Page 45 of Head Over Spurs

They had returned to the compound, riding up to the wash stall to cool the horses down. She dismounted, straightened out herlady lawlesstee and turned to him. There was a lightness in her eyes that hadn’t been there this morning, the sight bolstering him as he moved to dismount too.

His boots hit the ground.

Then his knee hit the ground.

Pain ripped up his spine, paralyzing his legs. He couldn’t move from the kneeling position, facing an agony he hadn’t felt in some time.

“Riley, oh my god! What’s happening?” Her voice was panicked, high pitched and breathy, as she rushed to him.

His only response was a groan, the pain persisting. He dropped his head, blindly reaching a hand out to steady himself. Expecting to get a hold on the stirrup hanging from Atlas, he was surprised when his hand connected with Jules. She stepped into his space, her hand closing over his as he grasped at her hip like an anchor.

“Can I do anything to help?” she begged.

He managed to shake his head, breathing as the first signs of relief crept in. “It’s passing,” he gritted out.

Even still, he curled his finger tighter, the feel of her acting as a way to ground himself. A very preferable way, if he was being honest.

The pain written across his face must have been subsiding because when she spoke again, her voice was a fraction calmer. “Does this happen often?”

“Not like this,” he admitted. “It hasn’t been this bad since the accident.”

Slowly, he rose to his feet, keeping his grasp firm on her hip. She pressed her hands to his chest, her eyes giving him a once over. Not to check him out though; she was assessing him. Worried.

“What happened?” she asked carefully. “The accident, I mean.”

Riley wrapped his arms around her, only to keep himself steady, then said, “I’m still not sure where exactly I went wrong, but I did. And when I was thrown from the horse, I fractured my spine.”

“Fractured your spine? I thought this injury everyone was talking about was like… not that! Should you even be riding this soon? And competing in tie down roping? Riley!”

He brought a hand up to the back of her head, caressing her against his chest. Then dropping his face into her hair, he smiled and inhaled. “I’m allowed to do these things if I pay attention to any concerning symptoms.”

“I’d call this concerning,” she muttered against his shirt. “You need to go to the doctor. Tell them about this.”

“I’ll go,” he replied automatically.

“But will you?” She raised her head, shooting him a skeptical glare.

On either side of them, the horses remained patient, grazing unconcerned. They clearly weren’t as in tune with his bullshit as Jules.

“I’ll make you a deal,” she offered. “I’ll go to the doctor with you, if you go to this dinner with me tonight.”

“You want me at dinner?” He grinned back at her.

“Misery loves company, so we do the miserable things together.”

“Together,” he agreed. As if he’d tell her no.

20

JULES

She wasn’t the type to second guess herself. But as she tied the halter of her pink and red floral dress around her neck, she couldn’t help wondering if inviting Riley tonight was a horrible idea.

Of course, he seemed like the kind of guy that got along with everyone. And her mother certainly wouldn’t be abrasive to him. She just didn’t want him to see this side of her—the side that built defenses against her own family.

She let out a sigh as she scrunched the fresh waves she put in her hair. Then with a pass of her favorite lipstick—classic rouge—she smacked her lips together and held her head high as she marched towards the door. She felt confident knowing Riley would be by her side. Like she could be her true self.

For that reason, tonight would be fine, she reasoned as she locked the apartment up and started towards her car.

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