Page 26 of Save A Horse (Texas Rose Ranch #1)

Daisy

I walked outside, seeing the sun peeking over the horizon and casting the beautiful golden tones across the ranch. The view was beautiful. The warmth from the summer sun only added to the warmth of last night’s rendezvous lingering on my lips.

Colt and I shared something electric and magnetic, drawing us to one another. I felt something between us all those years ago, but what I felt then could never compare to what I feel now.

There was a thirst only Colt could quench.

There was hunger only he could satisfy.

It was both thrilling and terrifying knowing we had to keep us a secret from everyone, including his dad.

As I walked toward the barn, I could hear the whinny of the horse, the cattle in the distance, and the soft wind rustling. Walt had taken Colt out early, and I knew my first task was always to check on the horses and clean out their stalls.

Just thinking about Colt made my heart race, and trying to contain myself was proving harder than I thought.

But if this is what I had to do to keep having scenes like last night and at the bar, then it was worth it.

Oh, it was so worth it. Colt’s smile made me feel like I could melt, and the way he looked at me reminded me of how he used to look at me- like I was the only girl in the world.

I brushed it off, knowing I needed to change my focus.

Today was busy. I cleaned out the horses stalls first, then carried a bucket of grain and gave each of them the right amount.

I carried buckets of water to refill their water troughs, knowing that I would be thirsty, too, in the summer heat.

I took some time to brush each of their manes, knowing how much they enjoyed it.

Even with this familiar routine, my mind was elsewhere.

The heat of Colt’s body pressed against mine and the way his lips moved against my skin made me forget everything and everyone.

The world had disappeared, and we had been hidden in our little piece of paradise…

our own little piece of heaven. Colt was intoxicating, but I knew the risks involved with us.

He made a promise to his dad before I got here and I didn’t want to cause any trouble.

I would keep my feelings buried when we weren’t alone.

As I worked, I caught a glimpse of Colt across the yard. He was busy with equipment, and for a second, I forgot what I was doing, getting lost in admiring the way he was moving and thinking of how his rough hands felt against my body. Walt was nowhere in sight.

“Hey, Daisy!” My heart fluttered, and I tried to keep my expression neutral because, although I didn’t see Walt, that didn’t mean he wasn’t close by. “Need a hand?”

“Uh, sure.” Colt started walking closer to me so we didn’t have to shout. “Your dad said I needed to check on the cattle. That’s where I was headed. ”

“Let’s do it together then.”

We walked side by side, and I could feel the tension between us. The thrill of our secret added a little extra excitement to our relationship, and I couldn’t deny that it did feel kind of good.

When we reached the pasture, I noticed Walt in the distance. He was checking out some fence, and my heart dropped a little. I was really hoping we would get a moment alone today.

“Don’t worry, Daisy. We’ll be fine.” Walt started moving closer to us, and I could feel my hands start to sweat. I wiped my forehead.

“I should probably get back to work.” I created some distance between the two of us.

“Okay. Let me know if you need anything.” I nodded.

“Will do.” I forced a smile, trying to hide how freaked out I was. I couldn’t believe that I just did that. Everything was fine, yet I couldn’t even manage to stand near Colt while his dad walked over. How dumb was I?

The rest of the day dragged on, filled with plenty of work to be done.

I finished all the tasks Walt had given to me on a piece of paper in the kitchen when I woke up, and I was tired.

I took a moment to lean against the barn to cool off.

I took a deep breath, wondering where Colt was.

It had been a little bit since I had seen him, and I hadn’t seen Walt in a while. Just then, I heard footsteps.

“Hey.” I looked up and saw my cowboy.

“Hey.”

“My dad went to the bar for a drink. He’s meeting your dad there. I thought maybe we could go for a ride on the horses…if you’re up for it?”

“Yes. That sounds nice. ”

“Let’s go before it gets too dark.”

We saddled up the horses, and I was eager to get some time alone with Colt. We rode Shadow and Domino in the open fields, feeling the gentle breeze.

“Let’s race to the creek!” My competitive spirit was coming out.

Colt laughed, and the horses under us galloped ahead.

We raced side by side, feeling the thrill, excitement, and freedom of it all.

Up ahead, I could see the creek sparkling in the fading light.

I felt a rush of joy. I wanted every day to be like this with my cowboy. We slowed once we reached the creek.

“That was fun.”

“It’s even better if you win.” I winked at him, knowing that I was always the fastest one.

“We should do this again soon.”

“Definitely.” We shared a moment of silence, and I knew I wanted to apologize to Colt for earlier. “Hey, Colt?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry about earlier.”

“What do you mean?”

“When you offered to help me out with the cattle…”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. I’m sorry about that. I was quick to run off, and I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Daisy, I understand.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“It’s hard burying my feelings.”

“It’s just as hard for me.” There was more silence. “I want to just reach out and touch you, and sometimes I feel like I’m close to doing that, but then I remember we can’t. Moments like this, though, make it all worth it.”

“They do.”

“I told you that I would make this the most unforgettable summer for you, and I still promise you that.” I smiled at him. He always kept his promises…well, except the one about nothing happening between the two of us.

“Come here, cowboy.” He moved his horse closer to mine, just close enough so we could reach out and touch each other. Our hands still on the reins, he took one hand and placed it on my leg. He smiled back at me.

“What do you want?”

“You know.” I was teasing him again, and this was becoming one of my favorite things. We leaned toward each other, letting our lips meet. It was a soft kiss, not like the one from last night.

“Happy?”

“Yes, but…”

“But?”

“It’s been a long day.”

“One more?”

“One more.” We leaned toward each other once more and let our lips connect. I was happy. For the first time in a long time, I was happy.