Page 65 of Only With Me
As soon as it goes off, Piper canters to the first one and successfully jumps over without knocking the rails down. When we do bigger jumps, I switch my positions from post to two-point to keep us balanced in between. When my legs squeeze slightly to signal for her to jump over the second and third, she does flawlessly.
Moments before the final one, a small animal runs inside and spooks Piper. She plants into the ground before my body has the chance to stop, and I fly off her back.
And that’s why I wear the helmet.
“Oh my God, Harlow!” Noah shouts, rushing toward me.
“I’m fine…” I grunt, attempting to roll onto my side.
“Are you okay?” Waylon kneels beside me.
I groan at how hard my tailbone hit the ground. “Never been better.”
Noah snorts, grabbing Piper’s reins so she doesn’t run off. “Take it easy and get up slowly.”
Waylon offers me his hand, and I take it. He helps me into a sitting position, but the pain already shoots down my back.
“Was that agoat?” I ask for clarification.
“Yep…looks like one got loose.” Waylon shakes his head. “Pretty sure Wilder was movin’ ’em into a different pasture.”
“That explains it.” Noah sighs.
“He’s so cute!” Bentley gushes, and when the three of us look over, we find him playing with the little devil.
“Don’t let him get away,” Waylon tells him. “We’ll need to bring him back.”
“Can I keep him?”
Waylon shakes his head. “Not a chance your mom would be okay with that.”
“Ugh.” Bentley pouts.
“Think you can stand?” Waylon brings his attention back to me.
No. “Yeah, sure.”
Waylon gets to his feet and gently pulls me to mine. We’re nearly chest to chest when I get to my full height. Inhaling, I smell whatever he’s wearing. Or maybe it’s justhim. Manly and musky with a hint of leather.
His gaze finds mine, but then it lowers to my mouth.
I brush a hand over my cheek, feeling self-conscious. “Do I have dirt on my face?”
He blinks and then shakes his head. “Oh no, you look good.”
My brows furrow at his choice of words, and I almost get lost in his ocean blue eyes while staring into them.
“You’re gonna probably be sore now,” Noah interrupts, causing us to break apart. “Take somethin’ when you get home.”
“I will. My ass is gonna have a nice bruise on it again, so I’ll be sittin’ on ice for the rest of the day.” I chuckle, but Waylon tenses next to me, and I worry that was the wrong thing to say. “I bruise easily, but I’ll be fine.”
He gives me that forced smile again, which confuses the hell out of me.
“Bentley and I will take the goat back, and then I can help you take down the rails,” he tells Noah.
“Sounds good, thank you.”
Noah hops on Piper. “I’ll groom her and then put her back into the stall so you can get home.”
