Five Sunny
The sun is shining, it’s a brand-new day, and I’m in a great mood. I think my body is getting used to these early starts now. Finally.
“Alright, Sunny, let’s see what you’ve got,”
Colton calls out, his voice always encouraging. He’s a great teacher, I must admit. He’s been teaching Pais and me how to train the horses. It’s been really fun.
I nod, letting Colton know I am ready, feeling a rush of excitement. I’ve always had a way with horses, a natural connection that seems to come effortlessly. I lead one of the horses, a beautiful chestnut mare that we have been working on, into the pen and start the session. Colton watches closely, offering tips and advice as I go. I guide the mare through a series of exercises, focusing on building trust and responsiveness. It will be a while before she’s following my lead with ease, but we’ve made great progress.
“You’re a natural, Sun,”
Colton says, his voice full of admiration, “Keep it up.”
I smile. Working with the horses has always felt right, like it’s exactly what I’m supposed to be doing with my life.
After a while, it’s Paisley’s turn. I hand her the reins and step back, watching as Colton coaches her through the training. Paisley is amazing, she has a gentle nature that the horses respond to, but of course, Colton can’t help himself.
“Relax your grip,”
he says, his voice calm but firm. “You’re holding too tight.”
Paisley casts him a side-eye over her shoulder.
“Maybe if you stopped barking orders like a drill sergeant, I’d be more relaxed.”
Colton doesn’t miss a beat. “Or maybe if you actually listened, I wouldn’t have to bark.”
“Maybe if you smiled once in a while, the horses wouldn’t think you’re out to kill them.”
Paisley grins sweetly, but there’s a spark in her eye, one that practically dares him to lose his cool.
Colton lets out a low sigh, muttering under his breath as he adjusts the way her hands rest on the reins. “It’s not about smiling; it’s about technique.”
His hand brushes hers briefly, and Paisley’s grin falters for just a moment.
“Careful, cowboy,”
she teases, her voice lower now, with just a hint of challenge. “If you keep touching me like that, people might start to think you’re warming up to me.”
“And that’s my cue to leave. I’m going to grab a coffee, anyone want anything?”
I say, jumping down from the fence.
“I’m good, thanks,”
Colton replies.
“I’m good too,”
paisley adds.
They’re just as bad as each other, honestly. Always finding every opportunity to wind the other up. It’s like watching two kids on a playground.
I make my way over to the main house. It’s a charming, rustic place with a welcoming feel. The main room is open plan, with a large kitchen that flows into a cozy living area. The dining table sits in the middle of the room, providing a perfect 360 view of the area. I haven’t seen much of Levi since the barn, there’s something about him that intrigues me. I want to know more about him.
There was a moment, a brief flicker, before the horse decided to be a cock-block, I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind. A smile already spreading across my face at the mere thought of Levi.
“Morning!” I chirp.
“Morning Sun, sorry I gotta run. Lots of work to do today,”
Bodhi says, rushing out the door with his flask in hand. He probably had another hot date.
Glancing around the kitchen, my eyes land on Levi. He’s standing by the sink, nursing his usual coffee-dessert. I expect his normal excited puppy greeting, or at least a smile to show off his dimples, but all I get is a blunt “Hi.”
Just…hi.
My smile falters. Confusion stirs in my chest. What the hell? We had a moment in the barn the other night. And there was definitely something between us in the kitchen that morning—or at least I thought we did. A flicker, a spark… well, until the horse decided to butt in. I figured we’d pick up where we left off, but now he’s acting distant, like none of it ever happened
Did I scare him off? Was it the flirting? I knew I should’ve played it cool. I take a seat at the table, Levi still not saying a word. My mind racing as I pick up the jug and pour the coffee into my cup.
Oh, cool. We are doing the pretend-nothing-happened thing. Fantastic. My favorite game. Way more fun than, I don’t know, talking like normal people.
I should just straight-up ask him what his problem is. Or better yet, I’ll just throw a sugar cube at him. That’ll get a reaction. He does seem like he needs a little sugar after all.
