Ebony River 1: His Cowboy Temptation [ManxMan]

Chapter 1

His Cowboy Temptation [ManxMan]

|Chapter 1|

The green pick up truck came to a stop in front of the large mansion style ranch house, a giant puff of dust settling in its wake. The summer sun glinted off the freshly cleaned windows and the bright red front door stood out against the darker shades of brown cobble that made up the house's outer walls. Beautiful flowers of all colors decorated each side of the doorway and made the place give off a homey glow.

Maximilian Sterling stepped out of the truck and took in a deep breath of fresh country air. He loved the fragrance of warm dirt, grass and horses mixed together, it brought back so many memories. A light smile turned his lips and he closed his eyes to take in all that he'd missed the last eight years.

Opening his eyes Max walked around the truck and made his way to the stable in the back of the house. The gravel dirt flew up with each of his steps and his black loafers were now more a murky shade of brown. The sound of birds in the sky and the occasional moo from a cow off in the distance were his only company.

The stable doors stood open as he approached and he heard the neighing of horses making him smile. The smell of fresh turned hay let him know the horses has recently been fed. With quiet steps he made his way inside the giant structure and let his eye wander over his favorite place on the ranch. Memories of days spent grooming the horses, afternoons shoveling hay and night laying in the hay bed on the upper deck watching the stars through the upper windows washed over him.

It had been almost eight years since he last stepped foot in the stable and nothing seemed to have changed. Everything was still in its respective place. The hooks next to the door still held the riding crops, farther off the horse tacks were still mounted one on top of the other while various tools lined one wall of the structure and the bails of hay still littered most of the empty spaces in the giant room. Of course the eight horse stalls took center stage, four on each side of the stable stood open wide, a random neigh emitting from one or another at odd times.

Max took careful steps farther into the stable, not wanting to startled the creatures in the stalls. His feet crunched the hay that littered the ground. The first stall he passed was empty, and he wondered where the horse was, his grandfather didn't have many workers and he was very particular about who he let ride his horses. Across from the empty stall stood a white Arabian her hair shining against the light entering the stable. A name plate across the top of her stall identified her as Sugar and she gave a snort as Max got closer, her tail whipping back and forth.

"You're a sweet one aren't you." Max murmured stroking her forelock and down her mane, "I see why you're named Sugar, with your coat and sweet disposition it suits you perfectly." Sugar nuzzled his palm and Max chuckled softly, "I'm sorry, girl, no sugar cube today. I'll bring you one next time I promise."

Stepping away from the stall he continued down the stable. The next two stalls held matching palomino Stallions. Only the longer, shaggy, mane and forelock on the left Stallion set him apart from his brother across from him. Both horses were engrossed in eating and Max read their names, Nugget and Sunshine, quietly and walked passed them. The next two stalls were empty and Max remembered that his grandfather only owned the few horses that he raced. Every now and then he would rent some stalls to other riders but never for long periods of time.

The last pair of stalls stood at the back of the stable, one across from the other. With a small smile, Max made quick work of the few steps that separated him from the stalls. On the left the stall was empty. Across from it, on the right, however, stood a black Thoroughbred Stallion. He stared at Max curiously, as if he wasn't sure what he was seeing. Max grinned and unlatched the lock to the stall door. The stallion beat its hooves and took a step back. He huffed out a breath of warm air and bared its teeth when it neighed. Slowly, Max brought his hand up to rub the stallions snout, the horse beat its hooves angrily and Max rubbed harder before whispering.