Wild Horses

The next day, just as Zach had promised, he saddled up a horse and prepared to take Treva into town. It was a beautiful day to take her on horseback to parts of the surrounding land that she had never seen before. And, much to Zach's enjoyment, he would get to share the day in Billings with Treva alone; Brian had decided to stay behind to get some more work done early before the colder days approached, and Zach really couldn't have been happier. Sure, he loved Brian as if they were brothers, and they shared a very close relationship, but Zach could feel ever since the day before that Brian was beginning to move in on Treva. And he didn't like that, not one bit.

So there they were, Zach and Treva, riding Shadow along the path in the forest that led to the little trading town of Billings, Montana. Along the way, Treva admired the thickness of the woods, how being surrounded by it at the ranch seemed to cause a sense of secrecy, like it was their own little paradise away from the world. And really, it was.

Zach had Shadow going at a steady pace. Usually he'd waste no time on his trip to Billings, as it was a journey he had taken many a time before. But to Treva this was all new, and as she was nestled back into the warmth of Zach's body he would look down and see her smile and the captivation of the wilderness in her eyes. And, like any spare moment alone he had with Treva, Zach wanted it to last forever.

It was true, the boy was smitten. This girl had ensnared him, and quite easily at that. But Zach knew that what he felt in his heart was real. It didn't matter that he'd never felt love on anything more than a platonic level before -- just the fact that making Treva happy was a goal he strived to achieve could tell anyone that what he felt for that young girl was something more. Something...magical.

"This is all so beautiful," Treva breathed, hearing nothing by the sound of the soft breeze rustling through the leaves all around her. "I don't know how I could have gone without all this before."

Smiling, Zach leaned down to her ear. "It's like I told you. It's all becoming a part of what you are. It's something you can't live without now, no matter how hard you try," he whispered.

The grin on her lips widening, Treva looked over her shoulder at Zach. "I don't know why I would ever want to." Hearing a chorus of birds singing in a nearby tree, Treva looked forward again, the smile never leaving her lips. Taking a deep breath, she smelled the damp dirt of the path under Shadow's hooves, the green smell of vegetation, the smell of animals.... The smell of life.

Sure, back in Manhattan everything was bustling with life and everything was busy.... But here in Montana, it was teeming with a different kind of life. A richer kind of life.

Gazing ahead, Treva could see the denseness of the forest thinning out, and knew that soon they would be in open land, getting closer to their destination. She was excited to see what Billings was like. Now that she'd lived in the city and the wilderness, she wanted to see what this little town was like.

In a matter of only a few minutes, the team had reached town, the dirt path packing down harder, the passage becoming wider was two and three-story buildings came up on all sides. For such a small place it was teeming with villagers going to and from homes, jobs, markets, and anything else Billings had to offer.

Finding the small shop they needed, Zach pulled Shadow to a stop. He hopped off the steed before holding his hand out to Treva, who smiled and took it as he helped her down to the ground as well. Tying Shadow securely by the reigns to the railing of the shop's porch, Zach then led Treva inside.

Upon her first step into the small wooden building, Treva could smell the scent of leather and, looking around, she saw that many of the items were made from animal hides. Seeing their entry, the shop owner looked up from his position behind a sturdy wooden counter.

"Well, if it isn't Zachary Baker," the man said with a crooked smile and an old voice.

"Hello, Mr. Matheson," Zach replied, still not letting go of Treva's hand from when he'd helped her off of Shadow.

"Haven't seen you in awhile, my boy. What can I do for you?" the older gentleman asked, rubbing at the grey scruff of his chin.

"We need some clothes for this lady right here, "Zach said, looking at Treva with a smile. "And some boots."

"Ahh, well I'm sure you'll be able to help the young lady find what she needs."

With a nod, Zach gently pulled Treva over to one side of the shop where there were many shirts and pants like the ones she was already wearing.

"Pick anything you'd like. My parents gave me money for you," Zach said, putting his arm around Treva as he stood slightly behind her.

"Oh, I don't need much, really. Your brother's clothes fit me quite well, actually."

