Chapter Six #2
The fan overhead clipping and clanging out of balance sent a whiff of Carly’s herbal, clean scent washing over him. His body tightened. Yup, he’d respect the bargain no matter how uncomfortable he got.
“The assessments done in Germany show if you focus on anything other than your movements, you struggle with balance, so we’ll start there,” Carly said, drawing Owen back to their conversation.
“You saying I can’t walk and chew gum at the same time anymore?”
She laughed. The light, musical sound floated around him, taunting him. “That’s one way to put it, but don’t get discouraged. Horses are great healers.”
He counted on that fact. And her.
When they reached the arena, Dennis stood waiting with a golden tan horse.
The gelding kept a watchful gaze on Owen as they approached.
Nostrils flared as he took in Owen’s scent, but then he nodded, blew out a gust of air, and shoved his muzzle under Owen’s hand.
Rubbing the horse’s forehead, he said, “Glad I passed muster.”
“You two will make a fine team,” Dennis said to Owen before turning to Carly. “I was glad to see your name on the schedule. A lot of us volunteers miss working with you.”
“I’ve missed all of you, too, and working with clients. I didn’t realize how much until I stepped out here. Being in this space reminds me this is what we’re all about.”
The wistfulness in her voice surprised Owen. “If you miss this, then make a change.”
“It’s not that easy. Carving out time to work with you has been harder than I expected. Plus, my working with clients doesn’t make financial sense when other qualified individuals can see to those duties.”
“But today you’re acting as leader and instructor, right?” Dennis asked.
Carly nodded.
Owen’s brows furrowed. “Just what will you be doing?”
Carly turned to Dennis but hooked a thumb toward Owen. “Somehow he managed to grow up in Service and date me for two years without learning a thing about what we do.”
“I can’t fault him for focusing on a pretty girl rather than Horses for Heroes. Plus, he’s been gone a considerable while.”
Owen tilted his head toward Carly. “She blames me, and she’s not letting go of that bone any time soon.”
Carly rolled her eyes. “If this were a group session, we’d have a separate instructor and leaders, but with only one client it’s easy to do both. My job is to lead the horse while you—”
Owen didn’t hear the rest of her comment, instead he glanced at the horse and, sure enough a lead rope was clipped to the animal’s halter. “You’ll be leading me around the arena like a toddler on his first pony ride? How does that do me any good?”
“This is an example of what I was talking about and why you’d be better working with Joni.” Carly’s face flushed the color of Texas Indian Paintbrush wildflowers. “Say you’ll reconsider.”
“I’m not going around that mountain again. All I’m asking is you’re clearer with what’s going on and why.”
“I would have if I’d been allowed to finish.
I’d have said we want clients to control the horse as much as possible, and we adjust to their abilities.
Therefore, individuals who need less help, are given less.
While I’ll technically be ‘leading’ I primarily concentrate on your therapy and ensure the horse remains calm and focused. ”
Owen stepped forward and stared down at her. “You should’ve started with that, rather than waiting—”
“If you’d show a little patience, quit jumping to conclusions, and follow directions,” Carly said as she poked her finger in his chest, “which you should do better at considering you’re in the military—”
A shrill whistle sliced through the air. Both he and Carly froze and turned to Dennis. Owen rubbed the back of his neck, trying to get rid of the heat building there. How could he have forgotten they weren’t alone? Somehow whenever Carly got within fifty feet the rest of the world slipped away.
“What’s going on with you two? First you two were lockin’ eyes, and now you’re scrappin’ like two barn cats with one mouse.” The older man shook his head. “You remind me of me and my wife. There’s never been any middle ground with us either.”
Owen hid a smile behind a cough. The old man’s vision was still twenty-twenty. Maybe twenty-fifteen.
“You’ve got the wrong idea,” Carly sputtered.
“You’re not trying to sell me that bum steer, are you Missy?”
A pebble claimed Carly’s attention as she used her boot tip to cover the rock with dirt.
