“Glad you could join us,” Sydney called out. “Talk about slowpokes!”
Matt grinned, brushing sandy hair from his eyes as he brought his horse to a stop behind Sydney’s. “You don’t usually complain about how fast or slow I poke. I thought I was perfect.”
Brad groaned. “Come on, you two, no talking about that stuff with us around.” He was more worried about Chelsea. Matt and Sydney’s teasing no longer bothered Brad. Half the time, he wondered if they didn’t have a competition going to see who could make him blush the hardest.
“Well...” Sydney shrugged and flipped hair over her shoulder. “I want to talk to my man about whatever comes to mind. How about we just meet you two at the meadow?”
Without waiting for Brad's reply, she nodded at Matt. The two of them left, horses galloping toward the hills. They probably had that planned all along.
As the other horses took off, Chelsea’s mount jerked his head upward. Brad could see the old boy was deciding whether he should bolt after the others.
Seeming to sense her danger, Chelsea clutched the saddle horn, dropping the reins in the process and letting out a short scream.
“Oh no, you don’t.” Brad nudged Warrior with his knee, sidestepping in front of Chelsea. “No running for you, pal. We’re going to take it nice and slow.”
Chapter 4
Chelsea let out a huge breath of relief when Brad’s horse blocked the path. She would have fallen for sure if Brownie had decided to take off after Sydney.
Stretching down low over the ground but keeping his balance nicely, Brad snatched the reins that Chelsea tossed and passed them to her. “Try not to worry, Dr. Taylor. Brownie’s an old horse. I doubt he would have run far, but he’s not taking off with you, not with me here. We’ll walk to the meadow.”
That was probably the most Brad had ever spoken to her outside of work-related conversations, and Chelsea flashed a smile. “Please, call me Chelsea. If you call me Dr. Taylor, I’ll feel like I should be working.”
Brad bobbed his head in acknowledgment. “No work today. Even though Sydney ditched us, we’ll still have fun. Let’s enjoy ourselves. Soon the island will be too busy for me to sneak away, so I plan to make the most of this afternoon.”
Tightening the straps of the reins so they weren’t loose against Brownie’s neck, as Matt had instructed, Chelsea found she couldn’t stop smiling at Brad. It must be some sort of hero worship since he’d just saved her from falling. He definitely wasn’t her type, always moody and seeming angry whenever she’d spoken to him before. With all her training in psychology, Chelsea suspected Brad had some deep-rooted issues with his siblings. She preferred to look at the good things in life and didn’t often spend time with negative people outside of work. That said, right now she was glad Brad was there, or she could have been in a lot of trouble with the horse.
Remembering her goal to start being less practical and more adventuresome, Chelsea swallowed hard and said, “We don’t have to walk the whole way if you don’t want to. I’m sure I can figure out how to stay in the saddle.”
Brad shrugged. “We’ll start slow and see how you feel. Maybe on the way back you’ll be ready to try out a trot, but I can see this is one of your first times on a horse, so we’ll take it easy.”
“My very first,” she admitted. “How did you know?”
Brad made a clicking sound with his tongue, and his horse began plodding up the pathway toward the hills. Luckily, Brownie automatically followed, and Chelsea didn’t have to figure out how to make him go.
Lining his horse up beside hers so they could talk, Brad looked over at her. “I knew you were inexperienced because I used to run the horse stables. That was back before you came here. I’ve been riding horses since I could walk. I worked in the stable mucking out stalls as soon as I was big enough to handle a shovel and rake.”
That was the one thing Chelsea didn’t understand about the McCallister family. They had a ton of money, ran a successful resort—heck, even owned the island itself—yet they all had jobs. Before Chelsea came to work here, she’d spent two years in a posh office in downtown Hollywood, listening to the problems of the rich and famous. From her experience, the McCallisters worked harder than her California clients, although they had enough money to quit working if they so chose. It was odd but somehow refreshing.
