of free time…” She trailed off, feeling acutely embarrassed. She didn’t think she’d ever told anyone about her secret desire to learn how to ride horses.
Not even her mother.
Coming from Southern Cali, she’d always see beach bums riding along the beach against the backdrop of beautiful sunsets and been painfully jealous. It wasn’t as if she wanted to be an equestrian or anything. She just wanted a basic skill set.
She could only hope Daniel wouldn’t refuse her. “You don’t know how to ride a horse?” His brow was arched in surprise.
“Cali girl.” She shrugged. “I never had a chance to take lessons.”
The man’s face split into a grin so wide Esme thought his cheeks must be ache from its breadth. However, the gesture was infectious and she soon found all her apprehension melting away as her own smile retuned. “I’ll teach you myself.” Daniel’s words made her heart light with anticipation as she felt a laugh of joy bubbling past her lips. “As to your other demands, they sound quite reasonable to me. I’ll see to them this afternoon. Would you be ready to move in tomorrow?”
Jesus. So quickly. Her head spun with the prospect of quitting yet another job, packing up, and trying to figure out everything she would need for the next nine months. “I’ll send men to your house to help you with anything you might need. And a car, of course. We can always have yours brought up later.”
Was this what it was like to have money? People at your beck and call, able to come to your aid at your slightest whim?
Interesting. The idea of so many people watching her every move was slightly intimidating, but this, she could definitely appreciate.
“Tomorrow’s fine.”
“Wonderful.”
The waitress chose that moment to deliver their breakfast and they fell into a companionable silence over their meal. Esme tucked into her French Toast heartily, telling herself to enjoy her luxury while she could. After all, in nine months, her dealings with Hartsford, his absent partner, and his vast empire would be over.
And she’d be back to being plain old Esme – struggling in the kitchen and in life.
***
Chapter Four: Complications
The look on her face was absolutely priceless.
By now, Daniel thought himself relatively used to the expressions of awe worn by those coming into the ranch for the first time. It was an immense property, with thousands of animals. When it came to Esme, however, he was entranced by the look of pleased surprise she wore.
There was no scheme that he could read behind her eyes – no self-interest and no ego. In fact, Daniel had a strong suspicion that if he’d never asked her to the ranch, she’d have been perfectly content never to go.
That, however, wasn’t an option.
Not after Alyssa had stormed out on him the way she had.
It had quickly become apparent to him that whatever he had believed his former partner capable of, that capability had been rendered moot by her volatile emotions. He knew that Alyssa was prone to mood swings, but there was a part of him that had believed that the prospect of a child would sober her in that respect.
When he remembered how she’d told him that she’d never even wanted a child…that she’d been doing him a favor by giving into his whim – his chest tightened in pain. He was still in disbelief that she had lied to him so completely before walking away from him entirely.
He hadn’t heard from her in the week since she’d left, and any attempt to contact her had been utterly useless. Her mother hung up in his face and her friends refused to answer the phone entirely.
Having Esme on the ranch would serve to keep him busy – give him something with which to occupy his thoughts.
As the gleaming black SUV in which they were seated glided up the long drive to the main house, Daniel chanced a glance over at the woman seated beside him, swallowing thickly. He had brought her here for the baby, he
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