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“I’m not really known for being a generous guy,” he said drily. “It’s not a big sacrifice for me. I ride almost every day, and the gym and pool are downstairs. It doesn’t bother me when someone is there. But I’m willing to barter if it will make you feel better.”

I raised a brow. “What exactly are we negotiating?”

“If you use the gym after work, I propose that you make dinner and feed me after you’re done. Just tell me what supplies you need me to stock, and I’ll do it.”

I let out a startled laugh. “You’re supposed to be a savvy businessman. I have to eat, and I’m going to cook anyway. That’s the best you can do?”

He shrugged. “A guy has his personal priorities. I like to eat. I hate to cook, and I can only do really basic stuff. I’d feel like I was making out like a bandit if you make that deal.”

I didn’t think he was getting much for being inconvenienced, but he looked so hopeful that I said, “Done! Is three times a week okay with you? It would help me take off the pounds I gained over the winter. Once it’s a little warmer, I can start walking and hiking.”

“Every day would be fine with me,” he answered eagerly. “But I’ll take what I can get.”

I let out a silent sigh.

I wasn’t sure what had happened to the disagreeable, unpleasant man that I’d been dealing with for the last several months.

Thisman was a guy I was starting to like.

Wherever the old Devon had gone, I was hoping I’d seen the last of him.

It probably wasn’t a great idea to be spending more time with Devon, but I was starting to discover that this new Devon was pretty irresistible.

Devon

“You’re doing great,” I encouraged Reese thirty minutes into our ride.

I was riding behind her on my quarter horse, Thunder, watching her technique and correcting her when necessary.

We’d gone over the basic safety rules as I’d finished the rest of my cake and coffee, and we’d spent some time going over horse behavior and how to tack up Luna before I’d put Reese in the saddle.

I had to give her credit, she’d hefted her own saddle onto Luna easily, and she’d soaked in information like a sponge.

It had been love at first sight for Reese and Luna. Probably the piece of banana I’d given Reese to give her horse had helped Luna warm up to her almost immediately. Luna was picky about her treats, and bananas were her favorite.

The two just seemed to fit each other perfectly, and Reese truly did seem to adore the beautiful Gypsy Vanner. She’d seemed almost enraptured by the horse’s flowing mane and tail, and her powerful hindquarters. Reese was the perfect size to ride Luna, and she’d probably been less intimidated by Luna because she wasn’t a huge horse.

Reese had just practiced putting Luna into a trot with leg pressure like I’d taught her in the corral before we’d left the stables.

We wouldn’t be running any races today, but she was slowly getting the hang of controlling her horse with leg pressure and her reins.

She’d probably get into more advanced stuff faster than I’d thought.

Reese was eager to learn and to ride, and she caught on quickly for a woman who had never ridden.

She wasn’t bouncing around in the saddle like most beginners. She had a natural instinct to move with the horse’s motion that most beginners didn’t pick up right away, and her relaxed posture was balanced after just a few corrections from me.

Still, I’d slapped a helmet on her head in case she took a tumble, but it didn’t look like that was going to happen.

Reese’s enthusiasm amused me, and I wasn’t a guy who was amused by much of anything.

She looked…happy.

She’d been so grateful to get onto a horse that she’d made me a cake…from scratch.

And that made me feel like even more of an asshole.

Hell, I’d appreciated her gesture more than she’d ever know, but Iwasn’ta nice guy.