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“Now that you mention it,” Dalton said as he crossed to the tack roo moments later with a hackamore—a bridle with no bit

But Sam cut him off before he y “Let’s not itated with Sky and acting out”

“He hasn’t shown any violent or restless tendencies,” Dalton said “And I don’t want her to put the bridle on him just yet I only want her to hold it Show it to hiht’s reaction”

“He hasn’t had a bridle on him since he came here?” she asked

Sam turned to her “No First time we tried, about a month into his recovery, he shied away fro in the corner, not wanting anyone to come too close to him”

“I believe it’s fear of the bridle,” Dalton said “He couldn’t escape the hitch of the truck because his reins were tied to it There’s a badto see how he responds to you, since he seems to trust you And it happened quickly”

Sam crossed his arms over his wide chest “I don’t know…”

Sky stepped forward and extended her hand to Dalton “It’s worth a try” She accepted the hackamore

“He could react strongly, Sky,” Sam warned her

“Sure But the horse whisperer here doesn’t think he will, or he wouldn’t be suggesting this And I don’t think he will, either” She grinned at Sa”

He snickered “Hate to see anything happen to that pretty face of yours”

He’d said it flippantly, to ease the tension She could tell by his tone But the flare of desire in his emerald eyes told her there was truth behind his words

She sain “Take a leap of faith with me”

Lifting his hands in the air, Sa to let estured for two of his volunteers to join him Just in case, obviously

Skya measurable distance She held the bitless bridle in her hands and showed it to the stallion “Not gonna put it on you,” she said in a quiet voice “I just want you to see this It’s a harm—” She was about to say it was just a harmless piece of equipment, but that’d be a lie For this horse, it’d been a trap A confinement that could have cost him his life