Page 114 of Ride the Sky

We spend most of the day in the barn, cleaning the stalls, then let Lovely and Lawless run themselves silly in the pasture. We finish up by giving them fresh water and then head back to the cottage.

Wyatt hands me my walker, waiting until I orient myself. My heart pounds as he kicks down the grass with his boots to make a path for me.

“You’re almost done with this,” he says, smiling as he glances at me. In two weeks, I graduate from a walker to a cane. I can’t fucking wait.

I pick up the pace. “Let’s see if you can catch me then.”

He lets out a laugh.

Hope suddenly seems so close. All I want to do is get back to my horses. My rodeo. My life. I can do it. With Wyatt here, anything seems possible.

My gaze shifts from my cottage in the distance to Wyatt’s handsome face. His strong, chiseled jaw, his gray T-shirt pulled tight around his muscled biceps.

He’s so perfect.

So beautiful. He’s the only view in the world that I want.

He belongs here.The thought hits me sudden and shocking.

Fuck.

I can’t help wondering if Wyatt would agree.

“Fallon?” Wyatt murmurs, and I realize I’ve stopped. His hand falls to the small of my back. “You okay?”

I squeeze the bars of my walker, snapping myself out of it. “Fine,” I murmur, my heart racing.

A motor roars somewhere nearby, getting closer and closer until a black Escalade pulls into the driveway.

“Pappy,” I say breathlessly. He’s texted me a few times in the last week that he’d be by to discuss next steps.

Wyatt straightens, following my gaze. His face darkens beneath the brim of his Stetson. “Fuckin’ great.”

“Nice place,” Pappy drawls as we walk through the front door.

I snort, not missing the curl of disdain in his voice.

“Yeah,” Tripp echoes, turning in place. He wears his characteristic floppy hair and aw-shucks grin. “It is.”

I give him a smile, leave my walker in the hallway, and hobble-walk my way to the living room.

Wyatt’s gaze finds mine, disapproval evident in his stern expression. I want Pappy to see I don’t need my walker. That I’ll be good as new soon.

“Why’re you here?” Wyatt asks Tripp, arms crossed over his broad chest. His expression is a mix of amusement and disgust. “Pappy’s puppy now?”

“Helpin’ him out. Still need a job,” Tripp says. “Zeke’s Hardware pays jack shit.”

I roll my eyes at their little show of machismo.Men.

Gaze flicking to me, Tripp nods. “You takin’ good care of her?”

Wyatt glares then smirks. “Have to. She is my wife, after all.”

“Wyatt,” I snap. Any chance for that man to toss that word around, he takes it. Never mind the warm feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Tripp’s eyes widen. “Married, huh? Didn’t think you were the type, Montgomery.” His gaze flicks to me then back to Wyatt. “Sure locked that down, didn’t you?”

A muscle works in Wyatt’s jaw. He wants to hit Tripp. I shouldn’t like his overprotective reaction. That wild look in his eye. But I do.

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