"So that is what your job will be." I finished telling Kyle what he would be doing as we rode the last trail.
"I love it out here. I am glad I have you as a friend too. I wish that you and I could ride more often." My heart skipped a beat as his amazing smile lit up his features.
"Yeah. Me too. I never have time for my friends because of my nieces and nephews." He smiles again and my heart flutters in my chest.
I fell back some and let him take the lead. I could see his muscles through his white T-shirt. I got lost in my thoughts but was soon pulled out of my thoughts as he began talking.
"Soo... Schools starting soon." he stated casually. His voice was deep and smooth like honey.
"Yeah. I can't wait to see my friends, but at the same time, I will miss being at the barn 24/7." I answer.
Before he can answer, we are arriving in the barn. He helps me untack the horses and put everything away. I give Spartan a quick groom and turn him loose in the stallion/gelding paddock.
I unclip the neon blue lead from his bright red halter and latch the gate. As I turn, I bump right into a muscular chest. "I'm sorry. I-I should have been watching where I was going." I stuttered as my ocean blue eyes landed on his brown ones.
"Its okay. Really, it was my fault." his deep voice sends butterflies flitting around in my stomach. "Umm.... what do you need me to do?"
"Well along with being the trail guide for new students your the stable hand. So you feed, water, and muck out the horses and when your done, you can come ask me what to do then." I said, composing myself.
"Okay. sounds good." he answered with a smile.
"I'll help you. Things will get done a lot faster if we work together." I gave him a shy smile and he nodded.
Just as we finished the first two stalls, I heard a car pull up. My waist long blonde hair swayed as I walked to see who it was. Kyle came up next to me and held out his hand. My eyes flicked up to meet his and he nodded. I looked at my feet and kept walking.
Crap. I think I just offended him. great move Marie. I thought the last bit sarcastically.
I looked back at him and his eyes reflected nothing but happiness. I smiled and he walked next to me. He gently grabbed my hand and intertwined our fingers. I flinched and we walked around the corner to see my sisters car. I pulled my hand away quickly and jogged out to see Westley. He ran toward me and hugged me.
"Hey Wes!" I chirped.
"Hi, can I see Merlin?"
"You don't have to ask me, he's your horse." I laughed.
Westly ran past me and toward Mystic's stall. I still can't believe that he's 12! I thought.
Corban was 10 and the twins were 8. Kyle had come up along side me and I didn't notice until I felt his hand in mine. I pulled my hand away and followed Wes into the barn. "Hey buddy." I said behind him.
"Hi." He stroked Merlin's face.
"I was thinking that we could start training him to be in a soft halter and lead. You want to try?" I asked him.
His icy blue eyes lit up. "Yeah!"
"Okay. Go tell your mom that you and I are going to the tack shop to pick a halter." He nodded and rushed off toward the house.
I stared at Merlin and was pulled out of my thoughts by Kyle's voice behind me.
"Did I do something wrong?" I jumped, starteled by his voice.
"What? what are you talking about?"
"Well you kept pulling away when I tried to hold your hand. Why are you so afraid?"
"If you knew the half if what I've been through, you'd understand why I'm afraid of falling for someone!" I shouted.
He recoiled, hurt flashing in his eyes. I felt my eyes burn hot as I thought of my father. I ran into the house and grabbed my keys to the truck. Westly followed me and climbed into the passenger side.
We pulled up to the tack shop and we walked over to the foal section. Westly and I looked over the different colored soft halters. Westly grabbed a neon orange halter and lead.
We paid for them and climbed back into the truck. When we pulled up, Merlin was in the round pen. Clara. She put him there. I thought, smiling.
