“If I get on and can’t stay on, you’ll stop?”
“Yep.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
“No galloping.”
“I’ll just walk him if that’s what you want.”
“I do.”
Fletch scooted closer to the fence and held out his hand. Tanna latched on so fiercely a lesser man would’ve been jerked to the ground. “I’ve gotcha. That’s it. One more rung. Now put your hand on my shoulder. That’s fine; grip it tight if you need to.”
Tanna felt suspended in time as she transferred her weight against Fletch and she swung her right leg over Gus’s rump. Fletch leaned forward, keeping a death grip on her hand as she slid her front down his back until her ass met horseflesh. She pressed the side of her face into Fletch’s broad back, keeping her eyes closed.
Was it possible that her heart could actually beat out of her chest?
“Wrap your arms around my waist, Tanna.”
“Don’t go yet,” she said with panic.
“I’m not. We’re still right by the fence.”
She focused on the scent of Fletch’s shirt. The moderate breeze. The hard muscles her fingers were digging into. The firm touch of his left hand curled around her left thigh.
Breathe. Come on, Tanna. You can do this.
Sitting behind Fletch, she had no knee control of the horse; it all belonged to the forward rider. Her legs dangled like noodles and she missed the security of stirrups.
Gus shifted sideways and she gasped.
Fletch’s hand squeezed her leg. “Easy. It’s all right.”
No, it’s not.
“You tell me when.”
Never.
Fletch stayed true to his word. He didn’t pester her to buck up so they could get moving. He waited on her signal.
Okay. She was on the damn thing. Through gritted teeth, she said, “Go.”
Then they were meandering along. At this speed she could feel every shift of the horse’s back legs, which made the ride seem unstable.
“Tanna? You doin’ all right?”
Don’t think about sliding into that turn.
Don’t think about clipping the barrel.
Don’t think about Jezebel falling down on top of you.
Don’t think about watching her race away.
Don’t think of her shriek of pain.
Don’t think of her dying alone.
Gus moved into a canter and Tanna’s heart zoomed into her throat.
“Fletch? Why’re we goin’ faster?”
“You kicked your heels in.”
She didn’t remember doing that.
This pace smoothed out the ride. The instincts were still there.
So she held on. Remembering riding double with her uncle. And then with her brother. Her dad preferred ATVs to horses. In the time she’d had to reflect upon hearing about her father’s hatred of the ranch, she could admit the signs had been there. After her uncle died, Garrett had handled all the livestock, while her dad spent more time on the computer. Not at the house with her mother, but in the tiny foreman’s cabin her bachelor uncle had occupied her entire life.
Tanna hadn’t been overly close to her dad. He didn’t attend many of the events she’d entered. His excuse that driving for two hours to watch her compete for twenty seconds still stung. And since her mother didn’t drive beyond going into town or her friends’ houses, she’d had little in familial support for the whole of her career. But she had that support when she returned home after an event. She trained. Spent time with her mom, or her friends or whatever guy she’d been involved with. She’d only paid attention to those around her when they could do something for her or entertain her.
She’d gotten so lost in self-recriminations she’d almost forgotten she was on horseback until Fletch spoke to her.
“There’s a long, flat section up ahead. I’m gonna give Gus his legs, so hold on.”
Tanna wanted to tell him, no, wait, you promised no galloping, but Gus kicked up the pace. She opened her eyes only to close them again.
She so wanted that big aha! moment when everything became clear. When the wind in her hair and the years of conditioning her muscles kicked the memory of what she used to be and she felt a burst of joy. Of rightness.
But neither of those feelings came.
They slowed. Stopped. She could feel Fletch’s core muscles working and the muscles in his arms tightening. Such a powerful man. Yet such a gentle giant.
He turned toward her and she lifted her head. “You okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you want to get down and walk around?”
“How will we get back on?”
“Me Injun. Know how to mount bareback.”
Tanna smiled for the first time since they’d left this morning. “Okay, chief.”
“Hang on to my arm. I’ll help you off first.”
Just look at Fletch. Nowhere else.
“Tanna, sweetheart, give me all your weight. You’re not gonna hurt me.”
