Cody opened the big sliding door and beckoned Vivian into the cool barn. “Come on in. Meet the gang.” He stopped first at the stall of a fuzzy palomino pony, digging out a piece of carrot from his pocket. “This one we bought for the girls. Another year or two and they can take turns on her. Isn’t she cute? We call her Goldilocks.”
Vivian leaned over the stall door to pat the pony’s face. Surprised at how velvety the pony’s muzzle felt, she smiled with delight. “Oh, Cody. She’s adorable.”
“But too little for us to ride, I’m afraid. Hey,” he stopped and turned. “I forgot to ask, have you ever been up on a horse?”
Shamefaced, she bit her lower lip. “Never. But I’ve always wanted to.”
He linked arms with her and led her down the whitewashed aisle. “Well, then. It’s about damned time someone got you in the saddle.”
The next stall they reached was empty, but Cody whistled and threw a handful of grain into the feed bucket. In seconds, an enormous white mare rocketed inside, thrusting her nose into the feed bucket.
“There she is. That’s Serendipity. Don’t tell Libby, but Finn still calls her Dippy.”
“Why?” Vivian leaned in to stroke the silken fur on her neck.
“Because, she’s a bit jumpy from time to time. Kind of a hot breed, if you know what I mean?”
Vivian nodded, but had no idea what he meant. “I see.”
“I’ll ride her. She’s not the best for beginners.” He walked down another few stalls and peered inside. “And here’s your boy. His name’s Popeye. He’s half Pinto and half Percheron. A big, solid, sweet fella. You’ll love him.”
Vivian stared at the beautiful black and white markings on the gelding. His mane and tail were full and lush, curling in glossy white strands.
“My gosh, look at those feet!”
“They’re called hooves, Viv.” Cody laughed. “Draft horses, like Percherons, have huge hooves. When you get into the really big breeds, like the Clydesdales, they can be as large as dinner plates.”
Vivian clamped a hand over her mouth. “Oh my gosh.”
“Yep. But this fellow here is only half draft horse, so he’s a nice in-between size.”
“He won’t mind if I ride him and don’t know what I’m doing?”
“Heck, no. He’ll take care of you.”
They stood side by side, patting Popeye, who kept pushing his big head at Cody to beg for a treat. Cody fished a few pieces of carrots from his pocket. “Just for you, big fella.”
Popeye gently bent his head over the door and nibbled the carrots from Cody’s outstretched palm.
“He loves them,” Vivian said, keenly aware of the warmth of Cody’s body beside her. His profile stunned her with its beauty, if you could call a man beautiful. Strong brow, patrician nose, curved lips, jutting chin… she chuckled to herself. Yes. He was definitely beautiful.
He turned suddenly and met her gaze. For an instant, she felt a connection, and heat flooded her body. Cody turned away first, and in that minute, she realized he was embarrassed. Not her, the ungainly, awkward, ugly duckling, but him, this godlike creature who could have any woman on the planet.
She laughed to cover her nerves. “So. How do we get them ready?”
Cody opened the stall door, grabbing a lead rope from a hook on the wall. “I’ll teach you.”
He grinned at her, and she melted.
“Deal?” he asked.
“Um, yes. I’d love to learn.”
Minutes later, both horses were tethered in the aisle in what Cody called “crossties,” and after a brief lesson, Vivian stood beside Popeye, cleaning him with a soft bristled brush. Shocked at how much dust lay beneath the horse’s beautiful coat, she worked hard to make him shine.
Down the aisle, she slid secret glances at Cody. He wore jeans and a thin tee shirt, and through that fabric she saw his muscles ripple and swell as he worked his way from Serendipity’s head to tail. She tried not to stare, and busied herself in untangling Popeye’s curly mane until it glistened free in the sunlight that shone through the skylights overhead. But she couldn’t stop thinking about Cody.
