Too soon for that. It was none of his business.

"Are you up to going a little faster?" he said.

She breathed rapidly, and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. "Jah, of course. I want to run."

"Running might be beyond your skill level at the moment. Let's try a brisk walk first."

He showed her how to prod the horse into a trot. The look of sheer terror grew with the speed of her horse, but she made no attempt to slow down. On the contrary-she urged a faster and faster pace. It seemed the more frightened she became, the faster she wanted to ride.

They rode up the trail, cresting the low hill at a trot. He insisted they slow the pace down the other side. No use in breaking her neck on the second date.

At the bottom of the trail, they stopped to water the horses at the small stream that crossed their path. She held onto the saddle horn for dear life as her horse bent its head to drink, and she was doing that breath-holding thing again. Levi hated seeing the look of panic in her eyes. Why did she want to ride a horse if she was so obviously traumatized by the experience?

"You're doing really well," he said, leaning over and patting her horse's neck. "I've never seen Sandy lose a rider yet."

Rebecca forced a smile. "It is really fun."

Levi wanted to laugh out loud. Clearly, she was having a miserable time, and he was dying to know what she would truly find enjoyable. Unable to suppress a chuckle, he coughed to cover it up. Then he pointed down the trail. "Past those trees is a long stretch of trail where we can let the horses run. Then we'll go up through the meadow to a really nice spot for a picnic."

Rebecca panted as her horse bent for another drink. "You've been on this trail a few times."

"With Ashley Pittford. And Brittany."

"Brittany?"

"Ashley's sister," said Levi. Levi had been in high school at the time, and she was a college girl. He'd never met a girl as brazen as Brittany Pittford. Everything about Brittany, from her low-cut halter tops to her skull tattoo, broadcasted the type of girl she was.

Levi studied Rebecca's face. There was something so much more appealing about a girl like her-someone whose love couldn't be had so cheap.

He frowned. He was thinking too deeply about this Amish girl.

Levi spurred his horse forward in a gallop. "Come on," he called. "The trail follows the water."

After cantering a hundred yards down the trail, Levi slowed his horse to a trot to let Rebecca catch up with him. She followed surprisingly close behind, still with that scared-spitless expression on her face but riding fast enough to quickly pull even with Levi. When she caught up to him, she slowed her pace to match his while gulping gallons of air into her lungs. She really would hyperventilate.

"Okay, stop for a minute," he said. He brought his horse around so that he faced her, and he nudged his foot against hers in the stirrup. "Catch your breath, kid," he said. "You sound like you're having an asthma attack."

"Really, I am gute."

"Okay, then, I need to catch my breath. Do you mind?"

She screwed her mouth into a funny little smile and shook her head. "Take all the time you need."

He motioned for her to follow, and the horses ambled leisurely down the trail until Rebecca's breathing slowed from "utter panic" to "mild fear."

"Okay," Levi said. "You see where the trail is real smooth? We'll do some cantering through there up to that stand of trees on the other side of the meadow."

Fear flashed in Rebecca's eyes, but she nodded enthusiastically.

"But don't-don't-go faster than I go. An inexperienced rider can injure herself and her horse. So keep my pace but no faster." He stared at her until she met his eyes. "This is important, Rebecca. Do you understand? Don't do anything to put the horse at risk."

Again she nodded, sufficiently humble.

Levi spurred his horse into a canter. He wasn't about to burst into a dead run. Rebecca matched him stride for stride. Good enough. She'd regained the terrified look on her face, and she should be satisfied with her speed.

Suddenly she dug her heels into the horse's flanks. The horse bolted in surprise and took off through the meadow at breakneck speed.

No! Levi wanted to scream at her, but fear that she would spin around to look at him and fall off the horse stopped the word in his throat. He watched helplessly as she rode hell-bent over the trail, hoping and praying she wouldn't end up wrapped around some tree with the horse dead beside her.

To his relief, she somehow pulled up and stopped her horse just before diving into the thick growth of pines. As soon as the horse was stationary, she swung her leg around and practically jumped off her mount. After taking a few unsteady steps, she plopped to the ground and buried her head in her hands.

Levi raced his horse next to hers and dismounted. He tethered both horses to a tree branch and fell to one knee beside her. "Are you okay?"

"Jah," she mumbled behind her hands.

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Nae, I am gute."

Relief washed over Levi, followed close behind by unbridled outrage. "What were you thinking?" he yelled, twelve inches from her ear. "A mere three minutes ago, I told you not to do that!"

She lifted her head and stared at him with glassy eyes. "I did it. I never have to do it again, but I can say I did it."

"Yeah, congratulations. It could have been the last thing you ever did."

She blinked and grinned. "At least I would have gone out with a bang."

"More like a thud. And a splitting headache-literally. Look," he said, helping her to her feet, "how you want to die is your business, but I'm responsible for the horses, and shame on you for risking a broken leg or torn ligament. We'd have to put her down."

Frowning, Rebecca brushed the hair from her eyes. She walked to her horse and patted it on the neck. "I'm sorry," she said. "That was selfish. I needed...I wanted to be able to say I did it."

"You already said that. What have you got, a list of a thousand dangerous things to do before you die? Or an adrenaline-junkie death wish?"

"I want to live before I die."

"Well, it's a good idea not to kill any small household pets, horses, or people while you're fulfilling your destiny. Do you understand?"

"Jah."

"Because if I am going to take you skiing, you'd better learn to do exactly as I say in situations like this. I know stuff, kid. Don't treat my advice lightly."

"Yes, sir, laddie," Rebecca said. "You're right and I was wrong. I promise not to be so deerich again."

"Foolish, yeah, try not to make a fool of yourself."

The adrenaline still pumped through Levi's veins, and judging by Rebecca's trembling voice, she hadn't recovered her composure either.

