Chapter Four

Bella

"What are you doing here?"

"Well I saw a lady in distress, thought I'd offer my hand." Paul replied if a soft, southern drawl.

"And what's in it for you?" I asked.

"A chance to get to know ya better," he replied with a small smirk playing at his lips. I couldn't help the giggle that escaped me.

"Alright, but what do ya offer?" He full out smiled, and everything was forgotten; no more tears.

"Eh, well... I can be a smartass, I'm a hard worker, I know what I want out of life, and I'm not afraid to try and achieve it; even if it does bust my ass." I liked the straight up answer.

I pulled myself onto Zoey's back, and clicked her forward, motioning my head for Paul to follow me.

"So what got ya on the tour?"

"Well, my dad used to ride bronc, so I grew up around rough stock. I did junior rodeo and high school rodeo bronc, and the more I was around it, the more I just wasn't into the buckin' horses. It was a wild, drunken night, that a couple friends talked me into getting on a
bull. Best experience of my life, well... okay, maybe not that ride." I watched as he flinched a bit.

I couldn't help but laugh at his flinch. "What happened that night?"

"Well, I made the eight seconds, but the dismount needed a lot of improvement. I didn't feel much that night thanks to the alcohol, but the next day I felt like dyin'."

"I can see that, same thing with training horses. You come off of em' but you usually don't feel it until the next day." I agreed.

"Uh-huh. Do you fall off training horses, drunk, a lot?" Paul chuckled.

"Can't say that there has ever been a first in that department. I can honestly say, I haven't come off many horses before. Once I'm in the saddle, my ass is usually super glued to the seat."

"Well with the way Caleb talked about ya this past tour, I'm inclined to believe ya."

"Oh, did my brother talk about me a lot?" I felt my cheeks warm a little bit from my blush.

"Depends on your definition of a lot; if it's about three times a day... then yes."

"Oh, what does he say?"

I swear that I saw him blush before he turned his head away from me. "That you're an amazing sister. Smart, great personality, talented, and mainly a catch."

It was my turn to blush. I knew Caleb probably said all of that and more, considering we are close and all. But for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why in the hell I was hoping that Paul really thought that about me.

I felt nervous. I mean, I had never really caught the eye of a guy before, at least that I knew of. And I only had eyes for Emmett, right? But he's with the bitch, my mind yelled at me.

I gave a gentle shake of my head and pushed Zoey into a lope, yelling behind me, "Last one back untacks!"

I heard Paul chuckle and it didn't take him long to catch up to me, which only caused me to loosen my reins. Once there was enough rein so that I wasn't holding Zoey back, she shot forward.

I laughed as the wind blew my hair behind me, and let the pure adrenaline pour through my body. I looked back to see Paul behind me, slowly falling behind. I felt Zoey's muscles tense up; before I felt her lift her front feet off the ground.

I wasn't ready for the loss of balance, and jolted back, falling forward as she landed. I fell with a low thud, and the whoosh of air being forced out of my lungs. I rolled onto my back, staring at the sky above me. Did I really just fall off of a horse?

"Bella!" I heard a male's voice yell. Who the fuck is that? I looked to the side and saw Paul climbing off his horse and running over to me, and it looked to be dragging his horse. "Are you alright?"

I started sitting up, groaning while doing so. That's gonna hurt tomorrow. I slowly moved my body parts around, wincing now and then from the sharp sting, or the muscle pull. "Yeah, nothings broke." I tried offering a small smile.

Once he figured I was alright, I saw him get a smirk on his face. "I thought you rarely fell off horses. What was it you said," he placed his finger on his chin, "oh yes, and I quote 'Once I'm in the saddle, my ass is usually super glued to the seat.'"

I let a small growl escape my lips. "Shut up and help me up." He did as I told him, grabbing my outreached arms and gently pulled me up. He must not have thought about his strength and the point of my weight, because I was soon crashing into a very well formed chest.

I inhaled, smelling a woodsy, outdoor smell. I held in the moan that was threatening to escape my throat. Focus Bella! Paul cleared his throat, drawing my attention back to the present.

"Uh, right, yeah, we should be heading back." I nodded my head in agreement, and slowly removed myself from the fine man in front of me. I looked around lost before letting a curse flow out of my mouth.

"That damn horse!" Yep, you guessed it, Zoey was nowhere in sight!

"Well, it looks like your riding back with me." I turned to look at Paul, and saw a smirk on his face. A sexy smirk I just wanted to smack off his face.

"Let's go then," I grumbled. I watched as Paul easily swung up on his horse, before removing his foot from the stirrup for me. I rolled my eyes, before walking over to him and climbing onto the back of the horse. Whoever said that riding double is comfortable should be slapped. I got myself as comfortable as I could behind the saddle.

I went to grab the back of the saddle and groaned when I pinched my fingers between myself and the saddle. I guess that means there's only one place to hang onto.

I heard Paul's intake of breath as I wrapped my arms around his waist. I already fell off once today, I didn't plan on doing it again!

Paul's muscles clenched under my hands and it was my turn to smirk. We started slowly moving before moving into an easy lope. Riding with Paul wasn't as bad as it could have been.

Once we got to the barn, there was Zoey, standing at her stall door. I grumbled as I jumped off the horse and walked over to her.

"That wasn't very nice lady." I told her, while scratching her head.

"You tell her it wasn't nice, yet you're awarding her by rubbing her head?" Paul asked, clearly confused.

"Yes, for one, it wasn't her fault I fell off. She didn't throw a temper and start bucking. For two, after a horse does something wrong, you have three seconds to correct it. After that, they won't know what they are being punished for."

I quickly unsaddled her, and put Zoey in her stall before feeding her. I smiled as I listened to the horses munching on hay. I was in heaven, right here with my horses.

Of course all good things must come to an end.

"Oh, Bella there you are!" I knew his voice from anywhere. It was a voice I had dreamed about many times. "You ran out of dinner so fast, I wasn't sure if you were alright." I turned to see Emmett with a smile on his face. Of course everything would be grand and dandy in
Emmett World.

"I'm fine." I said shortly. I saw blonde movement behind his shoulder and groaned.

"Why do you care Emmett?" Her voice floated towards us. I winced and turned to see Paul wince as well. Ha! At least I'm not the only one!

I started walking up to the house, only to be stopped by the bitch herself.

"Move." I spoke.

"You should really learn some manners." Then she leaned down to whisper in my ear. "Bouncing from Emmett to Paul, doesn't that just make you the little slut of the Midwest."
When she straightened up, I looked in her eyes, seeing a smirk of triumph there.

"You want manners?" I asked sweetly. She nodded her head, as though she just taught a child something new. I pulled my arm back, and let it go. It smacked right into her nose. "How's that for manners, bitch?" I stepped over a now crying Rosalie and into the house.

Maybe this year, I didn't want Emmett to see me as more then Caleb's sister, especially if the only thing Emmett can see is Rosalie.