The Cowboy Code by Christine Wenger

name was Sparky, and he was black and very sweet and gentle. Instead, I got a horse named Banner, a palomino, who was a nervous type, which didn’t sit well with me because I wasn’t the most confident rider.” She shook her head. “The trainer who led us through the trails and across the farm fields thought it would be fun to jump a ditch that contained some irrigation equipment.”
    Joe grunted. “I know what’s coming.”
    â€œWell, everyone soared over it, except me. I pulled on Banner’s reins at the last second, and I went over his head and landed on my back on somekind of pipe.” She closed her eyes. “He didn’t step on me, but he came close. I remember seeing his underbelly. I got the wind knocked out of me. I couldn’t breathe.”
    She was breathing hard now, reliving the incident. “Everyone was too busy laughing to notice that I couldn’t breathe. Everything started to go dark around the edges, and their laughter seemed to get farther and farther away due to my lack of oxygen. I hit the ground and broke my arm. Luckily, as I fell again, it knocked something in place, and I could breathe again.”
    â€œWhat a horrible experience.” Joe met her gaze. “Did you get back on?”
    â€œNo. I walked to the barn, got my bicycle and rode home using only my good arm. I never talked to my so-called friends again, and never went near a horse again.” She smiled. “I’m even leery of the ones that pull carriages in New York City.”
    â€œNo wonder you’re scared, Maggie. Damn. Who wouldn’t be? And you came here knowing that you had to ride.”
    â€œWhat else could I do? This is about Danny, not me. Keeping him out of placement is the issue, not my fear of horses.” She crossed her fingers, and held them up. “I’m still hoping to overcome my fear.”
    â€œI’ll help you, Maggie, and I promise I’ll do everything I can to make sure you don’t get hurt. But if anything does happen, I’m a trained paramedic.You just have to trust me and try to stay calm. Can you do that?”
    â€œIt’s me that I don’t trust.”
    â€œYou just need confidence.” He put his hat back on. “Let’s table your lesson until tomorrow. I can always lend a hand at the corral.”
    â€œNo.” She shook her head. She didn’t know what had happened, but somehow this sweet, concerned cowboy had helped her to talk about it. Maybe she’d been misreading him. Maybe he wasn’t just concerned about his program’s success. In his own way, he led her to some kind of breakthrough. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to try my lesson again. Let’s do it now. I don’t want to think about it overnight, and I don’t want to get too far behind the rest.”
    â€œYou sure?”
    â€œYes,” she said with all the confidence she could muster.
    â€œExcellent decision. Let’s go.”
    Â 
    Somehow Joe had known if he suggested that they wait on the lesson, Maggie would opt to try again.
    A warm feeling settled over him. He wished he could lead her away from here. They could ride in the lower pasture where the wildflowers were in bloom. Hearing her open up—finally—made him want to become even closer to her….
    But he couldn’t. And before he did somethinghe’d regret, he’d better stop thinking about Maggie as a woman, and remember that she was just a participant in his program.
    They came to the barn door, and Joe could sense her nervousness, hear her breathing quicken. He took her hand in his, and felt the warmth of her skin. He told himself that he was just trying to encourage her, but it felt so good to touch her.
    â€œI’m going to have you bridle and saddle Lady a few times just to get you more comfortable being around her. I’ll be right next to you. Ready?”
    She nodded. “Ready.”
    He