Cowboy Seeks a Horse Whisperer by Marley Michaels
Kendra
Imay have seen Jesse every day since he invited us to go dancing with him and his brother, the tension between us bubbling just below the surface with every interaction, giving me plenty of time to build on my nervousness before Friday and the moment he pulls the truck into a park outside the Lion’s Lair.
Shutting off the engine, he spins in his seat and grins over at me on the passenger side before looking at Beau and Molly sitting in the back. “Who’s ready for some boot scootin?”
We all murmur a muted, “me,” but apparently that’s not good enough for Jesse.
“I said who’s ready for some boot scootin? C'mon people, work with me here.” I shake my head with a laugh as Molly hollers a, “hell yeah!” while marveling at the difference between the man in front of me now, and the nervous rambling man I first met a month ago. Like Buster, he’s night and day.
Jesse turns his soulful blue eyes my way. “You wait right there, doc. My mama did teach me a few things, and one of those was how to treat a lady. Which means openin’ the door for ya.” He tips his hat and shoots me a sexy smirk that has me surreptitiously clenching my thighs together because there’s no way that man doesn’t know the effect a look like that has on women—in particular, me.
A few moments later, Beau and Jesse are simultaneously opening our doors and helping us out of the truck. As he did when they picked us up from my house, Jesse doesn’t try to hide the way his eyes rake over my body in my tight denim shirt and black glittery jeans I paired with my favorite cowboy boots. “Did I tell you just how pretty you look tonight, doc? Because it’d be rather remiss of me not to say it again. Damn, darlin’. You sure know how to muddle the brain of this cowboy,” he drawls, making my cheeks heat.
“You did, and can I just say...” I step forward and slowly slide my hands over his hard chest and rest them on his shoulders, leaning in and bringing my mouth closer to his ear, “that you aren’t the only one feeling lucky as a pig in mud. Or maybe, as happy as Buster with a handful of sunflower seeds, anyway.” Moving back, I don’t miss his huffed-out chuckle or his half-lidded, hot-as-hell gaze as I put some distance between us.
But when Jesse bites his lip and reaches down between us, lacing his fingers with mine and giving my hand a gentle, but no less meaningful squeeze, my body is almost ready to call it a night and just jump the man right there and then. Thankfully, I don’t get the chance to ponder that plan of attack for too long because Beau and Molly walk on ahead of us, Jesse leading me to behind them as we all scale the wooden steps and move through the entrance of the tavern.
As soon as we’re inside, the loud music and raucous crowd surround me as we make our way to an empty table near the bar, and Jesse and Beau take our drink orders.
“This place is pumping tonight,” Molly says, her body bopping along to the beat of a high-energy country song.
I smile as I look out across the dancefloor, the sight of kicking feet and bumping shoulders making me smile as cowboys, cowgirls, and locals alike all shimmy and jive and knock their boots up against each other in time with the music. Immediately all my nervousness and trepidation about tonight disappear. This is the perfect first date with Jesse—especially with other people here including his brother and Molly.
My mood must be easy to read because by the time the guys return to our table with beers for everyone, Jesse seems more relaxed, the grin on his lips relaxed and soft.
“Hey,” I say as he slides a bottle my way and stands next to me.
He leans into his elbows on the table, turning his body my way and giving me all of his attention. And let me tell you, having Jesse Barnes’s focus set on you is a heady sensation. The feel of his body close to mine, the heat seeping into me, makes me wonder what it would be like to be alone with the man and be his sole focus—sans clothes of course.
“What do ya think of the place, doc?” he asks, bringing me back into the moment.
“It seems like the place to be. Who would’ve thought all these cowboys had twinkle toes inside their boots.”
He chuckles. “Well, get ready, doc. As soon as we’ve finished up with these drinks, I’m filling up your dance card for the rest of the night.”
Quirking a brow, I make a show out of looking him up and down, deciding to tease him a little bit. “Oh yeah? And how do you know it hasn’t been filled already by eligible suitors while you were at the bar, huh?” His eyes warm with amusement as he leans in closer so I can hear him, making me realize that the nervous Jesse is dormant right now, this is a man in his element and I like it. I like it a lot.
“I don’t care whether the whole damn bar wants to dance with you. I’m feeling like a caveman when it comes to you, doc, I’ll fight any man in this room who dares look at you.”
My lips twitch. “You gonna beat them back with your stone club?”
His gaze drops to my mouth, and there’s no missing the shiver that courses through me. “If I have to.”
I giggle inside, the unmistakable narration of David Attenborough sounding in my head. And here, you see, the Alaskan Homosapien, attempting to initiate the traditional mating ritual of his species, the man being sure not to show any signs of weakness or indecision as he moves closer to his desired mate, making his intentions known.
The man is definitely on his game tonight. I’m not sure if I’m gonna be able to keep my wits about me. Or why I’d even want to. A month spending time working closely with this man has me ready to do just about anything.
“So…” Molly says, breaking the spell. “How’s Buster doing today?”
