Horse Play (Horse Play Series Book 1)

by A. D. Ryan

  As Halley and I drew nearer, I took in the deep blue color of his eyes and the way they sparkled like sapphires in the sun. I was instantly mesmerized. Halley continued to lope around the arena, and when I caught the stranger’s gaze again I got lost in his eyes once more. There was something in the way he was watching me that made me smile, and he returned that smile with one that caused an unexpected flurry of butterflies to erupt in my belly. Completely distracted by his smirk, I hadn’t even realized that Halley was headed for the small cross-rail just off the trail until we were nearly upon it.

  Instinctively, I leaned forward in preparation for her to take the jump, but as I did, Halley stopped … and I kept on going. The ground came up to meet me far too fast, and all I felt was pressure in my head as I landed hard on my back.

  Chapter 2. Thrown

  After a few seconds, I opened my eyes and started to sit up. My entire body ached as I struggled to inhale deeply, and my head was spinning so fast, my vision blurred.

  “Holy shit! Are you okay?” a deep voice called out to me. At first it sounded kind of hazy—like a dream. Everything soon became clear when I heard the disruption of the arena dirt and sensed a body next to me.

  “Uh … yeah,” I groaned as I started to push myself up. The stranger slipped his left arm around me while I gripped his right hand with mine, and he helped me stand. I teetered slightly on wobbly legs, but his hand firmly gripped my waist as I struggled to keep my balance. As soon as I was on my feet, I looked around frantically for Halley, only to find her standing on the other side of the low fence looking at me like she was confused about what happened.

  “Madison!” Dad’s panicked voice rang through the yard, and I looked up just in time to see him hop the fence with more ease than a fifty-three-year-old man should be capable of. “Kiddo, are you okay?”

  With my body still in such close proximity to the stranger—the beautiful, beautiful stranger—I suddenly felt embarrassed. I pulled free of Mr. Blue-Eyes, pushing the stray hairs that had fallen from my ponytail off of my forehead and looked between my dad and the man who was looking at me like I was going to collapse any minute.

  “Yeah. I’m fine,” I assured them both.

  Dad breathed a sigh of relief before narrowing his eyes at me, and I shied away from his glare. I’d seen it before. I knew what was coming next. “What the hell were you thinking, Madison? I told you light training with Halley. She’s not ready for jumps! Are you trying to put her back out of commission?” he shouted.

  “What? No, of course not! It … it was an accident,” I argued softly, not really relishing the fact that I was having my ass chewed out in front of a complete stranger.

  “Wayne, I saw the whole thing,” Blue-Eyes said. “It looked as though the mare had just gone off track a bit. I don’t think … Madison—”

  “Madi,” I interjected out of habit, preferring my nickname.

  “My apologies. I don’t think Madi intended for this to happen.” He looked down at me with concern again. “Why weren’t you wearing the proper gear?”

  Any gratitude I felt toward this man instantly fizzled as a frosty barrier slammed down in its place. He was just like any other man I’d ever known—a know-it-all who thinks they can tell me what to do.

  Needless to say, I reacted angrily upon hearing his words. “Excuse me? And just who the hell are you?”

  My dad shook his head before gesturing toward the brown-haired Adonis—the jerky, brown-haired Adonis—that was reprimanding me. Granted, I should have been wearing a helmet, but it wasn’t as though I had anticipated taking a jump … by myself. “I’m sorry. Madi, this is Jensen. Our new ranch hand. I just hired him this morning.”

  I could feel my annoyance flare at my father for not consulting me on this. Yes, he was the boss, but this was also a partnership. Since when did he not run this sort of thing by me? I narrowed my eyes at this Jensen. “Can you ride?” I inquired snidely, eyeing him up and down, being careful to take note of his designer jeans. The tattoos didn’t exactly seem like something a ranch hand would spend their money on. Clearly he wasn’t farm material.

  “Since I could walk, actually,” he replied confidently, crossing his arms across his chest in challenge. “My dad’s a vet, your vet, actually. He and my mother used to live in the country, and we’ve always been around horses. It was important I learn. In fact …” He let his words hang for a moment while a cocky smirk graced his stupid, delicious-looking lips. “Maybe I could teach you a few things.”

