Free The More I See by Lisa Mondello Page B

tight on his head.
    "How much distance do you figure we have until we hit the trees?"
    "Oh, a good quarter of a mile at least, I'd guess. Maybe more."
    "Enough. Perfect," he said, mostly under his breath, anticipation racing through him.
    "Stay here, Lyssa. I'll be right back."
    All it took was one quick kick of the stirrups against his horse's ribs, and like lightning striking quick and hot, Sassy took off. Cody and Sassy had run this stretch at least a hundred times. Many times with Cody's eyes closed. He didn't need to see where he was going now.
    Didn't need to gauge the distance from the house to the pool to the corral and then back again by counting steps. Here he could just fly, and he knew Sassy would take him exactly where he wanted to go.
    For the first time in eight months, with nothing to cage him, Cody flew.

    # # #

Chapter Five
    Cody didn't need to hide behind his sunglasses here. He didn't have to pretend. He could simply close his eyes as he had hundreds of times and see the blur of trees and wildflowers race by him while he took in their fragrant scent. The heat tore into his cotton shirt as the wind ruffling his sleeves cooled it down.
    Cody wasn't blind here on this little patch of earth. He was alive. And for the first time in a long time, he actually felt whole again. He didn't need a hand to hold, didn't need a worried eye, steady and sure, on his back to make sure he didn't wander into dangerous territory. It was just him and Sweet Sassy's Smile chasing the wind.
    Sassy slowed down as they reached the edge of the clearing. Cody knew immediately that they had come to the end of their run. Disappointment consumed him, but he immediately squashed it down. As if driving home the fact that he couldn't look back to see the distance he had just come, the sun beat down unmercifully hard on him, burning the newly cooled skin beneath his shirt.
    It would do no good to sink back into the depths of depression. Truth was, it felt too damn good to ride again. All the stubbornness in the world didn't make up for how good he had felt just a few seconds ago. Cody wasn't willing to give that up. Not just yet. He might have to accept his lot in life, but he could take the gift that God had given him and enjoy it for all it was worth.
    Finally he understood exactly what Lyssa had been trying to tell him for the past few days. It was still a bitter pill to swallow, and Cody wasn't quite sure his throat was big enough to handle it, but he was sure going to try. If he didn't, there'd never be moments like he'd just experienced. Both with Lyssa and riding Sweet Sassy's Smile. The thought of missing those moments was somehow too hard to accept.
    A cluster of honeybees and dragonflies were buzzing among the wildflowers, talking among each other in their way, singing against the backdrop of grazing cattle. He could hear this clearly as if they were right against his ear. In between the clip-clopping of horse hooves against the dry earth he heard another set of hooves charging across the field, coming closer with every second.
    What the hell was she thinking?
    Cody launched himself from Sassy's saddle and held tight to the reins. This unpredictable woman was out of her ever-loving mind! First time on a horse and she charges after him as if she'd been riding her whole life.
    He squashed the feeling of terror that seized him hard. Lyssa had no idea what she was doing, and he could offer her no help at all if she somehow fell from her horse. All it would take was for Diesel to get spooked by a snake and he'd throw her. If she hurt herself, somehow became unconscious, how the hell would he ever find her in all this . . . space?
    Cody pushed the unbidden image of Lyssa lying in the tall grass, hurt, unable to move.
    He didn't want to go there. It wouldn't help her and as of yet, nothing had happened.
    The sound of horse hooves slowing to a trot had him praying Lyssa was still secure in the saddle. As relief tumbled over him, Cody tried