by Sierra Brave
Hearing Maddie’s name elevated his heart rate, but he rolled his eyes to feign disinterest. “Are you kidding me?” He pinched the bridge of his nose and huffed. “That was a setup?” As the words sank in, he sat up straight and threw Davis a sideways glance. “Wait. Her last name is Mittens?”
“No, yep and yes, siree Bob.”
“What the fuck?”
“No, I’m not kidding you. Yep, it was a setup, and her last name is, indeed, Mittens.”
“She was hot, but I think I blew it. I told you I wasn’t a cat person. She took offense.” Plus she made me nervous as hell. Abram didn’t want Davis to know how attracted to her he’d been. If he told the truth, his cousin might think he’d never talked to a woman before.
“I have a feeling you could learn to love them.” Davis pursed his lips, looking away as if he had a secret he didn’t want to share.
Abram chose not to take the bait. “Doubtful.”
Davis smirked. “Regardless, Maddie’s family uses the area by the old cabin in the private hiking trails for a retreat every year, but she likes to take a tour and camp out for the night about a week beforehand to get reacquainted with the lay of the land. If I don’t help Scarlett pick out our wedding flowers and address invitations this weekend, I’m toast, and Oliver is out of town for the rodeo. It’s all you.”
He considered how hard his horse had fought to come out when he was near Maddie. There was no way he’d be able to control himself overnight, but he was too embarrassed to tell Davis. “Can’t Melly do it?”
Davis chuckled. “My sister and Maddie get along about as well as a rattlesnake and a honey badger.”
“What’s the story there?”
“Conflicting personalities—it comes down to lots of little things rather than one big blowout.”
Abram rubbed his chin. “Just me and her?”
“Yep.”
“I don’t know. That woman takes a lot of unnecessary risks. Her door was practically wide open when I got to her house. She’s careless—seems like a bad idea.”
Davis hooted and howled while pounding his fist on the table. “Oh, wow. That’s funny.” He shook his head and grinned. “Trust me. Mittens can handle her business. If you did try something shady, I’d be leading a search and recovery party for your lifeless body the next day.”
“Pfft.” Abram rolled his eyes. “Yeah, right.”
Chapter Three
When Maddie drove up, Abram was waiting for her by the barn with two ready horses. She couldn’t say she was surprised to be pawned off on Davis’s good-looking cousin. Her high school buddy was far too busy being head-over-heels in love to go camping with her this year. She watched Abram turn his back to calm one of the equines and took the opportunity to check him out. His sturdy build and broad shoulders whet her appetite, but the way his ass filled out his tight jeans was the main course. Yum. Too bad he doesn’t have sense enough to appreciate cats.
“Hey.” He nodded at her as she stepped out of the car.
“Howdy.” She couldn’t help smiling as he looked away shyly.
“Did you bring your gear?” He pointed towards the trunk of her silver Lincoln Navigator. She pressed a button on her key fob and unlatched it. He helped her get everything together and loaded up on her horse. Apparently, she would be on Thunder, a sweet girl she’d had the pleasure of riding previously. Abram was on Clyde. He wasn’t actually a Clydesdale, as the name seemed to suggest, but the handsome brown draft horse was plenty strong enough to bear her companion’s considerable burden. “So Davis said you do this every year.”
Maddie nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“I need to get you to sign the liability waiver and go over our safety regulations.”
“No problem.” She took the pen and clipboard he offered her and scrawled her autograph before handing them back.” He took the signed form into the barn. If memory served, Davis had a small reception area with a bulletin board and a place to file paperwork in there. Abram wasn’t gone long before he came strolling out carrying a pink helmet.
She raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”
“Davis said you had to wear it and I wasn’t to take any back sass on the subject.” He looked down at his boots as he delivered the line.
Her jaw dropped and she shook her head. “Did he now?”
He removed his tan cowboy hat and ran a hand through his short brown hair. “He said a bunch of other stuff too—about spankings or something.”
