Bite Marks and Bruises #2
He hands me the reins. “Remember, the horse picks up on your energy, so be confident, yeah? You got this. Now what you wanna do is keep your legs relaxed—”
“Right. That’s what Nash told me.”
Colton flashes me a smirk. “I’m a better teacher than Nash.”
“We’ll see about that.”
“You’re not falling yet, are you? And there are not one but two handsome cowboys in the vicinity.”
“I am handsome.” Dean squints at us. “But why are you guys talking so much? Let’s go.”
Colton gives me a few more pointers: keep my thumbs up, squeeze with my legs to change speed or directions, keep my back straight but my hips loose. I wouldn’t say he’s being overly kind, but he is taking his time with me, which makes me hate him slightly less.
Slightly.
When he’s done, he climbs back onto his horse and pulls on his gloves.
“That’s it?” I ask. Cream Puff ducks his head to munch on some grass.
Colton nods. “That’s it.”
Dean urges his horse into a walk. “Woo-hoo! Let’s go, guys! Best day ever!”
I’m a nervous wreck at first. Horses are so much bigger when you’re on them, and it takes me a while to get used to the rhythm of Cream Puff’s movements. Practicing on that saddle in the barn the other day didn’t help one freaking bit.
Colton rides beside me as we head out into an open pasture beside my apartment. At one point, he reaches over and presses a hand against my spine.
“Remember to sit up straight. If you start hunching over, you’re gonna get hurt.”
Why do you care? “Okay.”
“You actually look decent in the saddle, Dallas.”
I glance at Dean, who’s far enough ahead of us that he’s out of earshot.
“You’re actually a gigantic dickhead,” I reply.
He grins, the skin at the edges of his eyes crinkling. “Still salty about…well, that stunt I pulled with something else salty, huh?”
My stomach turns over at him bringing that up. “You’re rude.”
“You liked it.”
I scoff. “You’re the one who—never mind.” I shake my head. “Let’s move on, yeah?”
“I ain’t letting you out of my sight. Something happens to you, my dad’ll have a shit fit. It’s not a good look for us if people are getting hurt on the ranch. Even if they are amateurs.”
“Aw, be honest. You’re still sore you made the amateur move of not locking those handcuffs.”
His eyes meet mine. “Would an amateur make you come that hard?”
I decide not to answer that question and focus on staying in this goddamn saddle. Doesn’t help that my center meets with the pommel as the horse walks, stoking sparks into flames.
I don’t want to be turned on by Colton’s teasing. His obscenity. That fucking squint.
But I am, and that kills me.
It’s beautiful out here. A mist has settled over the pasture, and we chase it toward the strengthening sun. The world is painted in shades of green and gold, and it smells like fall: earth and leaves and a cool cleanness that sends a rush through me when it hits the bottom of my lungs.
The world opens up around us as the mist dissipates, and I feel the vastness of it inside my chest as we plod forward. There’s something soothing about the horse’s steady, certain stride. My mind begins to clear as my body settles into an even rhythm.
“Lainey!” Dean exclaims. “Look! You’re doing it!”
The horse hits a divot, and I lurch a little to the side. Colton is there to catch me, though, curling his hand around my side to help me straighten. It’s all I can do not to shudder.
Goddamn it, I want this man. I also want to kill him.
“You jinxed me,” I manage, looking at Dean.
He holds a little finger to his lips. “Won’t do it again.”
I have to smile at how he looks on his horse. He’s already such a pro, handling the horse with an ease that only comes from years and years of experience.
He spots some deer and rides ahead a little ways, leaving me and Colton alone yet again.
I wonder what I should say. Are we going to actually talk about what happened in the barn with the handcuffs? If we are, do I play it cool? How the fuck would I do that?
He clears his throat. “So you’re good.”
“I’m better than good. I’m fucking crushing it, Colton. Obviously.” I motion to the saddle I’m still in.
“No. I mean…after what happened that night at the barn.”
Is he talking about the bite mark he left on me?
The one that’s still visible, albeit barely?
The one I revisit every night when I’m alone and so turned on I want to scream?
Or is he digging into the fact that there’s a fucked-up power dynamic between us with him being the boss and me being… whatever I am to him?
Also, why does he care?
I don’t know how to answer that, so I’m quiet for a beat. “You know, you’re so hot and cold. If you’re gonna push me off this horse, just do it already and put me out of my misery.”
“Aw, Dallas, don’t pretend like you ain’t enjoying hatin’ me.”
“I do like hating you. I’m just confused as to why that happened. Like, why were you Dr. Jekyll then and Mr. Hyde now?”
His turn to pause. He looks down at the reins he holds in his hand. “That day…it was a super shitty one before I ran into you.”
I let out a mirthless laugh. “I mean, how shitty does your day have to be to bite someone?”
