Breaking Boundaries (5th in Breaking Series)

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Aiden watched Kaitlyn and Wendell walk away and while he wanted the best for them he also couldn't help but feel more than a little jealous. He wondered what it would be like to simply be able to walk arm in arm with the person you love and not have people try to shoot you for it.

But that would probably be asking too much since running from people with guns is what Aiden's life had apparently become.

He needed to find Nick. He needed to tell Nick that they couldn't be together though he wasn't going to tell him why. Aiden had a feeling that Nick was the kind of man that would vow to protect him 'til the end and Aiden didn't want Nick dying for him.... Aiden would rather die than see that happen.

He was on his way to the bunkhouse to drop off his sack of clothes when a throat cleared and he turned his head to see Cookie lounging in a chair beside the barn with that old hound curled up at his feet, "If you're lookin' for Nick he went out to the fields. He won't be back 'til close to dark."

"Why would I be looking for Nick?" Aiden snapped quickly as he adjusted his sack over his shoulder and blushed.

Cookie's old blue eyes lit with amusement as he laid his head back against the barn wall and chuckled, "I just figured you was is all, I didn't mean to offense. I should warn you that the boss was looking for you earlier."

"Brody?"

"No, the real boss—" Cookie began and as if speaking of her had made her appear, Elizabeth came rushing from the ranch house.

"Aiden!" she called out.

Aiden offered a small smile to the woman, "I'm real sorry I'm late, Liz. I'll just put my stuff away and get to work..."

Elizabeth waved her hand, "Actually I'm all out of tackle for you to polish," she grinned at her joke and then her green eyes became more serious, "I need help, Aiden, and I'm really hoping you'll be able to help me."

Aiden sighed. Why did women keep coming to him for help today? Did he have 'sensitive, helpful type' written on his forehead? He smiled and shrugged a shoulder, "I'll do what I can."

"Great. Put your stuff away and then come on to the small corral off the third barn." With that Elizabeth turned and jogged back around the barns. Aiden spared another glance at Cookie but the man appeared to have fallen asleep. Of course judging by the smirk on his wrinkled face he was only pretending.

Aiden was quick to lay his sack on his cot. He paused beside Nick's bed and then bent down to smooth out the wrinkles in the hastily made cover. He caught a whiff of Nick's scent on the pillow and his heart beat a little faster even as it filled with regret.

Quickly Aiden fled from the bunkhouse and blinked against the sun as he headed toward the third barn. He could hear children laughing and playing before he reached it and when he rounded the corner he paused at the sight of Lexi, Bryant, Nathan and Max standing in the corral with four ponies and one full-sized mare.

"What's going on?"

"Horse lessons," Elizabeth smiled when Aiden's eyes widened. "You're better with horses than Lexi and Bryant and can help Max and Nathan teach them while Nathan and Max teach you just a bit."

Aiden flushed with embarrassment, "You want the kids to teach me?"

"You're so damn cute when you get embarrassed," Elizabeth laughed. "You gotta learn sometime, Aiden, and trust me when I tell you that Nathan and Max can teach you quite a bit when it comes to riding, roping and hoof care. I want you to stay around, Aiden, but you can't polish tackle forever."