Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
JASMINE
The past two weeks had been utter chaos at the ranch.
A severe windstorm uprooted an old tree near the pasture where our rescue horses grazed, taking out a section of fencing in the middle of the night.
No one caught it before letting a couple horses out to graze, and they got loose.
Gabe and Rowan spent all morning tracking them down and the next few days cutting up the large oak and hauling off the wood, then repairing the fence.
Two new rescues arrived and immediately needed veterinary attention. I wasn’t sure what their situation had been, but judging by the murderous look on Rowan’s face when he arrived home with them, the conditions he found them in must’ve been bad.
The only time I saw Gabe was when I pitched in to help the ranch hands and when I gave Rory riding lessons, which meant we were rarely alone.
The only time I got him all to myself was in the early morning hours before Cody and Jeremiah started their chores.
Gabe had made a habit of getting to the ranch early, and every morning I brought him breakfast and stayed to chat.
We only got fifteen to twenty minutes to ourselves, but it was long enough to discover new things about each other.
Still, I couldn’t wait to get on the road again, to finally be alone with him once more. I missed our banter and singing at the top of our lungs while we listened to music that came out before either of us was even born.
Now that it was time to head to my next race, I was itching to get back on the road.
This time, I let Gabe choose the playlist, and we spent the next four hours listening to nineties country.
He belted out every word to “Shoulda Been a Cowboy” like it was his anthem and only turned the music down long enough for his evening call with Rory.
He was in a hurry to get Juniper settled in once we got to our destination, and I couldn’t figure out why until I got out of the shower and saw that he already had The Vampire Diaries queued up on the TV.
He’d already prepared my snack tray with a few additions I recognized as snacks he liked, and my blanket was neatly folded on my side of the sofa.
“Can’t wait to see what happens next, huh?” I teased, plopping down next to him and curling my legs under me. I spread the blanket out over my lap and snatched a few of his chocolate-covered raisins.
“It’s getting late. I want to get this episode started because I know you won’t go to bed until we’ve watched it,” he claimed, hitting the fast forward button as soon as Damon’s voice announced, “Previously on The Vampire Diaries.”
“Don’t you want to see the recap? It’s been two weeks since we watched the last episode,” I reminded him. He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye, and something like guilt flashed across his features. “Wait a minute. Did you watch it again?”
He hesitated, shifting uncomfortably in his seat before admitting, “Maybe.” I narrowed my gaze at him suspiciously, and he glanced over at me quickly like he could feel my penetrating stare.
“Okay,” he relented, “I may have spent the past two weeks binging the series from the beginning so I could get caught up.” I barely suppressed a grin, pinching my lips together until they ached.
He rolled his eyes and huffed. “I was tired of being completely lost and you kept asking me questions, but I had no clue what was going on,” he explained in a rush.
“Sure,” I replied, not even trying to hide my skepticism. “Admit it. You love this show.”
He shot me a scathing look, his nose wrinkling in distaste, and I could no longer hold back my laughter. He tried to keep his scowl in place, but the corners of his lips twitched.
“Little Menace,” he grumbled under his breath. He tried to act like he was irritated, but he still let me rest my head on his shoulder and eat all his Raisinets.
I sat astride Juniper, lost in my thoughts as I waited for my turn to race.
Gabe was somewhere in the crowd watching and probably rubbing his back like an old man.
I’d woken up in the big bed once again with him curled up on the sofa bed.
Since he probably hadn’t slept well, I let him sleep in and made our breakfast.
I’d slept like a dream on the queen-sized pillow top mattress. It was a nice change from when I traveled with my dad since I was usually the one stuck sleeping on the sofa bed, and he snored. Gabe, thankfully, did not. He was much more tidy than my dad too.
I didn’t want to think about my dad and Gabe in the same context, so I pushed them both from my mind and focused on the race.
The rider before me finished her run and passed back through the gate.
I took a few deep, cleansing breaths as I waited for the announcer to call my name.
