by Lindsey Hart
June held back a groan. Great. So much for her friends being on her side in this. She was losing them already and they hadn’t even met Brock yet. She knew when they feasted their eyes on the tower of muscle and sex, she was going to lose them. Brock would gain two allies in his quest to, for some reason, keep their marriage afloat.
Puh-lease. Not that it was a real marriage. It was a shitty decision neither of them could remember. Just because it was legal, didn’t make them married. Okay, well even if it does, he’s not my real husband.
June ignored the way her body heated up a million damn degrees. She shifted on the bed and forced herself to think about something else. About how good that annulment was going to feel when she got the paperwork. She thought about how angry her parents would be, how her mother would go on one of her yearlong rants. That cooled her jets.
“You know,” Jaz said wistfully, her eyes already filled up with stars. Mandy looked the same way and this time, June wasn’t able to hold back her groan.
“What’s that? I’m sure I don’t want to hear it,” June said dryly. She stood, walked over to the door, and picked up the plastic bags. She began setting the containers of food out on the small table in the room in hopes of distracting her friends. No such luck.
“I’m really excited to meet him.” Jaz’s dreamy tone made June want to gag.
“Me too,” Mandy agreed. Just because she sounded more down to earth didn’t mean she was. She proved it a second later when she gushed, “this is just as exciting as that movie we watched. And romantic.”
Jaz broke into a titter of giggles and as June opened up the food and got out a few paper plates the hotel staff had been kind enough to throw in, not that it mattered, since she couldn’t eat a thing if she tried, her friends started comparing her life, to that cheesy romance that made them both turn into girly bawl bags.
I am so damn screwed.
CHAPTER 8
Brock
Since he had basically one shot at convincing his wife that she should stay married to him, Brock pulled out all the stops. It was already midday by the time June left his hotel.
He gave her a few hours to regroup and fill her friends in on what happened the night before. He took the time to plan something he hoped they’d all like. He had no idea where June was from or what she was into. Since that didn’t exactly give him time to come up with a good game plan, he chose to go with a little bit of everything.
He showed up at June’s hotel in a rental that was more practical than what he currently had. He’d returned the sports car and exchanged it for a truck.
He found three ladies waiting for him, three sets of curious eyes. They were all dressed in jeans, runners, and some version of a jacket since the weather was on the cool side for Vegas and he’d texted that they were going to be doing an outdoor activity and should dress accordingly.
The brown-haired woman was thinner, average height, with a heart-shaped face and huge blue eyes. She was quite pretty in a sweet, innocent kind of way. The other friend had dark hair, cut into one of those pixie style cuts. It didn’t exactly suit her, but she was pretty in her own way, with her huge dark eyes and a big smile when he pulled up.
The only one of the three not smiling, was June. She glared daggers at him like he’d done something wrong just by living. Or by marrying her. Hell, he was willing to accept that maybe she was allowed to be grouchy. He’d change her mind soon enough.
“Nice ride,” the pixie cut said as she slid into the front seat. She laughed at her other friend, who looked disappointed, and at June, who looked relieved to sit in the back seat.
Brock shut their doors like a gentleman and climbed back into the driver seat.
“I’m Mandy,” the pixie cut said. She pointed to the back seat. “That’s Jasmine, Jaz. And uh- I guess you know June, given that you’re married.” She clamped a hand over her mouth, but she couldn’t hide her snickers. Neither could Jaz, in the back seat. June glared daggers at both her friends before she went back to glaring at him. He watched her, in the rear-view mirror, and even when he couldn’t, since he had to concentrate on driving and following the GPS, he could feel her glare burning right through him.
“So, where are we going?” Jaz asked. “If it’s not a secret?”
“Oooh, it would be romantic if it was a secret,” Mandy chimed in. She glanced at him from across the cab. “Is it a secret? Is it romantic?”
“Ignore these two,” June cut in. He couldn’t see her, but he could tell she was either rolling her eyes or just had been. “They watched some horrible sappy movie this morning and now they figure that the idea of us being married is actually cute or something.”