Realizing the silence had stretched out between them, Chelsea looked over to see Brad staring at her. Obviously, it was her turn to speak, and she’d been lost in her own mind. “So that’s how you knew,” she said. “You must have seen every level of rider in those stables. How long did you work there?”
“I became stable manager at eighteen,” he said. “I wanted to run the breeding program with Warrior here, but my dad decided to stay with Quinn’s horse instead, so I contented myself with managing everything else for six years before I became manager of the island last year.”
“Oh, I think I’ve heard of your brother’s horse. Shadow, right?”
The glare Brad favored her with before turning his head away and running a hand through his thick, black hair warned that talking about Shadow was a misstep.
“Sierra and Sydney mentioned him,” she hurried along, trying to ease the suddenly tense mood. “I heard he’s just an all black horse, right? Warrior is certainly beautiful with that blond mane and tail and tan body. I’d choose him if it were me.”
“He’s a palomino,” Brad explained, seeming to relax a bit. “That’s why he has those colors. If I’m being fair, Shadow is steadier and more reliable with what he’ll do with new riders. I know that’s why Dad stayed with him, but Warrior’s a lot stronger.”
“Sounds like you spent a lot of time trying to breed the perfect horse.”
Brad explained about horse genetics and other things Chelsea didn’t understand while they continued riding along the trail. She leaned forward as the horses crested the top of the sand hill, surprised to find herself off the beach and in the jungle within a blink of the eye.
Lush grasses and ferns covered the ground with sand no longer in sight. Fruit and palm trees formed a canopy overhead that blocked more and more of the sun the further in they rode. Intermixed with the ferns was an explosion of color. Vibrant flowers Chelsea didn’t recognize vied for space in the splashes of sunlight coming through the trees.
“This is beautiful,” she breathed. “I’ve never left the beach before today.”
“You’ve been missing out.” Brad pointed toward the interior of the island. “If we headed that way a few miles, there’s a waterfall that drops into a clear, deep bowl for swimming. The water is a bit cold, but it’s breathtakingly beautiful there.”
“I’ve heard of that place,” she said, still trying to look every direction at once. “Quinn’s Grove, I think Sydney called it.”
Brad snorted. “Everything on this island is about Quinn, you’ll discover. His horse, his waterfall, his art gallery. We all played at that waterfall growing up.”
Chelsea snapped her head sideways to look at her riding companion. She didn’t know Brad well, but the man was clearly frustrated by his older brother’s successes. Classic middle child syndrome, which was funny since Sydney was actually the middle. However, she was the only girl, so that must have thrown off the dynamics. It meant Brad was the one who felt left out.
Generally the middle child would grow up, move away, and start his own family, eventually getting over the loneliness and exclusion often experienced. Staying on the island and working with the family had made that impossible for Brad. Plus, he didn’t appear to have a girlfriend, so the island and his family were all he had, leaving him little distraction from negative thoughts.
“I’m sure there must be other places on the island,” Chelsea said. “Places named after you, maybe?”
Brad shook his head. “That’s the only place with a name. The meadow we’re heading to is another place we like to go, but it’s usually used for romantic dates.”
Chelsea had wondered ab
out that ever since coming around the corner on the trail and seeing Brad on Warrior’s back. Sydney never mentioned that her brother was coming along, and then she and Matt took off. Was this a setup? Lately, Sydney had talked about Brad a lot, telling Chelsea all his good qualities. Did Sydney hope something would happen? Did Brad expect her to fall for him?
He was cute enough, what with his bluish-green eyes, jet-black hair, and obviously muscular physique, but his grumpy personality was not something Chelsea needed in her life. She hoped Sydney would still be her friend once Chelsea told her that she wouldn’t date Brad.
After a while of riding in silence, the trees surrounding them narrowed to where only one horse could fit at a time.
Brad positioned Warrior to take the lead. “Don’t worry.” He flashed a charming smile, so different from his grouchiness earlier. “Brownie will follow Warrior, and you’ll be fine. Just call out if you need anything. We’re almost there.”
