Page 31 of A False Start
That makes him laugh harder. There may be thirteen years between us, but it somehow hasn’t prevented my brother from falling into childish taunts now and then. But the joke is on him because I’m just crazy enough to shave off his eyebrows.
I rip another piece of pizza out of one box and dig in, avoiding looking at Griffin. I don’t want him to think I’m with Tommy—and that’s a problem. It shouldn’t matter to me what Griffin thinks of my love life.
Stefan tries to pick up their earlier conversation about hunting. Something about target practice. He asks if I want to come and I nod, but I’m not listening.
I’m too busy analyzing that brief pause in Griffin’s movement. The way he didn’t laugh at my brother’s jokes. And the way he’s gone from fully conversing back to grunts, nods, and one syllable words.
* * *
“I wantto say goodnight to my horse. I’ve never had a horse, and I’m excited. Just take me with you, and I’ll walk back up here to my place.”
“No.”
I’m trying to convince Griffin to drive back to his cottage and then let me walk back to the main barn across the field. It’s a nice night, so there shouldn’t be a problem. Instead, he drove me straight up to the base of the steep stairs that lead to my little apartment above the barn, hopped out, yanked my door open, and pointed at the door.
Like I’m a child being sent to her room.
“Yes.”
“Out.” After a reasonably enjoyable day together, Griffin is being a full-blown cocksucker.
“Make me.” I cross my arms and arch an eyebrow at him in challenge. No chance would he—
One long step and he’s right up in my space with his hands wrapped around my rib cage. His grip is firm but gentle, and I swear he smells like the mountains, like a pine forest, and cinnamon gum, and it makes me want to lean in and run the tip of my nose up the curve of his neck.
His scent is intoxicating.
Even as he lifts me, like I’m a fucking bale of hay, takes a few long strides, and deposits me at the bottom of my stairs.
“G’night.” He slams the passenger side door. And never mind smelling him. Now what I want to do is kick him in the balls.
“What am I?” I shout at him, ire rising in my chest as he rounds the front of his truck. “A child?”
And I’m damn near positive he mutters, “Pretty much,” before he jumps in the truck and drives out of the circular driveway into the darkening scenery.
Did he seriously just drop me here and take off? I flip off the back of his truck.
And then I smile as my eyes find the rolling field that leads to the private cottage on the far side of the property.
It’s a pleasant night for a walk.
Within ten minutes, I’m ducking under the white fence that divides the hay field from the back part of the lot that the guest house sits on.
Try to tell me what to do again, asshole. See how it works out for you.
“Hi, boys,” I whisper into the dusky night. Two heads pop up and stare back at me. One is Spot. Then there’smine.
His shiny coat matches the warm receding light that fills the valley right now. It’s only shortly after nine p.m. but the sun goes down quickly when you’re sitting at the bottom of the Cascades. They jut out from the bright green fields violently. All sharp points and rocky ledges.
Sometimes they feel almost oppressive. I turn my back to the mountains and instead walk to the paddock at the end of the row so I can spend a little time just gazing at my new pet.
“Hi, Horse.” He hangs his head over the gate and closes his eyes beneath the stroke of my palm. I drag my fingers through his thick forelock and scratch him right between his ears. He nuzzles into my chest, and I swear he’s thanking me. I swear he knows we saved him.
I may not know how to ride a horse very well—okay, at all—yet, but I’ve worked around them on the ground enough to know that they are intuitive. Incredibly sensitive.
My cheek drops onto his dusty forehead. He’s clearly been rolling in the dirt, and I find I don’t care at all as I wrap my arms around him. I’m not sure I recognized how tall he is, taller than your average racehorse.
“You’re a very sweet boy,” I murmur, hugging him. And he lets me, clearly loving the attention. “We’ll get you feeling better soon. Mira has more of that medicine for you.”
