“Hey, Shan! Bucky’s gonna help with the other horses, so you can get Trixie back in the paddock. Carlos is on his way to give you another grid lesson. He’ll be here in half an hour.”
“Thanks, Harry. I’ll skip out her stable first and get her tacked up.”
She smirked at Niall for a second before waving over at Harry with a two-fingersalute.
“Oh, sorry, mate. Looks like your dad just asked me to ride Trixie. You’re out of luck this time.”
She tilted her head, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Looks like Merlot gets the pleasure of your ass bouncing on his back like a sack of spuds. Go easy on him, yeah? It’s not his fault you’re a shit rider.”
In one confident stride, he crowded her, his pine scent filling her nostrils. His body pressed against hers as he leaned in, his breath at her ear, fingers gripping her arm.
She froze, her muscles tense with dread. Her heart pounded, but she held her ground, the words ‘just get through it’ echoing in her mind.
Shannon wouldn’t allow him to break her again.
“You think you’re so fucking clever, don’t you? Keep talking to me like that and you’ll see what happens.”
Shannon gritted her teeth, holding her ground.
When he didn’t get a response, he let go with a shove.
“Whatever.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I might compete on Trixie in the comps this weekend.”
Not rising to his bullshit, Shannon turned her back and strode across the yard toward the wheelbarrows.
Niall wouldn’t survive the first fence, let alone make it through the show-jumping course.
Shannon had worked at Meadow Dawn since she was sixteen, after her parents secured her a summer job.
They thought the hard work would put her off; instead, it fed her love for horses.
Harry had taken Shannon under his wing, allowing her to stay on after the summer.
Then, one day, Venatrix was born. That day, as vivid as the first time she felt a horse’s breath on her palm, would forever remain etched in her memory.
Harry’s prized show jumper had been on lockdown, ready to birth a foal.
She’d been half-drifting in the barn when the cutest, gangly-legged foal entered the world.
That night, Harry patted her shoulder like a proud father, telling her that Trixie would take her career to the next level.
Five years later, their bond ran deep, a silent understanding that spoke louder than words ever could.
When she saddled up, it was like shedding all the weight from her shoulders. The rest of the world, especially Niall, just faded into the background.
As she scooped up the damp wood shavings, Shannon’s thoughts drifted back to lunch with Jamie, and his maddening pull.
His tailored suit and gold watch hinted at wealth, but his down-to-earth attitude made him seem different from the entitled, arrogant rich guys she couldn’t stand.
If it weren’t for the finals at the weekend, she might have considered his offer. But Trixie and the competition were all that mattered.
The last of the afternoon sun filtered into the stable, casting a warm glow over the fresh bedding she was fluffing until an uneasiness crept up her spine.
Shannon sensed his presence before she even saw him. Niall’s shadow stretched across the stable, and the hairs on her neck prickled.
She knew his gaze drilled into her back, even before his boots shuffled behind her.
