by Rae, Harloe
“Like training wheels,” she muses. “Why didn’t you say so sooner? Hop on, farmer.”
“As you wish.” I swing myself up, rescue-race style.
Trigger grunts at the added weight and shifts his stance. I give his butt a gentle pat.
“You could be in the circus with those moves.” Her posture relaxes as I get situated. She’s caged between the buffer of my arms.
With a cluck, I guide Trigger toward the open ring. “It bodes very well for me that basic farm skills impress you.”
“Very much so. All that brawn and brute strength.” She purrs and gnashes her teeth.
I steer the palomino to the outer edge. “Someone got over her fear.”
Audria rocks in the saddle, leather creaking with each forward motion. “You’re in charge. What’s there to be afraid of?”
“Absolutely nothing, as I mentioned.”
“Yeah, yeah. Nobody likes a weisenheimer.”
I choke on a laugh. “Wow, good burn.”
She sways to the horse’s smooth gait as her limbs loosen. “Right? The classics never fail. Dottie would probably appreciate that one.”
“Especially if you call her one.”
Her gasp cracks against the subtle breeze. “That might start a war.”
I guide Trigger into a tighter circle. “Or teach her a lesson.”
Audria hums. “I’m not interested in finding out, or ruining the moment.”
“Tell me what you want.” The demand grates out on a rasp.
“To appreciate the experience. This is incredible.” Her voice borders on a squeal.
I glance at our surroundings with a grin. Sunlight paints the grass in warm shades. Cattle roam across the landscape in small clusters. A burst of wind chases fallen leaves across the sand. The crisp scent of fresh air coats my lungs. These conditions are perfect for riding, or enjoying the outdoors in general. But it’s the woman in front of me who truly makes the day something special.
“It doesn’t get much better than this.”
“I’m so glad you encouraged me to try. If you hadn’t been so patient, I would’ve missed this.” She pets Trigger’s neck. “Sitting up here is so freeing.”
“You’re welcome to come ride whenever. Charlie’s always on the road, and the horses need exercise.”
“I’ll probably take you up on that. Conquering these seemingly terrifying fears is simple. With you, I might be able to try skydiving after all.”
I cough on my next inhale. “That’s a tad extreme.”
“Oh, is the brave man scared?”
I scoff. “No. I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Convenient chivalry.”
I hear the smile in her voice.
“Thank you for doing this, farmer. Once again, you’ve proved me wrong.”
“How so?”
“My comfort zone is too bland and narrow. All of this horizon-expanding is making me more ambitious.”
Does our situation fit into that scenario? Perhaps I’m a notch on her country checklist. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that afternoons like this are numbered, and not due to winter knocking on autumn’s door. We’re fleeting, like the seasons.
I rest my free hand on her thigh. “It’s good to try new things.”
“Yes, experimentation can really pay off.” Audria laughs. “And since you mention that, does Trigger go faster?”
I snort at the effort that would require. “Not willingly. Want me to try?”
Her helmet smacks into me as she tenses. “No, that’s okay. I was just curious.”
“Maybe you can on your second time, and I’ll stay on the ground.”
“Why?”
“Trotting is hell on the balls.”
A high-pitched bleating interrupts the flow of our conversation. Audria twists to see Archie’s beloved goat scampering about in the nearest horse pasture. “And who is that cute bundle of fluff?”
“The farm’s very own little rascal. Ace is a troublemaker.” I watch her kick and buck at the air, stubby legs flying wildly in every direction.
Audria fixates on the creature bred for mischief. “With a name like that, I’m sure she has several tricks up her sleeve.”
“Constantly. She eats her way through ropes and always gets loose. She won’t stay in any pen. If that’s not bad enough, she riles the other livestock up and forms stampedes. Charlie can’t fix the broken fences fast enough.”
“Why keep her around?”
“She’s a stellar companion, better than a donkey.”
“Well, that’s not saying much. Any animal should be better than an ass.” She nudges me with her elbow.
