The Black Sheep and the Hidden Beauty

by Donna Kauffman

Genres: Women's Fiction; Contemporary Romance

Synopsis

They're back--the boys you go out looking for precisely because your mother warned you not to--the bad boys every good girl needs at least once, if not twice. . .

Raphael "Rafe" Santiago may have left the streets years ago, but the street has never left him. A rough childhood in the Bronx taught him never to let his guard down, to keep everything in order, and always to trust that little voice in his gut that tells him when someone's got something to hide. horse trainer Elena Caulfield, is definitely hiding something, and Rafe intends to find out what it is and take care of it--his way.

But his way wasn't supposed to include feeling an intense attraction to the tomboyish Elena. With her mud-caked boots, quiet strength, and gentle manner, she's nothing like the flashy, seductive, overtly feminine women Rafe usually beds. The closer he gets to her, the harder it is to control that fiery passion he's worked hard to keep cooled, the kind that can catch a man off guard and leave him open to danger--because whatever secret Elena's protecting, it's big. . .and worth killing for. Because when you're from the Bronx, you take care of what you love--or die trying. . .

Release date: October 9, 2013

Publisher: Brava

Print pages: 385

Sample

He found himself watching her. Again.

Not his type. And yet, more and more often, Raphael Santiago was making excuses to leave his offices in the main house and wander down to the paddocks. He’d stroll the fence line. And watch her. He’d reasoned that it was his fascination with the horses, and yet he’d been on Dalton Downs property going on two years now, and it had only been in the past several months that he’d found them suddenly intriguing—a time frame that just happened to coincide with when she’d taken over as stable manager and head trainer.

He never lingered, never spoke to her. He’d wander on along, stopping by Kate’s office, or head on down to Mac’s place farther back on the property, if it was after work hours. Yet he missed very little.

She was graceful in movement, yet strong and controlled. Gentle in tone and demeanor, yet brooked no argument from the half-ton beasts she trained as easily as if they were puppies. She fascinated him, when she shouldn’t.

She wasn’t his type. Not even close.

He walked along the worn path to the outer barns, careful not to step in anything that would make him regret not changing out of his Italian, hand-tooled shoes, wondering what the hell he was doing. Given that he was headed toward the stables used by employees only, it wasn’t to see Kate. Or Mac.

No, he was walking all the way out here because of another man. Not that he had any claim on her. They’d done nothing more than exchange the occasional nod. And it wasn’t as if he kept tabs on her personal time, but Dalton Downs was private property, so he’d have noticed if she’d had regular company. And, to his knowledge, this was her first visitor since coming here. Which he gave less than a damn about. Or would have.

Except he’d been heading down to Kate’s office, hoping to catch Mac about some questions on one of their case files, denying it was just another excuse to watch her, when the guy had shown up. She’d been surprised to see him, and, from what he could tell of her expression, not entirely happily so. In fact, she’d darted a gaze around, as if concerned to be seen talking to him.

She’d ended her training session with the horse immediately, a poor wretch of a thing she, Kate, and Mac had recently rescued, and handed him over to one of the help, before giving the newcomer a fast, tight hug. Next thing he knew, she was leading the older guy out to the employee barns, away from the hustle and bustle of Kate’s teaching program. And, perhaps, the watching eyes of her coworkers.

Rafe certainly hadn’t intended to follow them. What she did and with whom was her business. He had more than enough of his own to handle at the moment.

But something simply hadn’t seemed right about that brief episode. That look on her face, perhaps, in that split second before she’d smiled and waved hello to her guest. Something. All he knew was that whatever that something was, it had made the hairs prickle along his neck. And the next thing he knew, he was picking his way along the path to the outer stables, trying not to ruin a pair of three-hundred-dollar shoes.

Mac would chalk it up to wanting sex. Kate would scold him for potentially disrupting her program. His mother would have a coronary if she knew he’d spent more then forty dollars for a pair of shoes.

But none of that mattered at the moment. Something wasn’t right here. And if there was one thing Mac, Finn, and Rafe firmly believed in, it was following gut instinct. Maybe that was what had called to him about her all along. That, despite appearances to the contrary, something wasn’t what it seemed with Elena Caulfield. It was almost a relief to have an actual reason for his otherwise unusual fascination with her.

