Forbidden Temptation My Mafia Fiance's Alpha Father

Chapter 80

Chapter 80

Brooklyn

"Good, Brooklyn! Good!" Lucas says, his voice eager and encouraging.

Aden's trainer couldn't come on short notice, so after watching me from the fence, Lucas is putting me through some exercises.

"You hold onto the reins," Lucas says, smirking at me, "like the handlebars on a bike. Like they're going to keep you from falling off."

I tilt my head at him. "Well..." I hesitate. "Aren't they?"

Lucas laughs, looking up at me from his place on the ground next to Heathcliff.

"No," he says gently. "The best riders barely even use the reins. You've got to learn how to communicate from here.

He shocks me, embarrassing me even, when he smacks his thigh.

Lucas doesn't notice my discomfort, instead moving to Heathcliff's head and unbuckling his bridle,

replacing it with a halter-a head harness that has no reins at all.

Then, he attaches a long, long lead rope.

"Well, some of us aren't as invincible as you are," I say. "Nor do we have your experience."

"You don't, but you will," Lucas says with a smile.

I bounce up and down as Heathcliff trots in circles around Lucas, who stands at the center, the end of the long lead in his hand.

I'm scared at first, not having anything to hold onto.

Lucas even makes me put my arms out to the side like a bird, to make me avoid clinging to Heathcliff's mane for safety.

But then, as I get the hang of it, I start to understand what he meant.

I really had been holding on to the reins for dear life.

really, it's all about balance and holding on with my thighs

listening to how the horse

still out to the side, I shoot Lucas a happy look and he laughs, pleased to see me catching on. "Well done, Brooklyn!" he shouts to me. "Can you kick him into

if I want

hesitation, laughs at

me a

my courage together, giving Heathcliff a little nudge

picking up the pace into a

putting my weight into the balls of my feet and my heels, standing in the stirrups, and feeling a thrill as the wind

voice inside me thinks. And

myself as I laugh a little

and sit back down, put your weight at the back of the saddle

to do as he says, as Heathcliff slows to a trot and then

to us, gathering

at me. "You're riding like a

the hair out of my face, tucking it back beneath my little

I ask, grinning down at him. "You going to teach me how to rope steers

you want," Lucas says, coming close to Heathcliff's shoulder

girl like you,

raising his

how to barrel

what all the

do

BUMS

sees me blush. I'm not used to being told

to admit, though...I didn't

than me only by a few years, with sandy brown hair and a light smattering of freckles over

like most of Aden's guys,

Or was he

I'm not paying attention to a word

"Um, can

it," he says, holding up a hand to help me dismount. "Come on, let's let Heathcliff

and take Lucas's hand, swinging my right leg over Heathcliff's withers and hopping

elegant a dismount, I think, then the time Aden had helped