Read Online Silent Hearts (Hamilton Stables 3) by Melissa West - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Melissa West
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Family Life, series, Contemporary Women, Kentucky, Cowboys, Bachelor, Ranchers, sensual, family business, Forever Love, Single Woman, childhood friends, Hearts Desire, Domestice Life, Hamilton Stables, Horse Racing Royalty, Champions, Hamilton Brothers, Horse Stables, Kentucky Farm, Corporation Buy-Out, Tomboy, Advice Seeking
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help. I didn’t ask her to. Why didn’t you help? Oh, that’s right, you were too busy drooling over Instructor Z.”
“He’s Kate’s brother. Shouldn’t you be nicer?”
Nick considered it for a second, then shook his head. “Nah. Alex would’ve supported me on this.”
“Alex? Your brother Alex? Mr. All Over Anything That Walked before meeting Kate? Yeah, I don’t think so. Zac is his brother-in-law. I think he’d tell you that you were being an ass.”
They were outside now, rain pouring down in sheets, soaking everything and further clouding Becca’s thoughts and mood. “You can’t just bully every guy interested in me. And I don’t even think he was. He was just being nice.”
“First, I don’t bully every guy. And second, he wasn’t being nice. Guys aren’t nice. They only want one thing. Zac only wants one thing.”
“That’s ridiculous!”
“It’s not. Every guy you’ve ever met wanted to get in your pants.”
Becca was fuming now, her hands in fists at her sides so she wouldn’t be tempted to deck him. How dare he? How dare he! “Really? Every guy? You’re a guy. You want to get in my pants?”
“Hell yes! Every single time I see you!”
Nick jerked back. What had he just done?
“Um, what I meant to say was—I was just proving the point that—I didn’t mean me, as in literally me.”
“Right. Of course you didn’t.” Becca’s eyes dropped to the floor, then to the rain. “Look, I’ve got to hit that consignment shop for Reagan.”
“Bec . . .”
“It’s fine. I get it.”
“I didn’t mean to . . .” Nick ran a hand through his hair, then over his face. “I don’t know why I said that.”
She stared at him as though she wanted to ask him a question, a question he didn’t want to answer. Not today, not ever. But then she released a breath and tightened her hold on her bag. “I’ll see you later, Nick.”
And then, before he could say or do anything else to royally screw up this day, she darted into the rain, disappearing around the edge of the school and out of sight. He waited until her Highlander pulled out of the school parking lot before slowly walking to his car, careless of the rain. Or the water he’d trek into his car. Or anything other than the fact that he’d spent all his adulthood hiding his true desires for his best friend only to blurt them out in a fit of jealousy.
He was such an idiot.
Sure he needed a distraction, he did the only thing he could do when he felt as lost as he felt right that second—he headed to the office, where the silence and comfort of work could help him think.
It took less time than it should to get there, but as he pulled into the parking lot, his blood turned to ice. Because parked in his normal spot was Trip’s truck and beside it was Alex’s old Corvette, then to the left of that a black Mercedes with an out-of-state tag.
All the heat in his body dripped from his head down to his toes as he parked a few spaces away from the threesome, hoping he was wrong and that this wasn’t a meeting at his office without him.
He unlocked the main door and hit the number three once in the elevator. Each second felt more painful than the last as the ice running through his veins thickened, making it harder and harder for him to move, to breathe.
Finally, the elevator doors opened and Nick exited to a dark floor. Dark except for a small light shining out from the farthest corner from the elevator. He started toward the conference room, only to stop as Trip’s voice hit his ears, and then suddenly the cold in him turned to scalding rage.
Nick stepped into the doorway, not bothering to knock; after all, this was his office, his conference room. Sure enough, Trip and Alex were seated at the conference room table across from William Compton, who’d shown up in this very same room the day before. Hadn’t Nick sent him away? Hadn’t he told Trip that he wasn’t interested? Hadn’t he been clear?
“What’s
“He’s Kate’s brother. Shouldn’t you be nicer?”
Nick considered it for a second, then shook his head. “Nah. Alex would’ve supported me on this.”
“Alex? Your brother Alex? Mr. All Over Anything That Walked before meeting Kate? Yeah, I don’t think so. Zac is his brother-in-law. I think he’d tell you that you were being an ass.”
They were outside now, rain pouring down in sheets, soaking everything and further clouding Becca’s thoughts and mood. “You can’t just bully every guy interested in me. And I don’t even think he was. He was just being nice.”
“First, I don’t bully every guy. And second, he wasn’t being nice. Guys aren’t nice. They only want one thing. Zac only wants one thing.”
“That’s ridiculous!”
“It’s not. Every guy you’ve ever met wanted to get in your pants.”
Becca was fuming now, her hands in fists at her sides so she wouldn’t be tempted to deck him. How dare he? How dare he! “Really? Every guy? You’re a guy. You want to get in my pants?”
“Hell yes! Every single time I see you!”
Nick jerked back. What had he just done?
“Um, what I meant to say was—I was just proving the point that—I didn’t mean me, as in literally me.”
“Right. Of course you didn’t.” Becca’s eyes dropped to the floor, then to the rain. “Look, I’ve got to hit that consignment shop for Reagan.”
“Bec . . .”
“It’s fine. I get it.”
“I didn’t mean to . . .” Nick ran a hand through his hair, then over his face. “I don’t know why I said that.”
She stared at him as though she wanted to ask him a question, a question he didn’t want to answer. Not today, not ever. But then she released a breath and tightened her hold on her bag. “I’ll see you later, Nick.”
And then, before he could say or do anything else to royally screw up this day, she darted into the rain, disappearing around the edge of the school and out of sight. He waited until her Highlander pulled out of the school parking lot before slowly walking to his car, careless of the rain. Or the water he’d trek into his car. Or anything other than the fact that he’d spent all his adulthood hiding his true desires for his best friend only to blurt them out in a fit of jealousy.
He was such an idiot.
Sure he needed a distraction, he did the only thing he could do when he felt as lost as he felt right that second—he headed to the office, where the silence and comfort of work could help him think.
It took less time than it should to get there, but as he pulled into the parking lot, his blood turned to ice. Because parked in his normal spot was Trip’s truck and beside it was Alex’s old Corvette, then to the left of that a black Mercedes with an out-of-state tag.
All the heat in his body dripped from his head down to his toes as he parked a few spaces away from the threesome, hoping he was wrong and that this wasn’t a meeting at his office without him.
He unlocked the main door and hit the number three once in the elevator. Each second felt more painful than the last as the ice running through his veins thickened, making it harder and harder for him to move, to breathe.
Finally, the elevator doors opened and Nick exited to a dark floor. Dark except for a small light shining out from the farthest corner from the elevator. He started toward the conference room, only to stop as Trip’s voice hit his ears, and then suddenly the cold in him turned to scalding rage.
Nick stepped into the doorway, not bothering to knock; after all, this was his office, his conference room. Sure enough, Trip and Alex were seated at the conference room table across from William Compton, who’d shown up in this very same room the day before. Hadn’t Nick sent him away? Hadn’t he told Trip that he wasn’t interested? Hadn’t he been clear?
“What’s
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