They were definitely at a gallop, and Reed wondered what might have startled them. Could have been anything.

“But there’s a fence, right?” Katrina asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Between us and them?”

“Nope.”

She paled. “Nope?”

He shook his head to confirm, and she moved so close she was touching him.

The sound grew louder.

“They’re headed for the lake,” Reed reassured her.

“Are we going to be trampled?” She turned her face into his chest.

He struggled not to laugh, placing a reassuring arm around her shoulders. “No, we’re not going to be trampled. They’ll head straight downhill.”

“You can’t know that.”

“Even if they don’t, they’ll see us. They’ll go around us.”

“Are you lying? Are we about to die?”

He grasped her upper arms, putting her away from him, staring down into her eyes. “Seriously, Katrina. Calm down.”

Her eyes were wide, ice-blue with fear. “What if they’re angry?”

“They’re thirsty,” he assured her.

The herd appeared on the rise, their hooves thundering, the ground shaking. Katrina squealed and threw herself against his chest.

“See? They’re turning,” he told her.

Exactly as he’d expected, they curved around the knoll, taking the downhill route toward the lake. The dozen sleek brown, black and white bodies moved off into the distance. The sound diminished, and the ground vibrations disappeared.

Reed noticed Katrina was shaking.

“Hey.” He smoothed back her hair. “Big-city princess, there’s nothing to worry about.”

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

“Nothing to be sorry about.”

“Then I’m embarrassed.”

“Okay, that’s a valid emotion.”

She socked him in the bicep with the flat of her fist. “I’m not used to horses.”

“No kidding.”

Now that she’d calmed down, he allowed himself to focus on the feel of her in his arms. She was softly curved, perfectly proportioned. The top of her head only came to his chin, but she was looking up, and if he dipped his head, tipped it on an angle, his lips would be on hers.