The break between dinner and dessert included cleanup, and a choice of cards or watching football.
Since Jessica understood football better than cards, she opted for that. But she’d barely settled in when Chase brought in her coat and a pair of barn boots.
“Mom said I should take you over, get you used to the horses.”
“Oh, really, that’s not necessary.”
“I don’t argue with my mother. It’s a waste of time because she always wins.”
“That’s a fact,” Rory confirmed, then snarled at the game. “For God’s sake, where’s the defense? Are they taking the day off?”
“She said these ought to fit.” Chase held out the boots. “You can’t go walking across the yard in those high heels.”
“Fine.” She’d get it over with. Her hostess—and employer—had made a request. She’d walk over, look at horses, and be done.
She’d looked at plenty of horses since moving to Montana.
From a comfortable distance.
She put on the boots, which did fit well enough even if they looked ridiculous with her dress, then pulled on her coat.
Chase led her out the side door. The snow had stopped, but a fresh three inches glittered under the yard lights.
Making her grateful for the boots.
“It’s not like I need to ride anywhere,” she began.
“It’s a good skill to have. Like swimming. Can you swim?”
“Of course I can swim.”
“I’ve never been to Lower Manhattan. Didn’t know if there were many opportunities for that there, either.”
“It’s an island,” Jessica reminded him as a raucous cheer erupted from the bunkhouse.
“They’re watching the game.”
“You’d probably like to do the same,” she realized. “We’ll make this quick so you can get back to it.”
“I like football well enough, but it’s just a game.”
He opened the door, hit the lights.
It was a soft smell, Jessica thought. Horses. Different, a little different from what it was when she walked by them in paddocks or rings.
He walked down the sloped concrete, stopped. “This is Maybelle. She’s a good choice for the first time up on a horse.”
As he spoke, the horse lifted her head, dark brown with a jagged white blaze, over the stall door.
“If she had wool, she’d be a lamb. Isn’t that so, Maybelle?”
Her ears flicked forward as he rubbed her cheek. Her eyes looked deep into Jessica’s.
“You can pet her. She likes it. Have you petted a horse before?”
“No.”
“I’m not going to say some won’t bite, because they will. But not this one. She’s a good girl. Here you go.”
Before Jessica realized he meant to, he’d taken her hand pressed it to the mare’s cheek.
Soft—like the scent. Smooth. Warm.
Her heart stopped hammering so she could enjoy the experience.
“She has beautiful eyes.”
“She does.”
Chase waited until her confidence built enough for her to stroke her hand down Maybelle’s neck.
“Have you ever been thrown?”
“Not what you’d call thrown. Slid off once and landed on the ground. But we were riding bareback, Cal and me, and half-drunk with it. A long while back,” he added when Jessica looked at him.
“Your family really wants me to do this.”
“Nobody’s going to make you do something if you’re afraid of it, or just plain don’t want to.”
“I should try it. Have the experience.” She backed up. “I’ll think about it anyway.” She jolted a bit, turned, at the snort behind her. “Who’s that one?”
“That’s the famous Sundown.”
“Sundown the wonder horse.” She approached warily, but she approached. “He’s beautiful. And big. He’s big.”
“Runs seventeen hands, so some bigger than most. Smart, like Dad said, and he can be sly. But he’s got no mean in him.”
To test her mettle, she moved closer. Her hand paused halfway up, hesitating. Could a horse look amused? she wondered, making herself lift her hand all the way to his cheek.
“Okay, two for two. You’re really big, very impressive, and very, very handsome.”
Sundown turned his head, angling it down, as if suddenly shy. Chase laughed.
“I swear I don’t know how he does it. It’s like he understands every word we say.”
Smiling, Jessica turned around. “Maybe he does. I think—”
This time she didn’t just jolt, she all but leaped and landed hard against Chase.
“He was just sniffing your hair.” To steady her, Chase put his arms around her—or told himself that was why. “It’s pretty, and it smells good. He didn’t mean to scare you.”
“I was startled. He just startled me.” Still a little breathless, she looked up. His eyes were so green, she thought, so strongly green and flecked with gold.
“It’s pretty,” Chase said again. “Your hair’s pretty.”
And lowered his mouth to hers.
He smelled of the horses, she thought. Soft and warm. His mouth was the same, warm and soft against hers. A quiet kiss, one that might have been peaceful if not for the rapid drumming of her heart. Despite the drumming, leaning into him, into the moment, was the easiest thing she’d ever done.
He pulled back, stepped back. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t’ve … taken advantage like that.”
The soft, shiny bubble popped. “Like what?”
“Well, I … It might seem like I lured you in here, and then I grabbed hold of you.”
Now she lifted her eyebrows. “I think I did the initial grabbing.”
“That was—” He broke off, pulled off his hat, raked his fingers through his hair. “I’m not sure what to … I’m not sure.”
“I can see that. I guess you should let me know whenever you are. We should get back.”
He shoved his hat back on, caught up with her. “It’s just I don’t want you to feel I’d take advantage, that you’d feel obligated—”
She stopped in her tracks, froze him with a look. “Don’t insult me.”
“I wasn’t. I didn’t mean … Christ almighty, I can talk to people better than this. Women. I’m not saying what I mean to say.”
“If you think for one minute that I believe you did, or you would, pressure me into a physical or sexual relationship because you’re a member of the family that employs me, you’re insulting my intelligence and my character judgment. And I’m saying exactly what I mean to say.”
“All right.”
“If you think I’d encourage or allow the same, you’re an idiot.”
“I think I got your point, all the way through. I only wanted to apologize if I crossed a line. I didn’t mean to cross it, right or wrong. You smell good.”
“We established that last part, thank you. And I’ll let you know if and when you cross a line.”
“All right.” Deciding it was safer all around to leave it at that, Chase opened the door for her.