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“Why, yes, Bailey. This place is humongous, and I’m excited to take you on a tour while I babysit you like a child. Yippee ki-yay. I’m a rootin-tootin cowboy who enjoys being serious and rude.”
He pulled up, passed the small parking lot, and parked in front of the gate. Without a word, he hopped out, swinging it open before jumping back into the cab and driving through. She wouldn’t look at him until he had closed the gate and was driving towards the back pen.
“Maybe I should be grateful you don’t speak. At least tell me, is this how you are with everyone? Or is it just me you don’t want anything to do with?”
He was surprised by the sudden anger in her voice, and he glanced over at her, then back at the road in front of him. She was staring straight out the window, stiff and annoyed.As soon as he parked, she pulled the handle, opening the door with a huff, but he reached over and pulled it closed before she could step out. He twisted, moving his body closer to hers, one knee digging into the seat. Her eyes found his in surprise, and he waited a beat, drowning in the sorrow he saw barely hidden by her tough demeanor.
“I’ve found that the things most people do and say aren’t actually how they feel. If I let them talk, then all I have to do is listen and watch, and they’ll show me who they really are.”
“So, after spending an hour with me, you think you know me?”
He cocked his head but didn’t break their eye contact. Just like before, he could feel something inside her, or maybe inside him, as it shifted and changed.
“Tell me, Nassau. What do you think you know about me?”
Her voice was breathless, and it caught in her throat. Mesmerized by the deep blue of her eyes, the color of the sky just before a thunderstorm, he spoke without thinking, without holding back.
“I think you put on a show, that you hide behind your reputation, behind who people expect you to be, but the real you is there, in the details. The way you look before you turn on, your reactions to others when you’re surprised. Your irritation when you’re not in control. You have a mask for everyone.”
Panic filled her eyes, and she took a sharp, almost unnoticeable breath. “That’s everybody, though, isn’t it?”
He lifted his palm to her chest, resting over her heart. The beast inside of him could already hear her heart race, but now he felt the stutter against his hand. She didn’t push him away, only leaned into his touch, adding her own hand over his heart. They sat there like that, intimate, locked on each other for several moments before he spoke.
“For you, there’s more you’re hiding. I feel your fear, your panic. And it’s more than your stalker. There’s something else you’re not telling everyone, and you don’t have to tell me, but I’m here if you need me. Stay with me and I’ll keep you safe from whatever, whoever. You don’t need to worry.”
As he spoke slowly and deliberately, she swallowed hard, and the sorrow he had seen in her eyes overflowed. He lifted his hand to cup her chin gently, and when she closed her eyes, squeezing them shut, a single tear escaped. He used his thumb to wipe it away when it slid down her cheek, and she lifted her eyes to his again, like she was going to say something, like she was contemplating telling him her deepest darkest secrets.
Instead, she snapped, turning away from him, yanking the door handle, and rushing out of the truck. He didn’t try to stop her this time, only watched her walk off towards the buildings behind the barn.
“Bailey’s headed towards the training building A. Someone show her the bathroom, then walk her back to the stables. Only one person. Everyone else stay back so she doesn’t feel crowded.”
His group link to the others was answered by several of the guys working today, and he kept his eyes on her until he saw one of the younger shifters approach and lead her inside.Then he headed into the stables to get his day started. Settling into his morning routine, he pulled out the tack for each of his respective horses, hanging the individual blankets and saddles on each door. He was hauling in the buckets of carrots for training when he heard their voices.
“Such a doll. Tell me you’re gonna hang out with us today. I need a breath of fresh air around Silent Sally over there.”
Braulio stuttered, noticeably blushing at her compliments and blatant flirting. “Yes, ma’am. I just clean stalls, and then I help Nas with exercising the green-brokes.”
“Maybe I can get lessons from you, then? These babies look so sweet.”
Braulio looked at him uncomfortably, then back to her. “I don’t know. The horses here are the ones giving us a hard time. Nas has a special touch when breaking, but it might not be safe yet.”
“Oh, pssh. Just gentle giants.” She stopped to rub the nose of one mare, then scratched behind her ears. “I’m sure you’ll keep me safe, right?”
She had her back to Nassau as he moved tack around and got ready for the day, but her words were meant to bait him, even if it didn’t work. No one here would do anything without his permission, so it didn’t matter.
“I can probably take you over to another stable, maybe get you started with a trail buddy.”
“Ohh, I think a trail buddy sounds nice. Anyone around here up for being my trail buddy?”
At that comment, he paused, catching Braulio’s eyes in a reminder to watch himself.
“Oh, um. Maybe a little later. We all have duties and work to get done, but I’m sure someone has their afternoon open. I…I have to go. I’ll see you around.”
He didn’t wait for his answer, hustling back to the other side of the stables and starting his work. Bailey continued to wander along the stalls, scratching ears and rubbing horses’ necks before finally leaning against the stall closest to where he gathered gear. She didn’t say anything for once, and he kept working steadily.
When he had gathered everything he needed for the morning, he strode out to the pen to lay it all out. She followed him hesitantly, then with annoyance, dropped her backpack in the dirt beside the pen. “How does this work in Tuisa? What am I expected to do all day? Watch you work? Knit some socks? Cook your lunch? You can’t expect me to sit around. I have actual things I need to do.”
He had hoped the guys he sent to get the bench would be back by now, but he didn’t see them yet, and she waited impatiently, her irritation clear. No point in pissing her off more. He pointed to a shaded area. “For now, wait.”
