‘For what?’ she frowned, shaking her head. ‘It’s nothing. We’ll be home in no time, okay? Get you and that poor girl of yours right.’
Jesse climbed into the back seat from the other side as Bailey closed my door and jumped into the front, the truck starting with a roar and pulling back onto the highway in a few smooth turns.
Space in the back was suddenly very limited, Jesse’s broad shoulders and long legs dominating.
‘Come here,’ he ordered, gesturing for me to move towards him and gently pulling me over when I frowned, confused. Raising his arm and the seatbelt, he tucked me against his chest so my head rested on his shoulder, taking my weight. ‘Right, now . . . you owe me a story about why you’ve got a headless horseman right over your heart.’
As ever, there was a natural ease and smoothness to his tone, the same confidence that’d shone through from the first moment I’d locked eyes with him. But as I lay back against him, wrapped in his smoky scent, I felt the depth behind it. The way his hand rested on my waist, holding me there, as if guiding me to fall into step with the steady beat inside his chest.
‘I just liked the story,’ I lied, my voice as unsteady as his was sure, forcing myself to focus on his breathing instead of my own; the way it tickled my neck as he leant closer.
‘Bullshit,’ he whispered in my ear.
I shivered, unable to help myself, thoughts of his lips on my neck intruding over everything else, remembering the way he’d worked his way down to my breasts, right over the ink.
‘It’s a reminder,’ I blurted, my voice dropping to a whisper, eyelids closing as I felt his fingers tracing mine. I realized I wanted him to know the real reason, even if I had no idea how to tell him, or why he’d care. ‘To never give in to fear.’ I hesitated, the words sticking in my throat. ‘The headless horseman isn’t the danger, it’s the feeling he inspires. The only thing to fear is my reaction to it.’
He stilled, his abs tensing, his grip tightening on my waist.
‘Who made you feel like that?’ he murmured, an unmistakable edge to his voice, hardening to a point.
I just shook my head, what few words I’d had turning to the dust that rose from the wheels of the truck as we flew down the highway. Signs were now appearing for Jackson.
He didn’t press it, saying nothing else. Eventually, his body relaxed again and his hand closed over mine.
‘I’ve got you,’ he whispered, and for the second time that day, tears rose behind my eyes. Unable to trust myself to reply, I moved the hand he held instead, weaving my fingers between his.
I knew that if I turned my head even slightly, made any kind of eye contact, there would be no way to stop what would follow. And it wasn’t just Bailey right there in the front, but the prospect of knowing that his kiss, our touch, would be entirely different to those that’d already been.
So we remained still, his chin eventually coming to rest on my head, his thumb tracing soft circles on the back of my hand.
By the time we reached the Diamond Back, most of the anxiety had ebbed away. I leant against the fence and watched as Bailey and Jesse worked to get the horses out, now strangely aware of his physical absence.
‘Hes?’ Lottie ran down the road towards me, her phone in one hand, clutching her hat to her head with the other. ‘Jesse messaged me . . . is that –’
She slowed to a walk as Jesse backed my horse – MY horse – out of the trailer, expertly manoeuvring as she swung round, ears flat against her head and teeth bared, about an inch from taking a chunk out of Jesse’s arm.
‘Fuck, is he . . . does he need some help? I don’t know how to –’ I straightened up abruptly, wary of getting in the way but unwilling to watch the horse literally tear a strip off him.
‘Don’t worry, he’s got it,’ Lottie soothed, frowning both at my distress and the very clear abuse the horse had suffered. ‘I can’t believe someone could do that,’ she hissed as she reached my side.
‘I couldn’t let them do it,’ I said, turning to her, watching her anger dissolve as she took in my expression. ‘I didn’t mean to buy her . . . I just didn’t know what else to do, it seemed like the only way to stop them—’
‘Hes, stop,’ Lottie cut in, eyes darting between mine. ‘Don’t fucking apologize for a second, okay? You did the right thing.’ I nodded, gritting my teeth as I looked back to Jesse, shielding my eyes from the blazing sun. He was leading her round to the barn, talking to her as they approached the other stalls, some of the ranch’s horses calling out. ‘What else happened? What’s going on?’
I shrugged, shaking my head.
‘It’s nothing. Can we go down there now?’
Lottie’s eyes narrowed, studying me for a moment, but ultimately giving me the grace she knew I needed. Instead, she tucked my arm around hers, pulling us together as we walked towards the barn.
Bailey was now leading her new horse, muscular-looking with a dark, rich chestnut coat that shone in the sunlight.
‘He’s a looker,’ Lottie called out. ‘Bet he moves some with those legs – what’s his name?’
‘Buckeye.’ Bailey appraised him as they walked, scratching his neck. ‘Y’know – as in the horse chestnuts – think you guys call them conkers? Anyways, he moves like wildfire, similar feel to Dunk. I’m gonna let him have some space in the field just there, I’ll see you later.’ Then, looking directly at me, she added, ‘Chin up, cowgirl. You did a damn good thing today. I’ll give my friend Rosie a call tonight if you like, at the sanctuary.’
I nodded, but as we turned into the barn, walking over to the stall where Jesse was gently reassuring the horse, I knew I couldn’t do it.
