“I meant literally, not metaphorically.”
“So did I.”
Her expression softened ever so slightly. “Really?”
“My father eventually married my mother.” Though that had turned out to be more a curse than a blessing.
Stephanie slumped back in the chair. “My mother had an affair.”
“So it would seem.”
“I’ve had her up on a pretty high pedestal all these years.”
Alec leaned forward, covering Stephanie’s hands where they rested in her lap. “She was human.”
“You accept infidelity?”
“I understand weakness and imperfection.”
“Are you imperfect, Alec?”
“I took your virginity and made you pregnant while I was working for your brothers. Then I lied to you. Well, held back the truth anyway.”
“And you’ll eventually be unfaithful.”
He drew back. “What? No. Why would I-”
“Can you really stay celibate for months on end?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted. He’d never tried.
It had only been a couple of weeks since the wedding, but so far he hadn’t had any overwhelming desire to sleep with other women. Ironically the only person he wanted to make love to was Stephanie.
“You’ll eventually give into temptation,” she determined.
“Where is this coming from?”
“My mother did. Your parents did. We did.”
“You’ve really wandered off on a tangent here.” He wanted to talk about her family, to make sure she was coping okay with the truth.
“I’m merely pointing out that we both have the infidelity gene.”
He coughed out a surprised laugh. “It comes down to principles and personal choice.”
“
The reminder made him aware of their joined hands, her sweet scent and those cherry-red lips that were slightly parted with her breath.
“Yes, we did,” he agreed.
“When we shouldn’t have.”
“That’s debatable. We didn’t betray anyone.”
“Except maybe ourselves.”
Alec shifted his chair closer and raised their joined hands. “Do you feel guilty, Stephanie?”
She gazed into his eyes. “Do you?”
He shook his head. “I don’t have a single regret about making love to you. And I don’t hate Frank Stanton. And I’m glad your mother gave into temptation. If not for that, you wouldn’t be here.”
“So, I should be grateful?”
“You should be sensible. Don’t rail against things you can’t change. Just make the best of what you have.”
She seemed to think about that for a minute. Then her lips softened, and her voice went low. “I miss you, Alec.”
Desire instantly overran his brain. “I’m right here.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I know.” He steeled himself against the urge to drag her into his arms. “But you’re upset and vulnerable, and I still have a few principles left.”
Silver sparkled to life deep in her eyes. “How can I get rid of them?”
A sharp rap sounded on the suite door, and Stephanie frowned.
Alec felt like he’d been saved from himself. They were only going to stay away so long.
Eight
“You know Stephanie’s going to see him,” Amber warned Royce in an undertone.
Alec slowed his steps, not wanting to intrude on what was obviously a private conversation, but wanting to know about anything that involved Stephanie.
She and her brothers had talked late into the night. Then Alec had seen her briefly at breakfast. But Wesley was in final preparation for competing tomorrow, so Stephanie’s entire day was being spent at the arena. It annoyed Alec that Wesley was still flirting with her.
Royce gave Alec a nod of welcome. “I’m half tempted to buy it for her,” Royce said to Amber.
“You know you can’t do that,” Amber returned. “The price tag’s up over a million dollars.”
“Hey, Alec,” Royce greeted, and Amber turned around to face him.
Alec wished he could ask what they were debating. He hoped there weren’t any more family secrets being kept from Stephanie.
He settled for, “What’s up?”
“Blanchard’s Run is here,” said Amber.
Alec nodded, hoping to bluff his way through the conversation.
“Stephanie’s still upset,” said Royce.
“You can’t buy her a million dollar horse to make her feel better,” warned Amber, jabbing Royce with her elbow. “Tell him, Alec.”
“She’s right,” Alec agreed. Stephanie didn’t need monetary bribes from her brothers. She needed them to respect her enough to be honest with her.
“She’s had her eye on him for months,” said Royce.
“Here she is now,” Alec warned them, as Stephanie approached from the opposite end of the barn. Her smooth, sexy stride carried swiftly along in her tooled cowboy boots.
Amber and Royce both turned.
“Uh-oh,” Amber breathed.
Stephanie’s attention had been caught by one of the stalls. She stopped and drew back in obvious surprise. Then she turned to walk to the gate.
She stood there for a few moments staring at the horse inside. Then she squared her shoulders and resumed walking toward them.
Nobody said a word as she approached.
“You knew, didn’t you?” she asked her brother.
“We just found out,” Amber quickly put in.
Stephanie cocked her head as she gazed steadily at Royce.
“We just saw him,” he backed Amber up.
“But you weren’t going to tell me.”
They didn’t deny it.
“Was that for my own good, too?”
When nobody immediately answered, she shook her head in disgust then paced off down the center aisle of the barn toward the hotel and the main offices.
Alec went quickly after her. “What was that about?”
She didn’t break her stride. “Blanchard’s Run.”
“He’s a horse, right?”
“He is.”
“And you want to buy him?”
“I do.”
