Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 84401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
When Xavier led me toward the stables and I caught sight of the five huge beasts, my pulse sped up. Georgia, Marc and Willow were already waiting for us while Milena stayed back to watch over the children. I wished that could have been me. I knew many girls dreamed of owning their own horse and riding every day, but I had never been one of them. The idea of being at the mercy of an animal that weighed more than many Asian car models just never struck me as something desirable.
“Xavier,” I whispered as we arrived beside the animals. “I told you I’ve never in my life sat on a horse, and to be honest their size terrifies me.”
Xavier’s eyes flashed. “Being around me all the time, size shouldn’t bother you anymore.”
I rolled my eyes and shoved his shoulder. He grinned.
I could feel everyone’s eyes on us and flushed. Marc and his mother exchanged a look, and Willow looked like she was about to freak out from joy.
“You’ll be fine, Evie. I’ll stay close,” Xavier murmured.
“You’d better.”
Xavier moved toward his sister. To be honest, I was surprised that she’d join us. I didn’t know much about horse riding, but I hadn’t considered it a possibility for someone who was disabled. The saddle on her horse, a harlequin beauty, had additional straps and props for her thighs.
Xavier lifted his sister out of her wheelchair, her arms coming around his neck, and again my heart did the flip that began to scare me senseless. He hoisted her up on the horse and helped her strap herself in. I wondered how she could steer a horse without her legs. Maybe only through the reins. Xavier patted her horse before he returned to me. The only thing missing for him to become the star of a Western romance was a cowboy hat, and the only thing missing from me turning myself into the star of my own embarrassing soap opera was if Xavier realized that his charm had the same effect on me as on every other woman on this planet.
My God, Evie, get a grip, will you?
“You okay? You have a strange look on your face,” Xavier said as he led me toward two majestic horses with dark brown fur while his family trotted ahead.
“I’m fine. Only nervous.”
He pointed at the bigger of the two beasts. “That’s my horse, Adobe. And your horse is Cinnamon.”
My mouth twitched. “You’re giving me a horse named after food.”
Xavier chuckled. “I didn’t choose Cinnamon because of that. She’s the calmest of the lot. She’s a good beginner’s horse. But it’s fitting. You smell like cinnamon.”
“Probably because I love cinnamon buns,” I said.
“Probably,” Xavier murmured. He tore his eyes away from me and nodded toward the horse. “Let’s get you in the saddle.”
“Okay,” I said uncertainly, peering up at the huge animal. She had beautiful dark brown eyes with long dark lashes. That horse was prettier than most people. My gaze was drawn to her back. How was I supposed to get up on the saddle? “What do I do now?”
Xavier took my hand and lightly pressed it to the side of the horse’s neck, then moved our hands over the soft coat. “Show her your touch is good,” he said quietly, his eyes on the horse.
I shivered at the feel of Xavier’s gentle touch and his closeness. His eyes met mine and for a moment my breath caught. Then I cleared my throat. “She’s beautiful.”
Xavier nodded. Slowly he looked back to our hands pressed up against the horse’s neck. He dropped his hand. “Why don’t you try to mount her?”
I huffed out a laugh, couldn’t help it.
Xavier grinned dangerously. “You have a dirty mind, Evie.”
I blushed but pushed past Xavier and glanced up at the saddle.
“Grab the horn,” Xavier instructed.
I automatically looked toward the horse’s head as if it had sprouted a horn like a rhino. Xavier chuckled, the deep rumbling awfully distracting. He touched a small knob at the front of the saddle. He, being a giant, would have no trouble mounting the horse, but I was neither fit nor a lightweight. I was glad that Xavier’s family had gone ahead and wasn’t still watching.
I gripped the horn.
“Put your foot into the stirrup,” Xavier said.
That proved already a small challenge. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had to move my leg that high up. “Don’t you dare laugh,” I muttered when I saw Xavier’s expression.
“I wouldn’t dare.”
I sent him a glare but had to stifle a smile.
“Now pull yourself up.”
As if it was as easy as that. I tried to use my hand on the horn to pull me up, but with the angle my leg was in I had no way of getting up. Heat rose into my cheeks. Xavier was a professional athlete, and all the women he usually dealt with were fit, and I couldn’t even hoist myself onto a horse. I didn’t even want to think of the way my butt looked in that angle.