Then I was off like a rocket, shooting out into the arena, focus dialed in and eyes trained on that first barrel.
We sailed around it smoothly, the turn tight and precise.
I rounded every barrel the same way, moving with a fluidity that had taken years to master.
When my run was over, I pulled back on the race to slow my horse and listened for my time as we trotted past the chutes.
Gabe came into view, and I locked eyes with him just as the announcer's voice came over the loudspeaker. My mouth fell open when they called out my time. It was just under fourteen seconds, the fastest I’d ever seen at this venue.
Gabe was jogging toward me now, a huge grin splitting his face. My chest squeezed at the pride shining in his eyes.
“Holy shit! Did that really just happen?” I said, pulling Juniper to a halt in front of him and swiftly dismounting.
I was so high on victory and still in disbelief that I wasn’t paying attention when I landed.
Pain shot through my ankle as the joint rolled, and I slammed into Gabe’s chest. He caught me with an “oomph” and wrapped his arms tightly around me.
A pained cry fell from my lips and Gabe pulled back, his eyes scanning over me and searching for any signs of injury.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, eyes filled with worry.
“My ankle,” I groaned, leaning down to rub the joint. “I-I landed wrong.”
“We need to find somewhere for you to sit down. Can you walk?”
“I think so,” I said, nodding. He grabbed a hold of Juniper’s reins and leaned down so I could wrap an arm around his shoulder for support. I tried to walk, wincing with each step. Gabe cursed under his breath.
“Hold on,” he instructed, bending down to brace an arm behind my knees, and scooped me up. I let out a surprised yelp when he lifted me into the air.
“Gabe, what are you doing?” I hissed.
“You can’t walk. You’re injured.”
“Well, you can’t carry me and lead my horse at the same time.”
“Watch me,” he challenged with a smirk. Heat flooded my belly, and my breath hitched. This assertive, demanding side of Gabe was new. And I liked it. It made me wonder if this was what he was like in … other aspects.
“What stall does she go in, and I’ll put her up for you?” a man wearing a black Stetson asked, breaking into my thoughts. He wore a name tag indicating he worked at the arena.
“Nineteen,” Gabe replied, handing over the reins.
“I’ll get her settled in. You take care of your girl,” he said, nodding to me. The casual way he referred to me as his girl made my stomach dip. I liked the way that sounded.
Gabe carried me over to a picnic table, placing me directly on the top. I sucked in a harsh breath when he removed my boot. The initial shock of the pain had momentarily subsided, but that brought it back full force. I gritted my teeth as he slowly peeled off my sock.
“My feet probably stink,” I warned, attempting to inject some humor into the moment to distract myself from the pain.
“It can’t be any worse than Jeremiah’s. That kid should really see a doctor about that stench.
” I snorted a laugh, and Gabe cracked a smile as some of the tension eased from his shoulders.
He leaned down to get a better look at the damage, releasing a low curse as he examined my ankle.
It was already swollen and starting to bruise.
“It’s sprained again, isn’t it?” I asked, trying to hide the worry in my voice.
“Most likely,” he answered, and I released a groan of disappointment, wincing as he felt along the tissue.
“I should’ve been more careful dismounting.
That ankle is weak, has been ever since I rolled it stepping in a hole Tiny dug behind the barn last year.
” Tiny was our Great Pyrenees, and though he was an excellent ranch dog, he was notorious for digging holes all over the place.
He was still young and rambunctious with energy to burn, and unfortunately he expended that energy by digging.
“Don’t beat yourself up over it. It could happen to anyone.
I’ve been injured plenty of times dealing with horses.
I once got kicked in the thigh so hard, I nearly cried,” Gabe admitted.
“Though, I’m not sure if it was from the pain or knowing that had it been two inches to the right, I wouldn’t have any balls left. ”
A surprised bark of laughter fell from my lips. He tried to give me a stern look like my amusement offended him, but he couldn’t keep up the ruse. His lips twitched as he tried to conceal his mirth.
