Unwanted Heat

Scott leads us around the fence where we come to a smaller enclosed area with two horses are waiting patiently. For the next hour, he reviews everything we need to know about the horses. I will be riding a horse named Amber, for her beautiful color, who Scott assures me is their most gentle horse. Nicholas will be leading with Max, a slightly larger horse.

“Are you ready, Kenzie?” Scott asks.

“I hope so,” I try to force myself to relax.

“Just remember, the horses know where they’re going. They won’t lead you off the path, so don’t worry about getting lost or anything.”

“I’m more worried about falling off!”

“It’s never happened here, but in the event it does, that’s why you’re wearing a helmet. They don’t spook easily, and there’s nothing on this trail that would bother them. In fact, they just came back from the trip a couple of hours ago.”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Okay…”

I let out the breath I was holding and nod, Nicholas squeezes my hand before leaning in and gently kissing me. Getting up on the horse is a lot scarier than I thought; for some reason the seat didn’t look so high when I was standing next to the horse, but being up here now is completely different. After some adjustments, Scott declares I’m set to ride. When I look up, I find Nicholas is already on his horse, patiently waiting for me.

I gently nudge the horse as Scott instructed, and Amber quickly follows Max. I’m holding the reins tightly, convinced I’m going to fall off each time I bounce in the saddle. Nicholas leads us along a worn trail, into the woods but it takes me quite a while to relax enough to actually look at anything other than the horse I’m riding.

“You okay?” he turns to look back at me.

“I think so.”

“Try to relax, you’ll enjoy it more if you do,” he chuckles.

“I’m trying.”

“We’ll stop in a little while for some lunch-”

“We’re going to stop? How do I get off of her?” I know he didn’t bring the stool I used to climb up here with us.

“You’ll be fine, I’ll help you down.”

I try not to worry about that, instead I slowly try to do what Nicholas suggested and relax. The area really is beautiful, I don’t think there’s anyone else out here but us today. I definitely can’t hear anyone and the parking lot was empty when we pulled in.

By the time we stop, I can see why Nicholas said he wasn’t scared at the end of his first lesson. As scared as I was when we started off, I’m less so now. He quickly hops off his horse, as if it’s something he does every day, and ties the reins around a large wooden post. He does the same to Amber, before coming to the side to help me down.

“Put all your weight on this foot and just swing your other leg over.

I’ll help guide you down,” he instructs.

It’s incredibly awkward, but I follow his instructions. With his hands firm on my hips, he guides me from the horse. He steps closer to me, so there isn’t much space between my back and his front. He quickly unhooks the helmet, gently putting it next to his on the ground. He turns me around, so we’re facing each other, but doesn’t add any space between us.

“What did you think?” he asks.

“Oh God, that was amazing! I was so scared at first, but once I finally relaxed… it was amazing! It’s so beautiful out here… breathtaking. Thank you for sharing this with me,” I stand on my toes, wrap my arms around his neck and hug him tightly. I think I caught him by surprise because it takes a few seconds before he wraps his arms around my waist. I don’t know how long we stay like that, but as I slide back down to my feet, our eyes meet. I don’t move my arms from his neck, and he doesn’t move his from my waist. In fact, our bodies are still touching as if neither of us wants to pull away just yet.

I don’t know who initiates it, but the next thing I know, our lips meet, and the spark that I felt the last night when we kissed is once again there. The kiss starts off gentle and slow but is quickly deepened when we both grant each other the access we’re seeking. Nicholas’s hands slowly move from my waist, sliding up and down my back and my sides as we kiss. When I run my fingers through his hair, he groans just barely loud enough for me to hear him. I want to touch more of him; I want to run my hands down his chest so I can feel the muscles that I saw when we went swimming on the boat.

“We should get going,” his heavy breathing matches mine when he pulls back just barely enough so I can hear him.

“We probably should,” I admit but I don’t move either. “Thank you for sharing this with me; it really was an amazing experience.”

“I’m glad you were here too,” he kisses me one last time before taking me by the hand and leading me away from the horses.

My face flushes with the realization of what just happened, and then of course, my mind goes into overdrive, analyzing what, if anything, it meant. There was no press around, no parents, no one except us. There was no one to put the act on for; yet that kiss was one of the most passionate ones we have shared. Last night’s kiss on the dance floor at dinner, I chalked up to the photographer; I figured Nicholas just wanted to drive the point home to the press so there would be no doubt that we were still together. Today though… there was no one around to put on a show for. I’m not sure what to think about what just happened; of course, I enjoyed it but I don’t want things to get complicated between us.

I follow Nicholas through the trees, to a small open area that has a blanket laid out in the grass, and a picnic basket set out on it. I had no idea what to expect when he said we were going to stop for lunch, but a picnic lunch on a blanket in the middle of nowhere was definitely not one of them. When we reach the blanket, he turns around and drops to one knee, completely surprising me even more.

“Kenzie…” He takes a deep breath before reaching into his pocket, pulling out a small black square box. “The day I met you on the sidewalk that rainy afternoon, I knew you were like no one I had ever met. You were the first woman who ever tried to refuse money from me; it was in that moment that I knew you saw me for me and not for my bank account. You shocked me again when we met to negotiate our contract with Bridget and you had no idea who I was. I had expected after that afternoon on the sidewalk you would have gone home and searched me out on the internet.

“Since we met, you have continued to surprise and amaze me. You’re a strong, independent and beautiful woman who puts others before her own needs. I am glad that Bridget brought us together; that she sent me your profile that day so many months ago. You have helped me in more ways than you will ever know, and one day I hope to be able to do the same for you. I never expected a friendship to have come from a contract with Bridget, but I am very thankful one did. I have enjoyed spending time with you these last few months, and I look forward to getting to know you further. Kenzie, will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit.