Three to Ride

  “I’m sorry.” Max Harper sat astride the back of a big black horse. Both the man and the animal were powerful creatures. There was an enormous dog at the horse’s side. If she didn’t know better, she would almost think the dog was a pony. “I was just taking Maverick and Quigley out for some exercise.”

  He was watching her with wide eyes, and she could see his breath hitch in his chest.

  “I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said quietly.

  “It was very quiet. Sorry, I wasn’t expecting anyone,” she managed to say. Had he seen her? That she was naked? If he had, he wasn’t exactly running away. His eyes were steady on her. “Is that the killer dog who will tear anyone who steps on Harper land apart?”

  His lips curled in a smile. “I might have overstated his ferociousness.”

  She should still be afraid. She was still alone with a man she’d only known for a brief time. Why was she sure she was okay with Max?

  Play it safe. Ask him to leave. Put on your clothes and move on. You’re a terrible judge of men.

  But she wasn’t. That was the truth of the matter. Her instincts were actually quite good. She’d realized there was something wrong with Tommy the minute she met him. She’d done everything right. She’d refused to see him again. Her instincts hadn’t failed her.

  Every instinct she had told her Max was different. Max was special. Tommy Lane had taken almost everything from her. Was she going to let him take this, too?

  Maybe it was crazy, but there was something like fate at work. He was here and she was here. From what she’d learned today, Max was single and had been for a long time.

  Why shouldn’t she have this? Why should she deny herself?

  Desire started to course through her veins like a drug. He was right there, and he looked perfect. She had wanted something for herself, and, like a genie granting wishes, he’d shown up. Rachel smoothed back her hair. It was time to make a decision. She might not be in Bliss for long, but she was going to enjoy herself for once. It had been years since she felt a man’s body beside hers. She wanted that with Max.

  “Do you want me to leave?”

  Pulling together every bit of bravado she had, she walked out of the pond, revealing her body to him. “No, Max. I don’t want you to leave. I just want you.”

  * * * *

  Max tried to think of one good reason he shouldn’t get down off the horse and take Rachel in his arms.

  Unfortunately, he thought of about a dozen, the chief one being it was far too soon to make love to her. He was absolutely sure of that. In her mind, it would be sex and nothing more. She would be using him for comfort, pleasure, whatever she was lacking. He would be the himbo she rode to pleasure and maybe never respected again.

  He, however, would be making love to the woman he was pretty sure he was falling in love with. There was an imbalance in the scenario. If he got off the horse and buried himself in her, he would be at a distinct disadvantage for the rest of their relationship.

  Yet, even as he told himself all the reasons to be patient, he was dismounting. His dick wasn’t willing to listen. Himbo? Hell, his dick was cool with that. He was rock hard, and the sight of her gorgeous body emerging from the pond like Venus was making his heart thud in his chest.

  She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

  What is it about this woman? She was lovely, but then he knew that he’d been with women that other men would think were more attractive than Rachel. Why did she alone call to him? Why was it her face and her voice that made him sit up and listen?

  Quigley nosed his leg, and Max looked down. The old mutt had a stick in his mouth. In his mind, it was playtime. Max wasn’t on top of Maverick, so this was supposed to be Quigley time.

  “Is he part horse?” Rachel’s eyes sparkled as she watched the big dog.

  Max patted the dog’s head. “You might think so. We think he’s part Great Dane and part Saint Bernard. He’s all pussy, though. I swear I’ve never seen a more docile dog. Q, go rest, buddy.” Max pointed to where he’d left his horse. The dog whined and drooled around his stick. Max prayed he wasn’t drooling as much as Quigley, but he didn’t hold out much hope.

  There was an amused grin on her plump lips as he approached. “Why do they say you’re difficult, Max?”

  “Because I’m a bastard,” he answered honestly. He was a picky, contrary, argumentative bastard, and he didn’t really apologize for it.

  She laughed. The sound was magical to his ears. “You apparently love dogs and horses. I haven’t seen anything that tells me you’re a jerk. You’ve been nothing but sweet around me.”