She swung her right leg over and slid down until both her feet were on the ground. And she was upright. Not wobbly. Not light-headed. This was good.
Fletch dismounted and immediately circled his arms around her, dipping his head for a kiss.
“Wait. Don’t you need to tie Gus off?”
“Nope. He’s broke to ground tie. Now gimme that mouth for the victory kiss I’m dying for.”
“Victory kiss?” she repeated.
“Mmm-hmm. ’Cause this ride surely is a victory for you. Don’t see it as anything less.” Their lips met in a sweet, loving, comforting kiss. A kiss he was in no hurry to end. Teasing her tongue with little nips and sucks, gliding his wet lips over hers, coaxing her to relax into him fully. He eased off and completely wrapped her in his embrace, mashing her face against his chest.
“You did great. How do you feel?”
“Lucky.”
“How’s that?”
“Because you’re a pushy bastard. You made me do it because you knew I wouldn’t on my own. Maybe ever. If not for you . . . anyway. Thank you.” Tanna dropped her head back and peered at his handsome face. Something deeper than lust pinched her heart.
And in that moment, she knew she loved him.
“Tanna? Sweetheart, you’re looking at me really funny.”
She couldn’t tell him. He’d attribute her reaction to the situation of his helping her face her fears. So she redirected. “How is it I forgot how unbelievably hot you look in a cowboy hat?”
He grinned. “No clue. Probably I haven’t been wearing it much since I’ve been on sabbatical.”
“Pity, that.”
Gus tried to poke his head between them.
Fletch studied her very carefully for signs of panic as Gus sniffed her arm, the side of her head and her ear. When she stepped behind Fletch, Gus followed and kept pestering her. But Fletch pushed him back. “Quit sniffing my woman, old man.”
Gus gave an indignant snort and meandered a few feet away.
“Are you ready to head back?”
“How far are we from the ranch?”
“Probably a mile.”
“Seems like it should be a lot farther.”
He cupped the side of her face. “I want you to ride in front of me on the way back.”
Her pulse leapt. “Why?”
“This is a pretty piece of dirt and I bet your eyes were closed during the whole ride here.”
“Fletch—”
“I’ll hold the reins. You don’t have to do anything but lean against me and soak in the view.” His thumb feathered across her cheek. “You’re ready.”
Tanna couldn’t help the grudging, “Okay.”
“I can tell by the stubborn set to your mouth you might just keep your eyes closed to spite me.”
She smiled. “Maybe. Just because I rode on the back of a horse for a mile doesn’t mean I’m ready to find my seat again.”
“We’ll
go as slow as you want. I’ll have my seat on the horse first.” He kissed her again, his lips so warm and sure.
Watching him mount without stirrups was a testament to his strength and agility. After his Indian comment she imagined him mounting up bare chested. In a loincloth.
“Tanna?”
Crap. Fletch had his hand out to help her up.
When Gus turned his head to see what was going on, Tanna shied away.
“Don’t let him spook you. Show him who’s boss.”
She felt so damn ridiculous. Retreating from a twenty-year-old gelding. Keeping one eye on the horse, she reached for Fletch’s hand and he hauled her straight up as easily as if she’d been on a pulley. Then his left arm snaked around her waist, pulling her back so her butt was snug against his groin and her spine was pressed against his chest. She was at a loss without the reins. “What am I supposed to do with my hands?”
“Hold on to the outside of my legs.”
Tanna placed her palms on the midpoint between his knees and his hips.
His deep voice settled in her ear. “You ready?”
“I guess.”
Fletch kicked his heels in and loosened the reins and Gus started to move.
Her body seemed to be as stiff as cement.
“Are your eyes open?” he murmured in her ear.
“Yes.”
“Close them and lean into me.”
It was a relief to slump back.
“Now drop your head to the left. Keep holding on.”
When his open mouth landed on the exposed section of her neck she knew why he’d told her to hold on—that one hot kiss was as potent as an electrical charge.
“I’ve missed you in my bed.” Fletch nuzzled the tender area below her ear. “I woke up hard.”
“Have to take care of it yourself?”
