Three days later, early in the morning, Olivia sat at her kitchen table answering emails with her headphones in listening to music. The song, ‘Lost’ by Anouk came on and made her pause. The song was a reminder of how she wanted a man she couldn’t have.
She ripped the headphones out and tossed them onto the table. She needed to get out for a while. This sitting around and trying to work was going to slowly drive her insane. She stood and stretched. After grabbing her keys, she ran out the door, leaving Punkin gazing after her.
“I’ll be back later, girl,” Olivia shouted over her shoulder.
Cold weather was moving in from the Glacier Mountains. She gazed at them for a few minutes before getting into her car. They were already snowcapped, and she’d learned how snow came early and swiftly in Clifton. She shivered at the thought. Being from Maryland, she was used to snow but what they got in Montana was downright ridiculous. Pulling out of the driveway, she turned left with no destination in mind, just driving. She passed Jake’s ranch, then Gabe’s, and then slowed when she came to the entrance of Wyatt’s ranch.
Olivia chewed on her bottom lip. Should she, she wondered. He wasn’t home because she knew he was in Butte. Becca told her the brothers had made the trip and anytime they went to the sale, it was always a three-day trip. One to get there, one for the sale, and one to travel back home. It was almost unheard of to return home the night of the sale. She was sure he wasn’t home and she’d love to see Cochise again. Although she was terrified of horses, Cochise was the most gorgeous horse she’d ever seen. To her, he looked as if someone had tossed a can of black paint over a white horse. He had gorgeous blue eyes too.
Shrugging, she pulled into the drive and stopped at the barn. She glanced around and didn’t see anyone. Where were the ranch hands? The place looked deserted. The large log home resembled a ski chalet with rows of windows on the front. A wraparound porch beckoned with rocking chairs. Olivia opened her car door, got out, and strolled into the barn. The smell of horses, hay, leather, and manure hit her. It wasn’t too long ago when she thought the smell offensive, but now it wasn’t as unpleasant to her. She strolled down the center aisle, glancing at the horses in the stalls. None of them was Cochise. Where was he? Heading out the back of the barn, she entered the huge metal building where she knew Wyatt did his training. Jake and Gabe had the same type of buildings at their places.
Olivia went inside and sighed at the feeling of the warm air. The buildings stayed heated for winter and air-conditioned for summer since the men spent so much time in them. As she moved closer to the stalls, she noticed a wooden sign with the silhouette of a woman riding a horse with the words, THERE IS NO BETTER FEELING THAN SEVENTEEN HANDS BETWEEN YOUR LEGS scrolled on it. What in the hell did that mean? Olivia shrugged and moved on.
Sitting on the floor next to a stall was a basket of apples. She picked one up and used her penknife on her keychain to cut it into quarters. Not that she’d actually put her hand out to a horse. Their teeth were too big. She shuddered at the thought. There were three stalls along the back wall, so she headed toward them. The first two were empty, but the third one was where she found the beautiful beast.
“Hello gorgeous,” Olivia whispered to Cochise. She frowned when he backed away from her, tossing his head and kicking at the wood shavings on the floor of his stall.
“Come here, Cochise. I have an apple for you.” She held her hand out and tried to keep it steady. She wondered if horses smell fear like dogs did. If so, then Cochise was getting a hell of a dose of it. He stood in the back corner, his ears pinned back. She gulped. “I won’t hurt you, and hopefully, you won’t hurt me. Come on. Come and get this apple. You’ll love it.”
Cochise stared at her, and then whinnied. He pawed at the shavings. If a horse could glare, he was doing it. Olivia held her hand out again.
“Listen, Cochise. I’m not a fan of horses. It’s nothing personal. I’ve just never been around them until lately and the thought of being on one terrifies the shit out of me but you see, I think you’re perfect. Just like your master. Is that right? Is he your master, like a dog owner is?” She chewed on her bottom lip. “I really have no idea.”
