Kate Sherwood - Dark Horse 02 - Out of the Darkness by Kate Sherwood
Authors: Kate Sherwood
Ads: Link
figure. “Unfortunately not.” She leans over and snuggles under Evan’s welcoming arm. “We just wanted to see our favorite teddy bear!”
Dan fights the urge to rip her tiny, tanned armed off of Evan’s waist and find a real bear to feed her to. This is not a cool reaction on his part, and he needs to get a grip. He nods in what he hopes is a friendly way, and then moves up to Winston’s head and reaches for a lead rope. “Well, I’m just gonna turn him out now. It was nice to meet you all.”
Evan calls after him, “We’re gonna go up to the house now. Just come up whenever for dinner, all right?”
Shit. Dan might not have a rational reason to dislike the new people, but that doesn’t mean he wants to spend the evening with them. “Uh, well, I’ve got some more riding to do, and then I’ll be all dirty. I think maybe I’ll just go home and crash, you know?”
“No, man, you can shower up at the house if you want, borrow some clothes.” Evan walks toward Dan while the others wait back with Jeff and Tat. “Come on, it’ll be a good chance to get to know my friends. They’re good people, seriously.”
“Uh, dude, your clothes aren’t gonna fit me. And it’s been a crazy day already.” Evan doesn’t look convinced, and Dan is suddenly exhausted. He forces himself to say, “Why don’t I give you a call when I’m done here? See where things are at?” He can always hope for voice mail.
Evan looks like he wishes Jeff had come with him to deal with Dan. “But… you’re okay, right? I mean… everything’s cool?” “Yeah, sure. I’m just tired, man. It was… I mean, everything’s good now, but… it really wasn’t my best morning.”
Evan frowns as if he can barely remember that long ago. “Yeah, right. But I mean, I should stay with them, probably, but if you’re not okay….”
“No, dude, I’m fine.” Dan forces himself to put a smile on his face. “Seriously. I’m just gonna ride, and then go home and get cleaned up. Get a good night’s sleep.”
Evan sighs. “Well, how about you do call me, okay? When you’re done riding?”
“Yeah, okay, I’ll talk to you then.” He turns and heads out of the barn then, trying to get free of the building and all the people in it. He thinks maybe he hears Tat calling his name, but he’s not sure, so he pretends he didn’t hear. He wasn’t lying to Evan; it’s been a long day, and he needs a little time to himself.
Chapter 4
D
AN doesn’t call Evan. He calls Jeff instead. Maybe it’s a bit of a weenie move, but he can rationalize it. Evan’s with his friends, he’s busy entertaining. But really Dan figures that Jeff’s more likely to not pick up—he ignores his phone a lot of the time—or to let Dan off the hook if he does answer. After all, Jeff had to deal with Dan’s stupidity that morning; he probably isn’t looking for a repeat of it at night.
He doesn’t pick up, and Dan is relieved as he’s leaving his message, but he feels a bit deflated when he’s done, and the feeling doesn’t impress him. Just how much of an attention whore is he? Did he really expect Jeff to get on the line and beg him to come over? Wouldn’t that have made him incredibly uncomfortable? He shakes his head at himself as he climbs into the truck. He’d worked as late as he could, until it was time for the horses to go to bed, and it’s pretty well dark as he pulls out of the barn lane and onto the driveway. He’s tired, and he’s driving slow, so he’s got lots of time to stop when he sees Lou run out in front of the truck. She stops in the middle of the drive and stares at him, and for a moment it seems that she’s challenging the truck itself. Then her tail wags happily, and a few seconds later Jeff strolls out from a path in the trees.
He walks over to Dan’s window. “Sorry about that. She’s not smart about cars.” He snaps his fingers and she trots over, jumping up to put her front paws on the side panel of the truck to
Dan fights the urge to rip her tiny, tanned armed off of Evan’s waist and find a real bear to feed her to. This is not a cool reaction on his part, and he needs to get a grip. He nods in what he hopes is a friendly way, and then moves up to Winston’s head and reaches for a lead rope. “Well, I’m just gonna turn him out now. It was nice to meet you all.”
Evan calls after him, “We’re gonna go up to the house now. Just come up whenever for dinner, all right?”
Shit. Dan might not have a rational reason to dislike the new people, but that doesn’t mean he wants to spend the evening with them. “Uh, well, I’ve got some more riding to do, and then I’ll be all dirty. I think maybe I’ll just go home and crash, you know?”
“No, man, you can shower up at the house if you want, borrow some clothes.” Evan walks toward Dan while the others wait back with Jeff and Tat. “Come on, it’ll be a good chance to get to know my friends. They’re good people, seriously.”
“Uh, dude, your clothes aren’t gonna fit me. And it’s been a crazy day already.” Evan doesn’t look convinced, and Dan is suddenly exhausted. He forces himself to say, “Why don’t I give you a call when I’m done here? See where things are at?” He can always hope for voice mail.
Evan looks like he wishes Jeff had come with him to deal with Dan. “But… you’re okay, right? I mean… everything’s cool?” “Yeah, sure. I’m just tired, man. It was… I mean, everything’s good now, but… it really wasn’t my best morning.”
Evan frowns as if he can barely remember that long ago. “Yeah, right. But I mean, I should stay with them, probably, but if you’re not okay….”
“No, dude, I’m fine.” Dan forces himself to put a smile on his face. “Seriously. I’m just gonna ride, and then go home and get cleaned up. Get a good night’s sleep.”
Evan sighs. “Well, how about you do call me, okay? When you’re done riding?”
“Yeah, okay, I’ll talk to you then.” He turns and heads out of the barn then, trying to get free of the building and all the people in it. He thinks maybe he hears Tat calling his name, but he’s not sure, so he pretends he didn’t hear. He wasn’t lying to Evan; it’s been a long day, and he needs a little time to himself.
Chapter 4
D
AN doesn’t call Evan. He calls Jeff instead. Maybe it’s a bit of a weenie move, but he can rationalize it. Evan’s with his friends, he’s busy entertaining. But really Dan figures that Jeff’s more likely to not pick up—he ignores his phone a lot of the time—or to let Dan off the hook if he does answer. After all, Jeff had to deal with Dan’s stupidity that morning; he probably isn’t looking for a repeat of it at night.
He doesn’t pick up, and Dan is relieved as he’s leaving his message, but he feels a bit deflated when he’s done, and the feeling doesn’t impress him. Just how much of an attention whore is he? Did he really expect Jeff to get on the line and beg him to come over? Wouldn’t that have made him incredibly uncomfortable? He shakes his head at himself as he climbs into the truck. He’d worked as late as he could, until it was time for the horses to go to bed, and it’s pretty well dark as he pulls out of the barn lane and onto the driveway. He’s tired, and he’s driving slow, so he’s got lots of time to stop when he sees Lou run out in front of the truck. She stops in the middle of the drive and stares at him, and for a moment it seems that she’s challenging the truck itself. Then her tail wags happily, and a few seconds later Jeff strolls out from a path in the trees.
He walks over to Dan’s window. “Sorry about that. She’s not smart about cars.” He snaps his fingers and she trots over, jumping up to put her front paws on the side panel of the truck to
Similar Books
