Page 26 of Cowboy Stole My Heart
Chapter 8
WHEN SAMarrived the next day, Mia was a bundle of nerves. Her thighs were aching from the long, grueling training session the day before, but she was looking forward to seeing him. After so long working on her own every day, it was kind of nice, even though she knew he was only here for a handful of weeks.
And then there was the kiss.
When he got out of his vehicle and waved, she waved back, pushing her stupid nerves away and heading over to help him unload his horse. Blue jumped out with him, and she went around the back of the trailer to put the back down as he opened the side door.
“Ready?” she asked, before hauling it down.
“Yip, ready,” he replied.
Mia admired the dark bay, glossy rear end of his horse as she waited for him to give her a signal to open the back gate containing the horse. When he did, she opened it, and watched as he slowly backed his horse off.
“Impeccably behaved,” she said. She was used to well-behaved horses, but that had been effortless.
“Watch this,” he said, glancing at her before stroking his horse on the neck to get his attention.
She liked how gentle he was with them. Gentle but firm, his demeanor with the horses so effortless but clearly putting them so quickly at ease around him. It wasn’t something a person could learn, it was just the way he was, and she wondered how many of the people who paid a small fortune to watch him work actually understood that.
He never said a word, just angled his body toward the float and the horse walked on. When he straightened, the horse stopped. And when he turned his body the other way, the horse patiently walked off, like he was a robot adhering to pre-determined commands.
“That’s a very cool party trick,” she said, in awe of how simple he made it look.
“It’s my favorite thing to teach a horse,” he said, patting the big gelding as he stood patiently waiting. “This fella came to me with serious issues, including a fear of traveling in a trailer after a bad experience. His old owner couldn’t get him near one.”
She listened, full of admiration for what he did. Growing up she’d believed she’d had the touch when it came to horses, but after seeing Sam work she knew that very little people actually had it, even if they were instinctively good with animals.
“He’s handsome,” she said, shielding her eyes from the sun as she looked the horse over. He was muscled and powerful looking, clearly a full American Quarter horse, and she wished Tanner was here to see him—it was the kind of horse her brother loved.
“Your horses,” he asked. “I’ve been meaning to ask you their breeding.”
Mia flipped the back of the trailer up and they walked side by side across the entrance to her stables.
“They’re obviously Thoroughbred, but what gives them that edge?”
“American Quarter horse,” she said smugly, always pleased when she was able to tell people what gave her horses their something special. “My secret weapon is that I’ve bred most of them myself, from a beautiful half Quarter horse stallion, out of Thoroughbred mares. The Quarter horse gives them the powerful rear ends and lovely temperaments, and the Thoroughbred adds the speed and athleticism.”
He raised a brow and made her smile. “Clever girl. I’ll have to remember that.”
She faltered when his eyes lit upon hers, wondering whether she’d done the right thing the day before. She’d poked the bear, done something that she knew was going to result in a reaction from him, yet she’d done it anyway. She’d wanted him to look at her like that again, wanted to taste his lips and feel his hands on her. And damn it, it had felt good.
“So,” she said, wondering whether to say anything and deciding not to. “Where do you want to ride today?”
Sam shrugged. “Show me around. Wherever you want to go, I’m just happy to be getting back in the saddle and I’m looking forward to seeing more of the ranch.”
So was she. Only hers wasn’t literal. She was ready to get back in the saddle where men were considered and put herself out there, otherwise she was going to look back in a few years’ time and wonder why the hell she hadn’t made more of the last part of her twenties.
***
Sam mounted his horse and waited for Mia to join him, noticing the change in his horse when she approached on her excitable little mare.
“Easy big fella,” he murmured. “No need to get your tail all in a twist over an itty-bitty mare.” He grinned to himself, feeling one side of his mouth kick out into a grin. Pity he didn’t follow his own advice. A cute girl had gotten him all worked up in a sweat, too, and maybe, just maybe, his horse had felt his heart beat pick up.
“We’re off?” he asked.
“Let’s go,” she replied, turning so she was facing the same direction as he was before they rode off side by side.
“You know, you’re welcome to stay while you’re working here if you want. Either at the main house or with me, in mine.”