“I’m sorry. That’s not funny,” I declared unconvincingly, covering my mouth with my hand.
“It wasn’t at the time, but I can laugh about it now seeing as my balls are thankfully still intact.”
“Shew, that’s a relief,” I quipped with a smirk. “I’m glad you weren’t turned into a gelding. That would have been tragic.”
“Very,” he agreed with a chuckle as he gently lowered my leg and released my foot. Then he straightened and shot me a serious look. “I’m going to find some ice. Stay right here,” he instructed.
“So bossy,” I teased. I wanted playful Gabe back, but I also relished getting under his skin, so I scooted forward and let my feet dangle over the edge like I might hop down. I was being a brat, taunting him just to see if he would react. And he took the bait.
“I mean it, Jasmine. Do not move from this spot, and don’t even think about walking on that ankle. You could make the injury worse.”
“Don’t worry. I wouldn’t dream of disobeying you,” I vowed, fluttering my lashes innocently at him. He didn’t believe me for one second.
He sighed in resignation and turned on his heel, heading toward the concession stand.
I wanted to watch the last few races, so when the parents of one of my competitors drove by on their golf cart, I flagged them down and hopped on one foot over to the back seat and plopped down.
When we reached the arena, I took a seat on the bleachers and propped my foot up on the bottom rail of the fence.
That was where Gabe found me ten minutes later. I felt him before I saw him, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. He brooded silently as he loomed over, and I couldn’t look at him for fear I’d crack and burst into laughter.
“I thought I told you not to walk on that ankle,” he said sternly. I continued to watch the race, unfazed.
“I didn’t.”
“Then how did you get over here?”
“Golf cart,” I replied, motioning to the older couple parked next to the bleachers.
“I found some ice,” he said, pulling a handkerchief from his back pocket and wrapping it around the bag.
Sinking onto the bleachers next to me, he pulled my foot into his lap and placed the ice on my swollen ankle.
I hissed in a breath and finally glanced his way.
My gaze landed on his hands where they gently cradled my foot and the lower part of my calf.
His thumb rubbed slow, soothing circles over the ball of my foot.
Tingles erupted over my skin, starting at the spot where he touched me and traveling all the way up to my scalp.
“Thank you,” I said, my eyes transfixed by the motion. Then I cleared my throat and returned my focus to the race. “There’s only one racer left, and I’m still in the lead.”
When the last horse shot out of the gate, he reached over and grabbed my hand, and I sucked in a sharp breath.
I squeezed his back, tightening my hold on him every time the horse and rider rounded a barrel.
I glanced between them and the clock, my stomach tightening with nerves.
They were making good time, but then on the final loop, the horse bumped the barrel, and it wobbled before tipping over.
“You won,” Gabe said, turning to me with a huge grin splitting his face. I did a little happy dance, shimmying my shoulders and wiggling in my seat. Gently removing my foot from his lap, Gabe stood. “Let's go collect your prize.”
I glanced past him and saw the golf cart was gone. “How do you propose we do that?”
“Piggyback ride?” he asked, holding out his hand. I took it and stood on my good foot. He turned away and bent down so I could hop on his back, hooking his hands around my thighs and hoisting me higher.
“You sure your back can handle this, old man?” I teased.
He pinched the back of my thigh in retaliation, and I squealed.
It wasn’t hard, and it didn’t hurt, but it was enough pressure on a very sensitive part of my body that those tingles from earlier hit me full force and spread up my leg, landing in my center.
Ignoring the unexpected flash of arousal coursing through my veins, I pointed in the general direction of our trailer. “To the trailer," I commanded.
He chuckled. “You’re awfully demanding for someone who can’t even walk.”
I leaned down, curling my arms around his shoulders and flattening my palms over his chest. “Please,” I whispered softly against his ear.
He gulped audibly, and a shiver wracked his body. His voice was thick and full of gravel when he replied, “Yes, ma’am.”