True Love Waits

Chapter Twenty

        "Well, yeah my parents own these rodeo grounds. I thought that you already knew that?" Cody smiled as he leaned against Pecan, his arm over his horse's head.

        "No, I had no idea that y'all owned the grounds. I just thought that you worked here or something. But now it all makes so much more sense!" Maleena took a step closer to Cody, narrowing her eyes at him. "Is that how you had such tenure with the registration table and everything when I was late a few weeks back?" She was standing directly in front of her smiling boyfriend. 

      Cody sucked in a breath, shrugging his shoulders. "Maybe they just felt bad for you, so they decided to let you run." He said in a sarcastic tone, chuckling at Maleena when she opened her mouth in disbelief at him. To make up for his teasing, Cody wrapped both of his hands around Maleena's slim waist, bravely dropping a kiss on her cheek. Once he did so, he couldn't help but smile at the blush that rose on Maleena's face, knowing his kiss was the reason for it. "Anyone ever told you you're awful cute when you're upset?" 

       Maleena reeled back from Cody's hug, playfully slugging his arm as she turned back to Lariat. After double checking the cinch, Maleena slid her left foot into the stirrup, grabbed part of Lariat's mane and the reins with one hand, and the saddle horn with the other, swinging herself onto his back. Tucking her right foot into the stirrup, Maleena glanced at a still smiling Cody before she said, "Well come on, cowboy, we are burnin' daylight." She winked before leading her horse out of the barn. 

       As she waited for Cody to check his saddle, and join her outside, Maleena took the time to look at the scenery behind the barn and outdoor arena. It was definitely God's country. Scanning the horizon, Maleena grinned as an idea to get back at Cody for his teasing rose to her head. 

      Once Cody joined her outside, Maleena turned and looked at him. "Race to the edge of the woods? Last one there has to untack the other's horse." 

      "Oh, you're on. You do the count off." Cody watched Maleena carefully, making sure she wouldn't try to cheat by leading off. 

         "When I say 'go'. 3..." Maleena held up three fingers, putting one down with each number as she got closer to the start of their race. "2...1....GO!" Maleena pressed her heels against Lariat's sides, leaning over her saddle horn as the horse took off at a dead gallop towards the edge of the treeline. 

        Right beside her to his right, Cody could see Maleena; the two were neck in neck, their horses perfectly in sync. Part of him wanted to let her win, just so she could have the satisfaction, but Cody didn't need to let her win because she was running Lariat faster than ever before. In all honesty, Cody's horse was having a rough time trying to keep up with the younger horse, and it's experienced rider. 

        Maleena smiled as Cody faded form her sight as her and Lariat galloped across the flat ground, the trees coming closer and closer to her. She was going to win this race. Sure enough, Maleena and Lariat reached the edge of the woods, the race feeling like it had only just started. Sitting back in the saddle, and ever so gently pulling the reins toward her stomach, Maleena slowed Lariat, laughing as she patted his neck, congratulating him on on the good ride. Trying to catch her breath from the exhilarating run, Maleena smiled as Cody's horse just arrived at the treeline. Leaning over her saddle horn, Maleena pointed a finger at Cody. "Looks like you get to cool off and unsaddle my horse for me." 

        "Yes ma'am. For the record, I was fixin' to do that for you whether you won or lost." Cody smiled, his gentlemanly side really showing. 

       "Wait a minute, did you let me win?" Maleena narrowed her eyes at Cody, watching him. 

       Cody chuckled. "Honestly? No, I didn't." He rested his hand against his chest. "Now, that hurts my pride just a little to admit that, but you beat me fair and square."

       Content with his answer, Maleena turned Lariat toward the trail head. Looking over her shoulder she added, "Well you know what they say, a rough stock rider should never race a barrel chaser. Us barrel racers live for speed. We will always win." She let her cocky side show. 

       Cody couldn't contain his smile as he steered Pecan up next to Maleena and Lariat. "Wow. Way to be humble." He teased, glancing over at Maleena.

       "I am just proud of what I do." She spoke honestly. 

        "And you're good at it, don't forget." Cody winked as him and Maleena rode deeper into the trees, down the trail.

        The couple continued slowly and silently down the trail, enjoying each the scenery with each other. After twenty minutes of the only sound being the creak of the saddle leather, the dirt crunching beneath them and the horses breathing, Maleena let out a sigh. "Man, it is seriously so beautiful out here. I love how all of the leaves are at that point where they are just about to start turning colors, falling off of the tree. We are getting closer to my favorite time of the year."

      "You actually like colder weather?" Cody asked in partial disbelief. 

       Letting out a chuckle, Maleena responded. "I really do. I was born in the winter, so I reckon that helps to make me partial to it. I just love snow and the crisp fall weather. And I love watching the leaves change colors. Plus, waking up and seeing snow on the ground, and hearin' how quiet it all seems, there is nothing like it." 

       "I can see that. But I tend to have a hard time just breathing when it gets that cold out. Which stinks for me because it's winter like 7 months of the year out here." 

        "That's understandable." Maleena looked all around her. The tall trees covered the evening sky, almost looking like lace in the sky, with the sunlight barely peeking through the tops of the trees. It cast a unique pattern on the ground as Lariat walked beside his buddy, Pecan. "So, what are your plans after this summer is over?" She pressed, breaking the silence again. 

      "I will be going to college. That's a guarantee; my parents didn't really give Cory and I a choice." He let out a wry chuckle. 

       "I understand. What colleges are you lookin' at?" She glanced over at Cody, still in awe of the scenery, but to her, the most attractive thing outside right now was the man riding beside her.

      "There are several places that I have checked out. Both of my parents went to school here at a local university, and almost expect my brother and I to go there, but I don't know. It would be nice to get away, you know?" 

      "Away? Like how far away? We just made this relationship official, Cody McClain, you aren't allowed to leave me yet." She waved a finger at him, adding a wink so he knew she was teasing him...kind of. 

      "Don't worry, darlin', I have no gumption to want to leave you." He reached over, grabbing one of Maleena's hands in his own.

       A grin rose on Maleena's face that she hoped never faltered. Her, and the man of her dreams riding down a trail, closer to the sun that was beginning to set. What is this fairy tale life she was living? Was is a dream? If it was, it was certainly not one that she ever wanted to wake up from.

                                                                  ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: Hey, y'all, sorry it's taken me so long to update. My schedule is insanely busy. Hopefully y'all aren't disappointed in the short, uneventful chapter, but I promise that things will start to pick up and get more exciting in the next few chapters. :D Honestly, I have been having some writer's block recently with this book, so if y'all have any recommendations or suggestions, I would love to hear them. 
Hope y'all enjoy. God bless. :)