Claim & Protect

by Rhenna Morgan

  Natalie stopped and forced her arms to relax at her sides. “Sorry. They’re just really big and Levi’s...well...”

  Levi groaned and offered a long-suffering “Moom.”

  Trevor patiently motioned her closer. “Come on, Momma. You can listen and be close at the same time.”

  As soon as she was within distance, Trevor handed her the reins and focused on Levi. “You ready, bud?”

  Levi quickly bobbed his head.

  Not waiting for any further encouragement, Trevor lifted Levi up and onto the saddle and set about adjusting his stirrups. Once done, he helped Levi guide his boots into place, took the reins from Natalie, and knotted them at the end. “You remember how I said Peso’s been around a while?” he said to Levi.

  “Yep.”

  “Well, that means he knows his job and a little goes a long way. You want to start moving, you nudge him with your heels. You want to go right, you lay the reins to your right. You want to go left, you lay them left.”

  “What if I want to stop?”

  “You ease back and tell him to whoa. Peso’s a light touch, and I’ll be close if you need me.”

  Levi gave a quick, sharp nod. “Got it.”

  “All right, bud.” Trevor stroked the side of Peso’s neck and shifted a few steps in front of the horse. “Give him your heels and let’s see how you do.”

  Natalie held her breath and crossed her arms across her chest, her fists as white-knuckled as they could get.

  Eyebrows pinched into a sharp V and mouth pressed into a concentrated line, Levi bounced his heels off Peso’s sides.

  Lo and behold, the horse rambled forward nice and easy. Left. Right. Stop. Forward. Over and over, Trevor put Levi and Peso through their paces, always close by in case either of them needed him. In fact, the whole routine went so smooth and easy, it was if they’d been born to be together. Two males happily bonding over a shared joy despite their difference in age. Or maybe it was age span that made it so beautiful. One man handing down knowledge to another with care and reverence.

  Trying not to call too much attention to herself, she snaked her phone from her back pocket, waited until Trevor stepped in for more coaching and snapped a handful of shots. She zoomed on the last one and her breath caught.

  Her boy beamed down from his horse while Trevor watched him with open pride. Two absolute peas in a pod surrounded by brilliant sunshine and genuinely grounded in the moment.

  Trevor’s voice cut through her quiet appreciation of the image. “All right, bud. You practice while I get your mom in the saddle.”

  Oh. Shit.

  If she’d had a half a second more before Trevor turned around and pinned her with a knowing smirk, she’d have hauled ass back to the house. Instead, her stubborn streak kicked. She tucked her phone back in her pocket and forced her chin up a notch.

  “You get all that?” he said, headed toward Deuce still tied up at the end of the barn’s center alley.

  “Nudge with your heels, ease back on the reins to stop, left and right to turn.” Simple. Easy enough her kid could do it. At least that was the line she was going to feed herself while she prayed Deuce was as obliging as Peso.

  “Paying attention in class. I like it.” Trevor ambled closer with Deuce close at his side, the horse’s reins dangling from his easy grip and a wicked smile on his face. Once they were close enough, Trevor guided her up to Deuce’s side facing the saddle and moved in close to her back. His breath ghosted warm against her cheek. “Gotta admit though. Was kind of hopin’ you’d need me to mount up behind you to get started.”

  Before she could overcome the shiver that danced down her spine, he handed her the reins and guided her hands to the saddle horn. “Put your hands right here. I’m going give you a leg up and you swing your right leg over Deuce, all right?”

  No. She wasn’t all right. Wasn’t even sure her lungs had found a way to function after that last visual he’d given her mind to chew on. She didn’t dare tear her gaze away from the saddle for fear he’d know exactly where her thoughts had gone.

  “I can still saddle up behind you if you want,” he murmured.

  Bad idea. A deliciously tempting and perfect idea, but still a bad one in the long run. “No, I can do it. I just...I was picturing it in my head.”

  He chuckled so low and dirty it resonated straight between her thighs. “Believe me, darlin’. I was picturing it, too.” He bent and picked her left leg up so he gripped her around her ankle and shin. “Ready?”

