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Cade’s gaze darted to her mouth and hunger filled it. Delicious warmth started in her chest. He slid his hand around to her lower back and slowly drew her closer with the perfect amount of pressure from his large palm.
She arched up toward him as he bent down. Her cap bumped into the underside of his cowboy hat, tipping it up a few inches.
They both startled, and she laughed nervously.
He smiled, but then he did the last thing she wanted. He straightened, released his grip on her, fixed his hat, and gestured to the barn. “One ride around the valley coming up.”
Deflated. No. Deflated wasn’t strong enough. She wilted. Her one chance to kiss a rugged, gorgeous, perfect cowboy, and he had backed away.
She kept a smile on her face and walked toward the barn, jumping in to help as he saddled Jack, his huge black horse. The stallion fit her visions of her strong cowboy on his back. She was comfortable around the large animal and instantly enamored with him. She knew how the harness worked and the proper way to cinch the saddle. Cade thanked her, appraising her.
“American Quarter Horses?” she asked as they opened another stall to retrieve Annie. He had explained the mare did not spook easily, but she was quick and light on her feet.
“How’d you know that?” Cade turned to look at her.
She lifted her hands; she had no idea. They saddled Annie together, and Cade regarded her like a piece of the puzzle was falling into place.
He led both horses out of a large barn door, then slid it shut behind him. “All right. Let’s get you on Annie’s back.”
“Thank you.”
He held the stirrup. “Put your left foot in here.”
She did, and it felt natural.
Cade straightened and grasped her waist in his hands as if to boost her up. She loved the feel of his hands on her, but he had walked away from the kiss earlier. It was time for her to pull away, not get sucked in every time they touched. She grasped the pommel, pushed off the ground with her right foot, and easily used the strength of her left leg to swing herself into the saddle.
Glancing up at her, Cade handed over the reins. “I was going to lead you for a bit. Something tells me I don’t need to.”
She smiled. She felt confident, secure, and at home in the saddle. “I think you are correct.”
“I need to Google it, but I’m also remembering some pictures of you on a very famous horse.”
“Pardon me?” She held the reins against the horn with one hand, placing the other to her heart, and stared down at him.
He nodded. “You haven’t asked, but would you like to see some of the pictures of you and your family online?”
Terror raced through her. See the pictures of her demon mother, her puppet father and older sister? The only ones she wanted to see photos of and try to remember were Quaid and Anna. Yet she feared if she did, the floodgates would open and all the evil and pain lurking at the edges of her memory would overwhelm and destroy her.
“No, thank you,” she said softly.
“If you’re sure…” His green eyes penetrated her defensive wall and sensed her fear.
She held his gaze and willed herself to look confident and brave. She felt neither. The horse underneath her reassured her. Steady and familiar. She loved Annie already.
“Okay,” he relented. “Let me know when you’re ready for that step.”
“Thank you.”
He nodded, then strode to Jack and swung into the saddle. His arm and leg muscles flexed from the movement, and he straightened, tall and perfect in the saddle.
Cowboys? Enticing. Her cowboy? Absolutely mesmerizing.
Jacey’s breath hitched at the compelling picture Cade made and the loyal, good man she already knew him to be.
He made a clicking sound and nudged Jack’s ribs. They trotted out of the yard and toward the mountain opposite of the one she had fallen down.
Jacey made a double-kissing noise that she somehow knew she had done a thousand times. Annie started off at a walk but, with a little coaxing, trotted alongside Cade and Jack.
