by Amelia Shea
She hooked her arm around his waist, pulling her body against his. There was no doubt he was feeling the same as her when his cock rubbed against the seam of her jeans. When she ripped her lips away from him, his heavy breath fanned over her face.
“We don’t have to go riding. We could stay here.”
He lifted his gaze to meet hers. “Promised you riding and that’s what we’re going to do.”
“You have an impressive amount of self-control.”
Jasper snorted. “It’s taking all I have not to throw you over my shoulder and take you to bed.”
She smiled and lifted her brows. “I wouldn’t object.”
Jasper snickered, leaning his face against her neck. “You’re making this hard.”
She giggled. “I know, I can feel it.’
Jasper’s body shook against her when he laughed. He wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting his head and looking into her eyes. “Let me take you riding.”
Kellie gasped slightly. She was offering up her body, and he wanted to take her riding. Some women would feel offended, and maybe she should have, but all she felt was tingling in her skin and warming in her belly. Britt’s words played over in her head. Maybe Jasper did want more from her than just one night. No, no she couldn’t think like that. Hoping and thinking there would be more than a night or two would break her heart. It’s casual, remember?
He unwrapped his arms from her waist but held onto her hand. “Come on, looking forward to seeing your riding skills.”
Kellie snorted. “Well, don’t expect too much, I’m a beginner, remember? I hope you’re not expecting to be impressed.”
Jasper glanced over his shoulder, and the corner of his mouth lifted. “I’m already impressed, Kellie.”
Her face heated. Where the hell was all the confidence from a minute ago? One compliment and she was back to shaky hands and butterflies.
She followed him out the door, locking up behind. He didn’t say much as they made their way to his truck. She couldn’t hold back her smile when he reached for her door. Chivalry was not dead. She hadn’t been on a date where the man actually opened the car door in forever. He stood back with the door open as she made her way inside. Before he closed the door, he reached in, brushing her hair away from her neck.
“Your mom’s creation?”
His words seemed minced and rendered her incoherent. The feel of his fingers brushing against her neck sent chills down her spine. His eyes sparkled, and the corner of his mouth cocked up. “The earrings.”
Her face blazed. Her hand reached up and bumped up against his. “Yeah.”
“They suit you.” Jasper stepped back with a smile and closed the door. All she could do was watch him as he rounded the front and got into the truck. This man was full of compliments, something she wasn’t used to.
The ride to the ranch seemed longer than usual. In all her time over stressing about the date, not once did she wonder what they’d talk about. This is where her dating experience would not come in handy. She was used to the chatter of the bar and making small talk with customers. The silence was too much.
“You like working the ranch?”
He made a left off Main Street and nodded. “Love it. How ’bout you, you like working at the bar?”
“It pays my bills.”
“But you don’t enjoy it?”
“No, I do. Can’t do it forever though. Well, God, I hope I’m not doing it forever.” She laughed, looking out the window. The thought of waitressing on her feet for eight hours a day in twenty-five years was grim.
“What do you want to do?”
Kellie jerked her head to him. “What do you mean?”
He glanced over. “If you could do anything, what would you want to do?”
“Umm…” Kellie squirmed in her seat. It was never about what she wanted to do but more of what she could do. Cloves County was small and not very lucrative for anyone other than those who owned ranches. “I don’t know. Never gave much thought to it.”
She drew in a breath and held it. How unappealing. A girl with no ambition in life other than to pay her bills. She was failing at this date. In bed, she had no doubt they’d be compatible. Her passion for him alone would seal it. She had never given much thought to trying to impress others. She was who she was, like it or not. But with Jasper, she really wanted him to like her. She bit her lip. Self-doubt on her own worth was heart-wrenching.
Kellie watched Britt’s ranch, Whisper Point, as they passed by. She could see her truck in front of the small house. If anyone had ambition, it was her. Taking on the ranch instead of taking the money and living comfortably, Britt was the poster girl for ambitious, and she’d pulled it off.