  My mouth fell open in shock, and just as I was about to say something extremely unladylike, Dad laughed and clapped Jensen on the back. “Son, Madi’s been riding since she was a toddler. In fact, this is the first time I’ve seen her fall off her mount in years,” he said through his hysterics.

  My rage suddenly spiked, and I crossed my arms defensively. “We don’t need a ranch hand,” I said pointedly. Mostly to my father, but also to Mr. Conceited. “We have Tom.”

  “Madison, we’re getting busier, and Tom is already responsible for so much. We need someone else,” Dad tried reasoning.

  “We have me.” I was mildly insulted.

  My dad stepped into my line of sight as I continued to glare at this jerk that was coming onto my ranch and acting like he was King Shit of Turd Island. “Madison, you know how busy we get this time of year. People bringing their horses to be boarded for the winter? All the new rescues? What do you think we spent the entire spring and summer building the new barn for?”

  I clenched my teeth and rolled my eyes as I exhaled an exasperated breath through my nose. “You’re right,” I told my father quietly. “Fine. He can stay. But he’s on probation.” After making my point, I turned on my heel and grabbed Halley’s reins before leading her for the exit.

  “I’m hitting the trails. I’ll be back in a half hour.”

  “Um, Madi?” Jensen called after me. “Don’t forget a helmet this time, okay?”

  I held back a rage-fueled scream as I led Halley to the barn so I could grab my helmet. As infuriating as his belittling was, he was right; it probably wouldn’t have been good if I fell off and was knocked unconscious in the middle of nowhere—and let’s face it, if it were to happen to anyone, it’d be me.

  Once my helmet was secure on my head, I mounted Halley and we headed for our favorite trail. My body was a little stiff from my fall, but I knew a nice soak in my tub tonight would help loosen all the tension.

  Halley and I walked down a trail beneath a canopy of branches with autumn-colored leaves, letting the early morning breeze waft over us. It was always refreshing to go on a trail ride, and while I went on them often, this was my first time in months with Halley.

  Being in the fresh air with my horse calmed me down. It allowed me to think back to my accident and realize that maybe I had reacted immaturely. I was sure Jensen hadn’t meant anything by his comments; he seemed genuinely concerned. Sure, his tone implied a holier-than-thou attitude, but then again, so had mine. Perhaps I’d been a bit too quick to judge.

  It didn’t seem like we had gone very far before I had to head back. Halley was starting to favor her foreleg, so I had to get her brushed down and rub some cooling gel onto the area before turning her out for a bit. When we returned to the barn, I took Halley’s bridle off and refastened her halter before removing her saddle and taking everything to put it away.

  After washing off the bit, I headed into the locker room, stopping dead in my tracks when I saw Jensen standing with his back to me. Then, I saw a slender hand appear on his arm, running up and down its length. A familiar giggle sounded in the small room, and I chuckled softly. I should have known that Jillian would take notice of the fresh meat.

  Jillian Walker was our twenty-four year old instructor. During the winter months, we kept her on staff in the evenings and on weekends, but during the summer, she upped her lesson load substantially since most of her students were out of school. It was no secret that she liked to have a good time; she was alwa
ys telling stories about her many suitors, and she told them without the slightest hint of regret to her tone.

  Twirling a lock of her chestnut-colored hair around her finger, she smiled up at Jensen with her perfect teeth. She was a very beautiful girl with her big doe eyes, shiny long hair, and athletic body.

  Jensen quickly snapped his head around, looking flustered because I had clearly just caught them flirting. “No need to worry. We don’t care if you feel the need to fraternize. Just keep it professional when on the job, and should it not work out … well, don’t let it affect your work.” I tried to keep the experience on the subject from my voice, but I wondered if a little of it had maybe slipped out. If so, I chose to ignore it.

  Without a word to me, Jill turned and headed toward the viewing gallery with a little extra bounce in her step. She opened the door to the indoor arena and disappeared from sight.

