Page 47 of Shattered Vows

He chuckles and links our hands again before we continue down the path.

When we reach the stables and go inside, there are a couple of people working inside, but they quickly find something else to do outside. The building is far more expansive than I imagined. It’s a giant A-frame building built mostly of wood, and running down the point of the A are skylights that allow the sun in, if there were much to be had today. It’s much cleaner than I would have expected, and several horses pop their heads out from their stalls. One of them grabs all my attention.

“Oh wow. Who is this?” I can’t help but be drawn to the black horse with a coat that almost sparkles.

Kol steps up behind me. “That’s Asher’s horse, Poe.”

The horse is huge, way bigger than I expected, and when he brings his head up and down, I step back into Kol’s chest.

“He’s a little shit. Got loose the night of the storm. Took Jack and some of the other stable hands two days to get him back.”

I chuckle and look at the black beauty. I swear his eyes glimmer with amusement. “Can I… touch him? I mean, is that okay?”

“Sure.”

“Where should I touch him?” He seems like a nice horse, but he’s so big that it’s intimidating.

Kol walks closer to the stall. “Come here.” When I do, he positions me in front of him, and he strokes Poe’s neck. “Just do that. Only go with the direction of his hair. Ready?”

I nod, reaching up to the giant’s neck.

“Don’t be scared. He can read your energy,” Kol says.

I take a deep breath and pet him. To my surprise, Poe seems like he relaxes at my touch. I turn my head and smile at Kol. “I think he likes it.”

“What male wouldn’t like you running your hands over his body?” He squeezes my ass, and I yelp, causing Poe to nicker.

After Poe, Kol takes me around the rest of the stables to introduce me to the rest of the horses. All of them are beautiful in their own way.

“You want to take one for a ride?” he asks a while later.

My eyes widen. “Maybe another day. I think just saying hello is all I have in me today.”

The idea of being seated on the back of one of them terrifies me, but I want to. One day. I want to see if I love it or hate it. Whether I’ll be scared the whole time or able to get my nerves under control.

“That’s enough firsts for today?” He arches an eyebrow.

“You’re all about showing me my firsts, aren’t you?” I smile.

“I thought you knew that by now, Rapsody. I want all your firsts.”

I hold his gaze, and my heart swells with emotion. Lately, being with Kol has felt so much like when we were falling for each other before, but somehow even deeper. But I’m glad he said he wants all my firsts because it will make it easier to talk to him about what I want today.

“What’s going through that head of yours?” He taps my temple just below where my now-healed cut is.

I step into him and wrap my arms around his neck. “That’s exactly what I want. You to have my firsts. In fact… I want you to take me to bed. I want it to be you, Kol.”

I’ve never meant anything more in my life. I have no idea if this tryst with Kol is headed anywhere. I’m too afraid to ask. But I do know that I’ll regret it if anyone but him takes my virginity. That truth is embedded in my soul.

He tugs playfully on the thick braid that hangs down my back. “We’re getting there.”

“I’m serious, Kol. I don’t want to wait anymore.”

His smile fades. “If that’s really the case, there’s something you should know.” From the tone of his voice, it’s serious.

“Okaaaay, should I be scared?”

Instead of answering me, he unwinds my arms from around his neck and tugs me out of the stables. We walk in silence for a few minutes until we come to a large tree that appears as if it’s been on the property for centuries, it’s so big. Kol sits down under it as though to escape the sun even though the landscape is bathed in shadows from the thick clouds.

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