Cowboys & Navy SEALs

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Brooke tried her best to concentrate on the instructions Carlos was giving, as he explained in detail how to mount and ride the horse. But he was soft-spoken with a thick, Spanish accent, making it hard to catch every word. It was obvious that Carlos’s gentle nature was a plus when working with the animals and that he preferred keeping tucked away in the stables rather than being around large groups of people. A little on the portly side, Carlos was medium height with a full head of black hair and a pencil-thin mustache that curled on the ends. His olive skin and kind eyes were his best features. Still, he wasn’t overly attractive, making her wonder how he’d managed to capture Myrna. With her porcelain skin and flaming red hair, Myrna was very striking, and her boisterous personality drew others to her. Whereas, Carlos was more ho-hum and likely to be passed over without so much as a second thought.

She liked him though. He had a way about him that put others at ease. But he was overloading her with information. She didn’t need to know the ins and outs of Bessie’s diet and how she consumed an average of twenty-one pounds of hay a day. And she certainly didn’t need to know that she was eighteen years old, and her teeth were still growing. It was like he’d been stuck out here by himself for so long that he was hungry for someone to pay attention to him. She feigned interest in every word falling from his mouth, all the while trying to weed out the unnecessary and focus on the key elements, which would actually help her learn to ride. Tips such as keeping her shoulders straight and lifting from the sternum to open the space in her ribs. Also, Carlos said she should be able to draw a straight line between her ear, shoulder, hip, and heel. He encouraged her to work on keeping a solid leg position, imagining that straight line so that her legs weren’t too far forward or back. “Horses are smart. They can tell when you’re nervous, so you need to remain calm. And you need to let Bessie know that you’re in charge. Don’t worry, though, Bessie’s about as gentle as they come. When you get used to her, I’ll let you try one of the more energetic horses.”

“Bessie’s fine,” she inserted quickly.

Carlos’s eyes seemed to smile a little at her reaction, then he paused only long enough to catch his breath before continuing his lecture. “The stirrup should be held by the ball of the foot. Your toes need to point towards the sky, keeping the ankles flexed and the heels down.” Then he went on another fifteen minutes, telling her the proper way to hold the reins. Finally, when she felt like she couldn’t process another thing, he motioned. “You ready to give it a go?”

Her nerves were jumping like a frog on a hot tin plate. “Yes,” she lied through thin lips. Her palms were dripping sweat. At least Nash wasn’t here to watch her make a complete idiot of herself. He’d left her with Carlos while he gathered his tools.

She grasped the saddle horn and placed her left heel in the stirrup. Then she heaved her right leg over. Carlos gave her a shove, and she scooted onto the saddle, trying to find a comfortable spot. He handed her the reins, and she grasped them for all they were worth.

“Easy,” he cautioned. “Don’t pull too tightly. Keep the reins loose until you’re ready to stop.” He led her out of the stables, to the adjoining pen. “Go ahead and walk Bessie around the pen a few times. You’ll start to get the feel of it.”

She doubted that very seriously! She’d never felt more vulnerable. Lucky for her, Bessie knew the drill and walked around the pen without any guidance from Brooke whatsoever. After the third time around, Brooke was starting to feel more at ease.

“Give a firm pull on the reins to make her stop,” Carlos instructed.

She pulled but Bessie kept walking. “She’s not stopping!”

“Don’t panic. Just simply apply more pressure. Let her know who’s in charge.”

Brooke pulled more firmly and finally Bessie stopped. Only then did she let out a sigh of relief.

“Good girl, Bessie,” Carlos called. “It’s okay to pet her.”

Pet her? Why in the heck would she want to pet her? Reluctantly, she ran her hand over Bessie’s smooth coat and gave her a couple of pats on the neck.

Carlos looked pleased. “You’ll be an expert in no time.”

A momentary pleasure seeped through Brooke. She was starting to get the hang of this—learning a new skill. Her daddy would be thrilled!

Nash came riding out on his horse, looking like the picture of the heartbreakingly handsome cowboy who had the world by the tail. He rode up to her and winked, sending a thrill shooting through her. “You ready?”

“Yep.” Her nerves revved up again, and she felt like she might be sick. Still, she put on a brave face.

Carlos stepped up to Nash. “Go easy on her. This is all still new,” he said, giving her an encouraging smile.

Annoyance flashed over her, even as she realized he was right. It was not Carlos’s fault that she’d never ridden before. What was it about Nash that made her always want to pit her will against his? She decided then and there that she would not only learn to ride but that she would master it. After all, it wasn’t as if she had anything better to do. And Carlos seemed to have all the time in the world to devote to her instruction. “Thank you so much for your help,” she said genuinely.

He nodded and gave her a slight smile, but he looked immensely pleased.

“Let’s go,” Nash said, a trace of impatience in his voice as he looked up at the sky and at the darkening clouds in the distance.

