Page 26 of Destry

I nodded. “She’s serious.”

Marleigh gave me a knowing look but didn’t push the conversation further. She headed to her truck, leaving me alone at the fence, watching Savvy run again. She looked even better this time, pushing the horse harder, moving faster, trusting herself, trusting him.

The hesitation was still there but less noticeable. She was finding that rhythm between rider and horse, which I understood because it was similar to what it felt like for me to ride even though there was never a damn rhythm with a bull trying to kill me.

When she reached the final stretch, she laughed so freely I couldn’t help but grin.

She pulled the horse up near the fence, breathing hard. I let my eyes drag over her face, flushed from the ride and damn if that shit didn’t make my dick hard.

I liked seeing her like this and what I liked even more was being the reason she had this moment.

“You’re watching me again,” she said, still catching her breath.

“Hard not to.”

She rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling. “I can’t believe you did this.”

I shrugged, pushing off the fence. “Told you I had something for you.”

She looked back at the barrels, then at the horse like she still wasn’t sure this was real.

Then, she swung down from the saddle, landing lightly on her feet, and walked toward me. She pulled her hat off, brushing a hand over her forehead, looking up at me.

“This really on loan?” she asked, suspicious.

I held her gaze, keeping my expression neutral. “For now.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Why do I feel like you’re full of it?”

I chuckled, but didn’t answer.

She shook her head, stepping back. “Doesn’t matter. I’ll take it.”

I nodded toward the barrels. “One more run?”

Her smirk was sexy as hell. “You trying to keep me here?”

“Not tonight.”

Her expression shifted for a second, something passed through it.

Then she turned back toward the horse and rubbed her hand down the side. But instead of climbing back on, she came to me.

CHAPTER

ELEVEN

Savvy.

Marleigh had left a while ago and I had run the barrels until my legs burned and my hands ached from gripping the reins.

Now, I was dead tired but in the best way. I sat on the tailgate of Destry’s truck with my legs hung over the side. Destry sat next to me, one leg hanging off, the other propped up on the bed and a bottle of water dangling from his fingers.

He hadn’t said much since I finished, just sat there, relaxed, staring into the darkness but I sensed him. I wasn’t used to the quiet between us, but somehow, it didn’t feel uncomfortable. It felt... settled, right.

"That was perfect."

Destry’s smirk surfaced. “Yeah?”

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