“Are you a cowboy?” I ask him, eyeing the way that sweat is rolling off his abdomen. I fight the urge to lick it.
Gross. Lick sweat? What is wrong with me?
Am I a freak?
He smiles. “Yes, I guess you could say that. I like to ride things. Does that make you nervous?”
I stare him blankly. “Nervous? Why would I be…oh.” His meaning hits me like a truck and I blush. “I get it. You like to ride things.”
I smile, even though I’m pretty sure my mom would kill me for engaging in this conversation. But what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her, right?
“And, no,” I add. “I’m not nervous. I can handle anything.”
“But you don’t even know who you are,” Quinn reminds me with another grin. “So how can you handle anything?”
I love the fact that he doesn’t pussy-foot around me. Everyone else has been and it has grown so annoying. I don’t need to be handled with kid gloves. I’m not going to break.
“True,” I concede. “What all do you ride, beside women and horses?”
Quinn’s dark eyes sparkle. And I find myself transfixed by that. His eyes are such a dark brown, like a rich gourmet chocolate. I’m mesmerized by them.
“I ride four-wheelers, horses, bulls, you name it. But I haven’t seen any bulls in Caberra yet, so I’ve settled for Titan. Dante bought him for Reece when they were still here. She told me that I can mess with him.”
He gestures toward the enormous devil of a horse behind him. I eye the beast cautiously.
“Titan looks a little dangerous,” I point out. Quinn only grins. He’s so relaxed in his worn-out jeans and boots. He’s like the epitome of country charm. I gulp.
“Oh, I sort of like a little danger from time to time,” he tells me. “It keeps things interesting.”
“Oh, really?” I shake my head. “It’s all fun and games until you wind up in the hospital.”
Quinn laughs. “I’m very good at handling danger, so don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”
“Will it?” I ask and Quinn nods.
“Yes.”
And I don’t even know what we’re talking about anymore. I’ve been distracted by his handsome good looks and his charm and all of the sexual innuendoes that have been flying around.
“Do you want a ride?” Quinn asks. I’m startled because I’ve been staring so hard into his eyes that I wasn’t expecting him to speak.
“On Titan?” I stutter.
He laughs.
“Unless you have a better idea,” he says with one brow raised. He patiently waits for my answer while I die of embarrassment. I can literally feel the heat splashing across my cheeks.
“Uh, no. I don’t have a better idea,” I stammer. I don’t know where my wits have all gone. They seem to be missing in action. I curse them silently and order them to come back. They silently laugh at me and then run for the hills. I have rogue wits.
Quinn’s damned eyes continue to sparkle.
“Well, that’s a pity. If you think of something, let me know. Until then, yes, I was speaking of the horse.”
“I don’t know how to ride,” I tell him. “At least, I don’t think I do. Do I?”
Quinn shakes his head. “I don’t know. You and I just met awhile back. Horses aren’t all that common here in Caberra, though. So I doubt it. But I heard that you’ll be staying here for a while. Maybe I could teach you. We could work out a trade. You teach me to swim, I’ll teach you to ride.”
I stare at him hesitantly. “I don’t know if I remember how to swim. But if I do, I’ll be happy to teach you.”
Quinn throws his head back and laughs.
“Mia, you are a constant surprise. I never know what to think with you. I like it. Okay, it’s a deal. If you remember how to swim, you can teach me. And I’ll teach you to ride regardless. Deal?”
I nod immediately, because the image of me sitting in front of him on that horse, leaned back against his strong chest between his legs, is enough to give me heart palpations.
For real.
“Deal,” I agree.
“Now, how about I lead you around for a bit on Titan. I’ll have a hold of his head the whole time so there is nothing to be afraid of,” Quinn tells me. My chin automatically juts out on its own accord.
“I’m not afraid of anything,” I announce. And then I’m startled by that. I’m not? Those words came out on their own. I didn’t even think about them. It was Old Mia talking. Maybe I like her, after all.
Quinn appraises me and there is appreciation in his eyes.
“Come on, then,” he tells me, holding his large hand out. I take it and he leads me into the paddock. He holds his hand out to Titan, who huffs a big breath out of his gigantic flared nostrils before he steps closer to Quinn.
Quinn snaps a lead rope into the ring on the halter and I fight the urge to run. What was I thinking, agreeing to this? Titan is enormous. And he’s looking at me with the wild eyes of a demon as he stomps the dirt with his huge demon hoof.
Ohmygod.
I’m an idiot.
This horse is a freaking demon.
Quinn looks at my face and laughs.
“Come on, Miss I’m-Not-Scared. It’s alright.”
He makes a cup out of his hands and motions for me to use it. I wedge my foot between his fingers and he boosts me up. I swing my other leg around and before I know it, I’m situated on top of the demon.
HolyHell.
I’m an idiot with amnesia who is sitting on a demon.
A very tall demon.
I gulp.