Innocence Lost (Lone Mountain Ranch Book 1)

Chapter 8

The sound of the woodpecker pecking the tree in the distance was the only sound filling the air. Kylie looked around at the beautiful vista in front of her. Sycamore trees and oak trees dotting the hills were draped in lichen, birds flew through the air, the breeze rustled the green grass on the hills. It really was beautiful here.

Kylie searched her mind for a way out of the awkward silence. It made her uncomfortable, and it let her mind fill with all of the drama happening in her life. She also wanted to know more about this mysterious cowboy riding next to her.

Kylie remembered Heather saying Jax worked at ranches all over the U.S. and Europe before coming to the Lone Mountain Ranch. Kylie had never been outside of the United States before. Zane went to Europe a few times on tour, but she had to work and could not join him on those trips. They discussed her meeting him over in France when the band toured there this summer. Now, it looked as though that was never going to happen.

Kylie needed a distraction and started asking Jax a million questions about his travels and working as a wrangler in other countries. Jax told her all about the beautiful ranches he lived on and the horses he cared for across the United States and the Iberian Peninsula. Kylie could not get enough of his stories. She kept asking him about the details, prodding for more information about the people, the culture, the food, the horses, and the countryside at each spot. She wanted to live vicariously through him.

He told her that his favorite ranches he worked at were Willow Creek in Wyoming and Valle Esmerelda in the Principality of the Valley of Andorra on the Iberian Peninsula, where he learned the Spanish Vaquero way of riding. Willow Creek taught him so much about being a wrangler and running a working cattle ranch. At Valle Esmerelda, he loved working with the Andalusian horses. They were so beautiful and powerful. He missed those majestic creatures.

He decided not to mention that was where he met Mrs. Warren, who helped him get the job here at Lone Mountain Ranch. She was a recurring guest and was very fond of Jax, seeking him out for more than just private rides.

Jax was not a man of many words. He was the silent, brooding type. Normally, the guests on the private rides only wanted to talk about themselves while he listened, nodding and responding at the appropriate intervals.

Kylie was different. She was genuinely interested in getting to know him and listening to what he said. Kylie peppered their conversation with personal information about herself, trying to balance things between them. Her emotions were still very raw from the incident with Zane, so she was not looking to spill her entire history either. Jax politely answered all of her questions, even though he was a bit uneasy at being the center of the conversation. He searched for a way out of the spotlight.

"Want to go for a gallop up this road to Devil's Gulch?"

"Yes, I would love that!"

Jax walked Rusty in front of Andorra, so he could lead.

He turned back towards her and asked, "Ready?"

"Yes, ready!" Kylie said.

Jax kicked the sides of Rusty gently. He was such an able horse. He did not need much encouragement. Jax rode Rusty the most out of all of the horses at the ranch. They had a good connection, and they were used to each other's signals by now. Jax was careful not to get too attached to the horses at the ranches though. It always made it more difficult to say goodbye when he eventually left. Jax liked being a nomad, and he usually moved on after a year or two at a ranch. Although, there was something about Lone Mountain that kept him from moving on so soon; even though he had already been there for over a year.

Andorra followed after Rusty, and Kylie was exhilarated by the feeling of the horse moving faster underneath her. The wind whipped through her hair, threatening to knock off her cowboy hat. Galloping felt as natural today as it did all those years ago. Her smile was huge, and her heart was beating faster in response to the adrenaline pumping through her veins. She cheered Andorra on, calling her a "good girl" as she followed Rusty.