Page 79 of Trusting a Cowgirl

“Hey.” Riley propped his shoulder against a nearby pole and gestured toward the barn. “This is some place you got.”

“It’s not as big as Shane’s, but it does its job.”

“I don’t think there will ever be anything as big as Shane’s.” He chuckled. His eyes seemed brighter somehow. She couldn’t remember exactly because the change had occurred over the course of several weeks, but Riley looked better—happier. He looked good.

Grace straightened and pointed to another stall. “You’re gonna be riding Bandit. He’s Faye’s horse.” She chuckled. “He’s nothing like Dolly, but he’s a good listener. I think you’ll like him.”

Riley swung his focus back to her, that smile of his making her legs weak, turning them into jelly. She’d chastise herself for falling into this trap a second time, but every time she attempted to put herself in her place, she remembered that none of these reactions were present when she had gone on a few dates with Tyler.

He tilted his head slightly and a soft laugh filled the space between them. “What are you looking at me for?”

Her eyes widened and her brows shot up. Heat seared her cheeks as she forced herself to tear her gaze from him. “I’m not. Nothing. Just—let’s get Bandit ready so we don’t miss this sunrise. It’s gonna be the best—”

“Grace…”

She returned her focus to him. “Yeah?”

“Thanks.”

“For what?”

Riley shrugged. “All of it. I wouldn’t be where I’m at without you.”

Her throat closed up. This was the closest she’d come to hearing him admit her sessions had made a difference. That small compliment was enough to set her heart into overdrive. She didn’t know what to say. How should she respond to something like that? “You’re welcome,” she wheezed. Well, that didn’t sound quite right. She was making herself out to be an embarrassment. If she wasn’t careful, he’d realize he’d been better off when they’d been apart.

They made quick work of setting Riley up on Bandit and set out on the trail. It was still fairly dark outside, but the weather was cooperating. Their horses plodded side-by-side and the only sound that could be heard was that of their horseshoes hitting the earth beneath them.

Grace peeked at Riley and every single memory of the intimate moments they’d shared burst to the surface. The gentle way he could hold her in his arms, the soft kisses he brushed to her temple, the way his gaze made her feel like the only one in the room.

For the life of her, she couldn’t think of a single thing that would be so bad he would be worried about sharing it with her.

And yet, he still refused to tell her any details as to why he didn’t feel he deserved to be happy. It was still an issue they skirted just so they could see each other regularly. The baby elephant had grown into adulthood, and now it traveled with them wherever they went.

Riley caught her staring and shook his head as a smile stretched across his face. “How did your dad react when you told him I was coming?”

She made a face.

“That good huh?”

Grace peeked at him out of the corner of her eye. “He’ll warm up to you.”

“Yeah, I’m not counting on it.”

She gave him a pointed look. “You shouldn’t say that. He’s gonna have to accept the man I fell in love with eventually. It might as well be sooner rather than later.”

It wasn’t until she noticed the strange look on his face that she realized what she’d said. Her eyes rounded and her breath hitched in her chest. As often as she’d reminded herself to keep her feelings private, she’d let it slip anyway.

“Riley, I—”

“I love you, too, Grace.” They entered the clearing where they planned on watching the sunrise.

She snapped her mouth shut before taking a deep breath and murmuring, “You do?”

He tugged on the reins, pulling Bandit around in front of her and cutting her off from leading the horse away. Riley climbed down from the saddle in such an effortless way that it looked like he’d been doing it all his life. He held out his hands to her, offering to help her down. “Of course I do. I can’t even remember the moment I knew I was in love with you, but it’s never left. That feeling has been the one thing propelling me forward, pushing me to be better.”

Grace placed her hands on his shoulders and he slipped his hands around her waist before he helped her to the ground. His touch lingered and his eyes drilled into hers while they stood there in the dim lighting of the rising sun.

“I will never not love you, Grace. I’m not capable of that. It’s just that sometimes I get it in my head that one day you’ll leave. When you find out what I am, the kind of things I had to do…” His voice cracked. “I’ve never wanted to risk losing you over something in my past. There are skeletons in my closet.”

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