We follow a narrow path through the trees riding side-by-side, and it feels intimate and secluded. Sabin seems so completely in his element out here. It’s surprising to see how relaxed and happy he is. Most of our interactions are tense or aggressive, and I’m not really sure what to do with this chatty comfortable version of Sabin.

“You’re a natural,” he tells me. “You picked everything up really fast.”

“Well you’re a good teacher, and there’s also the fact that if I see something, I can pretty much do it. My magic’s weird like that.”

He chuckles and leans over to lift some low hanging branches out of the way. I duck under Sabin’s outstretched arm, and my leg rubs up against his as Darcy and I pass by. It sends tingles and unwanted awareness throughout my body.

Sabin releases the branches that he’s holding back, and one snaps down and clips Darcy on the butt. Darcy rockets forward, and I squeak in surprise at the sudden acceleration. He thunders down the narrow path, all muscle and power, and trees shoot past me in a blur as I try to keep from falling off. Everything I just learned in the paddock rattles around in my head as I hold on for dear life.

Fuck, this horse is fast. I squeeze my thighs against Darcy’s sides and push up in the stirrups to crouch in the saddle. I have no idea if this is going to help or make it easier to fall off. But trying to keep my ass in the saddle or find any kind of sweet spot in the rhythm as Darcy runs for his life, just isn’t happening.

Out of nowhere Sabin and Bennet flash past. Sabin maneuvers Bennet in front of Darcy cutting off his open track to run. Bennet starts to slow to force Darcy to slow down too, and I pull back on his reins to assist the stop running message I’m hoping will sink in. It works, and Darcy gradually slows down and comes to a stop. Sabin whips around on Bennet and comes to a stop next to Darcy and me.

He pulls me off of Darcy’s back and into his lap. He starts running his eyes all over me and patting me down to make sure I’m okay. I breathe heavy as adrenaline-soaked blood flows through my veins. Now that I’m no longer at risk for falling off and getting injured, or possibly killed, I can’t fight the smile that takes over my face.

I start to laugh, and Sabin freezes his panicked assessment for injuries and looks down at me wide-eyed.

“Are you okay?” he asks me, cupping my face with his hands.

“That was fucking crazy. Holy shit, he can move. Let’s do it again, and you can teach me how to manage at that speed, instead of just hanging on and hoping I don’t bite it.”

I giggle, and it’s ten percent hysterical and ninety percent amused excitement. Next thing I know Sabin’s mouth is on mine. His lips slowly and hesitantly caress my own, and he nips and nibbles coaxing me to respond to him. I hesitate for the slightest of seconds before I answer the question in his kiss.

I claim his mouth like he’s claiming mine, and heat and want shoot through me. He pulls me even closer to him; one hand around my waist and the other tangled in my hair, as he thoroughly and skillfully kisses me into oblivion.

For someone I was convinced didn’t like me, Sabin’s kiss is incredibly erotic and powerful. Every inch of me is on fire, and there isn’t a single thought in my head other than how to get more of him. Unexpectedly, a slightly wet and warm horse nose nudges against my hip, making me squeak in surprise and snap back into reality.

I push against Sabin’s hard chest, and he reluctantly lets me go. I jump out of his lap and off of Bennet’s back. My feet thump against the packed dirt of the narrow trail, and I pant as I look everywhere but at Sabin and his mind-blowing lips. I touch my sensitive mouth and look over to see that Darcy is just watching us. Perv.

“Figures Captain Cockblock would have a cockblock for a horse," I mutter not sure if I’m grateful or irritated with the interruption.

“I’m never going to get rid of that fucking nickname, am I?” he asks and lets out a sigh that ends with an amused chuckle.

I’ve never heard Sabin laugh as much as he has on this outing, and as much as I like the deep rich tone of it, his levity is also unsettling.

“Well, up until thirty seconds ago, you earned it fair and square. I didn’t know you had that in you, Captain."

Maybe I did actually fall and hit my head, and this is all some elaborate coma-fantasy, I offhandedly wonder as I grab Darcy’s reins and pat his neck. Sabin jumps down off of Bennet’s back and runs his hands over Darcy, checking his legs and feet for injuries.

“I was terrified you were going to fall off and smash into a tree. You did everything absolutely right.”

Sabin stares at me with obvious relief and something else I’m not sure if I’m seeing correctly. We both just stand there, staring at each other, neither one of us sure what the hell to do now.

“So, what the fuck was that?” I blurt uncensored.

He rubs the back of his neck and stares at the ground for a second before answering me.

“Well, that’s what we casters like to call a kiss.”

I roll my eyes at Sabin’s smart ass response, but I don’t miss the slight blush that creeps up his neck and into his dimpled cheeks.

“Have you been body snatched?” I ask randomly, and take a dramatic step back.

Sabin snorts and shakes his head.

