28. Luke
Luke
When Natalie steps into the living room, my jaw drops to the floor. She’s gorgeous in tight dark jeans that hug her hips and a sparkling pink vest. The hems of her jeans flare over pink cowgirl boots that have a square toe, and her hair is loose and wavy, sitting just above her shoulders.
I let out a low whistle, and she meets my eyes with a smile playing on her lips.
“Dang, girl,” I say, standing from the couch, my eyes swooping over her frame. “When did you get all this?”
“When I went for that little drive the other night when you were out for a run. As soon as I saw that brochure, I was already thinking of what I’d wear on a horse.”
“Alright, let me see the whole thing.”
“What?” she asks, her face twisting.
I point my finger in the air and make little turning motions. “Spin around,” I say. “Let me see what I’m working with.”
Natalie rolls her eyes, but she obliges me, making a slow turn in her boots. My eyes scan her from head to toe, lingering on the places her jeans hug her skin.
“You look amazing.”
“Are you sure it’s not too much?” She looks almost nervous.
“Definitely not. Nothing’s too much when it’s worn by Natalie Hamilton.” I wink at her and her cheeks flush pink. “Well, well, well. You’re blushing. Do I still have an effect on you?” I ask, my voice low as I take a step closer.
“You know you do,” she answers, her voice pointed.
I take another step. “And do you like that I have an effect on you?”
She shrugs, but her breath quickens as I move closer. “I mean, it would be weird if I wasn’t affected by my husband, wouldn’t it?”
I hum in agreement, nodding and holding eye contact with her.
“And,” she continues, “it would mean something was wrong with us if I didn’t feel certain … ways with you.” Stepping nearer, I see the rise and fall of her rapid breaths. “And I think I affect you too,” she states, her eyes flitting from mine to the wall. “So that would make us even.”
“Is this a competition?” I murmur.
“No. Just observation.” She arches a brow in a teasing gesture.
Our chests brush as I inch even closer, the distance between us disintegrating. I keep my hands at my sides, but they itch to touch her, to slide against her smooth arms and thread into her hair.
I lean down, my lips just centimeters from hers.
She gasps, staring up at me. “I’m so extremely affected by you, Natalie, you couldn’t even begin to imagine the things I wish we had the time to do right now,” I say.
“It would make you blush crimson, and you’d forget all about the horses.
You’d probably even forget your own name. ”
Her jaw tightens, and her throat moves as she swallows. Big blue eyes look up at mine, but I don’t reach out for her. She opens her mouth but decides against saying anything. I think she’s stunned into silence, which is exactly what I was hoping for.
“Well,” I say, turning away to grab the keys and my wallet. “We should get going.”
As I reach the front door, I look back to see Natalie frozen in place, her brows creased and a confused expression settling across her face. I smile, happy to have stupefied her.
I told her I’d remind her of what we used to be.
My mind and body have never forgotten, and I’m convinced hers haven’t either.
But if I have to play hardball to make her see what we have between us is real and undying, then I’ll do whatever it takes.
Our love once burned like an endless fire, consuming me in every way imaginable.
I’d die for her, and now I’m thinking I’d do even more than that to keep her safe and happy and mine.
If she wants kids, I’m almost ready to just give her all the babies she wants. The spark in her eyes is enough to set me ablaze again, and I turn away, hearing the clack of her boots on the wood as she follows behind.
I take in the view of white fences lining the road and endless fields of green on either side of us as I drive the Suburban up the gravel path to the stables.
Hills roll like seas to my right, where horses graze in the distance.
We’ve driven out of the magical woods of Maple Lake and have landed in an equestrian paradise.
Dust follows us as the wheels stir up clouds of dirt, and I don’t slow the vehicle until we arrive at a big red barn with white trim. A mile back, we passed under a metal arch that said One Creek Ranch. The same name hangs on a wooden sign above the sliding double doors of the barn.
Other cars line the fence to the left of the barn, so I follow suit and park at the end of the row.
“This is it,” I say, leaning over to peer out Natalie’s window.
Although she’s been grinning the entire drive here, somehow her smile still grows exponentially. My stomach does a little victory dance at the sight of her. There’s nothing I like better than spoiling my woman and seeing her happy.
“Come on,” she says, unbuckling and opening her door. “Let’s go see the horses.”
She hops out of the car and doesn’t look back to make sure I’m following before practically skipping to the barn in her pink boots.
The front doors sit open, so we step right inside.
At the other end of the barn, the back doors are also open, and the space glows with natural light from both ends.
Horses whinny in their stalls, and the scent of hay and manure send me back to memories I’d long forgotten.
Natalie approaches a dappled gray horse whose head hangs out over the stall door.
