The man who would help her achieve that had paused to open the gate to the corral, which was round instead of square. He had to let go of Jasper’s bridle in order to pull the gate back so they could all enter. Yesterday she would have freaked out to be on a horse with nobody in charge but her.
Today, thanks to Mac’s coaching, she didn’t freak out. Well, maybe she was freaking out a little bit. Her heart was beating fast and her mouth felt dry. She was about to attempt something she’d been afraid to do for twenty years of her life.
Jasper stood quietly, ears swiveling back toward her. “I’m a little bit scared, Jasper,” she murmured. “Will you take it easy for me?”
Jasper bobbed his head as he did every time she asked him a question. She realized now it was a trick someone had taught him, but it calmed her, all the same. Her hands had tightened on the reins, and she consciously loosened her grip. Easy does it.
Mac came back from closing the gate. First he gave her a quick lesson in neck reining, explaining that laying the reins on the horse’s neck guided him away from that direction and moved him toward the opposite one. She tried to focus on what he was saying while her stomach churned.
“But you won’t need to do much of that as you circle the corral,” Mac said. “Once you start along the perimeter, Jasper will keep to the rail. He’s done it a thousand times.”
“Can we just walk around at first?”
“Absolutely. Walking is perfect.”
Her throat felt as if she’d swallowed barbed wire. “What if he starts going faster?”
“He won’t unless you ask him to. Let’s stick with a walk for now.”
“Which way am I going, clockwise or counterclockwise?” Her pulse raced.
“Either. He’s used to both directions. You can go one direction and then reverse if you feel like it.”
She wouldn’t feel like it. Going round and round would be challenge enough. “I’ll go clockwise, then.”
“Okay. Reins in your left hand. That’s it. Nudge him with your heels.”
She gave Jasper a tentative tap with the heels of her boots.
“A little harder. And click your tongue.”
When she did that, Jasper began to move. Her chest tightened and she grabbed for the saddle horn. But the pace was slow enough that she let go immediately, feeling a little silly for that instinctive reaction.
“Breathe,” Mac called after her.
Oh. No wonder she was feeling a little dizzy. She was barely doing that, as if breathing would upset her balance. The saddle creaked as Jasper plodded along, his hoofs landing with rhythmic thuds on the soft ground of the corral.
If she fell off, it wouldn’t be so bad this time. At this speed she wouldn’t go sailing into the air, and no rocks or bushes were in her way. Gradually she realized that she’d have to work at falling off.
Her booted feet were tucked into the stirrups and getting them out wasn’t all that easy. She’d struggled with that a couple of times while practicing her dismount. Instead of sliding around the horse’s broad back the way she had as a kid, she was sitting on a saddle that cradled her backside. If things got really dicey, she could grab the saddle horn.
Slowly she began to relax. Jasper moved without any input from her. She was inside a corral, and Mac was in there with her, leaning against the fence, arms crossed. When he realized she was looking at him, he gave her a thumbs-up.
She circled the corral twice and nothing happened. “Is this what it’s like out on the trail?” she called out to Mac.
“Pretty much. There are stretches where you can go faster, but trail riding is supposed to be leisurely, not a race to the finish line. I guarantee the wedding party won’t be galloping out there with everybody all gussied up.”
“Georgie said I’ll be wearing a dress with a split skirt. That sounds complicated.”
“You’ll be ready when the time comes.”
That was exactly what she needed to hear, and he had an uncanny ability to know that. “Will you be riding behind me?”
“I don’t know, but you’ll be with someone who’s experienced, whether it’s me or Georgie. Come to think of it, you may ride out with Georgie.”
She decided she’d be okay with that. “Will I be on Jasper?”
“That’s my plan and I can’t imagine anybody objecting.”
“Then I think I can do this, Mac. It’s not so hard.”
“Well, no, but there’s a difference between riding in a circle in the corral and going along a trail with a horse in front and a horse behind.”
“Of course there is. The second one sounds like a lot more fun.”
He greeted that with a soft laugh. “Getting bored?”
His amusement sent a delicious shiver up her spine, and his words carried a subtle challenge. He wanted her to show some spunk. His reaction to the mug told her he liked that quality in her.
So did she, as a matter of fact. When her professor had told the class not to let fear get in the way of art, she’d known then that creativity and courage went together like peanut butter and jelly. Yet she’d allowed herself to be afraid of things. Horses, for one thing. Romantic entanglements, for another.
Some artists recommended good sex for inspiration. She’d never experienced inspiring sex, but she thought Mac would be capable of providing it. She’d have to give this some more thought, but for now, going round and round at a walk was getting old. “What’s the next speed?”
“A trot. It’s a little bouncy. Takes some getting used to.”
“Is there a chance we’ll do that one on the trail?”
“Definitely a chance, although probably not for long. We’ll have mostly experienced riders, but as I understand it, Charmaine’s only been on a horse once, for the inaugural trail ride.”
“That’s true, but she seemed to have a good time.” Anastasia hadn’t thought about this riding gig in connection with Charmaine. She liked her older sister a lot better now that they were adults and they weren’t nearly as competitive.
