Ryan sucked his talkative side back in on the way back to the house. I still catch myself glancing to him off and on as we trot down the wide path. I try and think of something to say to bring his playful side out again, but nothing intriguing comes to mind. I am about to guide Maybelle down to the left of the fork when she unexpectedly slows her pace. Ryan notices me fall behind and we both watch as Maybelle drops her long head down towards the dirt. I lean forward to check on her and suddenly she kicks her front legs back and rears up with an unexpected thrust back. I don't have a secure grip when her legs fly into the air and I am almost knocked off of her. I frantically grip onto the pommel, but I hit the leather with such force that I can feel the tips of my fingernails break off.

Almost as quickly as she reared back, Maybelle lurches forward and takes off galloping down the wrong side of the path. I'm trying not to focus on my fingers that are throbbing in pain as I attempt to get a good grip back on the reins. She's running faster than I have ever experienced so I don't know what to do to gain control of my wild horse. I'm tugging on the reins but my right hand is in so much pain, I don't have the strength to slow her down. I hear Ryan call out behind me but I am too traumatized to turn and look at him.

I can hear Honeysuckle gaining speed behind me but Maybelle is still sprinting toward the meadow. I watch her black hair flop around and her head is consistently bobbing and weaving with me bouncing around on top. There is a clearing up ahead of us and I am hoping Maybelle will slow down when we reach it. My arms are shaking and my butt bone throbs from being slammed against the saddle. I see Ryan come up on my left side and he extends his arm out. I don't want to turn to the side; worried I'll get thrown off Maybelle since my right hand is basically useless- even with all the adrenaline pulsing through me. My galloping horse doesn't seem to be slowing down and I'm struggling to hold on. I don't have the strength to continue at this speed much longer and if I let go at all I could go soaring off the side of her.

"I've got you Sawyer, give me your left arm!" Ryan yells as he gets close to Maybelle. I shake my head at him and yell back, "I can't hold on with my right hand. I'll fall off!" Ryan suddenly takes control of Honeysuckle and veers the horse to my right. He once again holds out his arm for me to jump over but I am too panicked to let go. Maybelle doesn't look to be slowing down and I know I can't hold on much longer.

"Trust me Sawyer, I won't let you fall!" Ryan yells to me over the loud patter of the horse's hooves on the solid dirt beneath us. I finally get the nerve to look to my right and Ryan is less than a foot away from Maybelle. He has his left arm out and a solid grip on Honeysuckles reins. The pain in my right hand is almost unbearable so I decide to trust Ryan. I extend my arm out to him and within seconds he has a grip around me and tugs me off of Maybelle. I throw myself at him and he swings me into him in one fluid motion. It takes a second to get my leg around him but I immediately throw my arms around his neck.

He forces Honeysuckle to slow down but Maybelle continues to sprint off in front of us.

My heart is beating me senseless and my adrenaline has me shaking. I am fully aware that I am tucked into Ryan's chest, my legs straddling both him and Honeysuckle. Ryan pulls Honeysuckle to a stop and we watch Maybelle disappear into the woods beyond the meadow.

"I don't know what spooked her," I breathlessly say to Ryan. We are both breathing heavily and my arms are still limp on his thighs. I look to him while we try and catch our breath and laugh, "Are you a frickin' stunt man or something?" He shakes his head, trying to believe what just happened as well and I realize I should probably get off of him. I scoot back so I can lift my legs and he gently slides off the horse.

"There was a big snake in the path. I noticed it right as Maybelle lurched forward," Ryan answers. He holds his arms out to help me slide off the saddle. We've managed to do a lot of touching in the past fifteen minutes.

"She's never taken off like that. I've never even ridden her that fast. I completely panicked," I say while shaking my head and cradling my right hand with my left.

"What happened to your hand?" He asks. He gingerly touches my fingers with his and I can see the concern taking over his face.

"I had them on the pommel when she reared back. So instinctively, I clutched onto the knob and I broke all of my fingernail tips clean off," I wince as we examine my bleeding fingers. My hand is shaking and I have no strength in my hand. When I look up to Ryan, I realize how much my body hurts. My butt hurts from the saddle and my neck is sore from the whiplash. My legs ache from straddling the sprinting horse and my arms burn from holding on so tightly.

"So I guess you are a real cowboy then," I joke to Ryan as I let out another light laugh. "Thanks for helping me." I notice I'm looking into Ryan's emeralds instead of his dark shades. "What happened to your sunglasses?"

