and then hugging herself, as she squared off and faced him.
“So if I were a different man you’d saddle right up with me? Is that what I’m hearing here?” He still had that annoyingly disgusting, smug look on his face.
“I’m saying you intentionally did not tell me who you are,” she snapped, but then threw her hands up in the air. “This conversation is pointless. Enjoy your horse ride because I assure you that will be all you’re riding tonight.”
“If that’s the case, then you shouldn’t have any problem agreeing to just going on a horseback ride with me,” he answered, his tone too smooth, too sure of himself.
Knowing who he was didn’t change her opinion of him, Amber decided. Jordan Anton was cocky and arrogant and probably believed he could do no wrong—obviously to the point where he didn’t mind playing with people. Amber never did like people like that. It sucked that he was so drop-dead gorgeous. His good looks were wasted on a shallow, spoiled rich boy. She understood him all too well.
“I wouldn’t go horseback riding with you no matter who you are,” she told him honestly. At the same time, she gave herself a strict reminder that it was imperative she end this potentially disastrous evening on a smooth note. And if there was one thing she was really bad at doing, it was sucking up to people. Taking a slow soothing breath, she offered what she hoped was a believable smile. “Enjoy yourself, though,” she told him, trying once again to retreat to the castle.
This time Jordan didn’t grab her arm. Instead, while Sara led the giant black horse out of the barn, Jordan moved closer to Amber, brushing his fingertips over her bare shoulder.
His tone lost its cockiness. “If you won’t ride with me because I didn’t take the time to properly introduce myself earlier, then please allow me to do so now.”
“That has nothing to do with it.” She held her head high and still barely stood taller than his shoulder. Looking at him straight on gave her a delicious view of his Adam’s apple. His black hair was pulled back in a ponytail that curled against his collar behind his neck. She imagined he’d look like a knight riding from his castle on that horse with his hair down. The image in her head damn near made her lose her train of thought. “I don’t know anything about horses,” she admitted, deciding the truth was her best argument here.
“You’ll ride on the horse with me. All you have to do is trust me.” With his final words, he scooped her off the ground.
Amber was taken off