Chapter 10
10
Aria
S afe.
Aria felt safe when she was around Daniel.
It wasn’t lost on her that her instincts about him shifted and flipped until she didn’t know which way was up. When they’d danced, with his arms around her, she felt like she could finally let down the walls she’d worked so hard to construct.
Perhaps it was that feeling she got from him that had her body reacting in ways that really weren’t appropriate. Her breath had stilled to the point she’d felt lightheaded. When she thought back on how she’d heard the thrumming of his heart, her pulse did an erratic dance.
His second week at her cousin’s ranch felt like the complete opposite from the first week. Whenever she saw him, her heart skipped and she wasn’t sure she’d be able to stay on her feet.
It was crazy, right?
She shouldn’t be feeling this way when they hadn’t even done more than share a few meals and dance one song.
Aria heaved a breathless sigh as she exited the house with her steaming tea in her hands. As expected, Daniel was in that corral across the way working with the horse that Sophia had on the schedule.
The guy was predictable and loyal. He could be counted on. His muscles were present but not overly bulky. When she’d been wrapped in his arms, all she could think about was how nice it would be to fall asleep against his firm frame.
Her cheeks flushed at the silly thought.
Daniel had made it perfectly clear he didn’t want anything to do with her. He probably only saw her as the broken little girl she’d been when she was a child. It wasn’t difficult to see the way he avoided touching her even when they were cleaning up supper.
Another sigh escaped her lips. It was just as well. She had a one-date rule for similar reasons.
She was broken. How could she date someone after her experiences? The two most important men in her life had only shown their true colors behind closed doors and only after they knew she wouldn’t be able to escape.
It wasn’t hard to anticipate that most men were similar.
Daniel might not be abusive in the same ways, but he demanded a sort of control. She’d seen it from the start. And she’d noticed it in other ways.
He never strayed from his schedule. The cabin was always impeccable. And then there were the times he insisted on being at the country club only to make her leave early.
Yup, Daniel craved control, and she had promised herself she’d never give up her autonomy for anyone. Not even someone like Daniel.
It was a shame, though. If anyone had a shot at changing her mind, it would probably be him.
She watched him for a while, growing more antsy by the second. With Sophia gone, Aria hadn’t had the opportunity to go on many rides. That was how Sophia liked to exercise her horses. They’d take at least a ride a day, and it had been a week since Aria had tagged along for something like that.
Aria needed out. She craved being out in the sunshine, letting the warmth kiss her cheeks. It wouldn’t hurt to leave the ranch for a little while so she could stop obsessing over a certain cowboy, too.
It didn’t take long for her to return her mug to the kitchen and find clothes appropriate for riding. When she marched past the corral and toward the barn with what she knew was a look of determination, she wasn’t even surprised to hear Daniel chasing after her.
“What are you doing?” he demanded, falling into step beside her. The horse he’d been about to ride left behind in the corral.
“Going for a ride,” she said airily. “Why? You want to tag along?”
“What? No, you’re not.”
She laughed. “Yes, I am. Despite what you might think, I’m well-versed in riding. I have been since I came to visit. When Sophia was here, we were going out every day.” She stopped her pace and turned to face him before she poked him in the chest. “Maybe you should take a page out of her book and do the same.”
Daniel watched her, his expression guarded.
He wouldn’t take her advice. She didn’t know if he’d let her take one of the horses, though. For all his disinterest in her romantically, he certainly liked to be bossy.
Aria shrugged and turned toward a nearby stall. She reached for the door and Daniel placed a hand on it, stopping her from moving it. She stared at him with surprise. “Excuse me,” she demanded.
Daniel shook his head with an exasperated sigh. “Fine, you can go.”
She tilted her head, her eyes challenging him. “I don’t know when you got this notion that you’re in charge of me, but you’re not.”
“I know that,” he said. “But I’ll have you know I prefer my head to remain attached to my body. If something were to happen to you, I’m sure Sophia would bite it clean off.”
There was no other option besides to laugh. She threw her head back and let it out. It felt good—like she’d been holding it in for far too long. “Okay, fine. I’ll let you come with me.” Before he could throw an argument at her, she held up a finger. “Careful what you say. I would hate to rescind my offer.”
He worked his jaw but didn’t argue.
Aria took a step back. “Now, am I saddling her, or are you?”
The grin wouldn’t leave Aria’s face. She’d tried several times to bite it back and relax as she rode along the trails with Daniel at her side. But it wouldn’t go away. She shouldn’t be this pleased with herself. In fact, she needed to stop getting so attached to the guy.
