Page 54 of Saddle Storm

“Is the room spinning?” he asks.

“No,” I answer.

My eyelids shut again and I feel him shift with a breath. Then a warm hand sweeping my hair back, the warmth of his lips close to my skin as he whispers. “Don’t get up. You’re exhausted.”

I hear him shuffling around my living room for a few minutes, maybe only a few seconds, before yielding to sleep.

Sirens outside wake me sometime later. It’s dark with nothing but the streetlights shining through the windows. Silas is still here. On the chair across from the couch. He’s awake, and I wonder what he’s thinking about.

It shouldn’t be my first thought. I should be more concerned with why I fainted like some damsel in distress.

I don’t faint. The hell was that about?

He’s focused on something outside, so I don’t say anything. Either too tired to or too afraid that the words I’m glad you’re here might slip out.

But I notice the blanket over me. A pillow too. I’m warm, despite it usually being cold when I wake up in the middle of the night. I wonder if he’d somehow worked magic on the thermostat. Or if his presence is to blame.

I decide not to disturb the state I’m in. Exhaustion sounds right. I’ve been so worn out these past few days. With the season growing colder, lessons doubling, the horses are feeling the mood shift, and Silas and my secret suddenly taking center stage again after years of taking a back seat, the emotional toll is certainly a factor too.

Move into one of the cottages. He’s lost his mind.

And once he’s healed and out of Blue River Springs, I’ll be lost from his mind.

He didn’t even try to deny it.

When I try to get up in the morning, Max is already dressed and eating cereal with a glass of OJ on the kitchen counter. His backpack is by the door and Silas is typing away on his phone when he catches me sitting up.

I feel like I could sleep for another three days.

“Morning. We’re headed out, but you have the day off. Tomorrow too, so go back to sleep.”

“What? No. The wedding is in three days. I’ve got four lessons today and I need to get Max to school.”

“I’ll take care of it. You need to sleep.”

“What do you mean you’ll take care of it?”

“The lessons. Do I need to remind you who my mother was? I may be rusty myself, but that woman drilled those postures and pacing into me in a way I won’t forget.”

I groan. “Okay, but could you make sure your brothers’ insurance policy is up to date before you do that?”

He tilts his head with a smirk. “Cute.” Then grabs the backpack. “And think about what I said. Let’s go, Max.”

My kid hops off the stool. “Later, Mom. Feel better.”

Silas winks at me and I see that my request last night meant nothing to him. Then again, when the door closes, a rush of something I haven’t felt in a while comes over me. I’m off on a school day. Think of all the things I could do.

I could clean. Visit Dad. Pay some bills. Sleep more.

I lie down and my mind betrays me as the thought of spending more time with Silas—and him spending the night to take care of me, washes over me.

He’s like a piece of pie I know I’m going to regret eating in the morning when my jeans don’t fit. You know how it ends. But the momentary satisfaction is too good to give up.

I’m prepared for him to leave. I guess I always was. And I can brush myself off.

But there’s still Max. The truth about his father and the lie I can’t take back.

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