Kate Sherwood - Dark Horse 02 - Out of the Darkness (6 page)

Michelle breaks the silence with a nervous laugh. “Okay, I get creeped out in here by myself, but it’s usually okay with other people. But Dan, what the hell? You’ve had your eyes closed for five minutes straight! It’s freaky.”

Robyn laughs at her. “Get used to it. He does this weird mystical bonding thing with the horses. It sounds crazy, but you can’t argue with the results.”

“It’s not mystical,” Dan objects. “I just try to….”

 

“
Be
the horse?” Robyn supplies. “I heard you trying to explain it to Justin one time. It sounds mystical to me!”

 

Dan just shrugs as he opens his eyes. “All right, grasshopper, if you don’t want to learn, I won’t force you.”

They’re coming out of the forest now, and there’s just a loop around by the paddocks on their way back to the barn. Dan sees the visitors again, clearly being given a tour of the place, and when Jeff raises an arm to wave, Dan waves back. Then the riders continue on to the barn.

Winston’s untacked, and Dan’s just sponging off some sweat stains from the horse’s back when the tour makes it to the barn. Tat is clearly thrilled to be showing people around, and Dan smiles in spite of himself. The new people are listening to her attentively, so again, he’s got no reason not to like them.

“And this is Winston,” Tat says, gesturing a little extravagantly at the horse. “He can be a bit stubborn sometimes, but he’s getting a lot better.” She turns and looks tentatively at Dan. “He was really good today, right?” He smiles and nods at her, and she nods back. “I thought so!” Then she turns her attention back to the guests. “And this is Dan, the head trainer, and soon to be my business partner!” The others have clearly already heard about the new arrangement, and Tat continues with the introductions. “Dan, this is Blaine—he’s been Evan’s best friend forever—and this is his girlfriend Amanda, and this is Monica. They all live in LA now, but they came up for a surprise visit!”

Dan smiles, but doesn’t stop working on Winston. “Taking a long weekend?”

 

Evan snorts. “Their lives are a permanent weekend.”

“Dude, we came up for your boyfriend’s grand opening show thing,” Blaine objects. “Otherwise we would be
very
busy doing… a lot of important things.”

Amanda nods. “It’s a sign of our great affection for you that we found time to drive all the way up here to impose on your hospitality without notice.”

Monica looks slyly at Dan. “Blaine’s doing a new thing—he says he’s getting in touch with the universe by living totally spontaneously. He’s a twig in the stream, flowing wherever the river takes him.”

“And you two?” Dan nods at Monica and Amanda. “Also twigs?”

Monica glances down at her fit but definitely diminutive 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 greet Dan. He thinks of the Mercedes convertible he’d seen in the barn parking area; he wonders how the folks from LA would feel about Lou’s claws on their paint. He gives her ears an extra rub as a proactive reward.

Jeff’s watching him closely. “Are you running or just going?” He somehow makes it clear that either reaction is totally fine, and he’s just curious.

“Uh, just going, I think. I mean, I’m tired, but I’m not… panicking, or whatever.”

Jeff nods. “Yeah, okay. It’s not that bad up at the house, if you want to give it a try. They’re good kids, and Blaine treats weed the way most people treat wine; apparently he’s got a charming little sample down from Canada, and they’re gonna have a ‘tasting’ once Tat’s gone to bed.”

“Musky and alluring, with just a hint of skunk?”

“Something like that, yeah.” Jeff smiles lazily, looking like he’s already indulged. Then again, he
always
looks like he’s already indulged.

“So if it’s so great up there, what are you doing out here?” Dan asks softly. “Lou’s always been happy to walk herself.”

Jeff’s smile is a little regretful. “Yeah, you caught me.” He rubs his jaw a little, then leans down and rests his elbows on the bottom of the window. It brings his face closer to Dan, and it makes it hard to keep from kissing him. “I just start feeling a bit old around them all. You know? They’re all so smooth and new and happy, and I’m….” He shrugs down at himself, as if indicating his clear deficiencies.

“Are you insane?” Dan supposes it’s not the most tactful response, but what the hell? “Do you honestly think you being older than them is anything but a damned gift?” Jeff leans back a little, looking almost startled by Dan’s vehemence. “Shit, man, you’ve got… you’re….” Dan laughs ruefully. Words have never been kind to him. Instead, he reaches out and hooks a hand around Jeff’s neck and pulls him back toward the window, bringing his head halfway into the truck so Dan’s mouth can find his, and Dan puts everything he can’t say into the kiss. It’s gentle but passionate, warm and then hot. When he finally lets Jeff up for air, they’re both smiling a little, and Dan gently runs a finger over Jeff’s lips. “You’re so much more.”

Jeff nuzzles in a little, rubbing his stubbled cheek over Dan’s, and presses a few little kisses near his ear. Then he pulls back, and Dan lets him go. “You think maybe you could come back to the house with me, remind me of that now and then?”

Dan nods slowly. “Yeah, if you want me to, I can.”