“Sleep well?”
I ask, taking a slow sip of my coffee, hoping my tone doesn’t betray how much I’m fishing for some reaction.
“Yeah,”
Levi says, not looking up from his cup. No elaboration. Nothing. I tilt my head,
“Oh…okay.”
His jaw tenses slightly, the only reaction I’ve had so far. He clears his throat.
Okay, something’s definitely up. Did I say the wrong thing? Or worse, does he regret what happened? I’ve never pegged Levi as someone who shies away from anything—but maybe I misjudged him.
I lean back in my chair, eyes fixed on him as my finger circles patterns on the side of my mug,
“Wanna talk about it, Sir?”
Finally, Levi’s gaze flicks to me. There’s something unreadable in his eyes, but he doesn’t take the bait.
“Not really.”
Well, okay then Mr blunt. Now he’s starting to annoy me.
“You know, yesterday…”
I start, watching him closely, “In the kitchen…”
I trail off, letting the sentence hang, curious to see if he’ll react.
Levi freezes for a split second, His grip on the mug tightens, a tiny crack in his calm fa?ade. What’s he hiding?
But then, just as quickly, he recovers. “What about it?”
he says, his tone flat, like nothing at all happened.
I roll my eyes. “Oh, come on. Don’t play dumb, Levi.”
Okay, maybe he’s getting under my skin a little more bit now.
His eyes darken a fraction, but he doesn’t respond. Instead, he goes back to ignoring me, pretending that his coffee is more interesting than anything I have to say.
Why can’t I let this go. Just drink your coffee and mind your damn business, Sunny!
I stand up and walk over to where he’s leaning against the counter, invading his space a little, just to see how he reacts.
Apparently, I now have no control over my body.
“What’s going on with you?”
He looks down at me, his expression unreadable but his eyes flicker with something—something he’s obviously trying to hide, “Nothing’s going on.”
“Uh-huh.”
I take another step closer, our bodies almost touching. “You’re acting different. Did I say something wrong?”
Levi’s lips twitch, but he doesn’t answer. Instead, he pushes off the counter, walking away from me without a word. I stare as he makes his way towards the door, feeling a mix of frustration and curiosity. What the heck is going on with him? One minute he’s flirting, the next he’s avoiding me. It’s like a game with him. But that’s fine. If he’s going to act all distant and moody, I’ll just have to see what buttons I can press. Bodhi messes with Levi all the time, it doesn’t seem that difficult.
“You’re being such a baby, Levi,”
I call after him, my tone laced with mock annoyance.
He stops mid-stride like I’ve yanked an invisible leash, turning to face me with narrowed eyes that practically smolder. “What did you say?”
I shrug, letting a slow smirk curl across my lips.
“You heard me. Baby. You’re avoiding me.”
I tilt my head, crossing my arms. “Big, bad Levi can’t handle a little conversation with me? Pathetic, really.”
His jaw ticks, and for a moment, his expression darkens. Maybe I should’ve eased into the teasing. Bodhi says I have the subtlety of a wrecking ball, but what does he know?
Instead of snapping, Levi exhales through his nose, shaking his head like I’m a particularly annoying puzzle he can’t figure out. There’s a small, tired smile tugging at his lips, but his eyes—they linger on me, heavy and unreadable, like they’re holding back something he doesn’t want me to see.
“You’re not going to drop this, are you?”
he says, his voice softer now but laced with that familiar gravel.
“Nope,”
I reply, flashing him my brightest, most infuriating grin. “Might as well give in now. I always get what I want.”
He huffs a laugh, shaking his head, but his gaze dips, just for a second—so quick I almost miss it—to my lips. And then he’s looking away, like he didn’t just let his guard slip.
“Guess we’ll see about that,”
he mutters, turning back toward the door. But there’s a tension in his shoulders now, like he’s bracing himself, and I can’t help but feel like I’ve won something I don’t quite understand yet.
