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Chapter Eleven

I’ve beenawake for two hours now. Seven a.m. Is it too early to get up? This is a farm. People wake up early on farms, right? I can’t stay in bed anymore. I pull on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, then fight with my morning boner so I can take a piss, wash my face, and brush my teeth.

I walk downstairs, the wooden steps surprisingly quiet, and stop at the bottom of the stairs when I hear voices. I take a few more steps toward the sound. It’s coming from the kitchen. Last night during dinner, River’s dad said the house was over a hundred years old and had been in the family for a couple of generations. It had been gutted and remodeled a few years back. The house has a semi-open concept, with the large kitchen and dining room taking a huge chunk of the first floor. Through the living room archway openings, I can see Skye and her mother sitting at the long wooden table drinking coffee.

“Is River up?” Skye asks her mom.

“If I know that daughter of mine, she was up the crack of dawn and is working up a sweat with Big D. You know she can go at it for hours and hours.”

What the fuck!

“I don’t know how she can handle him. He’s a beast,” Skye replies to her mother.

Her mom laughs.

Skye continues, “I tried only once. I couldn’t go more than five minutes. I thought he’d split me in half. I was limping for two days after.”

I can’t believe my ears. What the fuck? And who the fuck is this Big D guy?

I must have made a sound because her mom looks my way then.

“Good morning, Liam. You’re up early. I hope you slept well.”

“Yes, thank you, Mrs. Devereux.”

“Please call me Serena. I hate formalities. And you are just what I need. A big, strong man.”

I know my mouth opened but nothing comes out.

“I need a hand and my man’s still sleeping. I tired him out last night.” She laughs.

“Mom!”

“Oh, please.” She turns to Skye. “Your man is still sleeping too. Your dad’s not the only tired one this morning.”

Skye has an apologetic look on her face as her mom pushes me out the door.

“I need a pair of strong arms to help me move the hay and then I’ll put food in you. You look like you could use coffee and breakfast.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I tease, tipping an imaginary hat. It’s easy to talk to her. She’s one of those people who’s always happy.

She laughs and brings me to a barn with several stalls. All empty except for one. There’s a very pregnant mare in it. I don’t know much about horses. I grew up in the suburbs, but I went riding with friends often, I’m comfortable around them.

“This is Midnight Dreamer and we are keeping her in the stall instead of the pasture because she is about to birth anytime now.” She rubs the horse’s nose and offers her an apple. “Could you bring me a bale of hay from that pile and put it in her stall?”

“Sure.”

As I step closer to the barn opening, I see what looks like a black blur with legs racing down the green pastures with someone low on its back. Both the horse’s mane and the rider’s long hair are flowing in the wind behind them. River, I realize, and then fear clamps my chest because she’s going too fast. If she falls . . . I look at her mother, but she doesn’t seem worried at all.

As River gets closer to the barn, she slows the horse to a canter and then to a walk. The animal is restless under her. Picking up his head and shaking it. “Hi, Mom. Do you need help with breakfast?”

“Nope. Take care of Big D. Liam can give you a hand and then you both come in for breakfast.” She leaves me with the beast and I’m not sure if I’m referring to River or the horse.

Fuck! Big D is a horse? My mind had me going on another direction altogether. I grimace.

I take a few steps closer to River and the horse tries to lunge in my direction, but River reins him in.

“Easy, Big D,” she coos to him, scratching behind his ear. She guides him to the barn, comes to a stop by a stall, and dismounts from the biggest horse I’ve ever seen. His black coat is covered in sweat. The animal looks at me and shows me his teeth. River tethers him and pulls the saddle off him. I bring the bale of hay I’ve been holding this whole time to the mare and then approach River and the beast. He prances, digging his hooves in the ground. River laughs.