spring is in the air//chasing

[Chasing]

Chasing gave Bear a friendly pat as Adri took Deli around the ring and over the jumps. Though Deli was a different horse she did well, the dapple was always up for anything and it showed. He wasn't attached to any single rider and could be ridden by a variety of people. He was a good little old horse and perfect for schooling. As Adri came back she looked alittle better under helmet, color returning to her cheeks and alot more stable on her feet.

He wrapped an arm around her quietly and just stood for a moment. Chasing knew how it felt to be thrown from a horse. Four years ago Cali had tossed him into a wooden wall on a cross-country course and dislocated his shoulder. Chasing had gotten back on and finished the course but the fall lead to the discovery of Cali's illness. Still Adri had done well. Then she touched his jawline and he gave her a saucy smile. "Good thing the students are gone", he whispered, handing her Bear back while he took Deli, "When we get finished taking care of the horses, I know a couch with our names on it", he winked at her and kissed her temple as he started walking for the gate.

"You need some riding lessons", he gave her an innocent smile as he puased Deli outside the arena. The gelding was quickly stripped of his saddle and leg wraps, "Be right back". Chasing swung up on the gelding bareback and rode him over to a pasture turning the gelding loose. Bridle in hand he returned. "I'll put the tack away while you see to Bear. I'll bring him some ice packs on my way back", he told her, kissing her again before gathering Deli's tack and disappearing into a barn.

[blitz]

"Hmmm.." she mumbled thoughtfully, tsking him under her breath and giving him a flirtatious wink. Her hand trailed along his waistline, one finger venturing to tug at his belt loop. Then she gave him an innocent look, breaking away from him as though her implication had never happened. "What kind of woman do you take me for?" She accused lightly, but the sound of humor rang clear in her voice. She turned away from him dramatically, huffing. "I prefer a bed." She said over her shoulder, leading Bear away and out through the gate, the gelding tagging long slowly as usual but with a slight stiffness. Biting her lip, she entered the stable and cross-tied Bear, removing his tack and putting it back where it belonged. She still hadn't met Claire, and still didn't really know much about her, but ever since she had been back, she felt Chasing was a little bit more pre-occupied...or something of the sort. Just different.

There were no red flags signaling just yet, so there was no need to panic, right? Although what if something did happen between the two of them? Would she stay at this stable or move on to another one? Maybe a new town altogether? ...what on earth was she thinking! Shoving this ridiculous thoughts from her head, she rubbed the gelding down and muttered to him. "If you hadn't gotten so distracted by something you've heard a million times before, you wouldn't be standing here all pitiful." She pointed a finger at him, much like a mother would in scolding her child. He sighed, but begged for her forgiveness by snuggling his head to her chest. Smiling, she ran her fingers through his forelock as she waited for Chasing to return with the ice packs. Once again, she didn't think it were a good idea to inquire about Claire at all, so she bit her tongue once she heard his footsteps nearing.

[Chasing]

He set a bucket of ice water down behind her quietly and then wrapped his arms around her. "All I got in the office is a couch, the house is too far away", he whispered in her ear before dancing away. "Horse you nearly became a leather couch today", Chasing pointed a finger at Bear as he removed a brush and went to Bear's other side. "You'd make a good couch for the office at the house", he added, tweaking the gelding's lip.

"So I have been thinking", he said after a moment as he brushed Bear out. "How does New York sound to you?", he was silent again then added his explanation. "I've got a few friends up there who have decent horses for sale. We'll have to drive because I have to drop a puppy off in Kentucky but if we take the one horse trailer and the big truck we should be fine. Think you can get away for a week?", he finished.

[blitz]

She nearly jumped out of her own skin when he crept up behind her. She relaxed immediately and laughed. "Since when are you one to be lazy?" She challenged, turning around to outline the shape of his lips with the tip of her finger, going on her tip toes to kiss him. She turned back around as he went to Bear, and she watched as the gelding gave Chasing a rather snobby expression. Pinning his ears, he snorted, nipping at his shirt after his lip was toyed with. "He's been a rather cranky boy lately," she said with a quiet giggle under her breath. It was true, he was usually very docile and liked everyone, but for some reason he always liked to mess with Chasing the most. Sometimes his intelligence got the best of him.

Mulling over the offer Chasing had extended to her, she pondered a moment. "As long as I give notice to the clinic, I don't see how it would be a problem." She rubbed Bear's forehead, turning away for just a second. Within that moment, Bear lifted a foreleg, stretched it out, and knocked over the icewater bucket with a soft thud. The gushing of water on the floor made Adriana gasp and sigh all at once, and she tapped him on the shoulder with a slight reprimand. Looking completely innocent, Bear blinked his eyes several times, as if confused as to why he was getting in trouble. He kept one ear tilted in Chasing's direction, waiting for what his reaction would be to the spilled ice water.