  He shrugged, his eyes devouring the sight of her breasts. They were round and soft. They bounced when she walked. The nipples were hard raspberries. “I’ve been very careful around you. I don’t want to scare you away. You’re the first person I’ve met in a long time whose opinion I care about. I promise, Rachel, I’ll always be careful with you.”

  She frowned, her pouty mouth turning down. “Max, I want you. I want to have sex with you. But I’m not a long-term girl. You have to understand that.”

  But she was, and Max knew it. She was the type of girl a man fell in love with and took home to his parents and married in some church with all his family and friends around them. He put her age at roughly thirty. She should have fallen for some professional and had a few precious babies by now. It was the way things went for women like Rachel. Something had happened to throw her life off the rails. He needed to get it back on track because he intended to be the man she fell for.

  “Sweetheart, why don’t you get dressed and I’ll take you out to dinner?” Max suggested against his penis’s wishes. He needed to woo her before he took her. He wanted to romance her and give her the courtship she deserved. He needed her to trust him. For the first time in his life, he wanted something normal. “We can talk and get to know each other.”

  Her face flushed. She was very pale, with delicate skin. She couldn’t hide her emotions, and he realized he’d made a mistake. She nodded and purposefully walked back into the pond to cover her body up.

  The smile on her face didn’t come anywhere close to her eyes. “I’m not hungry. I’ll stay here and swim for a while. See you around.”

  She pointedly swam away from him, and Max knew he’d been dismissed. If he walked away, she might be friendly, but she’d never offer herself again. He’d tried to get it done his way. It looked like he was going to have to use hers.

  Max kicked off his boots, then pulled his shirt over his head. Maverick was standing by the pond, calmly waiting for his master to finish with the female so they could continue the exercise. Maverick was a gelding and Quigley had been fixed years back.

  Life must be so much simpler for them.

  Max eased off his jeans carefully. His raging erection was eager to be set free. The crown of his cock was already weeping with arousal.

  Rachel surfaced and was treading water. Her light green eyes were wary as she took him in. “What are you doing, Max?”

  He put his hands on his hips. He had no real problem with nudity. He’d grown up in this weird town, and while he had quirks of his own, he’d always accepted himself. It was the best gift Bliss had given him. “I’m about to take a swim in a really cold pond with a woman who only wants me for my body. I’m desperate, though, and I don’t have a whole lot of self-respect.”

  She frowned, reminding him of a gorgeous water nymph. “This is my pond. Go find your own.”

  Max felt his lips quirk up in a half grin. “This is my land, darlin’. I’m afraid I own the pond you’re currently occupying.”

  “Oh,” she said, her mouth forming a perfect O. His penis got even harder as he thought about that sultry mouth around his cock. The damn thing was standing up straight, lying almost flat against his belly. If he didn’t do something soon, it was going to come off his body and seek her out itself. Max strode into the water and dove under the instant he could.

  The water
was clear, making it easy to swim toward his lovely target. Her legs were barely touching the bottom of the pond. He loved the curves of her hips and ass. He surfaced, letting his arms wind around her slender waist, forcing her a little deeper so she had to cling to him. It was easy to do. He had a good foot on her petite frame. Her arms instinctively went around his neck.

  “Max!”

  He smiled. “What? I can’t swim in my own pond?”

  She pushed at his broad shoulders. “I don’t need your pity, Max. Let me go.”

  Now it was his turn to frown. He brushed his rigid erection against her pussy. “Darlin’, this water is cold as hell, but I’m harder than I’ve ever been in my life. I don’t pity you. I’ve been like this for two damn weeks. If anyone needs some pity, it’s me.”

  “You didn’t want me a minute ago.” Even as she made the accusation, she cuddled close to him.

  She felt perfect in his arms. They fit together like pieces of a puzzle. Max knew he was never going to want to let her go. “I want way more than you’re willing to give me, Rachel, and you know it. I want to be your man. I’m crazy about you.”

