by Sable Hunter
“I’m so sorry,” she repeated, feeling a little odd because she knew she had the same type of personality. “I’m sure she loved you very much.”
“I was angry at first. If she loved me so much, she should’ve taken better care of herself so she could be with me longer.” They came to a fence and he gave a low whistle. Far out in the pasture a beautiful red Appaloosa with white spots raised her head and whinnied. “Come here, girl, let’s take a ride.”
“Her death must have really hurt you.” She placed a comforting hand on his arm.
The horse he’d summoned came running up. The animal looked much bigger up close than it had at a distance. Madison found herself trembling at the idea of getting on its back.
Micah put one booted foot up on the bottom plank of the fence. “It did. I blamed my father for not seeing the situation for what it was. He should’ve seen the pain in her eyes and made her go, hell–he should’ve thrown her over his shoulder and taken her to the doctor.” He hung his head. “I was young, but I should’ve seen it too.”
“At least you and your father had each other.” Micah was such a good man; she couldn’t imagine his father being any other way.
“Let’s saddle up.” He went toward the barn, the horse following him along the fence line. “We lost each other after that. Like I said–I blamed him and now I can see he blamed himself. He just didn’t know how to say he was sorry.” Madison held the gate as he slipped a bridle over the horse’s head. “We never were able to talk about her or anything else,” Micah confessed in a low voice as he led the mare into the barn and slipped a saddle on her back. “One evening I came home from college and found him hanging from that rafter over there.”
Madison recoiled in horror, not only from the gruesome image but from the pain she could sense in his voice. “Oh, Micah, I can’t believe…” They were standing about three feet apart, but she couldn’t stay away. Coming up next to him, Madison wrapped her arms around his waist, trying to give him all the comfort she could.
Micah let her hold him for a minute. “I’m all right. It was a long time ago.”
“We’ve both had a hard time, haven’t we?”
He remembered what she’d told him about her own mother and the abuse she’d taken at Rudy’s hands. “I guess we have a lot in common.”
Well, not a whole lot, Madison thought–but opposites attract–sometimes. Right? “This horse sure is tall.”
He mounted with ease, then held his hand out. “Put your hand in mine and your left foot in the stirrup.” He pulled his own foot out, leaving room for her to step into the stirrup. With one powerful smooth move, he picked her up and sat her in the saddle in front of him. She was wedged in between the saddle horn and…him–a very nice but intimidating place to be. Madison placed her hands on the horn and held her back as straight as she could. “Relax, Fellows.” Micah put an arm around her waist and tightened it, drawing her close.
Relax. Easy for him to say.
“How’s work going?” he asked, then clicked his tongue.
Her eyes widened when the horse began to move. The clicking noise must be some secret horse whisperer language. “Uh…I only have a few more weeks in this temp job, maybe two and then I’ll be hunting something else.”
Micah headed Shoshone out the barn door and into the sunlight. “Giddy-up,” he tightened his knees and guided the horse through another gate, opening and closing it without dismounting. “You’re a smart girl. Why don’t you go after your dream job?”
Madison cleared her throat. “I wish. I’d love to be a nurse someday. I know it seems like I’m wasting my time with the temp jobs, but I’ve actually learned a lot of skills that I think will help me in the long run. I’ve taken some college level classes and when I get a little more money saved, I’m going to take more.”
“I wasn’t judging, honey. I just want to know all about you.” He gave his horse free rein, knowing she knew where he liked to go when he just wanted to relax.
“What about you? I know you ranch.” She spread her hands out, taking in the bounty that surrounded her. “Do you do anything else?”
“Well…” Micah chose his words carefully. He didn’t especially like to talk about himself, that was one reason some thought he was a sarcastic joker. They just weren’t around him long enough to see the real person he hid inside. “I do okay here.” He wasn’t quite ready to mention his writing, which was the source of what he called his ‘gravy’ money. It bought the extras he might not have otherwise. “I also work with a fine group of men that call themselves the Equalizers. Some of them I’ve known since childhood and some I met in Afghanistan.”
