“I suppose I ought to. It would be unfair for them not to join in. You can do that while I feed my sweetheart.” He grins at me and I know I’m lost. I can’t deny him anything.
We stand at the gate and I whistle. Five sets of hooves come thundering across the grass. Simon goes pale for a minute as they charge towards us, but I know how quickly my horses can stop, and sure enough they come to halt just before the gate, snorting dragon breath from the exhilaration of the run into the cold morning air. It would be madness for me to allow Simon into the middle of them as they sidle and stamp their feet, excitement still coursing through their veins. So I take a couple of handfuls of the food and instruct him to stay next to Chispa as I lead the others away to make sure they all get some of the treats.
When I look back, I see my traitorous horse gently lipping food off his palm. He smiles, whispering to her like he did in Aspen. His care for her, the way he thinks of her, deepens my feelings for him, and a sense of rightness settles in me. It would be hard for me to be with someone who didn’t like horses, but Simon has gone way beyond that. It’s as if he understands their importance to me, and they’ve become important to him too. By not opposing his insistence about her being his, I realise I’ve already given in on this point. Would I share my favourite horse with him? There’s no point even thinking about that question. It appears there are three of us in this relationship now, and I’m not even mad about it.
I check the others over to make sure there are no injuries and their rugs are straight. They’ll get some hay later but apart fromthat, they’re left mostly alone to be horses. Then I slowly walk back to Chispa and Simon, and I check her over too.
“Are you done?” I say when I straighten up from running my hands down her legs to check for any swelling or heat that would indicate a problem.
“Yeah, I’m good,” he says and gives her one last stroke. “See you soon, sweetheart, and I’ll make sure your other dad gets some more food for you.” I turn away so he can’t see my face. But I can still hear him as he whispers, “He tries to pretend to be serious, but I know he really loves it,.”
I walk away, straight back to the car. I’m not a person who cries easily, but the lump in my throat is back and my vision goes blurry for a minute. By the time Simon joins me, I’ve managed to compose myself again.
As I drive the couple of miles into the village Simon’s phone beeps. He pulls it out and frowns when he reads the message.
“Bad news?” I ask and he pulls a face.
“Just the job agency. One of the jobs I was interested in has been filled already.” He gives a quick smile but it doesn’t reach his eyes, so I know he’s putting on a brave face.
“You’ll find something soon,” I try to reassure him.
“Yes, I’ve filled in a few more applications, and the agency will alert me to anything else.” I can hear the worry in his voice.
“I know you didn’t want any favours,” I say, stopping and pulling into the small triangular-shaped car park in the middle of the village. All the shops line the roads that border it. “But Gabriel is about to advertise the catering job. Can I send the details to you?”
He pauses for a minute and I wait, remembering his reaction when I mentioned it back in Aspen. To me it would be perfect for him to work so close, but it’s not about me and I don’t want to pressure him.
“Alright, I’ll take a look. But I’m only applying if it’s suitable,” he warns, some of his fierceness showing through.
“Understood,” I reply. He goes to leave the car but I reach for his hand instead. He looks at me, puzzled, and I take a deep breath and say what’s on my mind. “I’m feeling a little nervous.”
“Nervous? You?” His mouth quirks into a smile and I agree it’s an unfamiliar sensation. Feeling it two days in a row is upsetting my equilibrium. Was it only last night I reconnected with Simon? It feels like we’ve never been apart, and in a way we weren’t with the volume of tests, calls, and information we shared.
“What if your aunt and uncle don’t like me?”
“They will. But why would it bother you?”
“You mean so much to me, so of course I want them to like me. But what if they don’t? You’ve only been back a few days and already I’ve kept you out all night. What if they think I’ve corrupted you?”
“They’re going to love you, I promise. And you’ve definitely corrupted me. I hope you’re going to do it a lot more,” he adds, with a sexy smile and low voice that resonates in my soul and has me half aroused.
“Damn, now I’m going to meet them with a boner,” I groan and he bites his bottom lip, fully aware of the effect he’s having on me. “Stop that. Don’t look at me,” I say, turning my head awayto look out at the street, willing my dick to go back to sleep. He gives a throaty laugh, which definitely adds to my problem. “Not helping,” I growl. “If you don’t stop, there’ll be no breakfast, as I’ll be driving us back home and fucking you instead.
“Is that a promise?” He laughs and I look over at him.
“Just remember there was the option to stay in bed, but this was your idea.”
“Got it, sorry,” he says, sounding like he couldn’t be less so. At least it’s given time for my blood to return to circulating my body, and I get out of the car before he can say anything else.
He is right of course, as soon as I meet Lizzie and Ryan I can see there’s nothing to worry about. They hug him tightly, and even ask if he had a good time last night, though they know full well he spent the night with me. He colours slightly at their question, which I think is fair payback for what he’s just put me through. But I can see the love they have for him, and I like that he has a family who cares for him. He introduces us, and I go to offer my hand but I’m drawn into a warm hug instead. Then we’re shown to a table and we place our order.
“Told you so,” he says triumphantly. “They love you already.”
“They’re just being kind as they don’t know me,” I say being truthful. “But I hope they will.”
They bring our order of coffee and bacon and eggs on toast and leave us alone, staying at a respectful distance. They’re also kept busy with customers, and it looks like the shop is thriving. I’ll certainly be back when I need more books. When we finish our breakfast, I ask for the bill.
“Oh no, we couldn’t,” Lizzie says, trying to wave away my request.
