Mia

Mia appraised the brown quarter horse in front of her, not quite entirely sure how confident she felt getting back up on the horse by herself. The gelding looked steady enough, but it had been a long time since Mia had been on a horse. She remembered it being fun, but she didn't remember the horses looking quite so big. She decided to wait a moment before getting on. The kids would probably need her help.

“Why do I have to wear a helmet?” Alexander asked, looking askance at the riding helmet they all had to wear. He held it in front of him like it smelled as he waited to get up on his horse. “Cowboys wear hats.”

“You wear it because I like your head in one piece,” Mia told him. “And you need more practice to be a cowboy.”

Alexander opened his mouth to complain, but Carter held up a helmet of his own.

“I'm wearing a helmet,” Carter informed him, putting the heavy helmet on his own head. He shrugged like it was nothing. “These don't blow off in the wind, so I actually like it better than a hat.”

Mia could have kissed him for the little white lie. Alexander stopped pouting and immediately put his helmet on without a fuss. Carter gave her a wink as he walked over to her.

“Here,” Carter said, coming up beside her and handing her a sugar cube. “For your horse. His name's Jasper.”

He stood next to her in the arena as they got the kids ready for their first ride. The touch of his hand sent flutters through her stomach and she couldn't have stopped the smile that filled her face if she'd tried.

“Thank you for the helmet help,” Mia said quietly. She held out her hand and gave it to her horse, holding her hand out flat.

“For that?” Carter replied. He knocked the helmet with his knuckles loudly. “I really do like this better.”

She laughed at his easy manner as he walked away. She shook her head and reached down to tighten the straps to her saddle and fix the stirrups. She'd had lessons for a few months when she was Alexander's age. It was right after she'd been put in the foster care system and was one of the few good memories she had. She'd always been drawn to horses since that.

Mia's horse was tied to the arena fence along with the kids' horses. Lily was in the process of getting up on a gentle looking light gray mare.

“You're a natural,” Laura told Lily, as Lily settled into the saddle. The teenager looked more comfortable up on the horse than she did on the ground. Lily grinned as Laura moved to help her brother up onto his horse.

Alexander had a determined look in his eye as he used the mounting block to get up on his own brown gelding. Once there, he grinned proudly and let out a loud, “Yee-haw!”

“You're up next, Grayson,” Laura told him as she fixed the stirrups to better fit Alexander's long legs.

Grayson had the apprehensive look again from the other day. He kept looking up at his horse like she might step on him. Mia patted her horse and started to go to him, but Carter beat her there.

“You ready?” Carter asked, kneeling in front to the boy. He took Grayson's small hand in his and walked the boy over to the horse that he was going to ride. She was the smallest horse there, more of a pony than a horse, but Mia could see how Grayson might still feel intimidated by her size. Her dark gray features were kind and friendly.

“I don't know,” Grayson replied slowly. He stopped short of touching the horse. “She's awfully big.”

Carter handed him a sugar cube and leaned over to whisper in Grayson's ear.

“Don't tell the others, but she's my favorite,” he told the boy. “There's a reason she's named Sweetness.”

Grayson held out the sugar cube, giggling as the horse daintily took it from him. She crunched it happily as she let him pet her. Grayson ran his small hand along her gray coat, watching her eat the sugar and steeling his nerve.

“Will you help me up?” Grayson finally asked, looking up at Carter.

In one smooth motion, Carter had him up in the saddle. Grayson laughed with delight.

“Now, use your legs to hold on to her,” Carter advised, patting Grayson's legs. “It's all about your legs. The reins are for steering, but even if you drop them, she'll listen to what you tell her to do with your legs.”

Grayson nodded nervously. He had the reins in one hand and the saddle pommel in the other, and a death grip on both, but he was smiling. Mia's heart swelled with pride at his bravery. This was hard for him and he was doing a good job.

Carter slowly led him around the arena, giving him pointers on what to do with his legs and his hands. Laura had Lily and Alexander who were already getting their horses to walk, stop and turn around the arena without help.

Mia turned to see Grayson laugh as Carter started to jog with the horse leads. Sweetness was living up to her name, giving as gentle a ride as she could. Grayson's fear had evaporated.

“You're doing great,” Carter told Grayson as he slowed to a stop next to Laura. Laura guided the pony over behind the other two children. Laura would lead the ride, with Lily and Alexander behind her, then Grayson, then Mia, and followed up in the rear by Carter.

Mia turned back to her horse. Now that the children were ready, it was time to mount up and get going.

“You ready?” Carter asked, coming up beside her. He wasn't even winded from jogging with Grayson.

“I was born ready,” Mia informed him. She put her foot in the stirrup and confidently swung herself up on the horse. She remembered it being a lot harder when she was little, but that was probably due to her size. She went up smoothly and settled into the saddle like an old pro.

