After she was confident in the horse’s state of mind, Jamie decided to mount. The horse took a couple of steps, like she was acclimating to something she hadn’t experienced for a while, but then steadied.

“Good girl,” Jamie whispered, patting her on the neck.

She began to walk her in a circle in the arena, then gradually increase the pace.

And the barrels were tempting. So very tempting.

She maneuvered her around one first, then another, going slowly. A grin broke out on her face. The horse’s movements were sure and smooth, and Jamie was feeling positive.

The second time through, they increased the pace.

She could feel the horse’s energy, pent up and ready to go. She knew this. They both knew this.

She tapped the horse twice with her heels, moving her into a gallop. They went around the arena into circles, before Jamie moved her into the barrels, going quickly around each one.

Out of the corner of her eye she caught movement down in the dirt, a digger squirrel that was skittering through the dirt, the little bastard.

And the horse responded.

Gem rose up on her hind legs. Jamie squeezed tight, almost managing to keep hold, but then she lifted her back legs and bucked up hard. The sudden, sharp burst of energy surprised Jamie and unseated her.

She fell inelegantly to the side, scrabbling for purchase and not getting any. Then she fell down hard onto the top of a barrel, her hip bone connecting hard with the edge of the metal drum.

She cursed, and found herself facedown in the dirt.

She rolled away from the horse, doing her best not to take a hoof to any part of her body on top of anything else. Her hip ached, and slowly she became aware that her shoulder blade did, too.

“What the hell?”

She turned and looked up, seeing Gabe barreling toward her, his expression like a thunderstorm. He knelt down beside her, reaching his hand out and dragging his fingertips down her jaw on either side, and she couldn’t tell anymore if she was dizzy from the fall or if it had something to do with his firm, sure touch. His hands were rough.

And for the life of her she couldn’t figure out why she’d notice that, or why it made something resonate deep inside her.

“Are you okay?” His voice went softer, gruff still, but there was no anger in it now. His blue eyes were blazing, and she felt an answering heat ignite in her stomach. His thumb was rough as it skimmed over her cheek and she felt it resonating through her body.

He was looking at her. Not that he hadn’t looked at her before. But not like this. Not this close. “That was a hell of a fall, honey.”

Honey.

The word filtered through her veins just like that. Sticky and sweet.

Her head went funny. All light and airy and she wondered if she’d hit it when she’d fallen. But she didn’t feel any pain there.