Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 128313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
“Hallie Oakley,” Canyon said, as we waited for our fajitas. “You and the bossman, huh?”
“Wh-what?” I stuttered.
Canyon laughed, so loud it drew people’s attention. I slammed my hand over his mouth. “Hallie, I never knew you had it in you!” he teased, throwing my hand away. Canyon accepted our plates and put them down on the table nearest to us. Everyone else was still waiting on their food, or in the case of Sage and Atticus, flirting with their many admirers.
“Ssh, no one can know,” I said, and Canyon shook his head. “What?”
“Just fate, I guess, or something like it.”
“What do you mean?” I asked. I groaned as I took a bite of my fajita and a myriad of flavors burst onto my tongue. I held it up to him. “Okay, ten points to you for bringing us here.”
Canyon tipped his hat to me, smirking. But then leaned forward. “What I meant,” he said, “is that it’s funny how you’re madly in love with the man who inspired you to ride all those years ago.” His voice dropped. “And by the look of it, he’s crazy about you too.”
“I’m not madly in lo . . .” I went to say, but something inside of me stopped me from saying those words. Madly in love. Was I? My heart kicked into a sprint.
Canyon laid his hand on my arm, pulling me from my panic. “It’s a good thing, Hals. After everything you’ve been through, you deserve someone to love, who clearly loves you in return.”
I turned; Jasper was taking his food off the vendor, and Canyon’s words rang true. Fucking hell. I was head over heels in love with Jasper Knighton.
My heart melted. “He deserves it too,” I said, and turned back to my friend. “His family has had a run of bad luck of late. Really bad luck.” I told Canyon about Jasper’s father, Lady Dahlia, and Genny’s accident.
“Shit, that’s awful,” he said, and sat back. “I know someone in Denmark who travels to the UK. He trained with me back in Texas, and he’s really good at what he does. I could give him a call and see if he could help?”
Leaning over, I kissed Canyon’s cheek. “You’re a star.” I sat back down, just in time for everyone else to come and join us. Sage sat on my left and Jasper sat beside me to my right. He pressed his thigh against me, and I leaned into him, drinking in his comforting warmth.
My pulse still raced. I loved this man. I truly did.
“So Canyon, what are you doing here?” Leon asked. It was the most animated I’d ever seen Leon. But horses were his entire life, just like they were Canyon’s, so I wasn’t surprised they would get along.
“Barrel racer coming back from a rodeo was in a car accident. She lost an arm. The horse broke a leg but had surgery and was saved. Though now that the leg is better, she’s permanently scared. Can’t be ridden, can’t be touched, can’t even hear the sound of an engine without freaking out so hard she needs sedating.” His expression grew sad. “But we’re making progress. It’s gonna take a long dang time, but we’re getting there.”
“How do you even go about starting that career?” Jasper said.
Canyon thought about it. “I suppose this is where the term horse whisperer comes from,” he said, “because I can’t really explain it. I just spend time with the horse and learn to read them, to speak to them, and they reveal their trauma. It’s a language, I suppose. One that I’m lucky enough to comprehend. It’s in the way they move or react, their personalities shine through . . .” He shrugged, like his talent wasn’t incredible. “Once I understand them, I can start the healing. It’s always a slow progress, and sometimes there’s a limit to how much we can do. But horses are worth trying for, right? They help us, care for us unconditionally, so it’s only right that when they need help, we be at their service.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Jasper said, tapping his Coke bottle to Canyon’s.
“Amen,” Leon echoed.
Seeing Jasper and Leon bonding with Canyon gave something to my soul I didn’t know I needed. This was my old and new life colliding, and to me, it was beautiful.
“Canyon is all about natural horsemanship. He rides with a bitless bridle,” I said, and immediately felt the rush of heat pass through my veins at the memory of a rubber bit clenched in my own teeth.
Jasper must have been thinking of it too, as he discreetly placed his hand on my thigh, then slowly crawled his fingers inward until they pressed against my clit, beginning maddening circular motions.
What was he thinking?
“Are we ready to dance?” I said, jolting to my feet before Jasper made me come right there at the table. Jasper hid his smirk with a napkin, and Canyon got to his feet too.