by Tyler, Paige
Karleigh laughed. “No problem. I don’t mind.”
“I could show Karleigh around.” Holden turned those impossibly blue eyes on her. “If that’s okay with you, of course.”
Okay? It was fantastic!
Heather spoke up before she could answer. “That’s a great idea. Karleigh would love it. Wouldn’t you, Karleigh?”
Karleigh felt her face color. Could Heather be any more obvious? Realizing Holden was looking at her expectantly, she smiled.
“I would,” she said.
“Excellent!” Heather said. She leaned close to Karleigh, her voice dropping to just above a whisper. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. On second thought, scratch that. I’m married, so there are a lot of things I couldn’t do. Definitely do something I wouldn’t do.”
Karleigh darted a look at Holden to see if he’d heard. From the way his mouth twitched, she decided he almost assuredly had.
She and Holden mounted their horses along with Heather, who turned hers around and immediately rode back toward the house.
“Anything in particular you want me to show you?” Holden asked.
Your bare chest again. That might be too forward, though. Her lips curved into a smile. “You decide.”
When Karleigh moved Beauty up to walk alongside Holden’s bay, the mare immediately nuzzled the other horse. Karleigh didn’t think anything of the exchange at first, but realization dawned on her.
“So, is that Loverboy or Highwayman?” she asked Holden.
“Loverboy.” He gave her a wink. “Figured I’d give them some alone time away from Highwayman.”
“That was nice of you.”
His mouth quirked. “I got fifty bucks riding on this relationship.”
Karleigh laughed. She glanced at Holden out of the corner of her eye. He rode as if he’d been born on a horse, his hand loosely holding the reins, his booted feet relaxed in the stirrups. And yet despite how casual he looked, he was in complete control of the animal the whole time. She liked that quiet confidence in a man.
“You’re from New York, huh?” he asked.
“I’m from Pennsylvania originally, but I moved to New York after college.”
“Whereabouts in New York?”
“Manhattan.”
He grinned. “Ah. So you’re a city girl then.”
“And proud of it.” She lifted her chin. “Is that a problem?”
He chuckled. “No, ma’am. I’ve always had a thing for city girls.”
Karleigh’s heart did a funny little backflip. “I’m glad to hear that.”
“What do you do back there?”
“I’m the assistant editor for a fashion magazine.”
“Oh yeah?” He gave her a sidelong glance. “I would have guessed model.”
Karleigh blushed at the compliment. Holden Donnelly definitely knew what to say to a girl. “What about you? Are you from Colorado?”
“Texas, actually.”
She’d thought his drawl was a bit different from Mav’s when she first heard it. “So you grew up on a ranch then?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Karleigh opened her mouth to remind him he didn’t have to call her “ma’am,” but as he launched into a story about life on a ranch, she decided he could call her anything he liked as long as he did it in that sexy voice of his. The man could read from the phone book and get her hot and bothered. Of course, it also made it practically impossible to pay attention to what he was saying most of the time. She barely even noticed the landmarks he pointed out as they rode. In fact, she didn’t even realize they were heading back to the barn until they rode inside. She glanced down at her watch and was surprised to see they’d spent almost two hours together. She could easily have spent the rest of the day with him. Some of the night, too, she thought wickedly.
The barn was empty and as they unsaddled their horses and rubbed them down, Karleigh wondered if she should ask Holden out. If they’d met at a club back in New York City, she wouldn’t have hesitated, but she wasn’t sure what the etiquette was out here. He’d already demonstrated he was old-fashioned by calling her “ma’am.” That could mean he also liked to do the asking when it came to going out.
She chewed on her lip, trying to decide, when Holden suddenly spoke.
“Would you like to go out to dinner with me tonight?”
She stopped running the brush over Beauty’s coat to look at him over the horse. He was folding the blanket he’d used beneath Loverboy’s saddle.
“I’d love to,” she said.
“Great.” He grinned. “I’ll pick you up around seven.”