  “You don’t even know me,” she replied, burrowing her nose into his neck.

  Max kissed her ear gently. She was starving for affection, and he intended to drown her in it. “I don’t know anything about you?”

  “You have no idea where I was born or who my parents are.” She practically purred against him.

  “You could tell me.” She was silent on the subject, so he moved on. “I might not know all the facts and details, but I’ve learned a lot about you. I know you like chocolate and don’t put anything in your coffee. You’re a dog person, but you’ll put up with cats. You smile at everyone, and there’s a light inside you that always makes them smile back. You love music. You can’t stop your right foot from tapping when the jukebox comes on. When you know the words, you sing them, and you don’t even know you’re doing it. You take your work seriously even though you know you’re too smart to be stuck as a waitress for the rest of your life. You’ll do that job with everything you have. You’re a good person, Rachel.”

  She pulled back to look at him. There were tears swimming in her eyes. “How could you see so much?”

  He used one hand to wipe the tears away. He didn’t intend to play any games with her. “Because I knew I was crazy about you the moment I saw you.”

  “Don’t,” she said, her voice catching on the word. “I can’t. I can’t do anything serious. Please, I want to lose myself for a while. Can you give me that?”

  He looked at her solemnly. She was practically begging him not to push her. “For now.”

  Anticipation thrummed through his body as he pulled her close and, for the first time, pressed his lips to hers. She was soft and willing. Her mouth flowered open under his. Max pulled her tightly to him. He loved the way her breasts pressed against the hardness of his chest. He kept the kiss light, letting her set the pace. He needed her badly, but he held his own desire firmly in check. She needed this even more than he did, and he knew it. After a moment’s sweet play, he groaned as he felt her tentatively lick along the seam of his lips.

  Max growled as he lost a bit of his control, and he wound his hands in her hair. It was soft against his callused fingers. He held her gently but with firm intent as he plundered her mouth. He let his tongue plunge in a naked imitation of what his cock wanted to do. He slanted over and over her mouth, their lips meshing together. She felt right in his arms.

  “Oh god, Max,” she moaned when he came up for air. “It’s been so long.”

  “How long?” Max didn’t care. She could have been with twelve guys yesterday. As long as he was the last man standing, he’d be satisfied.

  “Years.” There was a bit of wonder in her voice. Max was fascinated with the way she was looking at him. It made him feel like a much better man than he’d ever thought he could be. “Like this? Maybe never.”

  “Good.” He lifted her up, bringing her breasts to his mouth. “God, you’re beautiful, baby.” He sucked a pink nipple into his mouth. Rachel groaned, and her back bowed as she offered herself to him. He curled his tongue around the peak of her soft breast and thought he would come then and there when she wrapped her legs around his waist. He felt her hot pussy against his skin. He moved between both breasts, not wanting either one to feel left out. She shivered when he bit down gently on her nipple.

  Rachel moved restlessly against him, and he knew she was getting hot and bothered. He needed to get her off because the minute he sank his cock into her, he feared he would explode. He didn’t want to leave her unsatisfied. Max turned her around in his arms, palming her breasts as her head fell back against his shoulder. Her ass rubbed against his torso.

  “Please touch me,” Rachel moaned.

  Max anchored her with one hand around her waist and let his other hand trail down to her wet, ripe pussy. He delved into the soft curls there. He wished he could see it but promised himself that he would have her laid out on his bed soon. He would spread her wide and take his time learning every inch of her. He would cover her with his mouth and taste that hot pussy while she took Rye in her mouth.

  Max shook his head, trying to banish the mental image. It came to him naturally, but it wasn’t going to happen. They were playing it straight this time. He wanted Rachel, and he would have to take her on her terms. As much as he’d loved sharing women with his other half, he had to move on. Max slid his fingers over her pulsing pussy, rubbing her clit through the soft nest of curls he found. Rachel pushed her pelvis against his questing fingers.

  “Yes, Max,” she whispered.

