Nash: A Rough Romance Piper Stone (ebook reader for comics txt) 📖

dark stallion before lifting his hand. “It’s been a long time since I’ve ridden a horse.”

“That must be akin to a crime for a cowboy.”

Laughing softly, he tipped his head in my direction. “There really wasn’t a chance to do it while stationed in Afghanistan.”

“That must have been hard.”

As I studied his face, I could see another faraway look in his eyes, as if he was so completely uncertain of what to say.

“I never realized just how difficult it really was until returning home.” His words were husky, almost guttural, as if the admittance was more challenging than he might have imagined.

I continued to stroke the white horse, nuzzling against her muzzle. “I would love to own a horse.”

“They take some work. And money.”

“I know. I’ve researched everything it would take to purchase and keep one.” I said the words absently, not even certain why I bothered to tell him. Reaper didn’t seem like the kind of guy who wanted to get to know anyone.

Especially me.

Why should he? I was just a thorn in his side, a risk factor that could alter his life forever.

“That’s very interesting for a city girl,” he said quietly.

“Not really. You forget that we lived in a small town. Besides, I think every city girl longs to live in the country. Horses. Dogs. A little log cabin.”

“Not a white picket fence?”

I shifted my gaze in his direction, studying his face. There was no doubt just how gorgeous he was with his chiseled features, but his eyes held such sadness. I could become lost in them for hours. Days.

“I don’t believe in the huge fairy tale if that’s what you’re insinuating. I was taught that reality takes a toll.”

He wrinkled his nose as he shot me a look. “Your parents taught you that?”

“Absolutely. They didn’t want me to become disappointed in life.”

“Does that mean you aren’t?”

I took a deep breath of the cold air, hating the fact my skin felt like it was on fire and my heart was hammering against my chest. The effect he had on me was ridiculous. “I’m a realist, Reaper. I see things as they are. Hard. I realized that after the death of my brother. If you find a few moments of joy, then you should consider yourself lucky.”

“Wow. That’s a mood breaker,” he said, laughing.

Shrugging, I shifted around to face him. “And what about you? I can tell that whatever you experienced was horrible, but I doubt you’re the kind of man who’ll talk about what happened. You’re simply going to bury it inside, refusing to acknowledge that it’s gnawing at you, clawing your insides out. Then one day you’re simply going to explode, unable to control your actions or your feelings.”

He whistled then sucked in his breath. “That’s just about the saddest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“But correct. Isn’t it?”

As he shook his head, a slight smile crossed his face. “Yeah, maybe you’ve pegged me more than I care to admit. However, I’m not going to allow the past to fester.”

“Isn’t it already?”

“Let it go, Mitch. We don’t need to be best buddies.”

I bristled, moving into another protective mode. “Nope. You’re right. We don’t.”

I turned my full attention to the horses, cooing under my breath as I stroked both their manes. Their response was adorable and as they finally moved away from the humans who’d invaded their space, they snorted and pawed at each other.

“Maybe at some point I can take you for a ride,” Reaper said, his tone now shifting into his dark and dangerous mode.

He was so infuriating, driving me to the point of losing my temper as well as clinging to him like some stupid little girl. “I’d like that. When I was little, horses were all I could think about.” I was shocked I’d shared the thought, hating myself for allowing my guard to fall.

“Interesting. I would have thought guns and maybe archery bows.”

“You’re making fun of me now? God. Why am I bothering to get to know you?” While I attempted to walk away, I knew the second he was going to snag my arm, dragging me back. As usual, I jerked my arm in some crazy attempt to get away, but his fingers dug into me, his hold far too tight.

“I would never make fun of you, Mitch. We all have dreams and wishes, especially when we’re younger.”

“Yeah? What the hell was yours? Killing people?” The horrible words left my mouth before I could stop them.

He let me go, shifting a few inches away. “Yep. That’s the kind of man I am. A monster. A killer.”

“That’s what you told me when I met you.”

“Yeah, I did.”

Why was it so damn difficult between us? Why did I want to lash out at him? I couldn’t answer the questions. The awkward silence was exactly as it had been before. Wretched. I bit my lip, watching the horses playing and wondering what he was thinking. “I like Nash.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Your real name. I might not be the best judge of characters but you’re not a killer. Maybe that’s what you had to do in your life in order to protect our country, but you’re not that man.”

He snorted, the sound similar to the one the black horse had made. I almost laughed at the comparison.

“Then what kind of a man am I, Mitch? Why don’t you tell me? Am I a lover or a fighter? Am I a good man or a bastard? Maybe you think I’m just pretending to be a brutal asshole who has no trouble killing people. If you think that, then you’re damn wrong.”

The chip on his shoulder was the size of a freaking building. I chewed on my bottom lip before answering, trying to rein in the bitchy side of Michelle. “You did what you had to do because that’s what you were trained to do, but I don’t think you enjoyed it, at least most of the time. I think you wanted nothing more than to honor the men and women