Read Online Haze of Heat by Jennifer Dellerman - Free Book Online Page A

“You really don’t know much about the Orchards, do you?” A wave of her hand that cut Rachel off before she could say anything. “Never mind. Santos and Ria discovered a cave out in the reserve about seven months ago. Because of some, uh, unfortunate business, word leaked that it was a possible hiding spot for Claude Morgan’s treasure. Thankfully the interest has died down, but it’s still a large draw to curiosity seekers.”
    Oh, wow. Another interesting tidbit about this unique pack. Rachel opened her mouth to ferret out more information when something caught her eye in the distance. Switching her gaze, she stumbled to a halt when she saw a large black horse barreling from one end of a lengthy oval corral toward a man who stood calmly at the other end, near the large two-story tan barn.
    Porter. He held aloft a long black cane in his hand, remaining statue-still as the mammoth beast galloped toward him, those four deadly hoofs pounding with earth-shaking force into the packed dirt, as if it carried Death itself on its back.

Chapter Six
    Rachel’s cat leapt to the surface, snarling for her to run, but even before she could engage her legs, she knew the distance was too great. Despite what her brain was telling her, her torso lowered and she took a hasty step forward, only to be caught by surprise when Gwen’s arm linked around hers, effectively arresting her headlong flight. “Relax, Rachel. He knows what he’s doing. Just watch and enjoy the show.”
    Rachel’s body vibrated with an overwhelming need to get to Porter. “Watch Porter be trampled to death? Are you insane?” She couldn’t take her eyes away from the horrific scene unfolding in the distance, her stomach roiling as the horse flew at Porter without hesitation.
    At the last possible second, the animal came to a halt, rearing back, its dangerous forelegs waving right over Porter’s unprotected head.
    Rachel’s knees nearly went from under her as Gwen spoke, her tone adopting a soothing quality that did nothing to calm Rachel’s jangling nerves. “He does this all the time. Trains horses.” Keeping her arm tight around Rachel’s, Gwen resumed their walk.
    Rachel swallowed. “Trains? Horses?”
    “Yep. It’s fascinating, as well as a little scary, I admit, when you don’t know what’s going on.”
    Porter took several steps back after what seemed like an eternity, and the horse dropped to all four legs. Then he grinned and reached up to stroke the horse on its neck, his mouth moving as he spoke too low for Rachel to hear.
    The relief hit so hard Rachel thought she was going to lose her breakfast.
    Staggering only slightly, Rachel mutely let Gwen guide her the remaining distance to the exterior of the corral. Still grinning, Porter turned and sauntered over to the other side of the wood railing to meet them, the heavily breathing horse now sedate at his side. “So, ladies, what do you think?”
    Maddie clapped, spouting baby approval which Porter acknowledged by leaning over the top rail and kissing her little pert nose.
    “I think you’re a show-off.” Gwen chuckled, releasing her hold on Rachel. “Rachel was ready to run to your rescue.”
    Porter turned his eyes on Rachel, silent laughter gleaming in their depths. “Yeah? You were worried about me?”
    Rachel felt her cheeks heat and she cleared her throat, refusing to look away. “It was instinctive. Sorry. I didn’t know you trained horses.”
    “Instinctive?” Porter seemed to like that, if the low timbre of his voice was any indication. It had just enough huskiness in it to cause a sweet warmth to invade her belly.
    She refused to blush any harder, but she did avert her gaze to eye the animal with a great deal of caution. “They make me nervous.”
    “Ah, yes. That’s right. Magnus.” Though he spoke to the horse, Rachel saw out of her peripheral that he kept his own eyes on her. “Mind your manners when meeting a lady.”
    He said something in a language that might