Burning Desire

Chapter Twenty-Two

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The world seemed brighter the next day; the sun kissed the leaves of the sweeping oak trees, stroked the rich burgundy wood of the barn, rays reaching out to tickle each blade of grass. The bitter winter breeze did little to cool the warmth that filled my heart.

"I've got to take one of the youngsters out for a hack after lunch, and he's still too green to go unaccompanied," Callum said as I passed him on the way to Levi's stall. So far, we'd tried to spend as much time together at possible, but our busy schedules didn't always permit that. Instead, I saw him in snippets. Candid smiles as we passed in the barn, bottom lips chewed off as one exited and the other entered the arena, brief conversations in the tack room. But snippets were no longer enough. I didn't want him in heart-fluttering flashes, I wanted all of him to satisfy the tugging on my heartstrings and the way my skin screamed his name like a fire only he could put out. Our smiles were still shy, our eye-contact fleeting, our words cautious because we didn't want this to cross the finish line before it had even started. There was uncertainty in each interaction, but hope and promise and excitement too.

"I'm sure Harry would love to go for a hack," I grinned at him knowingly. "It would make a change from our usual pottering around the arena."

"Yay!" he said, with the gleeful enthusiasm of a five-year-old. I laughed at his antics and slipped into Levi's stall.

I used to think that Levi had a devious nature, but compared to Brenna he was an angel. Hard-work, yes, because if you let up for a split-second he would take advantage, but never ill-natured or rude if you had him under control. And far less unpredictable. Like Brenna, he was strong, but the stallion wasn't as sensitive as my liver chestnut mare so he could be ridden in a rubber Pelham.

Schooling Levi certainly felt heavenly after the unsuccessful dressage test with Brenna yesterday. He seemed to float above the ground and react so responsively it made me wonder if he'd read my mind and was already anticipating the aid, completing each manoeuvre with accuracy and elegance. His lateral work was flawless and I even asked for a few haute ecole movements, executing a neat piaffe before springing forward to a shaky but graceful passage. It came as somewhat a relief to be riding advanced moves on a polished horse after spending so much time mastering the basics with feisty Brenna, although I knew that in time she too would be performing the same moves. Levi seemed to be an omen of Brenna.

Once I'd cooled Levi off, untacked him and groomed him I sauntered over to the tack room to replace his gear. I found myself hoping that Callum would be in there – a new feeling to me considering I'd spent so long avoiding him. He wasn't, but Avery was.

"Avery," I said, my tone cautious but resolute. I hadn't spoken to her since our argument, the one in which she had revealed her suspicions about Callum having feelings for me. I wanted to gush gleefully about how she had been right, but an apology was due first.

She looked up from polishing a saddle, her expression unreadable. "Madison."

"I'm sorry. Really, truly sorry. I was angry and frustrated about Annabel, but it's not an excuse to get mad at you too. You're my best friend, Ave. I know you say I don't realise how fortunate I am, but I will never take for granted how lucky I am to have you as a best friend."

Avery managed a small grin. "I'm lucky to have you, too."

"So...we're good now?" I asked hesitantly.

"We're always good, you dipshit. We just lost our cool for a moment," she threw one arm around my shoulders and squeezed me affectionately.

"If you don't let go this saddle soap will end up in your hair," I threatened jestingly, tossing her a mischievous grin.