“Mmm-hmm. In the shower.” Whisper-soft kisses drifted up and down the side of her neck. “I used my left hand and pretended it was you jacking me off.”
“Did it take long or did I drag it out?”
“Oh, you were a greedy little thing. You wanted to get me there as fast as possible. You worked me hard in your slippery fist.”
Tanna was right there. Watching as Fletch jerked himself off. She could hear the slap, slap, slap of skin. She felt that breathless moment of anticipation when he stopped breathing and threw his head back. When long ribbons of come jetted from his cock, splatting onto the floor and swirling down the drain.
“I recognize that sexy noise.”
“I’m not surprised. I make it a lot around you.”
Fletch rocked his pelvis forward and Gus picked up the pace.
Tanna’s eyes flew open. Gus’s muscles rippled against her inner thighs. She bounced out of synch with the horse’s gait. She felt herself starting to slide to the right just like her accident and jerked herself to the left.
Fletch’s arm squeezed her lower torso. “Tanna. I’ve got you. You won’t fall. I promise.”
“But what if—”
“You won’t. Get them thoughts right outta your head.” He kissed her temple. “Now where were we? Wrap your arm around the back of my neck. You can even dig your nails in because you know how fucking much I like that.”
She maneuvered her right arm back and held on; the pose felt decidedly wanton. Not at all like her usual seat atop a horse.
“Know what I’m thinking about? How badly I want my hands on you. My mouth on you,” he murmured. “I’d start on your tits as I’m kissing you. I’d rub my palms over your nipples, until they were diamond hard.”
Her nipples immediately constricted.
“As much as I wanna put my mouth on those rigid tips, I’d save that for later. Too much naked skin tempting me to kiss and tease. I love when your breath catches as I touch you here.”
His fingers on her belly lightly brushed the skin between her hipbones. A little gasp escaped.
“There’s the sound.” He adjusted his upper body and bent his head to place a kiss on the tender area on the inside of her arm. “I’d run my fingers along the muscles from your wrist to your biceps. Stopping to trace the bend in your elbow. The ball of your shoulder. Your collarbone. Your neck. Your strong, stubborn jaw. All beautiful feminine places.”
“I have other feminine places,” she said a little breathlessly.
“Believe me, I know. I like watching your face as I’m kissing a path down your belly to gorge myself on that slice of heaven between your thighs.”
Fletch kept telling her all the wickedly raunchy things he planned to do to her. Explicit things. But he didn’t touch her beyond caressing her thigh with his thumb.
Rather than being wound tight, Tanna relaxed against him completely. The deep, modulated cadence of his voice was a perfect complement to the easy cadence of the horse.
She felt a stab of disappointment when the barn appeared. She hadn’t wanted this horseback ride to end.
Wait. What did that mean?
Imagining strapping on the feedbag, Gus picked up the pace.
Tanna held her breath, expecting that panicked feeling would overwhelm her.
But nothing came.
“You all right?” Fletch asked.
“Yes. I am. I really am. Thank you for this.”
“My pleasure. This riding double thing is awesome.”
She laughed softly.
“I’m gonna swing down and open the gate.”
Leaving her alone on Gus.
Fletch dismounted and walked them through the gate.
He helped her dismount.
Tanna stood in the dirt, watching Fletch deal with the horse.
She’d survived.
In fact, she felt exhilarated.
Alive.
Wanting to celebrate this feeling—this victory—with more than just a kiss.
She paced outside the gate and as soon as Fletch exited, she pounced on him. She kissed him as she tried to scale his body.
Fletch returned her kiss with equal enthusiasm, until she reached for his belt buckle. He released her with a groan, stopping the motion.
She wasn’t ready to let him go. She latched onto his neck and whispered in his ear. “I need you, Fletch. Fuck me against a tree or on the picnic table or even in the dirt. But I need—”
“Slow down.” He stepped back and took hold of her hands. “Sugar twang, there’s no rush. Let’s just chill for a minute.”
“But . . . I thought we would . . .” She knew she looked bewildered and didn’t care.
“No.” He kissed her knuckles. “When we get back to the Split Rock, we