Chapter 5
Winter
“Well done!” I call out to the girls, as they all successfully walk their ponies around the pen, having each just fitted them with their adorable pony saddles so that they can get used to what goes where.
“Can I stroke her again?” Faith pipes up from the back of the line, and I give her a playful smile as I ease Snowdrop to a slower pace.
I’m obviously not going to ride Snowdrop, because she’s too small for an adult, but when we’re doing leading exercises like this, I like to have her as my little companion.
“Remember how I told you to gently bring the ponies to a stop?” I ask the girls, and they tentatively stop walking, amazement shining in their eyes when the ponies mirror them.
“That’s perfect,” I tell them softly, before grinning at Faith and saying, “You can pet her now.”
And then Faith, Paisley, and Missy are all exhaling with pure joy as they lightly pet the ponies, slowly building on the bonds that have been growing since they started.
I lead Snowdrop to the other ponies, giving the girls some words of encouragement so that their confidence builds, and then my gaze flicks toward the distance, as a row of cowboys descend down the valley.
Dust sparkles around their heels as they ride effortlessly toward the pen.
The warm fall sunshine shimmers around them and I twist my lips to hide my smile, as my favorite cowboy in the lineup steers away from the pack and heads toward me.
“Saddles down?” Missy asks me, as the rest of the girls and their ponies gather in a little circle.
“Do you all remember how to take them off?” I ask the group, petting Snowdrop’s beautiful mane as the girls show me, their small hands fumbling with some parts of the saddle but keeping their energy calm and collected.
I help each of the girls lift down the saddles and set them into a resting position over the gate, although we keep the bridles on for now so that they can lead the ponies back to the stables.
We walk the ponies back to the barn, and once we’ve pampered them in their stalls we return to the pen – and this time I have Gratitude by my side, the stunning stallion that Caden’s family gave to me.
“Are you going to ride?” Paisley asks excitedly, in her honey-sweet Southern drawl, and her sparkly eyes bounce between me and Gratitude, before flicking quickly toward her older brother.
He’s been watching our lesson from the sidelines, large forearms braced over the fence as he waits for us to finish, and even though some guys can get restless, I know that Paisley’s brother Emery has the patience of a saint.
So I hide my secret smile and decide to tease the girls a little.
“Hmm, well, do you think that your brother can spare another minute?” I ask, and Paisley shimmies with excitement before bursting in his direction, squealing up to him if he can wait one more minute.
I breathe out a laugh and start walking with Faith and Missy toward the larger pen, letting them stroke Gratitude’s beautiful mane before entering the gate and securing it behind me.
The girls wait on the other side of the fence, beaming adorably as they wait for me to mount the horse.
Because even though the girls are super good with their ponies, I wouldn’t risk them being in here when I’m about to ride a stallion as big as Gratitude.
“I’m allowed! I’m allowed!” Paisley squeaks breathlessly, racing quickly back over to us, red-faced and panting.
Her brother gives me an amused eye-roll from beside the other guardians, making me shake my head and smile as I turn my attention back to the girls.
“What do y’all think?” I ask them playfully. “Should Gratitude and I do a little trot around the pen? Or should we do… a really, really fast one?!”
“A fast one! A fast one!” the girls squeal, practically screaming, and I laugh softly as I prepare to mount Gratitude after reverently stroking his coat.
“How fast?” I ask them over my shoulder as I lift myself into the saddle, giving Gratitude a little scratch before easing him into a gentle trot.
“Thirteen seconds!” Faith calls back to me, and I laugh happily as I bask in the sun.
“Thirteen seconds?!” I reply teasingly. “Even the fastest barrel racers are usually a little over thirteen seconds.”
“Only by milliseconds!” Paisley says, and my dimples tighten as I shake my head.
“Milliseconds?!” I repeat. “Where are y’all learning all of these big girl words from?”
But before any of them can reply, I thrust Gratitude into action, and the pen disappears around us into a sparkling cloud of dust.
I keep my posture at the perfect angle as I steer Gratitude at his favorite speed, making sure that he can read my cues as we weave a clover around the invisible barrels.
Because maybe it’s just in my Texan genes… but I freaking love barrel racing.
After we finish our whirlwind circuit, I ease Gratitude into a steady run, laughing happily as he shakes his mane and manoeuvres gracefully around the pen.
“Good boy!” I exclaim, stroking his beautiful coat as the girls cheer around us. “You did so good,” I tell him proudly, laughing as he settles into a self-assured canter.
The dust settles at his hooves and the ranch around us comes back into focus, and I can’t help but smile as I catch Caden watching me, his tattooed forearms resting over the paddock.
Gratitude leads me effortlessly toward him as Faith, Paisley and Missy head to their parents’ trucks, and then I’m slipping my boots from the stirrups and jumping down to the sunlit dirt.
Caden’s gaze roams slowly down my outfit, his large biceps flexing before he lifts his eyes to mine.
