Georgia's Gamble [A Historical Fiction Novel; The Pratt Chronicles Book 1]

Chapter 27

Benjamin Tucker

Chapter 27

The cold air stung my cheeks, but it didn't bother me. Not with Georgia standing right there, leaning against the fence with that playful glint in her eyes, taunting me like she always did. There was something about the way she looked right now—radiating confidence, that unmistakable spark in her eyes—that stopped me in my tracks.

It hadn't been that long since her accident, and I remembered all too well how much I'd worried about her then, seeing her shaken and hurt. But you'd never know it looking at her now. The way she carried herself—like nothing could hold her back, like she was completely and utterly *herself*—it made my chest tighten with pride. She was fearless, strong, and there wasn't a damn thing that could keep her down.

"Hey, Tucker! You sure Arlo's not the one training *you*?"

Her teasing voice pulled me from my thoughts, and I couldn't help but smirk at the sight of her. *God, she's something else.*

I turned to face her fully, my heart doing that familiar little flip it always did when she was around. "Oh, real funny, Georgia. You want to come down here and show me how it's done?"

She raised an eyebrow, that smug, playful smile dancing on her lips. "Maybe I will. But if I do, you'll be taking notes."

I chuckled, shaking my head as I adjusted Arlo's reins. *This girl...* She knew exactly how to get under my skin, knew just what to say to get a rise out of me, and damn if I didn't love every second of it. "I've already learned plenty from you, sweetheart."

I watched her roll her eyes, stepping closer to the fence, her breath visible in the cold air. She was glowing, the cold bringing a pink flush to her cheeks, her hair falling loose around her shoulders. She was a force of nature, and I couldn't tear my eyes away from her.

"Yeah, like what? How to be stubborn?" she quipped, leaning against the fence with a smirk.

I grinned, watching her, feeling that familiar warmth settle into my chest despite the chill in the air. "Nah. I already knew how to be stubborn," I said, stepping a little closer, my voice dropping just enough to make her breath catch. "You taught me how to want something I shouldn't."

Her expression faltered for a second, and I saw the flush deepen on her cheeks. There it was—that reaction I loved to pull out of her. She could tease all she wanted, but I knew how to get to her, too. We were dancing around each other, always flirting, always pushing boundaries.

She tried to shrug it off, but the tension in the air between us shifted. "Is that so?" she asked, her voice a little softer now, her eyes locked on mine.

I nodded, my gaze not leaving hers. "Yeah. And if I remember right, you wanted something you shouldn't, too."

Her smile faltered just slightly, and I knew she was thinking about that kiss. The one where we crossed that line, where I'd pulled her in, and everything had changed. She felt it, too—this fire between us, the one that never seemed to die down, no matter how much we played it off with teasing and banter.

I couldn't help but step a little closer, catching the way her breath hitched just slightly. But before I could close the gap, I saw her eyes flick to the pile of hay at my feet, and in an instant, I knew what was coming.

Before I could react, she bent down, grabbed a handful of hay, and tossed it at me.

"Georgia!" I laughed, brushing the hay off my jacket, still grinning like an idiot as she beamed at me, clearly pleased with herself.

"You are *such* a child! It's only hay" she teased, shaking her head as she leaned against the fence, looking entirely too smug.

I took a step closer, narrowing my eyes at her. "Yeah, well, you seem to like it."