Riding On ~~:~~ A Free Rein Fanfiction || Completed

Chapter 10

By the time the pair had risen from their rest, it was evening. The sun began to set, just starting to dip below the treeline, its bright light glistening through what small spaces between the leaves and branches that it could. 

The two trekked back to the fence line together, side by side and they stopped upon reaching the gate. 

"I hope we can do this again sometime," Marcus spoke, his voice soft and warm as he gazed down at the girl before him.

Her green eyes drifted to the ground and she nodded slightly. A stray hair betrayed her and fell, and Marcus moved slowly, pushing the strand back behind her ear with a gentle smile. 

Ann found herself smiling back, still unsure of how he was able to draw such emotions out of her. 

He opened the gate for her, gesturing her, then followed her out. 

Ann turned, now outside the paddock, and watched Soleil as he trotted around, almost showing off, his golden fur dazzling in the low orange sunsetting light. 

"Beautiful..." She murmured softly.

"Yes..." Marcus spoke, not looking at the animal flaunting about, but at the young lady, though her eyes did not catch his, his compliment stayed true and would remain a secret one at that. 

"It's time you get home," He spoke, chuckling softly as Ann let out a yawn. "He can stay in the paddock for tonight, he seems happier out her anyway." 

Ann nodded in agreement and Marcus walked her home. He told her tales of his childhood, growing up on the island, and how he grew to love horses and riding. He spoke of his time at university and how such situations weren't his passions, riding and teaching were.

Ann listened intently, seeing a new side of Marcus, not one of a senior student, nor of a romantic, but one revealing his heart and soul, his loves, hates, his experiences and how he grew from them.

Her heart thumped softly in her chest; he grew from such events, would she grow from hers? Would she ever be the same?

Marcus began to frown and he wiped his nose, almost like dusting away a flower petal or stray fallen eyelash. "And my cousin..." he began to speak of a woman named Sam. Ann's eyes widened as she listened to the intense story of Bright Fields not too long ago. 

"It wasn't right..." Marcus almost looked like he was seething. Ann had never seen him like this, and she never thought she would. She stopped, uncharacteristically placing a hand on his arm to stop him. 

He looked at her, shocked, and began to speak, but her hand moved to his mouth, her fingers covering his lips. 

"She tried to help." She spoke. "Everyone does bad things," she continued, her voice becoming less and less unconfident with every word spoken, "If you constantly look at the bad things people have done, you'll never see the good things..."

Marcus stared at her, his eyes glistening, but he wouldn't let the tears fall. The young lady before him, whose silence was deafening to him, became wiser in moments of him telling a story than he had become throughout his whole life. 

Since the event, he'd been unable to forgive Sam for what she'd done, he felt betrayed and was utterly disgusted with her. He'd rejected her completely; but she made Bright Fields into what it was, it was because of her that it survived as long as it did. Without her, it would have shut down months before she had even gotten to the stage that she did. Anyone else would have cast it away without a second thought; but not Sam...

His cheeks flushed, though the darkening of the sky hid it well enough, and his hand instinctually went to hers, still covering his mouth. He kissed her fingers adoringly, gratefully, like a worshiper would if a god stood before him, then intertwined his fingers in hers, pulled her close, and his lips pressed against hers.

Butterflies broke out in her stomach, erupting from her like ants out of an anthill, but she didn't have the strength to push away and found her hand responding on its own, sliding up his arms and wrapping around to the back of his neck. He pulled her close, releasing her hand and wrapping both arms around her waist while her, now free, hand met with her other one. 

He pulled away, and he buried his face in the side of her neck, his ear resting against her shoulder, the smell of her perfume wafting towards him, intoxicating him. 

"You. Are. Amazing...." he whispered, knowing she heard him.

Ann was fearful that her voice would betray her, and already knew he could hear her rapid raging heartbeat, thus she responded by gently playing with his hair.

A few short moments after, he pulled away, and smiled, gently kissing her on the forehead, and they resumed walking, hand in hand.

Ann could see her bedroom, lit up from down the road, and knew this time would end soon. They approached the white gate and Marcus stopped before it.

"Perhaps tomorrow, I can give you some private lessons? There is a competition coming up if you're interested in trying out for the team." He spoke, looking into her eyes.

Ann nodded excitedly, bounding a bit, unable to contain herself, leading him to let out a throaty laugh.

"Then, until tomorrow... Good night..." he spoke softly, kissing her hand, not wanting to let it go, but doing so anyway.

"Night..." She replied, blushing and gently biting her lip.

He opened the gate for her, and closed it behind her, resting his forearms on it as to watch her slip inside her abode. After doing so, he turned and raised his fists proudly in the air, as an athlete would do after winning a championship. 

He began the trek back to his home, chuckling under his breath, "Until tomorrow..."