“You did promise to try and have a good time,” Brock reminded her dryly.
“I know. This is me trying to keep an open mind.”
He caught her eye in the mirror, but she looked away. Brock grinned. His hands tightened on the wheel with renewed determination. He turned to the side, and Mandy, who was openly studying him, and maybe even drooling a little, had the grace to look half ashamed. The other half kept right on studying him in frank appreciation. He grinned. God, it was nice just to be anonymous for a change. Not that he should enjoy that June’s friend was the one looking at him like she’d like to taste him. It should be June looking at him that way, not studying the scenery passing by out the window. There was time though for that. He had some charms, buried away under layers of bitterness. He’d just have to dig them out, dust them off, and put them to good use.
“So- where are we going?” Mandy asked after clearing her throat.
“I rented out a ranch for the afternoon and evening. They do horseback riding and they’ve agreed to feed us dinner. After that, we’ll drive back, and I have tickets to a show. I think you’ll all enjoy it. It has dancing and water and acrobatics. It’s a love story.”
“Oh, do you hear that!” Jaz elbowed June in the back seat. June shot her friend a murderous look. “That sounds amazing! I’ve never ridden a horse before, but I’ve always wanted to!”
“Me too!” Mandy exclaimed.
“I hate horses,” June grumbled.
Brock’s stomach clenched hard and he nearly slammed on the brakes, ready to turn the truck around, but then Jaz stabbed at June’s arm with her index finger.
“You do not hate horses. You were just saying before we came out here that it would be cool to do an excursion and horses would be fun. You’re just saying that because you’re pouting.”
“I am not pouting.” June stuck out her tongue at her friend and Jaz laughed.
“You are so pouting. You just don’t want to admit that your super sexy husband picked something you actually wanted to do.”
“Shut up,” June ground out.
“Just saying, at least your drunk goggles had no effect last night. He looks good enough to eat.”
Mandy turned to the side. “I’d definitely lick him. Just like a-”
“You guys!” June nearly screamed. Her entire face was red when Brock’s eyes danced to the mirror. He let out a low chuckle. “He’s sitting right there!”
“Well, I’m just saying,” Jaz feigned hurt. “You don’t need to be jealous or anything. Are you? That would imply that you care.”
“That’s sweet,” Mandy laughed. “I know you care, even if you pretend you don’t. And you can’t tell us that he’s not good enough to eat.”
“Just like that delicious breakfast he let you order and bring back. That was really good, by the way,” Jaz said as she leaned more into the middle so he could see her in the mirror.
“No problem.” Brock grinned as June covered her face in her hands. She dropped them when she turned to the side to stare out the mirror. She made sure he couldn’t see any of her face.
“This is going to be fun,” Mandy said.
“Horses!” Jaz squealed like a little kid.
“Yeah!” Mandy fist-pumped the air over-enthusiastically.
Brock didn’t know June’s hi
story. He didn’t know why she took that crazy bet and if it was the drinks or something else entirely. He didn’t know the first thing about her or her friends, but he realized, they were happy for her. They wanted this for her.
For some crazy reason, they actually liked him. It was pretty clear that they’d picked him. They were on his side.
If they had anything to do with it, he might just get to keep that ring on his left finger. He hated to admit it, but he actually kind of liked seeing it there. Not nearly as much as he liked to imagine June in his future, death glares, blushes, toothbrush stealing and all.
CHAPTER 9
June
This is a nightmare.
By the time they arrived at the ranch almost an hour later, June realized that she’d just entered her version of a personal hell. Not only was Brock devastatingly sexy in the same jeans and t-shirt he had on that morning, but he’d also donned a leather jacket, which was killer. He smelled good. The whole truck was permeated with his masculine scent and it wasn't overkilling. He hadn’t bathed in cologne or anything. She doubted her friends even noticed. Maybe it was just her nose which was hyper-active.