  She let out a long, slow breath and nodded.

  In a whoosh so powerful it knocked her senses for a loop, she was up, astride Deuce’s back, and gripping the saddle horn for all she was worth.

  Trevor covered her hand with his and gave a gentle squeeze. “Easy. Just take a deep breath.”

  Easy. Yeah, right. He wasn’t the one teetering on top of a powerful animal and completely out of control. On the tail of that thought, her gaze shot to Levi across the corral.

  Unlike her, he was happily owning his place in the saddle and dutifully practicing his commands with the reins.

  Trevor’s voice drifted through her fear, soft and patient. “Give me your hand, Nat.”

  She forced her attention back to the task at hand, though it took a handful of blinks and a good headshake to get her mind back on topic. “Sorry, it’s just really, really high up here.”

  “Yep. Another thirty minutes and you’ll love it, trust me.” He urged her hand off the saddle horn and guided it toward Deuce’s neck. “Lean over, give him a pat, and let him know you’re all right. He already knows you’re nervous, and it’ll make you both feel better.”

  Well, that made sense. Nursing 101 was to connect with the patient wherever possible. Although, in this scenario she wasn’t even remotely in control. At least not yet.

  Patient as always, Trevor gave her time to get her bearings then put her through the same routine he had with Levi. Surprisingly, it was as simple as it had looked, even if her heart had bucked and threatened to gallop right out of her chest through the first ten minutes.

  After she’d circled the corral a few times and demonstrated a tolerable ability to direct Deuce one way or the other, Trevor murmured something low in Deuce’s ear and moseyed toward the barn.

  Natalie straightened from the comfortable position she’d finally adopted in the saddle. “Where are you going?”

  He laughed and shook his head in that way men reserved for perplexing women. “Gonna need my horse if we’re going to actually ride somewhere outside the fence, darlin’.” With that, he disappeared into the shadows.

  “You’re doin’ really good, Mom.” Like he’d been doing it his whole life, Levi guided Peso her direction. “This is gonna be awesome.”

  It would be. Maybe not for her butt, which was already questioning the soundness of agreeing to this whole affair, but if the glow on her son’s face was any gauge, the day was on target to be stellar. “You just promise me you’ll do what Trevor says. And don’t do anything to spook your horse.”

  “Peso won’t spook. Trevor said he’s a vateran.”

  “A veteran,” she corrected, trying not to focus on the fact that way too many veterans suffered from PTSD. “But you still need to follow Trevor’s rules, and don’t let yourself get too cocky.”

  Levi’s gaze slid past her shoulder and his eyes got huge.

  Natalie twisted in the saddle to see what had grabbed her son’s attention and barely stifled an appreciative whoa to match Levi’s dumbfounded look. Day-to-day Trevor was a walking, talking thing of beauty, but Trevor astride a big black quarter horse complete with a worn straw cowboy hat was an image to strike ninety percent of the female population stupid. God, he was handsome. One hundred percent man, in his element, and totally in control.

  He steered Titan their
direction. While his body appeared at ease, there was also a focus behind his expression and movements she hadn’t seen as he worked with Deuce and Peso. Which, considering the bristling energy that emanated from Titan, made a whole lot of sense. “Okay, Levi. Want to see you put Peso through the routine one more time before we head out.”

  Levi nodded his agreement without so much as a beat of hesitation and gave Peso a nudge with his heels.

  For a kid who’d only seen a horse at the fair, he really was doing exceptionally well. Though, she wasn’t sure how much of that was due to Levi, the horse, or the man who’d done the teaching.

  A quiet sigh slipped free, a mix of appreciation and concern releasing with it. This whole charade was dangerous. Not just to Levi, but to her as well. Being around Trevor—the person he was and the genuine life he led—it was all too easy to fall off track.

  She felt more than saw Trevor and Titan move alongside her. “You doin’ okay?”

  She shook her head, the truth coming out as soft as the gentle breeze against her cheeks. “I’m not sure this is a good idea.”

