the point?”
“You live on a ranch. It’ll be easier when you see you have nothing to fear.”
“I’ve been doing just fine by staying in my own corner.”
“You’re also missing out. Horses are terrific animals.” Trace met her eyes. “Come on, Nikki, give me a shot.”
Breathing in deeply, she turned her gaze to the stallion, and watched Trace stroke its velvety neck. “Okay,” she said, the word nearly sticking in her throat. She hated feeling afraid...of anything.
5
T HE NEXT DAY Trace waited for Nikki at the agreed upon spot, a grassy field between the Lone Wolf and the Sundance. It was the perfect place because she could easily access it by truck, and yet they’d have privacy.
He’d brought Gypsy, a sweet bay mare that was a guest favorite because of her gentle disposition. She rarely spooked and she was also on the small side, a good size for Nikki to control. Not that he expected her to climb in the saddle right away. She had to get to know Gypsy first and let confidence squeeze out some of the fear.
Damn, he hoped she hadn’t changed her mind. He glanced at his watch. She was only five minutes late. Nothing to sweat over. He thought he’d given her good directions but he might’ve taken a turn or two for granted. There weren’t many landmarks out here.
He checked his phone to make sure she hadn’t called him to cancel, relieved to see he didn’t have a voice mail. It wouldn’t have shocked him if she’d had second thoughts, but she wouldn’t leave him dangling. A moment later he heard the truck, and through the aspens and spruces, saw flashes of chrome reflecting the sunlight.
Gypsy barely reacted. The mare was used to the sound of vehicles around the Sundance, but he stroked her neck, passing his calm energy to her. Then Nikki parked and climbed out of the truck in tight jeans and there went his composure. He was still fine on the outside, it was just his pulse that seemed to be headed for a finish line. Gypsy danced a bit to the side, but he held on to the reins and hoped Nikki hadn’t seen the nervous step.
She walked toward him, her gaze fixed on the mare, her hands restless until she buried them in her front pockets. “Hey.”
“You have any trouble finding the road?”
“Only one wrong turn.” She finally met his eyes. “FYI, it’s not a road.”
He smiled. “It’s gotten overgrown since I was here last. Gypsy and I rode over the grass a few times to make a trail for you.”
“She’s a bay,” Nikki said, stopping a fair distance away and eyeing the mare as if she were an opponent in a boxing match. “I did some checking online so I’d know what I was getting myself into.”
“Good for you doing your own research. The more you know what to expect, the better.” He could stare at her sexy pink mouth and almond-shaped eyes all day, so he turned back to Gypsy before he forgot what he was supposed to be doing. “She’s about the best tempered horse I know. Josh and I use her to give riding lessons to the guests. Come closer. She wants to meet you.”
Nikki seemed to favor close-fitting stretchy shirts with necklines that dipped just low enough to make a man itch. He’d seen her wear four different colors. Today’s was yellow. And with the deep breaths she was taking, he’d have to watch himself. It didn’t help that he’d spent too long in the shower wondering how those lips would feel....
“I have to admit, she does have a sweet face.” Nikki stepped closer. “You’re holding on to her, right?”
“I am. Honestly I don’t need to, but we’re gonna take our time, let you two get acquainted for a while.”
She nodded, eyes only for Gypsy. “I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do.”
“As soon as you’re comfortable, you keep moving closer. Remember what I told you yesterday about a horse’s ears?”
“Yes, forward means friendly or curious. And I’m trying to keep my voice quiet and even.”
Trace smiled. “You’re doing
“You live on a ranch. It’ll be easier when you see you have nothing to fear.”
“I’ve been doing just fine by staying in my own corner.”
“You’re also missing out. Horses are terrific animals.” Trace met her eyes. “Come on, Nikki, give me a shot.”
Breathing in deeply, she turned her gaze to the stallion, and watched Trace stroke its velvety neck. “Okay,” she said, the word nearly sticking in her throat. She hated feeling afraid...of anything.
5
T HE NEXT DAY Trace waited for Nikki at the agreed upon spot, a grassy field between the Lone Wolf and the Sundance. It was the perfect place because she could easily access it by truck, and yet they’d have privacy.
He’d brought Gypsy, a sweet bay mare that was a guest favorite because of her gentle disposition. She rarely spooked and she was also on the small side, a good size for Nikki to control. Not that he expected her to climb in the saddle right away. She had to get to know Gypsy first and let confidence squeeze out some of the fear.
Damn, he hoped she hadn’t changed her mind. He glanced at his watch. She was only five minutes late. Nothing to sweat over. He thought he’d given her good directions but he might’ve taken a turn or two for granted. There weren’t many landmarks out here.
He checked his phone to make sure she hadn’t called him to cancel, relieved to see he didn’t have a voice mail. It wouldn’t have shocked him if she’d had second thoughts, but she wouldn’t leave him dangling. A moment later he heard the truck, and through the aspens and spruces, saw flashes of chrome reflecting the sunlight.
Gypsy barely reacted. The mare was used to the sound of vehicles around the Sundance, but he stroked her neck, passing his calm energy to her. Then Nikki parked and climbed out of the truck in tight jeans and there went his composure. He was still fine on the outside, it was just his pulse that seemed to be headed for a finish line. Gypsy danced a bit to the side, but he held on to the reins and hoped Nikki hadn’t seen the nervous step.
She walked toward him, her gaze fixed on the mare, her hands restless until she buried them in her front pockets. “Hey.”
“You have any trouble finding the road?”
“Only one wrong turn.” She finally met his eyes. “FYI, it’s not a road.”
He smiled. “It’s gotten overgrown since I was here last. Gypsy and I rode over the grass a few times to make a trail for you.”
“She’s a bay,” Nikki said, stopping a fair distance away and eyeing the mare as if she were an opponent in a boxing match. “I did some checking online so I’d know what I was getting myself into.”
“Good for you doing your own research. The more you know what to expect, the better.” He could stare at her sexy pink mouth and almond-shaped eyes all day, so he turned back to Gypsy before he forgot what he was supposed to be doing. “She’s about the best tempered horse I know. Josh and I use her to give riding lessons to the guests. Come closer. She wants to meet you.”
Nikki seemed to favor close-fitting stretchy shirts with necklines that dipped just low enough to make a man itch. He’d seen her wear four different colors. Today’s was yellow. And with the deep breaths she was taking, he’d have to watch himself. It didn’t help that he’d spent too long in the shower wondering how those lips would feel....
“I have to admit, she does have a sweet face.” Nikki stepped closer. “You’re holding on to her, right?”
“I am. Honestly I don’t need to, but we’re gonna take our time, let you two get acquainted for a while.”
She nodded, eyes only for Gypsy. “I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do.”
“As soon as you’re comfortable, you keep moving closer. Remember what I told you yesterday about a horse’s ears?”
“Yes, forward means friendly or curious. And I’m trying to keep my voice quiet and even.”
Trace smiled. “You’re doing
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