“Hey beautiful,” he says quietly, gently tugging me toward him, and his warm palms envelop my waist before hauling me up and lifting me over the fence.
I giggle up at him as I thud to the dirt, holding Gratitude’s reins as Caden kisses my cheek.
“That was – what – twelve and a half seconds?” he murmurs, and I laugh softly as I hide my smile, blushing crimson at the compliment.
“No way,” I whisper back to him, wrapping my arms around his shoulders, and a hint of a smirk tugs at his mouth as he massages my hips and pulls me close.
His mouth meets mine, warm and gentle, and he rumbles softly as I stroke his chest, his palms rubbing firmly up and down my back while he shields me with his shoulders from the ranch-hands behind us.
“How many more classes are you teaching today?” he asks, his gaze dropping to my fitted shirt as I caress his nape.
“Two more,” I whisper softly, and he nods his head as he massages my waist.
“I’ll stay out here, then,” he rumbles simply, and I nudge his nose with mine, just to make him smile.
“You don’t have to do that,” I whisper honestly, and he searches my eyes, trying to read my mind.
Caden told me that his hockey coach is interested in him becoming Captain in his senior year, so while he’s here in Kentucky I know that he could benefit from a little practice time.
But I also know that he’d never suggest it, given my history with the rink down here in Texas.
I loved that rink, and I loved skating… but it just wasn’t meant to be.
“You should go to the rink,” I say softly, his eyes seeking mine as I shift my boots on the dirt. “Just for an hour or two, while I’m busy here.” Then I smile up at him and whisper, “Captain.”
His brow arches and he laughs gently, but his irises smoulder with a million questions.
“Baby,” he says warily, his tan brow creasing as he searches my eyes. “I don’t… I don’t have to do that.”
I swallow hard and my heart squeezes, because I’ll never get over how thoughtful he is.
“Please?” I whisper softly, and his jaw flexes as he looks away from me, warring with himself about this, even though he knows that I don’t mind. “You know that it’ll be good for you. You deserve the ice-time. Do it for me.”
He exhales quietly and glances down at me, his palms gripping me tighter, reluctant to let go.
“Come with me,” he rasps hoarsely, but my lashes flutter as I shake my head.
“I’m not ready for that,” I admit. “And, besides, I have my classes.”
He swipes his tongue over his lower lip. “It doesn’t feel right, me going there, baby.”
“I don’t mind,” I tell him honestly. “I want what’s best for you, and you’ll enjoy it.”
“Not without you,” he murmurs roughly, his cheekbones heating as I run my hand through his hair.
“I promise, Caden, it’ll be good for you. And then, when you get back tonight, we’ll have the best night ever.”
His shoulders rise as he pulls me closer, his deep voice more gentle than before.
“Are you sure?”
I laugh softly and nod my head. “I promise, Caden. I’m sure.”
“Okay,” he murmurs quietly. “I’ll run you a bath and make us dinner after.”
My dimples tighten as I beam up at him and then I laugh as Gratitude nudges his nose between us.
Caden smiles and gathers me closer as he glances over at my horse, before giving him a firm stroke and returning his focus back to me.
“Fine. I’ll do it. Do you think that you’ll be all done by six?” he asks.
“Yeah,” I whisper, smiling, and he leans down to brush a soft kiss against my cheek.
His stubble rasps against my skin and I inhale shakily as he caresses my neck.
“There is absolutely no way that I’m letting you shave while you’re back here,” I whisper breathlessly, and his chest shakes with silent laughter before he pulls back with a handsome smile.
“Okay,” he murmurs. “I’ll be back around half-five, and I’ll keep my phone on loud, in case you need anything.”
“Such a gentleman,” I whisper, and Caden chuckles, unable to fight his grin.
And then the sound of heavy tires causes us both to glance beyond the pen, three trucks making their way toward us because my next class is about to start.
I turn back to Caden and he settles his palms over my hips, leaning down as I jump on my tip-toes so that I can kiss him again.
“Please don’t shave tonight,” I whisper quickly, and Caden grins down at me as I smooth his shirt.
“You like that, huh?” he rumbles teasingly, breathing out a laugh as I play with his chaps.
But then we hear the excited squeals of my next pupils and I drop my hands, needing to remain professional and composed for when they finally come into view.
With a final kiss, Caden squeezes my waist and then he helps me climb back over the fence, lifting me effortlessly over the gate so that I’m back to standing beside Gratitude.
“I’ll be home at five-thirty,” Caden says, resting his forearms back over the fence. And he looks so handsome that I can’t help myself – I lift up onto my tip-toes and kiss him again.
His shoulders swell as he embraces me back, and when I pull away, he’s blushing pink.
I don’t fight my smile as I search his eyes.
He’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen.
“See you at six,” I whisper back to him, and then I’m mounting Gratitude and riding back across the pen.