She placed a hand on her hip and shifted her weight. “He said you should spank my rear if I refused?”
His cheeks turned red and he nodded. “I wouldn’t do that.”
She laughed. “Too bad. I might like it.”
His eyes widened and his lips parted. “Huh?”
She snickered while twirling a piece of her hair around her finger. “That Davis, he’s been telling me my dad didn’t beat my butt enough ever since we became close friends. He thinks he’s funny.”
Abram looked off to the side and scratched his head. “Geez, he talks to you just like he does Melly.”
She scowled. “Don’t compare me with that little brat. She’s a pain. I always hated it when Davis would say we were alike.”
“You’re a lot better looking.” His face turned crimson and he smacked his hand over his mouth.
She did a double take. “Say what?”
“I’m not looking at my cousin in any crazy way or anything. That is…What I mean to say…the two of you don’t strike me as particularly similar.” He caught her gaze for a second before looking away again.
She smiled. Wow, you are too adorable. Maybe I’ll make a cat lover out of you after all.
“So I’ll put my stupid, riding helmet on and we’ll be ready to go?”
“Wait.” He reached into a saddlebag and then pulled out a small bottle of hand sanitizer. “Davis says you’re supposed to use this before you touch the horses. Don’t be offended though. He’s super anal ‘bout making everyone do it.”
“I get it. He wants to keep the animals healthy.” She held out her hand, and he squirted a nickel-sized dollop in the middle of her palm. She rubbed her hands together, back and front and even between her fingers. “All clean. Time to go?”
“Pert near. There’s one more thing I gotta get. It’s locked up in the storeroom.” He turned and then booked it back into the barn. Maddie took the opportunity to mount Thunder while she waited for him. A few minutes later, Abram returned with a pistol strapped to his hip.
She raised an eyebrow. “A gun?”
“When the weather’s warm, the sidewinders come out. If I see one, I’m not taking any chances on it biting one of the steeds.” He stepped into a stirrup and climbed up on Clyde before settling into the saddle. “Giddy up.”
Abram’s stallion began trotting along at a steady pace. Maddie prompted Thunder with a couple of taps of her boots and then she followed his lead. The smell of fresh grass, hay, and musky horses hung in the air as they galloped along a familiar, well-worn path. They passed by the paddock and then around the outdoor riding arena until the turf they tread gave way to the less manicured landscape of the trails.
Wildflowers and tall trees abounded. She took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air as she admired some blossoming dogwoods near a huge oak. A slight breeze kicked up, fluttering the leaves of the Quaking Aspens, and birds chirped over the sound of acorns crunching under the horse’s hooves.
No matter how many times she traveled these trails, she always found something new to hold her in the awe. She glanced at Abram. “Have you had a chance to explore much of the Banks family lands yet?”
Abram turned his head her way and nodded, the brim of his hat casting a shadow over his face. “I’ve done my best to see most of it. I love being outside. I guess that’s why I studied garden design and turfgrass management, but I only managed to get my associates before mama got sick.”
She pursed her lips into a grim line. Davis had mentioned his cousin onl
y moved to Horse Mountain at their grandmother’s insistence after the death of his mother. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Which one?” He uttered the comment absently, but the meaning of his words shook her to her core. She didn’t know what she would do if anything happened to her mom or dad. He glanced at her face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be a downer.”
“No, no, I’m at fault for bringing…” A lump formed in her throat and she couldn’t speak.
“How ‘bout we forget the heavy or depressing stuff? I want to talk about you. How did you get into cybersecurity?”
“Hmm, seems like forever ago when I made the decision to study computer science. I did some research—the pay’s good and demand is high. Plus, I found several scholarships designed to encourage girls to study technology.”
“Cool. Women kick ass. More people should recognize it.”
“You got that right.” She grinned. I like him more already.
“So they taught you all about chasing down hackers in school?”
