The Mighty Quinns: Logan. Kate Hoffmann

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СКАЧАТЬ He turned away and fixed his gaze on Tally. “You—you startled me.”

      “Good,” she said. “I always like making a memorable first impression.”

      He laughed softly. She was teasing him and wasn’t trying to hide it. But to what end? “Well done, then,” he said. “I’m impressed.” Logan glanced over at her. “Who are you?”

      She held out her hand. “Lucinda Grant. My father owns this place.”

      He took her hand and gave it a quick shake. Her fingers were long and slender and tipped with shiny red polish. His mind flashed an image of those hands, skimming over his naked body, touching him in places he hadn’t been touched for a while. Logan swallowed hard. Yeah, right. No chance a pretty little rich girl was going to waste her time on guy without a penny in his pocket.

      “Nice to meet you, Miss Grant,” Logan said.

      “Oh, please. You stared at my arse. I think we’re beyond Miss Grant. You can call me Sunny.”

      “I thought your name was Lucinda.”

      “It is, but everyone calls me Sunny. With a u. Actually, it really should be an o. My father always wanted a boy so he called me Sonny with an o until I was five. My mother changed it to Sunny with a u.”

      “It’s nice to meet you, Sunny with a u.”

      She pushed her sunglasses onto the top of her head and turned her green-eyed gaze his way. “It’s usually customary for you to tell me your name. You really do have the worst manners.”

      “Are you always such a smart-ass?” he asked, starting to enjoy the little game they were playing.

      That brought a laugh. “I developed the talent in my teenage years and have perfected it since then. It’s one of my best qualities.”

      He saw the glint in her gaze and Logan shook his head. He’d known girls like her, girls who weren’t afraid to push the boundaries, girls who would say anything that came into their heads just to get a reaction. He usually made it a point to stay away from that type. They were impossible to figure out.

      But there was something about Sunny, something more than just a quick wit and a sharp tongue. He saw something more…vulnerable behind that bold facade. He could see it in those eyes, those incredibly beautiful green eyes.

      Logan rubbed his hand on his faded jeans before holding it out to her. “Logan Quinn.”

      She stared down at his hand for a long moment and Logan wondered if she didn’t want to touch him. But then, she reached out and ran her finger along the length of his forearm. The feel of her nail scraping his skin sent a shiver through his body. She glanced up at him and smiled coyly. “You have nice hands, Logan Quinn.” Her gaze turned toward the filly, who was now watching them both with a suspicious eye. “Is she yours?”

      “For now,” Logan said.

      With that, she crawled over the gate and dropped down on the other side, her bare feet causing a soft thud in the dirt. As she walked toward Tally, Sunny turned back to him. “Come on,” she said. “I want to hear what you have to say about her.”

      Logan followed her over the gate and hurried to catch up. As he walked beside her, he risked a glance at her face again. God, she was the prettiest thing he’d ever seen. And the oddest, as well. She didn’t seem to be bothered by the fact that she was wandering around in a T-shirt that was just thin enough to reveal what was underneath. Maybe she’d spent the day sunbathing…topless… . He swallowed hard as a vivid image flashed in his mind.

      When they got within ten feet of the filly, Sunny stopped and held out her hand. “What’s her name?”

      “Tally,” he said.

      “Hey, there, Tally,” she murmured.

      Logan reached in his jacket pocket and pulled out a biscuit, then handed it to her. “She likes these.”

      “Anzac biscuits? Me, too.” She took a bite from the biscuit, then held the treat out to Tally. The horse immediately walked over and snatched the biscuit from Sunny’s fingers.

      Gently, she grabbed her halter and led the horse in a wide circle. Logan watched Sunny, his attention completely captivated by her long, slender legs and her lithe body. He felt a current of desire skitter through him and he drew a long breath.

      Sunny carefully examined the horse, smoothing her palms over Tally, slowly taking in her conformation. And when she was finished, she motioned him over.

      “Give me a knee up,” she said.

      “You’re going to ride her?”

      “Why not?”

      Logan linked his fingers together and she slipped her knee into the cradle. He boosted her up and Sunny gracefully straddled the horse. Tangling her fingers in Tally’s mane, she gave the filly a gentle nudge, and Tally moved forward.

      The sight of them both, a beautiful woman and an equally beautiful horse, was enough to take Logan’s breath away. His pulse quickened and he found himself searching for his next breath. As she urged Tally into a gallop, he groaned, trying to keep his mind off the images running around in his head.

      It had been months since he’d enjoyed the company of a woman in his bed. Hell, in any bed. Life on the ranch was filled with plenty of time for self-reflection. When it came to women, he didn’t have much of anything to offer besides a really good time in the sack. After buying feed for his horses, he usually didn’t have much left for himself, so even a dinner out or a movie would be out of the question. But the sale of Tally would keep him solvent for another year and perhaps available for dating.

      He fixed his attention on Sunny. There was no way a woman like her would want a bloke like him. No way. But that wouldn’t stop him from using her as fantasy material. His fingers clenched as he thought about touching her—her hair, her face, her beautiful body.

      Sunny brought the horse to a stop in front of him and slid off. “Whatever Daddy offers you, ask for 50 percent more. And don’t back down. He admires a man who sticks to his principles.” She started toward the gate. “I’ll see you later, Logan Quinn.”

      “Wait!” he called. He took off after her and caught up with Sunny after she’d crawled over the gate. “She’s not for sale. Tally isn’t for sale—at least, not to you—or your father.”

      Sunny gave him an odd look, her forehead furrowed. “Then what are you doing here?”

      He drew a deep breath. “Just…passing through.”

      Silence spun out around them, and his gaze drifted to her lips. He wanted to kiss her, just once, just to see how her mouth felt on his, how she tasted and how she reacted. It took every ounce of his willpower to stop himself from pulling her into his arms. But the gate stood between them, as great a barrier as anything else that separated them.

      She sucked in a sharp breath and, suddenly, the silence was broken, along with the spell that had overcome them both. “She’s still a beautiful horse,” Sunny murmured.

      Logan watched her walk away, her hips swaying provocatively. He’d never СКАЧАТЬ