grass next to the water, Gianna allowed her mind to wander. It had been a wonderful month thus far. Even though the night of the honey waxing still made her blush when she thought about it, there had been a little shift in their relationship since then. While Anthony still had the tendency to be bossy, his actions were always softened with genuine concern or gentle teasing.
He had shown her around the town and introduced her to the smiling folk, who all seemed genuinely happy to meet her. Gianna smiled as she ran through their names in her head. Charlie and Thomas were brothers who ran the General Store and Trading Post together. Both were jolly and friendly and always threw in a little something extra when she did her shopping there. Roger Forbes, the current sheriff, was suave and polite and seemed to hold Anthony in high regard. She found out later from her husband that he had been his deputy and still went to the older man for advice. Then, there was Polly at the tailors, Scott at the bank … and Lily at the saloon.
Gianna pursed her lips as she thought about the fiasco regarding the saloon. Lily had been perfectly nice, and being Gianna’s senior by two years, she had often invited Gianna down for a round or two. “We oughta introduce you to the young’ns,” she had drawled in her mellow accent. However, when Anthony found out about this invitation, he had frowned and expressly forbade her to spend too much time there.
“The saloon is a complicated place,” he had insisted. “You can always invite your friends over to the hotel bar instead.”
No amount of pouting or teasing was enough; Anthony simply refused to budge. Gianna had refused to talk to him for the rest of the day and sulked in the bedroom instead. Thankfully for both of them, the impending storm was avoided when he brought Gianna down to the stables with him the next day.
Gianna smiled as she breathed in the sweet scent of the wildflowers mixed with the fresh scent of the brook. She remembered her excitement as they neared the stable that day. Frisky, the white sheepdog, had taken to her immediately and shadowed her as Anthony led her through to meet the horses. They had spent a most enjoyable afternoon as he introduced the horses to her. The pride on his face was clear as his love for his animals was apparent. It had melted her heart and Gianna knew that they reached a turning point in their relationship that day. Ever since he found out about her love for the horses, Anthony had started giving her riding lessons. Although he had the tendency to cop a feel from time to time, mostly when he was riding behind her; he really was an excellent teacher. Under his tutelage, Gianna felt at home on a horse, which pushed her to carrying out daring stunts and pulling high speeds that left Anthony dismayed.
As if mirroring her thoughts, a reproachful Anthony descended upon her, waking her up from her reverie.
“Gianna,” he snapped, pulling her to her feet and checking her over for bruises. “Are you alright? Did you fall?” His face was taut with concern and barely-concealed irritation.
Laughing, Gianna pulled him close for a kiss. “What took you so long, old man?” she teased. Determining that she was not physically hurt, Anthony relaxed and leaned into the kiss.
“Mmm,” he grumbled against her lips. “I ought to chain you to my saddle.”
Breaking away from the kiss, Gianna pulled back and looked into his eyes. “Anthony,” she enunciated carefully. “I’m fine.” She stroked his floppy hair out of his eyes. He touched her cheek softly and held her gaze for an intense moment before he cleared his throat.
“Yes, well,” Anthony grabbed her hand and planted a kiss on it. “We’d best be getting back. I’ve got an early morning tomorrow. I need to check in on Christine; I think she might be in labor.” Christine was a sweet-tempered dapple gray mare who was pregnant with her first foal. Gianna raised her eyebrows in
He had shown her around the town and introduced her to the smiling folk, who all seemed genuinely happy to meet her. Gianna smiled as she ran through their names in her head. Charlie and Thomas were brothers who ran the General Store and Trading Post together. Both were jolly and friendly and always threw in a little something extra when she did her shopping there. Roger Forbes, the current sheriff, was suave and polite and seemed to hold Anthony in high regard. She found out later from her husband that he had been his deputy and still went to the older man for advice. Then, there was Polly at the tailors, Scott at the bank … and Lily at the saloon.
Gianna pursed her lips as she thought about the fiasco regarding the saloon. Lily had been perfectly nice, and being Gianna’s senior by two years, she had often invited Gianna down for a round or two. “We oughta introduce you to the young’ns,” she had drawled in her mellow accent. However, when Anthony found out about this invitation, he had frowned and expressly forbade her to spend too much time there.
“The saloon is a complicated place,” he had insisted. “You can always invite your friends over to the hotel bar instead.”
No amount of pouting or teasing was enough; Anthony simply refused to budge. Gianna had refused to talk to him for the rest of the day and sulked in the bedroom instead. Thankfully for both of them, the impending storm was avoided when he brought Gianna down to the stables with him the next day.
Gianna smiled as she breathed in the sweet scent of the wildflowers mixed with the fresh scent of the brook. She remembered her excitement as they neared the stable that day. Frisky, the white sheepdog, had taken to her immediately and shadowed her as Anthony led her through to meet the horses. They had spent a most enjoyable afternoon as he introduced the horses to her. The pride on his face was clear as his love for his animals was apparent. It had melted her heart and Gianna knew that they reached a turning point in their relationship that day. Ever since he found out about her love for the horses, Anthony had started giving her riding lessons. Although he had the tendency to cop a feel from time to time, mostly when he was riding behind her; he really was an excellent teacher. Under his tutelage, Gianna felt at home on a horse, which pushed her to carrying out daring stunts and pulling high speeds that left Anthony dismayed.
As if mirroring her thoughts, a reproachful Anthony descended upon her, waking her up from her reverie.
“Gianna,” he snapped, pulling her to her feet and checking her over for bruises. “Are you alright? Did you fall?” His face was taut with concern and barely-concealed irritation.
Laughing, Gianna pulled him close for a kiss. “What took you so long, old man?” she teased. Determining that she was not physically hurt, Anthony relaxed and leaned into the kiss.
“Mmm,” he grumbled against her lips. “I ought to chain you to my saddle.”
Breaking away from the kiss, Gianna pulled back and looked into his eyes. “Anthony,” she enunciated carefully. “I’m fine.” She stroked his floppy hair out of his eyes. He touched her cheek softly and held her gaze for an intense moment before he cleared his throat.
“Yes, well,” Anthony grabbed her hand and planted a kiss on it. “We’d best be getting back. I’ve got an early morning tomorrow. I need to check in on Christine; I think she might be in labor.” Christine was a sweet-tempered dapple gray mare who was pregnant with her first foal. Gianna raised her eyebrows in
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