Nodding her understanding, Chelsea stared at Brad’s backside when his horse walked again. Brad seemed to move as one with Warrior. She tried hard to emulate his movements, feeling the sway of Brownie beneath her and struggling to match her motion to that of the horse.
It was difficult to keep her concentration, however. As Brad shifted and moved in his saddle, different parts of his back pressed against the thin fabric of his black T-shirt, showing a hint of bulging muscles beneath. He flexed his arms slightly while gripping the reins, and his triceps took on a definition that nearly made her mouth water.
Chelsea hadn’t dated a man since graduating from her doctorate program three years ago. Even if Brad wasn’t her type in attitude, he was certainly her type in looks.
Soon, the thick canopy of trees gave way to a clearing. The horses Matt and Sydney had ridden were unsaddled and munched away on the long grasses.
“About time,” Sydney called, flashing a smile from her position on the far side of the meadow.
She and Matt had laid out a blanket, Matt lying behind Sydney and spooning her close. He stroked Sydney’s hair with a look of such bliss and love on his face, Chelsea couldn’t help but feel jealous. Their love story was what most people wished to find. Matt adored Sydney, and those feelings went both ways. Even if Sydney had a tough time for a while with the relationship and feeling secure, once she figured out how good she had things, she never looked back.
Brownie came to a halt behind Brad’s horse, immediately putting his head down to sample the grass and pulling Chelsea’s attention to her situation.
Although the ride had been fairly short, her inner thighs ached in places she’d never known could become sore. She definitely hadn’t been adventuresome enough, and there were loads of better ways to get her legs tired than being on horseback—if only she could find the right guy to try those adventures with.
As though the ride hadn’t affected his legs at all, Brad stood easily and slung his lanky leg over the back of his horse, dropping lightly to the ground. In his tight denim jeans, his butt muscles flexed as he landed, looking just as mouthwatering as the backs of his arms had.
She really needed to get her mind somewhere else. It wasn’t like her to be distracted by pure physical attraction, especially when emotional attraction wasn’t present.
When Brad turned around, his demeanor was different than it had been earlier. He smiled brightly, looking genuinely happy. “Since this is your first time on a horse, I’m guessing you don’t know how to get off one.”
“You guessed right. Plus, my legs hurt quite a bit.”
Chuckling, he walked through the tall grass and came to a stop near her right foot. “The soreness will fade the more often you ride. Don’t worry.” He placed his hand against her boot. “This leg will be the one you put your weight on when transferring down, okay?”
At her nod, he reached up to grab her hand and placed it on the saddle horn. The warmth of his palm against her skin caused a tingle up her arm, unlike anything she’d ever experienced from a man’s touch.
“Stand up and hold the saddle here to keep your balance. All you have to do is swing your left leg over Brownie’s back and then drop to the ground. It’s simple.”
“I doubt I’ll be half as graceful as you were,” she replied, not ready for him to move his hand away from hers.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be right here to help if you fall.” He patted her hand and then ended the contact, stepping back and spreading his arms wide as though to prove he would catch her.
Brad seemed leagues away from the man who became upset when she talked about his brother’s horse just a short time before. If he was so at ease and happy while surrounded by nature and riding horses, what in the world was the man doing working in an office? He should have stayed in the stables.
Getting up her courage and sending a silent prayer that she wouldn’t fall and make a fool of herself, Chelsea stood in the stirrups. She gave her screaming legs a chance to adjust to the shift in position before gripping the saddle horn and swinging her left leg over Brownie’s back as instructed.
The drop to the ground was much further than anticipated. Her stomach lurched as her foot continued falling through the empty air. When her boot finally encountered firm ground, her leg buckled while her right foot caught in the stirrup and didn’t come loose.
No! She was going to fall!
Suddenly, strong arms closed around her waist, pulling her firm against a broad chest. “Easy. You’re okay. I’ve got you.”
