Chapter Six

"Hi. Can I get a tour?"

Brick stared at the woman across the desk and blinked. She wore a sunny yellow tank top with polka dots and cuffed denim shorts. Her hair was caught in a high ponytail and swung with sauciness as she cocked her head, regarding him over her tortoiseshell sunglasses.

"You want a tour?" he repeated.

"Yes. To see the wild horses. You have one going at two, right?"

He narrowed his gaze and tried to figure out what her plan was. He didn't know if he was glad to see her again to get her out of his system or concerned about stalker tendencies. Her eyes were wide with innocence, but he'd seen this game before. Many times. He kept his tone patient. "Yes, we do. Unfortunately, there aren't enough people signed up. We need a minimum of five."

Aspen shrugged. The scent of citrus rose to his nostrils, fresh and bright. "That's okay. I'll pay extra."

He clenched his jaw. "You'll pay for five tickets instead of one?" he asked suspiciously.

"Sure. I'm here, and it will be like a private tour."

Exactly what he was afraid of. She'd listened to gossip and wanted a sexy hookup to brag to her friends about. Disgust rose amid a strange yearning to be what she thought he was. He opened his mouth to tell her no, then realized he could use the money.

Badly.

Choking back his reservations, Brick handed her the registration paper. "Please fill out the form and sign at the bottom. That will be two hundred and fifty dollars."

She plucked a pen from the cup and slid her credit card across the counter. He rang her up and gave her the receipt, being careful not to touch her. When he stopped her from falling off the stool at the bar, a strange shock had hit him, making him uneasy. Probably a scientific explanation, but he didn't feel like doing another experiment. All Brick knew was that his body had rippled with arousal, which was completely inconvenient.

"Thanks."

"Grab a bottle of water from the cooler. I'll get the Jeep ready."

He exited the shop, cursing under his breath as he crossed the lot. Fine. She wanted to play this game; he'd play. He'd be polite, informative, and the perfect distant tour guide. By the time they were done, she'd know he wasn't interested in what she wanted to propose.

Besides, he didn't care about the tip. He'd gotten a full booking, which would pay the electric bill.

Last night, he'd stopped for Mexican food and ended up chatting with a bunch of guys on vacay who'd said they wanted to book a tour. He'd given out his cards and reserved the ten o'clock morning slot, ridiculously excited. While waiting outside for his guests, he spotted Maleficent's pink Hummer driving past. She'd beeped and waved merrily while Brick watched the same men he'd booked laughing behind her.

It wasn't the first time she'd played dirty and stolen his customers.

But now, he needed this tour, and if Aspen was going to pay, he'd do it.

Brick took his time checking the supplies on the Jeep and prepping it for the ride. The sun was high in the sky and burned relentlessly. Most people preferred early mornings or sunset, but he couldn't afford to cut out the afternoon shifts, which was great for large groups who liked to combine lunch with an outing for the afternoon.

He grabbed his hat from the driver's seat and went back inside.

"Jeep's ready. Did you use sunscreen?"

"Yeah, thanks for checking." A smile curved her lips. "I've never gotten around to seeing the horses. Have you worked here long?"

He ignored the question. "Follow me."

Brick figured she'd sit behind him amid all the empty rows, but the woman didn't miss a beat as she settled herself in the passenger seat right next to him. He must've given her some type of look because she offered him another dazzling smile. "Since it's a private tour, I can see best up front. "

Brick tried not to grind his teeth in irritation. Oh, yeah, she had an agenda. But all he needed to do was focus on the tour and not touch her. Easy enough.

He started the engine and pulled onto the road, making the familiar drive to the dunes. He passed Maleficent in her bright-pink Hummer, packed with tourists, nodding politely at her jaunty wave. Her tour ran at one in the afternoon, so she was on her way back. Brick noticed she stared at Aspen curiously. Probably trying to figure out why the woman had booked a solo tour with the less popular company.