  Max picked up the pace. He rubbed tight circles with his thumb over her clit while he worked his middle finger into the blinding heat of her pussy. She was incredibly tight. She was going to feel like heaven wrapped around his cock.

  “It feels so good.” Rachel turned her head up. Max took the invitation and plunged his tongue into her perfect mouth as he fucked her with his fingers. His dick was denting the soft flesh of her ass, and he longed to be able to tunnel his way in. He held off, sensing she was a virgin there. He would have to be careful and prepare her.

  Rachel bucked against his fingers, and he felt a warm rush as she came. His cock was throbbing. He couldn’t fight it anymore. He quickly turned her around.

  “Wrap your legs around my waist,” he ordered.

  Her face was flushed and she looked sleepy, but she complied with a sexy smile. “That was fantastic.”

  He kissed her as he arranged her legs to his liking. She looked like a completely content kitten. “I’m glad I could help, baby.”

  She traced the line of his jaw with her fingertips. “You’re different. A woman could feel safe with you, Max.”

  She sounded so hesitant, his heart clenched. He wondered who had put that fear in her voice. He made his own voice gentle. “You are safe with me. I’ll take care of you.”

  She reached down between them, and her small hand stroked his desperate cock. He couldn’t help the tortured hiss that came out when she squeezed the crown.

  “Take care of me now,” she demanded, her green eyes practically challenging him.

  Max’s hands tightened on the cheeks of her ass. His dick knew exactly where to go, and he unerringly found her slick entrance. Rachel steadied herself, placing her hands on his shoulders. Her eyes went wide as Max began working his big cock into her. He started with shallow strokes. She was so tight that he had to be careful with her. He eased her up and down on his dick, the buoyancy of the water aiding his work. Rachel pushed against him.

  She isn’t one to lay back. No, this woman fought for her pleasure. This woman fought period. She would never be easy. She would always demand more of him.

  Why did that seem good to him?

  Max’s latest stroke pushed him in all the way to his balls. He groaned at the exquisite sensation. Rachel was fighting for her orgasm, and he thought it was the sexiest thing he’d ever s
een.

  Her nails were going to leave a mark, he realized with a savage satisfaction. Her mouth was open, and he felt her pussy clench again and again around his cock as she went over the edge.

  He held nothing back after she came. He pounded into her, slamming her slick pussy up and down on his dick. He shoved his way into her until he could feel the cheeks of her ass hitting his balls. He tightened his hold on her as he felt his orgasm start as a tingle at the base of his spine. He slammed her down and held her close as he ground against her, shooting hot cum deep into her welcoming body. His mind felt languid and drugged with pleasure. He kissed her over and over as he softened inside her.

  He was shaking as he realized what he had done. “Oh, shit, Rachel. I’m sorry. I didn’t use a condom, baby. I can’t believe I did that.”

  But she simply let her head drift down onto his shoulder. “It’s okay. I finished my period two days ago. Next time, we need to use one.”

  He relaxed a little. He was happy there would be a next time. His cock was still pressed against her pussy. “I’m safe, baby. I had a checkup last year, and I haven’t been with anyone since.”

  “Seriously?” She sounded surprised.

  “Yes.” He hugged her to him. “You’re the first woman I’ve wanted in a long time.”

  Her eyes were heavy as she grinned at him. “I’m glad.” She shrieked and pointed at a spot behind his head. “What is that?”

  Max turned quickly, every instinct screaming at him to protect his woman. He looked at the massive dog who should be barking a warning. Quigley just yawned and relaxed at Maverick’s feet. There would be no help from those two. Rachel clung to his back, covering her nudity.

  “Don’t mind us,” the intensely hairy man said as he walked by the pond with a friend. “We’re on a nature walk. Beautiful day.”

  Sure enough, the two men had walking sticks in their hands and binoculars around their necks. Other than that, they wore hiking boots and nothing else. Max shook his head. Rye was going to have to remind those nudists where the boundaries of their property ran.