| Moire would have missed the turn off if she hadn�t been stuck behind a truck moving at a snail�s pace. She turned off the main road and passed under the unpretentious wooden arch with the family name simply carved into the weathered wood. She drove down the dirt drive until the pin oaks covered her in their towering shade and relieved her of the oppressive heat of the afternoon. As she approached the house Moire noticed Brian standing at the foot of the steps to the house and she felt a lump catch in her throat at the sight of him. Brian was not particularly in the mood for visitors especially anyone from the Claddagh Farms. So he stood at the bottom of the steps and waited, as Moire slowly emerged from the sports car. His state of undress and sweat laden body was in deep contrast to her well-turned out appearance in designer shorts and shirt. But Brian gave it no mind as he placed one foot on the first step and eyed her as she came towards him. She had no voice. The sight of his bare chest, glistening with perspiration, sent all rational thought from her mind. Moire swallowed a few times and took a breath to ease her rattled nerves. �And what do I owe the honor of your presence?� Brian nearly snarled at her as she came and stood a few feet from him. �Daddy send you over to use your charms on me and see if I will cave in?� She didn�t expect his attitude, but understood his wariness of her. �No.� Her heart was beating so hard that she had a hard time breathing. �Actually I came to,� she cleared her throat, �I came to ask you if�if you were going to enter any of the races on the 4th at Keeneland.� There she got it out. She looked up and his expression softened a bit, not much, but his eyes didn�t have that searing look about them. �Really? And why is that? I would think you would prefer the least amount of competition as possible.� He knew he wasn�t being fair to her. He had no idea if she sided with her father but he had to watch his back at all costs. �Look, whatever is going on between you and my father is just that. It�s between the two of you. I want no part in it. I�m just here as chairperson of the event and didn�t want you to miss out competing since your family has always had entries every year. You of all people should know that the money raised is for charity.� Brian was known for devoting hours to volunteering at the hospital, reading to the children, offering free rides on his horses, turning over part of all his winnings to the pediatric unit at St. Joe�s. Why was he giving her such a hard time? He had every intention of entering a couple of the races but never got around to registering because he had been fending off this beautiful woman�s father. And she was beautiful. Brian had never really taken notice of her before. She always seemed like a breeze that blew by and you would only catch a glimpse. But standing here in front of him he had an opportunity to really study her. The tailored shorts and collared shirt that was tied around her waist showed off a hint of her trim, flat stomach and shapely legs. Her chestnut hair hung softly around her face and her blue-gray eyes showed a bit of apprehension. Even in the intense heat she looked cool and calm. If his caustic behavior had upset her, she gave no outward appearance. As his eyes grazed over her Moire�s pulse began to race. She felt like she was on an auction block the way he eyed her body. She unconsciously brushed her hair behind her ear and he followed her movements. She had always found him attractive and often wondered what he was hiding under his loose fitting t-shirts. He seemed very comfortable standing in front of her half dressed yet Moire found it very distracting. Small droplets of water ran down his trim torso disappearing inside the waistband of his jeans. She felt her face grow warm at her observation and looked up to see Brian smirking at her. �I apologize for my appearance and my attire but I just finished working in the stables,� he said as their eyes met. �Oh no, I don�t mind. I mean you look fine. Oh God,� she could feel her face turn beet red at her comment and Brian laughed out loud. �Is that so,� Moire covered her face and took a deep breath. He was making fun of her and she wanted to crawl in a hole. �What I meant was, don�t apologize. I showed up unannounced and you weren�t expecting any visitors.� �No I wasn�t, but now that I know you don�t mind my being undressed I just may have to remember that for the future.� Brian knew he was pushing her, but he liked the idea of seeing a Fitzgerald squirm. Even one as pretty as Moire. Moire ignored his innuendo and proceeded to get a commitment from him. �So are you or are you not going to enter any of the July 4th races?� Her tone turned all business as she straightened her back and looked him square in the eye. �Yes I�ll enter. Put me down for the third and seventh races.� He walked towards her and Moire took two steps back. Brian kept advancing until she bumped into her car. He let his fingers brush along her cheek. �Do you know how beautiful you are?� His voice was low, husky and his face was only inches from hers. The pungent smell of his body intoxicated her and Moire had all she could do to stand. �And you can tell your father I�m not selling.� With that he turned and walked up the steps and into the house. Moire finally let out a breath. Never had any man made her feel so sexually charged and he had barely touched her. She got in her car, circled the drive and took off. