Page 82 of Wild and Unruly
He looks at me then like he’s about to say something he knows I won’t like. “You can’t be alone, period. I don’t want you leaving my side until he’s in prison or…” Stetson trails off and I see his fist clench.
“Stetson.” I reach out, covering his fist with my hand. “Please don’t do anything that will take you away from me.”
“I don’t want that either, Bo. But I can’t let him just wander the streets knowing he put his hands on you, that he’s a murderer.”
I absorb those words for a moment and sigh, letting my head fall in a nod. “What about Celina?” I ask, panic in my voice as my gaze snaps back to his. “She was part of it, too. She was named.”
He nods, rubbing a hand over my back in comfort. “CT let me know that she came by. Apparently, she was dating the other trainer at the Smith’s place, and they were trying to do what you did.” He looks over my face again, obviously feeling the same regrets that slithered through me when he looks at the bruising on my face. “They took their shit from there and are moving out of Colorado to start fresh. She came and got her horse this morning and told CT to tell you good job.”
Relief like I’ve never felt lands on my chest, and I let out a breath. “Well, I’m glad she’s okay. I don’t know if I deserve a ‘good job’ though.” My eyes heat with more tears just thinking about that poor man who lost his life because of the evil that lurks in Tommy Smith.
“Hey.” Stetson puts a finger under my chin and lifts my head. “You did the right thing, Bo. Maybe it was the hard thing, but you are saving people from getting hurt or worse.”
“I just don’t feel like I’ve helped anyone,” I say, my words barely a whisper. “I feel like I caused more issues to come about.”
Stetson pulls me into his chest, holding me as I cry. I was embarrassed to be acting this way, but I was also grateful that I had Stetson here to help keep me together. “Everything’s gonna be okay,” he whispers against my temple, and I take a fewminutes to let it all out before I pull back, wiping my face and pulling myself together.
“But for now…” Stetson sends a little smile my way, pushing aside our serious conversation. “I have something I’d like to show you if you feel up to it.”
“What?” I ask, a tendril of excitement pulsing through my chest.
“It’s at the ranch, so you might run into some people.”
I reach up, gently touching the piece of tape that’s covering my stitches, and frown.
His hand covers mine, pulling my fingers to his lips and kissing them. I could get used to this kind of morning, where he comforts me and looks at me with this much love, all while shirtless.
I really wish I wasn’t in pain.
“You’re beautiful.”
I smile at the lie—or not really lie, but the version of me that he always sees, which is just not the version of myself that I see.
I need to work on that.
“Okay, let’s do it.”
The ranch was just as beautiful as it was a week ago, and breathing in deeply, I let myself soak in the hot sun and fresh air. When Stetson stops, he pulls me out of his side of the truck, sliding his hands gently around my waist and setting me down.
I smile up at him, and he tugs his hat into place, interlacing our fingers and pulling me toward the barn. It was almost eerily quiet, and I wondered if they knew we were coming and wanted to give us space.
Heading into the barn, I take in a breath of the air, letting myself hear all the shuffling noises of the horses and not caring one lick of how weird I probably look, inhaling and smiling at a barn full of horses.
When we get to the end, I peek inside the stall and see who’s there, smiling at the little filly inside. “Freckles! You graduated to the barn!”
I open her door, not waiting for Stetson to say anything, as I rub my hands all over her neck and face. She was already getting so big, and I probably can’t consider her a filly anymore. She was a full-on mare.
“Have you still been working with her, or is she with Logan now?”
Stetson watches with a warm look in his gaze, his lips tipped up at the side. “Nah, I’m keeping her on with me.”
I glance at him in surprise. “You are?”
“Yeah.” His grin broadens now, and I frown at him in confusion. “I’m going to train her to be a team roping horse.”
I gasp. “Aw, are you keeping her?” I rub between her ears and down her cheek and smile when her head dips into my stomach, her silent way of asking me to keep going.
“We are.” He nods and doesn’t say anything else.