The thought of her puzzlement cheered him up.

Brick fell into his lecture.

"We'll be taking an adventurous trip to the dunes to spot the wild horses. These horses are descendants of Spanish mustangs and have been traced back to the island from the 1500s. They were originally brought over by the Spanish on ships and are now the only remaining kind left in the world. Please note we are not allowed to leave the Jeep. Please do not try to touch any of the horses, yell to get their attention, or engage in any behavior that may scare them. They were here before us and deserve respect. I'll be happy to answer any of your questions as we go through the tour and will be pointing out historical information and fun facts for your enjoyment."

"What if I get excited and clap?"

He blinked. Then caught the amused twitch of her lips. Oh, yeah, she was a smart-ass. "We turn around, and you forfeit the fee for not adhering to the rules."

"Guess I booked the serious tour instead of the fun one."

He refused to allow her to tease him or soften his demeanor. Brick sensed this woman was dangerous, and the faster he got this damn tour over with, the better. "I guess so. Still, no refunds."

He entered the beach and began easing the Jeep over the sand. Then returned to his lecture. "We'll be taking a twenty-five-mile tour on the back roads of the beach and dunes and will see a variety of other animals along the way, such as dolphins, who enjoy playing in the surf beside the tour vehicles. In the grassy dunes, you may spot some white-tailed deer and the occasional fox. Some have been lucky enough to spot a wild boar."

Her doe-brown eyes widened. "I hope I'm not lucky today."

"They would be more afraid of you."

"That's what they said about the giraffes on the zoo safari, but one ended up eating my hair. "

He barely caught his laugh at her droll humor but kept his focus. "The herds consist of dominant stallions, mares, and their offspring. Right now, there are only one hundred wild horses left in Corolla. No one is allowed to get within fifty feet of them or feed them since it can be dangerous."

"No apples or carrots?" she asked.

"The horses subsist on a natural diet of sea oats, grass, acorns, and other vegetation. Anything outside of that, like apples or carrots, can cause them painful colic or even death."

She shuddered slightly. "That's awful. I promise you won't have to worry about me. I once tried to feed a horse at a fair and ended up getting half my arm swallowed and chomped on. It was a terrifying experience."

His lips twitched. Was she trying to make him laugh? He glanced over to study her face and caught the mischievous gleam in her eyes. Hell, no. If he gave any indication that he thought she was funny, she'd take it as an invitation. He knew how these stakeouts worked.

"I'm glad that won't be a problem because, once again, we'd turn around, and there would be no refund."

"You're extremely focused on that no-refund policy, huh?"

"I like to be clear and concise on my tours."

"I respect that. No worries, I'm having an absolute blast. Why would I want to break the rules and end this kick-ass tour?"

He hadn't bantered in a while, especially with a side of snark. Brick was actually having a little fun. They drove down the beach as he continued sharing facts about the horses.

"What if one is hurt? Will they allow people to get close to help?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yes, there are employees from the Corolla Wild Horse Fund who work to solely preserve and care for the horses. Guides are also trained to spot issues and can call them in. The horses have become much more domesticated since the explosion of homes in the past years. They're no longer afraid of people like they were in the past."

"Isn't there a limit on sold property where people can build, though? A protection order? Because with more people, there may be more assholes who would ignore the rules and feed them."

He was surprised by her questions, which were both sympathetic and intelligent. "Unfortunately, there's no restriction on property sales. The organization has a land acquisition fund to try to keep as much property around the horses open for conservation purposes. For now, everyone seems to be focused on protecting the mustangs, but with no solid rules in place, there are no guarantees."

Aspen cocked her head and studied him. He felt watched in a completely different way than other women assessed him. Like she was digging under his skin instead of just enjoying his looks. "How long have you been working here?"

"About a year and a half now." Eighteen months and twelve days, to be precise. Grandpa Ziggy's funeral would always be seared into his brain as the turning point of his life.