Carter raised an impressed eyebrow and pride warmed Mia's chest. She kept her head up, sending a huge thank you for the childhood lessons, and nudged her horse to join the kids. She let out a small sigh of relief when the horse did exactly as she asked. The last thing she wanted was to look foolish in front of Carter. She rather liked that impressed look on him.

“Okay, we ready to go?” Laura asked from her own horse. When everyone nodded, she moved to the front of the line. “Then I think we're ready for our ride.”

Alexander let out a loud whoop that made Mia wince, but none of the horses even flicked an ear. It made Mia less anxious about their ride. These horses were steady and calm.

Laura led the line of horses out to a path alongside one of the paddocks. It was a perfect early September day. The sky was so blue that it hurt Mia's eyes to look at it for too long. The aspens were still green, but the grass was starting to yellow. Mia was glad she'd worn a light jacket. The breeze coming down the mountains and across the big open meadow was cool and fresh.

The horses walked at a comfortable, sedate pace that was perfect for the children. All three of them had smiles on their faces and were having a fantastic time. Alexander kept talking with what she assumed was a cowboy accent. He kept calling everyone “y'all” and “pardner” but the rest of the accent sounded more like he was having a stroke than a drawl.

Mia took a deep breath of clean air into her lungs. This was a little piece of heaven. The horse moved smoothly under her. She could feel the gelding's power, but it was contained and calm. It was incredibly zen and Mia slowed her breathing to match the horse's strides. Her legs were going to be sore tomorrow, but today, it was worth it.

“Having fun?” Carter asked, coming up beside her.

She grinned. “The best. Thank you.”

“You look like you never left the saddle,” he commented. She felt a blush of pride cross her cheeks.

“I bet you say that to all the girls you take out on horseback,” she replied.

He thought for a moment and then nodded. “You're right, I do.” She looked over at him surprised that he would admit such a thing and he grinned. “Because you're the only girl I've ever taken out on horseback.”

It was a good thing that her horse was doing the walking, or she would have stopped in the middle of the path. He kept on riding like it was nothing, but she felt incredibly special.

“Really?” she asked, urging her horse to go a little bit faster to ride next to him. “You've never taken a girl out here?”

“I guess if you want to be technical, I have come out here with Laura,” he replied. “But, since she's an employee, and I think of her like my little sister, then I don't think it really counts.”

“So, I'm special?” she asked. Her cheeks heated as soon as she realized she'd said the words out loud.

He turned, focusing the full power of his blue eyes on her. When he looked at her, it was as if there were nothing else in the world. He made her feel like the center of everything. It was a heady experience that left her a little breathless.

“Yes.” He said it like a simple truth and her insides went to mush.

“Thank you,” she whispered. He nodded, not releasing her from his gaze. She cleared her throat, her heart fluttering in her chest with his direct gaze. “So, do you come out here with Laura often?”

The corners of his mouth twitched up in a smile. “Jealous?”

“Maybe a little,” she admitted, and he laughed.

“We go out about once a week when I'm here in Silver Springs,” he told her. He glanced up at where Laura was explaining something about riding to Lily. “When I first bought this place, I hired Laura to run it. She had amazing recommendations. I went riding with her and they were all well-deserved. I'd owned this place for two years but only came to visit a handful of times. No one really knows that it's mine.”

His horse walked calmly next to Mia's, the two horses in sync as their riders talked. In front of them, the kids enjoyed their horseback ride.

“There’s some local gossip that a billionaire bought this place, but no one knew which one. Most people think it's going to be turned into houses at some point,” Mia replied.

“I have no plans to do that,” he assured her. “I like this place as it is. It's too wild and beautiful to be a block of homes.”

“Do you plan on staying here?” Mia asked. Her throat tightened at the last word, surprising her with how much she hoped the answer was a long time. She wanted him to stay forever.

“I'm not sure,” he said after a moment. “I didn't expect to be here this long, to be honest.”

“Oh.” Mia's face fell and she looked off toward the mountains so he wouldn't see.

“It's not that I don't want to be here,” he said quickly. “It's just that my business is back in California.”

“So why are you here then?” Mia asked.

“It's complicated,” Carter replied. He sighed. “I'm hiding out here. No one knows that I'm at this ranch, or even in the state.”

“Why?” Mia turned to look at him.

“There have been some threats,” he said, his voice emotionless.

Mia's eyes widened. “Oh my god! Why would someone want to hurt you?”

“That's what I'd like to know.” His expression was grim and his eyes distant. For a moment, he looked much older and worn than he really was, but then he shook himself and smiled at her, bringing back the light to his eyes. “It's nothing to worry about,” he promised. “It's more precautionary than anything. Please, forget I said anything.”

