Read Online The Private Stable [Iron Spur Ranch 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) by Stacey Espino - Free Book Online

scent surrounded her just as the men had not long ago. Now she was alone and achy.
    She wanted to go home, but where was home? She was too old to crawl back to her mother, and running back to Jason stopped being an option the moment she had decided enough was enough.
    “Psst…” The bed creaked above her as Wyatt shifted on the upper bunk. “Don’t worry about tomorrow. I’ll make sure to recommend you to Damien.”
    At least he wanted her around, which was more than she expected at this point. Ethan was likely more suspicious of her qualifications as he’d seen her perform firsthand. If she failed miserably on the roundup tomorrow, she may be heading back to the city sooner than she thought.
    The trailer was so dark and quiet, the drone of crickets outside the only sound reminding her she was somewhere other than her apartment. This was the first night she’d slept elsewhere since moving in with Jason. It was scary, and she couldn’t help but wonder what he was doing. Why did she continually worry about his feelings after what he’d put her through? It was time to worry about her happiness, her future. A tear slipped down her cheek. She needed stability like a boat needed an anchor. Part of her felt dirty for what she’d just done with Ethan and Wyatt, but another part was excited for what tomorrow would bring. She was so confused, not sure what she was supposed to feel after being programmed for so long. Rachel had been told what to like, what to feel, and what to do for years. She felt like an empty shell with no substance, afraid to make a choice for herself.
    Starting over would be so much easier if she was thin and attractive. There weren’t any fairy tales where the white knight whisked away the ugly duckling with fifty extra pounds. It was always the princess or the beauty. Where did that leave women like her?
    She fell asleep, the sound of rhythmic breathing above her a comfort in the void.
     
    * * * *
     
    “There ain’t nothing to worry about,” said Wyatt. He led her across the large yard between buildings, gravel crunching under his boots. Trucks were parked along one side and a fleet of horse trailers were stored in the distance.
    The morning air was fresh and smelled like sweet barley. Morning dew darkened the edges of her shoes. There wasn’t a lot of activity as the sun had just risen on the horizon, casting a warm glow on the property. She couldn’t remember waking up so early in a long time. Rachel trudged behind Wyatt, still groggy and wearing the same clothes as the day before. She hadn’t even asked about her suitcase, too dazed to think clearly.
    Damien Holt’s name was spoken with a sort of reverence by the cowboys, but she could tell he wasn’t the most amiable boss. What if he decided to set her loose? She didn’t have a backup plan. She was going purely on faith.
    “Cat got your tongue?” Wyatt turned and leaned his back against the wall when they reached the large manor. The door beside him appeared ominous, the oversized arch elaborately carved with rearing stallions. It would lead her to a fate she wasn’t certain of.
    “A bit nervous, I suppose.”
    He looked so handsome with the early morning light making the flecks of gold in his green eyes stand out. He must have showered before he woke her because his dark hair was damp and haphazardly brushed back off his face.
    “He’ll be worried about your qualifications. Maybe that you’re a woman, too.”
    Great. He continued to stare at her. She didn’t know where to stick her hands, so began to fiddle with a lock of her hair. Wyatt’s thumbs were locked in his front pockets, bringing his jeans down too low to be holy. If it weren’t for his white T-shirt, she imagined she’d be able to spy a dark trail of hair leading lower. Remembering everything that had taken place last night made her stomach cramp. Was he thinking about that right now? Why hadn’t he mentioned anything? It was as if nothing had happened. She was