Page 72 of Taking Chances (Healing Hearts 1)

“You know where I’m going, don’t you?” I asked her.

“Yep! My lips are sealed, though, enjoy!” She told me, skipping past me into the house.

Mason grabbed my hand and led me around the side of the house and towards the stables. I pulled back on his hand, slowing him down. “Mason, were not going on the horses, are we?” I asked him, nerves prickling in my stomach.

He stopped and turned to face me. “Do you trust me Lib?”

“Yes,” I answered, without having to think about it.

“Then know that I would never put you in any danger. Just trust me, okay.”

“Okay,” I whispered.

Once we were inside the stables, he stopped in front of Titan’s stall. “We're both going to ride Titan. He’s used to having two riders, and he’s big enough to cope with it.”

“Mason.” I started.

“You can’t be on the ranch and avoid the horses Lib, I know how much you loved to ride before you got hurt, this is the start of getting you back in the saddle.”

I sighed, I knew logically that the only reason I fell was because Amber had tampered with the saddle, but I still couldn’t help feeling nervous about getting back on a horse.

“It’ll be okay. I promise.” He told me. I nodded and watched him in silence as he walked to the tack room, returning with a double saddle. He led Titan out of the stall and spent time fixing the saddle, ensuring that it was secure. “Happy sweetheart.” He asked me, gesturing to the saddle.

“I’ll tell you when I’m up there.” I half joked. He mounted Titan and reached his hand out to me. Taking a deep breath, I gave him my shaking hand, and he pulled me up. Once I was in the saddle my arms flew around his waist, and I pressed my body tightly against his back.

“Ready?” He asked, his hand coming down to cover mine.

I nodded my head and he tapped his feet, encouraging Titan to move. I squeezed my eyes shut as we rode away from the stables. Once I’d calmed down, and my heart had stopped pounding I opened my eyes, recognising instantly where we were headed. “Are we going to the lake?” I asked him, my lips tickling his neck.

He shivered. “Yes, baby.”

I loved it at the lake, it had fast become my favourite place, mainly because it was where I realised my true feelings for him, even if I had pushed him away on our first trip here. “I love the lake,” I told him.

“I know baby.” He reached his hand back and squeezed my leg. I was amazed at how relaxed I had become on Titan, I was guessing that it was because I had my arms wrapped around Mason and my body pressed tightly to his.

Before long we arrived at the lake and I dismounted Titan, followed by Mason. He reached for my hand again, and we walked to the water’s edge where a picnic blanket was laid out. I turned to him and smiled.

“I thought we could have another first date. After everything that’s happened…” He hesitated, sounding unsure.

“That’s a great idea,” I told him, going up on my tip toes to kiss him.

Pulling me down to sit on the blanket, he reached for the picnic basket that was waiting for us, as he opened it he started taking out everything that he’d brought for our first picnic.

I smiled. “You remembered what we had to eat?” I asked incredulously.

“I remember everything about that day Lib.” He said sheepishly.

I smiled at him, biting into one of the pulled pork sandwiches, finding them as delicious as before.

After we’d eaten and packed everything back into the basket, we lay down on the blanket, my head resting on his chest. After a few minutes lying there in a comfortable silence, Mason said. “Lib, I did have an ulterior motive for bringing you here.”

I pushed myself up on his chest so that I could see his face. “Really?” I asked wiggling my eyebrows.

“Not that.” He laughed. “You’ve got a dirty mind baby, where’s my innocent Libby gone?” He joked

“She’s been corrupted,” I replied with a cocky grin. “Why did you bring me here then?” I asked him.

“I wanted to ask you something.” He sat up, and I sat up with him. “Move in with me Lib, I want to fall asleep with you in my arms and wake up with you in my arms. I want to make you breakfast in bed every morning and make love to you every night. What do you say?”

He looked nervous, he didn’t need to be. A few weeks ago, I would have worried that it was too soon, that we didn’t know each other well enough, that it might not work out and I might get hurt. Now I didn’t even have to think about my answer. “Yes. I’ll move in with you.” I told him, smiling widely.

“Really?”

“Really,” I told him, laughing. “You’re stuck with me now cowboy.”

“I’m never letting you go, baby.” He murmured, pulling me into his arms.

I’d moved halfway around the world to be with him, I didn’t know what the future held for Mason and me, but I knew I wasn’t afraid to find out. Losing Mia had taught me that nothing was guaranteed in life, sometimes you just had to be brave enough to take chances.

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