Lassoing Love

Rejection

Chapter 8

Duke's grip tightens around my waist as he helps me up onto the saddle. Once I'm mounted, I freak out a little. Rosie is a lot taller than she looks. It's completely different being up on a horse, than just looking at a horse.

I didn't feel safe. I felt like I could fall at any moment, but somehow Duke's grip on me made me feel a little safer. Despite the fact that I was safely mounted on the horse, he still had a hand placed on my side. I look down at him and finally he realizes he's still touching me.

Immediately he lets his hand drop. He clears his throat and then says, "How's your grip on the reigns?"

I adjust the reigns so it is in both hands in the correct position.

"Good," he says.

Without another word he walks around the front of Rosie and swiftly mounts Buck. Looking over at Duke, I notice that Buck doesn't appear too happy to have Duke on him.

My stomach dips a little because I fear that Buck will decide to live up to his name and buck Duke off of him. But with a comforting pat from Duke, Buck calms down.

Duke looks over at me. "Ready to move?"

"I'm fine with just staying right here," I say.

He laughs deeply, somehow managing not to shake on the horse. "Conquer your fear," he says, still laughing a little.

"I'd rather be fearful than dead!" I exclaim, which makes Rosie shift a little and makes me scream a little.

Duke only laughs harder.

After another minute he finally manages to compose himself. "Come on, the horses are getting antsy. Now, you're just going to turn the horse to the right by pressing the reign into the left side of her neck slightly. But before that you want to get her moving, so just squeeze a little with your heels and she'll start, then immediately turn her."

Duke goes first. I watch him give Buck a little squeeze with his heels and then turn him to the right. It looks simple enough.

Duke stops and looks back at me. "You try."

I take a deep breath and then squeeze very gently with my heels. It doesn't seem to be hard enough. I press a little harder, a little too hard, and she jerks forward. I almost fall right then but I manage to remained balanced.

Suddenly I remember I'm supposed to turn her before we run into one of the stall doors. Using my left hand, I press my reigns to her neck and she willingly turns to the right.

Then, I straighten her automatically, without Duke's instruction. I can see him smiling.

He hurries up and gets Buck moving out of the stables with me and Roise on his heels. We're walking slowly, just slow enough to make me feel comfortable. This isn't so bad. In fact, it's actually kind of fun.

Once outside the stables, the sun burns my eyes a little. Rosie even squints a little, her eyes adjusting to the brighter light.

In front of us is endless open space. I can see white fencing blocking us if we go straight fora while, but if we turn right there is only space.

It's weird but all the space makes me feel uncomfortable. Too open. I'm used to busy, crowded Chicago. I actually like the claustrophobia of Chicago, it's tight streets and living areas. Chunky is just so...open. I feel so exposed, like a midget compared to everything around me. In Chicago I was basically invisible, blending into the overpopulated streets. Here I felt like I was under a magnifying glass, especially with Duke turning to look at me every five seconds.