She drew in a deep breath and moved her arms and legs. Pain radiated throughout her body, but nothing excruciating enough to indicate a broken bone. “I’m fine.”
The realization that his restraining hand rested on her chest just above her breasts sent a flood of heat all the way to the tips of her toes.
“Let me up.” The demand came out as more of a breathless whisper. She lifted her arm to push him away, then gasped at an instant stab of pain.
He frowned and took her hand, gently probing her wrist. “That hurt?”
“Yes, but it’s not broke. See?” She rotated it in a circle, gritting her teeth all the while.
His gaze locked on hers. “You got any blurred vision?”
Nope. I can see every speck of gold in your gorgeous brown eyes. She swallowed hard and shook her head. Then she began to feel like an idiot lying on the ground with him kneeling beside her like some kind of knight. And with him staring at her, it was getting harder to breathe instead of easier.
“I’d really like to get up.”
He shifted and helped her to her feet with a hand at her back and one on her elbow. At her mumbled thank you, his palm rose to cup her face. She lifted her gaze to his as he gently brushed his thumb across the ridge of her cheekbone.
“You got some dirt on your face,” he said softly.
“Thanks.”
That mesmerizing gaze dropped to her mouth. Anticipation pooled low in her belly and without even thinking, she wet her lips. His fingers flexed against her skin, then started a slow, deliberate slide into her hair.
“No need to call an ambulance then?”
Mark’s amused voice from over by the fence made Britt jerk away from Joel. She rubbed her hands over her burning face to get rid of any remaining dirt, then flashed him a smile while brushing off her dusty butt. “No, I’m fine,” she insisted. “It’s not like I’ve never fallen off a horse before.”
His smirk intensified her embarrassment of almost kissing Joel right there in front of anyone who happened to be watching. She turned away while flexing her wrist. The pain had already begun to diminish, so she walked to where Gypsy stood about ten feet away.
Neither Joel or Mark said a single word to stop her. They knew as well as her the riding session could not end with the mustang having bucked her off.
“Need help getting back on?” Joel asked.
She shook her head and laid her hand flat on the mare’s neck. A slight tremble vibrated against her palm. Soothing her with voice and hands, Britt took her time with the spooked mare. Mount, dismount, mount again. Couple rounds around the ring, and all the while she was hyper conscious of Joel watching every move she made from where he’d retreated back along the fence.
Why was he still here? He’d given her the SD card and she’d already told him she didn’t want to talk. Was he really going to be stubborn enough to just wait her out?
After the final uneventful dismount, she took off the saddle and hackamore before rewarding Gypsy with a sugar cube and a generous dose of praise.
Joel appeared at her side to pick up the saddle one handed. She was quiet as they left the arena, but after she latched the gate, she leaned back against it. He glanced back, then halted and swung around to face her. His hesitant smile upped her curiosity, and she folded her arms to hold the tack against her middle, her head tilted in consideration.
“You said you wanted to talk about last night.”
A hint of a smile played about his lips. “Maybe not talk so much as ask you to dinner.”
She dragged her gaze up from his sensuous mouth.
What was this? Second thoughts? Her heart skipped right over her head at that possibility. “Dinner? As in…?”
His smile widened. “You and me going out to eat a meal together.”
The cocky grin helped her head catch up. She ignored the heat in her face and lifted her chin as if she hadn’t been thinking about sex and he knew she’d been thinking about sex. “I meant, as friends?”
“No.” He propped the saddle against his hip and shifted his weight to one foot. “I still want to kiss you too much to be friends.”
So did she, but she wasn’t going to tell him that as he stood there all full of himself and self-assured. She was thinking much more clearly now. He might be sorry he’d turned down a sure-thing last night, but that didn’t mean he could just change his mind and snap his fingers now.
She smiled and stepped forward. He smiled back. Self-preservation forced her gaze to the top button of his shirt.