“They’re huge!” I defend.
Santiago gets a mischievous look on his face. “Igual que—” So is my?—
My hand flies up and covers his mouth. “Oh my god! Not the same thing.”
His response is muffled by my hand. “No shit.” He kisses my hand again then removes it from his mouth. “We’re going,” he asserts with a wink.
Lord, bless my panties. They’re not going to survive.
“Let’s not and say we did,” I sass back.
Santiago smacks my ass as he heads for the door, a smile on his face the whole time. “I’ll meet you downstairs in five. A lack of clothing won’t get you out of this.”
I call after him, “I can’t even find my clothes.”
“Wear mine,” he answers from the hallway. “They look better on you anyway.”
My cheeks flame.
“Four minutes!” he warns, and I spring into action. I’m dressed and downstairs in three minutes, dressed in Santiago’s clothes as he requested. He gives me his approval in the form of a whistle. I don’t let myself think about the four-legged behemoths as we stride toward the barn just over a hundred feet behind Santiago’s house. Situated next to the barn is a smaller house that I assume is the bunkhouse.
The barn is eerily still, not a soul in sight. They’re all probably out taking care of the ranch.
I completely zone out, and before I know it, we’re in the barn standing in front of a horse stall. My hand grips Santiago’s as my knuckles turn white. Santiago rubs circles on the back of my hand, soothing my nervous energy.
“This is Shadow. You’ll be riding her today.” Santiago waves his free hand to the horse staring back at me with her ears pinned forward.
Her raven coat shines as she approaches the gate of the stall. She pokes her head out over the wood, and her nostrils flare as she focuses on me. Shadow’s eyes have me pinned in place.
“She’s beautiful,” I whisper.
Santiago nudges me. “Scared?”
“A bit,” I admit.
“Don’t be. She’ll be able to sense it.”
I snort. “Right. Because it’s that easy.”
“Why can’t it be?”
“Because,” I explain as I turn to him, “fear is paralyzing. It holds you in place until you can’t breathe.”
His eyes soften in the corners. “You have to fight it,mi Cielo. You can’t let the fear win.”
The way he says it makes me think he believes I can do it. I can be strong and face the ugly memories I’ve always tried to forget.
“I’ll try.”
My optimism is rewarded with a kiss on my cheek.
“Good girl,” he growls in my ear, sending flutters through my stomach. Santiago pulls back and looks around. “Get yourself acquainted with Shadow. I’ll be right back. I need to find my foreman, Javier.”
Before I can argue, he’s gone. Shadow’s focus is undeterred.
“Guess it’s just you and me, huh,” I mutter. Shadow whinnies her response.
I force one step forward. Then another. And another.