Jasper turned into his driveway, and the truck rumbled down the dirt road. As they approached the house, she saw his mother out front talking with what looked like a ranch hand. Mrs. Fords had always been cordial to Kellie. She was especially kind when she was younger. There hadn’t been too many recent run-ins to speak of.
His mother turned her head, staring at the truck as they passed by. She smiled and waved. She assumed it was meant for Jasper, but she was looking right at Kellie. She gave a short wave then turned to Jasper, who was bringing his hand down.
“Does your mom know I’m coming to go riding?”
Jasper chuckled. “She does now.” He parked near the barn. She half expected him to park at his house and bring the horses up there. It was obvious he wasn’t hiding her presence. He got out, and when she exited the truck, he was grasping the door wider.
“You ready?”
She looked around. A few ranch hands had stopped and seemed to take an interest in them. She was used to people staring and whispering, but she was out of her element at the ranch. If she gave much thought as to what they were thinking, she might just flee and hitchhike home.
Jasper grabbed her hand, leading her toward the barn. Her mind was no longer on the stares but on her hand clasped in his. The calluses on his palm rubbed against her in a caress. For all the touching she’d done on her dates, hand holding was rare. Without realizing what she was doing, she tightened her grip. That caught Jasper’s attention.
“Am I holding you too tight?”
“No. I kinda like the hand holding thing.”
His lips twitched as he led her to the ring closest to the barn.
She watched him take out one horse, tie it to the column near the door, and then the next. The second horse was white with large brown spots.
“She’s beautiful.”
“He,” Jasper corrected with a smirk.
“He’s too pretty to be a boy.”
Jasper belted out a laugh. “My mom says the same thing.”
She inched toward the horse and reached out to pet his mane. “Is this one mine?”
“Ollie is all yours.” He led them out and saddled the horses, all the while she patted Ollie and watched Jasper move around the horses. Some women loved the built, overly muscular man, but Kellie had full appreciation for the defined muscles a man could only get from hard labor. His biceps bulged from beneath the hem of his sleeve. He bent over to grip the saddle, and she zoned in on his ass. God, he was perfect.
“You ready?”
She drew in a breath and nodded. You can do this. Jasper stood next to Ollie, waiting patiently.
“You’re gonna put your foot in here.” He grasped the stirrup. “Then clutch your hands on the saddle and pull your other leg up and over.”
“O-okay.” This wasn’t anything new. Brit had showed her, and she’d done it on her own. However, Ollie was taller than any other horse she’d been on, and with Jasper watching her every move, her anxiety was at an all-time high.
She placed her foot in the stirrup and gripped the saddle. One, two, three… She pulled up, but her nerves had her shaky and falling back a bit. Hands gripped her waist and pushed slightly while she tossed her leg over and sat up straight. She released the deep breath she’d been holding and glanced dow
n at Jasper.
“Thanks.”
He shrugged. “Welcome.”
He mounted his horse like a pro, of course. She followed behind Jasper down past the barn and through the field. The tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. People were watching. She figured it was the ranch hands who had been scattered near the barn. She didn’t dare glance over, though. Feeling the stares and actually confirming were two different things.
Once they got past the field, the incline was more than she expected and definitely beyond her scope of experience. She took a deep breath as Ollie trailed behind Jasper. Instinctively, she pulled on his reins as she felt her body lean back. The horse halted, leaving her in the most awkward and presumably unsafe position.
Jasper glanced back and stopped his own horse.
“You okay?”
She gulped. There was no faking when it came to fear. “Britt never took me up mountains.”
The corner of his lip curled. “I wouldn’t call this a mountain, darlin’. In comparison to what’s coming, this is more like a bunny hill.”
She could feel the blood drain from her face. “Oh.” She glanced past his shoulder at the hill. How the hell was she going to do this? She bit her lip.
