PUPPIES! (issa) [Q]

[free3]

He smiled at her. A safe answer, considering he had just told her when they met that the ground was harder now that it was when he was younger. He nodded. She's one of the best. If you ever want to learn reining, she's the girl for you. She had had a couple of foals, and they hadn't shown the willingness to learn and excel like she had, so he kept her around for her ranch prowess and the fact that he was attached to her, having raised her from a foal and trained her himself.

He rode to the gate, holding Sam steady while he leaned over to unlatch it. He had the Paint sidestep so he could swing it open, and then motionedJay through. Sam threw his head as Shane asked him to sidestep the other way, backing up in resistance. Shane relaxed the reins and brought him back, repeating his cues so that Sam would realize he would have to do what the human on his back wanted eventually. This time he complied with just the angry flicking of his tail, but let Shane shut the gate. Now then. We'll be off. he said as he kicked Sam into a gentle jog, heading off into his land where he knew a nice view lay.

[jaydenmitchell]

Jayden was glad Shane opened the gate for her without making her dismount, and even more glad that Willy was being a better sport than Sam. She wouldn't have known how to handle him. Though he wasn't really being bad, he probably would have been worse with a clueless rider on his back.

As Shane took off at a jog, she quickly urged Willy forward again, this time getting the motion she wanted on the first try. She smiled triumphantly, and reached down to scratch the mare's mane in thanks. She followed Shane, moving up beside him so they could talk while they rode. She knew horses didn't always like to be too close though, so she allowed a safe distance between them. "So where are we going Shane? You're not going to dump me off a cliff or anything, right?"

[/b] Her question was in a teasing tone. She knew he'd keep her safe. She was more concerned about making an idiot of herself than him placing her in harm's way.
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[free3]

Jay seemed to have no problem with Willy, to which Shane was immensely pleased. At her question, he shifted his gaze to her face and then away. Ummm, nooo, of course not... he replied slowly, implying that he was. He let that hang for just a second as he eyed her out of the corner of his eye, then couldn't stop the smile. We're going to a rise where we can see the majority of my land in one sweeping view. It's quite magnificent, if I do say so myself. he told her, being serious this time.

[jaydenmitchell]

His false implication didn't slip past Jayden, and she rolled her eyes at him. "Okay, whatever. But you'll have to explain it to my dad."

[/b] She smiled at him, for about the thousandth time that day. She seemed to me all smiles when he was around. Though she was a naturally happy person, he had a way of making her enjoy life.

When he finally offered a real explanation, she nodded. Just as she began to answer him, her phone rang. She jumped, forgetting that she had put it in the pocket of the jeans before she'd came outside. Luckily, her spook hadn't scared the horse, who still plodded along calmly beneath it's erratic rider. Jayden fumbled in her pocked and managed to get her phone out, which she answered. "Hey Jem, everything okay?" It was her dad's voice. "Yeah, I ended up going over to a friend's last night, I'll be home later."[/b] She didn't even pause before using the word 'friend', and her dad didn't question her further. "Okay, I was just starting to worry. You know how I get. Don't feel like you need to rush home Jem. Hope you have fun." She mumbled a response and then hung up, sliding the phone back in her pocket. To Shane, she said, "Sorry about that."[/b] Of course, Shane didn't know it had been her dad. For all he knew it was Benny or someone.
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[free3]

He grinned at her easy reply, his thoughts going back to his teasing and his brother's unfortunate arrival. Seemed like everything he did could be mistaken for the wrong thing by an impartial observer.

He didn't have time to comment before her phone rang and Sam jumped a mile high, skittering off to the side as fast as he could. Shane quickly regained his seat, pulling on the reins to get the Paint's attention and get him back on Shane's legs. Sam didn't like leg yielding back to Willy, who hadn't batted an eye at the strange and abrupt sound, but he did it, noisily chomping his bit. You could tell Shane's mount was used to the lazy and relaxed ranch life, not competition and noise and things that weren't familiar.

Shane had a decidedly frustrated look on his face, but he didn't say anything, because they had topped the rise. He pulled Sam to a halt, which the Paint was all too happy to do. Shane couldn't have planned it better; his Angus herd was grazing within sight. He dismounted without telling Jay what she was looking at. Friends? Was that all they were? His face was turned away from her; she'd have to dismount to be able to read his expression.

[jaydenmitchell]

They rode a few more strides in silence before coming tot he top of a hill. Below, she saw herds of cattle grazing, and assumed this was the view he was talking about. He dismounted and walked a couple steps away, without talking still. She couldn't figure out if he was upset with her or if he was just taking in the view. Maybe he was just frustrated because her phone had made his horse spook.

Jay couldn't decide whether or not to dismount, but finally decided to get off and join Shane. She managed to get off without actually falling off, careful to keep hold of the reins so the mare wouldn't take a chance and run away. Then she walked closer to Shane, casually wrapping her palm around his bicep as she looked off in the direction he was. She wasn't sure what to say, and still wasn't sure what was going on with him. His expression was kind of a blank, frustrated stare. Shane, I'm really sorry. I know I should have turned it on silent. I didn't mean to spook Sam. It was stupid, I know. You could have gotten hurt.

[/b] Her words ran together as she babbled, trying to assure him she really hadn't meant any harm.
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[free3]

He heard her slide to the ground, hoping in spite of himself she was fine. Then she came up to him, putting her hand on his arm. He closed his eyes when she started to talk. She thought it was the phone that left him like this. He turned to her before she could finish, cutting off her sentence with a kiss. His hand gently held her neck, the kiss something he had dreamed about. He tried to keep it light, seeing as it was their first kiss, but he still came away having to remind himself to breath. His blue eyes studied her. Friends? he asked her. He had trouble formulating what he wanted to say with her standing right there, his face inches from hers. Was that not more than what friends share? This wasn't how he had imagined their first kiss, wasn't nearly romantic enough. He hoped he hadn't scared her off, but he couldn't go back and undo what he had just done.