Jesse turns his attention to her, but I don’t miss the fact he doesn’t move away from me. Maybe he is gonna be my cowboy caveman tonight. “He’s good. He’s eatin’ out of mine and Beau’s hand now. We’re gonna start taking him with us on a few ranch jobs just to stretch his legs and get him used to the terrain.”
“I think it’ll be fine. He’s a lot more relaxed and at ease than he was when he first arrived at the ranch.”
“That’s for sure,” Beau says, low and rumbly. The sound of his voice surprises me because his words are few and far between whenever I see him on the ranch, so maybe Jesse’s not the only one relaxing tonight. That’s not to say I don’t miss the slight pink of his cheeks whenever Molly looks his way. Hmm… maybe I’m not the only one with a bit of a crush.
“We reckon he could still be a good ranch horse if we can get a saddle back on him,” he says, and I nod.
“Eventually,” I reply, taking another sip of my beer. “And I can already tell he’s gonna be loyal as the day is long too. I’m actually sad I won’t get to see him every day anymore.”
“You can see him any time you like,” Jesse puts in. “You’re always welcome on the ranch.”
“That’s good to know,” I say, smiling as I meet his eyes, thinking there’s more in that invitation than the chance to spend time with his horse.
“I can’t believe Old man Farris let it get so bad,” Molly says, shaking her head.
Jesse and Beau look at each other, jaws clenched, their eyes going hard at the mention of Buster’s former owner. “Lucky there are no animals left there,” Beau says. “Last I heard, the farmhand who sought us out decided to take matters into his own hands and left with three working dogs and a house cat the same day we took the horses away.”
“Oh wow, I hadn’t heard that,” I say. “But it’s good. If I’d known there were still animals living out there, I might’ve gone out there myself and taken them.”
“I bet you would’ve too,” Jesse murmurs approvingly. I look up and meet his eyes, and my belly flips.
“I wouldn’t be any vet at all if I knowingly left animals in the care of someone neglectful.”
“Although,” Molly starts. “Not sure Spencer would like it if you bought another cat and some dogs home. He might finally follow through on his threats to raze the house.”
An unexpected rumbling growl escapes Jesse’s throat. “Spencer?”
Now I can’t help but laugh as I reach out and rest my hand on his tattoo-covered forearm, not missing the low thrumming spark of awareness tingling under my palm. Jesse’s muscles tense under my touch, his eyes tight as they reach mine. Oooh yes, alpha, possessive, hot-as-hell Jesse Barnes is in the Lair tonight. Yum! If I ever doubted he was interested in me, I don’t now.
“Settle down there, tiger,” I muse, not even trying to hide my mirth.
“Tiger? I think I'm more like a raging bull.”
“OK then, bullish bovine. Spencer is my cat, and the ruler on high.” His head jerks, his gaze widening before he frowns.
“A cat with aspirations of taking over the world?”
“Oh yeah. He loves me as much as he likes to try to hate me.” That earns a smirk. “And he’s very much king of the castle at the House of Archer. He complains loud and often and thinks I don’t know.”
“He’s your person,” Jesse surmises.
“No, I’m her person. Spencer is her animal,” Molly interjects.
“Ah. I see the difference.” He smirks, making us all laugh.
“Right. Enough about my cat husband.” I spin my torso toward Jesse, looking up and meeting his warm, curious eyes. “My dance card is getting a little antsy. I remember you saying something about filling the spots up. You wanna get on that?”
He leans in so his face is all I can see. “You wanna dance with me, doc?” I don’t miss the breathy sigh coming from Molly’s direction. Forever the romantic, that one.
“I’d love to. Time for you to dazzle me, cowboy.”
“With fucking pleasure.”
A solid hour of all of us dancing and boot scootin’ like our feet are fire, I breathe a relieved sigh when the jukebox changes to a slow ballad by Thomas Rhett, and without even thinking about it, I loop my arms around Jesse’s shoulders and move my body close, resting my cheek against his chest and smiling when his hold tightens around my waist.
I hum contentedly along to the words, speaking about true love and being meant to be, smiling to myself when Jesse rests his jaw against my temple as our bodies sway side to side in harmony.
It’s a perfect moment to end a pretty good month and an amazing night. And I’m not sure it can get any better. I wanna stay like this forever, listening to the steady strong thrum of Jesse’s heartbeat as we slow dance the night away.
Unfortunately, as happens, the song comes to an end, and with a satisfied sigh, I shift back and look up to meet Jesse’s gentle gaze.
“You wanna go get some air?” he rumbles, his words filled with a promise of more than just ‘air’, and I nod. Right now Jesse could ask me to fly to the moon with him and I’d go willingly.
“Sounds perfect,” I breathe.
Tangling his fingers with mine, my intriguing cowboy leads me off the dancefloor and toward the back of the bar.
“Isn’t the fresh air that way?” I ask, thumbing over my shoulder to the front entrance.
Jesse stops at a door that’s clearly labeled, ‘No Entry’. “Do you trust me?”
I stare at him for a long moment before nodding. “Yeah. I do.”
“Then follow me. There’s fresh air this way too.”