Rock Creek Park Horse Centre
5100 Glover Road NW, Washington DC, November 2nd 2006, 10 AM
What in the world did you get yourself into? He sat on one of the chairs in the lounge, watching as a few people were riding in the indoor rink. Jack Hudson took a swig of his coffee, as if the blackish liquid would provide him with the necessary courage. He looked down to his attire. Okay, maybe not too extraordinary. He figuredjeans would do the trick as well as riding breeches. Not that I even have a pair.
He finished his cup and got up to get a new one.
"You're not planning on pulling out, are you?" he heard a slightly mocking voice behind him, the warm timbre rippling pleasantly through his spine. Jack turned round.
"Hee-haw, cowboy," Sue Thomas, Special Investigative Assistant of the FBI said, smiling broadly. "You look mighty spiffy, as Bobby would say."
Jack looked at her attire, smoke-blue breeches, shiny polished black leather dress boots, light-blue windbreaker on, her blonde hair in a ponytail. His heart beating a little faster as he did. Sue had an impeccable choice in wardrobe, and today was no exception. She looked stunning. He looked at his own clothes again. "Thanks, once again you outsmart me in the clothing department," he said. Sue put her cap on the table he had been sitting, with her gloves. "Didn't know you had all this gear."
"I bought most of it when I got here, except for the dress boots. My dad had them shipped from Europe as a Christmas gift." She pulled her booted leg up a little, on the upper shaft a shiny little 'P' in gold, and wiggled the toe. "They're handmade in the Netherlands, and according to my dad, they were awfully expensive."
"I bet they were," he said. "With all this Classic gear I take it you don't do Western riding?"
Sue shook her head, her blonde ponytail sweeping a little from one side to the other. "No, my equestrian centre was English Schooled."
He held up his empty cup. "YOU WANT SAME?"
Sue nodded. "THANK YOU, SUGAR ONLY" she replied. He went over to the bar and returned a little while later with two cups and brownies. "You're thoroughly spoiling me," she said smiling as she picked one of the brownies from the plate. "Who said they're yours?" he teased. "I should be keeping them all for myself, as a little revenge for getting me into this."
Sue laughed, her head titled a little backwards, her smile contagious. And the sound of her laugh tickled his inner most. "Oh, Hudson, you sneak, if I remember correctly you boasted about your riding skills."
The twinkle in his eyes said touché. "Only because a certain blonde sighed once, upon seeing a few riders with horses in the park, that she would love to ride here but had no one to go with. And pleading puppy-dog eyes did the rest."
She lightly swatted his arm. "I did not make puppy-eyes, DEVIL YOU…"
"PAH, PLEADING EYES, US HERE NOW…(I fell for your puppy eyes, and now we're here)."
"I prefer valid arguments for you to pick up riding again," Sue said still smiling as she took a sip of her coffee. "After all, it had been a while, you said."
"TRUE, TIME HOME ME RIDE HORSE OCCASIONAL. (At home I rode every once-in-a-while) " He looked at her. "TIME fs. DC YOU RIDE YOU? (Do you ride here in DC?) "
She nodded. "THEREFORE CLOTHES HAVE ME."
"Makes sense," he said. He finished his cup. "READY?" She nodded and picked up her cap and gloves. "Next time we're going, maybe you should wear something else but jeans."
"Let's just survive this time, okay?" he joked. She laughed, and together they walked to the stables to get their rented horses ready.
Rock Creek Park, with its fields and forests, the creeks and impeccable maintained bridleways was an absolute joy to be riding in. The slightly sloping terrain was ideal for trailing, and even though the Park itself was only twelve miles from the centre of Washington, it was as if they were much further away from city-life. Despite the numerous visitors of the various attractions within the Park, during their trail, they encountered only one small group of people. A couple of times, Sue dared him into a full gallop, the hoofs of the horses hammering the ground beneath as they sped forwards.
He felt the power of the animals, the wind in his face and the sight of his attractive blonde partner leading the way, smile on her face and happy, made his heart beat faster than it already did. A feeling he enjoyed; sharing a passion with someone who holds a special place in your heart and seeing that person enjoying too was something money wasn't able to buy. Ever. They let their horses slow down to a canter.
It was really amazing how fast you picked up the tricks of the trade again, Jack thought as he led the horse where Sue was going. She had been here before, and knew the way to some great spots to relax a little, she had said.
"You seem to manage just fine," she said, when his horse was next to her, walking slowly.
"It seems the feeling comes back without having to think about it," he said. "Where're we going by the way?"
"You'll see," she said, a mysterious smile dancing around her lips.
"Am I going to enjoy it?" he probed. The motion of their horses made it a little harder to follow, but Sue arched her brows a little, a twinkle in her eyes. "That depends. Did you like it so far?" He nodded. "It's great. I never knew I would actually miss it."
"Then I'm sure you'll like the rest too."
He grinned. "Anything devious planned Miss Thomas?" Sue stuck out her tongue. "Just make sure you can catch up, then you'll see." She tapped her horse's flank with the heels of her riding boots to canter, slid back her right boot a little, just after the girth while keeping her left in its place and pushed the horse into a gallop. Sue leaned a little forwards, standing in her stirrups to enable her horse to go even faster.
She looked around for a brief moment to see if he followed. Her smile broadened when she saw he was actually just behind her, determination set on his face, along with a wide grin. Oh, yes, she had found the right one.