She wasn’t his type.

Not that she was particularly hard on the eyes. And he admired a woman who didn’t mind getting her hands dirty. But from what he’d come to learn about her, she spent a good chunk of her day with at least some part of her person covered in mud or muck. Or worse. And didn’t much seem to mind. She wore little or no makeup, as far as he could tell, and pulled her dark hair straight back in a simple, single braid that swung halfway to her ass. An ass even he couldn’t make out in the baggy overalls she favored.

Long hair. That part was nice. And he’d have been lying if he said he hadn’t spent at least a few minutes wondering what it would look like all loose and wavy. He was a man, after all. But it was clear she wasn’t all that caught up in the more conventional rituals of being female, something Rafe unapologetically enjoyed in the women of his acquaintance. Tomboys had their appeal to some men, but he liked a woman who reveled in her femininity.

So his fascination had been something of a mystery to him.

Not any longer. It had merely been instinct that something was off.

Maybe now he was finally going to get the chance to figure out what that something was.

He slowed as he drew closer to the paddock. It was empty, so they’d already gone inside. He’d let them get a good head start so as not to be completely obvious. It was why he’d walked over rather than taking one of the Dalton golf carts.

He ducked through the fence, not wanting to swing the gate open and announce his arrival with a metal squeal. The big, sliding barn door had been shoved along the track just enough to allow a person to duck inside. He glanced back toward the main barns, but no one had followed him. In fact, a quick glance back at the stables and up to the house proved that no one was paying the least bit of attention to what was going on out here. So he moved closer to the edge of the door, careful not to let the sun cast his shadow across the opening. And listened.

“How you doing there, old girl? Elena taking good care of you?”

It was the man, and Rafe assumed he was talking to her horse.

“She’s feeding well, not putting on too much weight.” This from Elena. “So far, I think we’re doing okay.”

Her voice was low, soft, with a cadence that was naturally soothing. Rafe began to see how she seduced the headstrong animals she worked with into doing what she wanted. A man hears a voice like that, he might be inclined to do the same.

“That’s good. Really good. I know how worried you are. Although, I have to be honest, Lenie. Given that concern, I’m still having a hard time understanding why you left—”

“Kenny, I know you worry, too, but I’ve explained my reasons the best I can. Besides, it’s good here. She’s doing great.”

“She is. But what about you?”

“I’m—fine. It’s a good job, I’m good at it, they seem happy with me, and it’s the right place. For both of us. For now.”

“But you’re going back, right? Back to the track? Your dad would be so proud of all you’ve accomplished and you know he’d hate it if you gave up on your dream.”

When she spoke again, her voice was a bit deeper, perhaps a bit tighter. With what emotion—anger, regret, or grief—Rafe couldn’t be sure without seeing her expression.

“Right now the only thing that matters to me is making sure Springer has a foal that lives, and that she stays healthy before, during, and after. That’s why I came to you. You’re the closest thing to family I have. I trust you. But, as much as I appreciate you coming all the way out here, it would really be best if, from now on, as she gets closer, I brought her to you when the time is right. They’re doing right by me here and I don’t need or want to worry them with a problem horse.”

“I know, honey, and I appreciate that. Just as I’m sure you’re so overqualified, they’re jumping for joy to have you. I’d imagine, though, given the work they do here, with those kids, the last thing they’d worry about is you taking care of what’s yours. I saw that poor thing you were training when I got here. A charity case if I ever saw one—”

“That’s something else I took on, for Kate. It’s not my regular—”

“I know.” His voice gentled. “I’m just saying, it’s what they do here, they mend things. Animals. People. Souls and spirits. I guess…I just worry that you need mending, is all. I never saw that in you. Always so sure of yourself. Then, after Geronimo and that horrible tragedy—”

“I was going to leave anyway, Kenny. Even if everything else hadn’t happened. It—I wasn’t going to advance there. I just…I wasn’t sure what my next step should be. Then I found out about Springer, and it all seemed like a giant signal to just step back, take some time. So I did. No regrets.”

There was a long pause, then, “Okay. I just—if you needed to talk, about anything—”

“I know. And thank you. Just help me keep her okay and you’ll be doing more for me than you could possibly know.”