He showed her how to put the English saddle on Popeye’s broad back, carefully sliding it from his withers backwards, so the horse’s fur would lie flat. After buckling the girth, he instructed her how to adjust the stirrups. He held one stirrup out and showed her how to estimate the length, bringing the stirrup iron up to his armpit and touching the little metal bar under a leather flap with his fingertips. “This method gives you a pretty good guess, usually. Go ahead. You try it.”
She did, fumbling a bit with the thing. It adjusted much like a belt buckle, and she finally figured out how to adjust the stirrup to length.
The bridle seemed a little more complicated, with talk of throatlatches and curb chains and brow bands. She wasn’t really sure how Cody got the bit between the big horse’s teeth so easily, but if she were ever invited to ride again, she’d give it a try with his help.
Working so closely with him made her painfully aware of the attraction she’d so long avoided. She hated to admit it, but there it was. For some reason, she thought it made her seem ridiculous. He’d never look at her, so she was just torturing herself, really. And why? She had enough on her plate these days just keeping up with the bills for her mom’s care and those lingering medical bills for her brother.
She told herself to forget about it and just try to enjoy the ride on Popeye.
Chapter 12
They led both horses out into the sunlight, which now blazed overhead. Cody gave her a leg up, and to her relief, she landed relatively gracefully on the saddle. Cody approved of her stirrup length, and she picked up the reins as if she intuitively knew what she was doing.
“It’s easy to guide him, Viv. Just pull back gently to slow or stop him. He knows the word ‘Whoa.’ And to turn him left, gently tug on the left rein. Same for the right. Easy peasy. See?”
“Easy peasy?” she laughed. “Where did you get that phrase?”
He chuckled and glanced at his feet. “Probably from one of the triplet’s silly shows I guess.”
She loved the way he ducked his head, letting his lustrous black hair fall over his forehead to hide his eyes.
“Anyway,” he said, adjusting her reins so they were not so slack. Let’s try going in a few circles up here on the lawn. It’ll give you a chance to get the feel of him.”
“Okay. How do I make him go forward?”
He grinned. “Oh, geez. I forgot. Just squeeze gently with your calves and shift your weight forward. He’ll move right along. And make this sound.” He made a clucking sound and before Vivian even thought to squeeze his sides, the horse responded and began to move forward.
“He knows the words ‘walk,’ ‘trot,’ and ‘canter,’ too,” Cody said, walking beside Popeye.
Vivian balanced on the horse’s back, enjoying the powerful feeling of his muscled body beneath her. She felt so high in the air, it was a thrill she’d never anticipated. After a few minutes of learning how to turn, stop, and even back up her mount, she said she was ready to head for the beach. “It’ll be cooler there, that’s for sure.”
“Right. And when you get comfortable with this big lug, eventually we’ll go bareback so we can jump in and out of the water without ruining the saddles.”
When I get comfortable? Eventually? Does that imply there will be more rides in our future? She let Popeye follow tail-to-nose behind Serendipity down the narrow path to the beach. When they got to the boardwalk, Cody turned off onto a lesser sand path that meandered through the dunes down to the shore.
When they reached the azure-colored surf, he motioned her forward, so they’d walk side by side. Seagulls soared overhead, screeching and diving toward the water. It was low tide and acres of rippled sand stretched toward the frilly whitecaps of the deeper sea. Vivian marveled at the colors beneath her—from rust to magenta to amber to pale pink to blazing white, it changed and spread before her like
a rainbow-hued landscape stretching toward the horizon. Little holes in the wet sand squirted water up when they walked nearby, courtesy of clams hidden beneath the surface. Crabs ran sideways to avoid the horses’ hooves, and hermit crabs luxuriated in the warm tide pools.
They walked all the way to the end of the low tide section, their horses’ hooves squishing in the wet sand. Popeye obeyed when she tweaked her little finger to move him away from the water. The waves were good-sized today, cresting in white frothy peaks that crashed near their horses’ hooves.
“Good boy.” She leaned down to enthusiastically pat his neck. “He listened,” she said with a grin.
“He’s well trained,” he said, “unlike this one who will throw you off if a plastic bag floats across her path.”
