Page 8 of Promise Me Never

“I think you’re right.” My eyes droop.

“I’m always right. My sister says it’s my most annoying trait.”

“Well, that’s a red flag.” My eyes drift closed again.

“What’s your favorite color?” he asks as he bounces me in his arms again.

“Blue, like icy blue.” The color of his eyes, to be exact. I internally roll my own at that thought. Apparently I knocked the common sense right out of myself.

“Favorite animal?”

“Pandas,” I mutter as my eyes fall closed.

“Wake up,” he says as he sets me on the ground by the spot where we had lunch. “I’m going to clean this up just a bit and then we’re going to ride back down to the ranch together.”

I blink my eyes and look around. The only horse left is Sky, and she’s standing calmly to my left. “Where did everyone go? Where’s your horse?”

“I sent Colton and Sam down with the horses to call for help. That way there’s someone to check you out when we get back.”

When did he do that? Did I really pass out?

“That’s not necessary, I’ll just be careful this weekend and take it easy. It was just a bonk on the head and a couple cuts.” My head pounds in time with my pulse.

“No.” His rebuttal brooks no room for argument.

He is so close I can see each individual hair growing along his clenched jaw. I watch as his pulse beats at the base of his neck steady but faster than a normal rate. He licks his lips as he dabs at the cut on my temple. I drag in a shuddering breath as his heat surrounds me.

“That’s the best I can do with what I've got, but it looks like the bleeding is slowing down. Do you think you can get up on the horse?” He grabs my hand and pulls me to standing; his hands curl around my biceps as he steadies me.

“Yeah, just don’t let me fall.”

“I’d never let that happen.”

I turn and reach up for the horn of the saddle, wincing at the pain in my palm when it comes in contact with the leather. I don’t think he even realized that I was bleeding from there, too. I manage to swing my body up into the saddle just as he jumps up behind me.

I stiffen as he pulls me back flush against him. One of his arms snakes around my waist, settling on my stomach. “Relax against me, it’ll be easier to ride together if I’m not worried about you bouncing off.”

I follow his instructions, but I’m hyper aware of every inch of skin pressed against him. I can feel his thighs tighten around Sky, giving her nonverbal cues as she starts back down the trail. His heart beats erratically against my back. If I had more of my wits about me, I’d probably be curious about that, but all my concentration is focused on not falling off the horse.

“Can you handle it if I push her into a canter?”

“Yeah.” I don’t think anything could hurt worse than it already does. The sooner I’m off this horse and into my comfortable bed, the better.

* * *

By the time we get back down to the ranch, a young woman with blue hair and a medical kit is waiting on my grandparents’ back porch. She races down the steps as soon as Luke guides Sky to a stop. Grandpa reaches up and helps me off of the horse while Luke assists from behind me.

“Hi.” The woman introduces herself as she leads me into the kitchen. “I’m Janey Stone, a nurse from the hospital in town. I’m going to check you out and see if I need to call the doctor out.”

“She should just go straight to the hospital.” Luke pulls his cap off as he walks through the door.

The nurse looks over her shoulder at him. “I’ll be the judge of that. If you’re going to get in my way, you can just leave, Luke.”

“She could have a concussion,” he argues as he advances on the nurse.

She stands and pokes a finger in his chest. “I’m only giving you one warning.”

After a silent standoff he clenches his jaw and gives her a scowling nod. Then he turns on his heel and walks out of the house. The screen door slams behind him followed quickly by his heavy footsteps on the deck.

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