“Look, Luke! He’s beautiful.” She runs her fingers along the ridge of his muzzle, and he huffs at her. She jumps back. “Oh, maybe he doesn’t like that.”
I step up beside her. “No, he does. That’s his way of telling you it feels nice. It’s like a sigh. Like he’s content.”
“Oh,” she says. I feel her watching me as I run my palm along the length of his gray muzzle and over the soft hairs of his nose. He leans into my hand, gently blowing warm air across my face.
“Now you try it again.” I take Nat’s hand and gently press it against the hard ridges of the horse’s muzzle. She lets me guide her, running her hand down his face the same way I did.
She drops her hand, and the horse nudges his face against her shoulder. She looks at me with a questioning expression of smiling lips and wide eyes. “Does he want me to keep petting him?”
“It looks like it. Just don’t put your fingers too close to his mouth. I’m going to look for someone who can tell us where to meet for the trail ride.”
I walk the center aisle of the barn, passing six stalls on each side. Some hold horses, while others sit empty. When I step out the back of the barn, I spot a few people standing around a paddock. Several horses stand inside the fenced area, already saddled for a ride.
My hiking boots—the only sturdy shoes I brought with me to Maple Lake besides sneakers—crunch against the stones with each step.
When I reach the paddock, I scan the area for someone who looks like they know what they’re doing.
Almost instantly, I spot a young girl—in her early twenties or maybe even late teens—checking the saddle straps on a yellow mare.
I make my way over to her. “Excuse me,” I say. “Are you the trail guide?”
She looks up from her task, her long black braids swinging over her shoulders. She wears worn jeans and scuffed boots, and her blue riding polo has the name of the ranch along the hem of the sleeve.
“Yes, I’m Maggie. Are you Luke?”
I nod. “That’s me. And my wife, Natalie, is here too.” I point toward the barn, where Natalie has just emerged. Her smile hasn’t diminished one bit.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Maggie says. “You’re the last two to be joining us.”
Natalie steps up and introduces herself, and then our guide calls out to the other three people meandering nearby. Shortly after, we’re all gathered around to hear the instructions.
I try to pay attention, but it’s all stuff I already know. Don’t kick the horse. Don’t pull hard on the reins. Don’t yell at the horses or they’ll get spooked.
It’s all common knowledge, but Natalie is paying close attention to every word Maggie says. She nods along and smiles at one point when Maggie says something funny about the horses occasionally testing their rider.
Struggling to hold myself back from her, I reach out and wrap my fingers between Natalie’s.
Her head turns, and her lips lift into a smile.
She eyes me like I’m being a distraction and lolls her head toward Maggie, who’s still giving her speech.
I roll my eyes playfully and look at the younger girl, silently agreeing to pay closer attention.
“Remain calm while on your horse.” Maggie’s voice carries from the other side of the fence.
We were all told to stay on the opposite side while she gives her talk.
She slides her hand down the thick neck of a large black horse.
“They can sense when you’re nervous or agitated.
So, before the ride, we’ll take a few minutes for each of you to spend time with your horse.
This will make you both more comfortable.
Along the fence over here we have riding helmets.
Everyone grab one and meet at the gate so I can pair you up with one of our trail horses. ”
I tug on Nat’s hand, guiding her toward the helmets that hang from hooks along the outside of the wooden fence. The other riders, a woman with two teenagers, a boy and a girl, smile at us as they grab their helmets. Natalie tugs one onto her head, fidgeting with the clasp. Her hands are shaking.
“Here, let me help,” I say, bringing my hands to her chin. “Are you nervous?” I ask in a quiet voice.
“A little bit. But mostly excited.” She grins so widely, all her teeth shine like the sequins on her vest.
“Don’t worry. You’ll be fine, and I’ll be right here.” I clip the helmet on and reach over her shoulder for another. The scent of her flowery shampoo and citrus body wash permeates my senses.
Natalie steps back, watching me intently as I clip my own helmet under my chin. She reaches up with both hands to straighten the helmet and tighten the loose chinstrap for me.
“Why do you have to look good in everything? Even this silly helmet makes you look—”
“Sexy? Irresistible? Hot?” I suggest.
“I was going to say cute.”
“I’ll take cute.” I lean down and give her a quick peck on the lips, then tug her toward the gate in the fence line, where Maggie waits for the group.
Nat is the first to get paired with a horse as she’s led over to an older blonde mare. While she pets her and talks in a soothing voice, I get stationed next to a brown mare with white specks on her rump. From the shine in her eyes and the gloss of her coat, I can tell she’s young.
Something in my heart leaps. I haven’t been this excited about a horse in a very long time, and suddenly a swarm of memories floods my mind.
This is going to be fun.