Quinn arrived and somehow, despite Marisol’s previous dark mood, cheered the girl with talk of the overnight trail ride right around the corner. The two females took over the kitchen and urged Craig to go find something else to do. He studied them doubtfully then focused his attention on Quinn. She was such a cowgirl, a woman who lived most her life under the sky. Could she manage in the kitchen? She raised one slim eyebrow and tilted her head.
“Thea taught me how to cook. Whenever I couldn’t be outside with the animals, I’d hang out with her. Don’t be scared?” she asked with a small smile lifting a corner of her lip.
He narrowed his eyes. “Not at all.”
She gave him a slow smile. “Hmm, you look it. I don’t do this too often, so take advantage. High tail it out of here and let us work. We will shock and amaze you. I promise. We promise.”
Marisol gave him a grin and shooed him out of the kitchen, closing the door firmly. For a long moment, he listened to the comforting sound of the two giggling and chatting. This is good, he thought, and retreated to his office to do some paperwork.
An hour later, Marisol retrieved him. They’d laid out dinner and by the looks of it, he had nothing to worry about.
“I hope you don’t mind I adjusted some of your recipes and borrowed some extra ingredients,” Quinn said and took a seat across from him. “Marisol is a good cook. And adventurous. I like that.”
His intended fried chicken breast had transformed into Chicken Cordon Bleu. They’d added garlic and cheese to the mashed potatoes and the green beans were now a casserole with French fried onions and a creamy sauce.
“Incredible. I’m embarrassed I was going to offer you such simple fare.”
Quinn waved her hand. “I can’t help myself. I always have to alter things. Sometimes it doesn’t work; so don’t think I can do this on a regular basis. Sometimes even my dog, Zorro won’t eat it. I lucked out tonight.”
Marisol dished up the food, serving Quinn first then her father before serving herself. “She doesn’t even need a recipe book. And it smells really good. Dad, Quinn offered to take me school shopping. Could she come along with us?”
Any doubts regarding Marisol’s acceptance of Quinn into their lives beyond horses were put to rest. She’d apparently forgotten her mood from earlier.
“I guess. If she doesn’t mind.” He looked at Quinn who had a grin on her face.
She glowed and glanced over at Marisol. “I think your dad sounds a little nervous. Does he think I’ll have you dressed in nothing but jeans and baseball shirts?”
Her comments made him draw his gaze down her body. He’d forced himself to ignore the way she dressed before because his daughter was there, but now how could he? The top wasn’t anything he ever thought she’d wear, a form fitting halter-top in every color of the sunset, setting off the color of her hair and the creaminess of her skin. Though he couldn’t see the rest of her body, he knew it, had it branded in his mind. She wore a pair of off-white capris and sandals. Her loose hair, secured only by a silver barrette, flooded over her shoulders. He had no idea it was so long and so thick. A tattoo of a colorful Indian pony on her shoulder peeked through the tresses. Nothing of her cowgirl image existed tonight. She was all woman. And it disturbed his peace of mind and body.
“I don’t think that at all,” he replied, forcing his eyes back to her face.
“That way you don’t have to go into all the stores and stuff,” Marisol said brightly.
“Just have to provide the credit card,” he added and turned his attention to his daughter.
“Well, yeah. And lunch.”
“Sounds like a date.” Craig’s glance went from Marisol to Quinn. There was a distinct twinkle in her blue eyes.
Conversation went back to the overnighter and by the time they finished dinner Marisol had convinced him to join them on the trip. Not a good idea, he told himself, but he found himself saying yes.
They could be adults about this. Just because they were in the same space didn’t mean they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. After all, they’d managed to restrain themselves all evening.
He insisted on clearing the dishes while Marisol talked Quinn into staying for a game or two of cards, an offer Quinn accepted. Craig sighed deeply. Earlier he’d been prepared for an uncomfortable evening, but now, well, everything was good.
The three of them played four games of Uno before Marisol retreated to the couch where her two kittens joined her. Her eyes drooped and she put her head onto the pillow. Within a few minutes she was asleep.