She smiled back. “I’ll be waiting.”
Chapter Two
It wasn’t until Karleigh walked into the house a little while later that she remembered Heather and her husband. She felt awful about skipping out on them, especially her first night at the ranch, but she didn’t want to pass up the chance to go out with Holden, either. Besides, her friend had encouraged her to have fun.
Even so, that didn’t make her feel any less contrite.
Heather was at the kitchen counter peeling potatoes when Karleigh walked in. She looked up from what she was doing, a smile on her face.
“How was the ride?”
“Fun,” Karleigh said. “Holden is a very good at playing tour guide.”
“I thought he might be.”
Heather grabbed another potato and started to peel it.
“Do you want some help with that?” Karleigh asked.
“No, thanks. I’m almost done anyway.” She cut the potato in half, then in quarters before tossing it in a pot of water. “So, what did you and Holden talk about?”
“Mostly about what it’s like to live on a ranch.” Karleigh leaned back against the counter, watching as Heather reached for another potato. “He asked me to go out to dinner with him tonight.”
Heather’s eyes lit up. “You said yes, I hope.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind?”
Her friend tossed the last of the potatoes in the pot and set it on the stove. “Of course I don’t mind. I was hoping you would hit it off with one of the guys. You obviously have.”
Karleigh’s lips curved. “Holden is pretty great.”
“What time is he picking you up?”
“Seven.” Karleigh pushed away from the counter. “Which reminds me. I still have to unpack and find something to wear.”
She hadn’t brought much in the way of dressy clothes, but she’d packed a few sexy skirts just in case.
Heather wiped her hands on a dishtowel. “Hang on. I’ll help.”
Ten minutes later, Heather was stretched out on her stomach across the bed in the guest room while Karleigh paired practically every top in her suitcase with the aforementioned skirts. It really shouldn’t take so long to decide on something to wear, especially since she worked at a fashion magazine.
“Wear that one,” Heather said as Karleigh pulled on a navy blue cami-top.
Karleigh turned one way, then the other in front of the full-length mirror. The color did go well with her blonde hair and blue eyes. “You think so?”
“Most definitely.”
Needing to see the complete outfit to be sure, Karleigh started to slip her feet into the high-heeled sandals she’d brought when Heather’s voice stopped her.
“Wear your boots.”
Karleigh’s brow went up. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
Karleigh chewed on her lower lip as she considered pairing the boots with the short, flirty skirt. “I don’t know.”
Heather rolled her eyes. “Karleigh, this isn’t New York City. Cowboy boots are very fashion-forward here.” When Karleigh hesitated, she added, “Holden will think you look sexy as hell in them.”
Karleigh thought about that. Guys did seem to like a girl in boots. But cowboy boots with a skirt? Shrugging, she shoved her feet into them, then surveyed her reflection in the mirror. She had to admit, they did look good.
<
br /> Her friend must have taken Karleigh’s half smile for agreement because she pushed herself up and hopped off the bed.
“Okay, I’m going to let you finish unpacking and get ready for your date. Fresh towels are in the linen closet. I’ll be downstairs if you need anything.”
Karleigh opened her mouth to thank Heather, but the redhead was already out the door. Taking off her clothes, she slipped into the short robe she’d brought with her, then tackled the rest of the unpacking before taking a shower. As she ran her soapy hands over her breasts, she imagined it was Holden touching her. The thought made her pussy tingle and it was all she could do not to slide her hands between her legs and play with herself. If she and Holden ended up in bed like she hoped, she wanted to save her orgasm for him. That didn’t keep her fingers from lingering on her clit a little longer than necessary anyway. The mere touch sent shivers racing through her, and she quickly rinsed off and reached for a towel.
An hour later, she was dressed and hurrying down the stairs. Since Holden wasn’t due to arrive for another half hour, Karleigh went to see if Heather needed any help in the kitchen. Her friend had everything under control, and was just waiting for Clint to get home, so she and Heather sat at the kitchen table and chatted instead.
