eyebrow. She gave Sophia an appraising look, getting off the couch and walking over, swaying her hips just a bit more than usual. "Romantic getaway?" She shook her head, a smile creasing her lips. "Is this for real?"
"Yes," Sophia replied, her cheeks slightly pink. "You can't blame a girl for trying," she said, withdrawing her hands and reaching out, then stopping.
"You're right, I can't," Vanessa said, reaching out and grabbing Sophia's hands in hers. "Thank you," she said, blue eyes wide. Sophia's fingers twitched against her, and Vanessa impulsively leaned forward, planting a quick peck on the surprised brunette's cheek. "I want to know what happened in Santana Row," Vanessa said, serious, "But first, how about that ride?"
"I didn't bring any clothes for the ride," Sophia said, "But I have clothes for dinner, and tomorrow..." she trailed off, "I think you can ride in those, right?"
"We'll see," Vanessa replied, watching Sophia turn and head for the door. She had to suppress a sudden, wild urge to spank the other woman on her way out. Wasting no time gawking over the furnishings, Vanessa kept up Sophia's swift stride back the way they came, all the way to the entrance. From there, she headed around the building counter-clockwise, to the rear gardens.
Outside, the air was as fresh as Vanessa remembered. Seeing the paintings on the wall, one in particular of a blanket strewn in a grassy clearing, overlooking an uninhabited field of grapes and trees lining the distance set her imagination on fire. On a whim in college, she had taken horseback riding, first one summer and then a second time. Back then, friends had teased her that, "Zorro wasn't going to come rescue her," or that, "Sleeping Beauty did not need to be able to ride, only hold onto Prince Charming's broad chest." While following Sophia, she could hear a sudden braying sound, and her heart skipped a beat. Wiping her hands on her blue jeans, she hoped that the six years since her last class had not dulled her memory of what to do.
Hand crafted bushes lined the path around to the stable area, with very few flowers in bloom. Still, the air smelled sweet to Vanessa and she admired the well manicured pathway while striding confidently to the horses. She saw two standing there, held by a middle aged woman with blonde hair, darker than her own. She was dressed in riding pants, tanned hose with calf high black leather boots. Her long hair was unbound, and her gloved hands held the reins with a practiced ease. Closer to her, the brown horse had a placid look, his face content to watch the women approach with curiosity but nothing untowed. On the far side, a black stallion, with splashes of white along it's hind legs, looked more energetic and gave a whinny.
"There there, Raindrop," the older woman said, tugging the reins. "These women won't bite you, I'm sure." She looked at Sophia, then Vanessa and cocked her head to the side. "So, have you two ever ridden before?"
"Yes," the both said at once.
"Good. I'm Susan Happer, I manage the horses and other things around Churchhill," she said, gesturing to Vanessa to take the reins of the brown horse. "His name is Dainty," she said, smiling, "He won't bite, but he can be a bit lazy." She handed the reins of the other horse to Sophia, "As you probably heard me just now, this is Raindrop," Susan said, "He can be a handful sometimes, but usually, he's as gentle as an evening shower."
"The bags are packed, I take it?" Sophia asked, holding the reins and patting the horses neck. She held up a hand, and Raindrop smelled her for a moment, then made a soft nicker sound. He seemed calmer already.
"All packed and ready," Susan replied, looking speculatively at Vanessa and then back to Sophia. "Miss Smith and Miss Smith," she said, chuckling softly. "Be careful, if something happens, one of you stay with the horses, the other come back and we'll send help."
Reaching out, Sophia shook her hand and smiled warmly, "Thank
"Yes," Sophia replied, her cheeks slightly pink. "You can't blame a girl for trying," she said, withdrawing her hands and reaching out, then stopping.
"You're right, I can't," Vanessa said, reaching out and grabbing Sophia's hands in hers. "Thank you," she said, blue eyes wide. Sophia's fingers twitched against her, and Vanessa impulsively leaned forward, planting a quick peck on the surprised brunette's cheek. "I want to know what happened in Santana Row," Vanessa said, serious, "But first, how about that ride?"
"I didn't bring any clothes for the ride," Sophia said, "But I have clothes for dinner, and tomorrow..." she trailed off, "I think you can ride in those, right?"
"We'll see," Vanessa replied, watching Sophia turn and head for the door. She had to suppress a sudden, wild urge to spank the other woman on her way out. Wasting no time gawking over the furnishings, Vanessa kept up Sophia's swift stride back the way they came, all the way to the entrance. From there, she headed around the building counter-clockwise, to the rear gardens.
Outside, the air was as fresh as Vanessa remembered. Seeing the paintings on the wall, one in particular of a blanket strewn in a grassy clearing, overlooking an uninhabited field of grapes and trees lining the distance set her imagination on fire. On a whim in college, she had taken horseback riding, first one summer and then a second time. Back then, friends had teased her that, "Zorro wasn't going to come rescue her," or that, "Sleeping Beauty did not need to be able to ride, only hold onto Prince Charming's broad chest." While following Sophia, she could hear a sudden braying sound, and her heart skipped a beat. Wiping her hands on her blue jeans, she hoped that the six years since her last class had not dulled her memory of what to do.
Hand crafted bushes lined the path around to the stable area, with very few flowers in bloom. Still, the air smelled sweet to Vanessa and she admired the well manicured pathway while striding confidently to the horses. She saw two standing there, held by a middle aged woman with blonde hair, darker than her own. She was dressed in riding pants, tanned hose with calf high black leather boots. Her long hair was unbound, and her gloved hands held the reins with a practiced ease. Closer to her, the brown horse had a placid look, his face content to watch the women approach with curiosity but nothing untowed. On the far side, a black stallion, with splashes of white along it's hind legs, looked more energetic and gave a whinny.
"There there, Raindrop," the older woman said, tugging the reins. "These women won't bite you, I'm sure." She looked at Sophia, then Vanessa and cocked her head to the side. "So, have you two ever ridden before?"
"Yes," the both said at once.
"Good. I'm Susan Happer, I manage the horses and other things around Churchhill," she said, gesturing to Vanessa to take the reins of the brown horse. "His name is Dainty," she said, smiling, "He won't bite, but he can be a bit lazy." She handed the reins of the other horse to Sophia, "As you probably heard me just now, this is Raindrop," Susan said, "He can be a handful sometimes, but usually, he's as gentle as an evening shower."
"The bags are packed, I take it?" Sophia asked, holding the reins and patting the horses neck. She held up a hand, and Raindrop smelled her for a moment, then made a soft nicker sound. He seemed calmer already.
"All packed and ready," Susan replied, looking speculatively at Vanessa and then back to Sophia. "Miss Smith and Miss Smith," she said, chuckling softly. "Be careful, if something happens, one of you stay with the horses, the other come back and we'll send help."
Reaching out, Sophia shook her hand and smiled warmly, "Thank
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