She smiled when Cochise moved closer to her but he still didn’t take the apple. His ears were up and he wasn’t stomping anymore. He seemed to be looking past her. She glanced over her shoulder and gasped. Wyatt stood in the doorway. He just stood there leaning against the doorjamb with his arms folded across his chest and his booted feet crossed at the ankles. His hat sat low on his forehead, but she knew his eyes were on her. Shit! Could the floor just open up and swallow her now?
* * * *
Wyatt stared at her. Why was she here? God damn it. He pushed himself away from the doorjamb and sauntered toward her. He halted in front of her.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“What are you doing here?” She threw back at him.
He raised his eyebrow. “I live here.”
“I meant, you’re supposed to be in Butte.” Olivia glanced away from him.
“I came home last night.”
“I didn’t see your truck.”
Wyatt grunted. “So, if you had seen it, you wouldn’t have stayed?”
“I…yes. I mean, no.” She waved her hand. “I wouldn’t have stayed.”
“You still haven’t told me why you’re here.”
“I was so bored at home and so I went for a drive. I ended up here. I wanted to see Cochise again. He won’t even come to me.” Olivia shifted her eyes toward the horse.
Wyatt took the apple from her hand and held it out to Cochise. The horse gently took it from him. Wyatt rubbed his velvet nose. Cochise butted his head against him.
“He’s a Paint, isn’t he?” Olivia asked.
Wyatt glanced at her. “He’s an American Quarter Horse.”
Olivia frowned. “I thought if they were spotted like this, they were Paints or pintos.”
“Paints are a breed of horse, like a Quarter Horse is a breed. Pinto is a coloring.” He jerked his chin at Cochise. “His coloring is pinto.”
“You lost me.” Olivia frowned at him.
“Not all pintos are Paints, but most Paints are pinto.” Wyatt rubbed the horse’s nose. “Hey, buddy. Looks like that ride’s going to have to wait.” Wyatt glanced at Olivia. He heard her sigh.
“I’ll go so you can go for your ride.” She turned to leave but Wyatt grasped her arm, and turned her to face him.
“I’d rather go for a ride with you, Olivia,” he said in a low voice.
Olivia stared at him. “What?”
Wyatt huffed. “I can’t get you out of my damn head.”
“Really?” Olivia murmured.
“Yes.”
She smiled up at him and his heart slammed into his ribs. This was not a good idea but he had to have her. Maybe once he had, he’d get over this obsession with her. He mentally shook his head. He seriously doubted that. Her hand slipped behind his neck as he leaned down to kiss her. Both of them groaned when their lips met. Wyatt’s arms slipped around her waist. He lifted her up. Her arms wrapped around his neck, knocking his hat to the floor. Her hands fisted in his hair as he deepened the kiss, and Olivia’s legs wrapped around his waist. Wyatt knew it would be like this. She tasted so good, and he wanted to taste every inch of her soft skin.
She pulled back from him and looked at him with those amazing eyes. “Tell me again how you don’t want me, cowboy,” she whispered, her voice suddenly husky sounding.
Wyatt gazed into her eyes. Olivia was so beautiful, she took his breath away. He carried her into an empty stall and leaned her against the wall. His lips trailed down her neck and back to her ear. He felt her shiver when he took the lobe between his teeth. Her moans were setting him on fire. He set her down and pulled her jacket off, then her shirt over her head. He groaned when he saw her breasts popping out the top of her demi-cup bra.
“Dear God, you’re perfect,” he whispered as he unhooked
the front clasp and her breasts fell free. They were beautiful, just as he knew they would be. Her nipples were a rosy hue and already peaked. His hands cupped them and he rubbed the pads of his thumbs over the nipples, making them harden more. He leaned down and took one into his mouth. He lapped at it with his tongue, and then pulled at it gently with his teeth. Her hands clenched in his hair. He ran his hands down her sides until he encountered the snap of her jeans. He slowly unzipped them, before moving his hand inside, dipping inside her panties to what he’d only imagined. Wyatt moved his finger up and down between her wet folds.
“You’re so wet, darlin’. You’re killing me,” he growled.
