A/N: This is another fairly short chapter, but they'll get longer soon. Enjoy!
David walked in the direction of Regina's house. At his request, she was going to teach him how to ride a horse. He needed some kind of excuse to see her more. He found himself thinking about her all the time, remembering the night at the party. The way her body felt pressed against his as they made their way around the dance floor was unforgettable, and he had been sad when it ended. He wanted to see her all the time.
As he approached the house, he noticed an unfamiliar carriage leaving. Regina was left standing in front of the house, waving goodbye. He smiled at the sight of her. She was wearing a dress her mother had obviously chosen for her. It was pale yellow and hung off the shoulders. After a moment, she noticed David making his way toward her. She smiled at him and waved excitedly. "Ready for your first lesson?" She asked, placing her hands on her hips.
"You're not going to teach me how to ride while wearing that, are you?" He teased.
She laughed. "Of course not. Come on in. I'll only be a few minutes."
About five minutes later, she was exiting her room and making her way down to meet him. She wore light brown riding pants with a white shirt and a deep red coat that accentuated her small waist and womanly curves. Her hair was in a single braid down the back of her neck and she wore brown boots. David had a hard time finding his breath. "Let's go," she said, linking her arm through his and leading him to the stables.
"You're pretty good at this," she said as they trotted down the field on their horses.
"Thanks," he said, smiling at her. "You're a pretty good teacher." He was pleased when she smiled, flattered by his remark. "Uh, Regina, who was that carriage for this morning?"
She pursed her lips slightly. "Remember Daniel?"
"The guy from the ball?"
"That's the one. He stopped by because he wants to court me."
David felt his heart start pounding. "What did you say?" He asked, trying to sound cooler than he felt.
"I said yes," she told him simply. "He's nice enough, and it will get mother off my back for a while." She looked over at him, noticing his downcast face. "David? Is everything alright?" She found herself asking this question a lot lately. It seemed like there was always something weighing on the shepherd's mind.
"Yeah, everything's fine," he said, correcting his expression.
She looked away from him, gazing straight ahead. "David, we've been friends since we were babies," she said. "Since that day I somehow managed to crawl out my door all the way to your house, we have been close. We have no secrets." Regina paused, bringing her horse to a stop right next to him. He followed her lead. "Why do I get the feeling you're keeping a secret from me?" She asked.
He had the incredible urge to close the distance between them. To take her in his arms and kiss her. He wanted to feel her lips moving against his, to hold her close to him, to feel her heart racing like his did every time he laid eyes on her.
"Everything's good," he lied.
She eyed him skeptically before deciding that he wasn't going to budge. "Fine," she said, still not believing him. But she would find out what was going on. He wouldn't be able to keep a secret too long.
A month later
Daniel had been courting Regina since that night at the King's. She was actually enjoying herself with him. He was kind, unselfish, and unlike any of the other "proper" gentlemen her mother had tried to set her up with. She was actually beginning to develop feelings for him. They had kissed a few times, and she was surprised to find she liked it.
"So how are things going with Daniel?" David asked casually as he brushed his horse's mane. His feelings for Regina had not diminished in the last month. If anything they had multiplied. He was getting better at stifling them though.
"They're okay," she lied.
"Just okay?"
She didn't know why she had felt the need to lie to him about it. It just seemed like every time she brought up Daniel, David's guard flew up. It was as if he didn't want to hear about him.
"Actually, things are going very well," she corrected, leading her horse into its stall. "He really is a gentleman. He's not completely full of himself like the other men my mother tries to set me up with."
David led his horse into its stall. "Have you…kissed him?"
She moved toward him, leaning on the door. "Yes, dear. We've kissed. Why does that matter?"
"Do you think you're going to marry him?"
Regina did a double-take. "Are you serious?" He nodded as if his was the most obvious question in the world. "David, I've only been seeing him for a month. It's going to be a little while before that's on the table."
"Well, knowing your mother, she'll try to rush you into it, and you'll do what she wants just like you always do because you want her approval so badly." He didn't even care what he sounded like in the moment.
"That's not fair!" She shouted, tears forming in her eyes as she left the stables, not wanting to upset the horses with her yelling.
"Do you love him?"
"David, what is wrong with you?" She cried as she stepped onto the grass. "I've only been seeing him for a month. We have kissed a total of four times, not that it's really your business, and no, I'm not in love with him at the moment and I don't plan on marrying him any time soon, so would you just stop with the interrogation?"
David was silent. Tears had run down her cheeks and dripped from her jawline, hitting the dirt beneath her feet. He moved closer to her. She moved to back away, but he took her face in his hands, wiping the tears away with his thumbs. "I'm sorry, Regina," he said, his blue eyes piercing into her brown ones. "I guess I just feel really protective of you. I want to make sure you're doing what is going to be best for you."
"Why doesn't anyone think I can decide what's best for me?" She asked through her tears.
"I believe you can," he said with a smile. "You are smart, funny, beautiful…" his voice trailed off for a moment. "You're perfectly capable of making your own decisions. I just want to be there for you in any way I can."
She wrapped her arms around his midsection and rested her head on his chest. "Thank you, David." He returned her embrace, doing everything in his power to hold back the tears stinging his eyes.
Please let me know what you think!