Page 72 of Heartsmashed
“You absolutely look like you might.”
I shot him a look, and he grinned and reached for my hand, guiding it to the saddle. His fingers were confident around mine in a way I’d seen from him in flashes, but not like this. He knew what he was doing here.
I liked that. Because for days I’d been watching him closely, reading his mood shifts and stepping in before Peter could get too far under his skin—but here, Sawyer was the steady one.
“Left foot in the stirrup,” he said. “Push up, swing your leg over, and try not to kick Duchess in the ass unless you want to make this more exciting.”
I snorted softly. “Excellent instruction.”
“What can I say, I’m a natural teacher.” He stepped back and let me put his instructions to good use.
I steeled myself and then mounted with less grace than I would’ve liked. Duchess moved beneath me, and every muscle in my body went rigid—until Sawyer put his hand on my thigh.
“Relax,” he said. “She can feel you tense up.”
“That’s unfortunate for both of us.”
“She’s not going to do anything.”
Duchess chose that exact moment to toss her head, and I arched a brow at Sawyer. “You were saying?”
He pressed his lips together, biting back a laugh. “She’s…spirited, is all. Just try to stay calm.”
Sawyer squeezed my thigh once before stepping back, and I immediately missed the contact.
Before I could beg him to come back, he mounted Jasper in one smooth movement and settled into the saddle like it was second nature. No hesitation, no stiffness, and damn he looked good on a horse. For a moment all I could do was stare at him, which was helpful in making me forget I was on a horse too.
Sawyer had a loose hold on the reins, and I looked down at the way I held mine and tried to mimic him. When he leaned down, giving a quick pat to Jasper’s neck and saying something only he could hear, I swallowed and said, “It’s you and me, Duchess. Be good to me and I’ll be good to you. Truce?”
She flicked her ear again, and I didn’t know what that meant, but at least she’d heard me.
This was all going to be fine. Really.
The trail started behind the stables and curved toward the trees, away from the resort buildings and all the guests still recovering from game night. Maren rode ahead, close enough to keep us on track, but far enough that Sawyer and I could have a sense of privacy. The morning was cool, but bright, and the air smelled like damp earth and pine and hay. Not a bad combination, just an unfamiliar one.
For the first few minutes, though, I just focused on staying alive.
Because Duchess did not love straight lines. She also seemed deeply invested in stopping every time a patch of grass looked tastier than whatever grass she’d passed five feet earlier.
“Duchess,” I said, trying to sound calm and authoritative, the way I did with my clients, “we’ve discussed this.”
Sawyer looked over. “Who’s winning that negotiation?”
“Not me.”
Duchess dipped her head again, and I gently tugged on the reins the way Sawyer had shown me.
She ignored me. Of course she did.
Sawyer circled back, laughter in his eyes. “You’ve got to mean it.”
“I do mean it.”
Sawyer guided Jasper closer, then leaned over and adjusted my hand position on the reins. His fingers covered mine for a moment, showing me the pressure, the angle, and the difference between asking and telling. “There. Keep your wrists soft, but don’t let her decide everything.”
The second he let go, Duchess started toward a bush, apparently determined to experience every snack the resort grounds had to offer.
“Hey,” I said, correcting her before she got too far. “No.”