“But she’s so pretty,” Viv said, glancing across at the elegant mare.
“So are you,” Cody said suddenly. As if he’d surprised himself, he backpedaled. “I mean, you look really good up there, Vivian. Like a natural.”
Did he really just call me pretty? “Thanks,” she said, feeling tongue-tied. She clicked Popeye on and he went into a little trot, surprising her. She grabbed the saddle and held on, but before long, she realized she could sit to his little jog and not fall off.
She called back to Cody, who’d stayed behind. “This is fun!”
In a sudden rush, Cody urged his mare into a fast canter, catching up in seconds. “Wait’ll you try cantering through the surf,” he said. “That’s even better.”
“Whoa, boy.” She slowed Popeye to a walk and relaxed her grip. “Maybe next time.”
Cody leaned sideways, clinking his stirrup iron against hers. “It’ll take a few more lessons, but pretty soon, we’ll both be racing through the water.” He touched her hand, sending shivers down her spine.
They walked in silence for a while, enjoying the salty breeze that blew across the beach. On this private stretch of sand, there were no bathers, no fishermen, and just a few boats in the distance.
“Vivian?” he said.
She turned to catch a worried expression in his eyes. “Yes?”
“What do you think of Uvi?”
She paused, meeting his intense gaze. “Um. In what respect?”
He looked lost for a moment. “I don’t know. I just—”
She jumped right in. “I think she knows exactly what she wants in her life. She’s demanding, has high expectations, and little patience if she doesn’t get what she wants.”
He studied her, still solemn. “And?”
“And,” she cleared her throat. “I don’t think we’ll work there for more than a year.”
“What?”
“That’s what Deidre said. I ran into her in the village.”
“What? Really?”
“Yes.” Viv gave a brief account of their morning conversation at the Brewster Store. “So, she thinks it has something to do with the husband.”
“Mr. P?”
“Yes. The man no one’s seen in ten years.”
“Whoa. That’s pretty heavy stuff.”
“I know,” she said. “But what did you mean before? About Uvi?”
He seemed to shake off his earlier mood. “I don’t know. Sometimes she just makes me feel like I’m a puppet on a string. You know? She’s so beautiful. Sexy. And she just makes me— ” He stopped, realizing he’d gone too far. “I mean—”
Vivian’s heart fell to her feet. Did he really just say that? Out loud? After calling her pretty, here he was salivating over their boss? And she’d been imagining something was starting between the two of them. She choked down her disappointment and pretended everything was fine. “It’s okay,” she said with a false laugh. “I know she’s gorgeous. It must drive you crazy.”
He gave her a shy smile. “Yeah, I guess.”
“But I know what you mean about feeling like a puppet. It’s nice to be off her strings today. Even if I am roasting up here.”
“Hey, how about a swim? We can walk the horses back to the stable afterward so we don’t mess up the saddles.”
“I’m not dressed for it,” she laughed. “I’m in jeans.”
He looked down at his own legs. “Well. Me, too. But there’s nobody around. We could just go for a quick dip in our underwear.”
She blanched and felt herself stiffen in the saddle. Was he really asking her to strip down to her underwear and go for a swim? Like it was an everyday event? Right out in the open? “I. Um. I… ”
“You’re not shy, are you?” He grinned at her. “Or chicken?”
Bristling, she tightened her grip on the reins. “No. I’m not chicken. Let’s do it.”
They trotted toward the high tide line, making good progress in the wet sand. He maneuvered Serendipity over to a shady cave in the cliffs and jumped off. “This is a good spot for the horses to wait for us. There’s a log to tether them to, right over here. And it’s out of the sun.”
She slid awkwardly off Popeye’s back, landing in a heap in the sand. He tied his horse’s reins to a branch on the log, then ran to help her.
“You okay?”
Red-faced now, she got up and brushed the sand from her jeans. “Of course. I just stumbled.” She led Popeye to the well-shaded log and looped his reins through a stray branch. “Like this?”
Cody checked it. “That’ll work. These two will probably just take a nap, anyway.” He turned back to her. “Ready?”