“How are you doing?” Nash said, glancing over his shoulder.

How was she doing? They’d been riding for over an hour. She was dirty, smelly, and her backside was pounded to an unrecognizable lump of pulp! Furthermore, Bessie seemed determined to hit every bump and dip in the ground in order to inflict the greatest amount of pain. “I’m doing great,” she said, trying to sound cheerful. Other than the soreness, she really was enjoying the ride. At first, she’d kept Bessie at a walk, but then Nash grew impatient with the slow pace. He gave her that quirky grin that evoked her competitive nature before urging his horse forward. Determined to keep up, she did the same, and then they were galloping. The wind was ripping through her hair, and she felt free. Then they’d slowed back down to a trot. That’s when the annoyances of riding began to consume her attention.

He smirked. “You’re a terrible liar. I can tell from the look on your face that you’re miserable. Don’t worry though, we’re almost there.”

He was so conceited and sure of himself in his untamed world of open space and endless skies. The rogue cowboy that had an answer for everything. She lifted her chin in the air. “I told you I’m fine, and I am.” She gave him the stink eye as she tightened her hold on the reins. “So why don’t you just mind your own business,” she grumbled.

All she got for her bravado was an amused shake of the head. “Fine, have it your way, but I’m starting to feel it, and I’m used to riding bulls. I can only imagine how you must be feeling—since this is all new to you. Forgive me for caring.”

The accusation hit home, making her feel guilty. She knew he could see right through her. If she had to stay on this wretched horse much longer, she was going to melt into a puddle of tears. The day was turning out muggy, and the clouds were growing sootier and more ominous by the minute, as they churned like a brew in a witch’s cauldron. Her skin tingled, and she could almost feel the electricity in the air from the approaching storm. She did a visual sweep of the land. They were in a wide-open space with no semblance of shelter in sight. A shiver of apprehension ran down her spine.

As they approached the broken section of the fence, Nash got off his horse and tethered it to a nearby post. Briefly, she wondered if she should attempt to get off Bessie on her own; but thankfully, Nash helped her off. It felt strange to be standing on the ground. For a second, she felt like she was still in motion. Lightning flashed, causing her to flinch. Then came the rumbling of thunder a few seconds later.

“Don’t worry, the lightning’s still a good twenty or so miles away,” Nash said.

She just rolled her eyes, wondering how in the world she’d gotten into this situation.

He held out his hand. “Here, put these gloves on. I’m going to reattach the barbed wire. I need you to hold it taut while I wind it around the posts and secure it.”

She was glad to have something to do, other than fretting over the weather. She watched admiringly as Nash quickly repaired the fence. He really was impressive on so many levels. He’d seemed perfectly at home while working in the glitzy world of advertising—so much so that her dad took him in as the son he never had—and yet, he was king of this rugged terrain, where there were no restraints. He felt her eyes on him and gave her a questioning look. The world seemed to tilt as attraction simmering in her stomach. Time seemed to peel away, and all she could think about was how good they were together. Her eyes went to his lips, and she remembered how possessively he kissed her when the pastor pronounced them man and wife. That had been real—more real than anything she’d felt since they were together before. A fierce longing welled up inside her, and she wanted him to kiss her, right here and now, so she could satisfy this incredible need she had for him. Her fingers itched to thread through the tendrils of hair curling on his nape. She would’ve given anything to be able to read his expression, but his hat was shadowing his face. He leaned in. Her heart raced with anticipation as she moistened her lips. The spell was broken when the musty scent of rain mushroomed around them. And then came the first raindrops.

He jumped into action, grabbing his tools and shoving them into the pouch. Lightning flashed. This time, the thunder followed close on its heels. The horses started bellowing out high-pitched squeals and jerking wildly at their reins. The clouds spilled.

“What do we do?” she yelled.

He grabbed her hand. “We’ve got to get to a safe place! Hurry! Get on the horse! She put her foot in the stirrup, and he practically threw her on top of it. In a flash, he untied Bessie’s reins and handed them to her. Then he jumped on his horse. Stay close to me,” he ordered as he dug his heels into the horse. It took off at a full gallop. Brooke mimicked his actions, holding on for dear life as Bessie charged forward. Adrenaline pulsed through Brooke’s veins, drowning out all inhibitions as they charged ahead, lightning flashing around them. She leaned forward, her chin tucked against the horizontal rain, as she tried to get in sync with Bessie’s movements.

They’d only gone for what felt like a few short minutes when Nash came to a grinding halt. She jerked back on the reins to prevent Bessie from plowing into the back of him. Bessie neighed and twisted her neck in protest as her front hooves came off the ground for half a second. The motion was terrifying, and Brooke had the sensation of her stomach falling through her body. “Whoa!” she yelled. By some miracle, she was able to hold on. She looked past Nash and saw a building of some sort. He hopped off his horse and helped her down. Then, he thrust the reins for both horses into her hands and turned towards the door, grasping the handle. It was locked.