He chuckled then, and there was a rustle of clothing. A hug, perhaps. Without peeking around the door and giving himself away, Rafe couldn’t be certain.

“I’d have been upset if you hadn’t come to me,” Kenny said a moment later. “But I’m available for more than vet care if you need the ear.”

“Understood. And appreciated.”

Their voices drew closer and Rafe realized they were heading his way. He’d been so caught up in the conversation and the information it was revealing, he hadn’t exactly thought out his escape route.

Too late to duck away, so the only alternative was to stroll in as if that was his intention all along. He slid the door back a bit more, the resulting grind of metal on the metal tracks abruptly stopping the conversation inside.

The sun at his back made both Elena and Kenny shield their eyes as he stepped into the darker interior of the barn. They stopped walking as well, waiting for him to come further inside.

Elena spoke first. “Can I help you, Mr. Santiago?”

“Yes,” he said, not having a clue what he was going to say until he said it. “And it’s Rafe, please. I was—I’m interested in talking to you.”

Her expression grew wary as she looked past him. Expecting to see what, or who, he wasn’t sure. But he was too busy scrambling to come up with a reason for his sudden arrival to worry about that.

She wore the same denim overalls he’d always seen her in, with a faded yellow bandana tied loosely around her neck, and her boots caked in God-knew-what. She’d pushed up the long sleeves of her pale green tee, which was covered in the red, dusty clay that passed for dirt in most of Virginia. As he stepped closer, he noted that she had a fair share of dust on her forehead and chin, too, as if she’d dragged her dusty sleeve across them a time or two.

Not exactly an enticing picture…and yet, standing closer like this, he found himself wondering how she’d clean up. All that riding she did, he’d bet there were some Class A legs inside those baggy overalls. She could probably do a pair of killer heels some justice, too, he thought, though from what he’d seen, he doubted she even owned a dress, much less heels.

“About?” she queried, making him realize he was staring.

His gaze found hers then. Brown eyes, he noted. Not the cute, puppy-dog kind. The old-soul kind. The kind that saw way more than made him comfortable.

Distinctly aware of the older man’s attention focused on him as well, he was even less on top of his game than usual. He paused for a too-long second, then blurted out the only thing he could think of. “Riding lessons.”

To her credit, she tried to maintain her professional demeanor, but he couldn’t help but notice her quick scan of his attire, which, admittedly, was about as far from barn clothing as you could get without being in a tailored suit or tux. “You…want riding lessons?”

“Yes,” he said, trying to sound like he meant it. “I want riding lessons.”

God help him.

She’d felt him watching her, earlier, when she’d been working with Bonder. It wasn’t the first time, either. Far from it. He was steady about it, open. But in the two months she’d been at Dalton Downs, he’d never spoken to her or approached her. Considering he looked like six feet of raw sex dressed up in beautifully tailored clothes, she doubted very much it was lack of confidence on his part.

So, she couldn’t quite figure out what it meant. She doubted it was any kind of personal interest. He wasn’t the ruthlessly overgroomed type who took longer to get ready than most women, but the man knew how to dress. He somehow managed to be casually suave and rugged as hell all at the same time. If she cared about things like that, she’d have felt downright shabby whenever he was nearby, with her worn overalls, ancient boots, and shirts that rarely stayed clean ten minutes after she put them on.

He was too polished, too perfect, too…everything to want a woman who spent her days reeking of horse sweat and barn muck. Which left a big question mark hanging over what the draw actually was. That very ambiguity should have unnerved her, at least a little, what with everything she had going on. But the truth was, his attention always left her feeling energized and aware, and not in a bad way. Just a way she had no business thinking about.

Not that it mattered. A woman would have to be dead not to respond to those dark eyes of his, the honey-colored skin, the thick, black head of hair, and that naturally broad-shouldered, tapered-waist-and-hips kind of physique. She, on the other hand, rarely commanded such attention. Her staring at him made sense, though she avoided the temptation at all costs. Being noticed and noticing others was definitely not high on her priority list here. Doing her job, providing a safe, quiet place for her and Springer—that was all that mattered.

He was also the only one of the three Trinity men who hadn’t formerly spoken to her during her tenure here. Mac came by all the time and chatted her up on his way to see Kate. Nice guy, clearly devoted to her boss, and making a point to keep an eye out for his woman’s interests. Elena respected that, and she liked the guy.

