Night Rush ✔️

T E N

Ryder returned to his usual stone faced self, almost as if that kiss didn't happen. But the tingling sensation on my lips said otherwise. That kiss, one hundred percent, did happen.

After an awkward lunch together with the rest of the family, I helped Charlie with the dishes. She was the most capable kid I've ever met, and I felt a little insecure at my lack of household skills.

Growing up, my parents never taught me basic things like cooking and cleaning. My mom would always yell that I was in her way if I wanted to help, and dad was always too busy working. It's a miracle I was able to live on my own for so many years.

"Hey, Nisha. Do ya wanna help me feed the horses?" Sam asked, poking his head into the kitchen.

"You have horses?" I asked excitedly, putting away the final dish.

"Four of 'em. Wanna see?" Sam smiled.

"Um yeah, obviously!"

I dried my hands on a dish towel and enthusiastically followed Sam out of the back door. The door squeaked shut behind us as we walked along a worn-out path to a large, wooden building. Once we got closer, it became clear they were stables, both from the look and the smell.

"Here." Sam handed me a small, plastic bowl with apple slices. Suddenly, I felt like a little girl at a petting zoo again. "That ones Darla, then Cinnamon, Maggie, and Scout. They mostly eat hay, but we give them a little treat when we can. Especially after a twister. It's important they know they're safe."

Sam gestured over the horses, his face filled with love. It warmed my heart, seeing how much this family cared for others, human or not. The kind of closeness they shared was something I could only dream of.

Sam gave me a nudge to feed them the apples. With some hesitation, I walked over to the first horse, Darla.

"Here, horsey," I said, immediately feeling embarrassed by my choice of words. This was completely out of my wheelhouse, but I guess this was what I deserved for constantly craving new experiences.

Darla also hesitated at first before picking up the apple from my palm. Her mouth tickled my hand, and I let out a shrill giggle. Sam chuckled behind me, and when I turned around with an embarrassed grin, he gave me an approving thumbs up. Still feeling way too giddy for an adult, I managed to feed the other three horses. Sam followed closely behind, probably to make sure I didn't do anything wrong.

"You're a natural," he said with a warm smile.

"Thank you. I've never fed horses before. They're really beautiful," I beamed.

"So are you."

Sam's words came out smooth and effortless. I blinked slowly, unsure how to respond. Normally, those words were enough to make me swoon, but I felt nothing.

"Thank you," I replied awkwardly, suddenly longing for an exit.

I attempted to walk to the side to leave the stables, but Sam grabbed my waist before I could. His eyes were narrow and dark, completely different from the sunny, caramel color I had become accustomed to. He leaned forward, his face inches from mine. On instinct, I recoiled slightly.