Dating Mr. Darcy - Kate O'Keeffe Page 0,49
time.”
I give him my best glare, but can’t help but smile. I distract myself by watching as Reggie climbs carefully onto her horse beside me. “Looking good, Reggie,” I call out.
“Whoa!” she exclaims as the horse moves back a step. “Can you make it stay still? It’s movin’ and freakin’ me out.”
“I’m holding her reins, Miss,” Russell replies pointedly.
He’s clearly a little touchy about his horses.
Reggie has another try, and this time manages to get herself onto her side saddle. Settling herself in, she says, “Hey, it’s kinda nice up here.”
“I know, right? Just as long as our horses don’t decide to break into a run.”
“That won’t be a problem if you treat her right, Miss,” Russell says. “Be confident and relaxed. Your horses will sense your fear if you’re not and may take control.”
“That does not sound good to me, darlin,’” Reggie says.
“We’re moving out now, so y’all hold on.” Russell takes the reins of my horse and another guy in a checked shirt steps forward to take Reggie’s.
I glance at Sebastian and he throws me an encouraging smile.
“We’re really doing this,” I mutter.
As the horses move, I clutch onto the reins as though they’re a lifeline. Soon, we begin to get into a slow rhythm, plodding along, and I even begin to enjoy it.
Once we’re out in the paddock and have been led around a course, we come to a halt. It feels strange to be stationary once more, and I surprise myself with wanting to move again.
Russell asks if we’d like to try walking unaided. I nod and grin at him, my initial nerves evaporating.
“All right. Y’all are now officially in control.”
I hold the reins in my hands and make the clucking noise I’ve heard people use on TV. To my surprise, Marilyn begins a slow walk, and soon enough, we’re back in the clomping rhythm from before, only this time I’m riding solo, and it feels good.
I look over at Reggie. She’s busy telling her horse to “gee up” and clucking and bouncing up and down in her saddle. The horse refuses to move. “A little help here?” she calls out. Russell saunters over to her in his casual cowboy way.
“We’re good, aren’t we, Marilyn?” I say as we walk steadily along. “You and I are a great team.”
I hear the sound of hooves nearby and expect to see Reggie and her horse moving once more. Instead, I’m met with the sight of Sebastian atop another beautiful chestnut horse, riding as though he’s been doing so all his life. Which he has. So, you know, it makes sense.
As I watch him sitting upright, commanding his horse, my breath shortens. I will not lie. Looking more like Mr. Darcy than he ever has, with his strong legs in their snug pants and riding boots, he’s confident and sexy in that total romantic hero kind of way.
Oh, my.
I watch him ride over toward me, and try my best not to show him what’s raging inside of me. The last thing he needs is another woman going all silly over him.
He slows to my pace and pulls in beside me, followed by a cameraman. “Looking good, Brady.”
“I’m just plain old Brady now, huh? What happened to Bunch?”
“I think we’re on a first name basis now. Don’t you?”
“Oh, my last name is Bunch, is it?”
He laughs and it sends a wave of electricity through me. “I see you’ve graduated.”
“Oh, I’m a quick study.”
“I can tell. How are you finding it?”
“It’s easy once you know how, I guess.”
“We’ll have you riding at the Cheltenham Festival before you know it.’
“What’s that?”
“It’s the most prestigious race meeting in the British National Hunt.”
“That sounds too fancy for me. Don’t tell me, you go every year?”
“No, I don’t. Naturally, I’ve been a few times, but I prefer riding. Show jumping is incredible to watch, but I never had the temperament or inclination to jump myself. I prefer it to be just me and my horse, riding through the countryside, enjoying the fresh air and the exhilaration.” He gets a faraway look in his eye. “My horse at home is called Artemis. I’ve had her for years.”
I watch how his features soften as he speaks about his horse and my heart melts to see the love he has for her. “Is she this sort of horse?” I ask, not having any clue what breeds of horses there are.
“She’s a Thoroughbred.”
“Of course she is.”
He snaps his eyes to mine. “Are you being rude about me or my