Or maybe they did notice, given that they’d already switched sides.
Traitors.
Maybe they couldn’t help themselves. They had vaginas and ovaries and eyes and Brock was like a tantalizing morsel. Not that they’d try and steal him away. Her friends didn’t work that way. What they wanted was to win her over. It was like an imaginary line had been drawn in the sand and her friends were trying to tug her over it.
She’d have to work extra hard for that annulment or divorce or whatever. Screwed up nuptials or not, Mandy and Jaz were thrilled with what had transpired. And not just because of the promise of some ranch, some horses, and a show after.
“He’s delicious,” Jaz whispered, not so quietly, in June’s ear as they walked towards the corral or whatever it was called where the horses were kept. They’d already met the owners and the staff who would take them on their ride.
“Yeah, I know.” June rolled her eyes. They were getting sore from how many times she’d done it already. “You said that. Both of you. Loudly. The whole way here.”
“He liked it. It didn’t embarrass him. He knows we’re just trying to help.”
“Yeah, we’re just trying to help.” Mandy linked her arm through June’s. She gave her a wink. “Oh my god. You didn’t tell us that he was going to be divine.” She actually had the decency to lower her voice. “Please tell me you consummated your marriage.”
June ripped her arm away. “Oh my god,” she hissed. “I am not going to tell you that!”
“Oh. My. God. You did!” Mandy nearly cartwheeled for joy. Jaz clapped her hands in glee. June was just thankful Brock was off to the side, talking with the staff and owners and that he couldn’t hear them at the moment. At least, she hoped not.
June dipped her head, hiding her scarlet face. All those places that she didn’t want to feel anything in were turning on big time. She was pretty sure that if she did an inspection, her nipples would be hard under her jacket and her panties were probably some degree of soaked.
“Stop,” she pled. “Just- stop. I can’t do this while I’m trying to concentrate on not getting bucked off by that massive animal. I can’t believe I have to ride it by myself. I know I’m going to die. We’re probably all going to die. So please, just stop asking me if I slept with him last night. Because I’ll tell you that I did. Okay? Are you happy now? I’ll also tell you that I can’t remember anything. So sorry. Sue me.”
Mandy clasped June’s hand. She looked way, way too excited. “First of all, we’re not going to die. Those horses are tame. They’ve probably been on hundreds of rides. They wouldn’t put us on a bucking bronco and let it take off kicking and bucking until we’re dragged halfway across the desert with our necks broken. That would just be bad for business.”
June sighed. “What’s the second point?”
“My second point?”
“Well, you said first of all. I want to know what comes second.”
“Oh.” Mandy actually blushed. She never blushed. June gaped at her friend. She knew it was bad. Somehow, in just an hour, Brock had managed to charm the pants off both of her friends. Just by existing. Just by offering horses. He’d hardly said a word on the drive. He didn’t need to. Jaz and Mandy bubbled happy nonsense the whole way. June was content to let them since it meant she didn’t have to do anything to try and fill up the silence.
“Spit it out,” June urged, though she didn’t want to hear it at all. Jaz hung on their every word beside them.
“I was going to say,” Mandy confessed, somewhat reluctantly, “that you shouldn’t worry about not remembering sleeping with him. I’m sure you’ll get another chance.”
“Oh. My. God.” June took off, leaving her friends tittering behind her. She stalked over to the fence and forced a smile at the staff. “Which horse is mine? I can’t wait to get started.”
An older, fit-looking woman who had kind eyes even if she was a bit leathery from hours spent out in the sun, indicated a tall black horse that looked absolutely fearsome. June nearly groaned. She’d hoped that beast was for Brock. He was big enough to break a horse’s back and that black beast was a monster.
“I’m Sally. We just have a few basic safety rules and commands to go over and then we’ll get you all up and head out. Don’t worry. You’ll have a member of the staff riding right beside you the entire time. If you forget your commands, don’t panic. You can ask one of us.” She winked. “We have our horses well trained so even if you totally drew a blank and you were out there on your own, they’d just walk the trail and come right back here.”