“You were in the military?” She was surprised for some reason.
“Yea.” He moved her hair to one side, kissing the side of her neck. “For a while. I was in intelligence.”
“Like James Bond?” she asked, half-way kidding.
Micah chuckled. “Not exactly, I just knew how to find out what we needed to know. And I collected people along the way, made connections so I’d have sources and resources when I needed them.”
“You’re very intelligent,” she stated the obvious. “Tell me about the Equalizers. I think I’ve heard of the name on the news.”
“We have a high-powered leader. Kyle, our Governor, is Thunderbird. He brought us together. We’re all different, we all have a specialty. We’ve done everything from rescuing hostages to locating missing persons. We don’t always get paid for our efforts and that’s okay. None of us do it for the money. We all have side jobs that keep us going. Destry is a lawyer, he used to be a clerk for one of the Supreme Court Justices. Now, he’s Kyle’s Secretary of State. Jet is an MMA fighter and hunts sunken treasure, he’s found some too.”
“Treasure? Like pirate treasure?” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“Yea, we actually helped him bring some up off the coast of Florida last year. Damn near got killed by a boat load of pirates funded by a drug cartel.” When she shivered, he laughed and took the opportunity to hold her closer. “Saxon is a computer whiz. He’s builds software for companies and specializes in creating virtual machines to run bots to accomplish whatever it is the company needs.”
“I don’t have a clue what you just said,” she admitted, “but it sounds complicated.”
“He’s a geek, we don’t understand everything he does either. Tyson plays the markets, knows how to work the system with foreign currencies, so he understands how everything works–how foreign companies get involved with terrorists, stuff like that. So, he’s a handy man to know. And Kyle…well, Kyle is Chancellor Industries in addition to being the Governor of this great state. And he’ll be President someday, he’s already considering it.”
“Hearing all of that makes me very nervous for some reason,” Madison confessed.
“Don’t be,” he whispered, as he stole a kiss from her cheek. “I’m really just a simple rancher who has a few outside interests. And right now,” he kissed her again, “my main one is you.”
She pressed her hand over his as it rested beneath her breasts. “I’m so glad you are and I’m proud of you. I think you’re grand.”
Micah smiled while he rubbed his mouth against her hair. “Thanks, that means a lot.”
They rode up one hill and down another and although Madison enjoyed the view, she loved being held by him even more. “What’s that?” She could hear a faint roar.
“That’s the river, the Pedernales.” He guided Shoshone up a ridge and then she saw they were on top of a high cliff. Below them flowed a river that looked to be about fifty yards wide. White water dashed on rocks as it flowed wildly from a waterfall upstream. “Isn’t it beautiful?”
“Oh, yes,” she breathed. Madison hadn’t known a spot like this existed so close to Austin. “You have an incredible home. I wouldn’t blame you if you never left it.”
Micah thought about what she said. With everything he had going on, he spent less time at the ranch every year
it seemed. One reason–he was lonely. “Are you getting hungry?”
“Yes, a little,” she admitted. She looked forward to what awaited them…that anticipation he spoke of. But it wasn’t just the meal, she was more anxious to know what might come after.
“Good. Me too.” He turned the horse around and they headed back to his home. “Have you heard from your mother lately?”
Madison shook her head as she answered. “No, not in a couple of days. I’m sure I will soon, though. I love my mom, but I can always count on her and Rudy turning up again just like a bad penny.”
“You remember what I told you about calling me if you needed me–right?” He questioned her as they passed through a grove of pecan trees, the ranch house coming into view.
“Yes, I remember.” His offer warmed her heart, but it also made her a bit uncomfortable.
“Good. Let’s go get something to eat. I’m really look forward to dessert.”
“I brought cookies, but you might have something better in mind.”
