“Okay, that’s it. You’ve officially graduated from needing my help or guidance. I’m so proud and happy for you. I really am,” I say and decide less is more because I don’t want to cry when he’s smiling and not sad.
I head for the exit.
“Wait, I have something special I want to give you,” Jason says, catching up with me at the door without his cane and with great balance.
“You don’t need to give me anything. I was paid—”
Jason takes my hand and leads me out the door and off the porch. I’m so caught up in how much his touch sets my body tingling that I can’t seem to finish my valid protest.
“If you turn down my present, I don’t mind telling you that I’ll be crushed. I worked really hard on it.”
He puts his hand on his heart when he says crushed, and since he is still holding my hand, it’s against his hard chest. I feel a little breathless.
“You really shouldn’t have,” I say.
“You don’t know what it is yet,” he laughs.
How can he be so calm and happy? I’m such a silly, sentimental woman.
Jason clicks his tongue, and a horse that is a beautiful mahogany shade of brown trots out of the barn and stops in front of us. “This is Legacy. He’s six years old and my favorite horse.”
“You can’t give me a horse. I can’t have a horse—”
“I’m not giving you my favorite horse.”
He walks up to the horse, and when he takes hold of the reins and then lifts his right foot into the stirrup, I feel like I might throw up. Getting onto a horse can put a lot of strain on his knees if they aren’t strong enough to perform the task correctly.
Jason glides up onto the horse slower perhaps than he once did but with perfect form. My heart soars for him. “You did it!” I can’t help the squeal that comes out I’m so excited for him.
“Yes, I did, and now you’re gonna get up here with me. I’m giving you horseback riding lessons.”
“Horseback riding lessons? Wow, that’s huge. Are you sure?”
Jason holds his hand out toward me. “I’m absolutely certain.”
I take his hand, and he helps me up onto the horse to sit in front of him. “First lesson? Relax your legs. You’re going to want to flex them to hold onto the horse, but you’re not going to fall off if you stay centered. Don’t squeeze your legs.”
“Okay.” That sounds easy enough. But I soon learn as we ride around the corral, it isn’t. Derrick and Olivia are standing off to the side, leaning on the fence watching us. Jason’s arms are on each side of me, and I can feel his heat at my back. If I could stay just like this, right here, I would do it for as long as possible. With each trip around the ring, I have to remind myself over and over again that this is just his way of repaying me for all he thinks I’ve done for him. But regardless, it’s still fun and intimate.
14
Jason
I convinced Karly to stay a few days so we can continue her lessons, and once she confirmed with the hospital that she won’t be back for a few days, she agreed. Today, she’s going to be riding on her own.
I’m riding Legend, a younger horse that’s a great horse but takes a more advanced rider, and Karly is on Legacy. She’s been doing very well in her lessons. It’s too bad I’ve been struggling so much through each one.
It isn’t my knee I’m struggling with.
Getting to be so close to her and touch her has made me just want to touch more of her.
I take her for a ride off the path up the mountainside to the clearing where there is a river. She’s nervous because it’s her first off-path ride and her first ride solo.
I get off my horse to let Legend drink water. Then when I help Karly from Legacy, she slides right into my arms, right up against my body, and I kiss her. Because how could I not?
I can’t hold back anymore.
Karly tries to resist, but just when I think she’s going to pull away and slap me, she kisses me back. As my hands start to roam over her body she does pull back. “We can’t do this because I’m your nurse and you’re my patient.”
“Not anymore, remember,” I say, breathless with desire. “I graduated. If anything, I’m the teacher, and you’re my student.”
Karly gasps and then laughs.
“Don’t worry, I don’t have any rules about not kissing my only student.” I pull her back into my arms and tug her to a patch of grass with me.
I imagined what this would be like, but I had no idea just how good it would feel. Karly is in my arms, and nothing is going to stop me from showing her exactly how I feel about her.