I was in the middle of cleaning my muddy black riding boots until my phone rang on my dresser from an unknown number.
"Hello?"
"Hey, it's uh Kaylee, right? The redhead? It's Jess from the riding club. Um, I know I wasn't the smoothest when I introduced myself this morning..."
'That's an understatement,' I thought.
"I wanted to make a better impression, so I got your number from a groom. I hope you don't mind me texting. I was a little shy before because... well, if I'm completely frank, I'm very taken by you, Kaylee. Your form as you ride your beautiful bay around the arena. The way you work together, you almost become one... You're so masterful, and um, if I can be more frank, my uh heart skips a beat when I see you, and I've never felt this way about a woman before... d-does this out you off?"
"No, I've noticed you, too." I wasn't going to lie to her. When I first saw her, I noticed her long, pretty dark blonde hair and her never-ending smile that showed off her dimples. Her soft yet stern country accent was attractive, to say the least.
"I knew it! I sensed that. I've been training Mable, my lovely palomino, on the most challenging jump course lately, mainly to get your attention. I'm glad that it worked... I could feel your eyes on me as I took those jumps. I'll say that did make it hard to focus, feeling you watching me, but I'm thrilled to know it wasn't my imagination getting the better of me. What I felt was real. Did you feel it too?"
I could tell she meant what she was saying, her voice a whisper like she was hiding from someone as she spoke. "Possibly..." I said, twisting the deep red lock of hair in front of my face.
"Look, I know we haven't interacted much, but the connection is palpable. When you brushed past me in the tack room... I felt it course through my whole body. Your knowing smile when we pass each other on the grounds. It's like something is percolating between us, beneath the surface. It's been there from the moment I saw you. I don't know if I fully understand it, but I'm happy to have confirmation. I thought I might have been dreaming all of this."
Her voice shook on that last sentence like she had a bug in her throat. "It- it's a little surreal." Apparently, mine did the same.
"I'll say! This is completely new territory for me. I've been so tired of everything lately... the same people at work, the same people at dinner, the same problems every day, it seems. I've been spending a lot more time at the club, and honestly, the fact that the horses are quiet companions doesn't hurt. Out here, riding, I feel truly free and among myself. Then you came along and threw me for a loop. When I see you, it's like I'm a giddy high schooler experiencing my first crush, and it feels so new yet so... familiar. Am I going too far? I'm going too far, aren't I?"
"Um, a little bit, but I'm curious, why me?" I asked, shifting on the tack room bench.
"There's something about you, so unexpected that excites me. You're carefree, yet so skilled. Stunningly beautiful, yet fiercely strong. Exceedingly elegant yet not afraid to get your hands dirty. I haven't come across anyone who surprises me more than you do. I mean... I thought I was completely hetero, always have been, but when I see you, my thoughts go somewhere lush and luscious."
"I see where you're coming from." It came out nearly a moan.
"I think about what it would be like to reach behind you and pull your ponytail leaning your head back, so your pretty mouth opens up slightly. And then my mouth meets yours. I could keep going. Would you like that?"
"I would."
"I think of tasting you. Actually, I'm at the stables right now. I could tell you moreover an evening ride." Jess said. I wasn't going to pass this up.
"Giddy up, cowgirl."
"Lovely. Just so you know, there's no pressure. As your aware, I don't really know what I'm doing. I'm just so happy you've agreed to meet up. If anything, this gorgeous evening ride will be illuminating, and it'll be delightful to spend some time with you, Kaylee. Shall we saddle up and meet back here?"
"Sure," I said, standing up putting my boots back on.
"Sounds great." She then hung up the phone.
We made our way from the tack room to our respective stalls, preparing our trusty steeds for the ride. We brought them around to the front of the barn. Jess' Mable snorted gently while mine -Balthazar- responded with a flick of his mane.
"Seems like those two are feeling pretty friendly; maybe that's a good sign." She joked. I deftly mounted Balti as I watched her watching me. She swung up onto her saddle.
"Ready to head out?" Jess asked.
"Where are we going?"
"I have a couple ideas of where we could venture. There's a trail at the back of the grounds, the one that goes off into the woods. If you follow it to the end, there's a lovely little pond with fireflies and bullfrogs. If we keep going a little ways, we reach the end of the grounds. We could jump the fence, but I've never been brave enough to do it on my own. I'll do it with you if you want."