“He likes you,” I murmur. When I move in close, my arm brushes hers, and I catch a whiff of her clean, flowery scent.Fuck. The urge to manhandle her, shove her up against the wall and just take, hits me like a mac truck.
“I like him too.” She laughs as he nudges at her, searching for treats. “Sorry, buddy. I didn’t bring you anything.”
Reaching into my pocket, I pull out a couple of sugar cubes. “Here. I grabbed a few of these just in case.”
“Awesome. Thanks.”
She takes the sugar, fingers brushing against my palm, sending a jolt of electricity up my arm.
Our eyes flick up to meet for a beat before she turns to hold her hand out to the horse.
twenty-three
Maverick’s nosetickles the palm of my hand and it almost makes me giggle.
Jax shifts away to lean against the stall as he speaks. I can feel his heated gaze on me and it’s making it hard to think.
“Most people aren’t as calm and relaxed around horses like you seem to be.”
“I told you I used to ride.”
I clear my throat, still a tad flustered from the shock I got when my fingers grazed the palm of his hand. One of which, only days ago, gripped my ass, helping me grind against him until I came in his lap.
Keeping my attention focused on Maverick, I stroke his nose, which helps me focus. Pretty sure if a horse could roll its eyes in ecstasy, he would.
“My mom had me in lessons from six years old, up until a few months after I turned twelve.” A sharp pain pulses in my chest. “My dad got a new job that required him to travel a lot. Turns out he wasn’t just going away for his job; he was having an affair. My parents divorced about six months later. It wasn’t too long after that when I met Noia.”
“Fuck, that sucks. I’m sorry.”
The amount of anger in Jax’s voice makes me look up at him in alarm.
“Me too,” I say, surprised by his protective tone. “But it was a long time ago.”
“Still. That shit sticks with you.”
I shrug, stroking Maverick’s velvety nose. “It does. After the divorce, we couldn’t afford lessons anymore. Mom had to work two jobs just to keep us afloat even with the child support.” I smile wistfully. “Those six years I spent riding were some of the happiest of my childhood.”
Jax’s expression softens. “We’ll get you back in the saddle tomorrow. We’ve got some great trails around here.”
“I’d like that,” I admit, feeling a flutter of excitement at the thought.
I can feel his eyes on me as we move down the aisle, and it makes the back of my neck tingle.
We stop at each stall, Jax introducing me to the other horses. There’s Luna, a beautiful black mare with a white star on her forehead; Bandit, a chestnut gelding with mischievous eyes; and Phoenix, a massive palomino whose golden coat gleams in the sun streaming through the stable windows.
“And who’s this?” I ask, stopping at the last stall where a stunning copper-colored horse is watching us with intelligent eyes.
“This is Ember,” Jax says, his voice taking on a different tone. “She’s mine.”
The mare immediately perks up at the sound of his voice, nickering softly as she reaches out to nuzzle his chest.
I watch with fascination as his entire demeanor changes in an instant. The cocky, flirtatious man is replaced by someone gentler, almost vulnerable as he strokes her neck with affection.
“You have your own horse?” I ask, not quite sure why this surprises me.
“Yeah,” he replies, keeping his attention on the horse. “Hollis gave her to me when she was just a foal. She was born the same day I hit my two-year sobriety mark.”
Warmth floods my veins.
