Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26865 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26865 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Stephen pinches the bridge of his nose. “No, you don’t. If you did, you wouldn’t point it out like being decent was some great accomplishment for you.”
I shove a forkful of pancakes in my mouth and pretend that I’m not paying attention to their exchange. Stephen is tapping his foot. I get the sense that he’s ready to get away from Samuel, so I take one last bite and say, “I’m ready to go when you are.”
He wastes no time taking his cup and my plates to the sink and then escorting me out to the veranda.
“I’m sorry about him. You’d think he was in a coma when my parents taught manners.”
“You don’t have to apologize. You told me he was like that so I kind of expected it.”
“Well, in any case, I set him straight about us this morning so he shouldn’t be acting like a horny fool around you anymore.”
“Good. Thank you for that.”
We arrive at the stables, and Stephen brings Crystal out of her stall.
“Hold on to her while I get her saddled for you,” he tells me.
I take her halter in my hand. She lowers her head so I can scratch her nose.
Stephen saddles the horse and helps me onto her, then hops on behind me, placing the reins in my hand and putting his hands on my hips.
“Remember, she was built to run and she’ll take off fast if you don’t control her.”
“I don’t know how…”
“Keep your feet in the stirrups away from her body. Don’t kick her or she’ll think this is the Kentucky Derby. Just hold up the reins and give her a little click with your tongue.”
I do as he tells me, and Crystal walks gently out of the paddock and onto a path that leads into the forest. I’m a little frightened, but having Stephen’s hands on me makes me feel safe.
“This is great,” I say but Stephen is preoccupied with rubbing my thighs.
“Once you get the hang of her, we can open her up a bit.” He nibbles on my neck.
“You mean run?”
“A little. Are you ready?”
I swallow hard but tell myself that he won’t offer if he doesn’t think I can handle it. “Yeah, let’s do it.”
“Give her a gentle tap with your foot.”
I tap my foot against her, and she leaps into action, taking large strides with the grace of a ballet dancer. The wind whips through my hair, and I feel like I’m flying.
“Hold tight. She’s gonna want to jump the stream,” Stephen warns.
“Jump?” I’ve barely asked the question when Crystal leaps into the air. She clears the stream with ease and continues running into the forest.
“Okay, slow her down. The woods are for easy riding not racing.”
“How?”
“Pull back on the reins and say, ‘Whoa.’”
She responds like she already knows what I want from her and walks us gently to a clearing.
“What’s that sound?” I ask.
“That’s a waterfall. Want to see it?”
“A waterfall? Let’s go.”
“Alright, you have to stop her so we can get off. Just…”
“Pull back on the reins and whoa.” I grin as Crystal comes to a halt.
Stephen climbs down and brings me down in his arms. “I see you’re a natural at this too.”
“What about her?”
“Drop the reins over her head. She’ll stay right here and graze.”
He takes my hand and leads me across the clearing to a stone cliff on the far side. The sound of the rushing water grows louder as we approach. The sunlight dances on the glistening rocks, casting tiny rainbows into the air. A cool breeze mists my face with tiny droplets of cool water, and I inhale the scent of lavender that floats through the air.
“This place is like a secret treasure hidden away back here in the forest.”
“I would come out here and climb on the rocks when I was supposed to be hunting with my father and brother.”
“Is that safe?”
“No.” He chuckles and squeezes my hand. “When I was twelve, I slipped on some moss and went right over the falls. Cracked my skull open on the way down. I hoped the fall would kill me because I was sure that if it didn’t, my father would.”
“Did he? I mean, obviously, he didn’t kill you, but was he angry?”
“Yeah, he was angry, but looking back, I don’t think it was about my cracked skull.”
“What was it?”
“It was me. Who I was and who I’ll always be. My father was a powerful man, almost larger than life, and my brother bowed at his feet and followed in his footsteps. I couldn’t be like that. Even as a kid, I was independent and had my own way of thinking. My father hated that.”
“But you’re still here at his estate. You must have learned to get along.”
“I think he came to respect me once he saw that I was capable and smart. I did a lot of things I’m not proud of because of him, but a day came when that changed. I didn’t bend or compromise for him anymore. I showed him that I could be just as powerful as he was but on my own terms.”