Louise had to push the doubts out of her head. She should be relieved. She should be excited. She'd wanted a good challenge and she'd gotten it. Most importantly, she had a job and the threat of having to go back home was gone. For four weeks, anyway. That was better than returning in defeat before she'd even started.
For now, she had to remain determined and had to keep her mind on business. She reached into her back pocket for the small notebook she'd stuck there. In her usual style, she'd start with some lists. Lists of things that needed fixing, lists of chores, lists of horses and their health, and anything else she could think of. Then, after Trent left, she'd look over the files on the computer and make sure the office was organized.
After that, maybe she'd go online and try to come up with some promotional ideas. For now, she had a place of employment and enough work to keep her busy for every minute of the four weeks.
LONG AFTER THE lunch hour, Trent lingered at the café patio table where he'd eaten. The day had grown gray and dark clouds hung low, blocking out most of the sunlight. Michigan weather was known for is unpredictability, but this gloom didn't look like it was ever going away.
Trent shifted in his chair and pulled his jacket around his shoulders. He was avoiding Louise and her wonderful businesslike examination of the stupid stable. He was also avoiding a telephone call he had to make.
When he'd left his computer systems consulting firm the morning of his father's funeral, he'd told his business manager he'd be back in a week. That week was up, and it didn't look like he'd be returning anytime soon.
Thanks to email and telephones, his company would run smoothly without him on sight for a while. Concern about his absence wasn't what bothered him. What kept him sitting out in the cold was the sympathy he'd hear from his staff when he told them he'd be gone for four weeks. Everyone assumed he'd been deeply affected by his father's passing and he'd never bothered to correct their misplaced concerns.
The bright side, if there was one, was that after the month was up, everyone at the office would've forgotten about poor Trent's deceased father and gotten on with the business of business. He wouldn't have to put up with any more bouquets of flowers or sympathy cards.
The waitress came by and asked if he wanted more coffee. He glanced up, prepared to accept her offer, but the scowl marring her otherwise pretty face had him swallowing his words. He'd obviously been sitting there too long. “No, thanks. I'll just take my bill, please."
After he paid his bill, he hurried down Huron Street toward Hawk's. Because his cell couldn't seem to pick up any satellites while he was on the island, he was going to be tied to landlines for a while. He could use the phone there to make his call. It was closer than the hotel and he really needed to get the task over with.
The office was probably the last place Louise would go. She was sure to be inspecting the sorry-looking stalls, or the broken down tools, or some other worthless part of the business. Maybe after he'd called his office he'd go try out one of the many intriguing tiny pubs along the side streets. Sitting on a stool clutching a cold beer and watching baseball might be the best and most productive way to spend the rest of his afternoon.
THE TRIP TO Hawk's went quickly and Trent soon found himself at the fence surrounding the front yard. He spotted Louise talking with Pete; his reaction was instant. Against his will his hands warmed with the need to touch her and his mouth hungered for a taste of hers.
She stood with her back to him, holding up something that looked like a map. The rise of her arms created an arch in her back and Trent could easily imagine how she would feel pulled against him that way. The swing of her hips, when she turned from Pete to the map then back to Pete, forced a lump into Trent's throat.
The memory of how the delicate curve of her hips felt surfaced despite his efforts to hold it down. He remembered a lot more than that, but rehashing it all wasn't going to accomplish anything. All he wanted was to get to the phone and make that call. After he took care of that, he'd find one of those pubs and order that ice cold drink. Maybe a frosty beer would cool him off.
Trent avoided Louise, who was intent on her conversation, deciding to hop the fence and head in through the side door. He almost made it without being noticed, but chanced a look at Louise right before he slipped into the barn and as a result, he tripped in a hole.
"If you're going to go sneaking around, you should watch where you're going,” she said with a chuckle.
"Who said I was sneaking around?” he replied in his own defense.
She glanced pointedly toward the fence he'd hopped.
Frustration made him frown. “Don't you have something important to do?"
"As a matter of fact I do.” She stepped closer and smiled despite his grim expression. “And I'd like you to do it with me."
That caught his attention.
Without considering what he might be getting himself into, he headed toward her and Pete. He nodded a greeting at Pete and looked at the map Louise held. Solid and dotted lines of all the biking, hiking, and riding trails zigzagged across the island. “I didn't realizes the trails were so extensive,” he commented, genuinely surprised.
A bright flash of excitement lit up her eyes. “Isn't it great?"
At a loss for words, he shrugged. His gut tightened. Something was about to happen he wasn't going to like.
"Pete's going to get a horse for me, so I can explore the island. I'm sure he'll be happy to get one for you too."
Pete didn't wait for a response. “I'll get ‘em ready. Be right back."
The old man's back jerked side to side as he shuffled off. Then the meaning of her words sunk in. Louise wanted him to go riding with her.
"Will you be okay with those shoes, or do you have boots to wear?"
Trent looked down at his feet, as if seeing his shoes for the first time. What difference did it make? He looked at her feet. She had on the same tan lace up work boots she'd been wearing that morning.
She lifted one foot up, considering her footwear. “I used to have some show boots, but most of the time I wore these."
Show boots
. Of course she knew how to ride, and well. Trent did not like just realizing that fact as a pair of saddled horses was led to them. Pete handed him the reins of a huge white animal. He was supposed to sit on that thing?
Mischief glinted in Louise's eyes. “Guess those shoes will have to do."
She accepted the reins of a dark horse, scratched its neck, grabbed a chunk of mane, and like some cowgirl in a movie, swung into the saddle. The fluid motion made his head spin. If she expected him to do that, she was going to be disappointed. Or very entertained.
The white horse swished its tail impatiently. Everything was happening too fast. Why did they have to explore the island anyway?
She lifted one eyebrow and stared down at him. “You know how to ride, don't you?” He couldn't mistake the challenge in her voice.
Honesty was the only policy for this. “No, I don't."
She reached down to adjust her stirrup, or maybe to hide a smile. “Don't worry. I'll go easy on you."
That didn't sound promising. “You'll go easy on me?"
Her smile never faltered. “Of course."
"Maybe I'm not going with you."
"Yes you are.” She straightened in the saddle and moved her horse over so she stared down at him. “You own a riding stable, Trent. You have to ride."
So much for the phone call.
Disgusted for getting himself into the situation, he reached for the white horse's mane, the way he'd seen Louise and tried to swing into the saddle. The movement didn't feel smooth, but after a couple hard hops he managed to get himself into the saddle, and once again eye level with Louise.
"Okay, let's go,” he said with confidence he didn't yet feel.
Lucky for Trent his horse followed Louise's as she headed out of the yard. His feet swung and his thighs bounced hard against the saddle. After awhile, maybe he'd get used to the odd movement of the animal below him. The stiff saddle might be another story.
"I'll take care of things here,” Pete called after them. “You two take your time."
"Thanks, Pete,” replied Trent over his shoulder as he turned his attention to Louise. He couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. If riding behind her meant having a clear view of her feminine curves, he'd be happy to follow her lead.
They walked the horses along the side of Cadotte Avenue past The Majestic. Several children pointed and waved as they moved past the huge hill covered with families managing to enjoy the afternoon despite the gloomy weather. Once they were well beyond the hotel, a trail came into view. Louise stopped her horse. She lifted herself slightly out of the saddle, set one hand on her horse's back hip, and looked at him over her shoulder. “How're you doing?"
She had a knack for twisting her body into the most innocent, but alluring positions. “What?"
She rolled her eyes and pointed to the huge white animal under him. “How are you doing?"
"Oh, that.” He glanced at the big, brown saddle. What could go wrong? “Fine."
"You ready to move a little faster?"
Sticking with his honesty is best policy, Trent asked, “What do I have to do?"
"It's easy.” She turned her horse around so she faced him and waited for him to guide his horse up near hers.