[Chasing]

"It's not lazy", he defended himself, "Its spontaneous". He gave her a large boyish grin, "What's wrong with spontanity? It's fun", he added, blue eyes shining in the dim stable lights. "When did you get so boring", he challenged back. He watched Bear nip at his shirt but Chasing didn't think much of it, horses were like that. "Cranky? It's cause he's old and wants to retire and his selfish rider won't let him", he pouted at her, taking up Bear's defense.

"Three weeks then, that's my notice to you to give notice cause I am leaving in three weeks, with or without you", he said just as Bear kicked over his icy bucket. "It's like that hmmm? After I defend you?", he pointed the brush at the horse. "I know how to deal with horses like you", he pulled a carrot nub out of his pocket and waved under the horse's nose. "You will be a good horsie or I will turn you into a couch", he told the gelding, waving the carrot enticingly. It never mattered to him that the horses' couldn't understand him, somethings are just understood on multiple levels.

[blitz]

She only smirked at him, a very mysterious playfulness burning in her gentle hazel eyes. She only pursed her lips in slight thought, but made no motion to defend herself against his joking comments. "Oh? Spontaneous are you? Well wouldn't that include just sweeping me off my feet, carrying me away, and not planning it out? What do you have to say to that, Mr. March?" She gracefully twirled over to him, ignoring the glare that Bear was giving Chasing and snuggling up to his chest. Wrapping her arms loosely around his waist, she stood on her tip toes to whisper in his ears. "And for you information, sir, I am anything but boring." You could easily hear the smile in her voice, and she turned away from him, picking up the tipped over bucket.

Leaving momentarily to re-fill the bucket with ice water, she grabbed some cotton and ointment from her tackbox before returning to her two favorite men. Setting down the bucket, out of reach from horse hooves or nose, she filled a cloth with the cold water, going to his hind legs and gently sponging at them. Bear stiffened at the cold water but soon relaxed, ignoring Chasing for now and his 'you're going to be my next couch!' comment. At least he would make for a good couch. Dabbing at the minor cuts, only a few droplets of blood remained. They were already healing, but as a precaution, Adriana applied minimal ointment to the openings that probably would have been fine otherwise. Leave it to her to baby her own horse. She would put him on stall rest until the next morning, no turn out, and see how he was doing, check his legs again. Any serious damage probably wouldn't be really apparent until tomorrow, he might just have been sore anyways from working.

[Chasing]

"I was just giving you some warning my dear", he replied back before she snuggled up to him and told him she was anything but boring. "I've noticed and I've enjoyed it", he winked at her before she left. He wasn't around when she came back and she was already done doctoring by the time he reappeared. "Sorry I got a phone call", he told her, tucking his phone back into his pocket. "An old friend is coming by the farm this week to board his horse while he's staying in Atlanta working", he told her, taking the bucket from her now that she was done.

"I also re-filled his hay rack and water bucket since I thought you'd put him on stall rest today", he told her, hanging the buket up on a nearby hook. "I'm'll be in my office looking over a few figures when you get done settling him in for a bit", he explained, giving her another quick kiss. "Don't make me come hunt you up", he teasingly warned her before strolling off towards his office, whistling tunelessly.

[blitz]

She giggled quietly under her breath, and when she returned, was slightly surprised when he had not been there. Finishing up, she smiled and pressed in to the kiss, releasing him eventually. Watching him go, she laughed as Bear took it upon himself to nip Chasing right in the rear as he strolled away. Rolling her eyes, she unclipped his halter and led him to his stall only a few yards away. Situating him in his stall, she stayed with him awhile, watching him pull at his hay net cheerfully. "You behave now, you hear? You've caused enough trouble today. Act your age." She teased softly, running her hand along his smooth neck down to his withers, over his back, and to his hip.

She smiled as the gelding turned to her, growing bored with his hay net. He snuffled at her hair, lipping it affectionately and nuzzling her cheek. She placed one hand on each side of his face, holding his gaze, her chin rested on his nose. They stood like that for awhile, his soft mahogany eyes looking down to her hazel ones. Pulling away, the gelding rested his nose on her shoulder, his eyelids fluttering shut as she scratched him behind the ear gently. "Okay now baby, I'm not your pillow. Get some rest and don't do anything stupid." She laughed musically and reluctantly stepped away from Bear, who followed her to the door. He looked after her forlornly before he realized she had dropped a sugar cube in his bucket, and eagerly went to chomp it up, completely forgetting about his brief loneliness.