"And you do this tour almost every day?" she probed. The wind whipped up from the ocean and brought her fresh, lively scent to his nostrils. Orange blossoms. It was like she knew a fresh peeled orange was one of his favorite smells.

"Yep. Except Mondays. Coming up on the right, you'll see a protected section marked for the loggerhead sea turtles. Rescuers camp out to save the baby turtles trying to make it into the ocean. Many don't survive, so the local volunteers and community have strict rules set for protection."

"How beautiful to donate your most precious commodity to helping animals," she murmured.

He asked the question automatically. "What commodity?"

"Time. Don't you agree?"

She turned her head and, somehow, their gazes met and locked. This close, he fell into the sooty depths and had the oddest craving to know everything about this woman. Her secrets, successes, and heartbreaks. He hadn't felt the tug from his gut since…

Anastasia.

Even the memory of his ex's name caused a chill to skate down his spine. He tamped down his emotion and returned his focus to the trail ahead. She didn't ask him again when he refused to answer. He continued speaking, pointing out different parts of the herd and sharing facts as they went deeper into the dunes. Maybe she'd stop asking personal questions if he peppered her with information.

But his respite was short-lived.

"Do you get sick of doing the same tour day in and day out? Don't the horses get boring?"

Surprise cut through him. No one had ever asked him that. Tourists didn't even seem to see the guides as real people—just someone who knew a lot about a subject and could pass on interesting information and entertainment for a few hours. They tipped, then left without a second thought .

Brick was okay with that. He liked the polite distance in the relationship—a simple commodity exchange without emotion. But he'd never really thought of his job as something to like or dislike. He'd stepped into his responsibility because he loved his grandfather and had made a promise. Not because he always wanted to be a tour guide in a small beach town.

Why would Aspen care to ask? Or was it part of her seduction game?

"No."

The Jeep bumped up and down the dunes. He followed the familiar paths, snaking around gorgeous million-dollar beach houses perched on stilts, white-washed colors withstanding the ocean elements, and a common area for the horses to linger. Slowing down, his expert gaze flicked into the hidden spaces.

"Why not?"

He let out an annoyed breath. "I thought you were paying me to show you the horses, not answer personal questions."

"How about the combo special for a bigger tip?"

Brick refused to laugh at her cheeky comment. "I'm not an easy sellout."

"Pity."

His body immediately lit at the husky, feminine drawl. He was used to women being aggressive in the hunt to get him into bed but had constructed a solid wall of distance to protect himself. It was rare that he responded physically to some light flirting or even a bold comment.

Yet some undercurrent in her tone was like a laser slamming into his dick and bringing that part of his anatomy to life. Brick shifted in his seat, cursing under his breath. This was ridiculous. He'd been able to deflect moves from a variety of women—many stunningly beautiful and practiced in getting what they wanted. He could handle Aspen easily.

He decided to answer her question. "Repetition is part of life. We're all gonna get bored. I've learned to pay attention to the surprises."

She cocked her head. Wild curls danced around her shoulders and refused to settle. "Explain."

He yanked the steering wheel left and bumped over the dunes leading into the maze of high-priced mansions, all trying to outdo each other. "It's about focus. If we're looking for something, we usually find it, right?" He pointed out a small brown mustang hiding behind a whitewashed pillar under a garage. The breathless gasp from her lips filled him with satisfaction, but he refused to delve further into why. "This is Duncan's favorite spot in the afternoon. He's a bit of a loner and likes to go off on his own. But every time I see him, he gives me a different reaction. Sometimes, he's a brat and likes to spit like an alpaca. Sometimes, he ignores me or tosses his mane in disgust. I've gotten mooned on a few occasions. And once, he gifted me with an actual smile and made a little girl on the tour giggle. I never know what Duncan's gonna give me each day."