"Anything," Zach said, whispering into her neck, and Treva could feel a heat rising in her.

"Okay," she answered quietly. She found a white shirt that was less worn in and therefore less see-through than the ones she'd been wearing and a pair of new tan trousers that looked like they might fit her. "These?"

Nodding, Zach turned to old Mr. Matheson behind the counter. "Do you think she could step into your back room...try them on?" he asked politely.

"Sure she can," Mr. Matheson replied, and Zach ushered Treva that way with the clothes in hand. Zach tried to leave her on the other side of the counter, but he followed her to the back room when she smiled at him and wouldn't let go of his hand.

Once they were alone Treva began unbuttoning the shirt she had on, and Zach cleared his throat, turning around so as to be honorable. Hearing Treva chuckle, he blushed.

After a few moments, Treva was finished. "You can look now," she said, and Zach turned to see her standing there in her new clothes that did seem to fit her much better than Matthew's old ones did. "Well?" Treva asked once Zach had looked her up and down a few times.

"They look good," he stuttered, clearing his throat as he smiled. "You can wear them on the ride back too, if you'd like."

"Okay."

Heading back out to the front, the two then found a pair of sturdy riding boots in Treva's size, paid for the new things, and then headed out to see the rest of Billings.

After their return a few hours later, Zach and Treva put Shadow back in his stall and tended to the other horses while everyone else was inside, preparing for dinner. It had started to grow dark outside as the sun had already begun to set, so the only light the two had to work by were a few kerosene lamps that had been hung up in the barn for that very reason.

Leaning against the outside wall of one of the stalls, Treva watched through flickering lights as Zach moved, the unsteady flames casting his shadow all around in awkward patterns along the wood walls of the barn. She smiled as she watched him put some food in Shadow's feed bag that hung inside the stall and then at the way Zach handled his horse with such care. It made her wonder what kind of care Zach would give the woman he loved.

Feeling the same heat rise in her as had earlier in the day while she was with Zach, Treva stood up a little straighter, her back still resting against the wood. "Zach," she called out, her voice not much louder than a whisper, and she grinned when he turned to look at her.

"Hmm?" he asked, watching the shadows move across her face as the lamps flickered around them.

"Come here."

Swallowing, Zach did as was requested of him, taking the few steps over from Shadow's stall to Bandit's, where Treva was leaned again. Once he was stood before her, Zach took a moment to marvel, for the thousandth time since they'd met, at Treva's features. She was so beautiful that if she didn't already know it, Zach was determined to show her.

Working up the nerves flaring through her as her heart thumped wildly in her chest, Treva leaned up, placing her hand on Zach's cheek. Knowing what she was after, Zach met her halfway, placing his hands on her hips as his lips sought out and found hers. Eyes drifting shut, Zach leaned his body farther into Treva's, his lips pressing harder as the kiss was deepened.

Their mouths separated for only a moment before Zach kissed her again, and then again, leaving Treva breathless as she held onto him until his gut instinct kicked in, telling him what to do. Cautiously, Zach parted his lips, his tongue darting out to brush against Treva's. Knowing what was going to happen if she accepted his advance, Treva parted her lips, letting her tongue meet his.

Sighing, Zach gently delved into her mouth, feeling its warmth on his tongue as he pressed it with Treva's and she pressed back. Zach found himself pressing Treva back into the wall behind her, and when she let out the softest of moans into his mouth Zach pulled away, unaware if he had hurt her.

Catching her breath as Zach did the same, Treva looked up into his piercing green eyes that seemed to glow in the dim light. Slowly she grinned up at him, and Zach leaned down once more to capture her lips in a shorter kiss.

Treva ran her fingers through Zach's hair for a few silent moments before she spoke.

"Am I yours?" she whispered.

"If you want to be," Zach answered, pressing his forehead against hers as he looked in her eyes.

"Always," Treva replied, and Zach couldn't help the ecstatic grin on his lips as his heart soared at her response. "And are you mine?" Treva then asked as the gap between their lips became smaller and smaller.

"Only yours," Zach whispered before he kissed her gently again, and he knew that he could spend the rest of his life with this girl.