The McEllis Boys

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

"Where's my loves?" Nicole asked with a smile as she entered the barn and instantly a horse snorted and Saraphine tossed her tan head over the stall door. Nicole smiled and went to the nine year old palomino. She scratched at the side of her face and Saraphine leaned into her hand.

"I've missed you," Nicole cooed to the horse and Saraphine tossed her head. Nicole looked over at Gemini's stall and saw that the gelding had his back to her and was looking stubbornly at the wall.

"I think he's mad at you," Bethany stated with a light laugh.

Nicole nodded, "I believe you're right," she replied as she walked toward his stall. Gemini lived up to his name and had always been the more emotional and moody of her horses. "My life is full of moody men," she added with a quiet chuckle.

"Gemini?" she purred when she got to the stall. The large buckskin acted as if he hadn't heard her and took another step toward the back corner. Nicole folded her arms on the stall door and sighed.

"Are you mad at me, boy? I'm sorry I was gone so long this time," she whispered and she watched Gemini's ears swivel as he listened to her voice. Nicole smiled and pulled a sugar cube from her pocket. She had shoved them in there before leaving her house, knowing that she'd visit with her horses and sugar cubes were the only way to earn Gemini's forgiveness.

"I guess I'll just have to give this treat to Saraphine," she said with a sigh as she turned her back to him. This had Gemini turning quickly and blowing out a loud breath as he crossed the stall and used his head to nudge her shoulder.

"Oh so you want my attention now, do you?" Nicole asked with amusement as she looked at him over her shoulder. He pressed his nose against her cheek and she felt her heart melt. "You only use me for my sugar," she stated as she turned and let him take the sweet treat from her hand.

"You know he loves you," Bethany countered as she scratched Saraphine's forehead, "You are the only one he acts that way with. He's hateful toward the rest of us."

"You're not hateful are you, Gemini?" Nicole asked as she pressed her cheek against his and nuzzled his mane. "You just learned to be cautious is all." Nicole had rescued Gemini. The twelve year old buckskin gelding had come into her possession six years earlier when his owner had finally landed himself in prison.

Nicole had fallen in love with the abused horse. He was covered in whip scars and when he'd come to be hers he had been so skinny that every bone he had jutted violently out of his skin. He had been mean, hate filled and nearly impossible to handle. Uncle Silas had tried to make Nicole put the horse down claiming he was worried that she'd be hurt but she had refused. After months of just sitting in the stall next to him she had begun to earn his trust. Now Gemini was nothing but a big baby and he loved her and only her.

"Well let's get these critters saddled up and take them out for a ride," Nicole said with a smile. She felt that usual tremor of excitement at the thought of riding Gemini. She always felt so free, so carefree, on top of his powerful body.

"So, those cowboys..." Bethany started as the two women walked toward the tack room at the back of the barn.

"You seemed to like Andrew, I noticed," Nicole said with a grin and Bethany blushed bright red, matching the t-shirt she was wearing.

"Are they really from the past?" she asked skeptically.

"Yes," Nicole replied. "Trust me I didn't believe it at first either but they are. They have no idea about technology and Ian, the self proclaimed charming one, shot my alarm clock the first morning because he was convinced it was something dangerous."