“Wow. That was quick. Wish I could drop off like that,” Quinn commented in a whisper.
“She’s had a full day. Lots of fresh air. Lots of activity. She’s really thrown herself into life here. She talks nonstop about horses and even is looking forward to starting school. I never would’ve thought when we moved here she could’ve adapted so fast.”
“I hope it lasts.” Quinn gathered the cards and put them in the box. “She hasn’t faced a winter here. That may undo all the good that’s happened so far.”
From outside the sky lit up, catching their attention. Thunderstorm.
“I need to get home. Don’t want to be caught in that.”
The rumble of thunder rolled over soon after, but Marisol remained asleep. Another thing she’d learned to do, sleep through a storm.
Craig walked her out to her truck. It hadn’t started to rain yet, but he could smell it, mixed with dust stirred by the breeze that twisted along the ground. He could even smell the lightning in the air. He thought he’d lost that ability over the years, but it remained a part of him, never completely forgotten.
“I could stay out here forever,” Quinn said with a sigh. She inhaled deeply and held it. A look of absolute satisfaction came over her face, her eyes closed and the smile on her lips widened. He had no doubt where she belonged. No shrinking away from something as ferocious as a summer prairie thunderstorm. It reminded him of the time when he found her out in one when she was little. She’d wanted to feel what it was like to be out in it, like the animals who lived on the grasslands. She’d caused quite a ruckus at Long Knife Creek, Emerald and even the Shady H.
“Thank you for dinner,” she said when she opened her eyes again. She turned her gaze on him, and the smile, he knew, was for him now. I love you she’d told him the other day, and in the darkness, with only the light coming from the house reflecting softly on her face, he could see it in her eyes. He wasn’t sure what he’d do about it, but he was already caught up in her current.
She slipped her arms around his waist and pressed her body against him. God, she smelled good. She felt good, her small body with all its womanly curves, and all he had to do was close his eyes and he could see her unclothed, feel her smooth skin and feel how well her body fit with his. Perfectly.
“I want you,” he murmured against her hair. How in the world was he going to deal with the way his body raged for her? He couldn’t have her right now. Didn’t know when he could.
“And I love you,” she replied unabashed. Before he could say anything, she pulled his head to hers. The gentleness of her lips on his was devastating. Lingering. Perfect.
Before it could deepen, she pulled back, caressed his cheek and then walked away without another word.
Chapter 12
It was damned hot. Quinn licked her lips, but she had no moisture in her mouth to do the trick and her lip balm was in the barn. Along with shade, a bottle of water and escape from the ninety plus degrees. She was determined to get that halter off Fire. This time, though, she had Scott with her, as per Craig’s rules. Scott held a tub of grain and Quinn was ready, as soon as the horse started to feed, to remove that wretched piece of nylon from his head. A snatch and grab.
Today Fire didn’t have much energy either. The temperature made even him listless and when they approached, he didn’t do much more than pin his ears back and give a half-hearted stomp of a hoof. He didn’t turn his back on them as he usually
did.
“Hey there big guy,” she said, her voice soothing. “We got a treat for you. You can have it in trade for you letting me take that halter off.”
Fire didn’t move. He glared well for a horse, but he stood dead still.
“We’re just going to come to you, okay? No need for you to move. Just going to put it down. There’s a good guy.”
Within a yard of the stallion, Quinn motioned Scott to put the tub down. She nudged it closer to Fire with her booted toe, keeping close attention to the horse’s mood, watching for any indication of bad behavior. Interest wavered in his chocolate brown eyes. One ear flicked forward and he lowered his head just a bit.
“Wait until he’s got his nose in the bucket,” she instructed Scott. “It’s all about patience. Don’t want to startle him when we’ve come this far.”
Fire stepped forward to investigate the tub further. Both ears shifted forward and Quinn knew he’d taken his attention off them, but not completely. He was still on guard.
“He’s tricky. Okay, Fire, I’m going to just reach out. Don’t worry, I would never hurt you, would I?”
