| "That�s it, Bobby," the boy smiled, "just a gentle tug and he�ll follow." The boy pulled the reins to the right and the horse turned. "Now just nudge him slightly with your heel." The horse responded as he took his rider around the edge of the fence. Brian rode next to him as Bobby circled the perimeter of the enclosed pasture. "I did it. I�m doing it all by myself." He beamed at Brian. "That you are young man. Looks like you are ready to try a long ride now." "Really?" "Yes, really!" They started back across the pasture and came up to the corral adjacent to the barn. "I can�t wait to tell my folks." "Now remember Bobby, no showing off. I�m only suggesting we take the ride because you have been a quick learner. But you must bear in mind that no matter how gentle the horse; they can still become agitated. You have to learn how to control them completely." "I know and I won�t do anything except what you have taught me. Promise." He sat a bit taller in the saddle and Brian grinned at the proud look on his face. "Good. You�re still recovering yourself and I don�t want you to get hurt." They pulled up at the barn door. "Now go brush him down and give him some water and I do believe there is a bucket with some apples and carrots." "Yes, sir." Bobby shouted as he dismounted on the block and led his horse into the barn. Brian just laughed as Matt approached him. "Brian, Jake is back from the track and asked to see you." He took the reins from Brian. "I�ll brush him down and keep an eye on Bobby." "Thanks." Brian saw Jake guide the horse from the trailer and lead him into the barn and called out to him. "I told them we didn�t want that jockey any more, Brian. Look at this?" He pointed to the horse�s flanks. The thin lines showed signs of swelling. "There was no need to whip him and I told him so. He was to just show him the whip and he would respond. He took third place easily and there was no way he could have overtaken the leaders. It was pointless." Brian touched the places on the horse�s body. "I�ll take care of it," Brian told him as he patted the colt�s neck. He went into the tack room and picked up the phone. He emerged a few minutes later and walked down to the stall. �It�s done. He�ll be given a warning and will not be assigned to my horses any more.� �Good,� Jake ran his hand along the welts and the horse shied from his touch. �Give Maggie a call.� Jake nodded and Brian left the stall. He noticed that Bobby was nowhere to be found. His horse had been brushed and watered, but the boy had disappeared. He went out the front door and walked around the building and found him sitting on the fence watching Matt break in a new colt. The boy loved being out here and Brian enjoyed having him. The doctor marveled at his quick recovery from surgery and he had assured Bobby�s parents that he had been given a new lease on life. �So here you are,� Brian said as he climbed the fence and sat next to him. �I love watching,� Bobby said eagerly. �They are beautiful.� �That they are.� Brian looked down at the boy. Having him here gave Brian a whole new perspective on his work. It was like seeing everything for the first time through the boy�s eyes. He enjoyed their time together. �Look I need to give Matt a hand. You sit here and be careful you don�t fall off.� �Sure Brian.� ~*~*~*~*~ Brian looked up to see a splash of color come down the drive dust trailing behind the small car. As it got closer he felt his pulse race slightly and a silly grin spread across his face. It had been two days and he had begun to wonder if he had been wrong about her and that maybe her father had really convinced her to stay away. �Brian did you hear what I said,� Jake asked him again. He had seen the car too and caught Brian�s reaction. �What? I�m sorry.� �Maggie said to watch him for 24 hours.� Brian nodded casting a quick look in the direction of Moire�s car. She got out and went straight for the fence when she saw Bobby. Brian went to leave but Jake stopped him. �I thought you wanted to check the listings for the rest of the week. We are going to have to change jockeys for three races. We better handle it now.� �All right.� As they went back into the stable, Brian took one lingering glance. Moire happened to catch Brian watching her and Bobby caught them both. �Hi,� Moire said as she approached the railing. �It�s Bobby, right?� The boy nodded. �That�s a fine looking horse you have there. Is he yours?� �Nah, Matt and Brian were breaking him in and I just asked if I could bring him back to his stall.� �I see. That�s quite a big animal for a boy your size.� �Hey, I�m seven, I�m not that small.� He pulled his shoulders back and stood up straight. �That may well be,� Moire climbed over the railing, �but how about I just walk along with you?� �Okay.