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She arched her brow. “He’s not a pleasure horse.”
“No, but he still needs to be a horse, doesn’t he?” He saw understanding dawn in her expression just before she averted her gaze and moved toward the gelding’s head to stroke her hand down his nose.
“Fire gets plenty of rest between events.” Her voice had a defensive edge. “We take good care of our horses.”
“I didn’t mean to imply you don’t, but after picking up Willow and Grace from Jessica’s yesterday, I realized maybe Fire needs to de-stress a little like the thoroughbreds do. Maybe you both do.” He leaned in to see her face over the saddle. “Did you take any time off after the accident?”
“Eight weeks after my shoulder surgery,” she said.
“Besides that,” he clarified. “Did you take any time to just ride him and relax? Maybe rebuild the bond the two of you have?”
Raine frowned, her gaze locked on Fire. “Once I could ride again, there wasn’t any time,” she said softly. “One of our junior riders kept him in jumping condition, and when the doctor cleared me, we went right back into practice to catch up for the beginning of the season.”
Guilt darkened her hazel eyes to almost brown when she finally looked at him. He moved around to the front of her horse and handed her the reins with a smile. “Well, then today we’re just riding. I hope you like ham sandwiches, because I packed a lunch.”
Surprise touched her features. “How long are we going to be gone?”
“’Til at least mid-afternoon.”
“That long? Are there bathrooms along the way?”
He laughed at her pink cheeks and patted the leather bags secured to Taz’s saddle. “I’ve got all the necessities right here.”
Toilet paper. Hand wipes. Lunch. Water. Picnic blanket.
Everything except condoms. He would be lying if he said the thought hadn’t crossed his mind, but since they were doing the friendship thing in addition to training, he needed to provide obstacles to temptation wherever possible.
They led the horses from the barn, and he glanced over as the breeze blew a loose strand of hair across Raine’s face. He tightened his hands on the reins, suppressing the urge to reach out and tuck it behind her ear. If he did that, he’d want to cup the back of her head so he could lean down and cover her mouth with his to see if there was any flavor to that gloss making her lips so shiny.
And on that note, he’d now be finding a log or a boulder to sit on while they ate their lunch and leave the picnic blanket packed deep in his saddle bag.
He’d chosen a longer trail that looped east onto public land bordering the Diamond estate before connecting with the trails on the west side of the property. As they rode past the huge main house, he noticed Raine’s gaze sweeping over the estate. He knew her family had plenty of money like his employers, and wondered if their place in Texas was as grand.
“Does it make you miss home?” he asked.
She lifted a shoulder, her head still averted. “I travel enough I’m used to being away.”
“That doesn’t answer the question.”
Now her gaze swung around to him. “I guess not really. It’s a lot cooler up here, and I like that for training outside instead of always being in air conditioning or it being super hot outside. Plus, my family has spread out, much like everyone here has. My brothers all moved out years ago, and my parents both travel for work a lot, so it’s hit and miss when we see each other. If I miss anything, it’s all of them, not the house.”
“You still live at home?”
A wry smile curved her lips. “It’s where I train, so it’s just easier.”
“Hey, I live where I work, so I get it.”
Her head swung back toward her uncle’s one last time before they entered the woods. “I will say, though, I’m not used to it being so quiet around here. There was always a full house whenever I visited.”
And these days, he was the one with the most permanent residence at the Diamond estate. “I’m not about to complain about the quiet,” he said.
She tossed him a smile. “I suppose not. Though, with Shelby and Dev engaged, I bet it won’t be long before you have a niece or nephew running around getting into trouble.”
“They’re talking about kids already?” The news shouldn’t surprise him, but he hadn’t thought about being an uncle anytime soon.
“Shelby said they want to be married for a little while first, but I’m sure with Merit and Asher already started, the rest will have kids sooner than later. I know Celia and Robert are trying, and probably Loyal and Roxanna, too.”
The wistful note in her voice started his heart beating a little faster. “How about you?”
