“Did you get another filly for breeding?” Chase had bred Abby’s Smile recently so it seemed odd he’d have bought another so soon.
“Not quite...” Chase being mysterious drove me nuts.
“What is it? Or who is it? Another stallion?”
He smiled, taking me by the hand. “Come on.”
He opened the top half of the door to the last stall. There was a beautiful horse, a chestnut mare, looking around at her surroundings, obviously new to the ranch.
“Well, what do you think?” Chase leaned on the door, looking at me, not the horse.
“I think she’s a nice horse. You know I don’t know anything about horses though.” I turned to him.
“Why ask me?”
“Because she’s yours, Abby. I bought her for you, to ride, to pet, to feed apples to.” He pulled a shiny red apple out of his pocket, handing it to me.
“Here. See how she likes you.”
I was staring open-mouthed. “You bought me a horse?”
Chase laughed. “Yes, Abby. It’s what I do. I buy horses. And I buy things for you. So, I bought you a horse.”
The apple was cool in my hand. I held it out tentatively toward the horse. She ambled over, sniffed the apple and then bit it in half. She chewed contently for a moment before taking the rest from me. I reached out to pat her nose and she snorted against my hand, looking for another apple.
“Well, I guess that’s a positive sign.” I laughed, the horse nosing my hand.
Chase put his arm around my shoulder. “I want you to learn to ride so you’re comfortable around these things. Plus, you need something besides that mangy cat to keep you occupied.”
He turned me to him. “I know it’s been a big adjustment, being out on the ranch so much. I wanted to give you something that made you feel you were part of the place, not just a guest. If you don’t like her, well, no harm done.”
I hugged him hard. “I do like her. It’s just a big surprise, in more ways than one.”
“You’ll teach me to ride?” I looked up at him.
“You bet. Nothing will give me greater pleasure.” He kissed me, his lips on mine sending that familiar but delicious thrill through me.
He broke away, looking down at me, his eyes dark. “I have an ulterior motive though. There are a whole bunch of places on this ranch we haven’t, well...“broken in”, which you can only get to on horseback.”
I laughed. “Are you getting tired of having me in your bed already, Chase?”
He smiled down. “Never.” He nodded at the horse.
“You can name her if you like. She’s got a long pedigree name, but you can pick out something you like, something shorter.”
The horse and I regarded each other for a moment.
“Nawashi.”
Chase’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “Really? And you know what that word means?”
I nodded. “You bet. The Internet is my friend. I looked up what all that fancy knot tying you did to me is called. And the person who ties them. ‘Rope master’...”
Chase laughed. “Okay. She’s your horse. It’s a rather unusual name though.”
“I’m an unusual girl, I guess. That first night was a very important one for me though, because it’s the first night that we met and I want to always remember it.
He pulled me against him. “I’d happily tie you up anytime you need to remember.” His eyes held his smile, but his voice grew serious.
“I love you, Abby. For many, many reasons, but right now because you’d name a horse an obscure Japanese term that reminds you of being bound and tied.”
His lips brushed mine, a lingering kiss following.
“And I wouldn’t want it any other way.”