After the Fall

more vehemently, aching and smarting as my newly healed leg supported most of my weight while I swung the other over Tsarina’s back.
    In spite of all my apprehension and the nightmares I’d had all last night about broken bones and limbs in casts, the second I started carefully lowering myself into the saddle, all my confidence came back. There were few feelings in the world that compared to sinking into a saddle. The familiar squeak of leather, the perfectly contoured seat, even the way the stirrup leathers pressed into the insides of my knees, it was all exactly the way I remembered it. The braided reins in my hands. The smell of dust and tack and horses. Being back where I belonged, in the saddle that felt less like a place to sit and more like an extension of me. I’d been terrified that being on Tsarina’s back would be awkward and strange, but no, it was like the last few months had never happened.
    I slipped my right foot into the stirrup and flexed my left ankle a little, stretching my calf and making sure nothing seemed off. Once I was sure I was properly situated, I tapped her sides with my calves, and she started walking.
    The first few steps brought a grin right to my lips. Oh, yeah. It had sucked, missing out on riding her all summer, but this was worth the wait.
    I eased her into a sitting trot. Her gait was just like I remembered: glass-smooth. Balanced. Perfect. As I pushed her into a faster trot, I started posting, and the vague ache in my leg was only a minor annoyance. A little bit of muscle fatigue wasn’t going to put a damper on the sheer joy of doing this, of the speed and the—
    Tsarina suddenly jerked sideways, shying away from the corner. My heart jumped into my throat, but I stayed in the saddle and reined her to a halt.
    She snorted loudly at something in the corner. After a moment, I heard a faint cheep-cheep and some rustling and saw a couple of beaks sticking up from a cluster of twigs.
    “Oh, honestly.” I tousled her mane. “They’re birds , sweetheart.”
    “You all right?” Ryan called from the middle of the arena.
    “Yep.” I glanced at him and smirked. “Birds again.”
    He rolled his eyes and shook his head.
    Tsarina snorted again, but then lost interest in the birds and focused on trying to take a bite out of the railing.
    “You dork,” I said, chuckling as I steered her away. We made another lap around the arena, and this time passed by the terrifying birds without incident.
    I gently tugged the reins with my fingers, enough to wiggle the bit and get her attention, and then urged her into another sitting trot. After a few steps, I tapped her side with my leg, and she moved right into that beautiful canter. God, it was like I’d never been out of the saddle at all.
    For all my nerves about getting on, by the time we were finished, I didn’t want to dismount.
    From the sounds coming from the barn, though, it was getting to be feeding time, and Tsarina had definitely noticed. She paid attention and did as she was told, but stole a few glances toward the gate too.
    I steered her to the middle of the arena and halted beside Ryan. “Guess I should let her go eat.”
    “Yeah, probably.” He grinned up at me. “Looks like you’re right at home, aren’t you?”
    “Yes, I am.”
    His eyebrows rose a little. “And she’s still running the way she should? I didn’t ruin her for you?”
    “Not even a little.” I leaned down and kissed him, which was a challenge because of her height, but he stood up on his toes and met me halfway. “Thank you again. I really appreciate you keeping her in shape for me.”
    He smiled and kissed me again before letting me sit up in the saddle. Then he stroked the mare’s neck. “I guess in a way, you brought us together, didn’t you, Tsarina?”
    “Good point.” I smoothed an unruly piece of her mane. “I suppose we can forgive her for being terrified of a bird’s nest, then, right?”
    Ryan laughed and stroked her neck. “You know, we could have a bit of a problem.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “There’s two of us and one of her. Makes it tough to ride together, don’t you think?”
    “Okay, true. Maybe Cody has a horse you can ride.”
    “Maybe.” An odd little smile worked the corners of his mouth upward. “But I was thinking I might get one of my own.”
    I blinked. “Really?”
    Ryan nodded, that smile still fixed on his lips.
    I didn’t push the issue, but it didn’t leave my mind. As we unsaddled