“No, no body snatching. Although if I was, I probably wouldn’t admit to it.”

I huff at his solid logic. He studies me for a couple more seconds and then takes a deep breath.

“I wasn’t planning on kissing you. I just wanted to talk to you, to get to know you better. That was my only goal with all of this.” He gestures to the horses. “But I was just so fucking relieved you were okay. Then you were smiling and laughing and just so damn beautiful. I just didn’t want to stop myself anymore. I didn’t want to hold back. I’m sorry.”

Sabin’s candid confession astounds me, and I look back and forth between his deep forest-green eyes, not sure what to think or say.

“Valen was right when he told me I needed to stop being afraid. I thought I was being smart and protected by keeping my distance, but really I was just scared and fighting what I now realize was inevitable.”

“Sabin, you don’t even like me,” I say, confused.

“Vinna, that’s not true. I was drawn to you from the first minute I saw you, but it scared the shit out of me. You fit so seamlessly with us, and I convinced myself you were too good to be true. I know I fucked up and pushed you away. I hate that I did that. I hate that it hurt you. I realized just how wrong I was the night my runes showed up.”

Sabin brushes the back of his hand lightly against my cheek.

“I could feel that rightness that you and the others were talking about. I could feel my magic responding and being strengthened by yours. Magic in its basest form is pure, and my magic wants to be tied to yours. That blew all of my doubts and reservations away. It forced me to wake up and see you for what you are.”

“What’s that?” I ask quietly.

“Ours.”

Sabin’s gaze is filled with such raw intensity that I look away, not able to take it and process what he’s saying at the same time. Forgiveness is not a talent of mine, and I’m not sure where that leaves any of this. I knew when all of us agreed to try for a relationship that Sabin was included in that scenario. I guess, I just never gave much thought to what it would look like if he pulled his head out of his ass.

“I think Darcy may have a shoe loose. It’s probably best not to keep riding him. We can double up on Bennet and head back.”

Sabin ties Darcy up to Bennet’s saddle and swings himself up onto her back. He puts a hand out for me, and I grab it. I expect him to position me behind him, but he swings me up in front of him instead. His saddle is different than mine. There’s no horn to hold onto in the front, so it’s not completely uncomfortable, just awkward. I’m half in Sabin’s lap and half on Bennet’s shoulder area.

He clicks Bennet into action, and we slowly start to trace our steps back to the stables. The feel of Sabin at my back is comforting and welcome in a way that it shouldn’t be. Not with everything that’s gone on with us. Apparently, a mind-blowing kiss is all I need to abandon good sense. I get what he’s saying about our magic making it clear what we should do. I felt drawn to these guys before I could make sense of it, and right now with him is no different.

“Sabin, how am I supposed to trust this?” I ask earnestly after we’ve been riding in weighted silence for a while.

“I don’t expect you to let everything slide, or give me your complete trust after everything that’s happened. I just need you to let me earn it. Give me a chance. Let me show you the other sides to who I am. I am more than Captain Cockblock.”

I can’t help the snicker that escapes my lips, and I feel Sabin’s vibrating laughter in his chest.

It’s tempting to draw out my hurt over what’s happened between us, but I realize in this moment, that I can’t. Yeah, it seriously sucks that things have gone down the way that they have. But like Bastien said, if we’re going to make things work, we have to own our shit, fix the issues, and move on. Plus, I can’t lie, kissing him is a level of amazing I could seriously get used to.

I huff in resignation.

“Fine, you rein in your controlling bullshit, and I’ll put on my big girl panties and move past what’s happened,” I offer hesitantly.

“I can do that,” he agrees, and I can hear the smile in his tone.

He places a soft kiss on my shoulder, and the minute his lips connect with the runes there, I shiver at the contact.

“Something about you guys touching my runes fucks with my magic. It sets off a cyclone in my chest every time. I’m not sure what it means, but unless you want to find out right now, it’s probably best not to feed the tornado,” I tell him.

I can feel the vibration of his laughter in my chest, and it makes me feel warm and lighter.

“Alright, until I’m battle ready I’ll steer clear of your runes.”

I nod in agreement and absently trace his gorgeous tattoo with my eyes. His arms are wrapped around me as we ride back and I’m finally close enough to take in the details. I find a silhouette of a deer tucked into the trunks of the trees, and the stars are so life like I almost make a wish on one that’s falling. I feel like I’m staring at an incredible picture instead of ink in skin.

“I’ll take you there sometime,” Sabin tells me, catching my intense focus on his sleeve of tattoos.

“Where is this?”

“It’s here in Solace. It’s somewhere I love to go to just sit and sort things through. You may not know this, but I can be a bit serious and over think things sometimes. This is my place to sit and make sense of it all.”

I chuckle and lean back into Sabin’s chest. We both relax into each other and fall into a companionable silence as we make our way back to the stables.