Free Damned and Defiant by Kathy Kulig Page B

tossed her head and kicked, and Dante managed to stay out of the way. He was firm but gentle and reassuring.
    God, he loved these horses. She could tell. Why did they hate him so? Any man who loved his horses that much had to be a good guy. She could also tell he’d been around horses before, he wasn’t afraid of them. So that wasn’t the problem. There was something, but she hadn’t figured it out yet.
    The horse began to tire and Dante was getting frustrated. Siren kicked and shrieked and charged the fence a few times. He shook his head, looking at Haley with a devastating look of defeat. It crushed her inside. She was going to help him, somehow. He dropped the long line and walked over to her, and roughly pulled her into an embrace. “This isn’t going to work.”
    She leaned back and stroked his cheek. The muscle in his jaw jumped. “It takes time. We did make some progress today.”
    “I don’t have time. I only have two weeks.” He couldn’t look at her when he spoke.
    “What’s going on in two weeks?”
    He didn’t answer for a while. “I’m taking them on a trip.”
    She groaned. Always the mysterious one. The man could be so frustrating at times. “That might not be a good idea.”
    “I have no choice.”
    She stared at him, trying to get him to say more. “Where are you going?”
    He sighed and looked out across the desert. “Long story.” He started walking toward the fence, his arm around her shoulders. “Thanks for being here.”
    “I don’t know why these two are so ornery with you, but we’ll work it out.”
    He nodded.
    “What does D.A. stand for by the way?”
    Leaning on the fence, he turned and looked at her, giving her a quick smile before going back to the serious, brooding look. “Dark Alley.”
    She laughed, standing close, gazing up into his eyes. “How appropriate for Mr. Mysterious.”
    “I’m not so mysterious.” His hands moved to her waist and tugged at her green tank top so his thumbs brushed against bare skin. A shiver of electricity raced across her body and settled deep in her pussy.
    The man looked amazingly hot in tight jeans and no shirt. Her hands glided over tanned, muscular arms and chest. Except for the sulk, the guy was quite a hunk. Their eyes locked. Her heart leapt to her throat. Fearing he would see the emotion in her eyes or sense the feelings she had for him—feelings she didn’t even want to admit to herself—she stared at his stone pendant instead.
    Her hands splayed on his firm chest and abs. Last time she practically threw herself at him, this time, she wanted him to ravish her. As she touched his stone pendant, she placed her hand over the coil-shaped object. A jolt of electricity ran up her arm. She froze and gazed up at him.
    Jerking her hand away, she took a step back. “Your stone. What did you do to it?”
    Dante held it up, studying it for flaws. “What do you mean?”
    “It’s hot and vibrating. Ambros said I could sense energy from crystals. I just never felt anything like that before.” She touched the purple crystal that hung around her neck, centering herself. The energy rush was unsettling, frightening.
    “What type of stone is that?”
    “An amethyst. It’s a meditative and calming stone.”
    He reached out and took the stone from her fingers, examining it. “I can feel a surge of energy, like a small spark.”
    She made a face. “You’re making fun of me.”
    “No, I’m not. Where can I get more of these? A lot more?”
    “At the New Moon Bookstore.” She held her hand cautiously above his pendant again. “Good, God. What is that? I saw sparks or something coming from my hand.”
    He took her hand and kissed her palm. “It’s nothing.”
    “Maybe the stone is your problem. Maybe the horses sense that weird energy. Why don’t you take it off?”
    “I can’t.”
    “Sure you can.” She laughed.
    He shook his head.
    She wasn’t sure if he was sentimental or superstitious. “Then what if I take you to the