“Aren’t you a love?” she asked.
Carefully she moved her hands along the side of his face toward his ear, stroking and lulling him into a sense of security. Each time she waited until he pushed against her hand so that she was confident he was ready for her next caress.
A loud crash sounded. Aurora yanked back her hand but before she could do anything else, Dalton had her around the waist and pulled away from the stall as Aladdin planted a powerful kick against the door, a plank shot at rocket speed across the aisle and embedded itself into the stall across from Aladdin’s stall. If Dalton hadn’t grabbed Aurora, she would have been maimed or killed.
Aurora strained her neck so that she could see what was happening to the terrified horse.
“Let me go,” she demanded as she tried to twist out of Dalton’s arms.
“Not until Aladdin is calm,” Dalton said grimly.
“He’s cowering in the corner. He’s not going to cause anymore problems.” She tried to push out of Dalton’s grasp, but it was no use. “Are you going to let me go, or not?”
“Not. It isn’t safe, Sunshine.”
“This is my job. I do it day in, day out. I’ve been doing this since I was fifteen, Sullivan. You need to let me handle it.” She tested his hold, there was no give. She went for a different approach and slowly relaxed her body. His hold changed too, one of his arms slid up her back and cuddled the back of her head, the other arm hugging her closer to his body. For a moment she reveled in the closeness. How could she not? Then she took advantage of his inattention and wrested herself away and went to a special bucket.
“Aurora, what do you think you’re doing?” He was exasperated.
“I’m getting some herbs that he’s going to eat. They’re calming.”
He took a look at the plants in her hand. “What is it?”
“Comfrey, dandelions, valerian and meadowsweet. You need to let me do what I do best.”
“But that’s the problem, you’re not at your best. I saw you at breakfast this morning, you were pale and unsteady.”
“I’ll be careful,” she said as she went toward the stall door. Dalton’s hand was there to stop her.
“No,” he said simply.
He was so damned frustrating. Great, now she had two stallions she had to soothe. For a second she considered offering him some of the herbs.
“Dalton, could you please look at Aladdin? Really look at him in there.” She waited while he took a long look at the horse. “What do you see?”
“I see a very scared, two-thousand-pound animal that could easily kill you.”
“Do you see him shaking?”
Dalton nodded.
“Look at his legs, do you see those crisscross scars? Did you know that their legs are their most sensitive area on their body because they have so little padding and it is right next to bone? Do you see how much scarring he has?”
Dalton squinted, then he nodded.
“Sometimes that’s a sign of someone trying to train a horse to do different maneuvers for dressage. They’ve done a shit job, since nobody wants a scarred horse out in the arena.”
“All of that abuse would be done for an equestrian event?” She could hear the disbelief in Dalton’s voice. “Just how big are the purses for winning something like that?”
“They’re nothing compared to winning the Kentucky Derby, they’re pennies on the dollar. Most of this is about getting into the Olympics with your horse, and later competing nationally and internationally. There is a big community associated with this sport and more than a little prestige that goes with it.”
“Yeah, but at the expense of this kind of abuse?” She liked hearing the outrage in his voice. She liked people who stood up for kids and animals, it was a big thing for her. “Still, it doesn’t matter if it was for a little bit of money, or a lot of money, this is just sick,” Dalton ended.
“Exactly,” she agreed. “Now can I go in?”
“No.”
She turned her head slowly so as not to scare Aladdin, but her glare was fierce. “I’m effing serious. I’m going into the stall. I’m never going to tell you how to be a SEAL, you’re not going to tell me how to work with abused animals. This is my job. Are you going to be a bully and actually use force to keep me away from Aladdin?”
He gave her a calculating look. “Are you one hundred percent sure that you will be safe?” he asked.
“No. No, I’m not. But I’m ninety-eight percent sure that I will be, and I know how to protect myself. I need to get to him before he ends up working himself into another state and bloodies himself against the stall. I’ve seen him do it. You’ve got to let me work with him.”
“Dammit, I wish there was a police vest or something that we could let you use. Can I go in with you?”
“No, that would just spook him. You’re going to have to trust me.”
She waited. Finally, Dalton nodded.
Aurora silently unlocked the stall and slowly entered it. She was careful to lock the door in the same silent manner. It broke her heart seeing this proud stallion quivering in the back of his stall.
Aurora had no idea how long she whispered and crooned to the animal, waiting for his ears to finally perk up. There was no way she was going to move much closer when his ears were flat back against his head, but she wanted to be in a position to watch the stallion’s tail. She moved two feet forward diagonally, so she could get a look at his tail which was still clamped down.
“Hey Handsome, I have some treats,” she held out her hand, continuing to watch his ears and tail, waiting for signs of relaxation. She could feel Dalton’s eyes on her, because her senses were wide open.
“Boo, can I come closer?” she asked the horse.
Nothing.
She started a wordless hum and started to slightly rock. Finally, his tail relaxed, and his ears began to perk up.
“We good?” she asked.
“Wanna treat?”
Aurora smiled when Aladdin took a deep breath in and nickered softly. He’d smelled the herbs and flowers. His nostrils flared, and he took a cautious step forward.