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The temptation to kiss her still surged through him as he closed the door to the house. He heard her car as it made its way down the drive. Damn! He needed to keep his head about him. No matter what she said, she was still Fitzgerald�s daughter and the apple usually didn�t fall far from the tree. He couldn�t let his desires get the better part of judgment in this situation. He took the stairs two and at time and discarded his clothes in a heap on the floor. Finding his swim trunks and a clean t-shirt he turned and left again. He definitely needed to go cool off now. Just the thought of Moire Fitzgerald in that soft blue shirt made his body overheat again. The small lake was only a couple of miles from the northern most tip of the farm. Brian rode the Appaloosa, giving her a good work out and once at the lake tying her up under a large pin oak. He shed his shirt and dove into the cool water. He had to keep his wits about him. The slightest slip would give Fitzgerald an edge and Brian knew that was just what he wanted. He was sly, Fitzgerald was, and using his daughter wouldn�t be beneath him. As he broke the water and began to swim in even strokes his body relaxed and he let the water and the exercise remove the stress. There were plenty of women out there and he could have any one he wanted. Besides he was known for not taking out the same woman more than twice. Not that he wanted it that way, but as willing as the young ladies were, there was no depth to any of them. There had to be more to the relationship that what transpired between the sheets. Brian emerged from the water and sat at the edge of lake enjoying the quiet. He had gone a bit overboard with Moire Fitzgerald and made a mental note to keep his distance in the future. He fell back on the grass and closed his eyes. He began to drift off to sleep when a burst of expletives and a car door slamming made him sit up. Moire had left the Littrell farm angry and somewhat confused. He had been hot and cold with her and she felt like she had been spun off a merry go round. Knowing she couldn�t face her father, Moire decided she needed some time alone to think it all through. Remembering the small lake she drove out and took one of the worn dirt paths. But as she got closer to the lake the path became muddier and eventually she got stuck. She tried putting the car in reverse but it only created deeper ruts. The more she tried the worse it became until finally she gave up cursing like a trooper and slamming the car door. The wheels were buried half way up in the mire and there was no way she could get out. She removed her shoes and walked down to the water�s edge. She wished she had her suit, she would just plunge into the water and let it relieve all the stress. Between her father and her encounter with Brian, her nerves were raw. Brian noticed the car before he saw Moire. It was deeply entrenched in the muddy embankment and from the mud splattered all over the sides of the car; the owner had tried desperately to escape. It was then that he noticed Moire. Her head was propped in her hands and even though he couldn�t see her face, her body language emitted frustration. She would definitely need a tow truck and even though he had decided to keep his distance he couldn�t ignore the problem. He grabbed his shirt and shoes and untethered the horse and walked around the lake. Could her day get any worse? The last few days at home at been unbearable with the tension between her and her father. And then today to be harassed at the Littrell farm she was having no luck with the male of the species at all. But it seemed that once the tide had turned, Moire was in for another pounding. She looked up to see Brian approach leading his favorite mare. �Well, well, what have we here?� He had all he could do from laughing as he got a closer look at her very dirty sports car sitting in a sea of mud. Moire noted that he had traded his jeans for a pair of splashy swim trunks and he was again naked from the waist up. �Do you need some help?� She gave him a glaring stare as she held back the tears threatening to fall. �No!� She replied angrily that he had found her. Then softening her tone she muttered, �thank you.� Moire shifted her gaze back to the water. �You called for a tow?� As much as he enjoyed teasing her, he really wanted to help. She shook her head. �Phone is dead.� He barely heard her. �What?� �The phone is dead!� She screamed feeling her composure begin to deteriorate. Why wouldn�t he leave her alone? Brian chuckled again. She really had gotten herself bogged down. �Come on,� he held out his hand, �we can call from the house.� �No, I�ll be fine.� How she didn�t know. It was a long walk back to the house. �And how is that?� He put his shirt on, much to her chagrin. �Don�t be so stubborn.� He offered his hand again, but she refused standing without his assistance, catching her foot on a stone. Moire lost her balance and landed in the lake. It took all Brian�s resolve not to laugh at her as she slapped at the water in total frustration and her tears began to fall. When he held out his hand this time she didn�t refuse. Her clothes clung to her body as she emerged from the water and Brian fought the urge to experience the supple curves that were revealed. �Don�t you say a word.� He raised his hands in surrender. He climbed onto the horse and assisted her in her mount. They rode in silence back to his farm. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Brian reigned the horse to a stop and slid off holding his arms out to Moire. She eyed him warily but accepted his assistance. As she slid down her body brushed his and both were aware of the electrifying contact and they stepped back quickly. Brian started towards the house. Moire hung back and when he turned he noticed her still standing at the foot of the steps and stopped. �Please, come in.� He gestured but Moire refused. �No. I�ll stay here.� �No you don�t. It may be hot but you can�t stay in those clothes. Come inside and dry off and I�ll find something for you to put on.� He held the door open and Moire still didn�t move from her spot at the bottom to the steps. �This is no time to be stubborn. Do you want me to carry you in?� She looked at him in disbelief. He wouldn�t dare. He started towards the steps. �Okay, I�ll come inside.� She moved past him into the house and he closed the door. A chill ran through Moire as she entered the foyer and Brian noticed her shiver. �There�s a bedroom at the end of the hall and bath. You can use them to dry off and change.� He spoke over his shoulder as they proceeded up the stairs to the second floor. He directed her down the hall and left her alone for a minute. When he returned he had one of his dress shirts for her to put on. �Here it�s the best I can offer,� he said as he handed her the shirt. �If you would like to shower the bath has everything you need. And the phone is on the nightstand. I�ll meet you downstairs.