Page 16 of Lassoed Love

“Easy, Blue,” I mutter, my voice low. I know the importance of keeping him calm to avoid any unnecessary spooking. The horse responds, his intelligent eyes reflecting understanding as I command him to heel.What the fuck.

Irritation bubbles beneath the surface as the peaceful ambiance is now shattered. Gripping the reins with a firm resolve, I shift my gaze back towards the source of the disturbance and sure enough, by the nearby trees, I catch sight of a woman flailing around and screaming as if the world is coming to an end. Annoyance now creeps in, marring the peacefulness that once enveloped the moment.

Surely I’m seeing shit?

Without hesitation, I swing myself onto Blue’s back, a seamless motion born from years of practice. A subtle nudge to his stomach and a short clicking noise signal our departure, and we canter off towards the growing ruckus. As I saunter closer to the source of the commotion, Blue's hooves crunching on the dry ground, I instinctively pull back on the reins as recognition dawns.Isla Thompson.My annoyance at the disturbance is momentarily eclipsed by the sheer surprise of encountering her in such an unexpected place.

What the fuck would she be doing all the way over here?I ponder silently. The desire to tease her, to taunt her, creeps up irresistibly, and I find myself unable to resist.

“You following me, Doc?” I quip, my tone laced with a mocking undertone.

Isla levels me with a glare, scoffing at my suggestion. However, her unsettled demeanour doesn’t go unnoticed as she turns in a circle, scanning her surroundings.

“You right? What’s all the screeching for?” I inquire, a smirk playing on my lips.

“If you must know,no, I am not okay. I was just going about my day, going for my morning jog, when I stumbled onto your fucking property. And on top of that, a fucking spider lands on my shoulder,” she admonishes, frustration evident in her voice as her whole body shudders in disgust. A smile threatens to surface, and a chuckle lingers beneath the surface, but I resist letting it break free. She’d be a few kilometres away from town now, assuming that is where she lives.

“Are you fucking smiling at me? Do you think this is funny, Xavier Mitchell?” Isla retorts, her anger palpable.

I don’t miss the way my name easily rolls off her tongue. Internally, I berate myself for even thinking about it, reminding myself that Isla Thompson is nothing more than an unexpected, and frankly unwelcome, intrusion on my peaceful morning.

“Oh, it’s hilarious, really,” I reply in a mockingly sympathetic tone. “Finding yourself out in the bush, which is literally surrounding you, and coming across your friendly neighbourhood huntsman. The horror.”

She narrows her eyes, clearly not amused by my remark. “Save the sarcasm for someone who gives a fuck, Xavier. I don’t need your commentary this early in the morning, thanks.”

I lean back slightly, maintaining a cool demeanour. “Well, well, the fearless vet, scared of a little spider.”

She scoffs, crossing her arms defensively. “It’s not about the spider, it’s about being on your property unexpectedly. I really don’t need this right now."

“Doc, there’s a lot of things we don’t want in life, but life has a funny way of delivering them, anyway." A smirk plays on my lips. “Like, you, onmyproperty, for instance,” I counter.

“Not cut out for the outdoors, I see.” Nodding my head, referring to her little outburst.

She shoots me another glare that could curdle milk.I think that glare is permanently etched into her face by now.

“Says the one not cut out for any human interaction,” she snapsback.Ooft. Feisty one.I’ll give her that one, though.She’s right.

I chuckle lightly at her attempt at a comeback. “Touché, Doc. Now, since you’ve invadedmyproperty and we’ve shared a moment of genuinehuman interaction, as you say, what’s your grand plan now?”

Her eyes narrow further, and I can practically see the gears turning in her head. “I plan to get out of here and continue my run, spider-free and without any unwanted company.” She furrows her brows.

“Wait… Did you just… laugh?” she questions, raising her perfectly shaped eyebrow.Why am I noticing that?

I ignore her question, just giving her a smirk, noticing the way her cheeks flush. Her gaze wanders toward Blue, my Roan Quarter horse. Unable to resist a tease, I remark, “What, never seen a horse before?” I counter, knowing damn well she’d have encountered horses in her line of work—and most recently Duchess.

"Ha ha,” she deadpans. “Just admiring its colour," her tone casual.

Yeah, he’s known for that.

I think to myself, trying to keep a stoic expression. Out loud, I add, “He’s a Roan-Blue Quarter horse… bought him a while back. He wasn’t cheap, but he’s my most agile.”

“Yeah, I can imagine. These colours are quite rare in horses,” Isla counters.

I find myself momentarily surprised at her apparent horse knowledge. Well, well. She knows a bit about horses.She’s a veterinarian, you dickhead. Of course, she’d know.I silently chide myself. Butoutwardly, I maintain my nonchalant demeanour. As her curious stares persist, I suggest, “You can come closer. He doesn’t bite. He loves to be pet, actually.” Why am I telling her this?

“Could I?” she quips, and for some reason, her excitement makes me feel funny inside. I wasn’t expecting her to be so willing.

“Uh, sure. Just hop on through the fence,” I say, now subtly enjoying the prospect of her getting closer to Blue—and me. What the fuck am I doing?

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