  Rolling my eyes, I pushed past Jensen as he stood there, stunned, and stopped in the far corner where my locker was. Lifting the saddle over my head, I tried to slide it onto its mount, but unfortunately, at five-foot-five I was too short, and the stepladder had gone missing a few weeks ago. I grunted and stood on my tip-toes, but I was still unsuccessful. Suddenly, two warm hands brushed mine, and I could feel the heat of a body directly behind me as I gripped the pommel of the saddle and tried not to pass out from the bizarre fog that instantly filled my head.

  I was acting like a swoony little schoolgirl at the scent of his cologne, and it should have bothered me.

  “Allow me,” Jensen crooned, the warmth of his breath dancing across the exposed skin of my neck. My skin prickled all over my body. Apparently my brain hadn’t passed the memo along to the rest of me yet that I had sworn off men, because I was instantly overcome with the need to do very, very bad things to him. A lot.

  Once the saddle was secure on its rack, I quickly ducked out from under his arm. “Uh, thanks. I should, um … get back to Hails,” I stammered as I backed out of the locker room, leaving Jensen there staring at what I could only assume was a cloud of dust shaped like my retreating form.

  When I reached my mare’s side, I rested my forehead on her neck and took several deep breaths to calm my nerves. I couldn’t understand it, but when his hands touched mine, a tiny current of electricity had passed through us. I could only wonder if he felt it, too.

  “Halley, huh?” Jensen said from behind me, shocking me once more.

  I turned around abruptly, causing Halley to throw her head up in fright. “Wh-what?” I stammered.

  Jensen stepped closer to me, his deep blue eyes locked on mine. His eyelashes were thick and dark, accentuating the color of his eyes. I was sure women were envious of them. I kind of was.

  When he lifted his arm, I watched nervously as it got closer to me, and then passed me to run over Halley’s face. Now that it was right in front of me, I was able to see the tattoos on his arm a little better. The colors were vibrant and the designs exquisite in the way they all tied together to tell a story I was suddenly curious to learn more about.

  Halley exhaled heavily through her nostrils, and I turned to look at her. Her eyes lulled shut as he stroked the white streak and chuckled. She trusted him within seconds, and I knew she was generally a pretty good judge of character …

  If only he hadn’t been such a jerk earlier.

  “Like the comet. Clever.”

  “I tend to be, yes,” I quipped, turning away from him so I could groom Halley and go about my day.

  “So, is there anything I should know before I officially start tomorrow?” he asked, still petting Halley’s face as her breathing deepened.

  I laughed. The sound echoed through the barn, startling the barn cats that were sleeping peacefully in a vacant stall. “No, I think you pretty much know everything, now don’t you?”

  “Touché,” he replied with a chuckle. “Well, I’m just going to walk the grounds and learn where everything is at so I can properly navigate with little to no instructions needed.” Jensen headed for the doorway before turning back. “I look forward to working with you, Madi.”

  My knees threatened to buckle as the low vibrato of his voice moved through me. Instead of answering, because I couldn’t trust my own voice to remain steady, I raised my hand without turning to him and waved it dismissively so I could finish up Halley’s grooming. Once she was cleaned up, I knelt down next to her and rubbed her ointment on her leg before wrapping it with bandages and putting her in her paddock.

  Once she was happy and feeding, I headed to the viewing gallery to check on Jill’s lesson. Everything seemed to be running smoothly as four girls ranging from ages six to ten, rode around the arena at a steady trot, coming down the middle over the trotting poles that Jill had spaced out. It made me nostalgic for when I used to teach before I decided I wanted to compete and help my dad rescue and rehabilitate. After waving at Jillian, I headed outside just as Tom pulled into the yard. He was backing the truck up so he could unload the feed, and when he stepped out of the truck, Jensen came jogging over with a smile on his face.

  “Hey, there. You must be Tom. I’m Jensen, the new ranch hand.”

  While the two of them got acquainted, I decided to help Jill out. “Um, I’m going to go grab the next round of lesson horses for Jill, and then get Starla ready for today’s session,” I explained. “Meet you in the outdoor arena in about an hour, Tom?” Tom nodded once before opening the tailgate and slinging a bag of feed over his shoulder, and I walked in the opposite direction.

