I was about to say no when I realized that wasn’t the best choice. By the time Charlie had unseated me, he had shied twice. The last thing I wanted was to dismiss Diego’s offer and find myself chasing my horse again.
“You don’t mind?”
“If I minded, I wouldn’t have offered.
“All right, then.”
I mounted Charlie. After checking to see Diego had already pulled his visor down and was waiting, I gave Charlie a light squeeze with my calves, and he shifted into a trot. Conveniently, Charlie didn’t seem bothered by the sound of a motorcycle rumbling behind us, but then Diego kept the engine low and rode at a comfortable distance.
Not much later, I slowed to a walk and brought Charlie into the small barn. I waved over my shoulder, calling, “Thank you,” to Diego.
I quickly took off Charlie’s saddle and bridle, slipping on his halter. After brushing him, I put him in his stall with some fresh hay and water. All in all, that took maybe five minutes.
I didn’t expect to find Diego waiting, but his motorcycle was still there when I walked back out. He had removed his helmet and appeared to be on the phone.
With my pulse thrumming along and those butterflies spinning madly in my belly again, I approached him because it seemed rude to ignore him. Without his help, Charlie very well may have ended up facing traffic, which could’ve been a disaster.
“Got it,” Diego said into his phone. “I’ll be back soon.”
Lowering the phone, he glanced over at me. His helmet was resting on his lap. Dear God, he was just all man, sitting on that motorcycle in faded jeans and that leather jacket.
“Is Charlie all safe and sound now?” he asked.
I nodded because it was all I could manage. My brain cells had imploded just looking at him and words required too much effort. I watched as his eyes scanned the barn and the adjoining pasture before circling around to the small house across the grass on the other side of the gravel area.
I’d lucked into this job and rental. The owners had moved away and needed someone to take care of the horses. There were four horses, two of which they owned. They rented out stalls for two other horses. I got paid to take care of the horses, and I got to ride one of them myself. The house rental came as part of the deal at a very reduced rate. All in all, this gig made it possible for me to make the leap in moving to Alaska and bought me time to get my yoga teaching business off the ground.
When I’d won an all-expenses-paid trip to Alaska and fallen in love with it, I wondered how I could make it work to live here. This situation gave me a soft landing.
“Beautiful place,” he commented.
Just beyond the house was an opening through the trees that offered a view of the mountains and the sparkling harbor in the distance. “Hard not to have a beautiful view here,” I replied.
His eyes crinkled at the corners with his grin. “Very true.” He glanced to the mountains before bringing his gaze back to me. “I should be going. I suppose I might see you in yoga class sometime.”
“Come as often as you like.”
His mouth kicked up at one corner. “Now, Gemma, are you scolding me for not being a more consistent student?”
The teasing hint in his tone sent a wash of heat through my body. I felt my cheeks getting hot and shrugged. “Of course not. I know you guys come because Daphne and Cammi talk you into it,” I said, referring to the respective girlfriends of two of his friends.
Diego threw his head back with a laugh. “Maybe so, but I always enjoy it when I’m there.”
Chapter Two
Diego
Gemma Marlon stood in front of me, her fingers rubbing the hem of her T-shirt with one hand while she held the strap of her riding helmet in the other, swinging it lightly. She seemed a little nervous. Considering how she set my nerves alight and the sizzle of chemistry between us, I wondered if that had her unsettled.
That chemistry created a fizzy sensation inside with raw desire sizzling through my body. I’d met her when Flynn had dragged a few of us with him to yoga class when Daphne wanted him to go.
Considering my friends here were like family, I gamely went along with him. I thought I’d have to suffer through it, but there was no suffering involved. The second I clapped eyes on Gemma, I didn’t want to leave. She was a quirky kind of beautiful with a sensual, throaty voice that nearly undid me. I didn’t think she meant for me to be so turned on in every class that it was an act of will to keep my body in check.
She let go of the hem of her T-shirt and lifted her hand to sift her fingers through her ruffled curls. She had rumpled honey-gold curls. They fell to her shoulders, making me want to brush them away and dust kisses on her neck.
I paused, taking the moment to absorb her. She had big brown eyes paired with her curls. Despite the cool Alaskan summer, her skin was sun-kissed, like honey. She was on the short side with a toned body that was somehow inviting and curvy at the same time. She’d fit nicely behind me on my motorcycle, her thighs curving around mine. I’d wanted to spin around and kiss her senseless.
We stared at each other for several long seconds, and I marveled that she was comfortable with the quiet.
After a moment, she added, “I bet you get to see the best of Alaska.”
I’d actually lost the thread of our conversation. “What do you mean?”
“Because you fly, so you get to see everything from above,” she explained, gesturing to the sky, which was blue today with fluffy clouds scudding across its surface as the wind had started to pick up.
“Have you flown since you’ve been here?”
She shook her head quickly, her curls bouncing. “I took a plane to get here, but that’s it.”
“Well, then, I’ll take you. Coming in on a commercial flight doesn’t give you the kind of view you can get in the smaller planes.”
“You will?” she squeaked.
“Of course.” I felt my phone vibrate in my chest pocket over my heart. “I actually need to go.” That vibration was the alarm I’d set to let me know when it was time to head out to the plane hangar for a scheduled flight. “Not today, but give me your number,” I said, sliding my phone out. “I’ll text you when I’ve got a free day to take you.”
“Isn’t that kind of expensive?”
“You’re not paying.”
Gemma started to shake her head, and I shook mine harder in return. “Seriously. Give me your number,” I repeated.
After she recited it, I punched it in and sent her a quick text. “Just so you have mine. Now, I gotta roll.” I slipped on my helmet.
“Thank you again!” she called as I started my motorcycle.
With a wave, I drove off. The distance from her place out to the small airport in Diamond Creek was short. There was a commercial airport here, but I was aiming for the one where small planes, which were serious business in Alaska, were housed in a collection of hangars lining the runway. I flew planes for one of my best friends. Flynn Walker owned and ran an outdoor resort in the wilderness, twenty miles, give or take, from Diamond Creek proper. They served guests for a variety of outdoor activities, along with guided plane trips.
I’d met Flynn when we were in the Air Force together and would lay my life on the line for the man. So far, there were four of us who’d moved here after he let us know we could make good money. It was a dream job. I loved to fly planes, and Alaska was flat out beautiful, the kind of beauty that elicited a sense of awe.