Page 58 of Mister Cowboy
“Yep.”
Timothy dropped the brush and held his hand out to Brecken while she looked the horses up and down. It seemed like a bad time to admit she was scared of horses.
“Ever ridden before?” Timothy asked as she stayed hidden behind Brecken.
“No. I’m strictly a city girl. I might have ridden a pony once, but nothing this size.”
Brecken took her hand and led her to the smaller horse. “This is Midnight. She was my mother’s horse. She’s very calm.” He placed their joined hands on Midnight. Her mane was soft and warm to the touch. She stood perfectly still as Brecken let go and only her trembling hand was left stroking the horses side.
She stepped back, still not completely sold that Midnight wouldn’t buck her off the first chance she had. Brecken stepped to his horse and placed his hand on the larger, brown horse’s side.
“What’s her name?”
“This is Master, and he’s appalled you didn’t notice he’s a stallion.”
“He’s a little scary.”
“He belonged to my father. Though, I’m not sure he rode Master much.”
Timothy patted the large horse. “He didn’t do a lot of riding over the last few years. He rode Sable over there on the rare occasion he did.” Brecken’s gaze followed in the direction Timothy pointed to a smaller white horse and stared for a long moment. It was torture to imagine what being here felt like for him, but part of her was glad that he was no longer running. It was a start.
Timothy and Brecken spent the next five minutes giving her a detailed overview of Midnight, how to mount, dismount, how to ride her once she was up in the saddle, and probably a million other things that she heard but didn’t comprehend. Sweat dripped down her back even as the wind picked up and a cold breeze whipped through the barn.
“Feels like a storm’s blowing in. Stay close.”
Brecken nodded, and Timothy turned his attention to her. “Have fun,” he said with a grin and left Brecken and her alone with the horses.
“Ready to get on her?”
“Words I never thought I’d hear,” she mumbled and sized up Midnight.
Brecken ran his thumb over her bottom lip. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Nodding, she stared into his dark eyes seeing the truth of his words. He would keep her safe. Placing one foot in the stirrup, Brecken boosted her with a gentle nudge on the ass, and she managed to get her leg up and over the horse. She gasped when Midnight moved forward a few steps, but Brecken kept her steady while she found her bearings. She’d never had a fear of heights, but sitting atop Midnight, made her feel as if the ground were a mile away.
She was still locked in the fear of falling as Brecken mounted Master with ease and command in suit pants that probably cost as much as the horse. It was enough to forget about possibly breaking her neck, and had she not known it to be true, she’d never have guessed he hadn’t been on a horse in almost twenty years.
He spoke softly to Master and adjusted himself in the seat, leaving her mesmerized.
“You look pretty good up there. It’s almost enough to distract a girl from imminent death.”
Brecken winked and nudged Master forward. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”
32
Brecken
He watchedas January sat uneasily on Midnight, a death grip on the reins. She caught his eyes and smiled hesitantly before returning her attention to the back of the horse. It was as if she were afraid breaking eye contact broke some sort of rider-horse code. He wasn’t sure what she thought the horse was going to do, but she had her eye on the old mare like Midnight might turn around and bite her at any moment.
For Brecken, it felt like a homecoming. Something instinctual and undeniable that he couldn’t escape any more than he could escape feelings for January.
“You have it now. We’re going up to that clearing.” He pointed to the familiar spot.
His spot.
Their spot. The “their” being Henry and him. They’d spent hours running around like hellions exploring every acre of the expansive ranch, but time and time again they’d ended up there. It was the spot of their most epic freeze tag races, later their football field, and for him, it was often a place he came to think.
Bringing Master to a stop, he swung his leg over and grabbed the reins. Midnight slowed as he moved in front of her, and he patted her nose for being so gentle with his girl. Whispering his thanks, he stepped to the side to help January down. Her hands were clammy as she handed him the reins, a plastered-on smile that looked as convincing as her trembling lips stretching wide.