But she’d enjoy the heck out of being a better rider than Charmaine when the wedding party rode out to the canyon. “What do I need to know about this trotting business?”
“First, let’s see you reverse direction while you’re just walking.”
She thought back to what he’d said and laid the reins against the left side of Jasper’s neck. What a little miracle! He turned in that direction and started across the middle of the corral. “No, all the way around.” She managed to get him going in the opposite direction. Apparently reining was like a steering wheel.
“Now, get your heels down and feel the connection with his body along your entire leg.”
So much for relaxing in the saddle.
“When you nudge him into a trot, you’ll bounce at first. Grip the saddle horn with your right hand so you can steady yourself and move with him instead of against him.”
This was sounding way more difficult than she’d thought it would be, but she needed to be able to do it. Her list of reasons now included being able to ride better than Charmaine. She held on to the saddle horn, brought her legs in contact with Jasper’s flanks, and looked over at Mac. “Ready.”
He was no longer leaning against the fence, which should have told her something. “Nudge him and cluck your tongue.”
She nudged and clucked, and all hell broke loose. Jasper launched into something that reminded her of the time she’d ridden her bike over a cattle guard. But that had been over in a couple of seconds.
This went on and on. She lost a stirrup and her hat fell into the dust. The fear she’d thought had been banished reared up like a fire-breathing dragon. Desperate and afraid, she called out to Mac. “Help!”
He was there in a heartbeat, taking hold of Jasper’s bridle and bringing the horse to a stop.
“Oh, God.” She gu
lped for air. “That was horrible.”
“You did fine.” He put a hand on her thigh. “Not bad at all, considering you’re just starting out.”
She gazed down at him. “I so wanted horseback riding to be magical.”
“It can be.”
“I don’t think so.”
“It can.” He glanced down at the empty stirrup hanging there. “Let’s try something.”
Before she realized what he intended to do, he’d placed his foot in the stirrup and swung up behind the saddle.
“Can he carry us both?”
“He’s a big, muscular horse. He can do it for a little while, and that’s all we need. Put your foot back in the stirrup and relax against me.”
If she’d been less rattled, that would have been a terrific idea. As it was, she was tight as a piece of canvas nailed to a frame.
“Come on, Anastasia. Loosen up.” He wrapped one arm around her waist and coaxed her back against his solid chest as he took the reins. “This’ll be fun.”
“That’s what they all say.”
“You’ll see.” His breath was warm in her ear as he clicked his tongue. He must have done something with his heels, too, because Jasper began to move.
The walk felt familiar, but it was quickly followed by the bone-jarring trot. “Mac! Please don’t—”
“Shh.”
Then something happened and the bouncing was replaced by a smooth, easy movement that was wonderful. The scenery rushed by as Mac held her close and Jasper took them on a magic carpet ride. Round and round they went, and she never wanted it to end.
But it did eventually. The poor horse couldn’t be expected to carry them both forever. Mac pulled back on the reins and subjected them to some jostling with a trot that quickly turned into a walk.
He stopped next to the spot where her hat had fallen. He could have let go of her at that point, but he didn’t. “What do you think?”
She sighed and rested her head against his shoulder. “That was magical.” Having him there holding her had been a big part of the magic, but he was asking about the ride, not the bodily contact. “What was that gait?”
“A canter.”
“Lovely. I don’t suppose we’ll be cantering on the trail ride.”
“Probably not, but when you and I go out alone we can find places to canter the horses. Does that help?”
“Yes.” She straightened. She shouldn’t let herself lean against him with such abandon. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He slipped down from the horse. “That’s enough for today.” His voice was suspiciously husky.
She was certainly stirred up, so she had to believe he was, too. “Should I—”
“I’ll just lead you over to the hitching post. It’ll be quicker that way.” He scooped up her hat, dusted it off, and handed it to her. “Wouldn’t want you to lose this great hat.”
“Thanks.” She still felt a little dazed as she put it on and allowed him to lead her out the gate and over to the hitching post. That moment on Jasper had been in broad daylight and she’d been riding in the arms of a man in a dusty corral instead of being off on her own in a fragrant meadow.
But the feeling had been exactly what she’d hoped for as a little girl of six when she’d taken Prince out of the barn. Mac had given her that. For that alone, he would always be her hero.
CHAPTER 13
Mac couldn’t get rid of Anastasia fast enough. Once again he relieved her of taking off Jasper’s tack and sent her packing. He hoped she understood that every second counted. He was so close to hauling her into his arms again it wasn’t funny.
Correction—it was funny. Ridiculously funny. She hadn’t merely wanted him to teach her to ride. Oh, no. She’d wanted him to make it magical. And here was the kicker—he got that.
He’d always thought riding was magical. His parents had taken him on moonlit rides and pointed out the constellations. His parents shared a love of riding. They’d passed that fascination on to him.
