Time for No One by Lynne Anders

Author:Lynne Anders [Anders, Lynne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-02-09T16:00:00+00:00

* * * * *

Ryker and I sit astride our horses and slowly walk them down the main trail. We haven’t encountered any problems during the ride, but Moonlight is not happy with our pace. She continues to tug at the reins.

We’re almost to the campsite when a fallen tree limb stalls our progress.

I tighten Moonlight’s reins. “Good thing we didn’t let the horses have their way. That could have been a problem.”

I steer her out of the way, while Ryker lassoes the tree limb and has Cisco drag it from the trail.

They make the process look easy, and I shake my head. “I thought we’d have to carry that sucker. Nice having a horse do it for us.”

Ryker grins. “Just one of the perks.” He retrieves his rope and restores it to the saddle horn. “Let’s check out the campsite and maybe have our lunch there.”

When I dismount Moonlight at our destination, I stumble back into Ryker’s arms and laugh. “Sorry. I guess I need to get used to riding again.”

“I suppose you do,” he whispers into my hair and releases me quickly.

I turn and expect to find him watching me, but he’s already moved to Cisco and is removing Rosie’s packed lunch from his saddle bags. He’s being exceptionally nice, I have to give him that. No amount of “nice” will sway me from my ultimate goal of marrying Jason, though. I’m playing a role right now. My only hope is that I can keep it up for a year.

Before I assist Ryker laying out our lunch, I pull my cell from my saddle bag to check for messages.

“You won’t receive anything this far out. Sorry. You’ll have to wait until we are back at the house.” Ryker tosses a blanket to the ground next to the empty campfire.

“I wanted to see if Annette had responded to my text last night. I’m just checking on my mom.”

Ryker’s slender fingers untie the strings of the lunch bags, and he pulls out a couple of food containers, utensils, and a couple of glasses. When he opens the second bag, he holds a bottle of wine in his hand. He turns the bottle and chuckles.

“I guess we’re celebrating your special night last night. Care to join me in a toast, Briley?”

Uh… is he going to try to get me drunk? He must know I won’t drink too much and get back on a horse.

“Maybe. What do you have?”

I grab the bottle from his hand. It’s from a local winery, Beaux Freres Vineyard. The Pinot Noir is from 2015. Hmm. I hand the bottle back to questioning eyes.

“What?”

Ryker shrugs his shoulders. “You look like you don’t trust me. I promised you, Briley, I wouldn’t do anything to pressure you. This is just a small celebration between friends. No strings. No expectations.”

His thoughtfulness surprises me, but appeasing him is part of my agenda. “Then, yes. I will have a drink with you to celebrate the birth last night. Have you chosen a name for the foal?”

Ryker opens and spreads the blanket on the grass.

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