It took them just over an hour to reach the grassy knoll, a secluded spot between the forest and the river. The river was narrow; large boulders protruded just above the water from its bed. Ben helped Nora down and then let the horses drink from the river before he tied them to a nearby tree. He fished around in the saddlebags behind Stargazer’s saddle for a blanket and their lunch.
“Let me help you with that.” Nora took a corner of the blanket, and they stretched it out over the soft grass. They knelt and spread out the contents of the bag. Ben had packed two sandwiches, chips–Nora thought, I have to remember to call them crisps–two bottles of water, and a few oatmeal raisin cookies. They settled in and ate their sandwiches.
“Thanks, this is great.” Nora took another bite.
“Sure. I didn’t think I could mess up ham and cheese.” Ben took a swig of water as she chuckled. “What did you think of your first riding lesson? Do you like being on horseback?”
“I love it. It’s so freeing, and it makes me feel connected to nature.” Nora stared off in the distance, feeling peaceful. “Riding through the countryside on the back of a large animal seems daunting right now, but I can see how it would be very relaxing.” Nora focused her gaze back on Ben. “I’m really happy I tried this. Thank you for teaching me what to do.”
“You are a natural. I’m glad you are enjoying it.” Ben cheered. “I really enjoy riding. I regret I’m too busy to take long rides. This is one of my favorite spots. It’s great for swimming during the warm summer days.”
After their lunch they strolled along the river. Ben collected some flat stones while they chatted about various things. When they stopped, Ben started to skim the stones over the water. “It’s my boyhood pastime–I can’t resist!”
Nora thought his grin was as boyish as his skipping game. She bent to retrieve two choice stones near her feet and positioned one in her hand. “Mind if I try?” Nora threw the best skim of her life. One stone kissed the surface of the water five times before sinking into its depths.
“Wow, that was a good one! I didn’t know you were an expert,” Ben joked.
“Two words: summer camp.”
They spent the next ten minutes hunting for more stones and watching each other try to beat the other’s skims. Nora was proud that her five hops held the record.
“Okay, I can’t beat you. I give up.” Ben’s green eyes twinkled with mirth. “We’d best get back.”
“Will we be having dinner with your dad and Judy?” Nora asked as they folded the blanket.
“No, they are out of town for the week attending a wedding event. The son of a friend of my father’s is getting married at the end of the week in London. Apparently there are going to be several days of golfing beforehand.” He cast a glance at her. “So it’s just us. Don’t worry. Judy left us something for dinner, and I picked up some beer and a movie.” He buckled the saddlebag. “I thought we could hang in tonight. I figured you might be tired after flying through the night. If you are up for it tomorrow night, there is a pretty cool pub in town where I hang out sometimes.”
“I’m sorry to have missed your parents,” Nora said as Ben helped her mount. He handed her the reins. After Ben was in the saddle, he clucked at the horses to move forward. As they swayed along together, Nora said, “It’s thoughtful of you, Ben. The first night overseas is the hardest for me. Like everyone else, I don’t sleep well on a plane. Relaxing and watching a movie sounds great.”
When they got back, Keegan, the other veterinarian she’d met before, welcomed Nora back to Westborough Meadows. Nora explained that Ben was teaching her to ride. Ben tended to their horses as Keegan went on about Ben’s special knack with horses and said Ben’s sister, Corrine, could ride any horse. “Too bad Corrine wasn’t around. Now, she’s something to see.” Nora detected admiration in Keegan’s voice.
Keegan needed Ben’s attention about a stallion, so Nora took the opportunity to head inside and take a shower before dinner. After a soothing shower to wash away the dust, she checked her phone and saw that Bree had tried to call her.
The sun was starting to go down as she took the steps down to the kitchen, and Nora began to notice she was weary. The thought of spending the night alone with Ben in the empty house sent the butterflies in her stomach fluttering, but she was feeling so tired that she didn’t think anything could possibly happen that night.
