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“What?” Chandler mouthed at him, but Aaron could only shrug.

He hadn’t the faintest idea what was going on inside her head.

Then she turned toward them, beckoning them to join her with nothing more than plaintive green eyes.

An invitation they accepted at once.

“What’s the matter?” he asked when he reached her side.

“I don’t…” She took a deep breath. “I don’t want to fall in love with them, if…”

“If what?” Chandler prompted.

She ducked her head and scraped the ground with the toe of her boot. “I’m afraid… I’m afraid I’m jus’ gonna screw up again, and then Nate won’t want me…” She trailed off, sniffling.

Ah.Aaron understood at once, and he could see Chandler did as well.

“You’re not gonna screw up,” he said. But when she turned her shiny eyes on him, he could see the worry lingering in her gaze and he knew he hadn’t said enough.

“If you do, we’ll be here,” Chandler asserted, taking her hand. “We’ll deal with it. That’s the whole point of this lifestyle, you know.”

She looked back and forth between them, then shook her head. “Lifestyle? What do you mean?”

“Having a daddy and a master,” he explained. “The whole point of that is having someone to care for you—even if caring for you means paddling your butt until you learn to be the best version of yourself.”

Aaron nodded his agreement. “We do it because we care about you.”

Chyanne’s lip was trembling as she processed this. She didn’t say anything. She just took one of each of their hands and turned, walking toward the stable.

I’m so fucked, he thought as they walked inside. Aaron had no idea how it had happened, but somehow this short, spirited little hellcat had stolen his heart.

* * *

Chandler

Chyanne was beautiful. Stunning, really. No one who saw her could deny that. But when she was with horses, she was a woman transformed. Normal beauty standards fell away because she was so passionate, so devoted that you could see her love for the animals on the outside. She practically glowed, and it felt like a private moment, watching her meet them.

Chandler glanced across at Aaron, and awe was written plain on the man’s face—the way he knew it must also be on his.

She petted and cooed to each and every horse, going from one to the next and introducing herself as seriously as if she was meeting a head of state.

She’s… different. Warmer. Softer.Though truth be told, he was beginning to suspect all the hardness she wore like a badge of honor was a front.What could have happened to make her this way?Chandler mused, because as he watched her interact with the animals he knew that this girl was the real Chyanne.

And she was breathtaking. All he wanted to do was to make her feel so safe and cared for that she could be this person all the time.

“What’s your name, Mr. Horse? I’m Chyanne. Ooh—Dandelion. Excuse me,MissHorse.” Then Chyanne giggled and gave a little curtsey that made him laugh.

She whirled around and frowned at him. “Don’t make fun of me! It’s just good manners!”

“I would never,” he told her, very seriously. Then he bowed—whether for her or the horse, he wasn’t sure.

Chyanne giggled again.

“Hey!” he exclaimed, mock offended.

She laughed at him. “Okay, I see your point. Itdoeslook a little funny.”

“Hey, what would you say to a ride?” Aaron suggested.