 

Jeff looks surprised and touched. “Nah, I’m all right. Thanks, though… for saying you would.”

 

“Are you sure? I mean, it’s not like they’re dragons or something. I can go up if you want me to.”

Jeff smiles warmly at him. “Nah, I’m fine. I was just feeling a little sorry for myself. But, damn, something seems to have cheered me right up.” He gently runs his fingers over his lips. Then he stops. “Hey, I came out here this morning for a reason. Got a little sidetracked, somehow….” He raises his eyebrows as he thinks of all the things that had distracted him. “Are you gonna make it to the opening tomorrow? We were gonna suggest that you ride in with Tat, keep her company, but I guess maybe the other three will do that now.” Jeff shrugs. “But that was just an excuse to make you feel like you were needed… really, I’d just like you to be there for you.”

“Jeff, man, I don’t know anything about art, or about that sort of… scene….”

“Nah, it’s not a scene. It won’t be a big thing, really; you’ve probably already met half the people that’ll be there. It’s… it’s not a big deal to anyone but me.” Dan isn’t sure if Jeff is aware of just how devastating his shy smile is. The man could ask Dan for a kidney right now, and there would be no argument.

“Yeah, okay. Uh… what am I supposed to wear?”

 

“Dude, it’s an art show. You should come naked, let them all see something
really
beautiful.”

 

“Yeah, okay, and what’s the next option?”

Jeff laughs. “Anything, really. Evan’s coming straight from work, so he’ll be dressed for business, and my agent has some sort of suit picked out for me. But, honestly, there’ll be people there in jeans too. And Evan’s gonna stay the whole time, but I know it’s not your thing. Most people will just pop in for maybe an hour? Visit a bit, have a look at the paintings, then head out.”

“Okay, yeah.” It still doesn’t sound like a good time, but Dan can manage it. “And, hey… I do really want to see your stuff, your paintings. I mean… it’s interesting. I’m interested. I just don’t think I’m gonna have anything intelligent to say about any of them.”

“Nah, it’s art. It’s not about intelligence—although if it was, you’d have no problem, Dan—but it’s more just about impressions, or feelings. Just look at them and let your mind go, see where it takes you.”

“So, art’s kind of like an acid trip?”

“
Good
art is.” Jeff’s voice is warm and rumbling, and Dan really wants to haul his ass into the truck and drive them somewhere private. They have
got
to get the rules worked out! Even if it turns out that Dan isn’t allowed to be with them one at a time, it’ll still be better than not knowing, better than wondering if he’s letting opportunities pass him by for no reason. And if he
is
allowed… but he’d better not let his mind go there.

“Okay, then, you’ve convinced me. I’ll be there. Is any time better than another?”

 

“Not really, I don’t think. Just whenever’s good for you.” “Yeah, okay. You better get back up to the house now. If they’re all stoned before you get there, they’ll be even more annoying.”

Jeff winces. “Yeah, good point.” He calls Lou back from whatever she’s investigating in the forest and then leans in and gives Dan a quick kiss. “We’ll see you tomorrow night, then.”

“Yeah. And, you know, good luck, or break a leg, or… whatever it is for art.”

 

Jeff laughs gently and waves, and Dan heads home.

Not shockingly, there’s no food in the apartment, and Dan has a brief pang of regret for the dinner he might have had at Evan’s. But overall, he’s glad to have a little time for himself, so he calls for takeout before climbing into the shower, and by the time he’s out and dressed, the food has arrived. He ordered a lot so that he could have leftovers for a few days, and it’s a good thing, because it turns out he’s starving. He doesn’t have a scale, but his clothes are starting to fit a bit looser than usual, maybe. He needs to remember to eat.

He stuffs himself and then stumbles off to bed, and when he wakes up the next morning there’s a cold panini for breakfast and some actual pizza to take for lunch, so he won’t have to listen to Tat nag him about the frozen kind. Not bad.

He raids his bookshelf before heading to work and drives up to the house instead of parking at the barn. It’s still pretty early, he realizes, and he doesn’t want to wake up the whole house with the doorbell, so he skulks around a little, looking for any signs of life. He sees Tia, the housekeeper, through the kitchen window and climbs up on the deck to knock on the French doors in the breakfast nook. He wonders belatedly just how tight security on the house is, and whether he’s just given some poor guards a heart attack thinking that he was trying to break in.

Tia greets him with a smile. “Did you come for breakfast? The rest aren’t up yet, the lazy creatures, but you can keep me company while I cook.”

“Oh, no, ma’am, I already ate. I just wanted to drop some books off for Tat. She seemed to be feeling pretty good yesterday, but if she goes off the painkillers she might not want to move around a lot.” He holds out the grocery bag he’d filled from his shelf. “Some of them are pretty old, but they’re all good.”

Tia accepts the bag with enthusiasm. “Oh, how sweet of you! I was
just
trying to think of ways to keep the little monkey still for a day or two.” She glances through the bag and gives Dan a crafty look. “Do you suppose you could pick one or two of them? I could help you make an assignment of some sort up. She really does better with a little direction.”