“Four stallion barns. You just saw the west side of the farm where my barn is located. Coming in from this direction gives a great view of the whole place.” She loved to pause at the top of the hill and just stare down at the beauty below. This was one of her favorite places in the world these days along with sitting in Legacy’s saddle as they raced around barrels.
Well, that particular pleasure was now gone with her retirement. A flush of sadness entered her mind.
“I can see why you stay here.” Cody turned his head this way and that, obviously taking in the scenery.
“Wait until you see all the stallions. The ones in my barn are my favorites, of course, but there’s some big time winners in the others as well. They make the view and the scenery that much better.” She cut the engine, pocketed her keys, then headed to the trailer to unload Legacy. He stood patiently waiting as she opened the gate, stepped inside, and untied his lead rope. “We’re home, boy.”
He followed right behind her, not the least bit hesitant about exiting the trailer. Once on solid ground, he lifted his head, perked his ears, and whinnied.
A couple of other horses answered.
Trinity grinned and patted her horse. “I think you’re glad to be home too.” She turned around to see Cody leaning against the trailer with a lopsided grin on his face. With a shrug, she led Legacy through the open end of the barn and straight to his stall, noting Cody trailed behind.
She placed him inside, unhooked his lead rope and shut the door behind him. “Hang out a second and I’ll get your breakfast.”
“I’ll help.” Cody matched her strides as they headed back to her truck.
“I appreciate it.” She watched Cody easily shoulder the bag of feed. When he stepped back, she reached inside and pulled out her racing saddle, then dropped it over her forearm for easy carrying. Legacy’s feed bucket came next before she turned and headed back.
By the time they returned to the front of his stall, he nickered in greeting, his head hanging over the door as he stared pointedly at his bucket.
Cody laughed. “He knows what’s coming.”
“Oh, yeah. Like I said, he’s obsessed with feeding time.” Plopping the saddle over an empty stall door, she placed the bucket on the ground and watched Cody fill it with practiced ease.
Legacy whinnied again. Trinity grabbed the full bucket, entered the stall, then placed it in the corner holder. Her horse wasted no time in chowing down.
A few more horses clamored for breakfast as they trotted in from their individual paddocks.
Trinity rolled her eyes. Some things never change.
Swiveling, she watched Cody take in the sight. His eyes locked on one horse after another while his lips pursed in apparent appreciation. “Damn. They look even better in daylight.”
“They’re definitely top of the line.” Trinity headed over to the buckets and feed bags in order to start pouring up the morning meal for the rest of the barn’s inhabitants.
“You can say that again.” He strode over and tugged the sack from her hands. “I’ll pour. You just say when.”
“I can do it.” She frowned up at him.
“I know. But, I feel like a bump on a log standing here while you work.” He grinned mischievously at her.
She relented. “Okay. Blue all the way full. Green nearly full and yellow about three-fourths.”
Muscles in his arms and shoulders pulled tight beneath his long-sleeved T-shirt with the activity. Not for the first time did she wonder what they looked like, felt like as she ran her fingers over every dip and bulge. By the way he filled out his clothing, she knew he had to be ripped. At the beginning of the season, she vowed to look but not touch. Now, she couldn’t wait to break that stringent rule.
Strip him down naked, learn his body, and then maybe climb on for a long, hard ride.
“Trin? Trinity?”
The sound of her name pulled her from her daydreams. “Yes?”
Cody grinned like a cat caught lapping up milk from his owner’s glass. “Care to tell me where your mind went?”
She shook her head as her face heated. “Nope.”
He laughed, the sound contagious and pleasing. “Oh, yeah. It must have been good.”
Trinity rolled her eyes. “Not telling. Besides, these guys are hungry.” Lifting the first bucket, she carried it to the far stall. “Hey, Ransom. I know. Here you go.” She set his food down and left the stall, pausing to check the latch.
“Need some help?”
“No thanks. These guys are temperamental. You’d probably be fine, but I don’t want to take a chance this morning.”
“Okay.”
She fed a few while directing Cody to change types of feed, and fill a couple more buckets. After taking care of everyone else, she had one remaining. “Want to officially meet Victory?”
Cody’s eyes lit up. “You bet.”
“Come on over. He runs hot and cold, so be careful.”
Entering his stall, she placed the feed in the holder, then stepped to the edge of the stall where the open door led into a long field full of green grass. She spotted her target in the corner grazing contentedly. “Victory!” She whistled.
He lifted his head, sniffed the air, then made a beeline her direction, galloping with his ears pricked and tail waving behind him. Only when he got within a few feet did he slide to a halt, lower his head, and nicker to her.
Trinity laughed and scratched under his halter. “Missed me, huh?”
He nudged her with his head, then turned to face the corner before walking over to start eating.
“You’re right. Legacy is the spitting image.” Cody’s quiet voice carried awe and appreciation.
“Their white socks are different heights, but that’s about the only difference. Right down to attitude and a love for peppermints.” She stroked Victory’s shoulder, then gave him an affectionate pat.
