After two days passed I began to feel well enough to leave the Prescott residence but my friends weren't so sure.
"Are you absolutely sure you want to go and see Grayson right now?" Pru asked me and I sighed, giving her a blank stare until she sighed. "Alright we'll help but I still don't know why you want to see him of all people."
"Hey Mia seems something in Grayson that we don't," Abigail answered and I shrugged, not caring if I had a smile on my face as I adjusted Thunder's saddle. "I don't get it either."
"He's been nothing but kind to me since I saved him from Butch. Plus he was been checking up on me while I recovered from my gunshot wound." I replied, pulling myself up onto Thunder's back and he whinnied. "Now it's my turn to check on him."
"Alright, I guess we're taking you to Grayson's ranch but we're not stopping. Is that okay with you, Mia?" Lucky asked and I nodded, Thunder already trotting past Spirit and Lucky grinned at me. "Wait for us!" She called out, laughing as Thunder raced ahead leaving my friends to catch up. We made it to Grayson's ranch and I grinned, Pru rolling her eyes at me as I climbed from Thunder's saddle.
"Okay well we got you here so we'll see back at the stable," Pru told me but I was too busy heading towards Grayson's house to even hear her. "She's not even listening to me is she?" She complained and Lucky just shrugged as they headed past the ranch.
"Do you think he's home?" I asked Thunder and he snorted, rolling his head towards the front door. "Yeah, I know. I won't know that until I actually knock will I?"
Shaking my head I reached over, lightly knocking on the door. When no one answered I frowned knocking a little louder but after a third attempt, I sighed. "Guess he's not home right now. Maybe we should head back." I said to Thunder who snorted at me, wandering around the dirt with his nose close to the ground. Once I saw hoof-prints that I knew matched Xerxes' horseshoes I pulled myself back onto Thunder's saddle, Thunder following them away from Grayson's ranch.
Along the way, I looked down at my bandaged arm, a slight frown on my face when I remembered that Doctor Wilkins had warned me that I'd most likely have a permanent scar from my encounter with Butch LePray. Hearing me sigh Thunder glanced up to find me with my head lowered, scratching at the bandage with my fingernails until Thunder snorted at me.
"I know I need to leave it alone but it really itches," I complained pulling my sleeve over the bandage and Thunder neighed, still following the hoof prints until we came to a familiar stream and I grinned. "We've been here a few times haven't we?" I asked him and Thunder nodded, looking on as I climbed down. I'd barely taken a few steps towards the water when I heard a branch snap and I froze, yelping as someone clamped a hand over my mouth and an arm around my waist.
Thunder whinnied, pawing at the ground tensing until he saw who had their arm around my waist and he rolled his eyes. He moved over to the stream lowering his head before he began to drink as Grayson grinned at me. "Calm down would ya? Just havin' some fun with ya." Grayson told me when I narrowed my eyes at him. He took his hand away from my mouth though not the arm around my waist and when I raised an eyebrow at him he chuckled.
"Okay, that was not funny. I went looking for you but you weren't home then Thunder found Xerxes' hoof-prints." I explained, giving Grayson a faint grin when he grinned back.
"You rode all the way out here? Aren't you tired?" Grayson asked and I groaned, pulling myself free before I turned fully around tapping my foot on the grass. "I was just worried about ya okay?" He added and I nodded, waiting until he moved closer to the stream before I raised my arms.
Seeing me moving closer he paused curiously as to what I thought I was doing though once he figured out what I had planned he froze, shaking his head as he hurriedly backed up. "Now hold on there, Missy. You're not thinking about….whoa!" He yelled as with one shove I knocked him backward into the stream, splashing Thunder who rolled his eyes at me though he whinnied as did Xerxes, both horses grinning as Grayson stared at me.
"Now that was funny." I teased him but he just frowned at me, his hat floating beside him. When he continued to glare at me I sighed moving closer to Grayson. "I was just joking around. You don't have to get so….hey!" I yelped as his lips curled into a smile and when I found myself soaked and sitting in the stream he finally snorted at me. Grayson started to laugh as I blinked water from my eyes my hair now hanging over my face and as I pushed it back Grayson kept laughing.
Shaking my head I climbed to my feet and as I slowly made my way to Grayson he coughed, looking up when I grabbed his hat and with a tiny smile I pushed his hat back on soaking him. "H...hey! He yelled and I burst out laughing, giggling as water dripping over his face.
"That's for sneaking up on me like that, Harlan," I told him and he rolled his eyes, grabbing my arm and I yelped getting dunked a second time. Though this time we both started laughing and when our laughter finally ended Grayson leaned in, giving my cheek a quick kiss that made my cheeks burn.
"Doesn't take much to embarrass you does it, Mia?" He teased, helping me to my feet and I just shrugged enjoying the way he wrapped both arms around my waist. I would have gladly stayed like that for hours but when I started to shiver Grayson frowned, worried before he gently took my hand helping me back to the shore. "You'd better dry off before we head back to my ranch. Can't have you catching a cold on top of getting shot." He told me and I shrugged, lying back on the grass as Thunder and Xerxes grazed.
