Have Mercy - Christina Lee Page 0,38

feel Julian studying me again, and damn it, had Sienna not been there, I might’ve been brave enough to give it right back, like we’d done the other night. But this was out in the open, so probably not a good idea. Besides, nothing good could come of it anyway.

“Huh, who knew,” Julian said, a bite of humor in his tone. “I’ll be sure to make fun of you for that later.”

Sienna snickered. “I’ll definitely join in.”

Luckily, just then George gave the low whistle he used with the horses, and the attention was drawn away from me. He was excellent with them, they trusted him, and it looked like Mercy would be coming along just fine as he listened to George’s instructions to move along to graze in another area of the pasture. By the end of the afternoon, they would have covered every square inch of the meadow. We watched for a while as George led another horse out to join Mercy at the opposite end of the paddock from Ainsley, who had already finished up with Dr. Barnes. They stood talking near Piper like they usually did after sessions as Ainsley fed her horse bits of fruit.

“Look at you. You’re drawn to him,” Sienna said, apparently noticing as well how in tune Julian seemed to be to our newest rescue.

“Guess I am,” he admitted with a snicker. “He’s gorgeous, which I’ve never in my life said about a horse.”

“Only takes one,” she said in a singsong voice and then strode off to the chicken coop.

“What does that mean?” Julian asked, watching her holler something to George and wave.

“Oh, just a saying we have round here,” I replied, recalling the adage I’d heard as a child. Especially when my parents and I decided on a horse to train with as a kid. Not that Julian was choosing a horse. But maybe he was, in his own way. “Only takes one horse to get their hooks in you. Before you know it, you fall in love with them all.”

“Oh my God.” He shook his head. “I’m not in love with a horse.”

“In like?” I asked, and he grinned, dipping his head in an endearing way. “No shame in enjoying animals.”

“I think we’ll have to date first before I decide if I’m in love with him. He needs to treat me right.” He sniffed airily, and my smile only widened.

Hmm, maybe my initial thoughts weren’t that far off. “Does that mean you’d be willing?”

He drew back. “Willing to what?”

Okay, maybe I’d pushed too hard. “Relax, I only meant willing to meet Mercy, not marry him.”

Right then Ainsley came running toward the gate and stepped through it with Dr. Barnes not far behind.

“Daddy, did you see me?” She launched herself in my arms.

“I sure did.” I kissed her nose, then swung her around, and the giggle it elicited made my heart squeeze painfully tight. “But now you smell like a barn.”

“I do not,” she scoffed, and I snickered as she fake-pouted.

She wiggled in my arms, and as soon as I set her down, she went running to the coop to find Sienna, no doubt to ask her the same question.

“Hi, I’m Dr. Barnes,” she said to Julian, and I felt guilty for not introducing her immediately.

“I’m Julian, Sienna’s cousin.” He threw me a cursory glance. “Nice to meet you.”

When Dr. Barnes asked where Julian was from, they delved into a conversation about New York City and how often she’d been over the years, though mostly outside of it due to one horse competition or another. Julian seemed just as in awe of her as he was of Mercy.

I noticed her eyeing the camouflage cap he sometimes wore when working outdoors. “Are you active duty?”

“No, ma’am.” His gaze swept down to his knee, and her gaze followed his, his message seeming to register in her eyes. “Honorably discharged.”

“Once a soldier, always a soldier, right?” she said, giving him a knowing look. “I’ve known many fine men in my practice.”

His eyes widened, and he swallowed thickly. “PTSD?”

She nodded. “Equine therapy works on lots of related issues.”

“So I’ve heard.” He glanced toward the paddock, and I felt like I was intruding on a private moment, so I began walking toward the farmhouse. They trailed behind me at a slower pace, continuing the conversation.

I heard snuffling, and spotted Rocket near the edge of the pasture, coming to greet me. I hadn’t ridden him in a couple of days, but I was considering it for tonight after