They watched Duncan in silence for a while. He shook his head to clear away some pesky flying bugs, then swiveled his neck around to level a steady gaze at both of them. Brick met those deep, dark-brown eyes that held years of wisdom and mystery. Then was presented with his wide ass and flicking tail as he crapped right in front of them.

Brick sighed. "Well, that wasn't very pleasant."

Her laughter hit him. The sound was bold and unapologetic, almost rough in its purity. He was used to lyrical half laughs, like tinkling bells, light and delicate. He liked how Aspen didn't try to dampen the volume to something tamer. "Guess he doesn't like me," she said.

"It's me, not you."

She shot him an amused look. "Says every man I dated in the past."

Brick wanted to probe but refused. Mucking around with Sierra's little sister would be disastrous, even if he was beginning to enjoy her company. He drove away and pointed out the various homes, filling in some history while expertly finding most of the horses scattered in their favorite hiding places.

Aspen quieted and seemed mostly content to soak in the atmosphere and study the mustangs. As he began to head back, the Jeep climbed to the top of a dune, and he stopped short, staring at the scene before him.

"Look," he whispered, directing her attention to the open beach ahead.

A herd of mustangs pressed tightly together raced down the edge of the surf. Hooves flashing in a blur of speed, bodies moving as one, manes flying in the wind, Brick watched and witnessed the glory of freedom and joy in the wild animals he'd grown to love and ached to protect. The sun hung brightly in the sky, throwing sparks of light off the rolling waves, and he suddenly wanted to reach over and take Aspen's hand to share the moment with her.

Instead, he tightened his fist and enjoyed her reaction. The joyous smile and wonder on her face gave him a bolt of satisfaction. She, too, understood nature had gifted them with a rare sight.

"That was incredible," she whispered. "Do you see that often?"

He shook his head and began the journey back. "No. Only in coffee- table books. Guess this was your lucky day."

Her gaze lasered in on him. "Guess I was with my lucky guide."

He grunted in response. The scent of her caught on the wind and filled his nostrils. Why was he analyzing her laugh and scent like a drunk poet? This was unlike him, and he needed to wrap the tour up quickly and get her the hell out of his Jeep before…

Before he did something he'd regret.

He fell back into tour-guide mode for the rest of the trip until he was back on the roadway. "I like what you said." He shot her a questioning glance. "About repetition and paying attention."

"Good. Add it to the tip."

She grinned. "Thought you weren't a sellout."

He thought of his almost bankrupt tour company and grandfather. The words popped out of his mouth. "Guess we all have our price."

She pursed her lips, a thoughtful expression flickering over her face. "Duly noted."

His brain screamed, " danger, " while his body yelled, " game on ." It had been too damn long since he'd indulged in any invitation, and Aspen's was a killer. But all roads led to disaster, and he'd been clearly shown that one night of pleasure wasn't worth the price. He'd learned that lesson too well.

He parked the Jeep in its designated spot, ignoring the awful groaning sound from underneath. The mechanic had told him the rotors were grinding, and if he didn't get new brakes, he'd ruin the vehicle—which was starting to need more Band-Aids to keep running. More money to spend and not much left. He was on borrowed time and needed a damn miracle.

Brick pushed the dark thoughts away and faced his paying guest. "This concludes our tour. I hope you enjoyed yourself and visit the Wild Horse Museum to support all the work they do to protect the land and the horses. Would you like a water for the road?"

She gave him a sunny smile as if knowing he was trying to get rid of her. "I'll go in with you. I need to use the restroom."

Brick grunted. He almost told her it was broken—but that would be too rude, even for him. Instead, he trudged inside and pointed to the door. "You may have to jiggle the handle."

"Thanks."

The door closed. He checked his messages and looked outside at the empty parking lot. No one had booked for the sunset tour, but he'd pretend to have another group coming in so he could get rid of her quickly. Aspen threw him off balance, and he couldn't figure out why.

The faster she left, the better.

