Page 8 of Knot Her Cowboys (Big Sky Omegas #2)

“ A ll right, cowpokes.” Levi stood in front of the group heading out onto the trail ride. “Does everyone have their hats and sunscreen on?”

The little kids joining us shrieked their affirmation, and I tipped my borrowed straw cowboy hat to him.

“Please line up in the order of the horses we paired you with and our staff will make sure you get on safely.”

Dakota was at the front, instructing each person on how to sit on the horses, and making sure their feet were secure in the stirrups.

He had put me on a beautiful dappled gray mare named Starlight.

She was sweet, but he warned me she was a little feistier than the others.

Since I had actual riding experience, I was confident I could handle her.

It was like riding a bike, all those core memories unlocking now that I was sitting in the saddle.

Bruce and Bryan both looked like they were regretting every moment of their existence leading up to this point.

They weren’t afraid of horses; I’d made sure of that before booking here, but they did have an aversion to getting dust on their fancy suits.

I had offered to ask Cash if any of the staff could loan them something more appropriate, but they liked the idea of wearing other people’s clothing even less.

Dakota had paired them with the two chillest horses on offer, even more relaxed than the ones they gave to the kids. Having that secret knowledge made me smile. I wouldn’t dare tell them, knowing their egos wouldn’t let them see it with the same amusement I did.

Once everyone was up on their horses, Dakota brought his around to lead us out of the corral, each one of our rides automatically starting to follow. Levi brought up the rear of the group to make sure no one got left behind.

The trail was smooth and easy, packed dirt weaving through lush forest. I’d looked at the trail map beforehand.

The whole trip was a circle, leading us first up into the gorgeous hills and then down into the open plains along a river we would cross to get back to the ranch.

A few people were between Dakota and me, but even so, his sweetgrass and sandalwood scent floated back to me, catching me off guard as the breeze swept it through my senses every so often.

My whole body tensed each time and Starlight did an uncomfortable little dance.

I patted her neck in apology whenever it happened, and she settled quickly.

Horses weren’t fond of tense riders, and Starlight was very quick to let me know she didn’t appreciate my reactions to Dakota.

I only hoped the breeze wasn’t giving me away to my alphas, who rode behind me.

My scent neutralizer was working harder than usual with the summer sunshine, and I wasn’t sure how strong it still was.

They were already a bit uppity about my friendship with Cash; I could only imagine what sort of words they would have if they caught me unwillingly lusting over someone else.

It wasn’t my fault Dakota smelled so good.

If omegas could control our reactions, we would’ve started doing that a hell of a long time ago, but alas, we were at the mercy of our instincts and hormones.

“How long is this?” Bruce asked behind me. “My ass already hurts. How is this fun?”

“It’s two hours, so buckle up, buttercup.” I turned to look at him, blowing a kiss. “You’re gonna be walking like a real cowboy when we’re done.”

“What the fuck does that mean?”

“It means I’ll run you a bath when this is all over for being such a good sport.”

Bruce grumbled.

“Mine keeps hitting me with her tail,” Bryan complained.

“She’s just keeping flies off,” I told him.

“I feel like she hates me.”

“Do you hate her ? Horses know when you don’t like them. Give her a nice pat and pretend she’s like a big dog.”

He hesitantly reached out, jerking his hand away when she shook her head, tossing her mane.

Dakota had offered for me to bring them down between breakfast and the trail ride so they could have a few extra minutes to get to know the horses and boost their comfort levels, but they had gone right back to the community building once their plates were empty, choosing to work instead.

I didn’t like it, but I refused to let their lack of enthusiasm ruin this weekend for me.

Dakota pointed out all the types of trees we passed, giving easy instructions on how we could identify them, and what sorts of things they’d been used for over the years.

His voice carried, the smooth timbre of it like velvet on my ears.

No wonder he did so well as an equine therapist, with a voice like that.

The clip-clop of hooves filled up my soul to overflowing as we crossed the bridge over a rushing river and waterfall.

I hadn’t quite realized how much I missed this.

Cooper and I had absconded with horses off the Harris ranch a thousand times growing up, carving our own trails and finding pristine lookouts.