Jasper turned his horse and came parallel next to her. “You got to trust Ollie, he’s not gonna let you fall.” He reached over to her wrist, stroking her beating pulse. “Hold firm and steady on the reins but give it some slack. When you’re feeling unsure, gently pull back. He’ll take your lead and slow down for you.”
“I’m not used to putting my life in someone else’s hands. Especially when that someone is a horse.”
Jasper squinted, and his soft chuckle made her smile. “Well, Ollie’s got ya, you can trust him. He’s real tame and not considered one of our daredevils. I think he likes you too.”
“He likes me?”
“Animals are smart, they can sense good people. He’ll be really careful with you.”
“All right.”
Jasper released her hand and turned his horse, starting up the hill again. She drew in a breath and cocked her heel into Ollie. Jasper was right. Ollie took her lead, almost sensing he had to be easy with her. She tensed as the hill got steep. Once the horse breached the top, she sighed in relief. The most prideful moments came from overcoming a fear. Kellie didn’t even try to hide her grin.
She turned to Jasper on her left to find him staring at her. “I did it.”
Jasper smiled back and nodded. “Yes, you did.”
They had been riding for over an hour. Her legs were getting sore, but there was no way she was mentioning it to Jasper. He took it slow and constantly complimented her on her riding. He was being kind. She was far from knowing exactly what she was doing. Every once in while Ollie would start to trot, and her fear rose. The last thing she needed was to be bucked off the horse.
They came to the small creek at the west end. They got off the horses, and Jasper pulled out a blanket from his saddle. All she could do was watch. The view was spectacular. This was why she never wanted to leave Montana.
“It must be amazing to always have this view, huh?” Kellie turned back from the ridge. Jasper had laid out the blanket and a cooler bag. He smiled and looked beyond her off into the view.
“Probably take it for granted, getting to see it every day, but yeah, it’s pretty amazing.” He sat on the blanket as she made her way back to him. The nerves she’d felt earlier had simmered down. She half expected to be on edge the whole day, but being with him was more comfortable than she could have predicted.
“Thanks for bringing me here.”
Jasper shifted and glanced over his shoulder. “Thanks for coming.”
She sat on the blanket and unwrapped the sandwich he’d handed to her. Kellie couldn’t remember if she’d ever been on a picnic. Such a small thing. Not exactly something a person puts on their bucket list but sitting there with him? Check that one off.
“Did you always want to be a rancher?”
Jasper shrugged, taking a bite of his sandwich. “Never given much of a choice, my path was set from birth. Same as Grey.”
“And Tripp?”
Jasper raised his brows. “Some of us were more inclined to accept our fate than others.”
“So, you’ve never wanted to leave, do something else?”
Jasper looked out, off the ridge. “Not really. Maybe when I was younger, seeing everyone go off to college, moving outta Montana, it might have crossed my mind, but this is where I belong. Some stayed because they felt they were trapped. I can’t imagine not being here, seeing this view every day, breathing the air.” He glanced over his shoulder.
“What’s the smile for?” She hadn’t even realized she was smiling until he said something. Just hearing how he talked about a place she loved so much made her giddy and happy.
“Just like hearing you talk.”
“Yeah?”
Kellie nodded. “So, what’s your plan for the future then?” She narrowed her eyes and smirked. “I’m sure you’ve got it all figured out.”
“Not really. I thought I had at one time but now, just not sure.”
She knew the reference was to Abby without muttering her name. Kellie hadn’t spent any time wondering what her end goal would look like in life.
“I think planning is overrated.”
“Why is that?”
Kellie shrugged and lifted her sandwich. “Surprises are good. They keep you on your toes. Doesn’t it excite you to know you have no idea what your future holds? Think of the possibilities.”
Jasper chuckled. “Never thought about it like that.”
Kellie liked his laugh but even more so his smile. Knowing she was the one who put it there had her heart swelling in her chest. She bit into her sandwich and turned her attention to the ridge.
