one another. She envied that.
Zelda Law had been her only true friend, though Addie’d grown close to several of her older students when she taught school. Jane Ann, for one. The thought of the pretty girl—now lying cold in a grave—made Addie’s heart ache.
There was no justice in the world. Not against men like Ezekiel Jancy, who wielded power like a sharp-edged weapon.
She sighed and rose, putting her boots on, determined to banish sad thoughts from her head. Striding to King, she removed his bridle and pulled a long red streamer, like those she’d made for the dance, from her pocket, unfurling it. Caught by a wild impulse, Addie ran, holding the wide piece of ribbon aloft and laughing. This was her day, and she was in love. Throwing her head back in laughter, she weaved in and around the buckskin, making the ribbon dance in the air.
Soon, she noticed King following, trying to mimic her movements. She stopped and twirled and ran, and King matched each as best he could. “Come, King. Let’s march to the castle.”
The horse snorted and nodded his majestic head, falling in step behind her. This truly was an amazing animal. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. “I love you so much, King. Don’t ever leave me.”
He blinked his luminous brown eyes, nuzzling her face. She’d never had a friend like this.
The moment passed, and Addie put her colorful streamer away. “That’s enough for today. Let’s go slow and look for things to decorate the upcoming dance. I can’t wait to waltz with Ridge again.”
King stood still while she climbed into the saddle, and they meandered their way toward home. As they walked, Addie’s thoughts turned to the previous night once more—but this time, on sleeping next to Ridge. It hadn’t been as scary as she’d first thought, and it had been nice to lie there listening to his breathing and know she wasn’t alone in the dark. Yet he would soon expect more—a lot more.
Her mouth went dry, and her stomach quickened. He didn’t wear anything to bed.
Eighteen
“I had a good day. How about you, dear?” Filled with nervous anticipation, Addie helped Ridge turn down the covers. He seemed a little quieter than usual, and she wondered why.
“Any day I end alive is one to celebrate, I guess.” He hung his gun belt on the post at the foot of the bed and sat in one of two straight-backed chairs in the room to pull off his boots.
Addie supposed burying a man would have an effect on him. She changed the subject to one less troubling. “On my ride today, I found out that King is an extraordinary horse.”
“I suspected that. He has intelligent eyes.”
Her stomach quickened at the sight of his bare chest. He unbuttoned his trousers and had them partway down before she could turn away. One glimpse of his flat stomach already made the room too warm, but then he turned, and his bare backside sent heat flaring inside her. Her hands trembling, Addie finished braiding her hair and quickly slid into bed. Her heart fluttering wildly, she faced the wall.
The cats meowed at the door, raising holy hell, but Ridge had made it clear that for now, they weren’t allowed into the bedroom. She didn’t know why this sudden change of heart. She’d thought he liked them.
He lowered the wick of the lamp and got into bed with a long sigh. With the room plunged into dim shadows, she turned onto her back, every nerve ending alive, conscious of the fact he slept in nothing. One thing she should’ve realized. This man who’d taken a chance on her filled the bed like he filled a room—fully and completely, leaving no space between their bodies. If she rolled, she’d be up against all that maleness. Unsure what it was she really wanted, she lay perfectly still.
Ridge lay on his side, propping himself up on an elbow. “Tell me about King.”
She burned under his gaze that seemed to notice everything. In a desperate search for solid footing, she talked about her day and the surprising ease with which her buckskin mimicked her actions. Before long, she relaxed. “I wish you could’ve seen him. It was like he could read my mind.”
“Maybe he can.” His fingers drifted down her throat ever so slowly. “I’ll try to make time to come with you tomorrow.”
Silence fell over them. Addie shifted toward him in the dim light. “I don’t know what to