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He looked up and thought for a moment. “Dress comfortable. We’ll be exploring on horseback.”
Stretching up, I kissed him on the cheek. No one was paying any attention to us, now that they were in full-blown baby furniture talk. “See you in thirty minutes then.”
I could feel Hunter’s eyes on me as I started to walk out of the kitchen. When I turned to say one more goodbye to everyone, I felt my cheeks heat. He was staring…and the smile on his face made my knees go weak.
“Have fun today, guys!”
The four of them looked up, and each offered the same reply to Hunter and me.
Once I was away from everyone, I did a little happy jump and raced up the steps to my room.
Lincoln had been right. The temperature outside was fifty-eight, but it felt warmer with the sun beating down on us. I ran my hand along Luna’s neck. She was a quarter horse rescue that Timberlynn and Tanner had gotten. She’d apparently been owned by a man who was abusive to his animals, and when they got Luna, she was so thin, the vet said had she gone another week in her previous home, she would have been dead.
“You’re such a good girl, aren’t you?” I crooned as we walked alongside Hunter and his horse, Iceman.
“She’s a smart horse. Tanner said it took them nearly six months to get Luna to trust either of them, but she finally gave in to Timberlynn. She loves to do barrels and would make a great horse for that. Ryan came to the ranch twice a week and worked with Timber on training her. Even offered to buy her because he fell in love with the sweet girl. But Tanner and Timberlynn love her too much to sell.”
I smiled as I studied the buckskin mare. She truly was beautiful. “I can see why Ryan fell for her. She’s beautiful, gentle, and you can tell she enjoys being ridden.”
“How long have you been riding?” Hunter asked. It was only then I realized there were so many things we didn’t know about one another.
“I don’t remember my first time on a horse, but I’ve been told I was three. What about you?”
He laughed. “My father had me on a horse with him the moment I was able to sit up. My mother said I was about six months old.”
“Six months!”
“Granted, he was holding me. I was around the same age as you when I was on my first pony. Three. I remember it still to this day. Something about being up on that horse and riding alongside my father and Uncle Tanner… I think I fell in love with riding from that moment on.”
“And roping? What made you want to do that?”
He gave a one-shoulder shrug. “Probably watching my uncle Tanner. While Blayze was obsessed with bulls, I was obsessed with horses. I knew it would be Tanner’s footsteps I followed and not my father’s. Although, my plan is to work here on the ranch with Blayze. Ranching is my true passion.”
“You don’t have plans to go professional?”
“I did, but the older I get, the more I realize that I’m not interested in that life. Bradly is, and I can see him going far with bull riding. From what everyone says, he’s better than my father and his combined. And Uncle Ty. He was about the same age when his daddy put him on the back of a bull out in the pasture. I remember one time no one could find him, and Aunt Merit and Uncle Dirk where worried sick. I think he was about ten. He was eventually found at Uncle Ty’s in the pasture, lying down next to a bull, reading.”
I grinned. “Like, reading a book?”
Hunter laughed. “Yes. Bradly loves to bull ride, but he also loves to read. If given some down time, you can always find him reading.”
“What does he like to read?”
“I’m not entirely sure if he has a favorite. I’ve seen him reading everything from biographies to suspense books.”
“What do you like to do in your spare time? And I know I’ve already read what you wrote for the show, but is that all true?” I asked.
Hunter thought for a moment. “I guess anything that keeps me in motion. I love to ride, but you already know that. I also love spending time with my family.”
“That’s obvious. I adore your entire family.”
He smiled. “They’re great. Game night is one of my favorite times, Christmas is always fun and a bit crazy. Birthdays as well. Oh, and I also like to garden.”
“What? As in like, flowers or veggies?”
He looked at me and winked, causing a sensation of flutters in my stomach. “Both. That, I owe to Grams. She loves to garden, and when she saw me take an interest in it, she took full-on advantage. I aspire to have a garden like hers.”
“Did you know what degree I’m going for?”