They were talking about the new beauty products being featured in the upcoming edition of the magazine when the doorbell rang. Karleigh glanced at her watch. Holden was right on time. She grabbed her purse and got to her feet.
“Don’t wait up,” she teased, giving her friend a grin.
“I won’t.” Heather laughed. “Have a good time.”
Pulse fluttering like crazy, she hurried into the entryway and opened the door. Holden stood there, a jean-clad dream in boots, a flannel shirt and a cowboy hat. If her magazine ever did a feature on western clothes, she was insisting on having him be part of the photo shoot.
He looked her up and down, his blue eyes caressing her legs. “Damn, you look hot.”
So, the boots were a hit. She’d have to remember to thank Heather later. “I’m glad you think so.” She smiled. “You look pretty dang good yourself.”
Had she just said dang? It must be the cowboy boots.
Holden didn’t remark on her use of the word as he led her to his pick-up truck. She was surprised when he held the door open for her, though from the way his gaze lingered on her thighs as she climbed inside, she suspected he might have an ulterior motive. Not that she minded.
They went to a bar and grill in Colorado Springs called Wranglers. Considering how packed the parking lot was, Karleigh was afraid they’d have trouble getting a table, but most of the people waiting to be seated were in groups of four or more, so getting a table for two was much easier. The hostess led them to a booth that was still relatively private while offering a great view of the band. She didn’t usually listen to country music, but the song they were playing had a good beat and she found herself tapping her foot as she opened her menu.
While the house specialty ribs sounded tempting, they were way too messy for a first date, so she went with the safer choice of a cheeseburger and fries. Holden decided on a steak, medium-rare.
Hoots of laughter from the other side of the room caught Karleigh’s attention, and she looked that way to see what the commotion was about. Her eyes went wide as she took in the big, brown contraption in the center of a corral.
“What the heck is that?” she asked.
Holden’s mouth quirked. “That’s a mechanical bull. You’ve never seen one before?”
“In the movies. Not in the middle of a restaurant. They aren’t really big in New York City.”
He chuckled. “I guess they wouldn’t be, would they?”
In the corral, a stocky guy with a beard and mustache climbed on top of the mechanical bull.
“So, people just ride on it in the middle of dinner?”
“Mostly before or after they eat,” Holden teased. “Though usually better than that guy,” he added as the bearded man got tossed off the machine to land in the hay, much to the amusement of the crowd gathered around the corral. Holden set down his bottle of beer and slid out of the booth. “Come on. I’ll show you how it’s done.”
Taking Karleigh’s hand, he led her through the maze of tables to the corral. She watched as he walked over to say something to the man operating the mechanical bull, then strode into the corral. Stepping onto the platform, he swung himself effortlessly atop the bull, then gripped the handle. Glancing Karleigh’s way, he gave her a wink, then nodded to the mechanical bull operator.
The machine began bucking slowly, then gradually picked up speed until it went around so fast Karleigh was getting dizzy just from looking at it. She held her breath, sure Holden would get thrown off any minute, but miraculously, he didn’t. When the machine dipped forward, he leaned back; when it rocked back, he leaned forward. He made riding it look easy, but from the way his jaw clenched, she was sure it had to be hard as hell to stay on the thing. And while she had to admit her heart was in her throat every time the mechanical bull bucked and spun around, another part of her anatomy enjoyed the way Holden’s muscles rippled and flexed. She had no idea riding a mechanical bull could be so sexy.
Though it seemed like hours, he was probably only on the mechanical bull for twenty or thirty seconds, and when the machine came to a stop with him still firmly seated on top of it, the crowd cheered. Laughing, Karleigh added her voice to theirs.
She waited for Holden to hop off the mechanical bull, but instead he waved her over. There could be only one reason he’d want her to join him. He wanted her to take a turn on the contraption. The mere thought was enough to make her stomach lurch. She didn’t even like roller coasters. She started to shake her head, but he ignored it. Flashing her a grin, he gestured with his hand again, then patted the seat in front of him. Clearly, Holden wasn’t going to get off the mechanical bull until she came over.