“Oh, but you liked the bite, didn’t you?”
Fuck, I really, really liked the bite.
“Keep telling yourself that,” I blurt.
Colton looks away. “I mean, I think it’s safe to say you’re having a shitty day when your sister and your best friend tell you they’re dating or hooking up or whatever behind your back.”
My heart trips to a sudden stop. “You mean Billie—”
“And Ryder. Not sure if you’ve met him yet, but…yeah. Billie and I got into it that day, and…” Looking down, he shakes his head. “Never mind. It’s stupid.”
“Doesn’t sound stupid. Sounds like it hurt. A lot.”
He doesn’t say anything to that.
“You didn’t know about them being together?” I ask.
“Nope.”
“Shit,” I say. “That sucks. I’m sorry.”
Why am I being nice to Colton all of a sudden? He is confiding in me. Which seems totally incongruent with his rudeness from before. But here he is, opening up to me. Even if it’s just a crack.
He lets out a mirthless chuckle. “I been lied to before. Shouldn’t be surprised it happened again.”
I wonder if the person who lied to him was his wife. Is that why he always has to be in control? Why he’s so angry all the time?
I frown. “That’s a sucky way to go through life, thinking everyone’s out to pull one over on you.”
“That’s reality. And now I’m worried…” Colton sighs. “I just don’t want this to blow up in their faces.”
“Billie and Ryder’s?”
“Yes—”
“Guys! Can you ride faster, please?” Dean shouts. “I’m so far ahead of you, jeez!”
Colton chuckles. “We’ll be right there.” He looks at me. “Give your horse a squeeze with your legs. He’ll know to go a little faster. You got this, yeah?”
Wait, wait. Is Colton being nice to me now too? After opening up to me and everything?
It’s a mindfuck of the first degree.
“I’ll do my best,” I say and squeeze the horse like he tells me.
I follow Colton and Dean in a big loop around the pasture before we head back toward the stables. A shadow of disappointment falls across my chest at the prospect of our ride being over. I could keep riding—keep talking—all day.
A woman and a dark brown baby horse are in the corral just outside the barn. The horse canters easily around the corral, and the woman beams, her hands going to the ends of a stethoscope that hangs around her neck.
“Come see, Miss Lainey!” Dean says. “That foal broke her leg a while ago, but Doc Sally fixed her right up.”
“Doc Sally?”
“The head of our veterinary program,” Colton explains. “She’s a rock star surgeon.”
Colton and Dean dismount, handing off their horses to a waiting stable hand. Then, in that no-nonsense way of his, Colton reaches up and grabs me by the waist.
“Same as last time,” he says. “Hands on my shoulders. I got you.”
Same as last time. He says it so casually, like last time didn’t entail handcuffs and mutual masturbation.
I glide easily off the horse, Colton silently setting me on the ground like I weigh as much as a feather.
Our eyes lock. His are very green in this light and soft. My stomach flips for the hundredth time today. Something is different between us now. Something, however small, has shifted, and now…
Well, now I want to keep hating him, but I’m struggling to keep that fire stoked.
Especially when he asks for the second time today, “You good?”
I try to find some air, which is suddenly in short supply. “Yes. Good.”
“Let’s go see how our foal is healing, then.”
I follow him inside the corral. Because Colton is a magician with horses, he’s able to summon the foal to him. Then he squats beside the animal while Dean listens intently.
“See here, son? Two plates and six screws hold this joint together. It’s healed beautifully, so this foal is gonna be able to work cattle just like her mama. Doc Sally saved her life. Maybe one day you can be a rock star veterinary surgeon like her, yeah?”
I take a mental note. All kinds of jobs are available on a ranch. It’s interesting that Colton mentions higher education for his son. Is that a continuation of their heritage or a break from it? It would be a major contribution to the community.
Doc Sally laughs. “I’m no rock star. But I do love my job.”
“The leg really looks great, Sal,” Colton says. “Good as new. Your work is truly incredible.”
I’m starting to think Colton really is a decent boss.
A great one, actually.
The pride is obvious in Sally’s voice when she replies, “Thank you, Colt. But y’all saved the day too. Most ranchers, they wouldn’t bother fixing an injury as bad as that one. You did the right thing. The hard thing. That’s why I love working for y’all so dang much.”
“Well, we love havin’ you. Still don’t get what you see in Wyatt Rivers, but—”
“Hey.” Sally gently elbows him. “Wyatt’s got a big…heart. That’s why I chose to stay in Hartsville to be with him.”
“I’ve heard a lot about those Riverses’ hearts.”
Now he’s being playful. Almost cute.
“Pretty sure we all have,” Sally replies. “They make no secret of it.”
“Y’all spending Thanksgiving together?” Colt asks.