Chapter 6
Bria
I somehow found the time to run by my house to change into something a little more appropriate for riding than the dress slacks I had been wearing all day. Now I would be comfortable in my jeans and a light sweater.
Even though I lived on a farm, it had been a long time since I had taken one of the horses out for a ride.
The surprising part of all this was how excited I was for tonight, despite the fact I was still fairly sure that I had been tricked into agreeing to go out with Junior in the first place.
I was really looking forward to getting back out there.
I kept up a steady stream of work until the alarm on my phone signaled that it was ten minutes to six. I slowly powered down my computer and made sure everything was set for tomorrow before locking up the office and heading out. It wasn’t until I hit the stairs that my nerves kicked in.
I was being silly if I really thought about it. It wasn’t as if this was an actual date. I was mostly going just to get him to stop asking me out. It wasn’t as if I was going to fall for him while riding around the ranch. That would be ridiculous.
Then why can’t you stop thinking about that kiss? I almost stumbled on the last step.
I grabbed the rail while telling myself to cut it out. I mean, it wasn’t like that was a real kiss. His lips barely touched mine.
Yet you haven’t been able to stop replaying it. Wishing it had been more.
No. I argued. That couldn’t be true. I didn’t date, and I didn’t do relationships.
I’d gone down that road looking for what felt like it was missing, and it didn’t end well.
The only person you really needed was yourself.
Everyone else just let you down. I was perfectly happy staying single and doing my job. That was all I needed in my life.
I walked outside a few minutes early and stopped. Junior stood there waiting for me with two horses ready to go. I guess his tardiness had been due to Carl. A part of me hated how that one simple fact made me like him a little more.
“Hi, beautiful.” He smiled as soon as he saw me. “You changed.”
“I thought this would be better.” I continued toward him.
“You look amazing.” His smile got bigger. “But you looked pretty damn good before as well.”
“Thank you.” I had never had anyone compliment me on my looks this much in my life.
“Are you ready to go?”
“Sure,” I walked over to Nebula. I’d never ridden her before, but I knew all the horses in our stables. “Hey there, girl.”
“Are you two friends?” I didn’t realize Junior was standing right behind me until he spoke.
“Not really.” I rubbed down the side of her neck. “I’ve heard she’s a good horse though.”
“That’s what I was told, too.” I felt his hand touch my waist. “Do you need help getting up?”
“I’ve got it.” I put one foot in the stirrup and held onto the horn and the cantle to lift myself up.
Junior kept his hands on my waist until I swung my leg over. I took a moment to get settled, and he stayed right by my side until I was good.
“Very nice.” I lifted the reins up so that I could grab them.
“Thanks.”
He dipped his head and then went over and expertly climbed on top of his own horse.
“I asked around to see where we should ride, but I’m open to going anywhere you’d like.” He offered.
“The lake is nice, but there is also Vista Peak.” I hadn’t been out to either of them is what seemed like forever. “There are a number of riding trails that lead to the peak if that would make it easier for you to find.”
“Where would you like to go?”
“Vista Peak.” I answered.
“Then that’s where we will go.” He flicked the reins and moved so that his horse was beside mine. “Lead the way.”
The ride out was gorgeous. The sun hadn’t fully set so there was plenty of light to guide us, but watching it slowly dip toward the mountains ahead was breathtaking.
“I need to do this more often.” I didn’t know I’d said the words out loud until Junior replied.
“Do what?” He looked over. “Go out with me?”
“No.” I shook my head. It was like he had a one track mind. “I need to take time to ride the ranch more.”
“Oh.” He nodded. “I agree. I think you should always make time for a ride, but I also think you should make time to go out with me more often too.”
“I thought we had a deal.” I reminded him.
“We do, but you didn’t mention me asking you out while we were on our date.” He winked. “A guy has to use whatever advantages he can get.”
“It’s not going to happen.” I told him. “This is a one and done.”
“We’ll see.” He smiled. “On a serious note, why don’t you take time to ride more? I’m sure if anyone could plan it out, then it would be you.”
I shot him a glance to see if he was making fun of me, but he didn’t look as if he were, which was strange. I was used to people thinking I was different for the way that I organized my life.
“I haven’t prioritized it, I guess.” That was the simple answer.
“That’s too bad. I always make sure that I go riding at least once a day.”
I let out a little laugh. “Well, of course you do. I’d be surprised if you only ride once a day. Isn’t it part of your training?”
“Training is different than riding.” He explained.
“Riding is more relaxing and gives me space to think. I normally ride around our ranch when I’m back home.
Sometimes I ride out to this small pond that we have at the back of our property.
It flows to the spring that gives out town its name.
Other times I just ride to community garden and check in with the people that keep it going. ”
“You ride your horse through the town?” I couldn’t imagine that.
He laughed. “No. My family donated part of our land to the community to be used as a garden and farmer’s market.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “We have more than enough and more than we need. It’s our way of giving back.”
“So you don’t get anything back from the people who use it?” I found that hard to believe. “They don’t pay for the land or give you part of what they earn selling their things at the farmer’s market?”
