Page 299 of Cowboys & Navy SEALs

“Don’t panic. Just simply apply more pressure. Let her know who’s in charge.”

Brooke pulled more firmly and finally Bessie stopped. Only then did she let out a sigh of relief.

“Good girl, Bessie,” Carlos called. “It’s okay to pet her.”

Pet her? Why in the heck would she want to pet her? Reluctantly, she ran her hand over Bessie’s smooth coat and gave her a couple of pats on the neck.

Carlos looked pleased. “You’ll be an expert in no time.”

A momentary pleasure seeped through Brooke. She was starting to get the hang of this—learning a new skill. Her daddy would be thrilled!

Nash came riding out on his horse, looking like the picture of the heartbreakingly handsome cowboy who had the world by the tail. He rode up to her and winked, sending a thrill shooting through her. “You ready?”

“Yep.” Her nerves revved up again, and she felt like she might be sick. Still, she put on a brave face.

Carlos stepped up to Nash. “Go easy on her. This is all still new,” he said, giving her an encouraging smile.

Annoyance flashed over her, even as she realized he was right. It was not Carlos’s fault that she’d never ridden before. What was it about Nash that made her always want to pit her will against his? She decided then and there that she would not only learn to ride but that she would master it. After all, it wasn’t as if she had anything better to do. And Carlos seemed to have all the time in the world to devote to her instruction. “Thank you so much for your help,” she said genuinely.

He nodded and gave her a slight smile, but he looked immensely pleased.

“Let’s go,” Nash said, a trace of impatience in his voice as he looked up at the sky and at the darkening clouds in the distance.

“How are you doing?” Nash said, glancing over his shoulder.

How was she doing?They’d been riding for over an hour. She was dirty, smelly, and her backside was pounded to an unrecognizable lump of pulp! Furthermore, Bessie seemed determined to hit every bump and dip in the ground in order to inflict the greatest amount of pain. “I’m doing great,” she said, trying to sound cheerful. Other than the soreness, she really was enjoying the ride. At first, she’d kept Bessie at a walk, but then Nash grew impatient with the slow pace. He gave her that quirky grin that evoked her competitive nature before urging his horse forward. Determined to keep up, she did the same, and then they were galloping. The wind was ripping through her hair, and she felt free. Then they’d slowed back down to a trot. That’s when the annoyances of riding began to consume her attention.

He smirked. “You’re a terrible liar. I can tell from the look on your face that you’re miserable. Don’t worry though, we’re almost there.”

He was so conceited and sure of himself in his untamed world of open space and endless skies.The rogue cowboy that had an answer for everything.She lifted her chin in the air. “I told you I’m fine, and I am.” She gave him thestink eyeas she tightened her hold on the reins. “So why don’t you just mind your own business,” she grumbled.

All she got for her bravado was an amused shake of the head. “Fine, have it your way, but I’m starting to feel it, and I’m used to riding bulls. I can only imagine how you must be feeling—since this is all new to you. Forgive me for caring.”

The accusation hit home, making her feel guilty. She knew he could see right through her. If she had to stay on this wretched horse much longer, she was going to melt into a puddle of tears. The day was turning out muggy, and the clouds were growing sootier and more ominous by the minute, as they churned like a brew in a witch’s cauldron. Her skin tingled, and she could almost feel the electricity in the air from the approaching storm. She did a visual sweep of the land. They were in a wide-open space with no semblance of shelter in sight. A shiver of apprehension ran down her spine.

As they approached the broken section of the fence, Nash got off his horse and tethered it to a nearby post. Briefly, she wondered if she should attempt to get off Bessie on her own; but thankfully, Nash helped her off. It felt strange to be standing on the ground. For a second, she felt like she was still in motion. Lightning flashed, causing her to flinch. Then came the rumbling of thunder a few seconds later.

“Don’t worry, the lightning’s still a good twenty or so miles away,” Nash said.

She just rolled her eyes, wondering how in the world she’d gotten into this situation.

He held out his hand. “Here, put these gloves on. I’m going to reattach the barbed wire. I need you to hold it taut while I wind it around the posts and secure it.”

She was glad to have something to do, other than fretting over the weather. She watched admiringly as Nash quickly repaired the fence. He really was impressive on so many levels. He’d seemed perfectly at home while working in the glitzy world of advertising—so much so that her dad took him in as the son he never had—and yet, he was king of this rugged terrain, where there were no restraints. He felt her eyes on him and gave her a questioning look. The world seemed to tilt as attraction simmering in her stomach. Time seemed to peel away, and all she could think about was how good they were together. Her eyes went to his lips, and she remembered how possessively he kissed her when the pastor pronounced them man and wife. That had been real—more real than anything she’d felt since they were together before. A fierce longing welled up inside her, and she wanted him to kiss her, right here and now, so she could satisfy this incredible need she had for him. Her fingers itched to thread through the tendrils of hair curling on his nape. She would’ve given anything to be able to read his expression, but his hat was shadowing his face. He leaned in. Her heart raced with anticipation as she moistened her lips. The spell was broken when the musty scent of rain mushroomed around them. And then came the first raindrops.

He jumped into action, grabbing his tools and shoving them into the pouch. Lightning flashed. This time, the thunder followed close on its heels. The horses started bellowing out high-pitched squeals and jerking wildly at their reins. The clouds spilled.

“What do we do?” she yelled.

He grabbed her hand. “We’ve got to get to a safe place! Hurry! Get on the horse! She put her foot in the stirrup, and hepractically threw her on top of it. In a flash, he untied Bessie’s reins and handed them to her. Then he jumped on his horse. Stay close to me,” he ordered as he dug his heels into the horse. It took off at a full gallop. Brooke mimicked his actions, holding on for dear life as Bessie charged forward. Adrenaline pulsed through Brooke’s veins, drowning out all inhibitions as they charged ahead, lightning flashing around them. She leaned forward, her chin tucked against the horizontal rain, as she tried to get in sync with Bessie’s movements.

They’d only gone for what felt like a few short minutes when Nash came to a grinding halt. She jerked back on the reins to prevent Bessie from plowing into the back of him. Bessie neighed and twisted her neck in protest as her front hooves came off the ground for half a second. The motion was terrifying, and Brooke had the sensation of her stomach falling through her body. “Whoa!” she yelled. By some miracle, she was able to hold on. She looked past Nash and saw a building of some sort. He hopped off his horse and helped her down. Then, he thrust the reins for both horses into her hands and turned towards the door, grasping the handle. It was locked.

Everything came to a head as tears began streaming down Brooke’s cheeks. “What do we do now?” she cried. Blood was pounding in her temples, making her lightheaded. Lighting flashed all around them, and thunder was sounding simultaneously. The storm was right on top of them.

A savage expression on his face, Nash turned and kicked open the door.

“Come on,” he said gruffly, taking the reins from her and ushering her inside. Then he pulled the horses in behind them and slammed the door. The rain turned to hail, sounding like a succession of BB’s pelting a tin can.

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