“Sunshine be careful.” Dalton’s tone was a very low whisper that didn’t startle the stallion. She was impressed.
Aurora smiled. Two days, just two days and she was liking the concern that Dalton was exhibiting. Aladdin nickered softly and walked steadily towards her. He bent his big head and nibbled at the handful of plants, when he was done he looked at her and swayed his head. The big softy wanted a rub which she was happy to give.
Petting the side of his beautiful chestnut neck, she praised him softly. He pressed into her hand, so she put more oomph into her strokes. She looked into his eye, on the right side of his head was getting droopy, between the excitement, the petting and the calming effect of the valerian flower, he was relaxed enough for her to look at his forelock and see how much damage he’d done when he kicked his stall.
Damn. She was going to need Doc Barnes.
She could still see some wood stuck in his flesh and automatically reached in her back pocket for her cell phone. She came up empty.
Smoothing her hand over Aladdin’s silky coat, she spoke softly, “I’m going to have to leave now. Will you be a good boy?” She saw the effects of the valerian by the slight drooping of the big horse’s eyes.
Aurora continued stroking his warm body until he finally nudged against her hand and blew a warm stream of air that ruffled her hair. “Okay, I’ll take that as a yes,” she smiled. “I’ll be back.”
She kept an eye on the stallion as she exited the stall. Dalton had the stall door opened as soon as she reached it. As soon as it was solidly locked, she slumped against it. Dalton shook his head and guided her to a spot further down the hall where she wasn’t leaning on a stall door. Then he handed her his phone.
“How’d you know?” she asked tiredly.
“You would have asked for the first aid kit if you could have handled it on your own.” He held up the kit
that was normally on the center beam in the in the main walkway of the barn. “I figured you’d need to call the vet.”
Aurora contemplated Dalton’s phone then gave a rueful laugh. “What was I thinking, I don’t know his number. Everyone’s on speed dial. I’m going to have to call Grandpa.”
Dalton lips tilted upwards. “I understand. I only know five or six numbers, otherwise I would be S.O.L.”
“What does S.O.L. stand for?” Aurora asked as she pressed in her Grandfather’s number.
“Shit out of luck.”
She gave a weak laugh as Gunnar picked up. She quickly explained the situation with Aladdin, noting Dalton’s intent stare as he set down the first aid kit.
“What?” she asked as she handed back her phone.
“You were amazing with him.”
“Grandad?” What was he talking about?
Dalton leaned forward and placed his hand next to her head, effectively caging her in, his face close to hers. “No, with Aladdin. It about killed me to agree to let you go in there. You know that don’t you? He was enraged earlier.”
“No, he was scared,” she corrected as she looked into his Navy-blue eyes. “There’s a big difference.”
“Either way, he could have hurt or killed you.” Dalton gave her a considering look. “But you weren’t afraid. You knew exactly how to approach him. Handle him.”
Was that admiration in his voice?
She swallowed. “Aladdin told me what to do. I just followed his cues.”
“Can you explain them to me?” he asked in a smoky voice. It stroked her senses like velvet. His left hand touched her cheek, pushing a lock of her hair behind her ear. She nuzzled into his hand just like Aladdin had responded to her touch.
“Are you going to answer my question?”
Did he have any idea what he was doing to her? What was his question? Oh yeah.
“All horses have specific body language, you watch their ears, their tails. You listen to their breathing, you watch to see how they stand. It’s simple really.” Her voice trailed off as Dalton leaned closer. This close his eyes seemed almost indigo, they were mesmerizing.
“What cues am I giving off?” Dalton asked. She could taste the apple on his breath.
“I’m not sure.”
He cupped her cheek, his thumb swiped her lower lip. “How about now? Is it coming into focus for you?” he rasped.
She shivered. He had to be able to hear her heart beat. He just had to.
“Then let me make it clear. Watching you in danger like that, brought out my protective instincts. Then seeing you beguile that stallion until he was literally eating out of your hands punched me in the gut. I’ve never seen anything like it. You are an enchantress, and I need to touch you. Hold you close and kiss you.”
“Please,” she whimpered. She didn’t recognize the breathy sound of her voice. Dalton wrapped his arm around her waist and locked their bodies together. It wasn’t enough. She twined her arms around his neck and delighted in his warmth. He bent his head and captured her lips. The taste of apples and Dalton exploded across her universe.
More.
So soft, her mouth flowered open.
More.
So luscious, her flavor tantalized his tongue.
More.
So willing, her body melted against his.
More.
Dalton couldn’t ever remember aching like this, wanting like this. Ever. He needed to pull back. Then her tongue shyly met his and he was lost. He cupped the side of her face, then speared his fingers up through the silk of her golden hair. She arched into his hold and he felt her fingers digging into his shoulders. Molten heat and seared through his brain and gripped his body in a vice.
Dalton was on fire, he peppered kisses along Aurora’s jaw.
“Sunshine,” he murmured as he nipped her earlobe.
Her throaty moan shot a bolt of lightening to his cock. She must have felt it because she arched against him. He felt the wet heat of her mouth open against his neck, she sucked and bit, as she pushed her tummy against him.
