Page 31 of Embers of You (Amity #1)

Jameson

Sutton said she would come over for a horse riding lesson, so after I get home from work, I take a nap. I can’t help but think that this is just an excuse she can use to keep that little wall up between us. Which is fine by me, I’ll take any reason to see her and be happy about it.

Duke perks up at the sound of tires outside and I go out to greet her, with him following happily, probably hoping his friend came along. We get outside and Sutton is already exiting her Jeep and letting Bennet out of the back. The dogs greet each other happily as I approach her.

“I’m glad you came.” I wrap my arm around her back to pull her in for a hug. I can tell it catches her off guard, but the need to touch her was just too strong to resist and she doesn’t fight the action. She wraps an arm around me as well, returning the quick embrace.

“Hoping I don’t regret it,” she teases.

“You think I would let anything happen to you?” I pull back, worried she doesn’t trust me.

“No, weirdly I don’t think you would. You seem like the kind of guy to take off your shirt, and lay it on a puddle so I don’t have to get my shoes wet.”

I nod, easily. “You’re right, I would do that without hesitation for you. And so much more.”

Her gaze softens up at me, but she looks away quickly. “So what horse am I going to make friends with today?”

“You get to ride the sweetest mare we have,” I explain as we walk toward the barn. Bennet and Duke are already ahead of us, running around and playing with each other.

“Yeah? Who is she?”

“Her name is Sandy, she was Ma’s old riding lesson horse when she would teach.”

“I didn’t realize that’s what she did.” I catch Sutton’s subtle smile.

“You never asked, but I’ll tell you anything you want to know. Ma’s passion has always been helping people with horses. She would teach anyone. She loved helping with kids, disabled adults and children, people with mental health concerns. If they need help, Ma has always said horses can help them.”

“She’s amazing.”

I nod. “She really is.”

“Is she going to be okay?” Her voice is quiet as she hesitates to voice the question that has my heart pinching in my chest.

I answer the only way I know how because I can’t fathom thinking about the worst case, even if it’s the reality. But I’m not going to lie, either. “I don’t know.”

Her hand slides into mine easily and the shot of electricity between us is so prominent as our fingers slide together. “I’m sorry.” I grip her hand tightly, loving how they fit together and how she grounds me.

“It’s okay. She’s here and loves to cause me distress and embarrassment.”

Sutton chuckles. “She does seem really good at that.”

“You haven’t even seen the worst of it.” I don’t let go of her hand, and she doesn’t try to let go of mine either.

“I haven’t?”

“Not at all, she hasn’t brought out the baby pictures for you yet.”

“Oh, is that what she does with all the women you bring around?”

I rear back slightly, pausing in my steps, and she does the same.

“Ma was serious at dinner. I’ve never brought any girl around, just you.”

She shakes her head. “Really? No I’m sure you did in high school or just at some point you’ve brought a girl home.”

I shrug, “I mean I’m not going to get into the dirty details of everything I did as a teenager, but I’ve never brought a girl to meet Ma before.”

Her mouth gapes before shutting it, her eyes bouncing across my face like she’s trying to detect the lie, but she won’t find it. We continue walking again, and I can tell she’s thinking extremely hard.

“What about prom or homecoming or anything like that?” she finally asks.

“Went stag. No one was going to tie me down,” I joke.

“Oh, there’s your flaw. You’re afraid of commitment.”

I chuckle. “Not afraid of it, but even if I was then it would seem like we’re a good pair, huh?”

“I’m not afraid either, just…reserved.”

“And why’s that?”

She hesitates. “Because the people closest to me tend to do things to hurt me.”

“Is that why you moved here? Did something happen?” My hackles rise thinking of someone hurting Sutton.

She’s quiet and I feel her start to pull her hand away from mine, but I hold on tighter. We’re at the barn, so I divert the conversation away from a subject she clearly doesn’t want to talk about and ease the tension she’s holding.

“If you don’t want to tell me, feel free to tell Sandy, she’s a great listener. Even better than a human therapist.”

“How do I know she won’t spill all my secrets once I’m not around?”

“You caught me, she’s really my little spy.” I grab Sandy’s halter off the front of her stall before opening the door to put it on her.

“I knew you had some ulterior motives. No one’s as perfect as you seem.”

I scoff, guiding Sandy out to put her in the cross ties and get her tacked up for riding. “I’m not perfect.”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

I show Sutton how to tack up the horse and she stands off to the side watching as I do the actions I’ve done hundreds if not thousands of times in my life while preparing a horse for a ride.

When I’m done and Sandy is ready, I switch out the halter for a bridle with a bit and guide her out to the arena.

Sutton follows, and I can feel her hesitation, but I would never put her in any danger and the only problem she’s going to have with Sandy is getting her to move, not getting her to stop. I shut the gate to the arena, and Sandy stands, just waiting for her rider.

“Do you want me to walk her around for you or just walk next to you?”

“Walk her around for me to start.”

I nod. “Okay, let me help you up.” I could have brought her over to the mounting block, but wanted an excuse to get my hands on her again.

She takes a couple tentative steps toward me, and when she’s close enough, I hold her hips to guide her to stand in the best spot next to Sandy. Before anything else, I take my brown cowboy hat off and place it on her. “Now you’re ready,” I tell her with a smile.

“Hold onto her mane, right here.” I take her hand in mine and move it up to the base of Sandy’s mane to hold it there.

“And this hand holds onto the saddle.” I step up behind her, our bodies almost completely flush, sliding my hands down her arms, over her sides, and settling them on her hips.

I speak directly into her ear, “I’m going to lift you up and you’re going to swing your leg over. I got you.”

Sutton nods subtly, and I take that as my cue to lift her while she pulls herself up and swings her leg easily before settling in the saddle. “How do I look?”

Like mine.

“Like you were born to be in a saddle. Comfortable?”

She adjusts slightly, holding onto the horn to help keep her balance. “Yeah, please don’t make her run.”

“Trust me, Sandy wants to run just as much as you want her to, if not less.”

I pony her around the arena slowly, and I can tell she gets more and more comfortable as time goes on when Sandy doesn’t do anything crazy. After a few minutes she even asks to hold the reins. I hand them to her, staying close by as she guides Sandy around the arena herself.

“So when am I going to learn how to barrel race like you?” she jokes.

“Maybe try trotting her around before we step it up to barrels,” I tease, knowing Sandy wouldn’t trot even if she asked and that working up to barrel racing takes more than a day.

“No, I’m good with this pace for now.”

And I’m good with whatever pace she wants.