Finn Dalton owned the place, but you’d never know it. A bigger flirt she’d never met, but in that completely harmless way that made you laugh rather than feel awkward or threatened. He even chatted up the horses. But she’d also noted he knew everyone by name and made time as often as possible to talk with everyone from management to the part-time stall muckers. He was gone more often than not, but his presence on the property always livened things up and put everyone in a good mood.

Which left Raphael Santiago, the enigmatic but reserved third partner in the other enterprise operated on Dalton Downs property, one that, had she known of its existence, might have kept her from pursuing the job opening here. Ultimately, she was glad she hadn’t, regardless of the heightened awareness it forced her to maintain. What she’d told Kenny was true. This was exactly the right place for her and Springer right now.

At least, until now.

“Lessons,” she repeated, knowing she sounded less than sharp, but he’d so completely taken her off guard, it was surprising she was stringing her words together coherently.

“Lessons,” he replied.

“So…I should be getting back on the road,” Kenny abruptly interjected. He put his beefy arm around her shoulder for a quick hug, which broke Elena’s fixed stare and gave her a merciful second or two to get a grip. Up close and personal, the final partner of the “unholy” Trinity, as she’d heard Kate jokingly refer to them, was…a lot. Of everything. Even his voice was a lot. Smooth, rich, with the barest hint of an accent. It was every bit as seductive as the rest of him, and no matter the reason for the attention, she, apparently, was far from immune to it. Horse sweat and barn muck be damned.

She jerked her gaze off of him and, instead, found a smile for the man who had been her father’s closest friend, as she scrambled to regain her mental footing. “Thanks again for coming all the way out. I’ll call you next week to set up a checkup schedule for our girl.”

Kenny held her gaze steadily with his own and she did her best to return it without faltering. The man didn’t miss much. Which bothered her as much as it reassured her. She needed him right now, more than he knew, but she couldn’t risk bringing him in any more than she already had. She already had too much to worry about as it was.

“You do that,” he said. “She looks good, Lenie. You’re doing a fine job.” His gaze flickered sideways to encompass their guest, then returned to her. “You want to walk me out? Anything else we need to discuss?”

She knew he was offering her an out if she felt she needed one. Did he feel the crackling intensity in the air, too? Or was he just protecting her in that general way men of his generation did? She shook her head, though she was thankful for his sensitivity. It felt odd, but in a good way, to have someone looking out for her for a change. It had been a very long time since anyone had. “I think we’re good. Unless you need an escort out, I—”

He smiled, shook his head, and gave her one last hug. “I can find my way. You take care of business here.”

“Thanks, Kenny.” She pressed a kiss to his fleshy cheek, not minding the scratch of white stubble there. It reminded her of her father.

He nodded his good-bye to Rafe, who nodded in return, then headed out of the barn, back toward the main stable where his truck was parked. It wasn’t until he’d cleared the building, and she was left alone with all that was Rafe in the cool, dim interior of the stables, alone and away from, well, everyone, that she wished she’d considered Kenny’s escape offer a bit more thoroughly.

Putting as professional a smile on her face as she could, even while damning herself for feeling, even for a moment, like a two-bit farmhand in the presence of all of his immaculate gorgeousness, she brazened it out. “Riding lessons. Did…Kate send you down?”

“Kate? No,” he said, a flash of confusion crossing his handsome face. “I managed to find my way down here all by myself.” The hint of a smile, so unexpected, as she’d never seen so much as a glimmer of one on him before, was really just too much.

She needed a fan. Or a good, stiff breeze. Or…something. Dear Lord. It was ridiculous, the impact he was having. Awareness overload. And yet, there didn’t seem to be much she could do about it. He was probably used to it.

“Well…okay, then,” she managed, hating being so flustered. She’d worked with and around men her whole life and had managed never to come across as a brainless twit. “I—I’m not sure if you’re aware, but I work more with training the horses. Not so much with people. Perhaps one of Kate’s instructors—”

“You’re very good,” he said, rather abruptly. “With the horses, I mean. I’ve watched you.”

I know, she wanted to say. Boy, do I know. “Thank you. I love working with them, but it’s always nice to hear that from an outside source.”