Obediently, Adriana meandered down the aisle to Chasing's office. She didn't bother knocking on the door, simply opened it very slowly and quietly, slipping inside and shutting the door behind her. She didn't say a word as she came in and up to his desk, going to him and coaxing him to slide his chair out from his desk just a few more inches. Settling down easily on to his lap like a young child would, she put her arms around his neck, resting them on his shoulders while her cheek rested against his hair. This whole Claire thing deep, deep, deep down was still bothering her, but hopefully she could put this off for another few days, at least.

[Chasing]

Chasing had just hung up the phone with a fellow trainer who was referring a student to Chasing when Adri walked in. "Oh there you are, took you long enough", he teased her as she shut the door behind her. He'd already pulled the blinds down, his unconscious signal to not be bothered by anyone. Shut door and closed window meant go away, Chasing was busy. He watched her, eyes twinkling though his face was blank as she walked to him, pushing his chair out from under the desk and sitting in his lap. Her cheek rested on his hair which put Chasing's face in a good place.

"I like the view but wouldn't this be easier on the couch?", he asked her, kissing her throat. "The chair is kind of limited and you didn't lock the door", were his excuses as he looked up at her. She was so pretty, so good and kind, but she wasn't Claire. He'd managed to avoid comparing her to Claire for months now but now that Claire was coming back, he couldn't avoid it. They were just so different. He'd have been over the moon if he could have them both, but if it ever came down to a choice, he'd knew he'd choose every time.

[blitz]

She sighed quietly and shook her head, he was too much. She glanced on to the desk for a brief moment, and something non-horse-related caught her eye. SWF advertisements? What on earth? These weren't his, right? She briefly read the one that stood out to her. Said something about horses and what not. Was he keeping tabs on Claire? She felt a slight tug at her heartstrings, and not the good kind. Trying not to smother the mood, she got up quietly to the door, hovering a moment before she slid the lock in to place. Something screamed at her that she should ask about Claire , but leave it to her to pick the worst time. Or at least, she could hold off on this rendezvous, but she was sure Chasing wouldn't want to touch her if he had Claire on his mind. Or maybe his mind was on Claire right this minute. Maybe she was just a fill in, the stepping stone to whatever came next...or perhaps Chasing was like a boomerang. He just kept going back to Claire faithfully no matter how hard he tried not to.

Adriana was no fool, and she could map out the whole situation easily but she was missing a few pieces. Of course she was smitten with Chasing, and she thought he was the same way with her, but something made her think that he was holding back. Maybe this was all a front to try to convince himself he could just forget about Claire. Adriana had cleared her slate long ago, ripped out all her skeletons from her closet and had put it on the table. But there was so much she didn't know about Chasing...where he had been, or who he had been with. It was such a fuzzy picture it was driving her insane. She was sure her hormones could wait at that point as her mind reeled within itself, fighting back and forth with this conflict.

Turning around, her face seemed completely different. It was stricken with a slight twisted expression as she tried to force the words out of her mouth, slightly sheepish now. She bit her lip, avoiding his gaze as she sat down gingerly on the couch, her fingers laced together as she watched the floor. "Chasing, dear, I don't mean to ruin the moment.." She began quietly, glancing up at him apologetically. "But I've been wanting to ask you some things...about Claire." She bit her lip again, she sounded like she was back in highschool. But now that she was getting older by the day, she wanted to find a man who wanted to settle down and have children. A man who loved her. Maybe Chasing really liked her or was attracted to her or thought she was nice, but Adriana knew he didn't love her. Cared for her, yes, but he must love Claire. He might want to settle down, but not with her. And now that Claire was back, he had that opportunity, and Adriana was trying to tell herself she would be alright if she were left out in the cold.

[Chasing]

"Chasing, dear, I don't mean to ruin the moment..", oh great something was coming out of left field to him in the back of the head. He could see it now. But I've been wanting to ask you some things...about Claire." Of course it would have to be about Claire, the one topic he didn't want to discuss at any time with anyone, let alone his current girlfriend. He paused for a moment, looking like a deer caught in the headlights before he sighed and gave her a nod to go ahead and ask her questions.

"Before you ask, no I did not ask her back here", he said, hopefully anticipating the first question. He wanted that much clear at the outset, it wasn't his fault she was here. "And no I can't ask her to leave, I need her help with the students, especially if I am going to start showing anytime soon", he added. He eyed the desk, catching the ads. That wasn't good and there was no way to dig himself out of this particular hold, he'd have to answer her questions and take the punishment.

