"You’re not scared, are you? Don’t tell me badass Riley can ride a motorcycle without a helmet, but can’t handle a little horse." Jax watched me, an amused look on his face.
I watched the stableboy lead the prancing white horse in a circle. "Horses are different. I’m used to cab seats, not saddles. I don’t know how I feel about getting on something with a mind of its own. They're cool, majestic creatures, but I’m a city girl, born and raised."
"If you don’t want to try it, we can always cancel and do something else," Jax said, watching for my response.
I looked over at the horse, which stood over a foot taller than me, and I rubbed the back of my neck. A quick glance back at Jax’s reassuring face steeled my nerves enough to convince me that I could do this. I knew I could trust him. "No, it's fine. Since I've already popped my motorcycle cherry today, might as well get horseback riding out of way at the same time, right?"
"There's the Pepper I know." He grinned.
We quickly signed the waivers that the stableboy handed us and returned them to him
"Looks like that's all settled, I’ll wrangle up the other horse," the stableboy said as he hustled back into the stables.
"Come on," Jax said, putting his arm around me affectionately. "I'll help you up onto the horse."
We walked a few steps over to the horse and he pointed to a piece of leather protruding up from the front of the saddle. "Now just grab hold of the horn here, and then put your foot in the stirrup down there. And then, as you pull yourself up, swing your leg around."
"Nice horsey," I said as I cautiously approached the horse.
"Just remember—if you stay calm, she'll stay calm. If you get agitated, she'll get agitated." Jax held the reins of the horse. I grabbed the horn and slipped my foot into the stirrup, but I had a hard time swinging my leg up and across the saddle. I struggled for a few seconds until he put his hand on my butt and boosted me up.
With his assistance, I swung my leg up and over the horse and planted myself in the saddle. "I love your hands-on approach."
"It's the only way to teach a feisty girl like you," he replied with a wicked smile that made my insides melt. "So for today's first lesson in horseback riding, you'll need to make sure you're comfortable and stable in the saddle."
"Yes sir, Mr. Trenton." I situated myself in the saddle while Jax held onto the reins. "Is there a seatbelt or something I should put on?"
"No, no seatbelt." He laughed and handed me the reins. "You're just going to have to hold on really tight to these."
As Jax was literally showing me the ropes on how to properly sit a saddle and control the horse, the stableboy returned yanking the reins on a menacing midnight black horse that brayed and bucked violently.
"I'm real sorry, folks," the stableboy said, shaking his head. "I know y'all had a reservation, but goshdarnit, I must've made some sort of mistake ‘cause this bronc's the only horse I've got left. He's not as bad-tempered as he looks, he's just throwing a bit of a tantrum today. If y'all want your money back, I understand . . ."
"That bronc doesn’t look too rowdy." Jax waved him closer. "I’ll take a crack at him."
The stableboy eyed Jax cautiously. "You sure about this? Now you ain’t gonna sue us if something goes wrong are ya?"
"Don’t worry," Jax said, "I know a thing or two about horses."
"Suit yourself. As long as as y’all signed the waivers," the stableboy said, shrugging.
Great, that was encouraging.
"You can’t be serious, Jax," I said, trying to talk some sense into him, "That horse is legit dangerous."
He gave me a quick wink and took the reins from the stableboy's outstretched hands. Jax smoothed his hand along the horse’s neck and whispered something in its ear. The horse quit jerking a little and seemed to settle down slightly as Jax grabbed ahold of the saddle and leapt up onto it in a swift, fluid motion that astonished me. But even with Jax in the saddle, the horse still bucked wildly.
"Jax are you sure you’ll be able to handle him?"
"No, but that's never stopped me before." He gritted his teeth and gripped the reins, trying to gain control over the unruly animal.
Jax’s horse suddenly reared up onto its two hind legs, leaving the front two hooves dangling high up in the air. Shadowed by the sun, the horse held the pose and I watched with bated breath, worried that Jax was going to tumble off backwards. But he held on and the horse finally dropped back down onto all four hooves and I exhaled in relief.
After a few tense seconds, Jax succeeded in getting the horse to walk around in a small circle, but I could see it was still giving him fits. As Jax steered his horse closer to mine, it unexpectedly calmed down and started sniffing and nuzzling my whinnying horse.
Jax smiled and rubbed his horse’s glossy black mane. "Looks like he found what was getting him all riled up."
I reached out and rubbed my horse's mane too. "Or maybe this girl here was just able to tame him."
"Is that how you see it?" He flashed a sly grin at me. "You know, it feels weird being on a horse with no name. Horses all have their own personalities and quirks so they usually have their own crazy names too. Some famous racehorses were named Oliver Klozoff or Hoof Hearted or Cunning Stunt. We should name ours before we get started."
I laughed at the names and rubbed the silky white mane of my horse. "Okay, you first."
"I got it. This bronc’s name should be All Riled Up."
"Maybe it’s just in his nature to be dark and dangerous. Kinda like someone I know."
He patted his horse and smiled at me, his dark eyes glittering under the shadow of his cowboy hat. "He’s not so bad. Just needs to break out of some old habits."
"Mmhm," I replied. Jax’s horse came over to mine and started nuzzling his head against my horse. It gave me an idea. "I think I’m going to name her Stud Tamer."
Jax cocked his head to the side, his scarred brow raised high. "That little horse of yours does seem to have an effect on mine. But ‘tame’ is a strong word."
"Well I don’t think so. I think this little one has already tamed that wild stud."
He nodded slightly and eyed me skeptically, but then smiled and said, "All Riled Up and Stud Tamer it is. Now that that’s settled, it’s high time we hit the trail. Come on, let's giddyup."