Chapter 9: Do You Ride?

        She stared out the window, lost in thought. When she finally pulled herself away from her memories, Sean was staring at her. His expression was inexplicable and impossible to read. Uncomfortable, she turned away and looked out the window again. The car cruised past sloping green fields and paddocks. A few horses cantered alongside the car, tossing their heads as they ran. She stared at them in surprise—she’d forgotten that there were stables and riding rings on the property. “How many horses do you have?” she asked absently. Levi answered from the front seat, “There are 18 horses on the property, Mrs. Blair.” “Are you a rider, Sean?” she asked. “Or do you keep them as an investment or something?” He stared at her for a while and finally said, “Yes, I ride.” She turned and watched the horses with admiration. They looked so free when they ran, but they were prisoners too, trapped by the pretty white fences that separated the paddocks and fields. “Do you ride?” he asked her sudden