  I checked the schedule and grabbed the two horses that Jill would need for her lesson. On my way to the barn, I found my dad in the outdoor ring, setting up a small course for my session.

  “Madi,” Dad greeted as he set the final oxer in place. “I figured since you were so gung-ho to jump, maybe you and Starla would like to try a course.”

  Annoyed, I glared at him as I slipped between the fence rails. “Dad, I told you it was an accident. I feel bad enough.”

  He laughed and wrapped an arm around my shoulder, tucking me into his side. “Aw, Madi, I’m only teasing.”

  I heard the crunch of gravel heading our way and saw Tom making his way toward the arena. “Why don’t you go and get Starla ready and we can get started a little early.”

  Confused, my eyebrows pulled together.

  Tom smiled. “That new ranch hand of yours has quite the initiative. He was quick to offer to put the feed away.”

  Hearing this made me reevaluate Jensen’s earlier attitude again. Perhaps I’d been a little too defensive given how my last relationship ended. I was even more certain now that he probably hadn’t meant to sound as judgmental as he did. Maybe I should have given him the benefit of the doubt. After all, he wasn’t Dane Hall. Just because my ex was a complete and utter waste of space didn’t mean that all men were. Jensen seemed genuinely concerned when I fell off Halley, and he’d been nothing but helpful when I got back from my ride.

  I owed him a huge apology, and I planned to make it up to him the next time I saw him.

  Hoping to find him in the barn, I headed there. I didn’t see him on my way to grab Starla’s halter and lead, and I didn’t see him on my way out to her paddock. My apology would have to wait unless he found me while I was tacking her up.

  He didn’t.

  As soon as she was ready, I grabbed my helmet and led Starla to the arena.

  “Glad to see you remembered a helmet, Madi,” Tom teased as I hopped into the saddle.

  “Har har,” I dead-panned as I started Starla’s warm-up.

  During the entire session, Starla was a dream. She was still young, and this was her first time completing a course, but her gaits were smooth, her transitions seamless, and her warm-up jumps perfect. She refused a couple of the oxers the first few times, but she eventually grew comfortable with them, and after a couple of awkward deer-hops over them, she sailed like a pro.

  Tom instructed me on my course order, and Starla took the first three low rails like a
champ. However, when we rounded the corner and headed to the low brush fence, I caught a glimpse of Jensen carrying a bale of hay right past the arena fence. I didn’t miss the way his muscles tensed beneath the weight of the bale, and I may have even sighed, or moaned, or something equally as wistful. Whatever the sound was, it could only mean trouble.

  Apparently, Jensen had this pull over me because before I knew it Starla veered right, and I went left, landing on my left side with a solid thud.

  I looked up, silently cursing my luck today, and saw Jensen drop the bale he was carrying and hop the fence, beating Tom by a few paces. “Damn, Madi. Today’s just not your day, huh?” He reached out to help me up, but I denied his help, slapping his hand away, and pushed myself to my feet. My pride was hurt, and I was trying to rebuild it by denying anyone’s help.

  “Apparently,” I practically sneered.

  “Are you all right, Madi?” Tom asked as he held my face and checked my eyes.

  I nodded, pushing his hands away. “Yeah. I’m fine.”

  Tom checked his watch and then looked over at Starla who had stopped near the abandoned bale of hay and stretched her head through the fence to feed on it. “What do you say we call it? I think Starla’s had enough. Go comb her down, we’ll have lunch and prep for our afternoon session with Ransom.”

  “Okay, but if I fall off again, I quit,” I half-joked through clenched teeth as I sucked in a painful breath. I brushed the dirt off my jeans and headed over to where Starla was currently stuffing her face. As I grabbed the reins and coaxed Starla’s head away from the hay, it didn’t escape my notice that Jensen was right behind me. He opened the gate for me, and I nodded my thanks.

  “Um, don’t forget to take the rest of that bale into the barn,” I instructed, not even taking a beat to look at him. I didn’t mean for it to sound rude, but I was embarrassed about falling in front of him twice in one day. I must have looked like an amateur, and not someone who’d been riding for her entire life. My apology could wait until I’d had a chance to stitch my pride back together.