Aspen stared into the mirror at her reflection. No wonder he seemed hesitant to flirt back. Her hair had exploded around her head in an attempt to fight the humidity, and her makeup had melted off her face. Sweat dampened her tank top so the cloth stuck to her. Not sexy cling like Sierra, where she'd have a man drooling. Nope, this was just wet and nasty enough to have a man not want to touch her. Thank God her sunglasses were oversized to cover half her flushed face.

This was not going the way she'd planned.

Oh, the tour was cool, and they'd actually managed to have a conversation amid his grunts, manly silence, and stick-to-the-script lecture. So far, she couldn't figure out why he attracted so many women. He was hot, but not charming. Even his refusal to speak held aggressive tones of innate grumpiness. Did others find that attractive? Maybe she was the rare female who sought out a man with an easy personality and a sense of humor rather than looks.

But she was positive such rave reviews wouldn't disappoint. Verbal and emotional intelligence was probably overrated.

Aspen worried he hadn't found her worthy of his attention, but she'd caught him staring at her in the way a woman innately recognized. It was all she needed to confirm that he'd be on board with a sexy one-nighter. Or two. She needed enough to get attached and then broken for the whole thing to work, but she didn't have to tell him that.

Unfortunately, Brick was stubborn. She'd need to find a way to get to his house and be invited in, and Aspen had no idea how to manage such a feat. It was nice that he was trying to save her from his deadly sex skills, but she really had no time to waste on these ridiculous meetups. She'd thrown out plenty of open-ended banter, and he refused to play each time.

Fine. She could be stubborn, too.

Aspen did her best to smooth her curls with water, then fished in her bag for a hair clip to put the mess into a bun. She patted herself down with damp paper towels and stood under the weak vents of the air-conditioner until she was finally dry enough to reemerge .

She exited and found him hunched over the desk, seemingly involved with typing busily onto the computer. Irritation skittered across her nerves. Really? He was pretending he was slammed with work when this tour company obviously had zero tourists?

"Thanks again for the tour." She propped her elbows on the desk. "I learned a lot."

"Welcome. Enjoy the rest of your day."

She tried not to wince at his dismissal. "Oh, here's your tip." Aspen laid a twenty down, which forced him to actually look at her. She smiled slowly, like she'd seen Sierra do when she flirted.

A frown creased his brow as he pushed the bill back. "No, thanks. You paid in full, and I'm the owner. Don't need a tip."

How did he become more attractive when he looked annoyed? A wayward strand of hair fell across his eye, and he raked his fingers through the thick mess, making her itch to do it for him. His shoulders bunched beneath the cotton of his T-shirt, broad enough to fill a doorway like a hero in a romance novel. She bet he was a work of art bare chested.

Aspen slid the twenty farther toward him. "You deserve it. Gave me more than I bargained for."

His lips pressed into a thin line. Too bad they looked sulky and kissable. She wondered briefly what he tasted like and hoped she'd find out soon. They needed to get this affair going. She was on a deadline.

"I said, no thank you."

The bill reversed course and, for some reason, it ticked Aspen off. "I insist. You worked hard."

The twenty practically flew off the counter with her shove.

He blinked and treated her to a blistering stare. Unfortunately, his temper only made those baby blues deepen into a Caribbean ocean of temptation. He snapped the money up and slammed it in front of her. "I don't want it. The tour wasn't that good. Now, I have work to do, so can you please take your tip and go?" Her jaw unhinged at his rudeness, and he seemed to realize he wasn't being customer friendly. "Again, thank you for visiting Ziggy's Tours, and have a good day."

She stared back in shock. "You are really bad at this. Do you have anyone coming in for the next tour?"

She noticed a tiny twitch in his right brow. An easy tell for a lie. "Of course. We're fully booked. I'm very busy."

A snort emitted from her throat. Sierra always said, instead of sexy, she sounded like an amused piglet. She leaned in with pure invitation. Hopefully, her shirt gaped enough. She'd deliberately worn a push-up bra for this moment. "Want to grab a drink afterward? I'd love to hear more about the, um, horses."

