Saved by the Rancher - By Jennifer Ryan Page 0,108
the car. Sam drove and spoke with his friends at the FBI, setting things up for their trip to San Francisco. He’d already increased security at the ranch. He wasn’t taking any chances. They’d underestimated David’s ability and determination to get to her for the last time.
They arrived at the ranch house. Jack traced lines up and down her forearm with his fingers to get her attention. “Jenna, wake up. We’re home.”
“That’s the best thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“Just wait. I have a surprise for you.”
“A surprise? Really?”
She turned from the car and glanced at the front yard for the first time since she and Lily had planted the flowers. Beautiful, the house truly looked like a home. Then the memories of everything that happened came flooding back again. She remembered how close David had come to Lily, how he’d stabbed Sally, and how he’d looked when he came after her. She couldn’t take it. She needed time to adjust.
She turned away from Jack and Sam and limped to the barn. She wrapped her hands around her middle and kept her head down as she made her way along the gravel drive, her every step a painful reminder of what David did to her.
“Jenna?” Jack called.
She didn’t say anything, just kept walking, trying not to be upset that Sam had three men following behind her. That they were necessary.
“Where’s she going?” Sam asked.
“To see Blue. I don’t know if bringing her back here was such a good idea. Did you see her face? She couldn’t even go inside the house.”
“Give her time. Let her get her bearings back. Who is Blue?”
“You’ll see. She’ll be out in a minute.”
Jenna walked out leading Blue by a rope, the three guards following. Blue sidestepped and nearly knocked down one of the men.
“You let her ride that stallion. Are you crazy? He’ll kill her.”
“Watch. That horse is the meanest sonofabitch I’ve ever put into that barn. He’s bitten just about every ranch hand on the spread. Given a chance, he’ll kick the shit out of you.”
“And you trust him with your pregnant fiancé?”
“Patience,” Jack said and smiled with pride.
Jenna stopped just outside the doors and stood in front of Blue and rubbed a hand down his long nose. He bent his head and rested it between her breasts and down her chest and belly like he did every time she came to see him. She rubbed his ears and his face.
“Oh my God. She just turned that big, giant stallion into a puppy.”
Jack’s pride swelled. She was amazing. “Just watch, Sam.”
Jenna kept rubbing and talking to Blue. Blue raised his head and rested it over Jenna’s shoulder and down her back as if giving her a hug. She wrapped her arms around his head and neck. He raised her right off her feet. He put her down gently again. She whispered into his ear and walked to his side. She pulled on the lead rope indicating she wanted him to go down to the ground, and he happily obliged.
Sam watched in astonishment as the stallion literally kneeled on the ground with his front legs and allowed Jenna to mount him. Still very high off the ground, even when kneeling, but Jenna managed as if she’d done it a hundred times. Then she gave him a tap in the side with her heels and the horse stood up.
“Amazing,” Sam said. “That horse is in love with her.”
“Yes, I know. I hate to admit it, but sometimes I’m jealous.”
Jenna turned to Jack and pointed to the pasture, then made a circle motion with her arm. She gave Blue a gentle nudge and they walked to the pasture.
“Where’s she going?”
“To take a walk around the field. She needs time to think. Normally, when she’s trying to work something out in her head, she’ll take off at full speed and let Blue have a good run. She likes the speed and the freedom. Today it will be a nice walk. Her ribs can’t take the run. And I imagine she knows it wouldn’t be good for the babies. Blue will take care of her, and she’ll feel better when she gets back.”
Sam raised his hand, indicating the three guards watching Jenna to follow. He indicated, much the same way Jenna had, for them to spread out and circle around the pasture to keep her in site. The pasture beside the barn wasn’t that large and the guards took positions like a triangle around her. She and Blue