Her first contact with him was a soft touch on his neck. What a mess, his copper coat matted with dried mud. He needed a bath, a good curry and a comb to take out the knots in his long mane. She’d do it too—before the summer ended, she swore this horse would look like the champion he was.
His nose remained in the tub as he nibbled the grain. Quinn stepped closer, ran her hand gently toward his ears and the buckle to the halter. So far so good. She drew in her breath and glanced over at Scott. He watched her wide-eyed, a smile on his mouth.
Loosening the buckle was harder than she expected due to the age of the piece and the amount of dirt caked into the metal and nylon. She sucked in her breath as the horse shifted his back end, ready to make a quick escape if need be, but Fire kept eating and Quinn kept moving her fingers to free the nylon strap.
“Good boy, see, I got it undone,” she told Fire and let the strap go, then carefully she took hold of the halter above the horse’s ears and lifted, eased it up so it was free of his head. Now she only had to get it past Fire’s mouth.
“Mission accomplished,” she said with a sigh and held up the offending headpiece. “Let’s leave him with the grain and call it a good day. We’ve got a lot of work to do with this guy, but for now I’m not going to push it. Tomorrow we’ll see how he likes a brush. His coat is appalling.”
“He scared my dad,” Scott admitted. “Took a hoof in his backside when Fire was a yearling and he pretty much left him alone after that. He always said he was going to get that horse turned around, but they were just words. It’s too bad.”
“Yeah, but we won’t let him go to waste. I think deep down there’s a sweetheart in that boy.”
They left the paddock and headed for the barn. The halter was going to go straight into the garbage. “You think you’ll be okay here for a while?” Quinn asked. “I’m going to ride out and check out the grazing in the south corner. I’m thinking of going to auction over in Rapid City and look at a few horses.”
“I’ll be fine. There’s enough to keep me occupied for a few hours.”
“Cool.” Life had become so much easier since Scott and Tom came to work with her.
Quinn saddled Piper up, attached two canteens to the saddle and headed out toward the south.
Last night’s storm left the trail muddy, but Piper picked over it with sure-footed ease. Emerald was a beautiful, if not small spread. The grass grew a pale green mixed with gold. Along the ridge of a low hill a line of cottonwoods and squat, scrubby pines added dark green to the pallet of colors. Not much breeze moved through the tall grass, but when it did, Quinn lifted her face to it. Blue sky met rolling hills on the horizon and she was overwhelmed with the sheer vastness of the land. It looked so empty, but she knew better. It teemed with life. Prairie dogs, antelope, and insects of every shape and size. Birds zig-zagged through the air like aerial acrobats. Such freedom. She longed for it too, but was willing to do what was needed in order to grab a few minutes of that kind of freedom.
The area she headed toward bordered the Shady H. When she reached the fence line she looked longingly in the direction of where the ranch buildings would be. No, that was off limits except when invited. Despite the pleasant evening she’d spent with them, Quinn knew she couldn’t just show up unannounced.
She’d have to wait. While she waited, she’d work.
Then she came upon the pond. She remembered swimming there when she was a kid. Best swimming hole around. Perfect for a hot summer day. Just like this one.
“Well, why not,” she said to Piper and dismounted. After ground tying the mare, Quinn kicked off her boots, pulled off her jeans and socks, unbuttoned the light, long sleeved blouse she wore, left them in a heap in the grass, and headed for the water.
***
Even after fifteen years, Craig knew the trail between Shady H and Emerald Ranch well. Though the path had grown over now with grass, flowers, and other fauna that populated the South Dakota prairie, he still knew it step for step. When he was sixteen and just falling in love with Elise Hahn he’d built a gate between the two properties so he could ride over with ease. The rickety gate still functioned and he used it now. He was working, but decided to take advantage of the circumstances and proximity to Quinn and ride over.
He didn’t get too far on the Emerald side of the fence when he saw Piper grazing in the tall grass. Quinn was nearby. He slowed Thunder from a lope to an easy jog and headed in the direction of the roan, then stopped the horse in his tracks.