Mia suspected there was more to it than that, but she didn't want to pry. She tried to remember if the internet had said anything about him being in danger, but nothing came to mind. “If you need anything, let me know,” she offered. “Even if it's just someone to talk to.”

His eyes softened as he looked at her and he smiled. “Thank you.”

“I mean it,” she said. “Anytime.”

The horses caused their legs to bump into each other. He reached out and touched her leg, sending electricity straight to her brain. How was it that he had this effect on her? Just a casual touch had her body aching for more of him. She found herself hoping he'd take her up on her offer.

The horses moved apart as the path widened again. She missed his touch already.

“So, are you seeing anyone?” he asked. Mia nearly fell off her horse.

“No, I mean... the kids... I...” She regained her poise and cleared her throat. “No, I'm not.”

Carter chuckled, obviously enjoying that he caught her off guard.

“What about you?” she asked, her heart starting to pound in her chest. He probably had half a dozen swimsuit models on speed dial, so she was trying very hard not to get her hopes up. Not that she even had a chance with him, anyway.

“Not currently,” he replied. He glanced over at her. “But that could change.”

Mia's heart went into overdrive. “Is that so?”

He grinned at her and she suddenly understood how women could swoon at the sight of a man. If she'd been standing, the force of that smile would have made her knees buckle. She was just glad she didn't fall off the horse.

The man was dangerous with that smile.

Mia decided to take control of herself.

“So I told you all about myself the other day,” she said. “But, what about you? Tell me about yourself.”

“I'm sure you've read my biography online,” he replied. “What else do you want to know?”

“I only skimmed it,” she told him. “And it didn't have your favorite food. Or color. Or what you like to do on a Saturday night.”

He chuckled. “Pizza, blue, and, you can't tell anyone this, but on Saturdays, I put on a special suit and fight crime.”

“You're Batman?” Mia made sure to put enough awe into her voice and widen her eyes like she was surprised.

“I'm Batman,” Carter said, his voice going low and gravely. Mia couldn't help but giggle. Carter shrugged. “It's expected of billionaires these days to be a superhero. If you don't fight crime, you lose status.”

“That actually makes a lot of sense,” Mia replied, nodding. “Who is Bill Gates, then?”

“I don't reveal other superheroes' identities,” Carter told her. Then he glanced around as if someone might be watching before leaning over to whisper. “He's actually Superman. How do you think he came up with the idea for his computers? They're from his home-world.”

“Things make so much more sense,” Mia said. “I've always wondered about that. How is it being a superhero?”

“Pretty awesome actually,” Carter told her. He grinned at her. “You want to see my gadgets? I have a big Batarang.”

“That sounds almost dirty,” Mia replied, giving him the side-eye.

“Only to dirty minds.” He waggled his eyebrows at her and winked.

Mia laughed. “Where do you keep it? In the garage? Under the barn? Where is your Bat-cave?”

“If I told you, I'd have to kill you,” Carter replied, shrugging his shoulders as he guided his horse along the path.

“Wait, Batman doesn't kill people. It's one of his things,” Mia said.

“That's why I can't tell you,” Carter explained. “If I don't tell you, then I don't have to kill you.”

“That makes perfect sense,” Mia said, nodding and chuckling. “If you're a superhero, who are the super villains? Other billionaires?”

“No, not other billionaires.” He leaned over again to whisper. “The bad guys are actually just millionaires. That's why it's so easy for us to defeat them. And why there's so many more bad guys than good guys.”

Mia chuckled. “I guess that's where the expression, 'crime doesn't pay' comes from. Since millionaires keep losing to billionaires.”

Carter laughed, the sound going all the way into the mountains with his joy. Mia loved it and felt the warmth of pride from making him laugh fill her. She wished she had the power to make him laugh like that all the time.

“So, I've always wondered, how do you order all the gadgets without anyone suspecting?” Mia asked. “I mean, I buy one thing online and suddenly I have ads all for everything related. How do you not have Amazon know what you're buying?”

“The guy who owns Amazon is a billionaire too, you know,” Carter explained. “He has his own secret superhero identity and thus makes sure that we all get to preserve ours. It's a group effort.”

“I guess that means you know all the other heroes,” Mia said. “I've always wanted to meet Green Arrow. What's he like?”

“Boring,” Carter said quickly. “He's totally and completely boring and you don't ever want to meet him. Batman is way better. And stronger. And better looking.”

“Is that so?” Mia pretended to think for a minute before smiling at him. “Batman always was my favorite.”

“Good.” Carter grinned at her. “So, you want to see my Batarang?” He waggled his eyebrows and glanced down toward his saddle with a naughty wink.

Mia nearly fell off her horse laughing.