“Oh, I do.” He stole another kiss from the side of her neck, nuzzling a bit. “I’m having something super sweet–you.”
Things heat up…and it’s not in the kitchen
The food was delicious and Micah was charming. Madison did her best to focus on the present…but she was having a hard time waiting on the dessert Micah mentioned. “More?” Micah held up the salad bowl.
“No, I’m fu…oh my goodness!” She jumped a half foot out of her chair. “What was that?” Something had touched her under the table…something furry.
“It’s okay…it’s okay.” Micah placed a calming hand on her shoulder. “It’s just Thunderpunch, my cat. Don’t worry about him, he’s a jerk.” He bent over and when he raised up, he was holding a small calico cat. “Aren’t you, you little jerk?”
“Micah,” Madison scolded. “Don’t talk to him that way.”
“What? He knows he’s a jerk. Don’t you, you little jerk?” Thunderpunch gave his master a head-bump. “Yes, you are. My little jerk buddy. He’s been outside hunting; I guess whatever he caught didn’t appease his appetite.” He nuzzled the cat who began to purr louder. “Isn’t that right, jerk?”
Madison felt a tug at her heart. “You’re so sweet.”
“Yes, he is.” He took some bites of meat off his plate and put them on a napkin, placing the cat and the food on the floor.
“Oh, I’m sure he is,” Madison agreed. “But I wasn’t talking about him.” The sight of this big, powerful man being kind to a small animal just did something to her. “I was talking about you.”
He gave her a wicked little grin. “You ready for some cookies or pudding?”
She held up her hands. “A little later? I’m pretty stuffed.”
“Sounds good to me.” As Thunderpunch ate, they carried their dishes to the sink and she helped him put them in the dishwasher. “What are you plans for next week?”
Thinking he might be trying to make plans with her, she was honest. “I have work every day, of course. I also need to start the process to find another job. Tuesdays nights are always reserved for the nursing home; I do a little volunteer work there. Other than that…” she let her voice trail off, hoping he would jump in and ask her out on another date.
“You volunteer at a nursing home? How nice. My grandparents died when I was so small, I don’t remember them.”
“I had my mother’s mother until I was six,” Madison reminisced. “I always think if she’d lived, Sunny wouldn’t have gotten involved with Rudy…or at least I would’ve had a place to go when things got rough.”
Micah took her in his arms. “I wish I’d known you back then, I would’ve come to your defense with my baseball bat.”
The idea made her smile, but then he kissed her on the head and shared his plans. “I wish I knew what this week will hold for me. I can’t make any definite plans. My Tuesday is booked too–I have a party to attend.”
A party? Madison felt a wave of jealousy rise in her middle. “Oh, really?”
“Yea, a two-year old’s birthday party. You ought to see what I plan to wear.” He twisted her hair around his fist, stealing a kiss. As they talked, Micah herded her toward the couch.
“Send me a photo in a text.”
“You can count on it, Fellows. I think we should officially graduate from texting to sexting.”
The sensual tone he was using gave her chills and she felt her nipples swell and rasp against the lace of her bra. “I’m not sure I’d be any good at that, but I’d like to try.”
“Sit close,” Micah tugged her down next to him. “Want to watch a movie or do you want to neck?”
“Can we do both?” Madison squeaked as her body collided with his on the soft blue cushion.
“Greedy.” With one arm around her back, he turned her curvy little body toward his. “I like that, it’s my policy to grab onto all that life offers.” Picking up her hand, he brought it to his lips and kissed the palm. “Action film or comedy?”
Madison shivered. “I don’t care.” She stared into his gorgeous hazel eyes. “I don’t think I’m going to be able to concentrate…on anything but you.”
“Good answer, Fellows.” Cupping the side of her face, he claimed her mouth, making her lips tingle with the brush of his tongue, causing her breath to catch when he sucked her lower lip into his mouth.
“You’re seducing me,” she moaned.