His gaze had shifted beyond her to the barn and stalls lining the aisles. “I’m about as outside a source as there is. I know nothing about horses.” Apparently realizing that might sound insulting, he added, “But even a rank amateur can see that you handle them very well.”

He was making small talk. Which didn’t quite fit with the image she’d developed of him. It made her wonder what was really going on, why he’d suddenly approached her. For lessons, of all things. Her defenses finally shifted more firmly back into place. “They are complex and intriguing creatures.” As are you, she could have added, but didn’t. He might wear his clothes with an elegant nonchalance that exuded an unspoken confidence, but there was that raw edge to him that was far more wild mustang than refined thoroughbred. Complex creature, indeed. “But, even so, they’re easier to figure out than people.” She hadn’t meant to give voice to that last part and braced herself as he swung his gaze back to hers.

“I’ll agree with you there,” he said, looking directly at her again. “People are easily the most complex creatures on the planet.”

Her body tightened under his steady regard. Intense was an understatement with him. Even up close, his eyes were midnight black, with a laser-like intensity that bore into hers in a way she’d never encountered before. She’d definitely be wise never to underestimate him, in or out of his element.

“No matter how long you know somebody, you never truly know it all,” he finished.

“No,” she said, damning the tight note in her voice. Just as with the four-legged animals she trained, the first rule with any animal was show no fear. But the second rule was show no overt aggression. A delicate balance at times. So she let her gaze casually, or what she hoped was casually, drift out toward the surrounding paddock, breaking his visual hold on her. Or at least hers on him. “I don’t imagine you ever really do.” Something she fervently prayed held true for her where he, or anyone else at Dalton Downs, was concerned.

And then it occurred to her…was that why he was out here? Had he, or someone here, managed to find out something more about her past? Wouldn’t Kate have confronted her directly, though? She wasn’t sure how the hierarchy worked here with Trinity and Kate’s separate enterprise, but Kate didn’t strike her as the type to let someone else handle her personal business, much less dictate her hiring practices.

“But I came out here to talk to you about horses, not people.”

She tried not to slump in relief. “I’ll be glad to help you in any way that I can.”

She glanced at him in time to see him set his jaw a little. As if he wasn’t quite sure how to broach what he wanted to say next. Nerves? She wondered what on earth a man like him could have to be nervous about. Couldn’t be her. She was quite comfortable in her own skin, and made no apologies for her lack of feminine wiles, but she was also well aware that nerve-inducing she was not.

“Good,” he said, then shifted his weight a little before continuing. “You can teach someone to ride, can’t you?”

“I—I suppose I could. If it’s just the basics you want, I can probably handle that.” Though any of Kate’s instructors would be better suited. Of course, maybe he didn’t want to ask a favor of them. She was the new hire, after all. “Can I ask why you’ve decided to take lessons?” She knew Mac and Finn both rode, as she’d seen the two of them, and Kate, head out before. She assumed, with his constant attention on her and the stables, that he rode, too, but apparently not.

“I never had the chance to spend much time around horses growing up. None, actually, if you don’t count summer camp. I figure it’s time I changed that.”

It struck her then, as she finally calmed down enough to look at the situation, and him, more objectively, that for all his apparent interest…he wasn’t exactly really enthusiastic about this whole idea. “Is it…job-related? Because your partners ride?” she asked, before thinking better of it. In the end, it didn’t really matter why he wanted to learn. In the Dalton Downs hierarchy, he ranked somewhere on the level of her boss, or higher, so from a professional standpoint it behooved her to do what she could to make him happy. Kate might not have sent him over here, but she’d very likely expect her employees to accede to any of the Trinity partners’ wishes.

Thankfully, he didn’t seem put off by the question. Quite the opposite. “Finn grew up on horseback, probably rode before he walked, and yes, Mac learned last year, mostly so he could impress Kate. They go on these weekly picnic rides now and—whatever, that’s not important. I just thought it was a skill I should have, and, being as they’re right here, I’ve probably put it off too long as it is.”

Elena tried not to smile. He was awfully chatty all of a sudden. His gaze moved from her to the occupied stalls nearby, then back to her. It was the first time she’d ever seen him as anything other than the enigmatic, intense, controlled man who observed her while she worked. The very idea that he was at all nervous about learning to ride charmed her. Just a little.