That gets a chuckle out of me. “Funny girl.”
Her entire form shakes with laughter. “Thanks. I’ll apparently be here all day.”
“And the sun is still shining. We’ll have to find something to do after Trigger craps out.” I nod toward Ace. “Wanna use her for roping practice?”
Audria sucks in a breath. “That tiny goat? She’s smaller than a bullseye.”
“She isn’t self-conscious about her weight. No need to worry about wounding her pride.”
“Now who’s the funny one?”
I lick my lips and lean a little closer. “Speaking of hilarious, do you have plans for Halloween?”
Her upper body melts into mine. “Not that I’ve made yet.”
“Any interest in celebrating with me?”
She glances back at me, quirking a brow. “A holiday hangout, farmer? This is getting too serious.”
Pressure brews as I fight to maintain a neutral expression. Regardless of the effort, my eyes narrow at a tree in the distance. “A ton of other people will be there.”
Audria’s features brighten with a wide smile. “I’m totally messing with you. Where do you plan to take me?”
“Nice try,” I mutter. “You’ll have to wait and see, if you even want to go, that is.”
“Why wouldn’t I? We’ll have a blast no matter what. Just tell me it’s not the spooky castle.”
“Why? You don’t want to go back?” My mask of indifference still doesn’t crack.
She remains facing forward without responding. The silent treatment is torture.
I squeeze her hip. “Okay, that was a bad joke. This won’t be anything scary or boundary-pushing. It doesn’t involve roping or milking or riding.”
“Do we get to dress up?” Even with her turned the opposite way, I can see her mind whirling with possibilities.
I bob my head slowly. “Yes, that is strongly encouraged.”
“Can we wear a couple’s costume?”
That has my eyes flaring wide. “Are you trying to make a statement to the entire town that we’re an item?”
“No!” She blurts that exclamation far too fast for my liking. “Not that it really matters. I’m sure they’re already blabbing about us on the daily. But I’ve never coordinated a ridiculous ensemble.”
I clap my palm on her leg. “Why didn’t you say so? That’s my newfound purpose, after all.”
Audria dips her chin with a giggle. “Happy to oblige.”
“Should I buy the costumes?” One of the shops along Main has to have a matching outfit.
She rests her hand on top of mine. “I’ll take the lead, farmer. Lord only knows what you’d pick out.”
I thread our fingers together. “Still salty? I make you ride a horse one time, and all the trust goes out the window.”
She reclines against me as we rock to Trigger’s beat. “You’ll just have to work extra hard at earning it back.”
I nuzzle into the crook of her neck, kissing the delicate skin there. “Challenge accepted, babe.”
Reeve leads me inside the entrance of his CornHub palace with a palm resting at the base of my spine. Why does that hand on my back feel more like a brand with each occurrence? I swoon into him like a magnet, my legs bending on their own. He responds by hooking his fingers around my hip and securing an anchor. The
wall reinforcing my resolve wobbles from the impact. Damn, this man makes resisting love quite impossible.
I inhale weakly to chase away those romanticized musings. Studying his place of business seems to be a good enough focal point, not that there’s much to see. The interior is dark, as expected after hours. Bare walls and basic lobby furniture give the front area a minimalist style. A stale quality carries through the air along with hints of musk. If I weren’t already aware, I can clearly see this company is male dominated.
“What’d you forget again?”
We were en route to dinner when Reeve asked if I minded a slight pitstop.
Reeve blindly directs me past a section of cubicles. “Ah, just some contracts I need to sign.”
I furrow my brow. Suspicion attempts to raise its head, but I tamp that twinge into a hidden corner. “That’s reason enough, I suppose.”
“Yep, it’ll just take a minute.” He guides us to a long hallway.
“No rush. I’m still plenty satisfied from earlier.” I toss him a flirty wink.
His gruff chuckle awakens the slumbering buzz in my core. “Shameless, babe.”