June repressed a fearful shudder. She ignored it when Brock shot her a grin guaranteed to melt her damn panties clear off. She gave Sally her undivided attention, suddenly enthralled about horse commands and helmets.
After a few minutes, Mandy and Jaz were mounted up on their horses. A staff member led them to the far side of the corral or pen or whatever it was, to wait.
Sally turned to Brock, indicating the equally impressive brown horse that was his. He grabbed the part of the saddle they’d been shown, without the aid of the stair thing that Mandy and Jaz used, and pulled himself up onto the horse.
June gulped. She tried hard not to replay that picture in her mind of Brock’s jeans flexing over a far too tight, far too beautiful, ass. She shut her eyes for a second, but the image remained burned into her brain. Jaz and Mandy’s words about licking him flooded back to her. What is wrong with me that I’m standing here, imagining myself running my tongue over his naked butt cheek? It was all her friends’ fault. They’d planted that image in her brain. And Brock’s for wearing those perfectly faded, perfectly tight jeans on his perfectly perfect hind end.
“June… June.”
She realized someone was saying her name and snapped out of it. Sally’s face swam into view. She smiled as she indicated the black devil she was about to mount up on. He looked nothing like the pale grey horse Jaz got or the sweet little dappled grey and white mare that Mandy had.
A cold breeze blew through the area, rustling up the red-hued sand and flinging it past her face. “Sorry,” she muttered as she stepped closer to the horse.
“His name is Whisper,” Sally said as she proudly stroked the horse’s flank. His sleek black muscles shifted under her hand. His huge head swiveled around, and June came face to face with some seriously beautiful big brown eyes.
She extended a hand and slowly rubbed it down the horse’s face, stopping at the velvet of his nose, where little hairs sprouted up to tickle her palm. He stood patiently, like a good boy. He didn’t move or scare her or try and bite her.
“He might be big, but he’s a gentle giant.” Sally grinned. “Do you want help getting up?” She indicated the stairs that Jaz and Mandy used.
“No, I think I can do it.” June swallowed hard. She angled around the horse until t
he stirrup and saddle were in view. She reached up but wasn’t able to grip the same part sticking out that Brock had. She didn’t even know what that thing was called. She was able to rest her hand on the leather though. She kept it there while she fit one runner into the stirrup. She took a deep breath and swung up. As she did, her hand curled around the handle thing on the saddle and she pulled herself in. She let out a little gasp of triumph. When she looked up, she was dismayed, and oddly, a little proud, to find Brock’s blue eyes focused on her. He’d watched her, and she’d made it up by herself.
He didn’t tear his eyes away and slowly, his lips quirked up at the corners. He assessed her openly and frankly, which caused heat to erupt in her stomach like someone had just thrown a container of gas on the embers of a fire that shouldn’t still be burning. It should never have been lit in the first place.
June was relieved when Sally mounted her own horse and rode to the front of the pack. Brock’s eyes changed. The heat in them was unmistakable and he smirked at her like he knew she’d rather be riding something that wasn’t a horse at all.
Not unless over six feet of muscle counted.
Damn it! I do not want to taste him and I sure as hell don’t want to ride him.
Even after Brock turned and guided her horse out, even after she led Whisper behind him, she was annoyingly turned on. Over nothing! If all it took was one look, she was in serious trouble. It wasn’t just the cold breeze that kicked dust into her eyes and stung her cheeks that caused her nipples to harden against her bra. She certainly couldn’t blame the hard chafe of the saddle for the burn between her legs. It didn’t help that for half the ride, she had to focus on trying not to notice how incredible Brock looked in that saddle, muscles rippling, shoulders flexing, his ass bouncing up and down in those evil, sinful, wicked, horrible jeans. It should be illegal for jeans to look that good. Or for that matter, for any man riding a horse to be that incredible.