Thunder Canyon Homecoming by Brenda Harlen Page A

something isn’t working doesn’t equal giving up.”
    â€œIt sure sounds like giving up to me.”
    â€œIf you came here to ride, go ahead,” she said. “Don’t worry about me.”
    â€œAnd what will you do?”
    â€œI can watch.”
    He curved an arm around her shoulders and guided her closer to the docile bay gelding. He whistled softly, and the horse ambled over to the fence.
    Erin looked at Jax.
    It was an innocuous-sounding name, and the animal seemed well behaved, but he was just so big. Okay, not quite as big as Lucifer, and certainly not anywhere near as menacing as the powerful stallion that was pawing impatiently at the ground and tossing his head from side to side, but still pretty intimidating. But there was something about those big dark eyes that encouraged her to trust that,though he was big and strong enough to toss her around like a rag doll, he wouldn’t.
    She started to reach toward the horse, testing herself as much as the animal, then hesitated.
    Corey caught her wrist before she could withdraw and guided her hand the rest of the way, until her palm was flat against the horse’s neck. She felt the muscles quiver beneath her touch, and the gelding blew out a quiet breath that sounded distinctly like a sigh of pleasure.
    Corey’s hand dropped away, but he remained close while she continued to stroke the animal.
    â€œI think he likes me,” Erin told him.
    He smiled. “Of course he likes you. He’d like you even more if you took him out for the run he’s saddled up for.”
    Still, she hesitated.
    â€œIt’s okay if you’re afraid.”
    Her shoulders stiffened. “I’m not afraid.”
    His lips curved, just a little, and she knew that she’d fallen straight into his trap. He vaulted easily over the fence, then put one foot in the stirrup and swung himself into the saddle, then he held out his hand to her. “Come on.”
    Erin remained rooted where she was. “I thought you were going to ride Lucifer.”
    â€œI am,” he said. “We’re just going to take a walk around the paddock together, until you’re comfortable with Jax.”
    Still she hesitated. “You expect me to get up on that horse with you?”
    â€œYou won’t fall off,” he promised.
    â€œWon’t we be too heavy for the horse?”
    â€œWe’re just going to take a few turns around the paddock. He can handle it.”
    Erin remained skeptical.
    â€œTrust me, darlin’, I know what these animals are worth and I wouldn’t do anything to risk harming any of them.”
    â€œMaybe I’m more worried about harm to me,” she told him, but climbed up onto the fence—keeping a wary eye on the horse—and over.
    â€œI won’t let anything happen to you.” He smiled. “Not anything that you don’t want to happen, that is.”
    It was as much an enticement as a warning. She felt her cheeks flush but chose to ignore the innuendo.
    She thought she was going to fall off before she ever managed to get on, but eventually she managed to climb up, straddling the horse’s back behind the saddle.
    â€œPut your arms around me and hold on,” he told her.
    She did so, all too aware of his solid warmth and masculine strength. His jacket was unzipped and she could feel the ripple of his muscles beneath the soft fabric of his shirt. Her mouth went dry—although whether it was from fear of the horse or awareness of Corey, she wasn’t certain.
    He nudged Jax into motion, and as Erin felt herself starting to slide, she fisted her hands in Corey’s shirt and held on for dear life. He only chuckled. As the horse made its way around the paddock and she realized how easily he was controlling the powerful animal with the hard muscles of his thighs, her grip on the flannel gradually loosened.
    Her own muscles felt watery; her limbs were weak. And her heart was pounding