“You wouldn’t have me any other way.”
Even in the pitch-black, I can feel the sizzle of his eyes tracing my curves. “I couldn’t dream a better version.”
This guy and his loose tongue are a detriment I’m caving against. A sacred talent buried deep manages to prop me upright. I release a warbled sigh all the same.
Reeve tows me into a small room, flicking on the light as we cross the threshold, illuminating a standard office layout. I squint, adjusting to the stark contrast. Under the harsh glare of fluorescents, I catch a shimmering speck in his stubble.
“You have a little something.” I motion to the spot.
He swipes at his cheek. “Damn glitter.”
I giggle at his muttering. “What’s that, farmer?”
“Halloween was a week ago, and I’m still cleaning sparkles off my face.” He doesn’t cease scrubbing.
“Totally worth it,” I laugh.
He shoves a pinky in his ear, digging for gold. “For your comedic relief, maybe. I’ll probably be finding the shit in my eyelashes on Christmas.”
His mention of our celebration makes me smile. “Don’t act like you didn’t enjoy being chased around all night.”
“But why did you have to douse the cow head in glitter?”
Because everyone knows it’s pure torture to remove. I don’t admit that, of course. “Added flair, duh. It made you an easier target.”
“You still couldn’t catch me,” Reeve taunts, faking a dive to the left.
I loop my fingers around his arm and tug. “It was good practice. Besides, it was purely for entertainment’s sake. Beating the competition was an added benefit. We needed to be extra shiny to stick out in the crowd.”
He grunts. “And we certainly did.”
“Hey.” I poke him in the chest. “We won the contest.”
His eyes roll to the ceiling. “That you created to begin with.”
“Whatever. It’s not like anyone else stood a chance against us.”
“Yeah, our rhinestone explosion will go down in Bam history.”
“I can already see the headlines.” I spread my hands at the imaginary title.
“We won’t need those. Gavin will never let me forget.”
“He’s just jealous.”
“Something like that.” He laughs.
Bouncing onto my toes, I plop a sloppy kiss on his jaw. “I appreciate you being a good sport.”
Reeve dips down so my lips press harder against him. “I’m not sure I can deny you anything.”
The atmosphere grows thick with currents zapping between us. A lump catches in my throat as I try not to expose the rapid drumbeat inside of me. The gravity of this moment, and the implied meaning, hangs heavy in the balance.
“We’re an excellent team,” I mumble.
“I sure had fun using that rope later. You make a sexy cowgirl.” His breath caresses the shell of my ear.
A shiver racks my limbs. “I don’t have to wait for Halloween to dress up, farmer.”
He clutches a fistful of my ass. “Don’t tease me, babe.”
Since he asked so nicely.
“So.” I strut farther into the room. “This is where all the magic happens.”
Reeve gestures diagonally across the cramped square. “Impressive, eh?”
“Oh, sure. You betcha.” I tip backward on my heels with a giggle.
A rumble rises from his chest. “Even that accent is sexy coming from you.”
“Now that we’re in here and all alone, what are you planning to do with me?” I trail a finger along his desk.
He gives me a slow once-over. “Put you behind the wheel.”
I blink, the fringes of arousal fizzling slightly. “Um, okay?”
Rather than respond, he digs in a drawer and whips out something silver. He spins a set of keys around his finger. “We’re all set.”
“What about your contracts?” I park my hand on a cocked hip.
Reeve grips the back of his neck. That sheepish action has my hackles quivering.
“I might have ulterior motives.”
“You don’t say.” My tone is crisp at the edges. “And why did you request I wear a dress?”
He gives my stocking-clad legs a fuck-hot stare. “You’ll see, babe.”
“When?”
“Soon.” He hitches a thumb over his shoulder. “Want a tour?”
For some reason, the opposite doesn’t seem like an option.
I inch forward with caution. “I might as well get a full lay of the land.”