“I’m tempting you,” he whispered as he slanted his lips across hers, his tongue pushed inside with a sensual thrust that had her shaking with expectancy before coming to rest in a lazy curl against her own. For long minutes they kissed, Madison sating her need to touch him by running her fingers through his hair and caressing the back of his neck and his shoulders.
“God, you’re sweet,” Micah breathed. “Turn this way, I need to get my hands on you.” Madison was malleable in his grasp, allowing him to arrange her to suit his needs. She found herself lying back against his big body, reclining between his legs, his arms encircling her. “Help me get this off.” He tugged on the bottom of her sweater and she held her arms up as he pulled it up and over her head.
“I’m nervous,” she admitted softly. The amount of sexual experience she had wouldn’t fill a teaspoon compared to this worldly man.
Micah hesitated momentarily. “No need, I only want to give us pleasure.” He kissed her temple, feathering the soft hair there with his breath. “Have you ever been with a man, Madison?”
“Not really, no,” she muttered.
Chuckling, Micah ran his fingers over the top swell of her breasts, tickling gently. “I’m not sure what that means.”
“I don’t have much experience,” was all she had the courage to say.
“Well, what if we take it slow and sweet, just play today.”
“Sounds good.” Her breath hitched as he slid his hands behind her back.
“Can I take this off?” He flicked the hook of her bra which seemed to come open a lot easier for him that it ever had for her.
“Yes,” she managed to utter the word like a small peep. Before she could draw another breath, he had both of her breasts in his hands, molding their softness, testing their weight. “Oh, my God.” She closed her eyes and just let herself feel.
“Sweetheart, you are one sweet handful.” Micah lifted her breasts, fondling, loving their soft resiliency as he rubbed his way down to their soft peaks. “Damn, you’re pretty, so soft.”
Madison gasped, her body reacting to the pleasure he was giving her. She pressed back against him, arching her back and thrusting her breasts up. He took advantage and played with her nipples, exploring their texture, milking the tender tips. When they contracted to his touch, she whimpered and his cock hardened even more.
“Fuck, you’re responsive.” His moan puffed over her neck, his tongue sliding over the place where her pulse showed through the skin. He sucked at the tender spot, his lips blazing a trail to the curve of her shoulder. “You smell so damn goo
d. Like sugar cookies.”
“Cookies! We left the cookies I made in your truck!”
She jumped in his arms, but he hugged her closer, smiling against her skin. “We’ll save them for later. I’m not hungry for cookies right now…I’d rather nibble on you.” She felt his teeth on the cord of her neck and Madison inhaled a gasp and shivered with excitement. “You’re delicious and so damn soft.” He nipped at her earlobe as his fingers began to massage her breasts.
Madison chewed on her lower lip, her whole body and soul focused on what his hands were doing to her. “You make me feel so good,” she moaned.
“How about this.” He picked up her scarf and dragged the material over the sensitive tips. “The moment I saw this around your neck, I kept picturing your little nipples peeking through the holes.” Micah pulled it tight until her nipples popped through two of the small openings, then he took hold of them between his fingers and rubbed them hard enough that Madison couldn’t be still. She wiggled in his arms, her pussy aching and throbbing.
The more she moved, the bigger his cock grew. “Oh, you’re going to be fun to play with. I bet I can make you cum just by sucking on your tits.” At his prompting, she turned in his arms until she was straddling his thighs. He dropped his head to her breast and filled his mouth with her nipple, suckling hard. As the tender tip rose to attention, he lashed it with his tongue, nibbling the hardness with his lips as he molded the soft globe to his liking.
“Micah,” she whispered, moving against him. She loved this, he could tell, so he gave her more, milking a response–demanding it. And fuck, fuck, fuck–did she give it to him in soft pants and small cries of pleasure. “I need more.”
More? “I’ll give you whatever you need.” He eased her to one side and started unzipping her jeans until there was room for him to get his hand down her panties. “Oh, fuck yeah.” She was hot and wet and so sweet to touch.