I know Niamh is also going to speak with her, see if she wants to take a few shifts at the bar to supplement her money.
Following the path to the stables, I introduce Juni to the fourteen horses that call this barn their home. They’re the riding horses for the tours we do throughout the year, a good bunch that have been trained for this reason and they’re great with new people. Juni stops at a red mare, her eyes turning sad when she lifts her hand to stroke down the mare's muzzle.
“She looks like Ginger,” Juni whispers.
Something in my chest twists. I need to figure out a way to get her horse back, but right now, doing so would alert Cal to where she is, and for as long as I can, I want to give her some damn peace from him.
“Her name is Loni,” I tell her.
“That’s sweet,” the mare lifts her head to Juni’s shoulder and tucks it around, tugging her closer. Juni lets out a startled laugh, tripping forward and only just managing to catch herself on the door.
“She likes to cuddle,” I laugh. “Rosie loves her.”
“Well, it’s nice to meet you too.” She tells the horse, a smile pulling up her pretty plump mouth as she looks back at me from over her shoulder. “I’ve got it from here.”
“You sure?”
I wasn’t sure what else I could give her other than stable work, cleaning out the stalls, replenishing feeds and all that, because I didn’t really think this through.
“Absolutely,” she nods confidently. “Go to work, Silas. I’m fine.”
“Alright,” I rub at the nape of my neck, “Just call if you need anything.”
“I will,” she returns her attention to Loni, so I take that as my cue to leave. She’ll be fine here, and I’m only around the corner teaching a starter class on the basics of riding. We do sessions like this every week, and they always book out, so I’ll be kept busy. Busy enough, I won’t be thinking about the blonde in the stable’s next door or how the shorts she put on this morning stuck to the shape of her like a second skin. Juni has curves I crave to explore. With my hands, my goddamn mouth, scrape my teeth over her skin. The creases of her ass had peeked out the bottoms of those shorts, moving into toned, strong thighs and sculpted calves and a pair of red cowboy boots that had scuffs on the toes. I certainly won’t be thinking about the way her mouth turned up at the corner in a sexy little grin that had teased at the person she’s hiding underneath.
Fuck. I’m a terrible human being.
Fucking awful.
She needs to heal. She doesn’t need me lusting after her, especially not when she’s just left the relationship she has.
It just hammers in the need to put space between us. It’ll be hard with her living in my house, but I’ve gone this long; I can continue at this pace. I won’t have her living anywhere else, she’s safest under my roof where I can watch out for her. I’ll be damned if that fuck head she calls a husband gets within fifty feet of her.
Still makes me a piece of shit to even be looking at her the way I am.
“Alright,” I yell to the group of students waiting outside the riding ring, “Get in the ring. A horse will pick you; don’t force it, you’ll get hurt. If a horse doesn’t pick you, get the fuck off my property, got it?”
Chapter Fifteen
His thighs stretch over the back of his horse, the material of his jeans molding to the shape of him, the muscles that fill them out, and his white shirt clings to his torso, showing the way he flexes. One firm hand holds the reins, while the other rests on his thigh, his hips working as he trots through the ring, eyes on his students as they follow his instructions.
He’s calm, focused, the brim of his dark brown cowboy hat casting a shadow down his face, hiding those whiskey eyes. I should be working; instead, I’m stroking Loni and practically drooling. I have no excuse for why I’m doing it, no reasoning other thanthe fact that Silas Knight is a work of art. Strong, capable, but kind and gentle all at the same time.
I shouldn’t be looking at him the way I am, really, I should be running in the opposite direction, swearing off men entirely after what Cal put me through but it’s hard to ignore the tug I feel in my stomach, a rope that pulls taut whenever Silas is near.
Loni nudges me when my hand pauses, demanding that I continue to pet her. I mean, it’s the least I can do since I’m using her body as a shield so I can continue to stare at her owner.
Dottie is in the paddock beside the training ring, with enough space between them she doesn’t get spooked by all the people and activity, but close enough for her to observe and become accustomed to all the noise that will come with living on this ranch. The difference between Knight Falls Ranch and Cal’s is night and day. It’s clear these people don’t play around with the well-being of their animals, not like Cal did. It made me sick watching how he treated them. He never hurt an animal physically, but he also didn’t care enough to ensure they were treated as they should be.
Silas moves out of my view, his deep voice cutting through the space between here and the ring, an order to wrap up for the day. Panic runs through me. I’ve barely gotten anything done that I was supposed to. Shit.
Loni tosses her head back as I start rushing around, dancing in the small stall we’re both in together.
“Slacking on the first day,” I whisper-hiss to the horse, “I need to get a grip.”
Loni huffs a breath.
“I know,” I start for the door where I’d left the bags of feed I’d hauled through earlier. “It’s my fault.”
