She scoffed at his modesty, holding his gaze. "The twins would have enjoyed seeing that."
He smiled tenderly. How like her to think of them. "They videotape it, so we can get a copy for them."
"Great. Then they can see how you could have gotten killed."
He simply smiled, pulling her close and walking with her toward the auction tents. "You worry too much, Doc." He looked down at her, pressing his lips to the top of her head. "But thanks."
The Thoroughbred auction was before dusk and an amazing thing to see. The animals were paraded in front of the buyers, and though the bidders were registered and the horses numbered in a catalog, Hayley listened as the bids rose. She could buy a mansion for the price. With a pen she marked the program listing Nash's horses, reading about him, the ribbons and the races his horses had won. A Kentucky Derby and two Preakness winners in the past three years.
No wonder they were in demand.
The stallion she'd seen him show the other day was led out. The price rose so quickly she couldn't keep track. It hit over a million. When the bidding halted, she glanced at Nash. He was sipping a soda, his forearms on the rail, totally at ease.
The auctioneer called out the final bid and Hayley gasped. Nash nodded to the auctioneer and the gavel slammed down.
She sagged against the fence. "Amazing."
Nash shrugged. "Seems fair."
"Fair?"
"That's the son of the last Derby winner." He nodded to the horse and its new owner.
"Oh."
"A good two-year-old. I have the foal." He led her away from the pens.
"Was that the one I saw you have put back in the barn the other day?" she asked.
He nodded. "The mare is excellent stock, and her foals will be the eye catchers in two years."
"Do you artificially inseminate?"
He quirked a smile. "Yeah. I'd let them go natural if the stallions didn't get so hot and bothered they hurt the mares."
Hayley reddened.
"For a doctor, you sure do blush a lot."
She elbowed him playfully and he chuckled, finishing off his soda and tossing the can in the trash.
Jimmy Lee rushed up to him, handing him papers to sign, and he chatted with Hayley as Nash read and signed the documents. No sooner had Jimmy left than Andy Pike pushed his way over, followed by three men. The men all shook hands and Andy started in with questions Hayley couldn't begin to understand. Nash stood back a bit, his arms folded over his chest, and she was fascinated with watching him. He had the men's respect, answering questions of breeding methods, veterinary services and cutting techniques. She learned that some of these horses actually went to ranches as far away as Nebraska and Oklahoma. And she also learned that women noticed him, tried waving to get his attention. He'd nod and politely respond with a smile, but the looks they gave him, looks no other woman could mistake for anything but "I want you and I'm available," didn't have much effect. Regardless, she had the urge to step closer.
Finally Nash excused himself and took her arm. "Sorry. Ready to split?"
"Yes," she said with feeling. "My feet are killing me."
They walked to his truck and Nash had to help her into the cab, it was so high off the ground. Leaving the parking lot, she sank into the soft cushions, her hat on her lap. In seconds she was dozing.
Nash glanced at her, thinking the woman was a cross between a fairy in his dreams and a thorn in his side. Despite the distance separating them across the truck cab, he could sense every inch of her like sunshine on his skin, like an animal senses its mate. It was the sweetest torment, like discovering her all over again. Her body was shapelier, and the way she carried herself was as sexy as her walk. And when he kissed her, it was as he'd been gone on a long journey and finally made it home. His fingers flexed on the steering wheel and he looked straight ahead. How was he going to spend the night alone in his house with her and not want to take her to his bed? He groaned, shaking his head. He was going to come apart at the seams if he wasn't careful.
Half an hour later, he pulled into the driveway and shut off the engine. Within minutes they were through the front door. Hayley went around the house flipping on lights, while Nash went to the French doors, peering out onto the patio.
"I'm going to shower and change," he told her, crossing to her.
"Me, too."
"Meet you here."
She nodded, a sudden wave of excitement coursing through her. She knew it wasn't wise to want time alone with him this badly, but she did. She pushed aside the fact that she was leaving, that they were from too-different worlds, and hurried through her shower, pulling on shorts and a T-shirt and not even bothering to dry her hair.