Summer Nights (Fool's Gold #8)(36)

She glanced at the new horses.

“For the lessons?” she asked.

“Yes. Right after you.” He didn’t look happy as he spoke.

“You should get business cards printed up. You know, for the riding school you’re starting.”

“Thanks for the support.”

Before she could say anything else, Khatar came strolling around the barn. He was already saddled, but judging by the reins hanging to the ground, she would guess he’d been tied up.

“You’re so smart,” she said, holding open her arms. The horse walked up to her and nuzzled her cheek.

Shane muttered something unintelligible under his breath. “I don’t know how he always gets free.”

“He’s a good boy.” She rubbed and scratched behind his ears. “So you’ve accepted that I’m going to ride him in the ceremony.”

“I know when it’s time to stop betting against the house.”

She turned toward the saddle and noticed the pony in with Priscilla.

“Oh, look. She has a new friend.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“What do you mean? She’s adorable. So tiny.”

“He. His name is Reno.”

“Look at those little hooves. What a cutie.”

Shane was muttering again. The few words she could make out didn’t sound polite.

“Don’t you like Reno?”

He laced his fingers together for her to use as a step. “No.”

She put her boot into his hands and grabbed the saddle. Khatar obligingly went perfectly still.

“But he’s just a pony.”

Shane lifted her into the air. She swung her leg over the saddle and settled easily into place. After gathering the reins, she leaned over and stroked Khatar.

“I hate ponies,” Shane said darkly. “I never wanted Reno in the first place. The guy who owned the riding horses sent him along as a bonus. Before I could send him back, Priscilla had decided she liked him.”

Which meant Reno got to stay. Annabelle did her best to hide her smile. Shane might have his flaws, but at heart, he was one of the good guys. Between the pony and the little girls who wanted to learn to ride, not to mention caring for his mother’s menagerie and Khatar’s insistence that he was Annabelle’s one true love, Shane didn’t have much say in his life anymore. But instead of trying to get his way, he did what was best for everyone else.

He handed her the reins. She took them and urged Khatar forward. He went easily, walking directly through the gate, into the corral where Shane led them through walking, then trotting.

“Let’s go through the first part of the dance,” he said, motioning to the center of the corral.

She’d given him a few books that described Máa-zib rituals, specifically the Dance of the Horse, and had offered her suggestions for what she and Khatar could do. It was all simple stuff, with a few crossover steps and a couple of turns. Just enough to intrigue the crowd until the final moment when she pretended to cut out the male sacrifice’s heart. She figured that was enough for a big finish.

About an hour later, they were done. Khatar had quickly learned the next steps in his dance. Annabelle realized her main job was to sit on the big guy’s back and let him do his thing.

“I think he might be smarter than me,” she admitted, swinging her leg over the saddle and sliding to the ground.

Shane stepped up close behind her. He put his hands on her waist and guided her down. When she turned, he was standing very close. Close enough that she had to rest her fingertips on his shoulders to steady herself and tilt her head back to gaze into his eyes.

They were almost touching. Almost but not quite and she found herself wanting to move that last inch or two toward him. She wanted body against body, his arms around her, drawing her nearer still until they had no choice but to kiss.

Her gaze dropped to his mouth and she would swear she felt her own lips tingle in anticipation.

Shane sure knew how to kiss. She had a feeling he knew other things, too, and imagined his work-roughened hands against her bare skin. The visual was clear and powerful. Her br**sts started to ache and she felt both restless and unable to move.

Bad idea, she told herself firmly, looking back into his dark eyes where sexual fire tempted. Bad, bad idea. While she liked Shane and respected him, he had relationship issues. He wanted tidy and sensible, she wanted messy. He’d been burned and she’d yet to feel what she would consider fire. Sleeping with him would be dangerous because she didn’t think she could give her body without at least a little of her heart tagging along. And then what? A night of great sex wasn’t worth the pain. Even a night of spectacular sex wasn’t enough, although it and he were a temptation.

A car pulled up next to the stable. At the sound of the engine, Shane drew back and she turned to Khatar. Seconds later doors opened and four young girls came racing toward them.

“We’re here! We’re here!”

“Is that one of the horses we’re going to ride? She’s so pretty.”

“Will I fall?”

“Can we go really fast today?”

The questions came on top of each other as the girls came to a halt in a circle around Shane. He looked harried and trapped, which made Annabelle smile.

“You girls look very ready,” she said, taking in their shiny new cowboy boots and worn jeans. They were adorable. All excited about a new adventure.