CHAPTER 10 #2
There was no way to get Victor on a horse faster than insisting he was too scared to try, so Victor marched out to her trailer to grab a dressage saddle and tack up Skyler’s monster of a horse.
When he led her to the indoor ring, Skyler was already on top of Blitz.
As she warmed up, Victor dragged Skyler’s mare over to a mounting block and did his best to scramble on top. It was like climbing a tree.
Once he was in the saddle, it took him a few moments to gain his bearings.
He wasn’t used to being this far off the ground.
He prayed to God this horse wasn’t going to acquaint him with the dirt, because the fall might kill him.
Once Victor had accustomed himself to her at the walk, he pushed her into a trot.
Fucking Christ. That was a damn big trot.
It was a wonder anyone could sit it. Still, Victor never backed down from a challenge.
He sank deeper into his pelvis, squeezed her sides with his calves, and picked up contact on the reins.
Her trot lengthened, and they were across the ring in about eight strides.
At the other side of the arena, Blitz came to a dramatic sliding stop, and Skyler whooped as she spun him around and cantered him off.
Victor wasn’t the only one enjoying a ride on a trained mount.
When Victor reached the opposite end of the arena, he spotted Taylor’s freckled face looking at him between the gaps in the gate. With her was Johnny, hat pushed back on his head. It seemed his performance now had an audience.
He trotted his mare over to the gate and pulled her to a stop as close as she was willing to get. Taylor craned her head back, jaw slack.
“That’s a big horse!” she exclaimed. “Is it yours?”
“Nah, she’s my friend’s over there.” He jerked his head toward Skyler, who was also performing a half pass on Blitz, as if trying to show Victor up.
“Can I ride her?” Taylor asked, and Victor laughed.
“I think you should stick to Midnight. Speaking of, why don’t you go grab her for your lesson?”
“Okay!” Taylor ran off, and Skyler rode Blitz over to the gate to see what was up. Johnny pulled off his hat and gave her a quick onceover, the kind men did when they knew they were being watched.
“Johnny, this is my friend Skyler from California. She’s transporting this horse to Kentucky and thought she’d stop by for a visit. Skyler, this is Johnny. My friend from, uh, Oklahoma.”
Skyler sidepassed Blitz up to the gate and held out a hand for Johnny to shake. “Nice to meet you, friend from Oklahoma.”
“Same to you, ma’am.” Johnny shook her hand. “I’m guessin’ you’re one of them dressage folks.”
“Eventing,” Victor answered for her. “One of the best.”
“Yeah, okay.” Skyler laughed without denying it. “I’m going to cool Blitz down and put him away.” She spun Blitz around and headed back into the arena.
Considering her mare hadn’t even broken a sweat, Victor figured he could end the ride without a cooldown. After dismounting, he headed out of the arena with her at his side, Johnny trailing along behind.
“Shoulda told me you were friends with a tall glass of hot blonde,” Johnny said with a chuckle as Victor pulled the mare into her stall. “She single?”
“Christ,” Victor muttered to himself as he lifted the saddle flap to undo the girth. “She’s married.”
“Well, damn, alright.” Johnny threw his hat back on and stood leaning against the stall door, watching Victor untack. “You two ever mess around?”
Victor turned to give Johnny a dead-eyed look. In return, Johnny laughed. “Why not?”
“She only dates men taller than her,” Victor said sarcastically but Johnny seemed to take it as straight.
“I reckon I’m taller than her. I’m taller than almost every woman.”
Brag about it some more, why don’t you, Victor thought. “Like I said, she’s married.”
“And it’s a happy marriage?”
“Johnny.”
Johnny laughed with a shit-eating grin. “Always pays to ask.”
Victor turned around and shoved the dressage saddle hard enough into Johnny’s chest to make him stumble back a step with an oof. “Put this on a rack in the aisle and behave yourself.”
Victor finished up untacking Skyler’s mare and turned his attention to Taylor.
By the time their lesson moved to the arena, Skyler was on her way out with Blitz.
As Victor worked with both Taylor and Midnight, he couldn’t help but get distracted by the muffled laughter happening by the gate.
Skyler and Johnny were now engaged in a conversation, and Victor’s body felt tight and hot at the sight.
Was he protective of Skyler or was he jealous that she was the one Johnny was flirting with?
No time to work that out right now, because Midnight was tossing her head and flicking her tail in annoyance and he had to make sure Taylor’s ride didn’t end with her on the ground.
By the end of the lesson, Midnight was moving around at a relaxed trot, which was the only win they were going to get today.
Taylor dismounted and agreed to cool Midnight.
Meanwhile, Victor took another look toward the gate.
Skyler and Johnny were still talking. What were they talking about that warranted that much interest?
He hoped Johnny wasn’t saying anything inappropriate.
Victor wasn’t typically willing to fight for a woman’s honor, but he’d fight for Skyler.
Taylor finished up with Midnight and took her to the cross-ties to untack her. Victor followed along behind. Johnny gave Taylor a high five and patted Midnight’s rump before turning back to Skyler. Victor caught the tail end of their conversation.
“… if that’s somethin’ y’all are interested in.”
Skyler turned to Victor with a smile. “You interested in going dancing?”
“What?”
“There’s a place where they do line dancin’ Friday nights. I figure if you’re here for the true Oklahoma experience, you gotta do somethin’ a lil country.”
“Line dancing,” Victor clarified.
“They got a mechanical bull if you wanna see a man in his element.” At this, Johnny tipped his hat and winked. Skyler laughed. Kill him now. “Whataya think, Vic?”
“Do you wanna go?” Victor asked Skyler, already knowing her answer.
“Sure! I think it’ll be fun.”
Great. He didn’t see a gracious way out of it. “Then I guess we’re going dancing.”