Somehow, Livingston has gotten it calm and obedient enough to perform sufficiently around show jumping. He’s putty in Liv’s hands but still flattens his ears and tries to bite anyone else. Liv says his sass is what makes him such a great jumper.
Right now, the pair are moving through the course with ease. This course was designed to test the horse's agility, and carefulness, and the rider's ability to judge the correct speed and count out the strides. The winner will be the one who completes the course in the fastest time with the fewest faults.
As Liv rounds the final bend, she hasn't knocked a single fence down, she hasn't stopped once, and when she comes to a full stop on that wild horse of hers, she knows she's won as the last rider comes through the finish.
Of course, she is playing it cool. She has a slim smile on her face. She doesn't show a single tooth, but her eyes are ablaze, and I know there's a fire behind them that says she did it, and fuck, she did.
Of course, I'm a wild country boy, and I want to hoot and holler, but we can save that for the bedroom. Instead, I'm standing and clapping with confidence, but when the judges give their scores and I watch Liv get a perfect one, I can't help but break into a wide smile.
Later, when she's announced the winner of the day's events, I know the smile she wears is well-earned because it means she's overcome more than a hard event. It means she quite literally got back in the saddle and gave it her all. It's the first event she's won since Chestnut died, and I know it's a bittersweet victory.
When I finally get a chance to congratulate her, my wife, my bride, my one true love, she offers me a perfect kiss. I give her a bouquet of bright red roses. "They're beautiful," she says, but she doesn't even look at them. Truth is, my girl only has eyes for me. "When can we get out of here?" I ask her.
She grins. "Soon." She adds, "Let me take care of my baby and then we'll go."
Together, we walk to the stables, and her team is there to help. She has a crew of six who help her before and after every competition, and they will help transport Flame back home. It is a huge undertaking and it is only for those who are the most serious, and Liv – she's serious. It's sexy as hell. When I met her, she was all broken up and it has been a true honor to watch my phoenix rise from the ashes.
"What are you smiling about?" she asks when she's all cleaned up and done for the day. We're walking back into our hotel. We have short night of sleep before we catch a plane at 4:00 AM to go back home.
"I'm smiling because it was a real fucking honor to watch you all weekend. You were amazing out there."
"Stop it," she says. "You ride horses for a living, you know all about–"
"Stop it," I tell her. I reach for my wife, wrapping my fingers around her wrist as we step into the elevator. The doors close, and I kiss her. "Don't minimize your perfection. You're incredible, Livingston Starborn." I kiss her until the doors open on our floor.
"I hate that we're not at the ranch," she says. "You know I'd much rather sleep there than here."
"Fine by me," I tell her.
"What do you mean?" she says.
"Well, we don't have to do any sleeping tonight. We can wait until we get home if you prefer."
She laughs as I slide the key card in the hotel room door.
I take my wife's hand and drag her into the hotel suite.
"Don't tempt this cowboy," I say.
She pulls off her shirt. "I'll do more than tempt you," she says, dropping her jeans.
I make sure the door's locked. Yeah, there's no need for us to sleep until we get back to the ranch.
This cowboy is more than tempted. He's rock hard.
Epilogue 2
Liv
Five years later…
I lean against our doorway, taking in the sight ahead of me. I see Ledger in the distance on a horse. He's got on his cowboy hat, a lasso in hand, and he's rounding the herd up for branding, singling out cows who need their yearly vet check and bringing them in from pasture. Jake, his right-hand man, is at his side.
I know Ledger, though, by the way he sits on a horse, by the way his muscles move. My whole body lights up at the sight of my husband. The rest of the cowboys fade away. My eyes are laser-focused on him. I wish he weren't working. I wish he were here in the house.