"Come on," Levi said, grabbing her hand and leading her down a narrow path through the trees. It was a casual, natural gesture that he'd done a hundred times before with dozens of girls, but for some reason, he suddenly became aware of her soft hand clasped in his. Her hand, ice-cold and feather-soft, fit perfectly in his as if it belonged there. He couldn't resist rubbing his thumb back and forth across the back of her hand, savoring the pleasant sensation when he touched her.

He cleared his throat. "There's a place over this way where we can have our picnic," he said. "Nice shade with soft ground."

They emerged from the tangle of branches into an idyllic clearing with a canopy of leaves overhead and two or three fallen logs arranged for comfortable seating. He and Ashley had made out under these trees once.

Why did that memory intrude today?

Because those were the only types of memories he had with girls, even his supposed girlfriend, Tara. Nothing significant or heartwarming-just meaningless encounters. He felt a stab of regret. Were all his past relationships that empty?

Rebecca let go of his hand and sank onto one of the fallen trees. "My legs feel like jelly."

"It's a letdown after the adrenaline rush," he said. "You sit, and I'll go get the food."

Levi led the horses to a place in the meadow where they could graze and drink. "No more running today," he told them. From the saddlebags, he retrieved the makeshift picnic lunch Beth had helped him make. Okay, Beth had actually prepared most of it. She made a mean tuna sandwich. He couldn't boil water.

When he returned to the clearing, Rebecca lay on the ground asleep, her head propped against a log. Her hair tumbled around her head like a waterfall, and Levi had to clench his fists to avoid the temptation to stroke it. Again. What was it about her hair that hijacked his senses every time he looked at it?

She must have heard him as he plowed through the underbrush. She opened her eyes and bolted to an upright position.

He sat next to her with his bagful of goodies. "A hard day's ride'll wear you out."

"Late night," she said.

"Let me guess. An Amish all-night drinking party?"

Rebecca gave him a half smile and smoothed her hair back over her shoulders. "I had some chores to finish."

"And your brothers are too rambunctious to help?"

"Some days they work gute. We all have extra chores when our mamm does not feel well."

"Is she sick a lot?"

"Rheumatoid arthritis."

Levi grimaced. "My neighbor had that, and he was always at the doctor. Does she take medication?"

"Several," Rebecca said, frowning. "One that makes her hair fall out and one that they said might cause her to go blind."

"I'm sorry. I bet she's miserable."

Rebecca wouldn't look at him. "They say it runs in families."

He moved close enough to nudge her with his elbow. "Maybe. My mom's a nurse, and she says that just as often as not things like that don't get passed down." He tilted his head and looked at her until she met his eyes. "I'd hate to worry my life away about it."

She attempted a smile. "Jah."

Giving in to the urge, Levi pulled a leaf from Rebecca's hair and caressed her golden locks with his fingers-for just a second. No good lingering over temptation. "What I'd really like to talk about is how stunningly beautiful you look. You take my breath away."

"Ach, you are handing me a shovelful of manure. How many cornflake girls have you said that to?"

Levi looked to the sky and pretended to be adding numbers in his head. "Seven. Maybe eight. But, Rebecca, you should know by now that it is impossible to resist my charm. You may think it's manure I'm shoveling, but something compels you to take it. Isn't that true?"

She screwed her mouth into that adorable little smile. "Well, manure is really gute for the garden. It makes all sorts of things grow. There are lots of worse things than manure."

"I like to see a good attitude."

"What's in the sack?" Rebecca asked.

"Lunch. I hope you like tuna." Levi handed Rebecca the stash of food as he produced it from the bag. "Scooby-Doo fruit snacks, Dorathe-Explorer juice boxes, SpongeBob cookies, and non-trademarked apple slices. I'm guessing you've never seen any of those TV shows."

"The lady I work for loves SpongeBob. But the others? No."

"Me neither. We don't own a TV."

"Really?"

"Really. Mom wants to protect us from the world's corrupting influence." He handed her the sandwiches. "I don't think she succeeded, except I still think TV is boring. I'd rather go out and throw the ball around or work on my car."

Without fanfare, Rebecca closed her eyes and bowed her head. She fell silent for a moment then lifted her head and held up the sandwich bags. "Do you want tuna with pickles or without?"

How did someone eat so much food and stay so skinny? Levi couldn't comprehend it. Rebecca polished off one sandwich and then ate the extra one when Levi insisted he was full. This girl had a healthy appetite.

"I think I will write to Dora the Explorer and thank her for the juice. Very gute," Rebecca said.

"I'm sure Dora will be pleased to hear from you."

"This is a beautiful spot. So many wildflowers." She pointed to a bright red cluster of flowers growing just off the path. "That's a cardinal flower. Sometimes I walk through the pastures and groves by our house and see how many different colors I can find."

"I've always liked this spot," Levi said. "Good shade, far from the beaten path."

"Denki for taking me riding today. I've had a wonderful-gute time."

"In a near-death-experience kind of way." Levi shook his almost-empty packet of fruit snacks, and the last snack tumbled out into his hand. He gave it to Rebecca, who snatched it up and popped it into her mouth. "I've been thinking about our next big adventure. And I'm wondering if you're going to wear these clothes for every date."

"I have one Englisch outfit and this is it. Or I could wear the apron and kapp."

"Don't get me wrong, I love the Englisch clothes. The T-shirt really brings out the yellow in your hair. It practically radiates heat."

"No manure."

"I'm being sincere, kid. But will you wear the same thing if we go swimming? Jeans tend to absorb water and drag a person to the bottom of the lake."

Rebecca eyes flashed with fear, and she momentarily held her breath. "Swimming?"

"We don't have to. If you're afraid of the water-"

"Nae, swimming is perfect. I want to do it. My fater used to take me to the lake, for fishing."