Read Rebecca's Rose for Free Online Page B

sweat appeared on her forehead. “Jah, of course. I want to run.”
    “Running might be beyond your skill level at the moment. Let’s try a brisk walk first.”
    He showed her how to prod the horse into a trot. The look of sheer terror grew with the speed of her horse, but she made no attempt to slow down. On the contrary—she urged a faster and faster pace. It seemed the more frightened she became, the faster she wanted to ride.
    They rode up the trail, cresting the low hill at a trot. He insisted they slow the pace down the other side. No use in breaking her neck on the second date.
    At the bottom of the trail, they stopped to water the horses at the small stream that crossed their path. She held onto the saddle horn for dear life as her horse bent its head to drink, and she was doing that breath-holding thing again. Levi hated seeing the look of panic in her eyes. Why did she want to ride a horse if she was so obviously traumatized by the experience?
    “You’re doing really well,” he said, leaning over and patting her horse’s neck. “I’ve never seen Sandy lose a rider yet.”
    Rebecca forced a smile. “It is really fun.”
    Levi wanted to laugh out loud. Clearly, she was having a miserable time, and he was dying to know what she would truly find enjoyable. Unable to suppress a chuckle, he coughed to cover it up. Then he pointed down the trail. “Past those trees is a long stretch of trail where we can let the horses run. Then we’ll go up through the meadow to a really nice spot for a picnic.”
    Rebecca panted as her horse bent for another drink. “You’ve been on this trail a few times.”
    “With Ashley Pittford. And Brittany.”
    “Brittany?”
    “Ashley’s sister,” said Levi. Levi had been in high school at the time, and she was a college girl. He’d never met a girl as brazen as Brittany Pittford. Everything about Brittany, from her low-cut halter tops to her skull tattoo, broadcasted the type of girl she was.
    Levi studied Rebecca’s face. There was something so much more appealing about a girl like her—someone whose love couldn’t be had so cheap.
    He frowned. He was thinking too deeply about this Amish girl.
    Levi spurred his horse forward in a gallop. “Come on,” he called. “The trail follows the water.”
    After cantering a hundred yards down the trail, Levi slowed his horse to a trot to let Rebecca catch up with him. She followed surprisingly close behind, still with that scared-spitless expression on her face but riding fast enough to quickly pull even with Levi. When she caught up to him, she slowed her pace to match his while gulping gallons of air into her lungs. She really would hyperventilate.
    “Okay, stop for a minute,” he said. He brought his horse around so that he faced her, and he nudged his foot against hers in the stirrup. “Catch your breath, kid,” he said. “You sound like you’re having an asthma attack.”
    “Really, I am gute.”
    “Okay, then, I need to catch my breath. Do you mind?”
    She screwed her mouth into a funny little smile and shook her head. “Take all the time you need.”
    He motioned for her to follow, and the horses ambled leisurely down the trail until Rebecca’s breathing slowed from “utter panic” to “mild fear.”
    “Okay,” Levi said. “You see where the trail is real smooth? We’ll do some cantering through there up to that stand of trees on the other side of the meadow.”
    Fear flashed in Rebecca’s eyes, but she nodded enthusiastically.
    “But don’t—don’t—go faster than I go. An inexperienced rider can injure herself and her horse. So keep my pace but no faster.” He stared at her until she met his eyes. “This is important, Rebecca. Do you understand? Don’t do anything to put the horse at risk.”
    Again she nodded, sufficiently humble.
    Levi spurred his horse into a canter. He wasn’t about to burst into a dead run. Rebecca matched him stride for stride. Good enough. She’d regained the terrified