“They get to come and go?” Cody inclined his head toward the pasture.
“Yep. Barring bad weather or a breeding scheduled, they get to come and go as they please. Carmen believes since they are horses, they should get to act like one.”
“They don’t go at one another over the fence?”
She glanced outside where the sun had finally breached the horizon fully. “No. They can get their noses over the top board, but I’ve never known any of them to do more than playfully nip at one another.”
“Amazing.” Cody shook his head.
“Yeah, they are.” She grinned proudly and exited Victory’s stall in order to stand next to Cody. “Just wait until they finish eating.”
His eyebrows furrowed. “What happens then?”
“You’ll see.”
Sure enough, a few minutes later, Victory knocked his empty bucket to the stall floor and snorted as if in frustration. He spun around and dashed off again, zipping down the west fence, Legacy racing alongside, keeping abreast the entire way.
“Wow.”
“They do that quite often. Not sure why, but they seem to enjoy a bit of competition now and again.”
“Do they do it with the other stallions?”
“Not usually. Just a father and son thing I guess.” She watched the horses settle down and start to graze contentedly, then turned her attention back to Cody. “So what do you think?”
He met her gaze with heat flashing in his eyes. “You’re one special lady.”
The compliment warmed her. “I meant the horses.”
His lips hitched up. “They’re pretty special as well.”
“Uh-huh.”
He cupped her cheek and bent down, his lips merely brushing hers.
“I thought you were on vacation, Trinity.” Carmen’s voice cut through the moment.
Jumping, Trinity grinned apologetically at Cody and turned around. “Carmen, you remember Cody.”
“Definitely. He’s kind of hard to forget.”
“Thanks, I think. I didn’t get to see much in the dark before, but excellent place
you have here. Trinity told me about it, but words can’t describe the beauty of the farm and the quality of horses here.”
Carmen smiled. “Thank you. We run a top notch operation and are proud of it.” Carmen focused back on Trinity. “Is he the one Madeleine told me about?”
“Umm. Yeah, she might have mentioned meeting him at the finals.”
Carmen stared at them for a long moment. “Then what are you two doing hanging around in an old, smelly horse barn? You should be out and about, doing something fun.” She shook a finger Trinity’s direction. “You’re on vacation, which means you’re supposed to be out and about, not working.”
“I know. But, I couldn’t just feed Legacy and not the others. They were looking at me so pitifully…” Like she could ignore those adorable faces and sweet requests for food. No way.
Carmen snorted and peered up at Cody. “I can see Trinity is in sore need of some rest and relaxation lessons. Think you can teach her how?”
Cody grinned wide. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Good. Then get going. If I catch a pitchfork in her hand, I’m going to kick someone’s rear.”
Trinity laughed, grabbed Cody’s hand, and tugged. “We just have to unload the truck. After that, we’ll do…something. Promise.”
“See that you do.”
She giggled all the way to the truck having read between the lines with Carmen. Her boss pretty much insisted Trinity and Cody go away somewhere and spend some time together. Alone.
Who am I to disobey a direct order?
“I think we’ve been officially dismissed.” Cody spun her around, wrapped her in his embrace, and pinned her up against the trailer.
“Yep.” She lifted her hands and rested them on his shoulders, lightly squeezing the muscles hidden under his shirt.
“Got any ideas of what to do?”
Boy, do I.
Unused to such lusty thoughts, Trinity bit her lip. Cody was the man in her life. If only he would stick around, learn to love her, want to be with her for now and years to come.
If only. She cringed at the phrase.
Cody’s face sobered. “What’s wrong?”
She stared up at him. No sense in lying. Besides, she had long ago decided on absolute honesty between them. Nothing less would work. “I was just wondering how long you were going to be around.”
His lips pinched. “Why?”
“I want to see where this road leads and how long it will travel. If you’re planning a short trip, I would just as well not start the journey.”
“What are you trying to say?” He caressed her cheek with his thumb.
“Somewhere along the line, I’ve fallen for you.”
A slight grin crossed his face. “And?”
She sighed. “And, if you’re going to break my heart I would rather you just do it now rather than later.”
His smile widened. “Trin.”
She blinked up at him, hoping the love reflected in his blue eyes held true.
“Don’t you know that you’ve grown on me? You make me smile, give me something to wake up each morning for, and make me hungry.”
Perplexed, she tilted her head, leaning into his touch. “You want me because I can bake a pie?”
He chuckled and settled his lips over hers briefly. “I want you for all of you. Do you think I’d sleep on some lumpy cot for just anyone?”
Relieved, she matched his grin. “Does that mean you want to make this work?”
“The way I see it, baby, we’ve got a good thing going and I’m not dumb enough to throw it away.”
“Sounds good to me.” She lifted enough to meet his kiss.
Thirty minutes later, they stood in her apartment. Trinity held her head high despite the spartan living conditions the single room provided. “It’s not much, but it’s rent free, close to work, and cozy.”
Cody settled her latest prize on the stand she stationed in the corner with the others. He balanced the expensive piece, then gestured toward her growing collection of western saddles received as trophies for her barrel racing wins. “Get a couple more of those and you’ll need a storage room.”
