I give his nose another rub. “He looks good.”
“We exercised him a bit yesterday. He was stomping around,clearly missing you.”
I shake my head. “You were lonely, Max? I’m sorry, buddy. Iknow it’s been a few weeks. Forgive me?”
He turns his head to the side and I laugh.
“Such a man,” Vicky says.
“Is he eating okay?”
“He is now. I think the difference in hay was upsetting him,but he’s acclimated to it well.”
A few weeks ago, Max was refusing to graze. I was worriedabout bloat, but thankfully Vicky and her staff were already on it and had thevet out. Everything looked okay, but we increased his activity with the penwalker and adjusted how much grain over hay he was getting.
“Good. I’m going to ride him today.”
She nods. “He’ll appreciate that. Won’t you, boy?”
He does his grumble and I sigh. “You’re so dramatic, Max.”
“You know boys, they want to be ridden.”
My face flushes as I remember the man I rode quite hardyesterday. God, I was a dummy. After we finished, I lied on the floor in hisarms and I realized not only did we have sex, but we did so without a condom.
Thank God for the pill.
“You okay?” She asks.
“I’m fine. Sorry, just spaced out there.”
“I better check on our newcomer. Stop by the last stable onthe left before you go. She’s beautiful and she’ll be here for the birth of herfoal.”
“Oh! Definitely! I got to watch this guy be born and it wasthe most amazing thing.”
Vicky nods. “It’s an unforgettable experience. We’reguessing she has another week, but her owner passed away and her daughter hadno idea, just that she couldn’t get her mother’s affairs in order and deal witha pregnant horse.”
“How awful. I’ll definitely stop by.”
She heads off to do her never-ending list of chores and Igrab my saddle, needing a mental break.
Mel got home yesterday about two hours after we finished andsmirked at me when she saw the living room. This morning I left before she wokeup and could ask me a million questions I didn’t want to answer.
Once Max is saddled, he’s moving around a lot, shifting so Ican’t mount. “What’s going on, huh?” He moves again and I check the straps. “Isit too much or are you still prickly about me not coming last week?” As thoughhe’s going to answer. However, I have always been like this with my horses. Italk, they listen, and I pretend they understand and answer. I am who I am.“I’m sorry about that, Max. I’ve been super busy at work and when I brought youhere, we discussed this. If it’s because I’m a little off today, well, that’snot all my fault. You see, last night, that stupid man came to my house, wedrank too much, clothes came off, and well, I’m a mess. But I’m here and I loveyou and I think we both need to ride so will you let me get up now?”
Max, the brooding beast, shifts again to the left. I groan.
“You know they can sense your mood?” A voice I know saysfrom behind me. I close my eyes, really not wanting or needing to see himtoday.
There is no reason that Cayden Benson-Hennington should bein my happy place.
“What, are you stalking me now?”
He laughs. “No.”
“Then why the hell are you at a stable on Long Island?” Iask, turning to face him.
Mistake. Big one.