“The world may have changed since I dated Brenda, but there’s no mistaking the looks you two gave each other in the tack room. Trouble with his helmet, my aunt Fannie.”
Owen stood with his lips clamped together, hoping if he kept his mouth shut, he’d stay out of storm Dennis’s path.
“What you do on your own time is up to you, but here with me, this picking at each other will stop.” The former drill sergeant pointed a gnarled finger at Carly. “You quit acting like him asking somethin’ means he’s questioning the pope’s faith.”
“But, what if—”
“But nothing. I wasn’t asking. I was tellin’.”
Carly nodded. “Yes, sir.”
Then Dennis leveled his no-nonsense-scare-the-crap-out-of-any-recruit-at-fifty-paces stare on Owen. “And you, quit thinkin’ everything she says is questioning your manhood.”
The words denying the accusation sat perched on Owen’s tongue, but instead of speaking, he nodded, and mumbled a, yes, sir, but the older man’s words gnawed at him.
Was Dennis right? Did he fight Carly for control and question her because he feared she saw him as less than the man he’d been?
Nah. While he had a helluva lot to prove to the Army, the same wasn’t true of Carly. “That’s not what I’m doing.”
“No need to get your peacock feathers ruffled. We’ve all gone through it after coming back from overseas. It changes us in ways we don’t even realize.”
Owen didn’t know what to say.
“Now, so we get started while I’m still handsome and have all my teeth, I’m gonna tell y’all what’ll happen today,” Dennis said.
Owen and Carly chuckled at the older man’s comment. The tension broken, Dennis explained how Carly would give direction, but he’d walk quietly beside Owen watching his balance. “If I start yammerin’ you’re likely to get distracted.”
“I’m guessing the most Dennis will need to do is hold your boot near your ankle, but if he thinks you need more support, he might grab your belt or put his arm across your thigh,” Carly added.
Owen smiled at the older man. “If you get that friendly, I’ll expect you to buy me a beer.”
“Sounds like a fine plan to me,” Dennis said. “Now mount up.”
“If you think you’ll struggle with that, you can use the block mount.” Carly pointed to the large steps resembling an Olympic awards podium behind them.
Owen froze, crossed his arms over his chest, and stared at her. The woman was out to emasculate him.
“Sorry. Habit. Forget I mentioned it.” Carly waved a hand toward the horse as if granting him permission to proceed.
“Don’t be too upset, son. She’s a worrier. Most women in fields that care for folks are.” Dennis sauntered to the horse and grabbed the lead rope. When Owen joined him, the older man leaned closer, and patted him on the back in a universal gesture of male sympathy.
Worrying about him, he could handle. Carly leading him around, like a child who couldn’t control his own horse, stung.
Then ignore what she does and concentrate on how fine her ass looks in those skinny jeans she’s wearing. Remember how her cheeks turn the prettiest shade of pink when you get her riled up, and how her body felt right in your arms.
That was the last thing he should do after he’d promised to treat her like any therapist. He almost laughed when the image of Gunther, his short, burly, bald German physical therapist popped into his head. Just the thought of the man in tight jeans would give him nightmares.
Owen smiled. While he agreed Carly was hands off, that didn’t mean he couldn’t have a little fun. Every man needed a hobby, and he’d found the perfect one in riling Carly.
Owen patted the horse’s neck. “I’m counting on you a lot, too, pal.
” Then he grabbed the saddle horn, shoved his booted left foot into the stirrup, and said a quick prayer he didn’t end up on his ass in the dirt.
He pulled upward and shifted his weight to the stirrup.
Muscles strained at the once familiar movement, but he ended up in the saddle.
Confident, excited, and decidedly thankful to have mounted on his own, he glanced down at Carly. “All set and all in for whatever you’ve got in mind, Carly.”
Color swept across her face. Her ears bright red, her eyes widened, and she swallowed a couple times.
Who needed golfing, or restoring a car? His teasing and tempting Carly hobby beat the hell outta those.