AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No. Put the blanket over the stall door. You have workers for blankets.Yourmorning job is to check horse health and the yard safety. Leave tack to the workers.”
He says it like I’ve already messed up. Or maybe it’s just how he talks. Direct. Unemotional. But somehow, I hang on every word; his voice is so deep, so rich. It tumbles into the space like a mellow country music song.
Dash rests his forearm on the horse’s back and snags his finger in a belt loop, waiting for me to get closer and observe.
“Right.” I hang the blanket over Hound Dog’s stable door. I turn back to Dash, stiffen my arms, and let them drop to the sides but stay by the stable door. Being close to him and smelling him again feels… like something I should avoid doing too often.
He takes off his hat and stuffs it between the stall bars. He weaves his fingers through his hair. My Lord he is perfectly tall, dark, and handsome. “You’re going to have to come closer if you intend to inspect the horse.”
“Yeah, I know.” I swallow, but my mouth is dry, and I tell myself it’s just the autumn morning stealing my cool. I absolutely donotfind my boss sexy.
He smooths his manly hand up along Hound Dog’s spine toward me until Dash is standing next to the horse’s head. “Top to tail. You need a system so you don’t leave anything behind. If you don’t notice the symptoms, a horse can’t let you know he’s unwell until it’s often too late.”
He gazes at me in such a way it imposes the seriousness of the matter. I already know how to inspect a horse for health issues. But right now, I feel something like a painter who went to community college and now I’m getting a lesson from Picasso. I move into Dash’s space, where we can both look closely at the whites of the horse’s eyes. We’re close enough for his spicy, leather scent to encircle me. We’re close enough for his white clouds of breath to collide with mine.
Focus, Molly.I take out the notepad and pen I keep in my pocket.
Dash’s gaze falls from the horse’s face to my note-taking items, and he probably thinks it’s silly, but I like notes. Lists. They make me feel secure, and I need an anchor right now. Not that Dash makes me nervous. Maybe a little. I don’t even know what the feeling is he gives me.
Moments later, I’m glad I brought the pen and paper for more reasons than having a way to keep my eyes off Dash. The cowboy checks for more than just boogers in eyes and signs of blankets rubbing like we did at the other ranches where I worked.
Dash basically gives me a lesson in veterinary preventative medicine. He inspects the horse’s eyes, easing one open with sure but delicate fingers. Hound Dog is so comfortable with him, he doesn’t even swish his tail.
“Come closer.” Dash doesn’t take his gaze off the pony but curves his finger with a beckoning motion, calling me to his side.
I do as I’m told and step my feet beside his. In order for us to examine the same two-inch-wide eyeball, I stand with my side flush against his. There are multiple layers of fabric, down, and synthetic fluff between us, but the pressure of his arm against mine sends unmistakable flutters underneath my skin. Even through the shearling, the weight of his muscle, the firmness of his hard-working bicep is… reassuring. And that spicy smell of his enters my nose the way a baking cake does. Mouth-watering, irresistible.
He doesn’t seem to notice me salivating, thank God.
“The membrane here should be pink. Pale pink. If it’s white or red, or kind of purple, the horse could be dehydrated. That’s a problem as much in summer as it is in winter, so we check every day. Every season. And if it’s yellow, we call Jolie over.”
I wonder if Dash’s vet sister taught him these things. She’s super amazing with the horses, but Dash has a mastery that seems to even surpass an expert. It’s horse whisperer stuff. Not only does Hound Dog allow Dash to poke and prod, he gives the cowboy a nuzzle afterward, as if to thank Dash for the attention. The sight draws up the corner of my mouth with an endearing half-smile I can’t resist.
My boss runs me through the rest of the checks he wants me to do, both on the horses and observations within the stable environment like how much goes in (and out) of each horse daily. Unlike past managers, Dash is, despite probably hating it, an incredible teacher, telling me not only to do what I’m told but why it’s important to do it. And for a moment, I wonder if he wants me to fail or to succeed because this lesson is teaching-a-man-to-fish kind of stuff.
I take notes, silently watching him use his capable hands on this creature. They slide along every bit of the horse’s hair smoothing down in firm strokes. It’s impressive he’s been waking up in the middle of the night then makes the time to come here after… well, whatever it is he does, and doctors the ponies so thoroughly. Here I thought he came to the stables to catch people wasting electricity, and this… this is what he’s been doing all along. Ensuring the health of these creatures, giving them TLC, treating them like the precious beasts they are.
Inside this enigmatic, off-limits grump is a soul capable of immense care and attention. If a woman could be on the receiving end of such healing attention, she’d never ache again.
He stands after inspecting his last hoof and brushes dust off his hands. He runs his eyes from my toes to the top of my head as if making up his mind about my capabilities. Our gazes meet briefly, and his eyes sear right through me. This man is a million times more confident in silence than I am. He’s intimidating. I don’t know if it’s intentional or not, but his confidence, his self-assurance, is more alpha than I can take in one moment. I lower my gaze and stuff the notepad and pen into my large winter coat pocket.
He snatches his hat and puts it on. “Let me know if you have any problems or questions.” He moves alongside me to leave.
But I still have more to prove. “Dash?”
He doesn’t turn, just sticks his hand up on the stall frame, lifting his jacket and exposing a mighty fine ass.
“I wanted to talk to you about one of the items in my proposal. From May. If you ever read it?”
“I read it.” He squares himself to me again, comes into the stable, and lifts that boot on the stall wall, knee bent, probably because he’s tired from his night of meandering.
I’m sure he doesn’t intend to look sexy. But he oozes it. I’m covered in sticky, hot cowboy lust.
I tell myself this will subside. Soon, just like all the hot guys I’ve met, he’ll do something to go from a ten to an eight, and I’ll be able to talk to him without swallowing first.
“It’s about the Christmas season.” I stuff my freezing hands in my pockets. “I proposed some winter activities for around here. I thought if we brought some seasonal activities to the ranch, we could increase winter income. When I first came here, I was talking with Savannah up at the hotel, and I really think having sleigh rides and some other things could make this place a year-round destination.”
Dash folds his arms over his chest. He narrows his eyes, and the mere fact he’s changed his stony expression must be positive. Right?