  He stopped studying Levi’s progression and turned his assessing gaze on her. “Not sure if we’re talking about riding horses or the fact that we’re both still thinkin’ about giving my sheets a good tussle.”

  She swallowed, her throat as dry as the dirt beneath their horses’ feet. “Maybe it’s both.”

  His lips quirked in a devilish grin, and he did something that made Titan sidle closer to Deuce. Curling his hand around her nape, he captured her mouth with his.

  Worry, questions and details winged straight to the brilliant blue skies overhead, chased into nothingness by the potent and oh-so toe-curling brush of his firm lips. In that second, she was free. Grounded and happy with so much lightness in her soul the sun seemed dim in comparison.

  He lifted his head only enough to whisper against her mouth. “You gonna let all that chatter in your head go now? Or do you need another dose to tide you over?”

  Oh, she could go with another dose. Several of them actually. And preferably in a location where she could do a better job of adding her hands into the mix. “I’m good,” she said instead.

  Straightening in his saddle, he turned his attention back on Levi and let out a sharp whistle. “All right, Levi. Time to go. Bring Peso over here and I’ll open the gate.” As soon as he’d finished his instruction, he leaned over and lowered his voice. “As for both of your worries, I’d say your horse is out of the stall and your ass is in the saddle. Might as well hang on and enjoy the ride.”

  Chapter Ten

  This friends business was for shit. All damned day long, Trevor had fought to keep a respectable distance from Natalie, but the woman was fucking built for his touch. Hell, he’d shot past wanting his hands on her to needing it the second she’d laid eyes on his bed and got that heavy-lidded, hungry look on her face. How he’d made it through a whole day of horseback riding, fishing, grilling out, and marshmallow roasting without tossing her over his shoulder and carting her off to his room had to put him up next for sainthood.

  The drone of his tires against the highway filled the cab of his truck, and the soft strains of a Dierks Bentley ballad matched the easy tenor of the outstanding day they’d left behind on the ranch. Levi was passed out cold in the back seat, the reflection of him slumped down and head cocked to one side in Trevor’s rearview mirror one of the cutest things he’d ever seen. The kid had been up for everything and anything all day long, sticking to Trevor’s side for every second. Especially the fishing. Who’d have thought teaching a kid to put a worm on a hook would have been so much fun?

  Beside him, Natalie stared out the window, her body relaxed and a soft smile on her face.

  “Admit it,” he said, keeping his voice low so as not to wake up Levi. “You’re more of an outdoor gal than you thought.”

  Her smile grew, mirroring the same delight she’d shown the first time she’d laid eyes on Deuce. The big bay’s rich, glossy brown body and ebony points always captured people’s attention first, but it was his sweet demeanor that snagged their appreciation long-term. Apparently, Natalie was no exception. “I might have been a little short-sighted in my earlier assessments.” She swiveled her head toward him. “Though, I can promise you I’d never agree to a day like today in July or August.”

  “And the horses?”

  She shifted a little in her seat, which only reminded him of how cute she’d been walking—or trying to walk, as it was—when she’d hopped down after an hour in the saddle. He’d been more than a little tempted to offer to rub her sweet ass and make it all better. “It wasn’t like I thought it would be. It wasn’t scary so much as it was powerful. Natural, maybe.”

  Yeah, it was. The best stress reliever in the world as far as he was concerned, especially when he and Titan could disappear for a day and do nothing but enjoy quiet trail rides. Maybe he should arrange one of those for Levi and Natalie, too. They’d both settled into the feel of riding quick and took good direction.

  And that right there proved why friends wasn’t going to work. Never in his life had he thought about taking anyone on his trail rides with him. Not once. Not even with Frank.

  “You fell in love with Deuce,” he said. “Admit it.”

  The expression on Nat’s face shifted, not sad exactly so much as wistful and distant. “There was a lot in today to love. Thank you.”

