I’m The Worst #2
“You seem like an actions speak louder than words kinda gal. I’m happy to show you my skills,” I replied with a shrug.
For a moment, her pretty scowl deepened and I thought she’d tell me to fuck off again. But then she shrugged, swinging off the horse in a smooth swoop. I hopped into the deep, sandy arena just as she smacked the reins into my hands.
“Show me what you got, Big Daddy.” Her words dripped with doubt.
My cheeks hurt with how wide my smile tugged on my face. “Yes ma'am. You want me to show you in the trailer? There’s enough room for the two of us. Or, you know, somethin’ tells me you wouldn’t care too much if we had an audience.”
She growled, literally growled, the sound rumbling in her throat, and I couldn’t help but chuckle as she snapped, “Shut the hell up and ride, Mooney.”
I bit back a grin. She was feisty as fuck when she was pissed.
Instead of provoking her further, I hopped on up into the saddle, not bothering with the stirrups as I rode the mare around.
I picked her up into a trot, a lope, did a couple flying lead changes, a few switchbacks, and finally a sliding stop right before her.
Ollie still wore a scowl on those plump lips of hers as I placed the reins back in her hands and leaned in to whisper, “You enjoy the show, Miss Ollie?”
She made a sound I wasn’t sure was another growl or a hum of appreciation. Either way, it sent a chill down my spine. Fuck, I was in dangerous waters.
Crossing her arms over her chest, she jutted one of her hips out. My gaze dipped down a moment, noticing the tattoos encasing them. A skeletal hand print on either side, almost like they were gripping her tight. A traitorous thought filled my mind of my hands there instead.
Fuck, I was so fucked up. Such a piece of shit. My mind drifted to Jacie. I had to break up with her. Tonight. I was half tempted to call her up right now.
“You’re decent,” Ollie replied with a smirk, “but Hux is a better rider.”
I laughed. She probably didn’t realize the high praise she just gave me. “Well considerin’ Hux is one of the best riders I know, I’ll take that as a compliment.”
All of the anger left her as she hoisted herself up into the saddle once more.
Her posture wasn’t so rigid and cold this time; there was even a teasing curve to her lips, and her tone had turned more smokey and sultry than snappy.
All in all, way more relaxed as she asked, “So what is it I’m doing wrong then? ”
I looked up at her from my spot on the ground. With the sunshine spilling over her, she looked like an angel. But this girl was no angel. Not at all. “First off, you were too tense. Feel how much more relaxed you are now than you were a few minutes ago?”
She scoffed. “So, I should, like, do yoga or meditate beforehand?”
I shrugged. “Or flirt with a handsome cowboy. I’ve heard that works pretty damn good.”
“I’d consider this more verbal sparring.”
“Potato, po-tah-to.” I said with a wink.
She laughed, a true smile lighting up her face. Fuck, she was hot. “What do you do?” she asked.
I frowned up at her. What the hell had we been talking about? “What do you mean?”
She huffed, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she’d rolled her eyes behind her sunglasses. “When you’re nervous, dumbass? What do you do?”
My lips drew together in a frown as I thought. “That’s tough,” I admitted finally, “I’ve been ridin’ so long that it’s as natural as breathin’ now. But sometimes when I’m doing shitty or I’m annoyed, I try and, like, play some music or sing a song to help me relax.”
“You sing?” There was a note of disbelief but also intrigue mixed within her smokey words.
I grinned. “Sugar, I do everythin’.”
“That’s what she said,” she huffed.
I barked out a laugh, earning another unrestrained smile from her.
“What’s the second thing I’m doing wrong?” she asked a moment later.
I nodded up at her hands holding the reins as I tapped her leg. “Your hands and your feet are giving her different cues. You can’t pull back on her reins and then squeeze her sides. She don’t know whether to stop or go.”
She huffed, some of her annoyance bubbling to the surface once more. “I wasn’t squeezing her sides.”
“You were. Look—” I said, talking over her when she went to argue back.
“When I say squeezin’ it don’t always literally mean squeezin’.
Some horses are more sensitive than others.
Sometimes just a little too much pressure can make ‘em feel like you’re cuein’ ‘em to do somethin’ when you’re just tryin’ to hold on. ”
Her frown deepened, but not with anger this time. She was definitely frustrated, but I could tell she wanted to learn. Wanted to do better.
I offered up a reassuring smile. “It ain’t nothin’ to get pissy about. It’s somethin’ that comes with time, is all. How long you been ridin’?”
“Officially?” She sighed. “Five days.”
“No fuckin’ shit?” Well, that changed everything I thought about her riding. Considering how little time she’d spent in the saddle, she was doing great. I knew people who’d been riding their whole damn lives and couldn’t ride like her.
She shrugged. “I mean, my grandpa had a couple horses before he died and I got sent to my first foster home, but I was, like, five years old and only rode with him so I don’t consider that really riding. First time I’ve been on a horse since then was Sunday.”
I hadn’t expected such an honest answer from her. Especially not one that revealed so much about her past. She’d grown up in foster care? I decided not to press on that issue, but instead kept the conversation geared toward riding. “Well shit, you ain’t half bad, sugar.”
She huffed a bitter laugh. “Yeah, well, I ain’t half great either.”
“Don’t be too hard on yourself. You can’t be great at everythin’ when you first start out.”
Her head cocked to the side. “But I bet you can?”
I pulled my sunglasses down and winked up at her. “I’m different. I’m Big Daddy.”
She tipped her head back, a sultry, throaty laugh escaping her. God, I loved the sound. “Okay, Big Daddy.”
I bit my lip but failed to hold back the smile tugging on my face. “Oh, I like it when you say my name. Do it again.”
She huffed. “Don’t you have a girlfriend?”
“I’m endin’ things with her.” I meant it. I was done. I had been done for a while. I didn’t want to hurt Jacie, but I couldn’t stop pussyfooting around this. I needed to break up with her.
Tonight. I’d do it tonight.
“How come you haven’t yet?” she asked.