� She jumped down just as Brian and Jake came out the door of the barn. She heard their voices and looked up to see Brian staring at her. Their eyes locked. �He likes you, you know,� Bobby said to Moire. �Oh, really,� she smiled at him as he stood holding the reins of the horse wondering where his observation had come from. �Uh huh.� He grinned back at her. �What makes you think that?� Moire rubbed the horse�s nose. �It was the way his face looked when he saw you drive up.� Moire�s eyes grew large and she furrowed her brow. Bobby seeing her dubious look went on. �Yeah, it�s the same look my dad gets when my mom walks in the room.� He blushed a little and lowered his eyes. �Is that so.� Moire watched as Brian talked with Jake. At one point Brian turned to see her looking at him and a small smile curled on his lips. �So are you his girlfriend or something?� Bobby pushed. �Or something, I guess.� �You don�t know.� �It�s kinda complicated Bobby, but I guess for now you could say that we are, um, friends of sorts.� �Oh I get it.� �You do.� �Yeah, it has something to do with sex.� Moire let out a gasp. �What did you say?� �You know, sex.� Yes, I know about sex. Aren�t you a bit young to though?� They had started back to the stable, Moire helping him lead the horse. �Well I have no first hand experience�� �Excuse me,� Moire said almost laughing at the adult tone of this seven-year-old. �I should hope not. Where did you learn, never mind.� They reached the entrance to the stable when Brian joined them. �Let�s just drop the subject.� �What subject is that?� He smiled softly at Moire and Bobby didn�t miss her reaction to Brian�s appearance. �Sex,� Bobby said grinning sheepishly. �Is that so? So tell me Ms. Fitzgerald is this what you would discuss with your class if you were a teacher.� Moire blushed at his remark. �We weren�t talking about sex, it just�I mean we were�.Bobby, help me with this.� She looked at the boy who just stood there tight-lipped and shook his head. The honk of a car horn caused them all to turn. Bobby went running to the car. The Millers got out of their car and walked with Bobby up to the stable. Brian shook hands with them both. �So son, how did it go today?� The boy�s father asked as he scooped him up in his arms. �Great. Next time Brian says I can go out with him to the lake.� He beamed as he told his parents of his progress. His father gave Brian a questioning look. �I said a long ride, I never mentioned going to the lake.� Bobby pouted at the prospect of his adventure being shorter than he anticipated. �He�s doing exceptionally well and I feel he�s ready to ride outside the confines of the stable area. So next week, we take a little excursion.� Bobby grinned. �But,� Brian stressed, �not to the lake.� The boy nodded in agreement. �Thank you. I wish you would let us pay for these lessons though.� The man made a gesture by taking out his wallet when Brian stopped him. �I don�t want your money. If you must, donate to the charity at the hospital instead. I love having him here.� He tousled Bobby�s hair. �So big guy, see you next week.� The boy nodded. �Thanks Brian,� Bobby called over his father�s shoulder and waved. Brian waved back and watched as the family drove off down the lane. Moire had watched the whole scene quietly as she continued to hold the reins. When he turned, he had the most peculiar look on his face. �So now, how about you and I go for a ride and you can tell me all about your conversation with Bobby.� Moire flushed and nodded in agreement. Just thinking about Brian and sex in the same sentence sent a tremble through her body. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ They rode in silence out to the lake. Brian cast furtive glances at Moire but she was lost in her own thoughts. He was delighted to see her but also wondered how she had eluded her father. Colin had been dead serious with his threats and Brian was more than willing to take his chances he just didn�t want Moire to get hurt. Moire had felt his eyes on her. Her brief message on Saturday was nothing more than a quick apology for her father�s behavior of the evening before. But they had to talk and it had to go deeper than Bobby�s observation. It was risky being here now, although with her father spending most of every day at Keeneland during racing season, it afforded her being out from under his overprotective arm. Spending time with Brian was so different from all the other men she had ever shown any interest in. He was a challenge and he irritated her with his cajoling and teasing but the truth was she enjoyed being with him. There was a strength and also a gentleness about him and when she spoke he actually listened. And how she would keep her father from finding out about her meetings with Brian, Moire didn�t have a clue. As they reached the lake Brian reined his horse to a stop and dismounted tying the animal to the nearest tree. Moire followed and they walked down to the water�s edge. The rains from the previous two days had cooled the temperatures considerably and the foliage dotted the countryside in a rainbow of color. Brian reached out and took her hand and Moire turned at his touch. �So,� he said seriously, �what prompted the sex talk with a seven year old?