He didn’t tell her anything she didn’t already know. The small area was fast filling up. “True.” On the other hand, since she had decided to retire she needn’t worry about making more space for winnings.
A jolt of somberness intruded on her happy morning.
“What’s that look about?”
Cody read her far too well sometimes. She would never be able to get anything past him. “I’d planned on retiring after the finals. Everything else has clicked into place. But, just now, the idea of hanging up my boots sounded…sad.”
He strode over and pulled her into his arms. “Sometimes plans change. All part of normal, everyday life.” He leaned back and stared down at her. “You don’t have to decide this very minute. Hell, you’ve been on one roller coaster after another. Take a few days to yourself, get a clear head, and go from there.”
His sage advice grounded her. “How’d you get so smart?”
“I’ve been there, Trinity.” His normally bright eyes dulled before he looked away.
She followed along as they made one final trip back to the truck in order to finish unloading. Something in his tone and reaction said he’d kept so many parts of his life to himself. Most likely his horrible experiences at war. Her heart ached for him. If only she knew a way to ease those terrible internal scars.
He’d given so much of himself to her, she needed to return the favor.
But how?
She cupped his cheek and turned him to face her. “Share with me, Cody. Whatever eats at you, upsets you. Share the load with me. I won’t let you down.”
He studied her for a long moment, then nodded his head. “Come with me.” He latched onto her hand and tugged her along beside him.
“Where are we going?”
“Inside.”
Trinity fell into step, curtailed voicing her curiosity for the moment, and squeezed his hand in a show of support. A game changer was about to happen. She could feel the tension in the air. With Cody by her side, she’d gladly accept the burden, for him. Anything for him.
Bring it on.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“I need to tell you something.” Cody took her hand in his, his thigh touching hers as they sat on the bed next to one another.
“Okay.”
“About what happened back in Afghanistan.”
She tilted her head as her eyebrows furrowed. “This sounds serious.”
“It is. Very.” He drew in a breath and ran his hand through his short hair. “I was discharged from the Navy due to injury suffered in battle.” All too familiar images flashed through his mind. Closing his eyes, he opened up about his past. “My unit was under heavy fire. A couple of bullets struck hard enough to knock me flat on my back. I thought the Kevlar took the hit, but didn’t know until later that one had actually gotten through when I changed position trying to get a better angle at the bastards cutting down the guys. A Humvee pulled up, providing temporary cover. Me and another guy jumped in with the driver and headed west toward a hillside in an effort to gain higher ground and take out every single one of the insurgents.
“Along the way, we ran over an IED, a roadside bomb. I just remember the explosion, the massive jolt, then absolutely agonizing burning on my back. The excruciating pain didn’t stop even when I kicked and shoved my way out of the damaged vehicle, finally getting free. I ran a few feet, dived behind a boulder amidst rifle fire and collapsed. All I could do was breathe and struggle to stay conscious with waves of black coming and going.” He paused for a second, a shudder coursing down his spine at the memory. “I was in and out for a while. Heard the doctors talking amongst themselves as they worked on me, peeling melted clothing and dead tissue from my back. I swear I felt like they were skinning me alive, though they had given me enough pain meds to kill an elephant.”
Opening his eyes once more, he glanced ove
r at Trinity, seeing sympathy, concern, and compassion written across her face. She bit her lower lip as she stared at him steadily.
“I spent the next several weeks in one hospital after another, going through dozens of surgeries to heal the wounds, both from the burns and bullets. I lost count of the times I was hauled to therapy, to whirlpool, to yet another debridement, before finally getting skin grafts.”
Trinity placed her hand over his, twined her fingers through his, and squeezed. The action gave him the strength to finish his story and continue with his plans.
He rubbed his free hand on his jean-covered thigh and resisted the urge to scratch at his healed, but permanently discolored back. For the millionth time he mentally cursed the terrorist responsible for his suffering. “By that time, I’d been notified that I’d never wear a uniform again, especially not as a SEAL. They questioned if I could even return to the level of fitness I’d been in before. I took their uncertainties as a challenge. Literally. Worked with some great rehab doctors and therapists to get back into shape. A little lost, I immediately applied to vet school.”
Cody tightened his fingers on hers gently, showing his appreciation.
“The rest you already know.”
“I had no idea. I can’t imagine what that must have been like. A living nightmare, but one you were able to defeat in the end.” Her soft voice offered a balm to his soul.
“There wasn’t much choice. I wasn’t ready to die.” He focused on the wall for a long moment. “Although I thought I would, laying there on that hot sand, behind that rock.”
“You had to be scared.”
He shook his head. “No. Not really. At that moment, I thought dying would be a blessing. Anything to end the searing agony.”
“Oh, Cody.” Trinity pressed a chaste kiss to his jaw. “I wish you never had to go through that, but I’m so thankful you survived. Not just survived, but moved on with your life. Became a vet and joined the rodeo circuit so we could meet up again.”
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