� With that he left her and Moire just stood in amazement. The first thing she did was to call the towing service. They said they would be there within the hour. When she hung up she wandered around the room. It was definitely a guestroom as Moire fingered the coverlet on the bed and noticed the toilet articles on the dresser. She ventured out in the hall and observed that the door to the room at the opposite end of the hall was closed. He was probably changing his clothes. The thought of dry clothes sent another chill through her body and she went back into the room. The shirt was on the bed. Moire unbuttoned her shirt and dropped it on the floor as well as the shorts. Her hair was matted to her head and she felt grimy. The thought of a shower sounded wonderful. Just like Brian said there was body wash and shampoo and a full set of towels on the bar. He did offer and Moire knew it would make her feel better, so forgetting the circumstances that brought her to this point, she closed the bathroom door and took advantage of Brian�s invitation. Twenty minutes later with his clean shirt on and her hair wet, but clean and brushed behind her ears she found her way downstairs. She hung her shorts and shirt over the porch rail in the sun and was about to go inside when the door opened and Brian appeared with two glasses of lemonade. Gone were the swim trunks to be replaced with a pair of khaki shorts and blue t-shirt. His blonde streaked hair was wet and curled at the nape of his neck. It seemed that no matter what he had on, he made her weak in the knees. She accepted the glass and leaned back against the railing to steady herself. There was an awkwardness between them as they both sipped from the tall glasses. Moire was very conscious of her state of undress and the fact that Brian had given her an approving look when he handed her the lemonade. �Did you get the towing service?� Brian broke the silence. He leaned against the railing as well. �Yes, they said they could be here within the hour.� She drank again to soothe her uneasiness. The change in his manner was throwing her off guard. She could handle his teasing and ridicule but his sudden concern baffled her. She turned and looked out across the fields. It was beautiful here. The rolling hills only accentuated the hint of blue in the grass. For all the property her father owned it didn�t compare to the acres that belonged to Brian and his family. This was a little piece of heaven right here on earth. Getting caught up in the splendor of her surroundings Moire off handedly said, �It�s absolutely beautiful here. This is the prettiest farm around.� �I know,� Brian replied coming to stand next to her. �It took me a long time to really appreciate how beautiful it really is.� He looked down at her. If she was aware of him watching her she didn�t let on. He felt the same about her. Why hadn�t he seen it before? He had a sudden urge to touch her, hold her, kiss her. He hadn�t been fair to her before and decided he needed to make amends. �Please accept my apology.� Her brows furrowed at his words. �Apology?� �I behave badly earlier. When you came by the house I was angry. I�ve had to borrow money to get a security system installed because of this fight with your father but I shouldn�t have let my anger spill over to you. I had no right to treat you as I did.� Moire didn�t respond because his admission to borrowing money kept echoing in her ears. This was what her father wanted and she had come by the information quite by chance. What she did with it was up to her. �Well?� �I�m sorry. We both got off on the wrong foot I guess. I meant what I said though. I don�t side with my father in forcing you and the other owners out. Besides if I owned this farm I would fight for it too.� She looked up and Brian was just staring. �Something wrong?� �What?� He backed up a bit. �Uh, no. Just admiring the view.� Moire felt her face flush as she absently put her hand at the opening to his shirt. �I�d be happy to show you around sometime,� he offered. Spending time with Moire Fitzgerald might benefit him in more ways than one. She could easily let some detail slip and give him an edge with dealing with her father. And the thought of her in some denim and plaid instead of those designer clothes just appealed to him. He had just given her the open door her father was looking for. Moire wished he hadn�t. She wanted nothing more than to ride across this beautiful place, but it would also compromise her. In reality they were on opposite sides no matter what she said. Whatever gains her father accrued she benefited from and if Brian was forced to sell, she would be able to ride here whenever she wanted. Suddenly she needed to put some distance between them. She felt her shorts and shirt and found them to be dry. Moire excused herself and returned a few minutes later changed and Brian�s shirt was folded in her arms. �I told them I would meet them back at the lake. Would you mind giving me a ride?� �Of course not.� He went to take his shirt but she refused to give it back. �No. I�ll have it laundered and returned to you.� She tugged on the material. �It�s not necessary.� Brian tugged back. �I can just as easily wash it here. I know how to use the machine.� �That�s not what I meant.� Moire continued to pull on the shirt causing it to rip. They both stopped to see that one of the sleeves had pulled from the shoulder. �I�m sorry. I�ll replace it.� She opened it to see the sleeve hanging off. �It wasn�t a good one. Don�t worry about it.� �No I insist.� She said emphatically and took the shirt and rolled it up. �We better go.� Brian nodded reluctantly. He refused to let her ride in the tow truck thus following it back into Lexington and dropped her off at the service station. They said their good-byes and Brian pulled away. It had been a strange afternoon. And as much as he knew seeing her again would probably be to his disadvantage, he would also disregard his own warnings against it. |