Ben came into the kitchen and began to wash his hands. Nora hung up her cell phone after a quick call to Bree and then filled Molly’s bowl with fresh water and rubbed her head.
Molly lapped the water noisily, and Ben smiled at Nora, who clearly felt comfortable making herself at home. Nora was wearing yoga pants and a tank top, her long wet hair hanging down her back. “Bree says hello,” Nora informed Ben as he dried his hands at the sink. “Everything go okay?”
Ben gave her a brief version of the stallion’s medical condition as he dragged a large Dutch oven out of the refrigerator and lifted the lid.
Nora peeked over his shoulder. “Beef stew?”
“Yeah, it slow-cooked all day yesterday before they left, and it smelled really good. I can’t wait to try it.” Ben reached in the cabinet for some ceramic crocks and loaded them up with stew. He positioned them in the microwave, clicked the door closed, and then pressed buttons until Nora heard it whirl to life.
“I’ll feed Molly. Where is her food?” Ben directed Nora to a cabinet stocked with canned dog food and various dog treats. Molly gave Ben a glance before following Nora around the room. When Nora noticed the dog’s confusion she smiled at its owner. Continuing with her task she felt Ben’s eyes following her as she fed his dog.
The hot beef stew, accompanied by some crusty bread, was on the table within a few minutes. Ben grabbed two pale ales from the refrigerator.
After their meal, they washed and dried the dishes side by side, Nora commenting on Bree and Evan’s plans for their weekend in London.
“Another beer?” Ben asked as he opened the refrigerator.
“I’ll just have some water.” Nora was full and tired, and she knew another beer would put her right to sleep. She helped herself to a glass of water from the tap before they went into the den. “What movie did you get?”
“It’s a thriller.” He told her the name of the new release.
Nora had not heard of the movie; she dreaded watching anything scary. She truly hated scary movies. But she didn’t want to be rude, so she replied, “Sounds cool.”
Ben slid in the DVD, grabbed the remote control, and lounged on the sofa. Nora sat in the armchair and curled her feet under her. Molly settled in on the floor under Ben’s outstretched legs. After fifteen minutes, Nora transferred to the sofa next to Ben. At his questioning look, she explained, “This is creeping me out.” Several times she covered her eyes; Ben offered to shut it off. Nora was relieved when it was finally over. Ben switched over to a music station, and they chatted for a little while.
Nora’s yawns and drooping eyelids forced Ben to declare, “It’s bedtime. Let me know if you need anything.” They climbed the stairs, stopping at Nora’s door. “There are extra blankets in that chest.” Ben pointed to an ornately carved chest at the foot of the bed. “Sometimes summer nights can get cool.”
“Thanks, Ben. Goodnight.” Nora watched as he went to the next room across the hall. Molly was waiting in the doorway for him. He gave Nora a silent wave, and Molly followed him into the room without a look back. The door closed.
Nora brushed her hair, which had finally dried, and changed into her summer pajamas. As tired as she was, she couldn’t turn off the small lamp on the bedside table. Scary images from the movie were haunting her. I am such a scaredy cat. She got out of bed and grabbed a book from her suitcase. She was chilled in her tank top and shorts, and she dashed back under the covers. Every time her eyes drifted closed, she saw the twisted face of the killer in the movie. Why didn’t I confess that I can’t watch that stuff? Just then she h
eard a noise. She sat up, frozen, listening as the noise drew closer. She jumped at the quiet knock on her door. The door remained open a crack, but she couldn’t see anything in the dark hallway. Then she heard her name.
“Nora? Are you still awake?”
Relief washed over her when she recognized Ben’s voice.
“Ben!” she whispered. “Come in.”
The door swung slowly inward, and Ben emerged from the darkness wearing a plaid robe. He was barefoot, his hair damp. He rested his back against the doorframe. “Why are you still up? I saw your light was on.”
“Well…I’m too freaked out to sleep. I have to confess I can’t watch scary movies. I’ll never be able to fall asleep. I know I’m ridiculous.” She offered him a pretty pout of her bottom lip.