Everything came to a head as tears began streaming down Brooke’s cheeks. “What do we do now?” she cried. Blood was pounding in her temples, making her lightheaded. Lighting flashed all around them, and thunder was sounding simultaneously. The storm was right on top of them.

A savage expression on his face, Nash turned and kicked open the door.

“Come on,” he said gruffly, taking the reins from her and ushering her inside. Then he pulled the horses in behind them and slammed the door. The rain turned to hail, sounding like a succession of BB’s pelting a tin can.

A heady relief settled over Brooke as she attempted to get her breathing to return to normal. The sweet smell of pungent hay was the first thing she noticed, as she looked around the room. The room was stacked, floor to ceiling, with bales of hay. Nash led the horses to a corner and tied them up. He broke up a bale of hay, and they began eating.

Brooke hugged her arms, teeth chattering. Water puddled at her feet, and shivers ran like electric currents through her.

Nash removed the saddles from the horses and grabbed the blankets used for pads. He held one out to her. “You need to take off your outer clothes and wrap up in this.”

Horror clawed over her. “What?”

“We’ll have to wait it out until the storm passes. You’ll catch your death in those wet clothes. We need to lay them out in order for them to dry.”

“But that blanket has been on a horse! I’m not wrapping that around me!” she said indignantly. Considering all that she’d been through today, this was the last straw!

Anger flashed in his eyes as he squared his jaw and got up in her face. “You WILL take off those wet clothes and put this blanket on, or I’ll undress you and put it around you myself!”

She rocked back, stunned by his harshness as tears gathered in her eyes. “After all I’ve been through today! How can you be so cruel?”

“Cruel? Because I don’t want you catching pneumonia?” He gave her an incredulous look. “You certainly have a warped way of looking at the world, princess! Now, move!” he barked.

Her lower lip began to quiver as she summoned all the fury she could muster. “What kind of monster are you? You just love torturing me, don’t you?” Tears began gushing down her cheeks.

A hard amusement settled into his eyes. “You can cut the crap, Brooke! That little crying act won’t work on me.”

Her tears dried instantly as rage took hold, crowding out all reason. “How dare you speak to me that way—you miserable coward!”

“Really? I’m the coward?” His voice rose.

“Yes!” she screamed at the top of her lungs. “The minute things got hard between us, you tucked your tail and ran! You pretend to be this tough cowboy, but underneath you’re a wuss! A miserable, cowardly wuss!” She eyed him with disdain. “If you had been a real man, you would’ve fought for us!”

Shock registered on his features. “I see how it is,” he sneered, “you’ve twisted this thing around in your deviant little mind to make you come out smelling like a rose. Typical!”

She cringed at the hostility in his voice. It was not often that she found someone willing to go toe-to-toe with her—a fight to the finish. “Well, if I’ve got it wrong, then here’s your opportunity to set the record straight. I’m listening!”

“I’ve got two words for you—Jeremy Givens!”

“Jeremy Givens?” She made a face. “What’re you talking about?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know!”

She threw her hands in the air. “I don’t have the slightest clue what you’re getting at.” Her eyes narrowed. “And neither do you. You’re grasping at straws. Pathetic.” She turned her back, but he grabbed her arm, spinning her around to face him.

“I know you were seeing him behind my back. Don’t try to deny it!”

“Have you lost your mind? Jeremy is a friend. Nothing more!”

“I came to you.” His voice caught. “The night my mom died, I came to you.” He paused for one awful moment, and the hurt in his eyes cut a hole in her heart. “I came to you, and you were out with him.”

Confusion swirled around her. She could tell from the condemnation on his face that he believed every word he was saying. “No, that’s not true. I was never seeing Jeremy.”

“Oh, yeah? Well, that’s not what your mom told me.”

She chuckled derisively. “If you took my mom’s word as the gospel truth, then you’re a bigger fool than I thought. She was probably up to her usual tricks—trying to steer you away from me because she thought you weren’t worthy. You know how shallow my mother is.”

Uncertainly crept into his eyes. “But you were out with Jeremy.”

“Yes, I was out with Jeremy,” she spat. “He’s an old friend from high school. He stopped by to say hello, and my mother insisted that we go and pick up takeout for my family.” Tears stung her eyes. “There was never anything between me and Jeremy. I swear it.” The old hurt washed over her, ripping open the wounds she’d tried so desperately to patch. “I loved you. And you would’ve realized that if you hadn’t been such a lug head.”

His eyes went as stormy as the sky outside. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She gave him a sad smile. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I don’t know anything. Maybe I am just the simple-headed debutante you accuse me of being, but at least I had sense enough to know that what we had was real. And that’s more than I can say for you.”