Page 24 of Captivated

“You want to give them space at first,” Paul said, his voice steady and even. “Let them come to you. Let them decide you’re not a threat.”

Nate didn’t move at first. The idea of an animal deciding whether he was safe felt absurd, but there was something in Paul’s tone that made him hesitate, something that made him want to listen.

Paul smiled again, this time with the same warmth he’d shown earlier. “Go ahead. Sorrel won’t bite.”

Nate’s hands trembled slightly as he took a step forward, his feet dragging in the dirt. The closer he got, the more his heart hammered as if the proximity of the horse brought something primal to the surface.

Sorrel stood still, his head lowered, his ears flicking in Nate’s direction. For a long moment, they stared at each other, the horse’s gaze calm and unwavering, while Nate felt his stomach churn, his nerves knotting in his gut.

“Just breathe,” Paul advised in a soft voice, watching from the side. “In through your nose, out through your mouth.”

Nate obeyed, taking a slow, steady breath, willing himself to stay calm. The tension in his body was palpable, but he tried to ignore it, focusing on the quiet rhythm of his breathing. He took another step, then another, until he was close enough to feel the warmth of Sorrel’s coat radiating in the cooler morning air.

Hesitantly, Nate reached out. His fingers brushed against the horse’s shoulder, and for a moment, the world seemed to pause. The horse didn’t flinch, didn’t pull away. Instead, Sorrel leaned into the touch, his muscles relaxing beneath Nate’s hand. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it was enough.

Nate’s chest tightened again, but this time it was different. The ache wasn’t as sharp, and he wasn’t as afraid. The connection, small though it was, felt like something real, something that hadn’t been forced.

It felt like… trust.

Paul watched without a sound, and Nate knew he was allowing the moment to unfold at its own pace.

“You’re doing great,” he said after a long pause, his voice low and even. “It’s not about rushing. Just let it happen.”

Nate nodded, his hand lingering on Sorrel’s shoulder, his heartbeat gradually slowing as he felt the horse’s steady warmth against his palm. It wasn’t a magical cure, and he wasn’t suddenly healed, but for the first time in what felt like forever, Nate felt a small spark of something else, not anger, shame, or fear.

It was the beginning of something he wasn’t sure he understood yet, but despite his feelings of trepidation, Nate didn’t mind the uncertainty.

Maybe this wasn’t such a ridiculous idea after all.

Chapter Eight

“Wanna learn how to groom him?”Zeeb watched for Nate’s reaction.

With this guy, what you see tells you more than what comes outta his mouth.

Nate hesitated, and Zeeb got ready to back-pedal. Nate’s shy smile took him by surprise. “Could we do it together?”

“Sure.” Zeeb peered at Paul. “That okay with you?”

“Of course. You know what you’re doing.”

Zeeb stepped through the gate and took Sorrel’s halter. “We’ll take him into the stable. That’s where all the gear is.” He led Sorrel, Nate walking on the other side of the horse, albeit a few feet away, as though he was maintaining a safe distance. Inside the stable, Zeeb headed for the rear. He pointed to the brushes and combs laid out. “We use these to get rid of all the dirt, tangles, and burrs. Watch me, then you can give it a try.”

Inwardly he was dancing. Okay, he hadn’t expected some kinda miraculous reaction to the horses, but so far Nate was doing pretty good.

Zeeb picked up a brush, conscious of Nate’s intense scrutiny. Then he realized wherever Nate’s head was at, it wasn’t in the stable.

“You okay?”

Sorrel tossed his head, the whites of his eyes flashing as he shuffled in place.

Zeeb could feel the tension radiating off both of them.

Okay, maybe he’s not doing so good after all.

Nate didn’t understand why his mood had flipped. All he knew was he’d gone from feeling calm—and he couldn’t remember reaching that state so fast around strangers—to a state of nervous agitation.

Damn it, he was so sick of feeling this way.

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