He ignored the signs of jealousy seeping into his bones. Riley was his brother and if you couldn’t trust your own brother who could you trust? A lightbulb suddenly went off in his head. Hell. Had Abel assumed the same thing about Cain?

He tightened his hands on his horse and increased his pace to a gallop. What was Riley saying to Bella to make her laugh so much anyway? Riley was becoming a regular ladies’ man around town. It seemed he was trying to keep up with Zane in that aspect. Jason had always thought Riley’s playboy ways were amusing. Until now.

Moments later he brought his horse to a stop by the edge of Bella’s porch. He tilted his Stetson back on his head so it wouldn’t shield his eyes. “Excuse me if I’m interrupting anything.”

Riley had the nerve to grin up at him. “No problem but you’re twenty minutes late. You better be glad I enjoy Bella’s company.”

Jason frowned at his brother. “I can tell.”

His gaze then shifted to Bella. She looked beautiful standing there in a pair of riding breeches that fitted her body to perfection, a white shirt and a pair of riding boots. She didn’t just look beautiful, she looked hot as sin and a side glance at Riley told him that his brother was enjoying the view as much as he was.

“Don’t you need to be on your way to work, Riley?”

His brother gave him another grin. “I guess so. Call if you need me as Bella’s bodyguard again.” He then got into his truck and pulled off.

Jason watched him leave before turning his full attention back to Bella. “Ready to go riding, sweetheart?”

As Bella rode with Jason she tried concentrating on the sheer beauty of the rustic countryside instead of the sexiness of the man in the saddle beside her. He was riding Hercules and she could tell he was an expert horseman. And she could tell why he wanted to own the stallion. It was as if he and the horse had a personal relationship. It was evident Hercules had been glad to see him. Whereas the stallion had been like putty in Jason’s hands the horse had given the others grief in trying to handle him. Even now the two seemed in sync.

This was beautiful countryside and the first time she’d seen it. She was stunned by its beauty. The mare he’d chosen for her had come from his stable and was the one he’d rode over to her place. She liked how easily she and the horse were able to take the slopes that stretched out into valleys. The landscape looked majestic with the mountains in the distance.