16 Chapter 16

Life Lessons According to Camryn:

There's a lot of frogs to kiss before you realize they're all frogs.

Troy stared at the red-planked stables in front of them, then heavenward. Camryn might get her wish from the other night. The sky threatened rain. The forecast called for an inch with storms through all afternoon and evening.

She'd wished for rain. He shook his head, disappointed. He'd hoped she had let go, been a little loose, even just a little. For him.

She'd also said their kiss was nothing. Right after she'd insulted him by assuming he couldn't go a week without sex. This is a long time for you to go without someone. Did she actually think the reason he'd kissed her was because of withdrawal? He could still feel her plastered against his back from their movie. That wasn't nothing. Neither was the kiss the night before.

The wind blew, causing the long, wild grass beside the stables to crackle. It smelled like three-day old manure.

A woman came out of the stableslong, lean, and naturally beautiful. Blonde hair cascaded down her back in waves. Full breasts demanded release from a blue-patterned flannel. Jeans hugged her thighs. She wore a pure, charming smile as she pocketed a pair of riding gloves.

Justin hugged her. "This is Jessie," he said to them.

She looked like a Jessie. And, for once, Troy didn't feel a stirring in his gut, even in the presence of such beauty. A week ago, he would have shifted to full magnetism mode to see where flirting got him.

Jessie's gaze took him in from head to toe like she wanted to eat her way through his clothes.

Justin cleared his throat and started introductions. When he got to him, Troy interrupted.

"I'm Troy, and this is my girlfriend-"

Jessie darted a tongue across her lips, meant to moisten and tease, distracting him.

Any basic male reaction he may or may not have had to the woman fled. He'd said girlfriend, and she'd all but made a move. She'd lost all her attractiveness in the blink of her green eyes. Eyes that were no match for Cam's.

"Camryn," Cam said, finishing his sentence while holding out her hand. "Thanks for letting us ride today." If she was irritated by his distraction or fumble, she didn't look it.

"Sure," Jessie said, waving a hand to follow her.

Fisher eyed Troy. "Smooth, man."

He used to be.

Emily had been chatting the whole car trip about riding a horse. She'd been so excited the carseat had barely restrained her. But once they entered the twelve-stall barn and she got a look at a real horse, she all but climbed up Anna's leg in fear. Troy couldn't blame her.

Jessie guided a white mare from the second stall. "You guys can pick whichever horse you want. They're all saddled and ready to go. This one here is for whoever rides with Emily. She's the most gentle of all."

Troy looked from Emily, face buried in Anna's neck, to the mare. "What's the horse's name?"

"Darby. She's eight years old."

Anna walked up to the mare and petted her nose. "Want to try, Emily?"

Emily shook her head, squirming against Anna's hold.

Troy stuck his foot in the stirrup and mounted Darby. He held his arms out for Emily. Anna handed her over, causing Emily to go into full meltdown. She arched, screaming and flailing. Troy held her firm, swinging her legs across his lap so that she was facing him.

"Put your face against my chest," he said, guiding her. "There. You can't see anything. Let's try this for a minute, and if you don't want to ride, we won't."

Emily stiffened, then peeked from his chest. Slowly, Troy lifted the reins and directed the horse to step forward. Emily buried her face again, but didn't scream.

"Her hooves sound just like a heartbeat, right?" Fisher said to Emily, walking beside the mare as she took a few more steps.

Emily looked at Troy, innocent eyes rounded.

Troy smiled. "Kinda smells like your dad, too." Emily laughed, much to the dismay of Fisher. "What do you say? Want to try?"

She nodded, so everyone picked a horse, and Jessie led them out of the barn. "I thought we'd head out to pasture and then maybe through the wooded trails," she said, looking over her shoulder for a response.

"Sounds great," Heather said. "It is so beautiful out here."

Troy kept Emily close to his chest with one hand on the reins and the other arm around her as the girl peered over his shoulder at Cam. She was riding a brown gelding named Sweet Tea. That had to be a good sign to the horse's temperament.

They made their way over a hill and to a flat meadow where wildflowers colored the tall grass. Far in the distance, the foothills at the base of the Rockies could be spotted past a forest. The altitude made breathing heavier, but everything smelled fresh. Jessie turned and entered a path through the trees wide enough for two horses. Troy, being closest to her, pulled his mare next to hers. Anna and Cam followed.