� His question caused her face to blush. �We weren�t talking about sex and if you must know, it was because of you that the whole thing came up to begin with.� She loosened her hand from his and put some distance between them. �Me?� He pointed to himself. �Yes. You!� He was responsible and she was going to let him know. �Seems your reaction to my arrival just now didn�t go unnoticed by your young student.� �My reaction? I didn�t do anything.� �Well it seems the look on your face was very similar to the way his father looks when Bobby�s mother walks in a room.� Brian nodded in understanding. �Hence, the sex comment. So you see I wasn�t discussing sex with him.� �So what were you talking about?� He stepped closer to her. �Nothing.� She backed away and Brian noticed her cheeks redden a bit again. He closed the gap between them and put his arms on her waist. �Moire,� she looked into his eyes. She pushed his arms off her waist. �I don�t know what I�m doing here.� �Yes you do,� he took hold of her again but this time he pulled her into his arms and he brushed his lips across hers. �No, that isn�t going to solve anything.� She pressed against his chest with her hands. �We need to talk, Brian.� "About what?" "Us, Friday night, my father, you name it." "I like having you in my arms, and I like kissing you and as for Friday night, I had a wonderful time even with your father interrupting us." "You�re not being serious." "Yes I am, but you have other ideas. So talk to me." "For starters, there�s us, you and me. What�s�what�s going on between us?" She looked at him for clarification. "Well?" "I�ve already given you my response to that, even though you found it cavalier. So you tell me." "I don�t know. You make me angry and set my temper off. You like to see me sweat and love to tease, but," she looked at him and saw that cheeky grin that haunted her. "You are also compassionate and generous and kind and you don�t treat me like an heiress." Brian folded his arms and raised his eyebrows. "I�ve never had someone who could totally irritate me and yet make me want to spend time with them. So here I am defying my father, because I couldn�t let another day go by without seeing you. And," she kicked the dirt; "I liked being in your arms too!" He went to come to her, but she backed away. "No, Brian, no." "No? But you just said�" "I know what I said but just because it feels good doesn�t mean it�s right." "You�re here Moire, that should tell you something." "I�m intrigued. It would be so easy to give in to those impulses, but what then. Do we walk away and chalk it up to another fling?" "I told you Friday, you are not another fling as you put it. I�m intrigued too. There�s more to you than the outer packaging and I would like to get to know the person inside." She was torn. The two men in her life were pulling her in separate directions. Her father whom she loved and by her filial responsibility she should honor his request. And then this man in front of her now, who somehow had forced his way into her life. Brian could see the confusion on her face. This time when he came to her and put his arms around her, Moire didn�t fight him. He lifted her chin and found tears at the corners of her eyes. "What about we take this slow. I�ll back off and give you some space, but just a little. Because you feel too good right here," he pulled her a little closer. She relaxed in his arms. "Don�t worry about your father. I can take care of myself." "It�s personal now Brian. Before it was just the land, but now I�m in the equation and he won�t stand for it. I better go." "Stay. We�ll have dinner." He didn�t want to give her up so soon. "I can�t." "When will I see you again?" "I don�t know." He nodded in understanding. He was asking her to disobey her father�s wishes and would have to accept whatever time Moire could slip away. She started towards the horses when he pulled her back to him. "Moire," their faces were only inches apart. Brian leaned in but Moire put her fingers to his lips. "Don�t Brian. You promised me some space. Let�s just spend some time together." "Okay." He let go of her waist and took her hand and they walked back to the horses. When they returned to the farm she got in her car and took off down the drive aching that she had denied herself the pleasure of Brian�s lips on hers. |