On the Fence

Chapter 24

"Come on, Taylor," Aiden's voice stirred me. He helped me up, and we went out and saddled up our horses. We rode in silence back to the watering hole; it was late at night, past 11? It was dark but the moon lit our way and our horses saw the rest as the night sounds surrounded us. We slowed when we reached the pond, pulling our horses up.

Aiden dismounted and came over to me, reaching up for me. I smiled at him, blushing in the dark, and reached out for him. He drew me off my mare and to him. He brushed my hair back with both hands and held my face, looking down into my eyes with his beautiful blue ones. There was so much in that look right before he slowly angled his head and brought his lips down to mine.

My eyes closed, my hands coming up to his arms, as I kissed him back. His perfect tongue teased at my lips, begging for entry, making me sigh, so he could slip inside to steal my breath and make my heart rate sky-rocket. I melted against him, completely under his spell.

He withdrew from me but hovered right above my face, looking into my eyes, putting another gentle, sweet kiss on my lips.

"I love you, Taylor," he whispered in the dark, making me draw in a breath at the beauty of those simple words.

I leaned forward, kissed him lightly for a moment, then pulled back and whispered back, "I love you too, Aiden." I saw his breath catch, like a laugh of joy had almost bubbled out of him.

"Will I see you Sunday?" He asked quietly. I kissed him again.

"You know I can't stay away," I whispered, making him laugh and kiss my forehead.

"Good."

He released me and turned back to Samson, but at the last moment, like he couldn't stand to let me go, he turned and came back to me; catching me up in his arms for another breath-stealing, smoldering kiss that had me melting against him, while I held his face in my hands. He released me and looked at me once more before he turned and mounted up. I got up on my mare and had her cross the pond.

While we were crossing, the moonlight was shimmering off of her beautiful coat, and I knew what I was going to call her; Pearl. I turned her when we reached Bridlewood shore to look at him. He smiled at me and turned Samson, galloping off. Just before he would have been out of view, he stopped and turned back to me, tipping his hat at me in the moonlight, making my heart flutter.

Once he was gone, I turned my mare and walked her quietly down the lane toward the ranch. It was quiet, so I rode my mare down the center of the yard clearing, right up to the front of the barn, and dismounted. I let Pearl's reigns fall to the ground so she would stand as I opened the door to the stables.

I reached over and led her in, walking her down to the last stall. I took off her bridle and saddle, brushing her down a little. I gave her a good scratch and was in the middle of carrying some hay to her feeder box when a voice startled me.

"You're back!" It was a sigh of relief. I put the hay in the box and turned to see Brant coming up to me.

He wrapped me up in a hug, and I hugged him back, my eyes staring off to the side with a small measure of guilt; at least it was dark out, and I hadn't bothered to turn the lights in the barn on, so he couldn't see the flush in my cheeks.

"Are you alright, Taylor? All the guys were worried about you when you disappeared and didn't come back. Even Zeke was worried," he said into the top of my head. Great.

"I'm fine! You shouldn't have worried. I can take care of myself," I said from where my head lay on his chest.

"Where were you?" My heart was pounding; what should I say?

"Ugh, just," but he cut me off, supplying, "Out for a ride?" My eyes bugged, and my cheeks flamed as I almost choked.

"Umm, yup. Took my new horse for a ride."