I see him twice more
I climb on the fence and watch
him atop his palomino
moving the beast
around
without moving at all

If he sees me he doesn’t show it.

Then later, I find him washing the
grime and sweat from the horse
out behind the barns.

I pretend I stumbled upon him there.

“Hey, you. You’re a new face.” he says.

“Not so new.” I say, leaning against the barn
I pick at the paint falling away from the boards.

He drops the hose and picks up a sponge
and rubs it over the coat of the mare.

“What’s her name?” I ask
“This,” he touches the horse tenderly, “is Magpie.”
“She’s beautiful.”

He locks eyes with me. I wonder
how old he is
what his name is
why I’ve never seen him before
and why my heart is beating so hard
when he picks up the hose
and points it at me
a wicked grin
on his face

“Hot out here, isn’t it?” he says, the smile
playing in his eyes.

I shrug with one shoulder,
“You won’t do it.”

The water hits me with as much surprise
as when I first saw him.
For five minutes we wrestle for control of the hose,
drenching each other
and laughing too hard
to catch our breaths

When he calls Truce
I am wrapped in his arms

and I am not afraid