He thought about those things after he’d sent Anastasia home. Until she’d made that comment about wanting to feel the magic, he hadn’t realized how much he wanted that for her. Not everyone had the capacity to appreciate magic. Sophie hadn’t. But Anastasia . . .
As he rubbed the dirt and sweat off Jasper, he thought about the transformation when she’d put on that hat. Suddenly she wasn’t a wannabe rider. He saw her as she hoped to become: a woman who was at ease with these animals. She’d hated trotting, which was no big surprise, and didn’t mean she wouldn’t one day be the rider she wanted to be.
But he hadn’t been able to leave it at that. So he’d climbed on behind her, an ill-advised impulse, and he’d held her while demonstrating the joy of riding a canter. She’d responded as he’d known she would, with the same sense of wonder she brought to life itself.
And now he wanted her more than ever. What the hell was he doing to himself? And to her? These riding lessons were taking on all the trappings of an old-fashioned courtship.
That wasn’t good. He thought of the guy from Hollywood who’d predicted that she’d soon be famous. Mac could see that happening. Considering her potential for greatness, she didn’t need to get involved with some local yokel with a failed marriage on his résumé.
Vince rode into the stable yard on Storm Cloud soon after Mac had turned Jasper out with the other horses. He dismounted and thumbed back his hat. “What’s on your agenda for today?”
“Ed has a farrier coming in from Lubbock.”
“Oh, right. I forgot about that.”
Mac chuckled. “You have other things on your mind. Anyway, I planned to help him. It’s a big job, and Ed’s not as limber as he used to be.”
“Maybe Travis could handle it instead.”
“I’m sure he could if he postpones his errands in Amarillo until tomorrow. What do you need me for?”
“I’d like you to ride out to the box canyon with me and help me figure out how to set up for the ceremony. Georgie’s got some inventory issues at the store and can’t go, but we have to start planning.” He grinned. “She said I’m the one with the vision of how this will go, anyway.”
“She has a point. Of the two of you, you’re way more romantic. I’ll call Travis and see if he’s left yet.”
He hadn’t and agreed to come down and help the farrier.
Mac tucked his phone back in his pocket. “I’ll go fetch Cinder. Do you think we’ll be back in time for the farrier to take care of him, too?”
“Should be. I realize I’m pulling you off your regular job for this. But it’s important.”
“Definitely.” Mac smiled to himself as he grabbed a lead rope out of the tack room and went out to the pasture. He’d known Vince a long time and he’d never seen him so happy and excited.
Six months ago Mac couldn’t have pictured Vince planning his own wedding ceremony. He’d been the original rolling stone who never settled anywhere for very long. He used to claim that boredom caused him to move on. Obviously he wasn’t bored now.
Mac saddled Cinder and mounted up. “We look like part of a drill team with these two black horses.”
“We do.” Vince laughed as they rode out the gate. “I told Georgie she should ride Cinder in the wedding so we could be on matching horses. She said I’d lost my mind. Prince has been with her through thick and thin, and one of the reasons she’d agreed to be married on horseback was that Prince could attend her wedding.” They reached the trail head. “You want to lead?”
“You go ahead. This is your show.”
Vince guided Storm Cloud down the narrow path. “Might as well check the trail while we’re out here. Holler if you see anything that needs to be done.”
“I will, although it was okay this past weekend.” Mac followed Vince at a walk. He looked at the trail differently, though, now th
at he knew Anastasia would be riding down it soon. He had to duck to get under an overhanging mesquite branch. “On second thought, maybe I’ll come out here with some loppers tomorrow.”
“Good idea. How was the lesson today?”
Arousing beyond belief. “Fine. She stayed in the corral, walked a little at first, and then attempted a trot. We’ll work on the trot tomorrow.” He didn’t plan to tell anyone about riding double while they cantered. She might, but he doubted it. That had been a special moment that wouldn’t happen again.
“Trotting’s hard in the beginning.”
“Especially if you learn as an adult.” Mac considered himself lucky that he’d been put on a horse at the age of two.
“And I did learn as an adult. Maybe if I’d grown up on the back of a horse like you, I’d wonder what all the fuss was about. You’re the most relaxed rider I’ve ever known. You seem to become part of the horse.”
“That’s a really disturbing image, but thanks for the thought.”
Vince laughed. “Now I’m picturing one of those mythical creatures, the half-man, half-horse deal. What are they called?”
“Centaurs. I swear I’m going to get you a reading list. You need to know these things if you expect to help your kid with homework.”
“If I get stumped, I’ll just call on Uncle Macario.”
“Assuming I’m still in Bickford.”
“You will be. You bought a house.”
“Yeah, I probably will be.” He glanced up at the rust-colored walls as they made their way deeper into the canyon. Being here felt right. “By the way, I appreciate you keeping the secret of my name all this time, but I’ve decided to start telling people before Travis does. Take the wind out of his sails.”
“He might not tell.”
“He might not mean to, but this is Travis we’re talking about. I’m going to start mentioning it. It sounds a lot less awful to me now than it did when I was thirteen.”
Wild About the Wrangler Page 14