Page 20
As he led her from the nursery to the horse barn, TJ tucked his hands in his pockets, half because he wanted to make Skye feel comfortable and half because he was tempted to find an excuse to touch her again. But he wouldn’t.
Outside, the midday sun was high. The temperature hovered around a perfect seventy-five. The red dirt beneath his boots complemented the cloudless blue sky.
As if she’d read his mind, Skye said, ‘I never really thought of Arizona as beautiful.’ She crinkled her nose. ‘Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever really thought about Arizona at all. But there’s something about that dry red dirt and big blue sky that just makes the world feel so much bigger …’
‘A lot of folks aren’t naturally drawn to the desert. But we’re growing. Sometimes it feels like people are moving here in droves every day.’
‘Dallas is the same.’
‘So, city girl from Dallas.’
She didn’t seem alarmed at her slip, just replied, ‘Yup.’
‘I figured.’
When she raised her eyebrows in silent question, he explained, ‘You dropped a “y’all” last night, but your accent isn’t Deep South.’ Leaning forward slightly, he mock-whispered, ‘And you have Texas plates.’
She gave him one of those quick, self-conscious smiles, putting him at three total.
Inside the barn, they each disappeared into their own stalls to groom and tack their horses, and Skye soon came out to where he was waiting, leading Smokey.
Her saddle was an ancient, off-brand trail saddle, the leather cracked and worn. It sat oddly on Smokey’s back, almost as if it was balancing instead of conforming to the horse’s form. He knew immediately that the tree – the frame beneath the leather – had semi-Quarter Horse bars instead of full. More than that, the seat had to be sixteen inches, a good two inches too big for Skye.
She caught his perusal. ‘I know.’ Her cheeks pinkened. ‘It’s old and it doesn’t fit great. But it’s what I have for the time being.’
Aware that he was in sensitive territory, TJ didn’t lecture her. He didn’t tell her that the saddle would eventually hurt her horse’s back or cause saddle sores from the contact. He passed her his reins. ‘Hold Kai for me for one sec. I have something that might work.’
‘I don’t want charity.’
‘We’ll trade for it,’ TJ replied, and without giving her a chance to argue, he backed Smokey into the nearby cross-ties and secured her.
He disappeared into the tack room, selected a saddle that would, at least, fit a hell of a lot better than hers. It was a trophy saddle from his roping days with the Arizona High School Rodeo Association. His name was laser-engraved on the fenders with the year and event he’d won. Despite its age, he’d kept the leather supple with regular maintenance.
TJ lifted it with one hand and carried it out. He’d always figured he’d pass it down one day anyway.
Skye held Kai, but her eyes tracked his every move. ‘TJ, what are we going to trade?’
‘I’ll think of something.’
‘Yeah. That’s what worries me.’
He might have laughed if he hadn’t heard the new dread in her voice. Instead, anger, quick and sharp, sliced through him. He took a deep breath and met Skye’s wary eyes over Smokey’s back. ‘Do I look like the kind of man who’d need to trade sexual favours for horse tack I haven’t used in fifteen years?’
Skye’s spine snapped straight. But she didn’t back down. ‘No, you don’t. But I won’t be indebted to you either. To anyone.’
TJ wasn’t sure how to respond. He didn’t have experience handling the very specific things Skye seemed to be running from. So, instead, he chose humour. ‘Well, shit. I was kinda hoping you’d say yes.’
She frowned. But the moment she realized he’d been teasing her, a laugh, sudden and bright, spilled from her. It lit up her already beautiful face. TJ’s breath caught. His grip on the cinch tightened, making Smokey snap her head back in warning.
‘Sorry, girl,’ he crooned and gave her stomach a pat.
On Smokey’s other side, Skye sighed. ‘It’s so hard to be serious when you’re always trying to make me laugh.’
TJ shrugged. ‘You’ve got a great laugh.’ But he dipped his head down and focused on cinching the saddle so that Skye couldn’t see his face. He felt a little shaken. Typically, he was confident and smooth, but interacting with this particular girl felt like riding a bull. Uncertain. Thrilling. Terrifying. He was as excited as he was wary of which direction she’d go in next.
God only knew – both what she’d do next and why he was so goddamn excited to find out.
When he was done with the saddle, he left Smokey standing in the cross-ties and went to take his horse from Skye. ‘Try that one out for size. If you like it, you can keep it.’
