“Yes!That’s it!”He picked up her sketchbook and opened it.“Which one of these makes you feel something?”
She gasped, her stomach clenching as if she'd missed a step while going down a flight of stairs.She looked up into Trent’s eyes, tears already pricking the corners of her own.“All of them.”
“Should we just start with the one in the front then?”
She closed her eyes for a moment.He hadn’t given her a chance to brace herself before seeing Norman’s face.“What are we doing with it?”Her heart still fluttered like a sparrow’s wings.
Trent tore the first page out of the book and held it against the punching bag.“You’re going to unleash all those feelings you’ve been holding in.And he’s going to be on the receiving end this time.”
As she stared at the sketch, what she felt was fear, and it sent tremors through her body.The urge to flee was nearly overwhelming.She was terrified of facing the emotions she worked so hard to keep locked up.She closed her eyes again as a single tear trickled down her cheek.
Trent’s hand rested gently on her shoulder.“You’re not alone.”
When she looked up at him, ferocity burned in his eyes.Strength radiated from him and seemed to bolster her own.Slowly, she nodded.
“Remember your form,” he said softly.“It’s important so you don’t hurt yourself.”
She nodded again, determination straightening her spine.Despite that, her first punch was not very powerful.
“Think about something painful you had to endure because of him.”
There was so much.So many times he’d sent her to someone he knew would hurt her.“There isn’t one thing that stands out from the others.It’s that he did it again”—she slammed her fist into the picture of his face—“and again.”Five more times, she shouted the word and threw another punch, tears blurring her vision, until the sobs overcame her, and she collapsed into Trent’s waiting arms.
“Why did he do that?”she wailed.“He was supposed to love me and care for me.”
Trent held her close and rubbed a strong hand over her back as she cried.“I don’t know why he did that.But you didn’t deserve it.”
Tears blurred her vision.“How can you be so sure of that?”
“Well, no one deserves what you went through,” he said, continuing to rub her back while she cried.“But you are kind and caring and deserve to be shown that in return.”
His warmth and support wrapped around her, along with his arms.No one had ever shown her such gentle kindness before.
“Thank you, Trent.I am so grateful for everything you’ve done for me.”She rested her hand against the front of his trousers.“Will you allow me to do something for you in return?”His breathing hitched but his interest was clear almost immediately as he grew beneath her palm.
“Please don’t do that, Samantha.”
A part of her was relieved that he’d stopped her, that he’d proven, once again, that he was a good man.That she was safe with him, even if she still struggled to believe it.She stepped back and looked up into his eyes.“But I don’t understand.How else can I show my gratitude?You’ve done so much for me, and I don’t have any other way of being worthy of your kindness.”
He took her hands in his.“You are enough, Samantha.”His gaze bored into hers.“You are enough.It would be hypocritical of me to tell you to just believe that you are worthy.I know how hard that can be.But I am simply trying to help in the only way I can, and it is my pleasure to do so.You don’t need to do anything in return.”He squeezed her hands gently.“Besides, if I let you do something like that, your brother will kill me, and I’d prefer to stay alive a bit longer if I can.”
She laughed and wiped the remaining tears from her eyes with a nod.Her brother probably would kill him.
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a strong squeeze.“You’ve endured enough difficulty today.It’s time for something fun.Do you ride?”
“I love riding.I don’t have proper attire for it anymore, but I’m sure I can manage.”
“Let’s get some sunshine on our faces and air moving through our lungs.Later, we’ll see that you get new riding attire.”
* * *
Trent had trouble concentrating as they galloped across the grounds.Her smile was distracting him.It was the first time he’d seen her even close to carefree, and he didn’t want to miss a second of it.
Eventually he slowed and she pulled up beside him.“Do you mind if we make a quick stop?I’d like to check on a tenant.”
“Of course not.”Her breathing was heavy, her mouth in a wide smile.
He helped her down from the saddle and she walked beside him to the door.“Good afternoon, Mrs.Elmhurst.”