Olivia’s hands went to his belt, unhooking it before she unsnapped his jeans and lowered the zipper. His hard cock strained against the material. When her hand wrapped around him, he almost came.
“Very impressive, cowboy. But then, I knew you would be,” she whispered against his lips.
Wyatt stepped back from her and she whimpered. He grinned. “I’m not done with you yet.” He shoved her jeans down and pulled her boots off. He slung the jeans across the stall and turned to gaze down at her. Dear God, the woman had a hell of a body. She stood before him in nothing but black boy-cut panties. He almost fell to his knees to praise God for her. She stepped toward him, pushed his jeans down, and then stared up at him.
“Condom?”
Wyatt reached behind him, pulled his wallet out of his jeans, and retrieved a condom. He handed it to her. She smiled at him, and after tearing the packet open, she slowly rolled the condom down over him. He growled. “You’re doing that on purpose.”
She laughed. “Maybe.” Then she glanced up at him with a sexy tilt to her head. “Show me what you got, cowboy.”
Wyatt grinned. “You’ve seen what I’ve got.”
“Please show me you know how to use every delectable inch of it.”
He picked her up, carried her toward the wall, and leaned into her. He moved his arms under her knees, opening her wide for him, before slowly inching into her. When he could go no deeper, they both groaned.
“You feel so fucking good,” Wyatt whispered against her lips. He started pumping into her and she moved her hips with him. When she took his bottom lip between her teeth and sucked it into her mouth, he almost lost it. “Jesus, I’m not going to last,” he growled.
He felt her tighten around him right before she cried out. He moved harder, faster, and deeper into her. His orgasm ripped him to shreds. It had never felt like this with anyone. Not even Stephanie. Son of a bitch! He knew right then, he’d never get enough of Olivia. He leaned his forehead against hers. She opened her eyes, gazed up, and smiled at him.
“Hi,” she whispered between breaths.
He smiled. “Hi yourself, darlin’.”
Olivia laughed. “Wow.”
Wyatt chuckled. “Yeah. Wow is right.”
She stared into his eyes. “They are black,” she said in awe.
“Yes,” he said, knowing exactly to what she was referring.
* * * *
Olivia stared at him. It had finally happened and it had been well worth the wait. She’d never get enough of him now. She blinked at the tears in her eyes. Sighing, she started to lower her legs and he let her down. She watched as he zipped his jeans. To say he had one hell of a body would be an understatement. She sighed. Now what? After picking up her clothes, she dressed then glanced around.
“Was that considered a roll in the hay?” She laughed.
“Not really. A roll in the hay is just that, doing it in the hay. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be either. Damn straw pokes you in spots that don’t need poking.”
She snorted. “The voice of experience, huh?”
Wyatt grinned. “No comment.”
A stab of jealousy went through her. Had it been Stephanie? The woman he was engaged to and who called off their engagement a week before the wedding. Olivia didn’t like her. She’d met her and thought Stephanie was a piece of fluff, nothing of any real importance. Stephanie had no liking for Olivia either, obvious since the first time they met. Stephanie was tall, blonde, and beautiful and she’d told Olivia she wanted Wyatt back. That was months ago and as far as Olivia could tell, Wyatt hadn’t been seeing Stephanie. It didn’t mean she wouldn’t be around eventually, especially if she found out Olivia and Wyatt had been together. Of course, his roll in the hay could have been with any woman, not just Stephanie. Olivia knew he saw his fair share of them. She glanced at Wyatt. He was staring at her.
“What’s going through that gorgeous head of yours, Olivia?”
“You can call me Liv, ya know.” Wyatt shook his head. “You don’t like Liv?” She pouted.
“I like Olivia,” Wyatt told her.
She grinned. “Aww, Olivia likes you too.”
“You always have a smart-ass answer, don’t you?”
“What does the sign in the barn mean?”
Wyatt frowned. “What sign?”
“The one about having seventeen hands between your legs.”
Wyatt burst out laughing. “Not what you’re thinking, that’s for sure.”
