“We seem to find ourselves in a similar situation.” I smile. “We’re both new here.”

“I don’t find our situations similar at all,” she retorts. “When’s the last time you groomed a horse?”

I grin. “Around the fifteenth of never.”

She shakes her head. “And you expect to run a ranch?”

No, I don’t expect to run a ranch. I expect to fake it for a year so I can get my billion, and then I’ll hightail it back to my real life in Seattle. The will might demand that I stay here and work the land with my half brothers, but I’m not sure how good I’ll be.

“Is grooming horses a requirement to be a rancher?” I ask. If so, I’m going to have to learn. Hmm, I might have a good teacher in Carly. Maybe I could teach her a few things too.

She doesn’t reply at first, and just when I think she’s done talking to me—

“I grew up on a ranch, albeit a tiny one in comparison. It’s just down the road. Horse grooming is one of the first things my father taught me.” She frowns again, but this time I’m not sure why.

“I grew up learning how to fly,” I tell her. “From my mom. Not the same thing at all.”

A smile turns up the corner of her lips. “This ranch is big. I’m sure there’s something you’ll be good at, if not horses.”

“I’ve got a year, so I’ll have to find something to do,” I grumble.

She frowns. “A year?”

I wave my hand. “Nothing.”

Word of why I’m here and the rules behind it clearly hasn’t spread to the staff, at least not to Carly. I’ve only met her and the housekeeper so far.

The horse whinnies and shifts her feet, distracting Carly. She runs her small hand down the animal’s flank, and it’s the first time I’ve ever been jealous of a horse.

“I’d better get back to work. I have another horse besides Ivory to groom.” She glances my way and I can’t miss the interest and curiosity. “See you around, Austin.”

She grabs the lead and guides the horse down the center aisle of the stable. I watch the perfect sway of her ass in the snug jeans.

“Count on it, Carly. Count. On. It.”

This year may suck, but at least I’ll have a good view.

4

CARLY

I’d say the second-most beautiful.

I can still hear the words in Austin Bridger’s deep rich voice.

Austin Bridger…

Wow, is he good looking. Dark hair, dark eyes, a sculpted jawline, and that adorable dimple in his chin. And that body…my God.

There’s a good reason I dropped the cloth I was using to wipe Ivory’s face.

Attraction, pure and simple. In fact, attraction is too tame of a word.

More like captivation. It’s startling, and so is he.

Once I turn away from him, I don’t dare turn back until I hear him leave the stable. Then I let out a breath I only now realize I’ve been holding. My nipples are hard. And lower… I never thought I’d feel desire again. Or anything close to this. But now—