She tried to dredge up a memory from the dim, distant past but failed miserably.
Mikhail lifted a hand in farewell as she drove slowly down the drive. If watching him lunge her horse had her this hot and bothered, how on earth would she cope going horseback riding with him tomorrow?
***
The next morning, Amber drove to Mikhail’s ranch, towing her horse in the trailer, and thinking about the previous evening.
Dinner with her girlfriends had been fun. By the time she’d arrived home late yesterday afternoon, groomed and fed Barney, gave him some extra attention as well, charged her phone and listened to Mikhail’s voicemail message, which sent shivers down her spine, it was almost time for her friends to turn up.
She’d barely had enough time to tidy the house before Sarah McCord arrived, closely followed by Libby Morgan, Cassie Jackson and Kate Richmond. It was a shame Emma was on her trip, but Amber looked forward to having a special catch-up with her when she returned from her vacation.
Amber had planned on cooking dinner for everyone, but when she realized it was almost six o’clock, she’d yielded to temptation and ordered pizzas. When the food arrived, everyone dug in, talking and laughing between mouthfuls. Instead of watching a movie afterward, they had a good gossip session. All her friends were happily married apart from Kate, who was engaged to Flynn Winters, a cousin of Emma’s husband Cade, and although Amber enjoyed the evening, she couldn’t help wondering if meeting Mr. Right would ever happen to her.
You’ve met Mikhail.
She’d hastily shoved that thought aside, and concentrated on catching up with her friends. Toward the end of the evening, Sarah mentioned the sexy Russian. Amber gripped the steering wheel as she remembered the casual way she’d admitted to having met Mikhail. Although she’d tried to downplay the fact that she was attracted to him, she couldn’t help wondering if she’d fooled her friends. Luckily, they hadn’t teased her about it, and the talk had soon turned to Sarah’s six-month-old baby, being babysat for the evening by her husband Chase.
Amber turned into Mikhail’s gravel driveway, her stomach suddenly churning. She was looking forward to spending time with him, but was also nervous. Hoping she could hide her attraction to him, she drew in a deep breath and concentrated on steering her vehicle along the driveway.
She parked and got out, looking around the yard, enjoying the warmth of the late April sun. Just as she was about to head to the barn, Mikhail emerged from the house.
Her mouth went dry. He looked gorgeous in a long-sleeved navy shirt and dark denim jeans, neatly pressed, with polished black riding boots.
“Amber.” His voice caressed her nerve endings.
“Hi.” She tried for a confident smile, telling herself not to turn to jelly, hoping that her outfit of easy fit jeans and figure skimming t-shirt looked okay. “I’ll just unload Barney.”
“I will help.” He strode to the trailer and started to unlatch the back.
She joined him and together they made quick work of opening the trailer. Amber backed the palomino out of the trailer, stroking him when he stood quietly. Barney whuffled hello to Mikhail, his brown equine eyes alert.
“How was he last night?” Mikhail asked, stroking Barney on the side of his neck.
“He was very good.” She petted the horse, whispering in his ear, “Weren’t you?”
“Excellent.” His gaze seemed to heat up as he watched her make a fuss of the horse. “Ready to go riding?”
“Yes.” She couldn’t help a tinge of pink warming her cheeks as he continued to scrutinize her. Telling herself he was mainly interested in Barney wasn’t working. At all. “I brought my saddle and bridle.”
“Good.”
Once she tied Barney to a railing post, Mikhail carried her equipment from the car. Under Mikhail’s assessing gaze, she saddled and bridled the palomino, willing her fingers not to tremble with nervousness.
“You know what you are doing.” A smile edged the corner of his mouth. “I’ll bring Hugo out.”
A few minutes later, he led out a large silvery-gray horse, taller than Barney, out of the barn.
“Are you okay to mount?” he enquired.
“Yes.” She nodded. Placing her left foot into the stirrup, she swung herself up onto Barney, her right foot finding purchase in the other stirrup. Pleased she’d mounted so nicely, she turned the palomino in Mikhail’s direction, just in time to see him expertly mount his horse.
“I brought lunch.” He patted the saddlebags on either side of his saddle and smiled. “Let’s go.”
Amber walked Barney past the barn, following Mikhail along a dirt track. He opened a gate into a wildflower meadow, not visible from the farmyard.
“It’s beautiful!” She gazed at the orange, white, and pink wildflowers dotting the green grass. A fat black and yellow bumblebee flew drunkenly from flower to flower, seeking sweet nectar.