“Nora, why didn’t you tell me? I’m sorry.” He raked his fingers through his damp hair. “I should have asked what you preferred.” He sat at the end of her bed.
“It’s okay. I’m just silly. I slept with my parents for a week after I saw Jaws,” she admitted.
A thought played crossed Ben’s face. “Move over. I’ll keep you company until you fall asleep.”
“You don’t have to do that!” Nora felt foolish. She shouldn’t have said anything. Ben is so thoughtful. But she worried about how she would handle him lying in bed next to her.
“It’s my fault. Move over.”
Nora closed her book and placed it on the nightstand. She scooted to the other side of the double bed. Ben kept his robe on and rested on top of the bedding. Before he reached over to extinguish the lamp, he turned to look at her face, washed clean of makeup. She watched his eyes move to her hair, which cascaded around her bare shoulders over the covers she held snug to her chest.
Ben whispered, “Goodnight.” He turned off the lamp, and she heard him swallow and sigh. He lay very still.
Nora tried not to think about his warm, hard body next to her. Her sleepy voice stifled a yawn. “Thank you, Ben. Goodnight.”
Once her breathing became slow and even, Ben slipped quietly from the bed. He paused in the doorway for a moment, looking at her sleeping form, before he turned and went to his own room.
Chapter Nineteen
The next morning Nora found a note on the kitchen counter that read, Meet Me Out In The Stables. Help Yourself To Breakfast. After drinking a cup of coffee and eating a vanilla-bean scone, Nora made her way outside to look for Ben.
Ben was in his makeshift office in a horse stall at the end of a barn when Keegan walked in with Nora. “This is his hideaway,” Keegan told her. She thanked him for helping her find Ben.
Ben’s office looked like it belonged to the Nutty Professor. There was a large chalkboard on a stand with various drawings of horses and stats scrawled across its chalky surface. Several bookcases were stuffed with books, manuals, and papers. The counter space was cluttered with an assortment of medicinal jars. A locked glass-front cabinet held prescription medications. Ben’s desk was home to thick bound books, and a laptop computer barely fit on the cramped workspace. Nora thought, He looks nerdy in the hottest way!
Ben looked up with a bright smile. “Hey there! I was just finishing up.”
“Good morning. Take your time. If you need to get other things done, I can–”
“Nah,” he cut her off. “I’m done.” He shut the laptop lid and slipped it into a worn leather shoulder bag that hung on the back of his wooden swivel chair. When he stood up, Molly appeared from under his desk.
“This is quite an office.” Her remark begged the question why he worked in this cramped space.
Ben grinned at his surroundings. Over time he had borrowed unwanted furniture from the main house. “There is a proper office up at the house–” he shrugged–“but it’s too far from the horses. Besides, this place helps me think.”
“It must be freezing in the winter.”
He dismissed her concern. “I dress in layers, remember,” he said as he passed her. He continued into the hall, and the dog followed.
They walked to the barn that housed Stargazer, where Ben quizzed her on the equipment. Nora was sure she impressed him by remembering each item.
“Do you think you can saddle her?”
They worked together to tack up Stargazer, and Nora felt confident walking the horse into the paddock. This time it only took her two tries to mount the mare. Ben praised her success, and Nora couldn’t help but blush under his astute attention.
In the paddock, Ben taught her that horses have distinct ways of walking and running: the walk, the trot, the canter, and the gallop. “The gait we’ll work on today is the trot.” He used a long lead to circle Stargazer around the yard at a trot, instructing her to rise and fall in what he called “posting” until he felt Nora could handle the movement. He removed the lead and allowed Nora to trot Stargazer on her own. After a while, they led the horse to water before removing her tack and putting her back in her stall. They took this time to go into the house to pack lunch and use the loo.
“Where are we off to today?” Nora inquired as she helped him gather sandwich makings.