∙•∙
They sat on the blanket side by side in silence. She knocked her bent knees into him, and he glanced over.
“Is this where you bring all the girls, Jasper?” Kellie’s teasing was refreshing.
He chuckled. “All the girls? You make it sound like I have some kind of harem.”
“You could if you wanted it, I’m sure.” Kellie winked.
The corner of his mouth curled, and he looked down at their feet. “Not interested in a harem.”
She leaned in close to his ear. “What are you interested in then?”
Jasper cocked his head, leaving only inches separating their lips. “You.”
Her smile faltered, and her eyes widened. He’d definitely caught her off guard with his answer. The lump in her throat bobbed, and the faint sound of her gulping rang through his ears. He didn’t know Kellie well, but if he had to guess, she was searching for a retort which was not coming to her as quickly as she would have liked. She pulled back, leaning on her hands by her ass. “Well, I keep inviting you in, but you respectfully decline.” She was teasing him again and throwing playfulness where he didn’t want it.
“’Cause I respect you.”
“I know you do.” Her tone was low, and her green eyes had softened. He was sure she hadn’t heard that from many men in her life, but it was the truth. And so was his next statement.
“But I don’t share, Kellie.”
Her serene face fell, and her eyebrows furrowed. It wasn’t often he’d seen her mad, but he was getting a glimpse now. Shit. Before he had a chance to amend it or explain what he’d meant, her cheeks blazed and her lips twitched.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” She charged up from the blanket and turned around to face him, fire blazing in her eyes. He knew she was capable of anger, he’d just never had it directed toward him. He obviously, unintentionally hit a nerve. After Abby, he hadn’t been involved with anyone exclusively. With Kellie, he wanted her to know where he stood. If they were going to be together, there would be no one else. He was guarding his heart from repeating the past. From the glare aimed at him, she’d misread what he meant. He needed to ex
plain before this thing with Kellie ended before it really even got started.
“Just mean if you’re with me, then it’s just me.”
Her nostrils flared, and her eyes narrowed. “And you feel the need to tell me this, why? Oh, that’s right, ’cause I’m a slut who sleeps with everyone. Is that what you think?”
Jasper shot up from the blanket and stalked over to her. He was fuming mad. He didn’t say that, and it wasn’t his intention. His own rage rivaled hers.
“Of course not. I’d say it to any woman I wanted to be with, and God dammit, you refer to yourself as a slut one more time…”
Kellie snorted, still reeling with fury. She folded her arms and cocked out her hip. “What?” She sneered. “What are you gonna do?” He recognized her attitude. He’d seen it once or twice before when she had to handle an unruly patron at the bar.
Jasper understood her snarky tone; she was on the defense. But it pissed him off, her referring to herself that way. It certainly wasn’t what he meant or what he thought.
“I’m gonna take you over my knee and slap your ass red, ya hear me?”
Kellie flinched, obviously surprised at his outburst. It appeared to be the last thing she expected to come out of his mouth. She regained her composure and her anger.
She smirked. “Won’t be a punishment, Jasper. I like my ass slapped.” Kellie raised an eyebrow in challenge. Was she trying to push him? If he had to guess from her stance and tone, he’d say yes.
He growled, getting into her space. “Then I’ll have to be more creative and come up with something else.”
“Well, don’t bother with hair pulling ’cause I like that, too. Actually, while I get my ass spanked.” Her brow cocked up.
Jasper clamped his lips shut. Damn this woman. The last thing he needed was a visual in his head of taking her from behind, her gorgeous ass against his hand while the other tugged a grip on her soft hair. The stretching of his cock against his zipper had him gritting his teeth.
He growled. “You testing me or teasing me?”
Her lower lip jutted out, and she stared at him, searching his face for something. He noticed her arms relax slightly.
“Guess you’ll just have to wait and find out. How patient are you, Jasper?”