AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Asher and Clover head off and we go inside. Daisy drops her pack just inside the door and slumps. “This is going to be harder than I thought.”
“Let’s check in on Zephyr,” I say. “She always makes you feel better.”
Daisy brightens a bit and even lets me put an arm around her shoulders as we walk out to the barn together.
Zephyr takes one look at Daisy and turns to face the outer wall of her stall, putting her rear toward us.
“Aw, she’s mad at us,” Daisy says.
“I’ll run back inside and cut up an apple.” I leave her side before she can argue and race into the house.
When I get back, Daisy has somehow managed to coax Zephyr to turn around, and she’s saying sweet things to the horse while scratching her between the ears.
I’m struck by how sweet Daisy is with her guard down, how loving. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Daisy like this with any human, so open and relaxed. Why is she so afraid to lower her walls around people, around me?
Whatever the reason, I know I’ve made it worse with the fake engagement. Just this morning I thought I finally had a chance with Daisy Weston and I’d had every intention of holding on tight and not letting go, but that only works if she wants tobe held. Maybe I’ve been delusional thinking I can change her mind.
Chapter Twenty-One
Daisy
Isense it when Noah walks into the barn, but he doesn’t announce himself. He just stops in his tracks and watches me like I’m fascinating or beautiful or worthy of admiration and love.
I hate that he looks at me that way, because it makes me want to be someone I can never be, someone I believed for just a few moments last night I could be. For him.
Turning just my head, I smile. It’s a fake smile, and he doesn’t return it. Why am I like this? Why can’t I just let this amazing man care about me? It felt so good last night to be held by him. “Did you bring the apple?”
He steps forward and holds out a handful of apple slices.
“Why don’t you feed her one?”
He takes a step back, even though he’s well out of Zephyr’s reach. “That’s your thing. I wouldn’t want her imprinting on me.”
“Imprinting on you? She’s not a duckling, Noah.”
He takes a step sideways, toward me, but no closer to Zephyr.
“Come on.” I grab his wrist and pull him forward. He could easily resist my pull, but he steps up next to me. “It’s easy.”
“She’s got huge teeth. And I don’t think she likes me.”
I laugh at the wariness in his expression. Losing a horse has hurt me, but I can love Zephyr so easily. I wish I could do thesame with Noah. I wish people were as easy as horses. “She’ll love you after you feed her apples.”
“Along with my fingers.” But he takes a step closer, lifting his hand with the apple slices in her direction.
“She won’t bite. Just hold your hand flat.”
I wrap my arm around his waist and he immediately wraps his free arm around my shoulders, enveloping me in his warmth and scent. I place a hand under his and he flattens his fingers, the apple slices in his palm.
“Perfect,” I say. “Now, just—”
But before he can lift his hand, Zephyr lowers her head and snuffles the apples up.
“Damn,” Noah whispers, obviously startled, but he doesn’t jerk his hand away or tense up.
Satisfied, Zephyr lifts her head, chomping on her apples.
“Did you see how she lunged at me?” Noah asks. But he doesn’t step away from her stall. He just pulls me in tighter against his side.