"The first thing you have to remember is to relax your hips. Let them move naturally with the horse. If you don't, you'll bounce all over the place. Got that?"
Trent smirked. “Relax my hips."
"To get your horse to move, squeeze with both legs.” Louise ignored his leer. “Let's hope he'll canter for you. If he doesn't, he'll probably trot and it'll be bumpy. If he trots, keep squeezing your legs until he moves out. Believe me, a nice canter is a much easier ride. Got it,?"
Trent hadn't heard anything past
relax your hips and let them move naturally
. He abandoned his honesty policy and lied. “Sure, I got it."
After turning around, she guided her horse to the head of the trail and made a clicking sound. Her brown horse switched its tail and took off. Before Trent had a chance to even try and remember any of what she'd said, his horse sprang to life and raced down the trail.
At first it didn't seem too bad. He clung to the tall thing at the front of the saddle and managed to keep his balance. But his horse was intent on keeping up with Louise's, and Louise seemed bent on racing through the woods at break neck speed. The animal beneath him stretched low as it ran faster. With much effort, he managed to get a clear view of the trail ahead.
The big brown horse in front of him didn't seem to move with the same jarring motion as his white one. He watched Louise's back as she rocked in the saddle, one hand resting across her thigh. Why wasn't she clinging for dear life and being jostled all over the place like he was?
He continued to grip the saddle with both hands while branches whipped past his face. The reins slipped from his hand and drooped over the horse's neck. Trent figured he was probably supposed to use them to guide the animal, but what difference did it make with Louise leading the way? All he had to do was hang on. She would slow down eventually.
Wouldn't she?
Everything blurred past him as he bounced in the saddle. He was sure he and the animal were moving in opposite directions. Each time he went down, the horse rose up. It was a very painful combination.
Somewhere in the back of his mind he remembered Louise's advice about his hips. He loosened his death grip on the saddle and relaxed his legs and hips. For an instant he thought he'd done the right thing, he and the horse seemed to be in sync.
His victory was short-lived. The next thing he knew, he was sliding down the side of the animal. He floundered for the reins and missed the bouncing straps by scant inches.
White fur whizzed past.
He tumbled toward the ground ... face first.
WHEN THE STEADY pounding of Trent's horse faded, Louise slowed her mount and turned to look for him. She spotted his white horse right away, but Trent wasn't on it.
Her stomach knotted with concern. After she dodged a few branches to turn around, she cantered back down the trail.
By the time she reached him, he'd gotten himself upright and was sitting with his legs sprawled out in front of him, glaring at his horse. The animal lingered nearby, looking baffled by his rider's odd behavior.
She leaned down. “You all right?"
Either Trent didn't hear her, or didn't care to answer.
Uh oh.
She had a guilty feeling it was the latter and she wouldn't blame him if he was mad. She shouldn't have taken off the way she had, but somehow felt he'd had it coming. Sorta.
Trent nodded and muttered. He looked annoyed, but unharmed. She swung her leg over her horse and dropped to the ground. After she looped the reins over a low branch, she kneeled in front of him.
"Are you hurt?"
He smacked some dirt off his pants and looked up with a silly blank expression.
"I was relaxing my hips."
Louise breathed a sigh of relief, and held back a smile. So he had been listening to her instructions after all. “That should've kept you from falling off."
"That's what I thought.” He grinned, rising to his feet. His gaze darkened and skimmed across her middle. He stepped closer. “Letting them move naturally and all that."
Instantly, Louise reacted to the subtle change in his eyes and her breath caught in her throat. “I'm sorry."
"Sorry you told me your secret?"
"Secret?"
His mouth slanted into a sexy grin and he set his hands on his sides just below his waist. “About the hips."
She couldn't have imagined the suggestive tone in his voice or that smile.
How had his fall turned into an attempted seduction?
“It's not a secret."
He chuckled. “Then everybody knows how to do it?"
She shifted away from him, but he was too quick. She found herself standing inches from him, with his hands resting lightly on her waist.