  Well, damn. The last thing he’d wanted to do was put a damper on her happy glow. Unlike the usual hustle and hurry behind her actions, today she’d let go and shown a different, more easygoing side of herself. And it was a good thing she’d opened up to the idea of being outside, because if anyone belonged there it was her. Especially with the wind tossing her dark hair around so it teased the sides of her face. At least ten times he had to stop himself from tucking the silky stuff behind her ear or just sliding his fingers through it. But then he’d have caved and kissed her, and she’d have gone tense on him again. “You’re awful quiet.”

  She pulled in a deep slow breath and let it out through her mouth. “Wyatt’s week starts tomorrow. He’ll be by around three to pick up Levi.” Her mouth tightened and she shuttled her gaze to his. “I hate Sundays.”

  Fuck, the way she looked, he hated them, too. Yeah, he’d comprehended how jacked the idea of her ex having any kind of custody was, but until that moment, he’d never really considered the torture she dealt with. No parent worth their salt could easily send their kid into the lion’s den once let alone every other week.

  Checking to make sure Levi was still asleep through the rearview mirror, Trevor lowered his voice. “You said he only hurt Levi once. You think he’d ever do it again?”

  Nat shifted enough to glance over her shoulder at Levi then shook her head. “So long as things stay like they are? No. According to Levi, Wyatt spends most of his time at work and once he comes home, Levi steers clear of him. Most of his time outside of school is spent with the nanny Wyatt hired after he got joint custody.” She fisted the hand in her lap and glared out the windshield. Her voice cracked when she spoke. “I hate the time he’s away from me. Makes it hard to think about anything except if he’s okay.”

  Trevor shifted in his seat, subtle whispers from his conscience stealing along the perimeters of his mind. He could help her. Wade in beyond the precautionary steps he’d taken with Knox and Beckett and see what options the brotherhood might have at their disposal. Maybe sniff around and see what skeletons Wyatt had to rattle and arm her with an attorney who didn’t mind playing dirty.

  But taking those kinds of actions meant staking a claim with his brothers. A claim he had no business making for a woman he barely knew. Hell, he could barely get within five feet of her without her locking up tight and stepping away.

  Except it wasn’t fear that had her keeping her distance. A skittish woman didn’t
watch a man the way Natalie watched him when she thought he wasn’t looking. A few times the heat behind her gaze had sent his cock swelling in painful seconds, the need to sate the hunger radiating out of her curvy body nearly overpowering common sense.

  He parked in the back row of her parking lot and killed the engine.

  Natalie pried her purse from between her leg and the center console and twisted toward the back seat. “Levi? We’re here. Wake up, baby.”

  Levi didn’t budge, and given how much he’d put into his day, Trevor didn’t imagine he would until bright and early tomorrow morning.

  Trevor unfastened his seat belt. “Let him sleep. I’ll get him.”

  It should have been weird. Awkward or at least foreign, but Levi settled into his arms like he’d done it a hundred times before, easily trusting that he was where he needed to be. In truth, the whole day had been this way. Not just between him and Levi, but with the three of them as a whole.

  The space behind Trevor’s sternum tightened, a not altogether uncomfortable cramp squeezing down on his heart the same as it had when Levi had offered Trevor his first s’more. Carrying Levi in with Natalie beside him after a full day together felt right. A conventional feeling he’d never thought in a million years he’d experience. Just like the days he’d spent with Frank and Bonnie except that now he was the adult. The one giving and caring.

  Natalie finagled the lock and leaned her shoulder into the heavy front door. “Give me a head start to get his bed pulled down.” She hurried toward the hall, tossing her purse on the coffee table before she disappeared.

  The room was mostly dark, only a light from the kitchen stove spilling into the small living room. As always, the space was tidy and, not surprisingly, minus one sweet, but meddlesome mother. Through the day, Natalie had finally opened up more about how little she’d walked away with. How her mom had sold her small home in Forney, used her furniture and furnishings to outfit their two-bedroom apartment and the proceeds of the sale to fund legal bills and give them a base. Aside from Natalie’s tricked-out Lexus and clothes, she hadn’t asked for a thing, and that dickhead ex of hers hadn’t offered. Which just made Trevor wish he’d given in and pummeled the pompous fuck all over again.