Page 32 of Tough Love

“No, Howard.”

“Let me try again.” She is so close to me, her breath lands on my face. “Please.”

The way she begs shouldn’t affect me the way it does. But with my heartstrings thoroughly plucked, I slide back to the ground and remove my foot from the stirrup and replace it with hers. Her hands shake around the reins, but she gives me a stiff nod.

I step back from Sergeant, and she gives him a squeeze with her legs. Shoulders back, jaw tight, she moves with him in the saddle as he walks on. Addy is the bravest soul I have ever met, and I don’t even know her story. Hell, I don’t even know what Addy is short for. I make a promise to myself to do better from now on. For the ranch. For her.

When they are halfway around, she sucks in a breath and holds it. I track her body movements. Her legs squeeze the gelding, and he breaks into a trot.

Shit.

But to my surprise, she rises and falls with the gait like a pro with every outside front hoof step. And a small, wobbly smile flickers over her face before she reins Sergeant in and pulls him to a halt.

Well damn, she did it. Surprising me again. I walk to the gelding and rest a hand on the rein near the bit, rubbing his face with my free hand.

“That was . . . ” Her words peter out.

“Epic, Howard, that’s what that was. Guess who’s going camping next weekend?”

“Yes!” She pumps both fists into the air before bending down and hugging Sergeant’s neck. The storm clouds rumble overhead.

“We should get this old man squared away in his paddock before the sky bursts.” I offer my hand, but Addy swings her leg behind her and dismounts, removing her foot from the stirrup. When she turns back, she’s inches from me. And for a heartbeat I don’t move, taking this incredible woman in as she stands, still shaking. The smile that beams over her gorgeous face is addictive. And I tip my hat to her, a well done for a hard-won task. “Well done, Howard.”

“Thanks, Hudson. We should go before we get soaked.”

I’d pay good money to see that cream shirt soaked through. So, I take my time leading the gelding back to the barn. Addy walks beside me. She’s quiet, and I know she is processing what just happened. I pray that it is all good progress from this point onward, but I know from experience that sometimes it’s one step forward and two steps back. Especially when it comes to rider psychology.

It’s a huge undertaking to trust an animal with your life again, especially after a traumatic accident. A tiny part of me wishes I knew what happened to Addy. What could possibly have someone like her, with such a love for horses and obvious riding prowess, out of the saddle? If I am lucky, maybe one day she will let me in and share her story. If Ma doesn’t find it by hunting it down first ...

As we release Sergeant to his paddock, thunder cracks overhead and rain pours from the dark clouds. In seconds, we are both drenched through, and I force my focus back to the barn when Addy takes off running for its shelter. I follow, flying into the barn after her as she scrambles to a halt, chuckling.

Her hair is dangling over her face, neck, and shoulders. The cream top that she has on is almost translucent. The dark braunderneath snags my attention before I train it elsewhere. Addy walks in a circle, ringing out her hair and then her shirt. It lifts as she wrings it between her hands, her belly exposed up to her ribs.

I track my focus to outside, but it’s too late. My cock is rock hard. Heat swells in my belly and my heart thunders.

“You’re all wet, Rawlins.”

I stifle the groan that wants out of my throat. The blood from my brain well and truly migrated south, I don’t dare turn around. And she appears by my side a heartbeat later. Her shirt is back down, but the navy bra shows through the wet material that now clings to her skin, over the swell of her breasts, the curve of her ribs, narrowing at her waist.

I shove both hands through my hair and think of anything but the woman beside me. And then she moves. Closing the distance between us, she stands right in front of me.

Fuck me.

“What are you thinking?” she breathes.

Her chest rises and falls erratically. As if she read my mind, her gaze drops to my mouth.

“Addy,” I rasp.

Her hand rises as if she wants to touch me. “Thank you for today, Hudson.”

I clear my throat. “You’re welcome. Just doing my job.”

Her hand falls, and she takes a step back. “I guess I’ll see you next Saturday, then.”

“Yep. Don’t forget your camping gear.”

“Sure thing,” she says, but the words are flat, and she turns back and walks into the rain before getting into her car and driving away. Her taillights disappear in the misty downfall, and I swallow hard.

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