Page 35 of The Only Seconds that Matter
“You’ve barely been here ten minutes and you already want to ride my horses?”
“It’s been so long since I’ve ridden Western.I wanna try.”
“Why don’t we get you settled first?”
Skyler nodded, and they went to work moving everything out of her trailer and truck and into their appropriate places between the barn and house.Skyler hadn’t changed since Victor had last seen her—full of bubbly energy and prepared to talk your ear off if she thought you were receptive.She’s always been the social butterfly between both of them, and it was because of her that Victor had any life beyond horses as a teenager.Despite her height, she drew in boys like flies to honey, even if she wanted little to do with any of them.It was fitting that she’d found the grumpiest Irishman to marry, a yin to balance out her yang.Victor had only met him a few times and hadn’t been impressed, but he also wasn’t sure anyone would when it came to his best friend.In his eyes, she deserved the sun and stars.
Victor made her lunch and they spent an hour catching up in his living room with both of his dogs vying for a spot in her lap.Victor had a busy training schedule today, however, so he had to get up and get back to work.Skyler said she’d be taking a nap, and Victor insisted she rest to the best of her ability.
A few hours later, Skyler returned to the barn in tan jodhpurs and tall boots.Once Victor finished up with a student’s lesson, he gave Skyler permission to tack up Blitz and take him for a ride.In return, she told Victor that he could try out her mare if he liked.
“I don’t wanna stress her out,” Victor said.
“She needs some exercise after being stuck in a trailer for the past two days.Or are you scared?”Skyler asked with a smirk.
There was no way to get Victor on a horse faster than insisting he was too scared to try, so Victor marched out to her trailer to grab a dressage saddle and tack up Skyler’s monster of a horse.When he led her to the indoor ring, Skyler was already on top of Blitz.As she warmed up, Victor dragged Skyler’s mare over to a mounting block and did his best to scramble on top.It was like climbing a tree.
Once he was in the saddle, it took him a few moments to gain his bearings.He wasn’t used to being this far off the ground.He prayed to God this horse wasn’t going to acquaint him with the dirt, because the fall might kill him.Once Victor had accustomed himself to her at the walk, he pushed her into a trot.
Fucking Christ.That was a damn big trot.It was a wonder anyone could sit it.Still, Victor never backed down from a challenge.He sank deeper into his pelvis, squeezed her sides with his calves, and picked up contact on the reins.Her trot lengthened, and they were across the ring in about eight strides.At the other side of the arena, Blitz came to a dramatic sliding stop, and Skyler whooped as she spun him around and cantered him off.Victor wasn’t the only one enjoying a ride on a trained mount.
When Victor reached the opposite end of the arena, he spotted Taylor’s freckled face looking at him between the gaps in the gate.With her was Johnny, hat pushed back on his head.It seemed his performance now had an audience.
He trotted his mare over to the gate and pulled her to a stop as close as she was willing to get.Taylor craned her head back, jaw slack.
“That’s a big horse!”she exclaimed.“Is it yours?”
“Nah, she’s my friend’s over there.”He jerked his head toward Skyler, who was also performing a half pass on Blitz, as if trying to show Victor up.
“Can I ride her?”Taylor asked, and Victor laughed.
“I think you should stick to Midnight.Speaking of, why don’t you go grab her for your lesson?”
“Okay!”Taylor ran off, and Skyler rode Blitz over to the gate to see what was up.Johnny pulled off his hat and gave her a quick onceover, the kind men did when they knew they were being watched.
“Johnny, this is my friend Skyler from California.She’s transporting this horse to Kentucky and thought she’d stop by for a visit.Skyler, this is Johnny.My friend from, uh, Oklahoma.”
Skyler sidepassed Blitz up to the gate and held out a hand for Johnny to shake.“Nice to meet you, friend from Oklahoma.”
“Same to you, ma’am.”Johnny shook her hand.“I’m guessin’ you’re one of them dressage folks.”
“Eventing,” Victor answered for her.“One of the best.”
“Yeah, okay.”Skyler laughed without denying it.“I’m going to cool Blitz down and put him away.”She spun Blitz around and headed back into the arena.
Considering her mare hadn’t even broken a sweat, Victor figured he could end the ride without a cooldown.After dismounting, he headed out of the arena with her at his side, Johnny trailing along behind.
“Shoulda told me you were friends with a tall glass of hot blonde,” Johnny said with a chuckle as Victor pulled the mare into her stall.“She single?”
“Christ,” Victor muttered to himself as he lifted the saddle flap to undo the girth.“She’s married.”
“Well, damn, alright.”Johnny threw his hat back on and stood leaning against the stall door, watching Victor untack.“You two ever mess around?”
Victor turned to give Johnny a dead-eyed look.In return, Johnny laughed.“Why not?”
“She only dates men taller than her,” Victor said sarcastically but Johnny seemed to take it as straight.
“I reckon I’m taller than her.I’m taller than almost every woman.”
