Page 41 of Rival
That surprises me and I drop my arms, not realizing I’ve crossed over my chest. “Honestly? That’d be a far way to carry them, though. And there are two of them.”
“Well,” he says, dragging it out. “I could pick you up so you wouldn’t have to walk all that way.”
My heart kicks up faster and my gut is telling me to say yes, that it would be lovely for him to drive over so I could show him. But my father’s words slam into my memory, and I just know that it’d be impossible if he were to see me getting into Jaxon’s truck.
Gulping nervously, I suppress the fear that imagery causes to flare up. “Oh, that’s okay. Maybe I could just bring them one at a time. But Buck might be difficult, so we’ll have to see. He’s a curious boy and I don’t think the whole cat’s sleep for twenty hours a day applies to him. I’m sure he doesn’t get more than a little cat nap in now and then.”
I pause, realizing what I said and how stupid it sounds at the same time Jaxon eyes me before snorting out a laugh. “No pun intended, huh?”
“Hush.” I giggle.
As soon as we turn onto his family farm, I sit up and lean forward to see the barn through the now pounding rain. He carefully steers the truck, focusing hard as he stares out the windshield.
“I didn’t even know we had a storm coming. This morning, the skies were completely clear,” I tell him, peering at the ground quickly forming puddles.
Parking right in front of the barn doors, my side closest to them, he turns off the engine and fists his keys. Lowering his head to look up at the sky, he looks thoughtful.
“It’s supposed to be on and off all week. Don’t know how much work we’ll be able to do at the barn. Wood will need to dry out for a few days to prevent rot. Ready to go in?”
“Yes,” I breathe out, then bite my lip as soon as the rain slams against my face the moment I swing open my door. Hopping down, I land in a puddle and the water goes flying out in a wave, but I don’t care. I’ve been looking forward to this ever since he mentioned teaching me and it’s finally time to start.
We make it to the barn door at the same time, and I wait for him to shove it open, holding it so I can slip under his arm as he attempts to keep the rain out of his eyes.
I come up short when I see about a dozen horses all staring at me. Jaxon must not have noticed I stopped because his body bumps into me hard enough that I stumble forward.
“Shit, sorry Edith.” He grabs me by my shoulders to steady me, before coming around to my side and looks proudly at all of them. They’re a noisy group; huffing and clanging around in their stalls. The first one to my right is a beautiful black beauty with just a touch of white on the left side of its face. I clasp myhands together in happiness when it throws its head back and shakes out its mane.
I inch forward, then check with Jaxon to get permission. He lifts his chin toward the horse and follows me as I walk up to it. “What’s its name?” I ask, reaching out slowly and holding my palm open.
“He’s Noir. Well, technically, his name isNobleNoir, but we just call him Noir.”
“Noir?” I can’t take my eyes off him. His fur is so sleek and shiny and I’m sure he should be on the cover of a magazine. “He’s certainly noble. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more gorgeous horse in my life.”
Jaxon’s hand touches Noir’s head next to where my fingers are stroking his fur. Our fingers brush together and I shiver at the contact. He’s held my hand a few times now, but this feels more intimate with him standing so close behind me. The heat of his body is warming me from within after the chill of the rain soaked into my clothing.
“My mom has always had a flair for naming horses. She says a great horse deserves a great name. Would you like to learn on him, or do you want to check out the rest of them?”
My mouth parts in shock. “Oh, I couldn’t do that to him. He deserves a much better rider than I’ll ever be.”
“Edith.” His mouth is closer to my ear when he murmurs my name. Closing my eyes, I do my best to remind myself that he’s just my friend, but I can’t stop the thoughts from swirling, especially after I know how good kissing can feel. It’s like Griffin unlocked something in me and it’s all I can think about now. “He’s probably the best one to start with. Noir’s temperament is incredibly calm, and he’s well trained.”
“Are you sure?” I’m feeling a bit out of my comfort zone. It’s clear the Thortons have quite the set up here and with thenumber of horses they have along with the size of the farm, I feel out of place.
He pulls his hand back from petting Noir and gives my shoulders a squeeze. “Positive. There’s a pole barn attached to this building where it’s completely open. We’ll take him in there and I’ll show you the ropes.”
Nodding my head, I step back and watch as he opens the stall, then slides a lead over Noir’s head to guide him out. As we head toward the back, my eyes are flying everywhere, taking in each horse, and I realize that every single one of them seems to be just as majestic as the last.
Finally, I can’t keep my questions to myself. “Why do you all have so many horses? Do you show them? They all seem like they’re above and beyond the normal working horse you’d find on a farm or ranch. Is one of them yours, specifically, or do they all belong to your family?”
Jaxon laughs, then reaches for me where I’m trailing behind to pull me up next to him. “We have the horses because my mom and sister used to show them at fairs and events. A few of them are for farm work, but most we just get out to exercise and ride just for pleasure. There are a few that are still shown, but we’ve got people who do that for us now. And Noir is mine, so you made an excellent choice to learn on him. I’ve had him for a little over five years.”
I’m in awe and want to tell him, but I’m not sure how to say it without sounding immature and silly.
Once we’re in the open floored barn, I listen intently as Jaxon talks me through all the equipment and steps to saddle a horse. I didn’t see this part when I rode double with Mason, so I’m absorbing everything I can and committing it all to memory.
Once he’s finished, he plants his hands on his hips to look over his work. “There’s going to be a quiz next time we do this, so be ready for it.”
My eyes fly open, and I jerk my head to face him, worried I won’t remember everything. He sounds so serious too, and I’m kicking myself for not writing this all down. “S-Seriously? What if I forget?” I exclaim, only for Jaxon to burst out laughing.