“No.” He shook his head. “Sometimes people will bring over some veggies for my grandmother, but I think that has more to do with my grandmother than with them feeling they need to do it.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Everyone loves my grandmother.” He explained. “Momma D is like everyone’s grandma. In fact, the only person who doesn’t get along with her is the grandmother of my cousin’s girlfriend.”
“I bet that makes for some interesting family dinners.”
He laughed again. “Not at all. Between us, I think Momma D and Nana E get along better than they let on, as long as they aren’t talking about cooking or baking. If that conversation comes up, then it’s on.”
“Is one of them a bad cook?” I found myself completely interested in his family drama.
“Not in the least. Nana E, or Ms. Ethel, owns the town bakery. That’s part of the problem.
” He slowed his horse down, and mine followed suit.
“Years ago, when the church decided to start an annual baking competition, they both entered desserts. My grandmother won, and Ms. Ethel made a comment that suggested that she cheated.”
“Did she?” I leaned closer.
“Absolutely not. She’d rather have burned her cake than cheat, and Ms. Ethel knows that. My grandmother took the rumor in her stride, but she might have mentioned that the only reason Ms. Ethel lost was because her cake was dry. They have been fighting ever since.”
“Wow.” I shook my head. “You realize that sounds like the plot of some cheesy television movie. Grandmothers who don’t get along, grandkids fall in love, will the family survive?” I laughed.
“It does, but my family and the Livingstons are tight enough that we’d never let anything like a baking competition come between us.
” He laughed with me. “If anything, it’s more entertaining to see them go back and forth.
It’s all southern charm and Christian hospitality jabs. Both of them are hilarious.”
“Sounds like it.”
“You’ll see.” He threw out there all of a sudden.
“When you come for a visit I’m sure Momma D will make something for you, and then I’ll take you by Nana E’s Bakery and let you try her desserts.
Just whatever you do, don’t tell my grandmother you like Ms. Ethel’s cakes more.
You do that, and that could kill any future we have. ”
There was no reason that his cockiness should be attractive, but for some reason it was.
Maybe it was because of the small hint of boyish charm that came out every once in a while, or the way he talked about his family.
It spoke to the brokenhearted girl I had been.
The one who always wished for more than what I had.
“This looks like a good spot.” Junior pulled my attention back from the road it was about to travel.
“For what?” He had pulled his horse to a stop and was dismounting.
“I know you said that I needed to stop asking you to dinner, but I also figured we might get hungry.” He came over to help me get down. “I brought us something for the evening.”
“You didn’t need to do that.” I told him when my feet were on the ground. “I could have made something later.”
“What kind of southern gentleman would I be if I didn’t take care of you?”
I bristled. “I don’t need anyone to take care of me. I can take care of myself. I’ve been doing it my whole life.”
“I didn’t mean to imply that you can’t, but don’t you want a partner? Someone to help along the way?”
“No.”
“No?”
I blew out a breath. It wasn’t his fault that he didn’t understand. Just hearing the stories of his family told me he couldn’t possibly understand.
“I’m happy by myself.” I told him. “It’s easier being alone.”
“Life isn’t supposed to be easy.” His voice was light enough to be a caress. “And the things that are sometimes the hardest and the most worth having. It’s possible that you could be happier with someone else.”
“I doubt it.” I looked away. “People don’t bring happiness. They just cause pain.”
His fingers touched my chin and turned my face back so I was looking into his eyes.
“Not everyone.” He stepped closer. “If it’s the right person, they help you through the pain and the hardships of life, and they bring joy when you least expect it.”
“I’ll have to take your word for it.”
“No, you don’t.”
His eyes glanced toward my mouth, and while I knew I should move away, I couldn’t.
I was transfixed. My mind told me this was a mistake, but some small, forgotten part of my heart begged me to let go.
To accept that he was different from who I thought he might be.
Different from the men I had known before.
Different from my father. That maybe Junior wouldn’t hurt me in the end.
I stayed still as his lips brushed mine. My eyes automatically closed as my hands came up to hold onto his waist. That must have been all the encouragement Junior needed. His hands cupped my face and his lips settled on mine. His tongue darted out, and I opened up to him.
If I thought what happened earlier had been a kiss to remember, I knew I would feel this one until my last breath left my body. Junior didn’t just kiss me with his mouth. He kissed me with each breath he took, the way his thumb rubbed over my cheek, his body dwarfed mine, the way he moaned into me.
“Damn,” He pulled back slightly. “I knew it would be good, but I didn’t expect fireworks.” He came back in.
We stood there kissing until I had to push him away to breathe. I drew in oxygen as if I’d just run a marathon, and still my chest burned to pull him back and let him steal all the air from my body once again.
“Come on, gorgeous, let’s have dinner.” He placed another quick kiss on my lips.
“Okay.”
“And just so you know, our deal is null and void.” He reached for my hand.
“What?” My mind still wasn’t working all that well.
“If you think I’m going to stop asking you out after that kiss, you’re crazy.” He lifted my hand to his lips. “I’m think tomorrow we test out the saloon and dance hall.”
“They aren’t open tomorrow.”
“Oh well, then we’ll have to go for another ride.” He gave me that signature smile.
“Okay.” I agreed, unsure of exactly what kind of ride I’d just agreed to.