Maybe Germany had similar experiences where we were moving. Bruce and Bryan probably wouldn’t be up for it, but maybe I could ask Oskar and Karl to take me as part of the courting process.

The trail gently sloped as we completed the first third of our trip, and I let Starlight’s sure steps navigate the path.

Sunlight burst over us as we eventually left the trees, settling into the vast grasslands.

Wild flowers poked through in bright splashes of color: sunshine yellow of arrowleaf balsamroot and arnica, blue and purple of lupines, bright red Indian paintbrush, pink fairy slippers, and the concentric red and yellow circles of blanket flowers.

Cooper had learned to make flower crowns back in the day, weaving bunches of Montana’s blossoms into a birthday crown for me every year.

They’d been some of my most cherished possessions back in the day, even when they’d become dried out and sun-bleached.

They were still a symbol that someone loved me.

I’d always been shit at them myself, but maybe Cash could help me construct one for old time’s sake.

Was I a terrible person for wishing Cooper was here this weekend, that he might think of me fondly enough to make me another?

The flowers around us were so beautiful, like drops of paint scattered across the landscape. The background on my computer was most often a field just like this one, a small reminder of where I had come from. I had tattoos of almost every bloom along the trail down my ribs on each side.

I thought about picking a few, pressing and drying them, but I was pretty sure customs wouldn’t be happy about me trying to bring plants to Germany.

The few I had done that with before moving to New York had gone missing when I moved in with Bruce and Bryan.

Bruce had blamed the cleaners, switching to a new company after several of my things had disappeared.

“Is this almost over?” Bruce groused. “I’m tired of looking at a horse’s ass.”

“You’re supposed to be enjoying nature,” I pointed out.

“I don’t like nature. That’s why I live in a high-rise. I’m only tolerating this because I like you .”

If only he could tolerate a little quieter.

Maybe I could ask Cash to take me out on our own trail ride later so I didn’t have to listen to my alphas complain the whole time.

Dakota paused us as we came to the river crossing. We were nice and late in the season so it was pretty chill as far as rivers went, looking maybe about knee-deep where we were about to cross. We stood quietly while everyone caught up, but Bruce was already getting pissy.

“This is fucking bullshit. I can see the lodge from here. I’m going on ahead.”

I spun around to tell him that wasn’t how a trail ride worked just as he gave his horse a vicious kick, scaring the absolute shit out of her and making her bolt straight into Starlight.

She reared up in a panic, kicking backward when she landed, bucking me right over her head where I tumbled down the riverbank and crashed into the icy water.

The cold stole my breath, my muscles seizing. I pawed at the slippery rocks, the water sweeping me away before I could get a grip.

Fucking fuck.

I screamed before the current sucked me under when the river slid around the bend.

Goddamnit. Was I actually going to drown because Bruce couldn’t wait five fucking minutes for everyone to catch up?

I grabbed for anything I could to steady myself, but the rocks were so fucking slippery. Panic clogged my throat, the air at the surface eluding me as the freezing water tossed me around.

No, no, no.

I couldn’t die like this.

Not after just finding Cash again. Not before I could tell Cooper how sorry I was for never coming back.

I couldn’t go yet.

As my lungs burned and panic dulled my senses, luring me to accept my fate, it wasn’t Bruce’s and Bryan’s faces I saw. It was Cooper’s wild red curls and freckled face. It was Cash’s cheeky smile and bright laugh that rang in my ears.

Please don’t let me die.

A warm body slammed against me, an arm wrapping around my waist and launching me against the riverbank.

My fingers latched on to some prairie grass. It sliced against my skin before I got a good grip, and I dug my fingers into the soft ground, holding on for dear life.

“I’ve got you.”

Levi.

Relief crashed through me and I started bawling in his arms, clinging to the riverbank.

Above us thunderous hoof beats went silent and then Dakota was sliding down the bank, his hand wrapping around my wrist. The two of them pushed and heaved my frozen, panic-laden body upward.

Dakota dragged me onto the grass and climbed back down the bank to make sure Levi got out safely.

Then they were both all over me, Dakota pulling me into his embrace despite the fact I was soaking wet and shivering.

I was still weeping as they cradled me between them. Neither the warmth of their bodies nor the sun was enough to dispel the chilling knowledge that I could’ve died.