It’s like something out of a movie. This woman is a force of nature, no wonder Cole is the way he is.
“That’s probably the coolest thing I’ve ever seen,” I tell her.
“You ain’t seen nothing yet,” she says, winking.
It feels incredible being up here. She teaches me how to squeeze my thighs to get Shadow moving, how to pull back to slow him, how to guide him where I want to go.
Then—
“What the hell are you doing?”
Of course he’d show up now the moment was too perfect to last. Cole rides up beside us.
“We’re riding, Cole,” Maggie says flatly. “What areyoudoing?”
“She hasn’t been taught safety yet.”
“She’s on Shadow.”
“I don’t care,” he snaps. “She needs to know safety, damn it, Maggie.”
“Cole,” Maggie says, nodding toward me, “look at her. Does she look like she’s in danger?”
He looks at me.
I smile. Then immediately look away, my stomach flipping.
“Do you feel comfortable up there?” he asks.
“Yes,” I say. “And she’s teaching me a lot.”
“Hmph.” He shakes his head and rides off.
Maggie and I keep riding, acres and acres of land, open and endless. She shows me everything, takes pictures of me onShadow, laughs when I squeal. The cattle and all the mooing. We spend hours out there before finally heading back.
Cole’s waiting near the barn when we return, leaning against the wood like he’s been there a while.
“Don’t worry about him,” Maggie says. “He’ll warm up.”
As we get closer, Cole looks up. Our eyes lock. Why does it feel like something more than concern? This isn’t a look of anger, it's a look of something else. And the strange thing is… he doesn’t look away. Not until I do.
“How’d it go?” he asks.
“It went great,” I say. “So much fun.”
He holds his hand out to help me down. I hesitate—then take it.
He grips my sides from behind, steady and warm, and when my boots hit the ground, he’s suddenly right there. Too close. Undoing the saddle. I can feel him without even touching him. Just breathe, Layla.
Maggie leads her horse away, and Cole hands me the reins.
“You want to walk him in?”
I take them, smiling. “Yeah.”
He smirks, watching my every move as I guide Shadow into his stall.
“So, Layla,” Maggie calls, “you coming to dinner?”