“Are you all planning a horseback ride or event of some kind? I only ask because if there is a deadline by which you have to be a decent rider, or if there is something specific you need to learn, that would factor in to how we’d go about setting up your lessons.”

She thought about her newly adopted work program with Bonder. And Springer’s demands on her time. And all the other horses she was responsible for taking care of, and wondered when she’d have time for this. Not that she had a choice.

“No time frame, no event. Like I said, I just want to expand my horizons a bit. In my line of work, you never know what skills might come in handy.”

Which begged the question: what was it, exactly, that he did? She didn’t know much about Trinity, Inc., and, frankly, the less she knew about them and vice versa, the better. But now that it looked like she was going to be stuck spending time with him, perhaps it was best to do a little digging. Information was power, after all. A brand of power that, in the wrong hands, could definitely be used to harm her. But in her hands, could only help her. At the very least, it would help gauge just how safe and secure her chosen little hidey-hole really was.

“I know I’ve been here for a little while now, but I’m afraid I don’t know all that much about what you do. I know you, Mac, and Finn run some kind of foundation, so I take it Trinity is some kind of charitable organization, but—”

“We help people. But we’re not a charity, or a foundation.”

“Okay.” She paused to see if he would elaborate, but he said nothing more, and she took that to mean her line of questioning was over. Perhaps for the best. Information was fine, but in hindsight, the more he offered, she supposed, the more she owed in return. Maybe the less they had to talk about, the better.

As if to prove her point, he said, “How long have you been working with horses? I understand you work with racehorses as a rule.”

She stilled briefly, surprised that he knew about her past. Not that it was a secret. Kate knew her work history when she hired her. Maybe it was common knowledge around the grounds—she really didn’t know, as she made a point not to engage in small talk with any of the other personnel. Still, it was more than a little unsettling to think that he’d been checking up on her, or asking about her. Her guard increased. “I do. Or did. It’s a tough industry to get a break in, though, and I wasn’t moving along the way I wanted to in my former situation.” It had been her stock answer to Kate. And Kenny. And anyone else who wondered why she’d left the industry. Still, she found it hard to maintain direct eye contact in the face of his rather intense focus. She doubted he missed much, and, after dealing with Kenny’s surprise visit, her guard was in need of a bit more shoring-up before handling this kind of test.

“I’m guessing there aren’t too many women in your line of work.”

“Not too many, no.” Before she could deftly change the topic back to him and the classes he wanted, he continued.

“So, have you given up on it completely then?”

She forced herself to maintain steady eye contact, but it cost her. She could only pray he didn’t see anything in her gaze that was less than forthright. “No, just taking a break. My horse is expecting, so I thought it was a good time to step out of all the chaos for awhile, regroup a little, and think about where I want to go from here.”

“How is she doing? Everything going okay?”

Her guard, already on alert now, leapt even higher. This was precisely the conversation she didn’t want to be having. She wondered if he’d overheard any of her talk with Kenny. Kate knew about Springer’s condition, of course—it would have been impossible to conceal. But Elena had been somewhat circumspect in sharing the rest of her horse’s background. Other than letting Kate know that she wanted to use her own vet, an old family friend, as her horse’s time neared, she hadn’t shared any specifics.

Kate had seemed fine with everything, not suspicious in any way, but now Elena couldn’t help but wonder if there might be some ulterior motive for Rafe’s surprise visit. She was probably just being paranoid, but better to be overly cautious than simply to take everything he said at face value. She couldn’t afford to be less than vigilant where Springer was concerned. Too much was at stake.

“She’s doing very well. It’s much calmer here and I have more time to spend with her.”

“You worked for a good-size outfit, then? You mentioned it was chaotic,” he added, when she looked surprised by the question. “So I just assumed that meant it was a big operation.”

She had to relax and respond as if this was just a normal, getting-to-know-you conversation, which it likely was. She just didn’t want anyone getting to know her, that was all. Especially this man, with his dark eyes and overwhelming intensity. He made her nervous and made her pulse race, all at the same time. “Yes, one of the premiere stables in the mid-Atlantic.” It wasn’t anything he couldn’t learn from Kate, but she really needed to get him off this line of questioning. She just wasn’t sure how to do it without appearing rude.

“You’d think they’d have a pretty good setup for a pregn