[blitz]

Her eyes narrowed as he started rattling off answers that he thought she was looking for. Of course she knew he hadn't asked her back there, what man would? They liked their pride too much to do that. And second, who was she to ever demand him to ask someone to leave his property? She hadn't even met the woman, and from what she heard, she was an amazing rider and trainer. She would never, ever ask a man to do something so absurd. "No, Chasing, I would never ask you to do something like that. You should know me better that I wouldn't even think of something of the sort." She seemed a little insulted that he assumed she would be like most jealous girlfriends. She wasn't being selfish, she had a right to know if he planned on marrying this woman. Or had any doubts about their own relationship.

Screw the ads, if he wanted to keep tabs on this ex girlfriend, then so be it. If he actually wanted to move on, he would have by now, and he was struggling. Adriana could see that. She knew she was no super woman, and if he hadn't pulled out of this trance by now, he was definately not going to settle down with anyone - except Claire. "You love her, don't you?" She said feebly, trying to force a smile. There was nothing wrong with loving someone. She just didn't want to stand in the way of that, or get torn up in the process of him getting around her. She was sure she could deal with it. "And I don't mean 'as friends.' Or, 'like family.' I'm no fool, Chasing. There's a reason for everything." She tried to find confidence, suddenly feeling like the room was closing in around her. She looked bashfully down to her hands again, her chestnut hair hiding her face from his angle. "I just wish you could learn to open up to me."

[Chasing]

He nodded, bowing his head like a chastised boy who knows he has done wrong and is manfully taking the scolding. Chasing had never been one to fight a just punishment. Something he didn't deserve would be fought until Hell froze over, but if he deserved it, he'd take it. "Love her? God I don't even know anymore. I did once but she has made it clear she doesn't want any part of me again. So no, I don't love her anymore, not like I used", he answered her. It was the truth but not the truth. Something about it was a lie and yet it was the complete and honest truth.

"You want me to open up", he stared at her for the longest second then reached into his desk drawer and withdrew a very small, very black box. "I was trying for romantic and such, that's part of the trip to New York but I think you need a bit of reassurance in where my affections lay", he stood up and crossed the office to her. "Adriana will you marry me?", he opened the box and nestled inside was a very elegant, very expensive engagement ring.

[blitz]

She raised a brow as he answered her, and it wasn't what she had expected at all. She was almost half expecting some sort of agitated response, telling her she was being ridiculous and this is why women should stop looking in to things so much. She was suddenly confused, and didn't know what to say at all. Yet she jumped slightly when he questioned her request and she simply nodded, lifting her gaze to watch him remove something from the desk...a velvet black box? She was completely befuddled now, not knowing what to do. Her heartbeat quickened in her chest, seeming to flutter irregularly. It stammered so loud she swore he could hear it. She bit her lip, her vision becoming blurred as unexpected tears began to well up inside of them.

Her hands reached up to her chest, her jaw dropping instantly as the faint light fighting through the closed blinds caught the brilliant diamonds. They sparkled and glittered, sending small rainbows dancing in the air. Her lips moved silently as she struggled to find the right words, and she only paused a moment...was this the ring he could have asked Claire to marry him with? Did he even ever ask her to marry him? At that second she believed his words that he didn't love her the way he used to anymore...she leaped off the couch and in to his arms, careful not to knock the dainty box from his hands in doing so. "I do! I mean, I will!" She stumbled over her response awkwardly, giving him a crooked smile, a tear here and there finding its way down her soft cheek.

[Chasing]

He caught her awkwardly with one hand so he didn't drop the box. No it was not the ring he'd given Claire, that one had been his grandmother's ring and it was safely back in his safe where it would stay until his son needed it. "I do is for the wedding Adri but I'll take it", he smiled at her, removing the ring from the box and sliding it onto her finger. It was a perfect fit of course, Chasing had spent way too much money to make a mistake like that. "And no crying, I forbid you to cry", he added, wiping the tears off her face. "I do love you Adri and I want you to believe that until the day you die", he glared at her, making sure she understood what he was saying.

"But this crying thing", he shook his head, "It has to stop". He smiled at her and now hugged her in both arms. "I think we will go into Atlanta tonight and celebrate. Go someplace fancy for dinner and dancing", he added with a smirk. "Go home, change into something pretty with heels and I'll pick you up in about three hours", he told her, giving her another lingering kiss. "I'll have some horses for you to look at over dinner as well", he added with a little boy smile on his face for having done something right.