Seconds ticked by. His jaw clenched, but she noticed his gaze dropping very quickly to her cleavage before skittering back to her face. "No, thank you. The museum will have plenty of books you can purchase, and the proceeds go straight to help fund the organization."

God, this was embarrassing. Dammit, she knew there was some type of spark between them. If she truly felt he wasn't interested, she'd drop the whole plan. But she refused to surrender because he was pretending. "I'm a slow reader. It would be so nice to grab a little more one-on-one information. You're such a great…guide."

One golden brow arched. "'Too bad I'm swamped. They have picture books."

She almost wanted to laugh at his stubbornness and polite insults. If she wasn't desperate, Aspen would've run away crying. "Right. Because of the full tour for six o'clock."

"Yep. Thanks for the invite, though."

She caught the twitch but didn't say anything. He waited her out and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Why didn't he want to go out with her? Was he trying to save her from his big, bad moves in bed, afraid she'd fall in love with him?

God, she hoped she did. That would be epic for the book.

Aspen decided to back off. She needed to be smart about her approach, and if she pushed too hard, he'd label her a stalker and desperate, and that wouldn't help her plan of seduction at all. "Okay, I understand. Thanks again." She pocketed her twenty and headed to the door.

The bell tinkled, and a tall, lanky guy came in carrying a plunger. "Yo, man, I'm returning your plunger. Burger surprised me with a new one!" His shaggy brown hair hit his shoulders, and his mustache was seventies-worthy. The scent of weed floated around him, but he gave her a big smile it was impossible not to return. "Oh, hi. Did you book a tour with Brick? He's the best. No one shows you the horses like he does."

Brick's voice snapped out. "Thanks, Marco, she was just leaving."

Marco's puppy-dog-brown eyes saddened. "You didn't want a tour?"

Aspen laughed. "Just got back from one. It was great."

His face lit. "Awesome! Maybe you can tell all your friends how great it was. Get my man here a bit more business. Ever since his grandpa—Ziggy—died, he's been struggling. Can't seem to fill up his tours."

She practically felt Brick emanating annoyance from across the room. This was too good of an opportunity to pass up. "Well, good news. Brick said his six o'clock tour is completely full."

"Really? That's the first time in months. That's awesome! Was it that new TikTok I did that helped?"

She pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. Brick's voice grated, rough to her ears. "Yeah, that must be it. Marco, I'm sure you're needed next door. You can keep the plunger if you need a backup."

"Oh, cool, thanks. May be a good idea. You haven't seen what Patsy can do in there after he eats Mexican. Hey, wanna stop in and look at our T-shirts? I can give you a great discount for booking a tour with Brick."

Aspen grinned. "I'd love a T-shirt."

"Hey, Brick, come with us. Wanted to show you these new Boogie Boards that came in and get some advice on what to price them. You think three dollars over what I paid is good?"

"No! For God's sake, you need to do the math, not just stick a price on it that you dream up."

"Riiiight. I forgot." He turned toward her and leaned in. "This guy is a genius when it comes to business. I just can't understand why his is going bankrupt. Tell your friends if they book any tour here, I'll give them a free T-shirt. Sound good?"

A blistered curse was spit from across the room, then came a choking sound. "Do not give away anything free and stop spreading rumors that I'm bankrupt. We're fine. We're thriving."

Oh, this was fun. It seemed Brick's next-door neighbor pressed his buttons, but Aspen thought he was a sweetheart. Marco seemed like a wealth of information, and the more she gathered, the better. "I'd love to see your shop," she said. "And I will definitely spread the word. Anything to help out Ziggy's Tours."

Marco winked at Brick and then took her elbow in a friendly gesture. "Then follow me…"

"Aspen."

"Wicked cool name."

"Thanks."

She strolled out, imagining Brick's furious face, and tried not to laugh.