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I didn’t plan on riding her long, only a few minutes at most, so I didn’t bother with a saddle.
I walked over to the large fence, pulling Nautica along with me.
Although, she did go willingly.
I would have mounted her like I used to, just by the strength of my own body using Nautica’s mane, but I didn’t have that kind of strength nor coordination anymore.
So I climbed to the top of the fence and mounted her as she walked up alongside me, smiling when she did so willingly.
“Oh man, I missed you pretty girl,” I whispered to her.
When we rode away from the fence, I leaned down and hugged Nautica’s thick neck embracing her like I used to when we rode together all the time.
She took that as a sign and took off.
I always loved riding.
It made me feel free.
The danger of it was all too real, but that was the whole point.
It’s the danger that makes it worth doing. Makes it enjoyable.
My mom used to hate when I did this. Nico, too.
I was fairly sure I’d hear about it if he found out, but to be honest, I didn’t really care.
If I had to deal with him going out and being in danger every day, then he could deal with me riding my horse fast.
Right?
I kept telling myself that as I rode around the pasture, sticking within site of the house so Nico didn’t freak in case he realized I was there but not actually with him.
I could tell the moment he realized I was there, too.
I could also tell the moment he took a seat on the fence.
It felt like a molten sword piercing me.
I could feel his eyes from all the way across the pasture.
I could tell the moment he realized I was riding without a saddle, as well.
And as I got closer, I could also see his disapproval.
I also had other observers.
From what I could tell, the whole SWAT team, sans James and John, were leaning against the fence, watching.
There were also two little kids as well.
They were being held up in Luke’s arms, so it wasn’t much of a stretch to assume they belonged to him and Reese.
The real surprise, though, was the rest of them.
People I’d never met before in my life were there.
The man, Max, from earlier was on Nico’s side with a blonde headed woman. She was talking to him animatedly, gesturing towards the horse.
He only shook his head, turning away from her and watching me ride.
When I saw the thunderous expression on Nico’s face, I started to turn around, but he let out a piercing whistle using only his mouth.
I grinned when Nautica hesitated, coming towards him.
She stopped when I started speaking to her. “It’s okay, big girl. Don’t listen to him.”
I could tell she was torn, which was why instead of moving in either direction, she just stopped.
I had to laugh at her predicament.
Nautica was just as much Nico’s horse, now, as she was mine, then.
She had loyalty to both of us, and to be truthful, it sort of stung.
She wouldn’t have even had one iota of hesitation eight years ago.
However, I put her out of her misery when I steered her in Nico’s direction.
The men around Nico were laughing and jeering when I finally got within ear shot.
Nico, however, didn’t look to be in a good mood.
When he got close enough, I let myself fall into Nico’s arms.
He caught me without an ounce of effort.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and closed my eyes as I leaned my head against his shoulder.
“I’m sorry,” I lied.
He snorted, but seemed to relax.
“Then why, exactly, do I not believe you?”
Smothered laughs came from behind me, but I ignored them.
The big bastards.Chapter 13Because I said so, that’s why.
-T-shirt
Georgia
I closed my eyes and leaned my head against Nico’s shoulder, curling my legs up and into him.
Pulling the blanket down from the back of the couch, he wrapped it around me and curled his arm around my back.
I sighed in contentment, closing my eyes and thinking about how much I loved this. My earlier freak out was long past, no longer even a blip on my radar.
The only people that were left were the men from the SWAT team, minus Luke.
He’d taken the girls home over an hour before when they’d fallen asleep on the couches.
The rest of them, though, were all there.
They were bullshitting, talking about the latest mistake a rookie officer made at work yesterday.
“So the old lady gets out of the car swinging. She’s circling this umbrella around her head like Thor does his hammer. McKinney’s backing up with his hands in the air, no idea how to stop the woman. Who, might I mention, weighs not much more than a buck ten. When she finally gets tired, he points to the ground and says, ‘Get on your knees and spread your legs,’” Downy was laughing by this point, wiping tears from his eyes.
I was smiling, seeing where this was going even before he went there.
Nico was too.
However, Nico wasn’t the type to laugh out loud about this kind of stuff. At most, he’d smile.
I’d seen him laugh out loud no more than three times in the years that I’d known him.
Each of those times were with me. Well, at me was more apt of a word.
“So this lady crawls up on the cop car, gets on her hands and knees, and then spreads her legs. Not before she hikes her dress up first. McKinney, at this point, is speechless. He’s just watching in horror as this grandma lays down for him to ‘arrest’ her. And she keeps saying, “Be gentle, officer!’” Downy was laughing so hard he was crying.
Michael and Bennett weren’t doing much better.
I had my face buried in Nico’s shoulder, wiping my tears on his shirt, and he gave me a light smack on the ass.
“Stop that,” he chided.
I grinned at him. “Yes, sir,” I said, flipping my hair out of my eyes.
“Your hair color is fading,” Nico said as he sifted his hands through my hair.
