Page 87 of Wild Embers
A figure darts past me, and my stomach knots into a hardball. “Blake!”
Javier reaches out to grab hold of Blake. He's able to grab the hood of her coat, and without missing a beat, she slides out of it, leaving Javier standing there with her jacket in his hands.
Bear tracks behind Blake, staying back a few feet.
Blake slows her steps as she gets closer to Shadow, and my heart lodges in my throat. She holds her hands up in a calming gesture and speaks to Shadow in a voice so low that none of us can hear.
I want to rush forward and drag her away, but sudden movements like that could spook Shadow and injure Blake in the process. So now my only option is to watch the woman I care about most stare danger in the face and pray that she walks away unscathed.
Blake stands in Shadow’s line of sight, still speaking in hushed tones. Shadow stops her pitching, swinging her head toward Blake. My focus is locked on the distance between them as Blake takes her time closing the gap. Shadow remains calm, but that can change at any moment. A whinny vibrates from Shadow's mouth, causing Blake to freeze.
I don't know how she learned the different sounds and what they mean. But Lord knows I'm happy she did.
Continuing her shuffle forward, Blake’s hand lands on Shadow's muzzle. She smooths her touch up and down the bridge of Shadow’s nose.
The wranglers all stare with flat jaws and wide eyes as if the scene before them is some kind of miracle.
They're not wrong.
Shadow lets out a snicker, and my heart finally settles in my chest, relaxing my shoulders. Blake still doesn't attempt to grab the reins, instead remaining by Shadow's head and soothing her with soft words.
Javier sneaks forward and snatches the reins himself. Besides Levi, me, or Walker, Javier is the only person I'd trust in this situation to make sure Blake is okay. Blake presses her forehead to Shadow’s, and Shadow dips her head, allowing the touch. Blake says one more thing to Shadow, then Javier leads her away.
Blake remains in her spot and lets out a deep breath. The remaining ranch hands still stare at Blake, all of them frozen in place.
I can't blame them for being dumbstruck, and if I didn't need them to work at Falling Sky, I'd fire them all for the way they're looking at her.
At least they're not dumb enough to speak to her the way Manny did.
Javier gets Shadow put away, then returns outside and barks orders. “Get your asses back to work! Todd, grab a horse and join Samuel in the west pasture. He’s checking on the herd there. Jack, double-check the hatches on the horse stalls. I want to know how Shadow got out. Brandon, get the plow out and find a path that needs clearing. Aaron, I need you to break the ice on the water troughs.”
Everyone scatters to do as Javier demanded, and Javier tosses me Blake’s jacket.
Striding for Blake, I reach her just a few steps, slide her arms into the sleeves of her coat, and wrap her in my arms. “You should add horse whisperer to your resume.”
Blake let out a shaky exhale. “Shadow just likes me because I give her sugar cubes.”
Bear trots over to us and sits, tucking his hind legs underneath him and giving us his back like he’s standing guard.
Good boy.
Holding her a little tighter, I buried my face on the top of her head, inhaling her scent. “I didn't see a single sugar cube in sight this time.”
When I feel Blake's body release all its tension, she leans back but keeps her arms around my waist. “Back to work?”
My brows raised. “I think you've more than earned yourself a break for the rest of the day.”
“I'd rather keep busy,” she insists.
Searching her face, I look for a hint of uncertainty.
I understand her need for a distraction. She may have handled that like a pro, but that doesn't mean that her body didn't flood with adrenaline.
“Whatever you want.”
Entwining my fingers with hers, I lead us back into the barn. She heads straight for an empty stall and begins to clean it out.
Unwilling to leave her alone, I snatch a stall fork and join her. We work together in silence, moving from stall to stall. We don't need to communicate. She anticipates my moves just as I do hers, enabling us to work seamlessly.
