held her hands up in front of his face and moved her fingers back and forth. "Look, no wrappers, nothing hidden."
Up close, he was reminded of just how tempting Jacie could be.
With one hand on her hip, she challenged him, "I promise you I’m like no woman you’ve ever known before."
"That’s a given," he said immediately, allowing himself a chuckle. She was a ball of fire with a ready answer and a quick wit.
"We’re even then," she fired back. "I know I’ve never met anyone like you." She spun away from him. "I do love the view," she said defiantly. "I would love to just keep riding. I’ve always enjoyed camping out. It would be magnificent to wake in the morning with a canopy of trees over your head."
"Well, your lesson starts in twenty minutes so we’d better get moving." Reluctantly, he walked back toward the horses and grabbed the reins. He made himself mount and then waited for her to do the same. She was right on one score, he’d never met anyone like her. He wondered fleetingly what depths might be revealed once you got to know Jacie.
"I appreciate you taking the time to show me some of this area. Riding along the edge of the mountain and seeing first-hand the valley below is exhilarating. I didn't even see a trail."
He pointed ahead. "We’re coming up behind the barns now." Some of the excitement left her face. He wondered if she was sorry, as he was, that they were back already. The ride felt as if it had ended too soon. Before he knew he was going to voice the words, he heard himself say, "Maybe we could do this again."
Her reply came swiftly. "I'd love to."
She rode ahead. He stared after her, wondering what impulse had taken hold of him. Why was he setting himself up like this, spending time with Jacie? He shouldn’t have opened his mouth and offered to take her out again, but the urge to do so had been too tempting.
He nudged his horse with his knee and headed in the opposite direction. She’d better not expect a tour every day, he thought grimly, or he’d be so far behind in chores he’d never catch up. For a minute, he wondered if that would be so bad.
Later the following afternoon, Jacie gathered her training material and equipment together. James had set up all her necessary equipment for the training sessions in a small field, and today was the last ground session before the actual jumps.
"Jacie, I have to tell you Leo and I are really looking forward to this jump," MaryAnn stated. "It's a great idea too that you’re taking pictures. None of our friends would believe it otherwise."
"It'll be fun," Jacie told them, glancing around at the group of six. "I want everyone to relax. If you have any last minute questions I'm in cabin three, so feel free to come and see me. Tomorrow morning the list will be posted in the lodge for the jump times. We’ll be doing two jumps tomorrow." The participants overall seemed eager but she knew from past experience that some would decline to jump. She had laid the groundwork for a safe and enjoyable experience, but when it came down to stepping out of the plane it was ultimately a personal choice. She wondered what they would think if they knew of her own pre-jump jitters.
"Do you need any help carrying this equipment?" Emma asked. Emma was a slim woman somewhere in her mid-to-late thirties.
"Thanks, Emma, but someone should be coming by any minute with a truck to cart this equipment back." She watched the couples disperse toward the lodge, which wasn't far away. Emma waved and then she and her husband walked along the dirt road, trailing behind the group.
Jacie would be jumping with some of the newcomers, offering assistance and calming fears. She had planned six to eight jumps this week, which was more than her leg had had to contend with since her accident. She recalled how difficult it had been the first few times she had jumped after recuperating from her accident. She constantly battled the fear that something would go wrong. If she gave in to the fear, she might stop jumping altogether. She had jumped eleven years without any major incidents, but her accident last year had almost crushed her confidence.
Hearing a motor, she looked across the small field. A tractor with a low wagon behind it was making