The kitchen door creaks open, breaking the moment. The guys burst in, their laughter filling the space. Levi steps back, his attention shifting to them as if I’d never been there at all. I watch him for a second longer before rolling my eyes, deciding to let it go for now. He’s playing it safe in front of everyone, but I’ll catch him alone again soon. And when I do, we’ll see how much longer he can keep up this little act.
“Hey, Sun,”
Noah says, grinning as he heads towards the fridge. “We’re all going to the lake after work if you wanna join. Paisley is up for it as well.”
I glance over at Levi, who’s staring at his shoes like they’re now the most interesting thing in the world.
“Yeah, why not? Sounds fun,”
I say with a smile.
“Great!”
Noah replies, his enthusiasm always infectious. He grabs a mug and sits down at the table across from me, filling it with coffee, “It’s the perfect way to cool off after a long day on the ranch.”
“What about you, Levi?”
Knox asks, leaning against the counter.
If I’m going to the lake, I doubt Levi will go. Especially when he’s supposed to be avoiding me.
Levi looks up from his shoes, his expression still unreadable. “Yeah sure, sounds fun.”
I narrow my eyes at Levi, trying to figure him out. Yeah, I have no idea what’s going on anymore. He looks at me, his eyes twinkling with something I can’t quite place. Hunter claps his hands together, clearly pleased everyone is going, “Perfect. We’ll head out as soon as we’re done for the day.”
* * *
Paisley and I share the backseat of Levi’s truck with Noah, our laughter mingling with the country tunes playing from the radio. Bodhi is sat in the passenger seat, talking to Levi about work. As we drive, I can’t help but sneak glances at Levi through the rear-view mirror. His eyes are focused on the road, silent, which is unusual for him, and there’s a struggle in his expression that I haven’t seen before. He catches me looking and raises an eyebrow. I quickly look away, feeling the heat rising on my cheeks.
Assuming his eyes are now back on the road, I decide to sneak one last look, but as my eyes meet the mirror, he’s already staring back at me.
We pull down a little dirt track that leads us to a field on the far end of the ranches land. We park the trucks and unload coolers and blankets, everyone chatting and laughing as we make our way through some trees. The lake is a hidden gem, surrounded by dense trees that create a natural canopy. The water shimmers under the setting sun, reflecting hues of orange and pink. The shore slopes gently from soft sand to pebbles, then to crystal clear water. On the far side, a rocky outcrop serves as a jumping point into the deeper water, while closer to us, the shallows are perfect for dipping your toes. The scene is just…breathtaking.
I pull my t-shirt over my head and slide my shorts off. Standing there in my bikini, I can already feel Levi’s eyes burning into me. I follow the group over to the rocks, the excitement buzzing around us. The water below looks both inviting and intimidating with it’s shimmering surface.
“Last one to jump in buys the first-round next time we go to the bar,”
Bodhi announces, grinning. Without hesitation, everyone rushes to jump in, the air fills with squeals and laughter as they hit the cold water. I stand back, watching them, enjoying the scene.
“Why didn’t you jump?”
Levi’s voice comes from behind me, low and gravely. I laugh, turning to look at him. “Why didn’t you jump?”
Levi hesitates, then chuckles—a deep, rich sound that sends a shiver through me, “It’s cold.”
I roll my eyes. “Oh, come on, Levi. Don’t be such a party pooper.”
His gaze sharpens, his voice dropping a notch, “Roll your eyes at me again, sugar, and see what happens.”
I can’t help but smirk, “Or what, boss?”
He looks at me with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes as he slowly starts walking towards me. “Levi, wha—”
Before I can finish my sentence, Levi scoops me up and throws me over his shoulder. I gasp, my hands gripping his back as he walks toward the edge.
“Levi, don’t you dare!”
I squeal, half-laughing, half-panicking. I feel him give my thigh a slight squeeze, sending shivers through my body. And then, we’re airborne. We hit the water with a splash, the cold shock making me gasp.