His fingers bit into the plush globes of her ass and her long legs wrapped around his hips. Maple syrup, apples and Aurora filled his mind as he reveled in the fire of their intimate embrace.
The sounds that she was making were music to his ears, every breath, every moan. He was lost until a discordant squawk finally penetrated the symphony that was Aurora.
A distant car horn. Then it got closer.
“Easy.” He kissed her neck. Inhaling the subtle scent of flowers.
She mewled and pressed harder, her fingers kneaded deeper into his back.
“Sunshine, someone’s here,” he whispered. “They’re honking.”
“No,” she protested on a low wail.
He waited, knowing her innate pragmatism would kick in. Finally, it did.
She moved her fingers and sliced her fingers into the military short strands of his hair, pulling his head backwards so she could look into his eyes. “This isn’t finished,” she said as she slowly lowered her legs back to the ground.
He squeezed her ass. She had a great ass.
The car door slammed. He heard two men talking. Had to be the vet.
“I’m going to grab a shovel and make myself useful. I’ll come introduce myself in a few minutes.” Aurora’s gaze dropped down to the front of his jeans. She gave a slow satisfied smile.
“You’re not helping, young lady.”
“Oh, I think I helped just fine,” she smirked.
He liked her. Dalton admired her sway as she made her way to the front of the barn. He grabbed a shovel and went to one of the stalls and got busy.
5
“I’ve got to see a man about a horse.”
“Oh Lord, not that tired old line again,” Aurora moaned. It was the second dinner they’d shared with Dalton and it seemed like her Grandfather was bound and determined to pull out all of his zingers. Aurora gave Dalton a surreptitious glance, it was only the forty-third in the last half hour. She needed to stop it. She would too, except she had noticed that three times she’d caught him looking her way when Gunnar was at the stove. Those three times when their eyes met were enough to keep her mind and her eyes on him.
“I can’t believe that Johnny is finally thinking about selling, can you?”
In a heartbeat all her focus lasered in on her grandfather. “John Dunlap is thinking of selling Vertigo?”
“Yep,” Gunnar grinned.
She pushed away her dinner plate and curled her foot up under leg on the seat of the kitchen chair, then rested her elbow on the table. Leaning in she gave Gunnar a long look. “We’ve been saving a long time for this. But are you really ready to pull the trigger?” She studied his weathered face and saw nothing but excitement.
“Girly, this is it. Mae and I wanted Vertigo’s sire. He was special, but Dunlap wasn’t selling. After Heathen died I didn’t think that any of offspring would be worth a damn, but Vertigo is the spitting image of Heathen.” Her grandfather was practically rubbing his hands together.
Aurora bit her lip, she didn’t want to ask her next question, but she had to.
“Why is Mr. Dunlap thinking of selling Vertigo to you, and not keeping him in the family?”
“Johnny thinks his brother’s two boys are worthless. There’s not a chance in hell he wants Vertigo to go be passed down to them.”
Aurora sat up straighter. “Is something wrong with Mr. Dunlap?”
“Cancer,” her grandfather said succinctly. “Stage four liver cancer. I’m going to drive up to his ranch and stay a few days with him. We’re going to talk over some old times, and then I’ll load up Vertigo and head home. Your Uncle Tate will be by each day riding fence while I’m gone. He was planning to start today, but one of their boys at the Dressler Ranch broke his arm and Tate had to take him into town to the hospital.”
“There’s nothing wrong with our fence,” Aurora sighed in resignation.
“Fine, then
Tate can cook for you and Dalton while I’m gone.”
“What if I were to say that Dalton and I can cook for ourselves?”
“I’d say good, because Tate hates to cook.” Gunnar glowered at her from underneath his bushy white eyebrows. “Live with the fact that he’s going to be out in the field while you’re riding around. You got a problem with that?”
Aurora whipped her head around to glare at Dalton. “Just how many people do you think is warranted for the ‘Protect Aurora’ project?”
Dalton forked carrots into his mouth and chewed, his blue eyes weren’t flirting now, instead she could tell he was considering how to answer her.
“I want the truth.”
Dalton swallowed and took a sip of his iced tea. “More than I did yesterday.”
“Why?” she demanded.
“Because I found two sets of hoofprints next to the orchard that looked a lot like the ones next to those shell casings. We need another set of eyes here at the ranch. Your grandfather has been keeping watch here at the house, but with him leaving we especially need someone new.”
“I still don’t have the slightest idea why I would be the target of anything.”
“And that’s something we’re going to have to work on,” Dalton agreed. “Because we can be damned sure it isn’t about two pre-teens who were throwing apples against your barn.”
“Well Dalton, I see that you were right, I was worried about nothing.”
She gave her grandfather a sharp look. “What do you mean?”
“I thought you would give us a hell of a lot more trouble for bringing Tate over to the ranch. Dalton thought you would be more amenable.”
“Still noticed you were willing to put up with my wrath,” she sighed.
“Aurora, you mean the world to me. If a trained SPECOP soldier has a hunch, it behooves me to listen to him.”
Her Guarded Hero Page 6