Olivia swatted at him. “What’s it mean then?”
“A horse is measured in hands. A horse can be up to eighteen hands tall, some are taller, not many though. A Quarter Horse is average at seventeen hands.” When she continued to frown at him, he grinned. “A hand measures four inches across the palm, the horse is measured from the highest point of the withers, which is the base of the horse’s neck at its back. If a horse measures sixty inches, it’s divided by four, which is fifteen.” He shrugged. “The horse is said to be fifteen hands tall. The sign means there’s nothing like having a horse that stands seventeen hands tall between your legs.”
“Oh, that’s as easy to remember as that pinto Paint thing. Why not just say the horse is sixty inches tall?”
Wyatt shrugged. “Cowboy way, I guess.”
She laughed. “I love the cowboy way.” Then she squealed when he picked her up, tossed her over his shoulder, and carried her out of the arena and into his house. He set her on one of the stools at the center island. She gazed around the kitchen. The white appliances sat nestled between black marble countertops. The mahogany cabinets matched the hardwood floors. A large window brought natural light in above the sink.
“This is a gorgeous kitchen. Too bad I don’t cook.” She grinned.
“You should since you eat all the time.”
“I like to eat, what can I say? You could always help me work the calories off,” she told him.
“I could.” Wyatt sighed. “What are we doing here, Olivia?”
She tilted her head. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, I didn’t want this to happen,” he grumbled.
She slid down from the stool. “You should have thought of that before you fucked me, not after!”
He ran his hand down his face. “It will get complicated.”
“Again…before we had sex.”
“God damn it! We have to be together for family functions. What if we keep seeing each other, and then one of us wants to end things? Don’t you think that will make it complicated?”
“We agree to let it go.” When he huffed, she went on. “We’re adults, Wyatt—consenting adults. When the time comes one of us wants to walk away, we let them.” God, it was killing her to talk about him walking away, because he would be the one who did. She’d never leave him given the chance. She heard him swear as he turned away from her. She clutched his arm.
“Is once enough for you? Because I’ll be honest here and tell you I already want you again.”
Wyatt stared at her then shook his head.
“No. Once isn’t enough,” he whispered as he stepped closer to her. He cupped her face in his hands and lowered his lips to hers. She loved the way he kissed. When his tongue entered her mouth, she groaned and touched hers to his, making him growl deep in his throat. He slowly raised his head and stared down at her.
>
* * * *
“No. Once would never be enough,” he said as he picked her up and carried her toward the bedroom, where he laid her on the bed. His hand moved down over her breasts, then down her stomach to her jeans. He cupped her through the fabric. She moaned low in her throat as he moved his hand up and down between her legs. When he moved his hand to the snap of her jeans, he slowly unfastened it, lowered the zipper, and slipped his hand inside of her panties. His finger moved down between her folds, making her squirm. Wyatt moaned at how wet she was.
“God, sweetheart, you’re still so wet and I need you so much.” He shoved her jeans down as her hand went to the snap on his. She lowered the zipper slowly. He was so hard he thought he was going to explode when her hand gripped him. Wyatt shoved his jeans down and moved between her legs.
“I want you too much, Olivia. I can’t wait,” he whispered against her lips.
“I can’t either, Wyatt. Please…”
Wyatt reached into the bedside table and retrieved a condom. After sheathing himself, he groaned as he moved into her. He kissed her deep and hard when he buried himself deep inside her. When her legs wrapped around his waist, he rode her hard, and then rolled to his back for her to straddle him. Gazing up at her was amazing. His hands went to her bra.
“Take this off. I have to see you,” he told her. He watched as she reached for the clasp and unhooked her bra. He groaned when they spilled free. His hands went to them and he ran his palms over them, making her nipples hardened into peaks. He then ran his hands down her ribcage to her hips. He sat up, wrapping his arms around her and pressed his lips to hers. His tongue entered her mouth as she started to moan. Wyatt gazed into her face. It was amazing in the throes of her orgasm. He felt her tighten around him as she rocked her hips, grinding against him.
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