Nash: A Rough Romance by Piper Stone (book series for 12 year olds txt) 📕

Too bad I might die here.

I moved toward the railing, smiling as my boots crunched on the ice covering the snow. Grasping the railing, I peered out at the impressive land surrounding the cabin. While the house itself was older, some of the furniture well worn, the scenery surrounding the little cabin was breathtaking.

I could live here.

A laugh threatened to bubble to the surface. Maybe if I’d looked at the few other job offers that I’d been given, I wouldn’t be in this mess. But then I wouldn’t have met Reaper. Was there such a thing as destiny? Fate? I shook the thought aside, narrowing my eyes as an entirely different noise caught my attention.

A whinnying sound.

A horse?

Well, duh. It was horse country after all. Where was it coming from? I stepped off the deck, traipsing through the snow in the direction of the sound. As I rounded the corner of the house, I was taken aback, my hand involuntarily floating over my mouth. There in the distance was a barn, the fresh reddish brown paint giving it a stark appearance in the freshly fallen snow. A new fence surrounded a good portion of it. And inside? Two of the most beautiful creatures I’d ever laid eyes on.

Horses.

The only way I’d ever seen them before was in pictures and movies. Seeing them a couple hundred yards away yanked at my breath.

And my very soul.

A giddy laugh bubbled to the surface. I was shocked how much just seeing them had affected me and I realized only after I’d taken a solid twenty steps closer that I’d even moved. I’d been the kid who’d collected horses. Magazines. Picture books. Small figurines. I’d fallen in love with them when I was six and always wanted to become an equestrian. Dreams. I’d had a few back then. They’d been forced aside when reality had taken hold.

Go to school.

Get a job.

Begin a life.

Yeah, I’d done a piss poor job for the majority of it.

As I walked closer, the beautiful white horse shifted its head in my direction. I couldn’t tell if the creature was a boy or a girl, but with such beautiful eyes, I was going to guess a girl. Wasn’t that silly? The black horse was taller. Maybe the male. A stallion. When I moved closer, he also noticed, snorting and huffing then moving closer to the white horse.

He was protective of her.

I could swear they were a couple.

I couldn’t keep a smile off my face. They were magnificent in every way, their coats shining and their manes floating in the light breeze. They were also obviously well cared for, so majestic and bright-eyed. I dared to inch closer, finally standing within a few feet of the fence.

The black horse whinnied in a more aggressive manner, stomping his hoof on the snow with enough ferocity that a spray managed to spill out over the fence. He was not happy I was in the vicinity.

“It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you. I promise.” I held out my hand, taking very small and careful steps closer.

The black horse pushed the white one aside, moving all the way to the fence and staring at me with one eye. The horse was sizing me up, his nostrils flaring. I didn’t blame him one bit. I was a mystery woman interfering with their daily activity.

“You’re beautiful,” I whispered in a gentle tone, taking two additional steps closer. He reared up slightly, stomping down with both feet.

This time, the spray of snow floated in my direction, dancing down over me with tiny pellets of ice. I couldn’t help but laugh. The beautiful creature was so protective. If only I could find a man who would treat me that way, who would love me no matter what.

The thought was ridiculous. There was no man out there who would go to that extreme to protect and honor.

Why did Reaper’s face flash into my mind?

Shaking it off, I took three additional steps, easing my hand in front of me, my palm up.

The horse stared at me for what seemed like an eternity then finally lowered his head, sniffing my hand before resting his nose against my fingers.

Another shiver rushed through me, one of sheer joy and utter appreciation. Very slowly I rubbed his muzzle, brushing in gentle strokes. “You are such a beautiful boy.” I was rewarded with his tail swooshing back and forth. I took the final step closer, shocked that he nuzzled against my face. Nothing could be better than this.

I closed my eyes as I caressed the horse’s face, savoring every minute of the quiet and the peace surrounding me. While I knew it would be short-lived, I wanted to relish every moment.

Another whinnying sound drew my attention as the black horse shifted his head away from me, snorting toward the white one. As she drew closer, her tail swinging back and forth, I could swear there was love in their eyes. When the white horse dropped her head, allowing me to stroke her mane, a tear slipped past my lashes. “Both of you are just so beautiful.”

“Just like the woman standing in front of them.”

There was nothing more enthralling than the sound of Reaper’s voice. I was tingling all over, my nipples aroused within seconds. The way I reacted to him was incredible as well as frustrating as hell. He wasn’t my forever. No man could be.

I eased back, but only a couple of inches, still stroking the white horse’s mane. “They’re beautiful.”

“All horses are magnificent creatures sent from God.”

I was surprised to hear him say the words. I’d thought the man was so hard-edged that he couldn’t handle anything soft or romantic. Or regal. “Yes, they are.”

The sound of snow crunching under his boots created another vibe of electricity. I wanted to hate the connection we shared, uncertain of why it had even occurred, but I was far too intoxicated by his scent as well as his presence.

He drifted closer to the railing, studying the