Page 148 of Ride the Sky

“Do your brothers know?” Her voice is soft, gentle, like she’s talking to one of her horses.

I turn, finally meeting her gaze.

“No.” Even now, guilt rises, and I feel like throwing up. “When I woke up in the hospital, I told everyone it was a horseback riding accident.” I chuckle bitterly. “After I got out, I went back to training with Younger like nothing ever happened. How fuckin’ twisted is that? He never said a damn thing. It was only one time—”

Fallon squeezes my hand. “One time’s too much.”

“Yeah.” I rake a hand through my hair, exhale. “It was.”

We’re quiet for several long beats.

Fallon searches my face. “You work for him.”

I rub my jaw. “I do. I thought by takin’ the job I could at least keep some kids away from him. It ain’t much. But it’s somethin’. It’s all I can do, because I…”

“What?”

“Why didn’t I tell my parents or my brothers? The guy probably did this all the time, and I just let it happen.” My eyes are suddenly wet, but I keep talking. “If I was tough like Davis or brave like Charlie, maybe—”

“No.” Fallon’s voice snaps with fire. “Don’t you dare. You were a kid.”

I offer a shrug. “Still shoulda done the right thing.”

“The right thing would be me killing that motherfucker.”

I laugh bitterly. “Give it a month. He’s comin’ to the ranch.”

Fallon jolts in shock then growls. “When?”

“End of summer. Hell, I ain’t even sure if he remembers me, but I fuckin’ remember him.”

“How do you feel about seeing him again?”

“Honestly, I ain’t sure. Fourteen years old feels like a thousand years ago, but I can still feel it all the same, you know?” My jaw works back and forth. “Part of me wants to take a swingat the guy the second I see him. The other wants to show him what a real cowboy looks like. Even if I am still a fuckup.”

“You’re the furthest thing from a fuckup, Wyatt.” Fallon’s eyes are misty. “The way you train those kids. They way you are with the horses. You’re so damn good.” Her voice shakes. “Being gentle, being kind, that makes a man.” She touches her heart. “I’ve never met anyone like you, Wyatt. When everyone was against me, there was only you. You show me over and over again what it means to be safe.”

Fuck. Her words have my heart burning in my damn chest.

Fallon cups my face and leans in. “I’m here for you, you know. Sometimes I’m an asshole, but… I’m so sorry that happened to you, Wyatt.”

“You’re goin’ soft, Trouble.”

She smiles, kisses my lips. “For you, maybe.”

I move then, pulling Fallon into my arms and down onto the bed. She lies on my chest, hand fanned out over my heart. I smooth her silky hair, those long caramel strands.

Fallon lets out a long sigh. “I don’t want PT to be over.”

“You’ll miss it that much?” I ask, lifting my head.

Her bottomless hazel eyes meet mine. “No.” She hesitates then says, “I’ll miss you.”

Fuck. If that isn’t the devastation of my heart.

She bites her lip. “What if I said I like living with you?”

I smother a smile at how she always tries to be nonchalant before giving in to her feelings. “I like living with you, too.”

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