At the high tide mark, she looked in both directions, and quickly slid out of her jeans. With a wild feeling of abandonment, she stripped off her shirt, too, and tossed it down. She raced over the wet, low tide sands, splashing through the shallow tide pools and hoping she didn’t step on anything with claws. Plunging into the water, she waded for a while and then dove into the clear green water, stroking forward.
Chapter 13
She sensed rather than saw him behind her. There was something about the rippling water that tickled the roots of her hair and ran a shiver up her arms. Something electric, almost. When she broke through the waves, he popped up seconds later, only inches away.
“Feels good, huh?” he said, treading water beside her.
She felt a few strands of seaweed tickle her feet, and kicked further out to get away from it. “Wonderful,” she said, unable to stop the wide smile spreading across her face. It did feel good, almost too damned good, she thought.
Am I setting myself up? Letting myself live in a fantasy world where gorgeous men like Cody fall madly in love with me? Am I nuts to imagine it? Wish for it?
She flipped onto her back and floated on the swelling waves, noticing suddenly that her nipples showed through the flimsy wet material of her bra. She caught Cody looking, and slid back down into the water, stroking parallel to the shore.
He matched her movements, keeping up with her. Occasionally, he’d toss her a brilliant smile. But they didn’t speak. They just swam, side by side.
When she thought she’d gone far enough, she reversed direction, only to find him right there beside her. She tried not to think of how he would look in his wet boxer shorts. How his sculpted chest would appear beneath the beads of seawater. How his thick, wavy hair would drip onto his shoulders.
He began to turn back to shore and she followed, noticing a dark shadowy patch in the distance where the cave sat, harboring their horses. After a long jog across the low tide sands, they reached the dry sand, and although she wanted to hold back, she didn’t. She strode to the hot sand, picked up her clothes, and walked toward the cave.
Cody watched her dress, trying not to stare, but unable to look away. She had the tiniest waist, the prettiest breasts, and the most seductive, curving hips he’d ever seen. It probably didn’t help that she was soaking wet and her underwear clung to her, almost transparent in the bright afternoon sunlight.
He decided to shed his wet underpants and just wear his jeans back to the house, but didn’t want her to think he was coming on to her. Because he wasn’t, was h
e?
“Hey, I think I’ll just get out of these wet things. Don’t mind me.”
She flushed, glancing down below his belt where he knew the wet underwear outlined him with no room for imagination.
She turned a deeper shade of pink and slid into her shirt. “No problem.”
He shrugged out of them and found her glancing sideways at him. Rather than feeling embarrassed, as he probably should have, he became fully aroused. Seeing her beautiful body and the way her hair tumbled down her back, the way her eyes shone in the afternoon light, her lips curving in a little smile… all of this made it even more difficult to ignore his growing desire.
And then it happened. Right in front of her, he began to feel engorged, and his manhood rose in a majestic salute in her direction.
Her mouth dropped open, and she backed up a step. “I—”
He felt tongue-tied for a split second, but before he could think about what he was doing, he walked toward her and pinned her against the cave wall, grabbing a handful of her wet hair and kissing her hard.
To his surprise, she kissed him back.
Shocked beyond belief by Cody’s advances, and even more so by the sight of his body’s reaction to her, she let him kiss her, and felt herself kissing him back for a minute.
No. No. No!
But her body said, yes, and she let him push harder against her. He pulled her shirt up to reveal her wet bra, sliding it off one side so that he could massage her flesh with one hand. With the other hand, he reached his fingers down to slide beneath her wet panties. When he touched her inside, she shuddered with pleasure… or was it fear? She pulled herself together and came to her senses.
“What are you doing?” She shoved him away and crossed her arms in front of her breasts. “Stop that. Right now.”
He stared at her with unbridled desire, and tried to move forward again. She tried not to look at his body and the way it waved in the air so close to her thighs. But it was hard not to notice the size of him.
The Seacroft: a love story (Paines Creek Beach Book 2) Page 6
