Page 10 of Wild As Her

“Come on, Cami. We’re going for our ride.”

“No, we’re not. You’re going home. I’m going formyride.”

“Hurry up, Wilder! You’ll miss the sunrise,” he says cheerfully as he ignores me as usual and heads over to Pesto, murmuring something to him.

Damn him. And I hate that I love the nickname he calls me.Wilder.It was my grandpa’s last name, and I miss him terribly. He knows I hate the name Kendrick, so Wilder has always been an endearment. Or it was. But not anymore. I’m trying not to love it.

I lean forward, petting Mouse, and watch the sunrise, my favorite part of the day. The Wyoming sunrise doesn’t just rise, itownsthe sky. The horizon glows with a soft, golden blush that spills across the wide-open plains. Then, in an instant, the sun punches through the sky like a flame cracking open the dark and igniting everything in sight. The shades of rose gold, amber, and orange will stop you in your tracks. There’s nothing like it.

I slide out my coffee thermos and pop off the lid, taking a sip, savoring the bitter but crisp coffee with a hint of cinnamon mixed with fresh milk from our dairy farmer up the road. My gaze sweeps over the land that I’ve called home my entire life. The rolling hills, endless sky, and it’s all still mine… for now.

A hand reaches over, and I roll my eyes as I pass the thermos over to him. He takes a few sips, putting his lips right to where mine were before handing it back. He gives me a grin that makes me shake my head.

I give an exaggerated eyeroll just to make sure he knows he’s ridiculous and impossible.

But inside, my heart flutters and I feel something else entirely. I refuse to let Jack see how much he affects me.

Mouse flicks his ears and reminds me he hasn’t had his treat yet. I reach into my bag and pull one out, him leaning to take it. “Good boy,” I murmur as I hand one to Jack to give to Pesto.

We move along the perimeter of the ranch, just like we always ride. Lost in my thoughts, Jack interrupts them with, “Got any sharp objects or firearms on you other than that shotgun?”

I sigh and say with exasperation, “Leave it to you to ruin my morning ride, Jessop.”

“That’s not an answer to my question,” he quips as Pesto falls in stride with Mouse.

I sigh, shooting him a sidelong glance. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“I would. Because you riding out here with no protection isn’t safe,” he says sternly.

I roll my eyes at him. “Did you not see me handle myself yesterday? I think I handled that just fine.”

He just gives me a look.

“What?” I glare.

“You can’t just shoot at people, Wilder,” he says softly, looking worried. “They might shoot back.”

“That’s what happens to trespassers, Jessop. Take note,” I warn as I scan the horizon. “And I missed on purpose. Next time, I won’t.”

“Well, I hope there isn’t a next time,” he says.

We ride in silence for a while, the horses falling in step together. I couldn’t tell you how many morning rides we had when we were kids. And since he's been back, most mornings, I run into him out here. It’s kind of something we’ve been doing off and on for months now. None of us really say anything or call it what it is. It just sort of happens.

Jack looks over at me, the sun reflecting his green eyes. “Don’t you think it’s interesting that our horses get along so well?”

I grip my reins. “Not really. You’re an asshole and Pesto is not. You’re the enemy.”

“That’s not true,” he says, his voice softer. “We’re not enemies.”

I glance over at him and say, “All I know is that I can’t trust anyone. You made me believe that I could trust you once and look where that got me. I don’t know what’s true anymore.”

He opens his mouth to respond, but I don’t wait to hear it. I click my tongue and guide Mouse back to the ranch, Love trotting faithfully beside us. As I ride away, I see her pause for amoment and glance back at Jack with longing. “Come on, Love,” I call firmly.

Of course, we give each other shit, but it’s nice to know he’s around. But I’ll be damned if I tell him that.

There’s no time to wallow. I have responsibilities and shit to take care of. I make my way back to the house, shower, and quickly get ready for the day.

Sliding on my jeans and stepping into my boots, I pull my hair back into a quick braid before grabbing my keys off the counter. I’ve got to get to town and give the people what they want: delicious baked goods and coffee.

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