His teeth pierce the flesh of his bottom lip. “My thoughts exactly.”
We return to the dungeon darkness with a quick flick. We don’t have far to go, at least. Reeve ushers me through a stainless-steel set of doors into what appears to be a gigantic garage. Lights flash overhead automatically as we move into the industrial structure. Machinery and farming equipment create long rows across the concrete floor.
He sweeps an arm out to the side in a grandstand manner. “This is one of our storage buildings.”
“You have more like this?” The awe in my voice ricochets off the metal walls.
His expression is the definition of smug. “We’re responsible for maintaining thousands of acres, city girl.”
I form a small circle with my lips. “Wow.”
“Have you ever driven a tractor, babe?”
“No.” I snort at the suggestion. “We had a push mower growing up that barely got used on our scrap of lawn.”
He sidles up next to me. “Wanna take mine for a spin?”
My gaze latches onto the ridge bulging behind his zipper. “I thought that was fairly obvious.”
“Assuming can get me into trouble.” He widens his stance, hiding that glorious sight from view.
All right, I can play along. “My answer has conditions.”
Reeve’s eyes flash as he takes my bait. “Which are?”
“Do these remarkable powerhouses have big sticks?”
“Enormous.” He strokes an imaginary pole and grins. “You might not be able to handle it.”
“Oh, I can master switching gears while giving the knob a twirl.”
“You are very skilled at multitasking,” he praises.
I wiggle my brows. “This will be another fine demonstration. Which one are we driving?”
“Bertha is the easiest. She’s parked in front of an exit.” Reeve gestures to a general location we’re walking toward.
“She?”
He shrugs, striding down the aisle. “Force of habit for us.”
I tap my chin. “I think Butch will be a great name for my next car. He will be a total hunk.”
“Whatever makes you feel more secure, babe.” He laughs completely at my expense. “And here she is.”
We stop beside what can only be described as a monster truck on steroids. �
�This boss bitch has”—I do a quick count—“eight tires? Holy crap, farmer.”
He jams his hands into his pockets. “She gets the job done.”
“I would imagine quite efficiently at that,” I deadpan.
“The lack of snow has been a pleasant surprise. This wouldn’t be possible otherwise.”
I press a finger to his lips. “Don’t say that. You’ll jinx us.”
“Too late now,” he mumbles.
“I’m blaming you if we get dumped on,” I warn.
“While we wait for that to happen, should we go for a ride?”
A familiar song kicks on in my mind. “In your big green tractor?”
Reeve tips his head back with a hoot. “Have you been listening to Jason Aldean again?”
“Guilty. He’s quite swoony.” I nod as the beat goes silently on. “Is there room for two in there?”
“Absolutely, but it’s only a single seater, so we’ll have to share.”
“Fine by me.” I track my gaze along the metal body and upward. A huge cab boxes in the entire driver’s section. “This must be like the Cadillac of John Deere.”
“More like Aston Martin.”
“Even better,” I murmur.
Reeve hits a red button on the complex control panel next to us. With a low thrum and hydraulic clanking, a door at the rear opens. He points to the ladder leading to the cab. “Ladies first.”
“You just want to stare at my ass.” I begin to climb.
“I will never skip an opportunity to properly ogle you.” He lands a light smack on my butt.
“Aww, that’s almost sweet.” I wrench open the door and let my mouth drop. “That’s an ultra-deluxe seat.”
“Comfort helps when we’re trapped for hours.” He edges past me to sit down. After making a few adjustments, Reeve pats his thighs. “Hop on, babe.”
I wedge myself inside and manage to get sorted on his lap. The dashboard has more switches and levers than a spaceship. All I can do is gawk. “This is complicated.”
He swats at the overabundant controls. “We don’t need any of those for a simple joy ride.”
“Well, that’s comforting.”
“Sorry to disappoint, but the transmission is automatic.”
“I’d expect no less in such luxury. I can probably find another big stick in this cab to stroke later.”