Taking The Reins (The Rosewoods Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

you were probably about to get bit. I figured you’d want to avoid that.”
    I glanced back at the horse I’d been about to touch. He looked innocent enough, gazing at me with his chocolaty brown eyes and long lashes.
    “I know, he looks like a peach,” the guy said, pushing his broom across the floor, kicking up dust. “But that’s how he draws you in and then CHOMP, he’s taken a chunk out of you. He’s mean.”
    “So why’s he here?” I asked.
    The dark-haired guy, who wore faded jeans and a gray long-sleeved t-shirt with the Rosewood logo on it, pushed his broom again, the bristles making a swishing noise across the floor. “Just is.” Then he looked up at me. “Why are you here?”
    The way he looked at me, almost through me, made me look away. “I don’t know. It’s been a long time since I’ve been around horses and I guess I missed them.”
    Swish, swish, swish.
    “So you work here?” I asked, realizing it was a lame question with an obvious answer, but I felt like I needed to fill the silence and that was all my brain could come up with on short notice.
    “Seems so,” he said. Swish, swish, swish . “Name’s Brady.”
    I stepped over to him and stuck out my hand. “I’m Brooklyn. Nice to meet you.”
    As his large, warm hand enveloped mine, I looked into his eyes and realized he wasn’t that old; maybe eighteen or nineteen.
    “Brooklyn, like the borough?”
    I tried not to think too hard about it, remembering how Chelly said she got her name. “Yes.”
    “That’s nice.”
    “Thank you,” I said, pulling my eyes away from his intense gaze, realizing as I did that he was still holding my hand. I took it out of his grasp and turned back toward the horses. “So which ones can I touch?”
    I heard a gentle clatter and realized he’d put the broom down. “Come,” he said as he walked past me toward the horses. I didn’t think but to follow him.
    He stopped at the first stall, giving the bay a wide berth. “This is Sir Lancelot, a.k.a. Sir Bitesalot, steer clear.”
    I smiled and nodded. “Got it.”
    He pointed across the way but I had to peek in through the door to see the horse standing at the back of the stall who looked like she was dozing. “That’s Proud Mary; she’s sweet, but old. Mostly she’s retired.”
    He moved to the next set of doors. “This fine roan is Charlie. He’s a real ladies man.” Brady confidently placed his palm on the nose of the curious horse who nodded his head, like he knew he was being talked about and heartily agreed.
    I laughed. “You’ve got him pegged.”
    I stepped closer and lay my own palm on the velvet muzzle. Charlie nickered and nuzzled my hand. I looked up at Brady who, I realized, was standing very close. “I see what you mean.”
    He smiled down at me. “Told you. Next thing you know, the two of you will be riding off into the sunset. He knows how to treat a lady, that’s for sure.”
    “We’re not that complicated,” I said. “Ladies, that is. Guys just need to figure out what we want and then when they deliver, we’re putty.” Where did that come from? I wondered, but held his gaze.
    Brady’s eyes widened for half a second and his tanned face suddenly looked a bit more ruddy than it had a second ago, but he didn’t say anything. I liked that I was able to make him blush. And I was starting to think I was getting good at this flirting thing; first Will and now this guy.
    He stepped to the next stall and stopped, waiting for me to follow. I gave Charlie a final pat and caught up. “This is Poppy and across the way is her best friend, Daisy. They’re both sweethearts and great for beginners, which I’m guessing you’re not.”
    I shook my head. “Eight years of lessons.”
    “English or Western?”
    “English. Dressage. Five blue ribbons.” Yes, I was bragging, and maybe the blue ribbons were won at my own stable’s tiny events, but they still counted—it’s not like this guy was going to track them down.
    His