Page 36 of Enticed
It didn’t work. All I could think about was how different he was from Gabe. His smell was all wrong, and his arms were too bulky. I didn’t get the tingles in my belly or flutters in my chest that I got with just one look from Gabe, and this guy’s tongue had been in my mouth. He was a damn good kisser, but still, I felt nothing.
When Tristan went to grab us another round of drinks, my phone vibrated with an incoming text. I glanced at the screen and saw I had a few messages from Gabe I hadn’t noticed.
Gabe: I hope you’re having fun. Stay safe tonight.
Gabe: Rory wanted me to tell you goodnight and that Andy is sorry for peeing on you.
I scrolled down to find a photo of Rory in her pajamas, holding Andy with her cheek pressed to his, and the corners of my lips hitched up. The next text was time-stamped nearly an hour later.
Gabe: If you have too much to drink, call me. I’ll come pick you up.
Tristan returned, drinks in hand with a huge smile on his face and clear interest shining in his eyes, so I pocketed my phone and aimed my focus on him. Gabe’s texts had been sweet, but there was nothing to indicate his concerns went beyond friendliness. There was no sense dwelling on a man who didn’t plan to pursue me, despite the clear attraction and chemistry we shared.
My friends and I hung out late into the night. I continued to dance and laugh with Tristan, but didn’t drink anymore after that last cocktail he bought me. I let him kiss me a few moretimes, and even stone cold sober without my senses dulled, it lacked that all-consuming fire that burned through my veins when Gabe touched me. So when he asked me to come home with him at the end of the night, I politely declined. He looked disappointed but certainly not heartbroken over it as he sat back on the hood of his car. He studied me for a moment as something familiar flashed in his eyes.
“Who is he?” he asked.
Anxiety flooded my veins, and I sucked in a panicked breath. “Wh-what do you mean?”
“The guy you’re hung up on.”
I released a nervous laugh. “Is it that obvious?”
“Let’s just say that like calls to like. Consider me a … kindred spirit,” he conceded sadly, and suddenly I felt a sense of comradery with him. It made me let down my guard just enough to make my own confession.
“Someone I can’t have. Someone who wants me but will never take the risks necessary for us to be together.” Admitting that out loud felt like a punch to the gut.
“I understand that more than you know.” He pushed off the hood and reached his hand out to me. “Friends?” he asked. I slipped my hand into his, and we shared a commiserative smile.
“Friends,” I agreed, hoping he could find happiness with the person he was pining after even if I couldn’t.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
GABE
Ididn’t see Jasmine for three whole days. She wasn’t home when we dropped by the ranch on Sunday so Rory could see Petunia before I took her back to her mom’s. Her face fell when she realized she wouldn’t get to see Jasmine either.
Jasmine didn’t come down to the rescue barn to taunt me. She didn’t trot past the paddock on Petunia like she normally did to ensure the mare got ridden at least a few times a week. It wasn’t until Wednesday afternoon when her student with the unruly horse came for a riding lesson that I finally laid eyes on her.
Her long chocolate braid swished back and forth as she talked animatedly with her hands. Josie, her teenage student, hung on her every word. I didn’t even see the girl’s mom until she stepped into my path.
“It’s good to see you again, Gabriel,” she said with a wide, beaming grin as she reached out to shake my hand. I obliged, offering her a polite smile and nod, and a faint blush washed over my face.
“You too, ma’am,” I replied, ignoring the clear interest shining in her bright blue eyes. My eyes lifted to Jasmine, butshe quickly looked away. I shifted my gaze to Josie. “Ready to get started?” I asked.
“Yes,” she chirped excitedly. I started working with the horse, testing the waters to see if I could get her under saddle, explaining everything I was doing and the reasoning behind it as I went. I’d done all the groundwork with her during previous sessions, and it was time to see if those efforts had paid off.
The three ladies watched from just outside the paddock as I placed the saddle pad and saddle on the horse’s back, letting her get used to the weight of them before moving on. She was a little sensitive and reactive, so I worked with her for a long time before attempting to mount her.
When I finally hooked my foot into the stirrup, she remained steady, so I swung my leg around and settled into the saddle. She rocked forward a little, taking only a step or two as she acclimated to my weight. I clicked my tongue and tapped her with my heels, and she began to slowly walk forward. Josie clapped and bounced up and down in excitement. The horse startled and lunged forward, and I pulled back on the reins to keep her from taking off. She snorted and stamped her hoof into the dirt to communicate her displeasure but didn’t bolt like she would have a couple weeks ago. It would still be a while before she could ride her, but this was progress. Jasmine would have Josie practice with Petunia so she could get a feel for riding while I continued to train her horse.
“That was incredible,” Josie’s mom gushed when I finished the session. “That horse had bucked and kicked the first time we tried to saddle it. You’ve worked a miracle with her.”
“She just needed proper training is all. Horses that are a bit more reactive like her require more patience and a little extra work. Josie will be able to ride her in no time,” I replied, removing the saddle. It was a spare I’d used since the one they had wasn’t the right fit for the horse. I worried they were in overtheir heads as new horse owners. Josie’s mom swore up and down she’d had horses in the past, but I suspected it had been many years ago.
I felt eyes on me as I ran my hand down the horse’s neck in a soothing motion and glanced up to find Jasmine watching us as she and Josie untacked Petunia, a pained expression written over her face. Her gaze shifted from Josie’s mom to where her hand rested on my forearm.
“That’s great news,” Josie’s mom said, and I brought my focus back to her. She shifted on her feet nervously and pulled the corner of her lip into her mouth as she reached into her pocket and retrieved a folded piece of paper. She handed it to me, and my brows dipped with confusion as I opened it.
