Freya

"Easy now," Freya murmured to Nova as she guided him from a trot to a halt. She shortened the lead rope and stepped closer to him, her hand brushing through his soft coat before pulling out a carrot and offering it to him.

"You know, Seth bought you carrots once," she whispered, resting her cheek against his neck. "But I never told you, since we didn't like him back then."

Nova's ears twitched at the sound of her voice. "Can I ask what you think of him now?" she added softly.

"Hey, Freya!"

The voice calling out through the stillness of the riding arena startled both her and Nova. She glanced up, spotting Seth jogging toward them, his presence commanding even from a distance.

He was wearing a fitted black t-shirt that stretched across his chest and shoulders, hinting at the strength beneath. His black riding pants, reinforced with protective padding, added a rugged edge that matched the scuffed boots pounding against the ground. Black gloves dangled loosely in one hand, while his helmet swung from the other.

And he was holding a piece of paper.

"I told you not to scream around the animals," Freya teased, narrowing her eyes at him.

"I've got news too big not to shout," he said, waving the paper in front of her. Nova stretched his face toward it, sniffing curiously before trying to nibble it.

"No, Nova. You can't eat this," Seth said, handing the paper to Freya. "The bet is back on."

Freya accepted the paper, her brows lifting as she took in the words. "Why should I trust you this time?"

"Why would I go through all of this again when I already had the stable if it wasn't real?" he countered.

"Well, maybe for the thrill of it?" she pointed out. "Since you already screwed me over once-and let's not forget, you tried to kill me," she added, glaring at him.

"I did not try to kill you," he shot back, tilting his head slightly to the side. "Look, I know I messed up, but I'm trying to make it right."

Her gaze landed on his throat, noticing a strong red flare across it. "What happened to you there?" she asked, pointing toward him.

His hand shot up to his throat, almost covering it. "Ah, nothing. Don't worry about it," he said.

"I never said I did," she replied, narrowing her eyes. "But how can I know this contract is real this time? Especially since you basically pointed out that I was too stupid to notice it on the last piece of shit paper."

Seth shifted slightly, placing the helmet under his arm and supporting it with the side of his body. "I guess you just have to trust me," he murmured, stepping closer to her. "Can you do that for me?"

Her heart jumped slightly at his sudden movement, but she quickly forced herself to hold her ground.

"Trust is earned," she said, locking eyes with his. "I can't just give it to your words. You've broken your promises before."

His hand ran through his dark, messy hair, making him look effortlessly dashing in his motorcycle outfit. Seth interrupted her thoughts as he stepped closer, now towering over her and looking down into her eyes.

The faint scent of leather and engine oil lingered around him.

"Then I'll show you," he said.

~*~*~*~*~

Seth

His eyes darted around the shelves filled with equestrian equipment-helmets, vests, gloves, boots, pants...

It was overwhelming.

And yet, he still wasn't sure what to get for Freya and Nova. Every time his gaze landed on a particular pair of riding boots, though, a warm feeling spread through his stomach. That wouldn't be the worst gift, would it? A way to show he was serious?

But what was her boot size?

He wandered the aisles aimlessly, glancing around. He probably looked like an idiot.

"Do you need some help?" a saleswoman asked, her voice cutting through his thoughts.

"That would be wonderful, actually," Seth said, clasping his hands together in a mock prayer. "I need some equipment as a gift, but I have no idea what I'm doing."

He crossed his arms over his chest, hesitating. "It's for a girl," he added.

"Come with me."

The woman led him around the store, pointing out various items. Half of it didn't make any sense to him, but now he was standing at the register, surprisingly pleased with the selections. They had settled on the pair of riding boots he couldn't stop looking at. He'd had to guess her size, but the woman assured him they could be exchanged if they didn't fit. For Nova, he'd chosen a halter and some horse treats.

"Here you go," the woman said, handing him the bag.

"Thanks for your help," Seth said with a curt nod, offering her a smile.

"I hope your girlfriend will love the gift!"

His heart skipped a beat, and his words caught in his throat.

"She's not... uh, yeah," he managed to mutter as he quickly walked out of the store.

~*~*~*~*~

Seth made his way into the stable. The smell of hay and horse manure was starting to feel like... well, it didn't smell so horrible anymore. Maybe he'd grown a bit fond of it.

A radio hummed soft melodies, and he could hear Freya murmuring sweet words to Nova in the stall.

She was mucking out the stall with a shovel, carrying the dirty bedding to a wheelbarrow. Seth placed the bag outside the stall door, then leaned his arms on top of it, resting against the doorframe.

Her hand tightened on the shovel, and she frowned, her posture stiffening. "What are you doing?"

"You look good doing that," he blurted out.

She turned her head toward him and shot him a glare. "Doubt it," she replied, pausing her work. She wiped the sleeve of her shirt across her forehead, brushing away a droplet of sweat.

"I've got something for you," he said, lifting the bag.

"What?"

"Come take a look," he teased, flashing her a smile.

She walked toward the stall door, keeping the wooden frame between them. Their gazes met. Her hazel eyes glimmered faintly under the dim stable lights.

"Here you go," he said, holding out the bag. She took it cautiously and peeked inside.

"What's this?" she asked, her tone sharper than he had expected.

"It's a gift. New riding boots and a halter for Nova," he explained, feeling a flicker of disappointment at her reaction.

"I'm not interested," she muttered, averting her gaze and pushing the bag back toward him.

"What's your problem? Seriously? A thank-you would kill you?" Seth snapped.

"I don't need you to buy me stupid shit, Seth," she shot back, turning to resume mucking out the stall. "You can't buy my trust. That's not how it works."

He scoffed and dropped the bag onto the concrete floor. "I'm not trying to buy your trust. I just thought it was a nice-"

"Well, it wasn't. So just drop it," she interrupted, her gaze refusing to meet his again.

He thought she'd see it for what it was-a gesture, a small way of proving he wasn't all bad. Instead, she shoved it right back at him, like everything else he tried.

"You're cold, Freya. You know that?"

"I'm not trying to hurt you, okay? I'm just saying... if you really want to be the nice guy, why don't you just give me the damn stable?" she said, pausing her mucking.

Their gazes locked now, and the air between them felt charged.

"Why the hell would I do that? And didn't you just say you don't want me buying you things? What? That doesn't count when it's a fucking stable worth two million dollars? That I should just hand over to you?" Seth couldn't hold back his irritation, his fingers pressing hard against the stall door.

"Never mind, Seth. Just drop it," she muttered, breaking eye contact again.

No, absolutely not.

Seth twisted the latch on the stall door, stepping inside and locking it behind him. Nova munched on his hay, looking entirely uninterested in the argument playing out between his humans-like a kid stuck in the middle.

Seth stepped closer. "You don't get to do that."

Freya glanced up, her grip on the shovel tightening. "Do what?"

"Push me away."

She scoffed, leaning the shovel against the wall. "You told me not to fall for you, and now you're telling me not to push you away? Make up your mind, Seth."

His jaw tightened, and he exhaled slowly through his nose. "I'm not asking you to fall for me. I'm asking you to stop acting like I'm the fucking enemy."

"I'm not acting like you're the enemy. I just don't think you're my friend."