Chapter 37

Work a Little Harder

I moved Killer round and round around me. No rope connecting her to me, we weren't bound by material connections, instead we were connected by bond. I couldn't believe how easily and completely she trusted me. I never once picked up the lunge line I brought out just in case I needed it.

I lowered the lunge whip I had been using to drive her in circles, turned my back to her. I waited, hands on hips for a few seconds, before hearing soft hoof beats in the sand of the arena. I gentle nudge to the small of my back, before she stuck her petite head into the space between my arm and my side. Just resting there for a few seconds, using my thumb to rub over her velvety soft nose. I loved to blatant trust and love she showed me, it was incredible.

I slowly turned into her, rubbing her ears, face, neck. Everything I could reach, this filly, this small beautiful filly, would be great someday. I thought about our partnership, how easy it was, how seamlessly we fit together. I wish the rest of my relationships were this easy.

As I stroked Killer's silky dark mane I thought about the man sitting on the gelding behind me. He has been quietly watching, now that we were done I could hear him begin to work Wrangler, putting him through his paces. I felt Killer flick her ears in accordance to where Wrangler was and what he was doing, but she never moved away or pulled her head to be able to watch him. Why couldn't men be like this, solid support that never wavered or got distracted.

I looked up to see the ranch truck and trailer pulling into the drive, I waved to Ram and began the walk to the barns. Killer bouncing around behind me, I dropped the equipment off at the tack room and put Killer in her stall. Hanging her halter up outside her door, I moved to the stall to the left, double checking that everything was ready for Sheriff before heading out to the drive the meet the new man in my life.

I couldn't keep the skip out of my step as I headed towards the ranch truck Quinn had drove to pick up Sheriff from the airport. I rushed around to the back, only to find that Quinn had already lowered the ramp and was backing the big boy down the ramp. I was already impressed that he let Quinn, an almost complete stranger, lead him through such an awkward and uncomfortable maneuver. As horses are in the prey sections of the food chain, anything that is not forward is hard for them because they cannot see where they are going. But here he was, with a person he had only just met, after what must have been a stressful ride in an airplane most of the way across the country, head low, flicking his ears back and forth listening and calmly doing just as was asked of him.

When the last hoof was firmly on solid ground, he jerked his upwards, almost catching Quinn under the chin, and began to survey his new surroundings. Trumpeting out a call to the other horses in the area, and receiving many responses, he began to get excited. Quinn gave him a quick rap over the nose with the stallion chain that was wrapped around the nose band of his halter. This brought Sheriff back down the earth, and he quieted down. Quinn motioned me over, and handed over his lead rope. As I took the lead rope in one hand I held the other hand out for him to snuffle with his velvety soft nose. When I had his undivided attention, I began to slowly walk backwards, Sheriff followed me every step of the way. I turned, confident he would follow easily, and started towards the round pen to put him through his places, similar to what I had done with Killer the first day.

Once securely inside the round pen I took off his halter, hung it on the hook outside the fence, and unsnapped the lead rope from the O ring. Using the leather lead as well as an aggressive body posture I began to push him around the ring. Looking for his inner ear to cock towards me, his head to lower and for him to start licking his lips I continued to push him around the ring, first in one direction and then the other. Finally receiving all the signs I had been looking for, I abruptly stopped pushing him and turned my back to him. It didn't take long before I heard hoof beats in the soft sand of the round pen, right after I felt him nudge the small of my back. Turning slowly I put my hand out towards his nose, not quite touching, but giving him the chance to push his nose into my hand as a show of trust and proving that I was the dominant one. This was called joining up, it is what gave me such a profound sense of team with Killer. I had learned it long ago while working colts with Melanie's father.

Deciding to quickly put him through his paces I snapped the lunge line onto the O ring beneath his chin, and sent him out around the ring at a trot. He was very graceful in all his moments, and his dark dappling was quite striking. So far I was very impressed with my west coast purchase. I would have to send pictures to Kit, who had returned to his own Ranch in Arizona.

I changed out the lunge line for his lead rope, and laid it over his neck allowing him to follow me similarly to the way Killer does. Walking down the aisle ways towards his waiting stall. I stopped at Wrangler's stall to the let Ram know which direction to head when he was ready to head to Trenton for our "talk". God if that word didn't give a girl a reason to run. Pulling the halter of Sheriffs head, I took the time to rub my hands all over his body, both checking for sensitive spots to work on as well as mimicking the way that horses groom each other.

Running my fingers through his tail and mane pulling out a few tangles I waited on Roper to stop by. Sheriff turned his head and lipped the pocket of my sweatshirt, his keen nose going directly for treats. I ruffled his forelock and gave him the horse mint that was in my pocket. Sheriff's head whipped back towards the stall door and he pinned his ears. Roper put his hands up in surrender and backed away from the door. I gave Sheriff another mint and scratched between his ears, thinking I would have liked to have done the same thing.