“We’re off to the high ground. A trail will take us up into some higher hills–not too steep. The elevation will challenge your balance some and give you a different feel while riding.” He wrapped the sandwiches in parchment paper. He pointed to the cookie jar on the counter. Nora knew he wanted her to get the oatmeal raisin cookies stored inside. She bagged two for each of them and broke the last cookie in the jar in half; they shared it. She rinsed the cookie jar in the sink, and he filled the cooler bag with drinks and a bag of baby carrots.
They saddled up and mounted and trotted off easily. Nora enjoyed the quicker pace. By the time they reached their destination Nora started to feel her inner thigh muscles, butt, and knees ache. Even her back began to hurt. Dismounting seemed like a great idea, and her legs nearly buckled when she hit the ground. She laughed and remarked, “Gosh, I thought riders just sat there!”
Ben took halters and leads from the saddlebags; he haltered and tied the horses loosely so they could graze on the bright green grass. He hung their bridles on a dead branch and returned with the blanket and lunch bag. “Are you holding up all right?”
“I’m fine. I’m just using muscles I haven’t used–probably ever…” She pursed her lips. I definitely need to exercise more. Riding is a great workout. I bet Ben is in amazing shape. He looks like it, even with his clothes on. Then she wondered what he would look like with his shirt off. She cast her eyes downward to avoid his gaze, feeling guilty, as if he caught her with that naughty thought.
Ben chuckled at her comment. “We can picnic at the top of that ridge.” He pointed to the hilltop, shaded by an old oak tree. “Do you think you can make it?” he teased.
“I think I can manage,” she said and followed him up the hill. “Wow, look at that!” Just over the rise was a view of the whole valley. A village nestled there, three church spires pointing toward the blue sky. She swiveled to look down the hill they’d just ascended and then back at the valley. She breathed in the cool, fresh air and sighed. “Ben, this is a great spot. How did you find this place?”
He laughed. “It’s England. There are lots of great spots, especially by horseback.” Nora turned. Ben had already spread the blanket under the shade. He stretched out across the woolen fabric, and she was quick to join him. He folded his arms behind his head and gazed up at the passing white clouds. She sat with her legs curled to one side and admired Ben’s handsome face. Nora noticed that the bright day had turned his eyes a lighter shade of gray-green. A relaxed smile rested on his full lips, and the breeze ruffled his hair. “What a nice day. There is always a great breeze up here,” he murmured. Nora observed the outline of his flat stomach, his ribcage, and his smooth chest through his T-shirt.
“It’s lovely. You said you’re too busy to ride, so how often do you come up here?” When he fixed his gaze on her, she felt fidgety. She reached u
p and unfastened her hair clip to adjust her hair, loosened during the jostling ride. It cascaded down her back, and she raked her fingers through it until it poofed out like a cloud around her shoulders and streamed down over her breasts. She made a mental note to visit the salon when she returned home. It was getting too long and was harder to keep coiled in a bun for her job.
“Aahhh.” Ben seemed distracted by Nora’s hair. “It’s been awhile. To tell the truth, I’m always working. I only take time off to be with my family and friends when something is going on. I’d like to spend more time riding though.” He grinned at her. “Now, thanks to you, I have someone to enjoy this day with. Otherwise, I’d have my nose buried in a medical journal.”
Nora scooted down on the blanket and lay back, mimicking Ben. She swung her hair over one shoulder and dropped her hair clip on the blanket as she got comfortable. Her hair fanned out to tickle his underarm, forcing him to roll to his side with his head propped on one elbow. “Yeah, I could get used to this,” she sighed.
Ben looked at her intently.
This is it. She had dreamed of this moment so many nights. Her heart started to drum a little faster… And then her cell phone buzzed in her back pocket, making her jump. She was so startled that she shot up into a sitting position and yanked it from her pocket. No! Antonio! Ugh. Figures he’d pick the perfect time to ruin my first kiss with Ben!
“Sorry.” She shot Ben a frazzled look.
Ben had sat up and suggested they eat lunch.
The moment was gone.
Nora cautiously broached the subject of last night. “So, umm, thanks again for coming to my rescue last night. I feel like such an idiot.”
Flying Backwards Page 20
