Free Connor: A Cowboy Stepbrother Romance Novel by R.S. Wallace Page B

pretty much just follow Willie around, so you don’t even need to give him any commands. Just relax and enjoy the ride.”
    After speaking, he mounted the other horse. Then he whistled twice, and immediately after Willie started walking out of the barn. My horse followed closely behind placidly without being given a single order.
    “This is so exciting!” I squealed.
    Connor looked over his shoulder with a smile.
    “I told you we were going to do something fun,” he responded. “I want to take you someplace special. It’s only a few minutes from here on horseback.”
    The afternoon sun beat down on us as we turned onto a trail leading into the foothills. Connor rode in front of me, so we didn’t talk much on the ride. I found myself in a great mood, though. The warm sun, the gentle sounds of the horses, the smell of the fresh country air; it was all causing my spirits to lift.
    We rode for a little while, and then the trail took us out of the fields and into a wooded area. The terrain suddenly got steeper and rockier. I felt my senses heighten.
    “Is this safe?” I called out.
    Connor looked back and responded, “Yeah, just let Nelson do his thing. You’ll be fine. This is the only trail that can take us to where I want to go.”
    I held my breath as Nelson navigated the rocks below. The thought of Nelson losing his footing scared the crap out of me. Luckily, though, the rocky part of the trail didn’t last too long and within a few minutes we were at the top of the hill.
    “Thank, God,” I whispered.
    We rode out of the woods and into a clearing. I glanced behind me, surprised at how much elevation we had gained in just a few minutes.
    “Well, this is it,” Connor said as he gently gathered up the reins, causing Willie to slow to a stop. “Come here, Nelson.”
    Nelson obeyed Connor’s command and pulled up alongside Willie. Connor looked over at me, smiling.
    “That trail was kind of scary, I know,” he said. “But some things are worth the risk. Look at this view.”
    The clouds in front of us began to clear, revealing the most amazing view I had ever seen in my life. As far as the eye could see there were rolling green hills, and beyond the hills was a large mountain range, which stood proudly against the skyline.
    “This is beautiful,” I said in awe.
    The view was absolutely mesmerizing from where we were standing. It was so peaceful there, too. There was hardly a sound, besides a light breeze and the horses breathing.
    “You like it?” Connor asked, as he reached between the horses and placed a hand on my knee.
    “I love it,” I responded.
    I drew in a long breath, letting the crisp air enter my lungs. Then I slowly exhaled.
    “Come on, let’s walk around,” he said.
    We dismounted and tied them up to a nearby tree.
    “I can’t tell you how happy it makes me that you’re here right now,” Connor admitted, as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
    “Well, I’m happy to be here,” I responded.
    Maybe I should just ask him about the accusations and get it over with.
    I turned to face Connor. His cowboy hat was tipped slightly to the side and his blue eyes glowed in the afternoon light. Everything about him seemed so kind and it made me question his so-called “criminal past” even further.
    “God, you are so beautiful,” Connor said, as he gazed into my eyes. “How did I get so lucky?”
    I smiled at the compliment, but didn’t really know how to respond. Was it actually luck that brought us together? I didn’t believe in luck. Nothing in life ever happened out of pure randomness. I had always believed that every little event had a purpose.
    “I don’t know if luck has anything to do with it,” I responded. “Maybe it was meant to be.”
    Connor took my hand and we walked across the top of the mountain. Suddenly the wind picked up and dark clouds began to creep over the mountains. I felt the temperature drop as a storm front moved toward us.
    “I should have brought a