"I think I threw them off when I was trying to get a hold of you. They were too distracting." He's looking at me now and I feel the dancing spark again. This time, he's the one that ends it. He glances around the grass, hoping to find his glasses but he eventually shrugs and looks back to me.

"Are you able to ride back?" He asks while I drop my aching hand. I nod and look off to where Maybelle disappeared.

"Horses are smart. She'll find her way back." Ryan says as if reading my thoughts and he moves back over to where Honeysuckle is waiting. I'm worried that I won't have the strength to get myself back onto the horse but I know the walk is over three miles back.

"Is it super cliche if I say I am nervous to get back on the horse," I ask with a sarcastic grin.

"I've got you," Ryan calmly says as I hesitate by the stirrups and after what just happened, I believe him. I watch him gracefully settle back onto the horse and he extends his hand out to me again. I put my right foot back into the stirrup and use all my upper body strength to pull myself back up.

I try to put my arms around his waist but it feels too intimate to be this close to him. I don't clasp my hands together, as my right hand won't allow it, so my hands rest limp on his thighs. My neck still aches so I have a hard time holding my head back and away from him.

When we reach the fork, I put my forehead on his back, not being able to support my head any longer and he doesn't shoo me away. I breathe in that woodsy smell I noticed earlier and also notice the fresh detergent smell soaked into his cotton shirt. He smells like a clean man, but the slight sweat covering his neck tells me we are both going to need to shower when we get back. My whole body relaxes and I don't immediately notice when we get back to the stables. As we come to a halt, I lift my head and I see Celia running over to us.

"What happened darlin'? Where's Maybelle?" She worriedly asks when she sees me behind Ryan.

"A snake spooked her, she took off," I answer and Ryan pulls Honeysuckle over to Celia. I see Austin's blonde hair come out from the stables and he immediately notices something is wrong.

"What's going on? Are you okay Sawyer?" Austin asks as he sprints over to us and I nod back to him.

"Thank goodness for Ryan. He pulled me from Maybelle. I smashed my hand so if it weren't for him, I could have had a serious accident." Austin reaches for me after Ryan dismounts and I slide off the horse.

"Maybelle has never taken off like that." Austin says in shock and I nod, "And I've never ridden a sprinting horse either. I hurt my hand when she reared back." I hold my hand out to Austin and he tenderly inspects it.

"Do you think anything is broken?" He asks and I shrug, "I don't think so, it just hurts like hell." Austin looks to Ryan, "Thanks for takin' care of Sawyer, man." Ryan nods and continues stroking the side of Honeysuckle's face.

"Was this too much excitement for you or can you help me go rein in Maybelle?" Austin asks Ryan and without hesitation, he replies, "Let's go."

"What? You both are going to ride Honeysuckle?" I ask with a laugh and Austin looks to me like I'm a moron.

"Yeah, two grown men on a small saddle," he answers sarcastically. "No Sawyer, we'll take the golf cart." I shrug as I roll my eyes at Austin's tone and Celia takes hold of Honeysuckle. Austin and Ryan turn to head towards the shed but before I walk off, Ryan looks back to me, "Ice your hand and find something to secure your neck straight. You might have gotten whiplash." My eyes find his and I give him a smile, "I will. Thanks again. I owe you." He turns back to Austin and I don't miss the look Austin gives him. With that warning look, I push all attraction aside and remind myself that this is Austin's colleague- who is only here for two weeks.

I hear Celia stroll up behind me and watch the guys stride over to the shed.

"That tall, refreshing drink of water can save me off a fleein' horse whenever he likes," Celia jokes and she gives me a slight nudge with her elbow. My eyes light up and I laugh, "Celia that may have been the hottest thing that has ever happened to me. I don't know if my heart was beating faster from the adrenaline or watching him use one arm to whip me over to him." Celia pretends to fan herself as she shakes her head

"Well hot damn. You might wanna enjoy that while he's here." I glance to her and decide to confide in her.

"I think he's off limits. That and I almost feel dirty for even thinking of him in that way. Ya know, so soon after Jackson." Celia grabs my good hand and looks to me.

"Honey, Jackson put you through hell 'nd back. No one would blame ya if ya indulged a lil'," she says with a smirk. "That man may be a man of few words but the way he looks at you speaks clearly. If I had to put words to what I've seen these past couple a days, I might say he's internally struggling with what to do with you too." She notices the surprise that fills my face and she gives me a small smile, "Now let's go ice that hand baby girl." I glance back to the guys pulling the golf cart out and watch Ryan slide in next to Austin. Celia puts her arm around my shoulder and guides me back to the house to help take care of my throbbing hand.