The man—Gray, apparently—crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Something wrong?”
Hayes shook his head. “Break in the tourschedule.” He introduced the two of us, and we shook hands.
His hand was strong and rough like Hayes.
Was there a man in the entire state who wasn’t work hardened?
“I just wanted to show Luna the horses.”
Gray’s eyebrows disappeared under his Stetson, but he nodded. “Take Millie. She’s good with new riders.” He turned his gaze to me. “Unless you’re a cowgirl?”
I shook my head. “But I am keen to learn, in the name of romance book research.”
Gray gave Hayes a meaningful look. “You two have fun then.” He retreated up the steps. We made our way to the barn, and Hayes hauled the doors open. We walked up to a stall where a tall mare eyed us. The barn was mostly dark except for the light coming through the doors, and that distinctive smell of hay and horse hit my nose.
Hayes walked up and patted her neck. “Hi, Millie. You can pet her if you want,” he said.
I approached and ran my hand down her nose. It felt like velvet. “What a pretty horse,” I cooed.
Hayes raised an eyebrow. “Only been around dogs, I take it?”
I laughed. “That obvious?”
I watched as Hayes put a saddle on Millie, and then he led her out of the barn. “Ever ridden before?”
“Does a carousel at the fair count?”
He shook his head.
“Then no.”
Hayes stepped closer, adjusting the stirrup and patting the saddle. “Foot here,” he said. “Hold the horn and swing your leg over. I’ve got you.”
And he did. His hands steadied me as I scrambled less thangracefully into the saddle.
Millie, to her credit, stood still as I made an ass of myself.
“Okay,” I said once I was seated, trying not to look as nervous as I felt. “Now what?”
“Now, I’m going to ride with you. Millie’s a sweetie, but I’m not sending you off on your own.”
He pulled himself onto Millie’s back behind me as if he’d done it a million times. His thighs bracketed my ass, and his arms wrapped around me to grip the reins. “Ready?”
I took a breath and nodded. Millie was very calm, but she was also very tall, which meant my short legs dangled way off the ground. Hayes made a clicking sound, and Millie started forward. I scrambled for a tighter grip on the saddle horn. “You okay?” Hayes asked beside my ear.
I laughed nervously. “Just expected a smoother takeoff, is all.”
“To be fair, she isn’t a jet.”
Hayes used the reins to steer Millie down a path that veered toward an open field. I kept my eyes on the landscape and tried to ignore how good Hayes felt behind me and hownotgood the saddle felt digging into my lady parts. I got more comfortable the longer we moved, and I loosened my death grip on Millie. “Lean back into me. It’ll be more comfortable,” Hayes said. I did as he instructed, and the uncomfortable pressure on my pubic bone eased.
The sun was hot, and I understood why cowboys and girls wore the big hats, but still, I was happy to be settled against my bodyguard’s chest. Twenty or so minutes later, we came to the crest of a hill, and Hayes pulled Millie to a stop.
“Wow,” I said, taking in the valley in front of us. The fields around us were shades of brown and tan, but the hills in the distance were vibrant green. The sky looked likeit went on forever. “This is beautiful.”
“Thought you’d like it. Inspire your cowboy bodyguard series and get a break from the crowds.”
I turned as best I could in the saddle to face Hayes. “Thanks for bringing me here.”
