“I’m okay,” I whisper, allowing my body to melt into his strength again.
He kisses me behind my ear, his lips brushing the sensitive spot that makes me shiver, and I feel his erection at my back. Dropping my head against his shoulder, I arch my back to meet him. I don’t want to be troubled by nightmares. I don’t want to figure out my dreams. I want my cowboy to take me away.
He slips inside, and my eyes close with a sigh. A large hand skims down my stomach, between my thighs. He touches me just right, circling, teasing, and the tension melts away as we ride together over the moon and back to sleep.
When I open my eyes again, the morning sun streams through the crack in the curtains. Stuart is gone, and I sit up slowly, feeling both times we made love last night deep in my core. I pull the blanket over my breasts. They’re slightly tender after all the attention. They’re also slightly bigger. I won’t be able to keep this secret much longer with my body changing.
My anticipation for this afternoon is almost overwhelming. It’s as big as my anticipation for my first day working with Jessie. Throwing the covers back, I skip out of bed and to the bathroom for a shower. If Stuart’s already up, it means he’s in the barn, and I’m not wasting time joining him.
When I finally jog down the porch steps toward the stables, the sun is halfway to the center of the enormous sky. I clutch two breakfast burritos Winona handed me on my way out—one for me and the other for my early-riser—as I hustle through the barn, quickly scanning the stalls.
Stuart isn’t in the barn, but Jessie is. She’s in her pen, keeping to the very back, facing the corner where the wooden slats meet. I don’t hesitate for a moment. I go straight to the door and lean against it, making that clicking sound with my mouth like Stuart and his uncle do.
Her black ears perk. She lets out a soft horsey-noise and stamps her small hooves. She’s so pretty.
“Hey, girl,” I say as if I’m talking to a puppy. “I’m your friend. I’m going to teach you how to be a good little horsey.”
She makes another whinny, and I climb onto the gate, balancing with my arms on the top rail. A green apple is in my pocket, and I move both burritos to my right hand while I fish out the fruit with my left.
“Come on,” I say softly. “Come see what I’ve got for you.”
Her eyes are on me, and that white moon is in clear view. I love her so much.
“Come on!” I say in a slightly higher tone, holding the green fruit straight out. “Come get your apple.”
Her legs shake, and I can tell it’s taking all of her willpower to overcome her fear. I don’t move a muscle, in fact, every muscle in my body cramps at how rigid I’ve become. I don’t want to scare her at all.
Several small steps, and her velvet nose brushes my fingertips. We’re so close. I know if she takes this gift from me, I’ll change in her eyes. I’ll be a bearer of sweets, a good guy. I hold my breath in anticipation.
Another loud breath, and her lips flap back. She extends her teeth and takes the crisp apple out of my hand. Two strong grinds, and it’s gone. Crunched between her small but powerful jaws. Our relationship is established.
“You’re going to be my horse,” I continue in the same soft voice. “I named you Jessie. Do you like that?”
Her head drops, but only for a second. As if realizing what she’s done, she whips it up again, still stubborn. Her eyes are on me, though, curious.
“I know about stubborn,” I say, watching her. “I’m in love with someone even more stubborn than you are. We’ll be friends. Trust me.”
Jessie shakes her head and turns back to the corner just as strong arms cage me on the door.
“Making friends?” Stuart’s low voice is warm against my shoulder, and I can’t help it. I start to laugh.
“I gave her an apple!” Reaching over my shoulder, I clutch his sleeve while I watch my amazing horse.
He leans in and kisses the side of my neck. It’s a delicious tingle, and I jump down, my head at the center of his chest in my riding boots.
“Here,” I hold out a burrito. “Winona sent you this.”
He takes it with an eager noise of thanks. The paper napkin is off and the breakfast devoured in three bites before I’ve even started my second. It’s a buttery, savory mixture of eggs, onions, tasso, and jalapenos.
“I don’t usually like spicy food, but Winona has a way of making it so good.” Stuart watches with a grin as I finish and even lick my fingers.
Once our trash is discarded, he leads me to the tack room. “First order of business. If you’re going to be a horse woman, you have to be able to saddle and bridle your own horse.”
I pause. Saddles don’t bother me, but bridles… ice fills my stomach at the thought of putting my hand so close to a horse’s teeth. “I don’t think Jessie—”
“Jessie is a ways away from any of this. But if you’re going to get her there, you have to know what you’re doing.”
I watch his strong muscles flex as he heaves one of the heavy western saddles off a sawhorse. “Ranger is already bridled, so I can saddle him up. You’ll watch me on this part, then you can start from the beginning with Cheyenne.”