Chapter Four #2
“You’re too wide on fence three! He can take a sharper corner than that.
Circle back and do it again,” Leon called to the rider who was cantering around the ring on a dark-bay stallion.
I recognized the stallion immediately—Lord Huxley.
Even as a foal, he’d shown tremendous potential.
I’d been waiting to see what this horse could do in the big leagues after dominating the lower levels for the past couple of years.
Even before I took the helm here at Golden Oaks, I’d always had a vested interest in our stud-bred horses maturing and showcasing their skills coming through.
My dad brought me up knowing how every part of this place worked. It was our entire life.
I leaned over the fence and watched as the rider brought Huxley back to the third jump and did exactly what Leon had said.
The rider then carried on for the rest of the course, and a flare of excitement built in my chest as I watched her.
She was good. And she handled Huxley’s strength and power perfectly.
Leon clapped when the rider cleared the last fence. “Cool him down for a few now,” Leon said, and must have felt me behind him as he looked over his shoulder at where I stood.
“Jas,” he said in greeting, and headed toward me. He leaned back against the fence, his attention fixed on the rider.
“She’s good,” I said, and nodded at her perfect seat as she slowed Huxley from a canter to a trot. Her posture and fluidity were outstanding.
“I think we can really go somewhere with these two, Jas,” Leon said. He pulled his gaze away from the rider to face me. “What brings you out here so early?”
“Two new mares are arriving to the stud this afternoon. I wanted you to look at them for me. See which stallions you think would suit them best.” Leon nodded, but my eyes found the rider again.
For some reason, I couldn’t look away. She was walking Huxley now, slowly nearing our position on the rail.
She leaned down, patting and hugging Huxley’s neck.
Leon followed my gaze. “Hallie!” Leon shouted, and the girl lifted her head.
She was too far away to make out from my vantage point.
Leon waved her over, and she began to approach.
A strange feeling of knowing trickled down my spine as she came closer.
Bumps spread on my arms under my tweed jacket and wool jumper.
I lifted my flat cap to push back my hair and put it back on my head.
Hallie. As in Hallie Oakley. Our new rider from the US.
When she stopped before us, her head was slightly bowed, hiding her face under the peak of her riding hat.
“Hallie, I want to introduce you to Jasper Knighton,” Leon said, and every inch of Hallie tensed. Huxley, responding to her reaction, stomped on the spot and swished his tail. I frowned at her odd reaction.
I waited for Hallie to look up, but instead, she kept her chin down and said a quick, “Nice to meet you, sir.” Her Bible Belt accent was strong, and surprisingly, there was a familiar note to it. Kicking Huxley on, Hallie rode him away.
“That was strange,” Leon said, bewildered by Hallie’s stiff reaction.
He shrugged. “Maybe she’s starstruck by the Jasper Knighton.
” I rolled my eyes as Leon laughed, his wide teasing smile showing me he was giving me shit.
“Being honest, though, her reaction does strike me as odd. She seems a bit more of a ballbuster to be intimidated simply by little old you.”
I slapped him on the back. “I’ll leave you to it.
The mares will arrive around two. I’m out all day at meetings, but I’ll see you tonight at dinner,” I said, and moved back to my car.
I’d decided to make a concerted effort to attend family dinners again.
It’d at least get Forrest off my back for a while.
Plus . . . I’d missed my cousins and sister.
I hadn’t realized how much until I ate with them all again.
I slipped into the back seat but kept watching the arena as Tommy prepared to pull away.
I caught Hallie dismounting from Huxley, and from my position in the car, I had a perfect a view of her through the slats in the arena’s white perimeter fence.
As soon as Hallie was on terra firma, her body came into view.
I stared at her perfect curves and the way her riding tights hugged every inch of her toned thighs.
Stretching, Hallie reached her arms up to the sky, her base layer creeping up to reveal a slip of her tanned, flat stomach.
I shifted in my seat and shook my head. I could not be having these kinds of thoughts toward a rider of mine.
Then she turned to loosen Huxley’s girth, and her arse came into view.
Horse girls’ arses were always full and round, and Hallie’s was no exception.
I tried to look away, but she had me transfixed.
Hallie then lifted her gloved hand to her chin strap.
I inhaled in anticipation, and the minute she removed her hat, my stomach dropped right to the ground.
Hat-free, a long raven-colored braid was revealed.
But that’s not what had me holding all my breath captive in my lungs.
No, that was when Hallie turned, and like she could see me through the fence too, her turquoise eyes met mine through the car’s window. Wide, knowing eyes.
Jesus.
Hallie Oakley, the newest show jumper for Team Knighton, was the girl who had found me in the barn last night. Was owner of the robe I still had . . . She was rose and vanilla.
Hallie Oakley, who had the most perfect seat on a horse I’d ever seen, was the angel who had found me on the worst night of the year. The angel who had sat beside me and stopped me from being so alone.
Fuck.