Brad’s warm breath bathed her bare neck beneath her ponytail, making Chelsea shudder with a hunger that had nothing to do with the picnic Sydney promised.
He didn’t release her, and at that moment, Chelsea didn’t care whether or not he was her type, leaning against his strong, hard body.
“Are your legs okay?”
She rested her head against his shoulder, tilting it up to look at the sparkle of joy in his greenish eyes. Was that sparkle for the nature surrounding them or for her?
“They hurt,” she admitted. “I’m glad you were here to rescue me again. That’s twice in less than an hour you’ve been my hero.”
Brad winked. “I’m not really hero material, doc, but I’m glad you see me that way.”
At this close range, Chelsea could see a faint scar just beneath Brad’s left eyebrow. She wondered if one of his early horse riding experiences had ended in a fall that resulted in that scar. Certainly, his life was more exciting than hers. Hanging out with him might be good for her.
“It was a joke, Chelsea,” Brad said, blinking his eyes slowly in apparent concern. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”
The way his long, black eyelashes caught the afternoon sunshine, casting spidery shadows across his face, distracted her from his words. How could the man be so lucky? She couldn’t make her eyelashes that beautiful if she used a gallon of mascara. She’d never really noticed how sexy Brad was before. Perhaps the genuine smile and happy air he now exuded helped unmask what his grumpy exterior normally hid.
“Chels?” He shook her gently. “Is it your legs? Let’s get that right foot out of the stirrup. Those pink cowboy boots are cute but more decorative than functional. I think that’s what has you hung up.”
Still holding her securely against him, Brad freed one hand to reach forward and lift her foot gently upward to unhook it from its awkward position.
Once she was free, Brad pulled her back against him. The warm scent of his body mixed with the delicious puffs of his breath against her skin made her wish this moment would never end.
“Thank you,” she murmured softly. “That’s much better. Guess I’m not ready to be a cowgirl yet.”
“Next time we come you should wear tennis shoes,” he advised. “Reserve these boots for a party, not actual riding. They aren’t real cowboy boots.”
So, he thought there would be a next time. She wasn’t sure how she felt about being tricked into this outing with him, but she had to admit that so far she couldn’t claim it wasn’t pleasant.
“Come on,” Matt called from across the field. “I’m starving, and the food is in your saddlebag.”
“Shut up, Matt!” Sydney hissed. “Leave them alone.”
As Chelsea jumped guiltily and forced herself to step from Brad’s warm embrace, he chuckled and let his hands drop to his sides.
“Looks like they’re getting restless,” he said. “Leave it to them to ditch us, but then be impatient when we aren’t fast enough. Why don’t I give you the food to take over while I unsaddle the horses?”
Chapter 5
Brad could hardly believe his luck. He’d fully expected Chelsea to protest about being with him and turn him down flat, but things couldn’t have gone better. She’d been just as eager for him to keep his arms around her as he’d been to keep them there. Maybe he shouldn’t have been so hard on his sister. Sydney seemed to have done him a favor.
Making quick work of unsaddling the horses and taking them to the nearby stream for a drink, Brad tethered them to the posts put in the meadow for that purpose, leaving them plenty of slack so they could graze.
Snagging the last bag of food from where he’d placed it on the ground, Brad hurried across the meadow to the blanket. Over to where his dream girl waited for him.
The others had already unpacked the containers holding their turkey sandwiches and potato salad, and Brad set the bag of drinks next to the blanket before sitting cross-legged next to Chelsea.
She smiled, her big blue eyes seeming welcoming. “Next time we go somewhere, you’ll have to show me how to take care of the horses. It isn’t fair that you did all the heavy lifting.”
Next time? When he’d said that to her, it had been a complete slip of the tongue, and he’d seen the way her eyes narrowed momentarily. It seemed she’d thought more about that and was eager to go riding with him again, however.
Love's Ride (McCallister's Paradise Book 4) Page 3
