On the Fence

Chapter 11

"Do you trust me, Taylor?"

I swallowed and whispered back, "Yes." He nodded to acknowledge my answer. His arm tightened around me more, pulling me snug back against him, and then he urged Samson. I sucked in a breath as the colossal stallion sped up into a full run, my grip on Aiden's arm tightening as I leaned into him.

The speed whipped wind against my face, and my hair was once again flying out behind us with the powerful momentum of the stallion.

"How much?" Aiden whispered in my ear again, just loud enough to be heard over the wind whistling by our faces.

"Enough," I whispered back. I felt Aiden smile against my ear.

"Then hang on," he whispered again, leaning us slightly forward. I gripped his arm more, and instinctually my thighs tightened where I sat.

Aiden clicked lightly at Samson and again signaled softly with his legs, and Samson sped up, even more, stealing my breath away with the speed. We were flying over the valley meadow, Samson's hooves seeming to barely touch the ground from where we sat, but the sheer power of his hooves thundered over the earth.

Aiden's face was right against mine as he leaned over me, his warmth still soaking into me, my heart stuttering at the feeling. In no time, I could see the water hole approaching, and we slowed as we approached, Aiden sitting our bodies back upright. I huffed out a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding.

I expected Aiden to set me down at the water's edge; instead, he walked Samson into the water and around the shallow edge of the pond, passing onto Bridlewood land. We slowly rode up the lane that led to the ranch.

"You staying in the bunk house?" He barely whispered. I shook my head 'no.'

"The apartment above the stables?" My head turned a little toward his. How did he know about the apartment?

"Yes," I whispered back. Aiden turned Samson to walk behind the buildings. I held my breath as we rode behind the bunk house; what a sight we would be if we were caught! The boss' rival or enemy, holding me, soaking wet, in his arms up on a massive stallion, not to mention the close embrace we sat in.

Fired could be the new word of the day if Zeke caught us. The thought of him had my brow wrinkling, and I couldn't help but draw the contrast between his closeness and the closeness I was sharing with Aiden. Nothing about Aiden made me want to recoil from him; quite the opposite.

We quietly rode up to the back of the barn again. We sat there in silence for a moment. I wasn't sure what to say to Aiden; how did you thank someone for helping heal such a deep part of you? For seeing deep inside, with barely a word?

"Aiden," I started to try to say something.

"I know," he whispered back. Slowly his arm released me, and hung at his side. I swallowed with the emotion the loss of his arm stirred in my heart.

I slowly slid to get off of the stallion, taking his offered hand to help me down. He didn't release my hand, holding me close to the horse, leaning against his leg. The gentle bathing of moonlight allowed me to see his eyes as they looked down into mine. He looked into me again, a small smile tugging at his mouth.

"Do you want it back, Taylor? Do you want back what you lost that day?"

I drew in a breath, fear creeping in again, but the strength and gentle patience I saw in his eyes canceled it out enough for me to admit, "Yes." He looked at me, taking my whole face in.

"Then meet me by the pond, Sunday morning at sunrise," he whispered back to me.

My lips parted in surprise, and I couldn't look away from his eyes as I whispered, "I'll be there." His eyes stayed on mine while he leaned over and planted another kiss on the back of my hand. He ran the pad of his thumb over my knuckles and then released my hand, walking Samson away into the dark. Just before he would have been out of sight, I saw him look back at me and slowly tip his hat at me, making me smile at him.