Peat moss and soil heavily scented the air as the heat of the day lessened under the canopy cover. Not far from them, a woodpecker banged away. It was quite relaxing, actually. Troy would rather ride a Harley through downtown Milwaukee, but this wasn't half bad.

"So, Heather," Jessie said over her shoulder. "What color are the bridesmaids' dresses?"

"Lavender. I had Camryn in mind when I chose the color. It goes great with her skin tone."

Before yesterday, if Troy had tried to picture Cam in anything but neutrals or white, he couldn't. Even now, she had on khakis and a white tank top. But seeing that dress on her, the color against her skin-

Anna hummed in agreement. "It does look nice on her. What flowers are you having?"

"You know, I'm not sure." Heather tilted her head. "Justin's mom-"

Troy didn't hear the rest because Emily leaned over to check out the horse's legs. He tightened his hold on her. "Stay still, squirt. I don't want you to fall."

"What's on the horsey's feet?" she asked.

Jessie glanced at Emily. "Those are horseshoes. They protect their feet."

"They don't look like shoes."

"They're shoes."

"They don't look like shoes."

Troy grinned. "Horses only need protection on the bottom of their feet. Unlike little girl feet."

Satisfied, Emily nodded and looked away.

After about an hour of riding, his ass was killing him. He suggested a break when they arrived at a clearing. Jessie dismounted and tied her reins on a nearby branch. She came up beside his mare and plastered a grin of pure sex on her face as she took his reins.

The little vixen.

Emily leaned over again and, before Troy could adjust his hold, she slipped.

"Troy, she's going to fall!" Cam reached out from next to him for Emily.

In the panicked millisecond it took to unwind the reins from his other hand, Cam had leaned too far, hauling Emily to her chest as she fell off her horse and flat on her back.

Anna dismounted before Troy could, and picked up the crying child. "Oh my God, are you okay?" She knelt on the ground and ran her hands over Emily's head. "Does anything hurt?"

Please, please, kid. Don't be hurt.

Troy looked her over, lifting her arms and running his hands over her back, finding no scrapes or cuts. "I don't see anything. She slipped right out of my hands. I'm so sorry." He glanced from Anna to Emily again. "Are you hurt?"

Emily shook her head, tears abating.

Heather placed a comforting hand on his arm. "She's okay, Troy."

Fisher squatted next to them. "I think she's just scared. She fell on Cam."

Cam. From his knees, Troy turned and pushed Justin out of the way. She was flat on her back, arms sprawled at her sides. Oh no. Oh God, no. "Cam?"

Jessie knelt on the damp ground and held Cam's head still. "Justin, ride back and get help. Heather, tie up the horses."

"Shouldn't we use a cell and call?" Heather asked.

"No service out here. Justin knows how to ride. He'll get help fast. Go!"

Justin mounted his horse and rode down the trail, kicking up mud in his wake as Heather jumped to do as instructed. Troy could hear her crying from across the clearing as she tied the reins to neighboring branches.

Air whooshed from Troy's lungs, leaving him unable to draw a breath back in. He couldn't move, just stared at her, a thousand I'm sorry's careening through his brain. He scrambled closer to her on his knees. "Cam?"

She opened her eyes. Winced. "Not so loud."

When she tried to sit up, Jessie put a hand on her chest and eased her back down. "Lay still, just in case."

"In case of what?"

Heather returned, her face wet with tears. "Are you all right?"

"I'm good. Just a headache." Cam looked around at the faces above her and stopped at Fisher. "Is Emily hurt? I tried to grab her--"

"She's okay," Anna assured.

Camryn tried to sit again, only to be held firm by Jessie. One of Cam's infamous glares darted to the woman pinning her immobile, so Troy brushed Jessie aside and held Cam's head instead.

"The side of her head," Jessie ordered. "Above the ears. If she has a neck injury you could do more damage."

"Let me up!" Camryn barked. Her face paled immediately afterward.

"Don't move, honey. Justin's getting help."

Honey?

Emily wanted to be by Cam, so Anna started walking around with her, bouncing the girl on her hip. When he refocused Camryn, she looked mad as hell.

"I'll let you go if you promise to lie still."

"Fine. But there's nothing wrong with me an aspirin won't fix."

Fisher knelt next to her and clasped her fingers as Troy pulled back and sat on his haunches. He looked down and froze. Blood covered his left hand. Cam's blood.

All that red.

"Fisher-she's bleeding." His voice shook as violently as his hands.