timing. Ethan walked in, looking crisp and clean and delicious. He was wearing his tan cargo pants and a dark gray jacket, his boots and half chaps already on.
He nodded in greeting as I handed over a cup of coffee.
“Why don’t you wear breeches?” I asked over our first sips.
His eyes glanced to me over his cup. “I hate ball huggers. The only men’s breeches out there right now are ball huggers.”
“Hm.”
“What does that mean?”
“Oh, nothing. I’m just wondering if you’re concerned for your sexuality. Do you not feel man enough for stretchy pants?”
He cleared his throat and set his coffee down on a tack trunk. His head cocked to the side, he leaned back, crossing his feet, spurs clanking. “Are you honestly questioning my manhood at seven in the morning?”
“Nooo. I’m questioning your view on it. Plus I think better in the morning.”
“For the record, no one is man enough for stretchy pants. Furthermore, I’m scared of how your thoughts might develop later in the day. Would you like to see me wear spandex?”
“No. I actually wouldn’t. Stretchy pants don’t look good on most women, let alone dudes. I was just curious.”
He nodded with a thoughtful look on his face. “Sometimes you fascinate me.”
“Like in a good way?”
He just shrugged and walked out. I’m pretty sure that meant good.
The hours passed quickly as I rode set after set. Before long, I was standing in front of the first racehorse stall, helmet in hand. The plan for the day was for me to lie on my stomach across the saddle of each horse while Ethan walked them in a circle. It was going to be terribly uncomfortable for my poor sternum, but it was a necessary first step because it allowed for a quick getaway and was less surprising for the horse. I first walked into the stall myself and began the saddling process while Ethan stood outside and waited. I was cinching the girth gently when I heard Lawrence walk up.
“Good afternoon, everyone,” he said cheerfully, clapping Ethan on the shoulder. I could already tell he was planning to enjoy the interactions of the day. “Lissa, thank you so much for dinner last night. It was so nice to enjoy a home-cooked meal.”
Yeah, he was laying it on thick. I continued concentrating on the horse for a moment before turning and smiling sweetly. “You’re welcome. It was nice to have the company.”
Ethan’s eyes were ping-ponging between the two of us, his jaw working back and forth in agitation. “Yeah, well, we have a lot to get through in the next couple of hours. Let’s get to it.” He stepped into the stall and placed a proprietary hand on the small of my back. Even through the layers of my jacket, my whole body tensed and shivered, making me lose my breath.
“Cold?” he asked with a cocky smirk.
I shook my head mutely and moved away to finish readying the horse. I made Ethan stay close to me as I moved the colt in circles around us, both directions. Then I passed the reins to him as I walked around, jumping up and down and moving the saddle around to prepare the horse for my weight and movement.
“Okay. On three I’m going to lie across the saddle. You turn the horse each direction, and if they’re good, I’ll go ahead and swing my leg over next time. Okay?”
“Sounds fine.”
I gathered the reins in my left hand, placing my right at the front of the saddle. I bent my left leg at the knee, and Ethan placed a hand on my ankle. His face was pressed at my hip as he reached to my leg. I had a lot of thoughts running through my head right then that, for safety purposes, I needed to shelve.
“On three: one, two, three.” I bounced on my right toes, and Ethan easily supported my left ankle, boosting me up and over the horse’s back. I wriggled a little to find a semi-comfortable position before reaching up and giving the baby a pat on the neck.
“Okay.” I nodded to Ethan, letting him know I was ready to walk around. He turned the colt in a circle
He nodded in greeting as I handed over a cup of coffee.
“Why don’t you wear breeches?” I asked over our first sips.
His eyes glanced to me over his cup. “I hate ball huggers. The only men’s breeches out there right now are ball huggers.”
“Hm.”
“What does that mean?”
“Oh, nothing. I’m just wondering if you’re concerned for your sexuality. Do you not feel man enough for stretchy pants?”
He cleared his throat and set his coffee down on a tack trunk. His head cocked to the side, he leaned back, crossing his feet, spurs clanking. “Are you honestly questioning my manhood at seven in the morning?”
“Nooo. I’m questioning your view on it. Plus I think better in the morning.”
“For the record, no one is man enough for stretchy pants. Furthermore, I’m scared of how your thoughts might develop later in the day. Would you like to see me wear spandex?”
“No. I actually wouldn’t. Stretchy pants don’t look good on most women, let alone dudes. I was just curious.”
He nodded with a thoughtful look on his face. “Sometimes you fascinate me.”
“Like in a good way?”
He just shrugged and walked out. I’m pretty sure that meant good.
The hours passed quickly as I rode set after set. Before long, I was standing in front of the first racehorse stall, helmet in hand. The plan for the day was for me to lie on my stomach across the saddle of each horse while Ethan walked them in a circle. It was going to be terribly uncomfortable for my poor sternum, but it was a necessary first step because it allowed for a quick getaway and was less surprising for the horse. I first walked into the stall myself and began the saddling process while Ethan stood outside and waited. I was cinching the girth gently when I heard Lawrence walk up.
“Good afternoon, everyone,” he said cheerfully, clapping Ethan on the shoulder. I could already tell he was planning to enjoy the interactions of the day. “Lissa, thank you so much for dinner last night. It was so nice to enjoy a home-cooked meal.”
Yeah, he was laying it on thick. I continued concentrating on the horse for a moment before turning and smiling sweetly. “You’re welcome. It was nice to have the company.”
Ethan’s eyes were ping-ponging between the two of us, his jaw working back and forth in agitation. “Yeah, well, we have a lot to get through in the next couple of hours. Let’s get to it.” He stepped into the stall and placed a proprietary hand on the small of my back. Even through the layers of my jacket, my whole body tensed and shivered, making me lose my breath.
“Cold?” he asked with a cocky smirk.
I shook my head mutely and moved away to finish readying the horse. I made Ethan stay close to me as I moved the colt in circles around us, both directions. Then I passed the reins to him as I walked around, jumping up and down and moving the saddle around to prepare the horse for my weight and movement.
“Okay. On three I’m going to lie across the saddle. You turn the horse each direction, and if they’re good, I’ll go ahead and swing my leg over next time. Okay?”
“Sounds fine.”
I gathered the reins in my left hand, placing my right at the front of the saddle. I bent my left leg at the knee, and Ethan placed a hand on my ankle. His face was pressed at my hip as he reached to my leg. I had a lot of thoughts running through my head right then that, for safety purposes, I needed to shelve.
“On three: one, two, three.” I bounced on my right toes, and Ethan easily supported my left ankle, boosting me up and over the horse’s back. I wriggled a little to find a semi-comfortable position before reaching up and giving the baby a pat on the neck.
“Okay.” I nodded to Ethan, letting him know I was ready to walk around. He turned the colt in a circle
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