Saturday dawned bright and sunny, a beautiful spring day. Savannah enjoyed a leisurely brunch with GG and then took a long, luxurious bubble bath before getting ready for her riding lesson. She changed clothes twice before she was satisfied and took her time choosing the perfect earrings to go with her outfit. Joey arrived to pick her up in plenty of time and they chatted on the way to the Harpers'.
When the limo pulled up in the gravel drive in front of the big barn, Mamie and Ben were standing outside watching one of the horses in the nearby paddock. Ben stared at the long, black limo and shook his head slowly when Joey got out and opened the door for Savannah.
"Well, that's a new one on me," Ben said when Savannah walked over. "I can honestly say I never had a riding student show up in a limo before."
Savannah said, "I see no reason to give up comforts just because I happen to be in Boone, Indiana. I believe in enjoying myself, regardless of where I am."
Ben was still gazing at the car. "Yeah, I bet you do. So you're just visiting here in Boone?"
"That's right. I came for my sister's wedding, and I'm staying for a while to help out my grandmother."
"Well, that's mighty nice of you. And where is it that you normally live?"
Savannah lifted her chin a little. "I don't have a particular home. I go where it suits me. I spent a few months in Switzerland this past winter and then went to France for a while before I came here."
Ben raised an eyebrow, looking suitably impressed. "Is that right? You're a real jetsetter, then, huh?"
Savannah had the distinct impression that he was laughing at her, although his face never betrayed a thing. "I just like to go where I want, when I want."
"Well, how about we go into the barn here and get started. I'll show you how to pick your horse's hooves and saddle him up."
Pick the horse's hooves? Savannah swallowed hard but told herself that she was going to do whatever he asked her to, and better than any student he'd ever had. Mamie Harper watched with interest and wondered how long it would be before the fireworks started.
In the barn, Ben asked, "Have you ever spent any time around horses?"
"Not since I was twelve or thirteen. I used to visit here summers sometimes."
"Well, we'll take it easy so you can get used to handling them," Ben assured her.
Savannah lifted her chin again. "I'm sure I can handle whatever I need to do."
Ben handed her a lead rope and motioned to a stall where a pretty black and white paint stood patiently.
"That's Reba. She's a sweet natured little mare and a good starter. I think you'll get along just fine. Go ahead and put that lead rope on her; her halter's already on. You can lead her out here and put her in the crossties."
Savannah looked at the horse and her eyes softened. Sliding the stall door open, she walked in and patted the mare on the neck, turning her face away from Ben. She talked softly to the horse while she fastened the lead rope, then turned and walked out of the stall, the horse following her willingly. Ben looked at her with something like approval for just a moment and then showed her where the crossties were.
"Here, you fasten one rope to this side of the halter, like this, and the other one on the other side. Yeah, you've got it. Just how much time did you spend around horses when you were a kid?"
"Not much. I didn't get much of a chance." Savannah unfastened the lead rope and hung it on the wall.
Ben handed her a brush. "Just give her a quick brushing. After we're finished, she'll need a better grooming."
Savannah brushed the horse and worked out a tangle in her mane with her fingers, forgetting to worry about her nails. Ben studied her while she worked with the horse, murmuring to her the whole time. He couldn't help but notice her fine looking ass when she bent over to run the brush down the horses' leg. Savannah was oblivious to him, and Ben found himself thinking, Damn. She might not know it, but she's a natural with horses and she loves them. He felt a little stir of something other than the one he got when enjoying the sight of her fine looking ass.
Ben got a hoof pick and showed Savannah how to lift Reba's foot and clean out her hoof. She hesitated for only a second and then did all four feet. Joey, standing off to the side, was stunned at the sight of Savannah Beauchamp cleaning dried manure out of a horse's foot without a thought for her soft hands or her manicure. Ben glanced over and grinned at the look on the driver's face.
"Okay, that's not bad. Let's saddle up. Put that pad over her back. That's good; now take that saddle and toss it over the pad."
Savannah looked at the western saddle hanging on the rack and flinched a little, looking back at the horse.
Ben said soothingly, "It's not as hard as it looks. You want to put it on from the left side, so hook the right stirrup up over the saddle horn and lay the girth and breast strap up over the seat while you put it up on her. I'll get it if you can't handle it."
Savannah snapped at him. "Just get out of my way."
She struggled with the saddle, pulling the straps and stirrups out of her way, only to have them fall back down when she went to lift it over the mare's back. Finally, the saddle was perched on top of the saddle pad and she pulled the girth free from where she had trapped it under the saddle, breathing hard.
"Geez, that's heavy!" Savannah blurted out, immediately biting her tongue.
Ben laughed. "It's actually a barrel saddle. It's a little lighter than most."
She shot him a dirty look, and he laughed again. Stepping closer, he showed her how to fasten the saddle. After watching him cinch up the girth, she shrugged.
"That's not hard. It's like tying a man's tie, isn't it?"
Surprised, Ben said, "Yeah, pretty much. Except you've got to tighten it up so the saddle doesn't slip."
"Well, there are some men who need their ties tightened, if you ask me."
Ben let that wicked grin show for a moment. "I suppose you've got a point there. Well, let's take her out into the arena."
Ben snapped the lunge line to the horse's halter and led the horse out with Savannah following. She stumbled a little when she walked into the soft sand of the arena in her new boots.
"Okay, ready?" At Savannah's nod, he held the horse and said, "Put your left hand here and hold the saddle horn, right hand back here. Left foot in the stirrup and swing yourself up and on."
Savannah made it into the saddle on the second try and sat while Ben adjusted the length of the stirrups.
"How's that feel? You want to sit straight, keep your heels down and hold the lead rope loosely. There, just relax a little. Don't squeeze with your knees; that's how you tell her to go. Okay, I'm going to step back. Now, squeeze and tell her to walk."
Savannah squeezed her knees against the horse and said, "Walk, Reba. Walk."
Reba set off obediently, and the look on Savannah's face was so radiant that Ben, watching, felt his heart stop. He was looking at the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and in a flash, he knew that he had to make her his. He had never believed in love at first sight. In fact, he had often not believed in love at all. But he knew without a speck of doubt that he had just fallen completely in love with Savannah Beauchamp.