Her royal blue tank top molded to her breasts, leaving nothing to the imagination. Neither did the pair of very tiny underwear. Both were wet and she wrung water out of her long hair. He allowed himself a moment to gawk and lust. Her figure was flawless, young, lithe, and womanly. Even though he knew each curve, each inch of her lush body, seeing it like this, under the sun with water glistening on her lightly tanned skin made him want her. His body tightened with anticipation.
Then she saw him. Her hands gripping her hair, breasts thrusting out against the thin material of her tank, she froze, her eyes wide in surprise. She didn’t cover up. She just stared and then said, “You alone?”
“I am.”
She visibly relaxed, dropping her hands to her hips. The expression on her face changed from nervous surprise to seduction.
“Are you just passing through?” She picked her way through the grass, her hips swaying in a sexy sashay.
“Looking for you, actually.”
Quinn stopped at Thunder’s shoulder and put a hand on Craig’s leg.
“I think you found me. What can I do for you?”
Craig slipped off Thunder’s back and pulled her damp body into his arms. She was cool from the pond and felt good against his hot skin. It was good to hold her again without worrying anyone was watching or would come along. They were completely alone.
Quinn parted her lips expectantly and he took her invitation, dipping his head toward her and captured her mouth with hungry urgency. No time for niceties, his need for her overwhelmed him and all that mattered was her body, what it did to him, what he could do to her. He was drunk on his passion. Her tongue tangled with his in a dance that sent his blood swirling with heady speed. With her firm breasts thrust against his chest, he felt the pebbled nipples and eagerly cupped one. Quinn moaned against his mouth and stood on her tiptoes, rubbing her half-naked body against his. Damned clothes. He wanted them both naked.
Quinn pulled back, her breath catching unevenly in her throat. She didn’t stop touching him though. Her hands glided up his chest and then down around to his buttocks. Bold woman. His bold woman.
“How long do you have?”
“My mom took Marisol into Pierre for a few hours. I had to see you. Didn’t plan on this, but I couldn’t stay away.”
Quinn grinned and slid a finger along the dimple at the corner of his mouth before brushing it
softly on his lips. “Care for a swim? The water is perfect. Just the thing to beat this sun.”
Oh my God. Yes, it would be just the thing.
“Why don’t you unsaddle Thunder and let him graze. Then take some of those clothes off.”
He did what she suggested, keeping his eyes on her. Her body glistened as her skin dried. Wisps of auburn hair lifted in a warm breeze from the west. As soon as Thunder was hobbled, he turned his attention fully on her.
“Ready?”
Craig took off his hat and dropped it on the ground next to the saddle then started to unbutton his shirt. With her eyes fixed steadily on him, he felt as if he were doing a strip tease for her. She had an amused smile fixed to her lips. Well, she’d get a show all right because seeing her in that sexy tank top and slip of material she called underwear, aroused him and only one thing could be done about it.
As he removed his shirt, so did she, pulling the tank top up over her head and then dropping it on the ground. She wore a pale pink bra underneath and reached back to release the hooks. It slid to the ground, exposing her full, dusky tipped breasts. His mouth went dry and suddenly it felt as if the temperature rose another twenty degrees. The panties came next and she was standing in front of him completely naked.
“You are beautiful,” he murmured, not able to take his eyes off her.
She grinned and turned her back on him so he had a view of her rounded buttocks. She glanced over her shoulder. “You are too. Now hurry up and get naked so I can appreciate the view.”
He couldn’t move until she was in the water up to her waist, it was too fascinating to watch her. She turned back and waited expectantly for him. Quickly he kicked off his boots and shoved his jeans down over his waist. As soon as he did, he saw the smile spread across her face. What a vixen. Not a shy bone in her body, the body he longed to possess.
The water was colder than he’d expected, but it did nothing to diminish his persistent arousal. Nothing would cool it down but feeling her legs wrapped around his waist and the grip of her hands on him. As soon as he reached her, she slipped under the surface of the water. He felt her length brush against his legs as she swam past him and resurfaced behind him.
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