She laughed. “Not exactly. I mastered the basics there but I learned more on the job. I started off working at an internship with the state bureau of investigation. The work was rewarding but the stuff you see wears on the soul.
“Sheesh, I imagine so.”
“Yep, so I only did that about a year and a half before taking a boring job building firewalls. Between that and some self-study, in a few years, I was good enough to freelance and only take the gigs I want.”
“Nice. You’re a smart cookie, Maddie Mittens.”
She snickered. “If you say so.”
As Thunder galloped along, crisp, clean air whisked around them and fluttering the loose strands of hair hanging down from under Maddie’s helmet. She held tight to the reigns and closed her eyes, losing herself in the familiar sounds and smells of the wilderness. A honeysuckle, growing nearby, provided shade for squirrels as they chattered and scurried. She kept her eyes closed and did her best to ignore the noisy critters as she breathed deeply, concentrating on only scents. A fox had come through there not long ago, likely stalking rabbits. Anyone, who wanted to hunt next weekend, would find plenty of game. The corners of her mouth turned upward as she opened her eyes.
She startled, gasping and straightening her back as she realized Abram had been watching her. “Sorry, I was just checking on you, but when I saw how lost in the moment you were, I couldn’t look away.” His eyes widened as soon as the weight of his words hit him. The rosy tint lighting up his cheeks played nicely against his sea-green eyes, and the way he clenched his jaw when he got nervous showed off his chiseled features.
You’re not so hard on the eyes yourself, cowboy.
“I…um…that is to say, it’s really easy to get caught up in the atmosphere up here. That’s what I meant. It’s nice to see how much you’re enjoying it.” He offered a slight smile and nodded as if he were proud of coming up with a plausible cover story.
“It’s beautiful land. The Banks family has owned most of Horse Mountain going back as far as anyone can remember.”
“True. Supposedly, one of our ancestors was the first European to step foot on the mountain. We’re also related to the natives who were already there. The Martin’s own a bit of the property on the eastern side.”
“Who are they?”
“Distant kin, I think. Scuttlebutt is they were a branch family that split from the main clan, but I don’t know any details.”
“Oh, look over there!” She grinned and pointed. “We’ve already made it to the stream. We should let the horses rest and drink.”
“Yep.”
They steered the steeds closer to the water before dismounting. “Should we eat now?”
“We can. I packed some delicious hardtack,” he answered with a laugh.
“Mmm.” She rubbed her tummy but scrunched up her nose to show how sarcastic she was being. “I think I can do a little better.”
“Did you pack some goodies?”
Maddie didn’t answer him as she crouched on her hands and knees in front of the stream. She leaned forward with her face close to the water. Abram’s line of sight settled on her delectable bottom, raised high in the air. His cock throbbed as he imagined peeling her jeans over her hips and yanking them down her thighs. He averted his eyes. Be professional, man. This is work. He stole another peek. Geez, why is she doing that? I gotta think about something else.
He turned his attention toward Clyde and Thunder, leading them to a nearby tree before hobbling them. Taking his time, he petted Clyde’s neck and then Thunder’s muzzle, stalling as long as he could before returning. When he approached, she was still in the same vulnerable position, but her head moved right to left as if she were tracking something.
He gasped as one of her hands smacked the water and then the other followed suit in a flurry of movement. As she lifted a fish from the stream with her bare hands, he froze. “Holy shit!”
When she turned to look his way, a large grin spread across her face, exposing her teeth. “Catch.” She tossed the fish at him, and he stumbled and huffed as he struggled to catch it. “Too bad you don’t eat meat because I’m sure I could catch another.”
His jaw dropped. What the fuck? Is she seriously able to do that again? “I eat fish.”
She glanced at him. “Really?”
He shrugged. “I didn’t grow up with Gram and the rest of the carrot eaters.” He managed to subdue the fish flopping in his hands and used his knife to put it out of its misery before he brought his attention back to his amazing companion. Sure enough, within a couple of minutes, she had trained her gaze on another fish. The water splashed and made a splat sound as her hands hit, and once again she was victorious, lifting a fighting bass in the air.
