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Moving in closer to me, he puts his arm around me and rubs his hand up and down my back in a show of comfort. Just when I was about to snuggle in for a tighter embrace, he moves away slightly, and helps me mount the horse. She shifts under my weight and my heart fills my throat. I’m not sure if I’m ready for this and my knuckles are white from how hard I’m clasping the reins.
Honey Bee whickers slightly and dances to the side as Cade whispers, “Shhh, it’s okay. Just relax and she’ll get used to you.”
I’m not sure if he’s reassuring the horse or me, but his words soothe us both as I find my body shifting with Honey Bee’s when Cade starts to guide the horse around the corral. Suddenly I’m perfectly in sync with the beast as I receive a short lesson on riding and directing the horse.
“She’ll pretty much listen to me so all you’ll need to do is sit and enjoy the scenery,” he assures me as he swings up onto a beautiful black horse with white socks and a white star on his forehead. The horse tosses around in excitement and I’m grateful he isn’t my horse.
Heading out, Cade picks up a trail to the side of the house and begins a leisurely pace with the horse. Honey is as sweet as her name as she follows behind Cade’s horse at a slow pace. I find my fingers trailing through the rough texture of her mane as we ride. I ignore the jitter of nerves playing down my spine and I try to focus on the tall silhouette of the man in front of me, instead of on the ground—it’s just too high up here, something I’m not used to.
We have been riding for about thirty minutes when we come out of the forest of snow-covered trees to a river, flowing rapidly past us.
“Do you want to stop here for a short while?” Cade asks, waiting for my horse to stop beside his.
“Oh, that would be great.” My bottom aches from so much time in a saddle, something I’ve never done.
Cade climbs off his horse, takes the reins from me and leads our horses over to a tree where he tethers them.
He comes around the side of Honey Bee, his smile wistful as he looks up at me. When he slides his hands around my waist and helps me down from the horse, I shudder. Heat radiates from his touch and I look up into his eyes, which are dark with passion.
His voice deep as he asks, “Are you okay to walk?”
“Yes, I think so.” I feel his hands tighten briefly on me before letting me go and I fight the cold disappointment that rapidly replaces the heat of his hands.
He takes my hand and leads me to a fallen tree close to the river. Seated with his back against another tree, he pulls me down between his legs and wraps his arms around me. I snuggle into him with a sigh, the disappointment gone.
He always smells so good and having his arms around me has my heart pounding. I’ve become so attached to him since meeting him just over twenty-four hours ago. Being in his arms feels like home, a feeling I haven’t had since my grandmother died.
Cade
Sitting here at my favorite location on my property with Rona in my arms feels like heaven . . . and hell. My arms wrap around her and she snuggles into me deeper, her face turned sideways against my chest. As I place a kiss on top of her head I can smell the apple shampoo she obviously used this morning.
She meets my eyes as she lifts her gloved hand and caresses down one side of my face. “I could stay like this forever.”
I kiss her lips. “I don’t ever remember feeling as content as I do right now with you in my arms.”
Tightening my arms around her we continue watching the river as a comfortable silence falls between us. The only sound is the rush of the water and soft movements of the horses as they wait for us.
Two deer wander into view on the opposite bank and I nudge Rona lightly. “Look over there.” I point toward the deer.
“Wow! A mommy with her baby.”
Trying to get a rise out of her, I comment, “They usually taste pretty good.”
Rona elbows me in the stomach. “No way are you going to kill Bambi.”
r /> With a laugh, I say, “I was only joking and I don’t allow hunting on my land.” I pull her closer into me for a brief hug, then stand and pull her to her feet. “C’mon, we better head back before we freeze our butts off.”
“Can we do this again sometime? Just the two of us?”
“Yes, I think that can be arranged.”
We ride back to the stables in silence as I think about how I’ve really enjoyed my time with this amazing woman.
Rona
Back in my room after a beautiful afternoon with Cade, I decide it’s time to switch my phone back on. I regret doing so as I discover I have over twenty voicemails.
Lying on my bed, I start to sort through the messages and they are mostly hang-ups, or from Nick, which I delete without even listening to them. He’s really annoying me now. First the messages when I arrived here yesterday and now all these today. A pang of guilt courses through me. Maybe I should have read his emails instead of just deleting them. I could have found out his problem and it would have been sorted. I sigh and delete his messages on the phone without reading them. It’s too late now, and honestly, I don’t owe him anything.