There was something so refreshing about being around him. He was nothing like Cayden was. No pomp and circumstance. No need to show off. He was quiet and unassuming.
Yet, at the same time, he was built like a truck.
Geez, she wasn’t supposed to think about him like that again. Aria glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, but he was staring straight ahead. She couldn’t tell if he was annoyed or if he was simply enjoying the ride, too.
No indication of his state of mind could be read on his face.
Oh well. He’d come along for the ride, and she wasn’t responsible for how he felt.
Aria allowed herself to get lost in her own thoughts—doing her best not to think about Daniel’s strong arms around her waist—when he snapped his fingers.
She stirred and glanced toward him. Daniel jerked his chin in the direction of a small clearing of trees. There were three animals hovering just outside of the tree line. A buck, a doe, and a fawn.
A gasp ripped from her throat as she took in the sight. “That’s not normal, is it?” she whispered. “For the whole family to be together?” Most of the time bucks didn’t stick around after a fawn was born.
Daniel confirmed her assumption when he shook his head. “It is strange. They’re solitary creatures.”
Without thinking it through, Aria climbed down from her horse.
“Aria,” Daniel hissed. “What are you doing? Get back here.”
She waved him off. “I want to get close enough to get a picture. This is amazing.” If she got a good shot, she could sell it to one of the places that hired her for freelance writing.
“Aria, no .” His voice was tense, and she heard the distinct sound of his boots hitting the earth. “Get back on your horse and leave those animals alone. Especially with it being mating season. That buck just might decide to charge you.”
“It’ll just take a second.” Ducking past a tree and stepping between two others, she glanced over her shoulder at him and then smirked. “Just one picture.” It was only at that moment she noticed he looked utterly terrified. Daniel charged toward her at a pace that seemed nearly inhuman.
Aria turned around to find the buck running at her from the other direction. She froze, locked in place.
Fear.
She’d experienced fear before, but not like this.
Everything was moving too fast. She didn’t know what to do.
Strong arms wrapped around her middle and threw her out of the way.
Daniel grunted in pain. Had he been hit by the buck? No, that wasn’t possible. The buck had made a turn at the last moment. Aria scrambled around, turning to find Daniel holding himself stiffly, his eyes not leaving the direction where the buck had returned.
Aria moved toward him, her hands hovering in the air over him. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m fine,” he muttered, carefully getting to his feet. He winced and glanced over his shoulder.
“No, you’re not. I can tell something happened. What’s wrong?” Aria moved around him, and then she spotted it. There was a small tear in the back of his pale blue shirt, and it was tinged with blood. “Daniel,” she whispered breathlessly, “you’re hurt.”
He flinched when she touched his back.
“Do you have a first aid kit? In your pack?” Aria’s voice shook. This was her fault. He’d been injured because she’d insisted on getting a stupid picture. Without waiting for him to respond, she hurried back to the horses. There was a saddle bag on Daniel’s horse, and she dug through it until she found what she was looking for. Bandages and antibiotic ointment. It wasn’t perfect, but it would help keep it from getting infected.
She rushed back to his side. “Take off your shirt.”
He held up a hand to stop her. “No. I’m fine. Can we just head back?”
“I’m not going to let you ride when you’ve got blood on your shirt. Now take off your shirt so we can see what happened.” They leveled each other with hard stares. For a moment she wasn’t sure he would listen. Then he muttered and pulled the shirt over his head with another grimace.
Aria had to stifle a gasp.
There were marks and scars on his chest and his back. He’d been hurt— seriously hurt. Her eyes darted to his head as if she could read what he hid in there. Daniel remained stiff as if he knew exactly what gave her pause. He didn’t like that he’d been laid bare before her.
She fell to her knees behind him and placed the first aid supplies at her side. Using the alcohol swabs, she pressed gently against the wound. Daniel sucked in a sharp breath, and she jumped. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
He didn’t respond.
Aria worked quickly at cleaning him up, then placed the gauze over the wound. “You should probably change this again later,” she said quietly.
Still, he didn’t move.
Her focus shifted to a long, thin scar along his lower back. She reached out and grazed her fingertips against it. No surprise, Daniel jerked away from her. He jumped to his feet and yanked his shirt over his head. “Thanks for your help,” he muttered. “Let’s get going.”
Left where she knelt, Aria watched him return to his horse, hating the guilt that wouldn’t leave her. She’d have to make it up to him somehow.