“Got him.”
“How the hell did you learn to do that?”
She grinned. “My mama taught me.”
Abram rested his fingertips on his chest. “Unbelievable.”
After unpacking some equipment, he started a fire and set up a collapsible, over-the-flame grill while Maddie made quick work of cleaning the fish. As the strangle-inducing smell of smoke hit his nostrils and stung his eyes, he fanned the smolder away with one hand.
She placed the fillets over the grate. Their sizzle resonated in the air as if it belonged there with the bird’s caws and the buzzing of insects.
Abram stole a peep at her but quickly looked away. "Huh?" she asked.
"I've never seen anyone do anything like that. You're full of surprises."
She grinned. "Oh, you have no idea."
They sat in the sun, ate their fresh-caught meal and re-hydrated with water from their canteens. As they waited for the grill to cool, she picked a dandelion and closed her eyes, making a wish before blowing the fuzzy, round seed head.
“What’d you wish for?” Abram asked.
“Nothing special,” she lied. I wished you’d lose that button down shirt so I could take a gander all the tantalizing muscles and flesh your hiding, but I’ll be keeping that info to myself. With his strong chin, Roman nose, and chiseled jawline, Abram was arguably more attractive than Davis. In fact, the more she studied him, the less she saw of his happy-go-lucky cousin. Despite being gorgeous, Abram had an aura of melancholy, almost as if he was lost.
"So, does most of your family make it up here for the annual camping trip?"
She nodded. "Yeah. It's a big group, including some kids so I like to survey the terrain beforehand and look for major changes, just to head off danger. We don't want to venture up here and find out last winter's storms put something precarious in our path.
"Smart."
She grinned. "Thanks."
He held his hand half an inch over the grill’s grates. "We should be able to pack up and go now."
"Sounds good."
Once they had everything put away, Abram and Maddie saddled up again. She hopped right up, but Abram took his time, caressing the side of Clyde's head and petting his shoulders before
putting his large foot in the stirrup. "Sorry boy, I know I'm heavy."
She laughed. "Aw, how sweet. Do you two need some special alone time?
He glanced at her sideways, but when his gaze fell on her mocking expression, he smiled before breaking out into a snicker. "Don't talk trash, Miss Mittens."
She clicked her heels against Thunder's sides and the animal took off at a leisurely pace. Abram and Clyde followed behind her. As soon as they got to an area with more open space, she signaled her horse to speed up. Thunder galloped along and Maddie lost herself in the exhilaration of riding. She enjoyed the wind on her face as she squeezed her thighs to stay in the saddle.
Glancing to her right, she noticed some nearby caves. At one time or another, she'd explored most of what the Banks family lands had to offer, but she especially loved the caverns. She pulled on her horse's reigns. "Whoa."
Thunder slowed and she steered the animals toward the opening. Abram and Clyde trailed right behind her. She jumped down before hauling ass straight for the fissure in the craggy rock.
"Hold on now." Abram dismounted with haste. "Where do you think you're going?"
She pointed at the cave's mouth. "In there."
The excitement in Maddie’s eyes animated her entire face. Abram's pulse sped up as his heart did a somersault. She had to be the most adventurous women he’d ever met, wild and unbroken. Even if he could tame her, he wouldn’t—her jaunty enthusiasm turned him on, but at this rate, she was going to get him into big trouble. "No way. This is exactly the kind of danger I'm supposed to safeguard you against."
She groaned. "Don't be such a wuss."
He knitted his brow and shook his head. "I'm being responsible. I’d like nothing better than to go spelunking with you, but we don’t have the equipment or the numbers to do it safely." As she backed away from the entrance and walked toward Thunder, he breathed easier, but she didn't get back in the saddle. Instead, she reached into her pack and retrieved a flashlight before dashing to the den's entrance.