[jaydenmitchell]

Before she could finish talking, not that what she was saying was important, he silenced her with a kiss. She was startled, but managed to keep her composure. She wouldn't freak out and run away. She was slightly relieved when he pulled back, not that it hadn't been a good kiss but she was just nervous.

Then he spoke and a flicker of understanding formed in her head. It wasn't the phone, it was what she had said. Despite wanting to make him feel better, she felt slightly annoyed. "Well Shane, what exactly are we then?"

[/b] She demanded, moving her hands and placing them on her hips. She purposely ignored his second question, not wanting to think about what the kiss meant yet. She was feeling confused, and slightly annoyed that he jumped to questioning her so easily.
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[free3]

He was disappointed at her reaction, but at least she didn't appear to be completely turned away from him. At her question, he dropped his hand, looking over his land. Apparently, we're friends, Jay. he replied, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice, but failing. Apparently what I thought we were taking steps toward is all my imagination. The frustration faded to wistfulness, but he tried to keep both out of his voice. Maybe his brother had had more of an affect on her than he thought. He would bet money on the fact that Blaine would hit on Jay if Shane wasn't around, and at this point he was doubting the ground they stood on. Us. That's what I thought we were, that's what I want for us. To not be me, you, but us. he spoke again, quieter.

[jaydenmitchell]

"Shane, shhhh." jayden spoke, putting a finger to his lips. Apparently she had managed to say the wrong thing again. Well, she'd never claimed to be good at this relationship thing. In fact, she was pretty sure she'd warned him how bad she was at it.

"I think we're more than that too...I just don't know what exactly we are.". It was moving forward, which both scared and excited her. She felt different about him than she had any guy before him, but still nervous that it would all dissolve in an instant. She wasn't the best at commitment, but she was trying. For him. The last thing she wanted to do was run him off, and she took his hand in her free hand, pulling him closer to her again. "Please don't leave me. Not like this." So she did seem to have an emotional side buried somewher afterall.

[free3]

He allowed himself to be pulled closer to her, hand resting on her hip as she spoke to him. He was afraid to call them boyfriend and girlfriend, because she had been wary about the relationship as it was. But maybe he'd have to just go out on a limb, see if she'd follow or shy away.

Her next statement about broke his heart. Oh Jay. His hand came up to trace her jawline. I never said anything about leaving. I like you far too much. You'll have to do more than call us just friends to drive me away, but it was certainly enough to put a bump in the road, okay? We're different people, we see things differently. I just thought you were with me instead of stuck at friends. His eyes searched hers, wondering if he should kiss her again or pull back because she didn't need one more thing to drive her away. But he didn't move away from her, or the closeness they shared.

[jaydenmitchell]

She shrugged indifferently. "I wouldn't call it stuck exactly. But I don't think we know each other well enough yet to call it much more than that."

[/b] She smiled at him, hoping she had eased his frustration. She wasn't going to run off and leave him or find another guy, so he had no reason to worry. Still, guys had a habit of getting jealous easily, so she knew it was probably hard for him that she wasn't ready to verbalize a firm commitment. "We could call ourselves dating, I suppose. Seeing each other? But not like, full on boyfriend and girlfriend and all that mushy stuff, please"[/b]
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[free3]

He smiled ruefully back at her, glad to have her in the same conundrum as he, but not glad that he couldn't necessarily stake his claim on her. She didn't seem the type to have wandering eyes, but he didn't trust the other guys around here to keep their eyes and hands to themselves. She was too beautiful not to be noticed.

He forced a chuckle as she turned up her nose to the mushy stuff. He wasn't one to sit down and write love notes every spare moment he had, but he liked the solidity, the commitment of being boyfriend girlfriend. With an inward sigh, he acknowledged the fact she wasn't ready for it. He kissed her nose, pulling her close for a one armed hug before pulling away so that he could focus on what else he could show her. Being too close would just send the wrong message to his brain.

So, you want to go see the Angus herd down there? he asked, smiling. He'd have to help her mount, so he stayed on the ground, ready to help.

[jaydenmitchell]

She accepted his hug, and didn't mind the quick kiss on the nose. In fact, she actually smiled, glad they seemed to have ironed out the small bump in the road.

"Sure, I'm game,"

[/b] she said, turning back toward Willy. She wrapped the reins back over the mare's neck, and prepared to mount. Of course Shane would assist her, but Willy wasn't that tall and she quickly rushed to do it herself. She got her foot in the stirrup and attempted to make it up. She got stuck in the middle for a second, but managed to get her other leg over the horse and into the stirrup as well. She beamed down at Shane, once again feeling proud of her accomplishment. She knew he only meant to be nice, but she was the kind of girl who didn't like to be babied. She wanted to feel like she was every bit as capable as a man, and left them no room to think otherwise.
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[free3]

He smiled and nodded, doing his best to put the failed first kiss out of mind. He nodded in approval when she just got on herself. She was learning, and that was the first step to many successful rides out here. He knew of a nice pond they could go to to swim, but he had figured today wasn't the best day, seeing as she didn't have a bathing suit and he wasn't willing to let her go home before she got acquainted with Willy and got the hang of riding again. Alrighty then. He mounted Sam, nodding to her as he nudged the Paint to a comfortable trot, heading toward the herd of cows.