Face coloring what she was sure was an embarrassing shade of red, Karleigh made her way to the opening in the fence. She was keenly aware of everyone watching her as she entered the corral and walked over to where Holden sat.
He held out his hand. “Come on up.”
She hadn’t realized he meant to ride the mechanical bull with her. That completely changed things. Taking his hand, she put one foot in the stirrup and let him help her up so that she was sitting astride in front of him. Her short skirt rode up, exposing even more of her thighs, but she barely noticed as Holden wrapped his strong arm around her and gently pulled her back against him. His skin was hot through his shirt, the muscles of his chest hard, and she had to stifle a moan.
He put his mouth to her ear. “Comfortable?”
All she could do was nod. Comfortable? She was in cowgirl heaven.
“Ready?”
His lips brushed her ear, making her shiver, and she nodded again.
Karleigh didn’t know how the mechanical bull operator knew when to start the ride, but all at once the machine slowly began to rock beneath them. She tensed, unable to help herself.
Holden pressed a kiss to her ear. “Relax, baby. Just let your body move with mine.”
Heat pooled between Karleigh’s thighs at the words and she found herself obeying his softly-spoken command despite how uneasy the mechanical bull made her. Then again, the man-made beast probably could have been bucking like a crazed bronco beneath her and she wouldn’t have known it. Right then, she wasn’t aware of anything but Holden’s body pressed up against hers. More specifically, the bulge in his jeans pressed right up against her ass. A very sizeable bulge at that. She wasn’t sure how it looked to the people around them, but to her, it felt like she and Holden were having sex with their clothes on. Much more and she might actually start moaning.
Unfortunately, the mechanical bull came to a stop before she could find out. Holden dismounted first, then lifted her off, his hands lingering on her waist.
“Your face is flushed,” he said. “You’re not feeling dizzy, are y
ou?”
She shook her head. “No. I-I’m fine.”
Just a little lightheaded from being near that incredible body of yours.
He took her hand. “Come on. The waitress just brought our food.”
After a ride like the one she’d just had, Karleigh wasn’t sure she could eat, but she let him lead her back to their table.
Since the emphasis at Wranglers clearly seemed to be on the “bar” instead of the “grill” part of the restaurant’s name, she was surprised to discover the food was actually really good. Then again, she probably could have been eating cardboard and not have cared. Focusing on anything but Holden was almost impossible.
Giving herself a mental shake, she picked up her cheeseburger and forced herself to pay attention to what he was saying as she took a bite. While they came from vastly different worlds, they had enough in common to have something to talk about. While Karleigh had to admit her attraction to the hunky cowboy was purely physical, it was nice to be able to pretend to be interested in conversation while they gazed at each other with lust in their eyes.
“Want to dance?” Holden asked as the waitress left with their empty plates.
Not only was Holden good looking, charming and blessed with a gorgeous body, but he liked to dance, too. Back in New York, she usually had to resort to begging to get most guys out on the floor.
“I’d love to,” she said. “I should warn you, though. I’ve never done the two-step.”
He grinned. “I’ll teach you.”
Taking her hand, Holden led her onto the crowded dance floor, then gently pulled her into his arms.
“It’s really a pretty simple dance,” he told her. “You just take two steps in the same direction on one foot, then follow with the other.”
Holden demonstrated the move as he spoke, and she automatically followed. Mirroring his steps was easy, especially since he held her so close. All she had to do was move her body in time with his just as she’d done on the mechanical bull. Only this time, the erection in his jeans was deliciously pressed against her tummy. Her pussy spasmed in response to being in such close proximity to his cock and Karleigh adjusted her position so one of his muscular thighs was now between her legs. As they moved, she ground her pussy against his leg, riding him in time to the music. The friction of his jeans against the thin material of her panties was as erotic as hell, and it wasn’t long before she felt the familiar tingle that always came before an orgasm.