Majesty grinned. “I’ll be here. Promise. We can’t have you getting in trouble now, can we?”
Reese shook her head and then looked at me and smiled, that kind of gentle, open warmth that made you feel immediately accepted. “You should come back later,” she said. “We’re lettingthe rabbits out for a hop session after lunch. They love new people.”
“I’ll try,” I said, meaning it.
By the time we left Reese’s barn, my cheeks hurt from smiling. Between the talkative parrot, the fainting goat, and Reese’s endless stories about how each animal ended up here, I’d forgotten about the nerves that had been buzzing under my skin all morning.
As we exited, Bossy P’s voice followed us out, loud and commanding: “Kiss the girl!”
Majesty laughed under his breath but didn’t comment. When I glanced up at him, the humor in his eyes had softened into something quieter—thoughtful.
“Guess he’s not wrong about everything,” he murmured.
I looked away, heart thudding a little harder than I wanted to admit. What if he did kiss me?
Majesty walked beside me as we followed a dirt trail that curved away from the rescue barn. The afternoon sun slanted low, painting everything in gold. The scent of hay and horses drifted on the breeze, mingling with something warm. Majesty laughed to himself and held on to the smile on his face.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, eyeing the small smile tugging at his lips as we approached another cluster of fences and a wide, open paddock.
He gave a low laugh, hands in his pockets. “It means you might want to hold on to that excitement you had back there. You’re about to need it.”
I didn’t think that’s what his thoughts had been about. I frowned, but then followed his gaze and froze.
A handful of horses grazed lazily in the field ahead of us. A few stable hands moved around the barn, brushing coats and tightening saddles. The rhythmic clink of tack filled the air, and my heart did a weird little flip.
“Majesty…” I started slowly, glancing from the horses to him. “Why do I feel like you’re up to something?”
He grinned, pure mischief. “Up to something? Me?”
I crossed my arms. “You’re definitely up to something.”
“Lex might’ve mentioned,” he said, drawing the words out like he was testing me, “that you’ve never been on a horse before.”
My eyes widened. “Wait, what?”
“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” he said easily, stepping ahead to open the gate. “He thought you’d enjoy learning while you’re here. Said you’ve got good balance and a brave streak.”
I blinked, caught somewhere between horror and delight. “He did, huh?”
Majesty’s grin widened. “Oh, he did. And lucky for you, your first lesson starts in about five minutes.”
He offered me his hand as we stepped through the gate, the smell of hay and sun-warmed wood growing stronger. My pulse raced.
“I’m really doing this, aren’t I?” I murmured, half to myself.
Majesty squeezed my fingers. “You are. And trust me, once you’re up there, you’ll never want to get down.”
The closer we got, the more the air changed, thicker with the earthy smell of horses. The soft shuffle of hooves echoed from the covered arena ahead, mingling with low voices and the creak of leather.
The stables stretched wide, built of weathered wood and worn smooth from years of use. Each stall door had a polished brass nameplate, and a few curious horses leaned out to investigate us. One nuzzled at Majesty’s sleeve, earning a quiet chuckle from him and a soft pat on the nose.
“Friendly bunch,” I murmured, stepping closer.
“Only if they like you,” came a deep, warm voice from further down the aisle.
I turned and my breath caught.
The man walking toward us looked like he’d stepped straight out of a ranch calendar. Broad shoulders beneath a faded blue shirt, sleeves rolled to reveal tanned forearms. His hair was brown with just a trace of gray at the temples, the same silver streaked through his neatly trimmed beard. His eyes were an unreal, piercing blue that caught mine and held.
