His Armored Heart

Chapter Twenty One

When they arrived on the beach, the stable hand had two chestnut mares waiting for them. "Please have them back before dark." He requested.

"We will." Tony promised. "Which one would you like to ride?" He asked Bree.

Bree beamed as she rubbed the neck of one of the mares. "This one. I like the stripe down her face."

"Do you need help to get on her?" Tony offered.

She turned and looked at Tony with a wry smirk, then walked over to the left side of the mare, put her left foot in the stirrup and one hand on the saddle horn before hoisting herself onto the horse's back. "I think I'm good, cowboy."

Tony gave an impressed grin. Walking to the left side of the other mare, he was able to easily mount her. "See, just like riding a bike."

Bree raised an eyebrow at her fiance. "If you say so. You're not moving yet." She steered her horse to the right and squeezed her legs to get her to walk.

Tony gave his horse a gentle nudge with his heels and led her to walk beside Bree's horse. "I'm going to be sore after this." He joked.

"Oh, I don't doubt it," Bree replied. "I will be too."

"What I'm hearing is that we should take turns massaging each other." Tony suggested with a grin.

Bree laughed. "Wouldn't that get us into trouble?"

"Wouldn't that be the point?" Tony challenged playfully.

"If you're not hurting too bad," she countered. Bree faced forward and got her horse into a slow trot, a bright smile on her face.

Tony brought his horse into a slow trot as well. "This sure is rough on the boys."

Bree looked over and chuckled. "It's because you're sitting your trot. Post."

"What?" Tony asked, beyond confused.

She rolled her eyes before showing him by posting up and down with the horse's movements. "Post Tony."

Tony watched her, then adjusted his position. "That is more comfortable."

Bree grinned. "You catch on fast." She brought her horse back down to a walk and bent to rub her neck. "This is perfect Tony. I haven't done this in so long. I've missed it."

Tony slowed his horse as well. "It is nice. I wish we could do this more often."

"We could if we had a place to do it," Bree said. "I'm honestly surprised you don't have a getaway house somewhere in the country."

"I have several, but they are not currently usable." Tony replied.

"Why not?" Bree asked curiously. "Is something wrong with them?"

"No, they are just currently rented out." Tony answered.

"Oh, I didn't know that you did that. It makes sense though." Bree smiled as she looked across the beach, deciding to let her horse walk in the shallow water.

"My property manager opens the houses to families in need, until they can get back on their feet. Most end up employed at local establishments that I own." Tony further explained.

Bree smiled as the horses sloshed through the water. "That's pretty amazing Tony. Why do you never let the public know of all of these good things that you do?"

"That would diminish the value of the good deeds." Tony answered simply.

"How?" she laughed. "I don't think it would."

"If I turn them into publicity, then I am only doing these things for my own gain, not because it is a good thing to do." Tony explained.

Bree looked over at him with a fond smile. "You never cease to amaze me."