I stepped out of the stall locking the door behind me before tossing both horses a few flakes of hay for the night. I walked to the trucks, Roper following behind and giving me my space, smart man. We drove in tandem back to Trenton and stopped at the little all night diner about halfway between Rangeman and my apartment building. The booths and menus were always tacky with grease, the burgers juiced down your forearms and they served the best milkshakes in the entire county.

Easing into the booth, Roper across from me I reached into my pocket drawing out my cell phone and turning it off. Roper noticed what I was doing and followed suit, there was a few points in his favor. When the waitress, Kimmie, came over to hand us our menus and take our drinks orders, she totally ignored me to focus her attention on Roper. He earned even more points with me when he directed her my way to take my order first. Knowing exactly what I wanted I went ahead and ordered a bacon pepper jack cheeseburger with garlic mayo a side of curly fries a water and a caramel milkshake.

Rolling her eyes in an obvious show of distaste, she turned back to Roper batting her eyelashes and putting her hand on his shoulder. He shrugged her hand off and not looking at her, quickly ordered a spicy chicken sandwich with homefries a pepsi and a vanilla shake.

We made small talk while we waited on our drinks and shakes. He asked about my past with horses and I asked about his trip home to visit family. As the time disappeared, as well as our food, I found myself falling back into the same old pattern if trust with him. I was, however, still wary of the possibility he could go through another one if his phases, even though he seemed to have learned from his last one. Oh well, innocent until proven guilty and all that. Soon I found myself slurping down the very soupy remnants of my caramel milkshake, as I got the very last bit of what I could slurp through a straw I set the tin in the middle of the table. Looking up at Roper I saw him watching me, and a blush started to creep into my cheeks. I turned my phone back in to check the time and almost gasped at how late it was.

I grabbed my purse and tossed down enough cash to cover us both. Fighting an internal debate, I finally asked if he wanted to just stay the night in my spare bedroom, since I was certain we'd both be headed to the stables the following day. I stared at me slack jawed before nodding his head and following me out. In all honestly I wanted to talk to him more, I could feel myself falling again, I wanted to flush out the problems between us and quickly. Roper followed me in his almost identical truck, except his was a year older and a Chevy instead of a Ford, back to the apartment. By the time we hit the elevator I was beginning to get nervous, sure he'd been in my apartment before, hell he was the one who got the guys to move everything in for me when I first came out of the hospital. But somehow this felt different. This time I wasn't an invalid, and I knew I had not only feeling but serious sexual attraction to this man. Hell what red blooded woman wouldn't. He was 6'4" of toned tan muscle. Wide shoulders led into ripped pecs and washboard abs, the delicious v on a set of trim hips drew your eyes downward towards what I had always seen as a considerable bulge, even in the cargo pants he normally wore. Tonight he wore a set of well faded Ariat jeans that cupped him just right in all the right places accentuating his ripped thighs and delicious ass, but it made his bulge stand out even more. If we ever got there I was going to be a lucky, lucky girl.

I took a moment to compose myself before entering the apartment, checking for drool and taking a deep breath. I held the door open for him, and offered him a water from the fridge. When we were both armed with a water bottle we collapsed on the couch and I handed him the remote, it seemed a man could not be in a room with a TV and not possess the remote. He flipped to a recap of the weekend games, and turned towards me.

"Steph we need to talk, more than the filler we've had all night. I have some things I need to say and to confess because you deserve to know." I nodded my head and let him talk. "I really want to get back to where we were, hell even further than we were. I want to be with you Stephanie, and not just sexually, I want to hold you at night, I want to be the one you run to with your fears, I want to be the one who kisses away your tears and makes you feel better. I want a chance to be your man." He took a deep shuddering breath. "But before that happens I have to confess something. While I was home, under the promoting of mostly my mother, I tried to rekindle my highschool romance. I had always felt that we did not get a fair shot as I was shipped off to basic and her to college up North. So it did not take much pushing from my mother to make me take Emily out on a few dates. However I often found myself thinking of you, where you were, what you were doing, and I remembered why I didn't decide to push for a long distance relationship. She was a needy high school girl and is still as needy and self-centered as she has ever been. I had a nightmare the night I took her up to watch the stars come out, and she could do nothing but complain about me waking her. I realized then, that nothing my family said could make me love this woman the way I love you. I don't know why I had the urge to try to make things work with her, when all along my future was back home in Trenton." He took my hands and scooted closer to me, looking me in the eye. "Stephanie, I want you to be my future. You bring a light to this world that I have never seen before, and your drive to help people is matched only by Bobby. You are a bright light in a gray world around me. I never feel truly whole until I am with you. Please say you can forgive me for being such an ass, for overlooking the best thing that has ever been in my life?" His voice grew tight and I could see the unshed tears in his eyes. I had recognized his every feeling during his speech, and realized that it didn't matter what happened in the last, he had apologized for all of it, and that was what mattered.

AN: Hope you guys like it! Let me know if there is anything you want to see happen or see on the pinterest board!