"Don't get colds from being cold." I pointed out, closing my eyes once I found a comfortable spot to lie in and he chuckled kneeling beside me. I didn't even notice when he sat beside me watching me with an amused smile, the warmth of the sun making me sleepy. I opened my eyes, unaware that I had fallen asleep but as I raised myself up by my elbows I found Grayson lying beside me. Once I noticed that he was fast asleep I grinned, shifting close enough to lean over him.
"So you do sleep without your hat on huh?" I whispered, reaching down to brush some loose strands of hair away from his forehead. When he didn't react I giggled thinking how adorable he looked right now which immediately woke him.
"I was havin' a nice nap too," Grayson muttered, cracking open his eyes to find me staring down at him with a small smile on my lips. "Trust you to wake me up." He added, chuckling softly when I crossed my arms over my chest. Pushing himself upright he grabbed his hat, pulling it on and I rolled my eyes climbing to my feet and Grayson followed, wrapping his arms around my waist before I could reach Thunder who snorted at the rancher.
"Look I'm sorry I woke you up from your nap but I was trying to be quiet. I didn't realize you were so adorable when you're sleeping, Grayson." I teased and he raised an eyebrow holding me to his chest as we stood on the bank.
"I've never heard anyone say that about me, Mia but then I've never let anyone get that close," Grayson replied, kissing the tip of my nose and when I rested my head under his chin he smiled. "Except for you, Mia." He added, chuckling when my cheeks heated up.
"Very funny, Harlan. I don't know about you but I'm soaked through and now I need to change my bandages. Plus I really should head back to the hotel and grab a change of clothes." I told him and he nodded, leading me back to Thunder who stretched.
"That's kind of your fault, Mia. I'm pretty sure you shouldn't be getting them wet." Grayson pointed out once we were both seated on our horses and I rolled my eyes, Thunder snorting before he broke into a slow walk. It didn't take Grayson long to get a little frustrated at the slow pace and once Xerxes broke into a canter I sighed, narrowing my eyes at his back as I waited for the rancher to finally realize why we were moving so slowly. Steering Xerxes around Grayson raised his eyebrow at me once he saw me with both of my eyes narrowed at his face now. "Why are you givin' me that look?"
"I don't want to make my arm any worse, Grayson so Thunder's taking his time getting back to your ranch," I explained, waiting patiently until he finally sighed. "Or did you forget that I'm still injured?"
"I didn't forget about you getting shot, Mia. No one could forget about that." Grayson answered with a faint smile and I nodded, trying not to wince when Thunder broke into a trot "Hey you shouldn't push yourself." He warned but I wasn't listening and he rolled his eyes at me, Xerxes racing after us. It didn't take long to reach his ranch but the ride wore me out though I tried not to show it, climbing down from Thunder's back. Grayson just grinned at me, jumping down from Xerxes' saddle and as he stood there I made my way towards his house.
"I don't need any help, Grayson," I told him and he just shrugged, watching on as I stumbled my way towards the front door. I made it about halfway there when I had to pause, taking a breath, and Grayson softened heading my way before he laid a hand on my shoulder.
"Face it, Mia. You can barely walk a couple of feet. Let me help you." He suggested and I groaned, rubbing at my eyes with the back of my hand before I finally nodded knowing that I wouldn't be able to walk the rest of the way. With his arm wrapped around my shoulders, Grayson led me towards the rocking chair sitting on the front porch. Once I sat I let out a shaky breath, rubbing at my eyes a second time and Grayson blinked when I sniffed. "Hey, no waterworks. You need to give yourself time to get better, Mia."
"You don't have to tell me that, Grayson," I muttered, trying very hard not to sniff as I wiped my eyes and he rolled his eyes patting my shoulder. "Sorry I pushed you into the stream," I added and he just chuckled, tousling my hair before he knelt beside me.
"How about I go and grab what you need and you stay here?" Grayson offered and I nearly nodded only to remember that I'd left my room a mess the last time I stayed there. "Let me guess; you're a disaster?" He teased and I snorted, managing a weak grin.
"I kind of never grew out of that, Grayson. No one but me can find anything in my room. I could always stay here tonight and ride out tomorrow." I suggested and Grayson blinked, offering a faint smile. "Just for the night while I get my strength back," I told him grinning back after a pause.
"Alright, so you can sleep here tonight, and then we're heading to the hotel first thing. You can't sleep in your clothes, Mia." Grayson answered and I raised an eyebrow, staring at the rancher until I saw his cheeks redden and he coughed his eyes wide. "Didn't mean it like that." He coughed and I giggled, pressing a light kiss to his cheek.
"Sure you didn't, Harlan." I teased, enjoying his adorable he looked with a very red face.
