“She said she’s going to spend the day at the house.” I sighed as I raised my arms out to my sides and shrugged my shoulders. “She might change her mind and join us again later, but I think it’s just you and me today.”
A slow grin lifted only the corners of his lips. “Suits me just fine. Do you think she’s ready to ride into her wedding after only one day, though?”
“I don’t know. Probably not, but she wouldn’t budge this morning.” I rolled my head back and glanced up at the clear blue sky, so soft and gorgeous at this time of the morning. “I wish she could see what she’s missing out on. Maybe that would’ve convinced her.”
Taking two long strides closer to me, he reached out and put his hand on my forearm. “It’s not your responsibility to get her out here. You came with her for the weekend. If she decides against riding again, then that’s fine. We can go out and come back to get her if she ends up changing her mind.”
I nodded, supremely aware of the heat of his hand on my skin. When he withdrew it after only that one brief reassuring touch, I wished he’d bring it back but he didn’t. Obviously, because he hasn’t suddenly turned into a giant ball of lust.
“Sounds good,” I said. “Can I help you get Molly ready?”
“Ashton’s already groomed her and her saddle and bridle are ready and waiting. Nairobi’s all tacked up. Let’s go get Molly. Then we can go.”
The golden mare—apparently technically called a palomino—was hooked to a fencepost by her halter. She lifted her head when she saw me and I knew it was impossible, but I liked to think she looked happy to see me.
I walked up to her without hesitation, offering her my hand for a sniff first before dragging my fingers along her neck. “Hey, girl, did you miss me? I sure missed you.”
She turned her head and bumped my lower back with her nose. I laughed before glancing up at Harrison. “Is that a yes? Did she miss me? It feels like she’s hugging me.”
His hazel eyes were warm on mine, but there was something in them that looked a lot like awe. “Has anyone ever told you that you have a real way with animals? Molly is always a sweetheart, but she doesn’t nuzzle just anyone like that.”
My answering grin nearly split my face in two. “Yeah? Well, I like her too. What do we do first?”
Harrison took me through the same steps from the day before, but he let me do them this time instead of doing it for me. It took almost no time at all before I watched from Molly’s back as he swung one muscular, powerful leg over Nairobi’s, and then we were off.
“We’re going to take a different trail today,” he said as we headed away from the barn. “It’s also flat, but it leads to one of the dams. Horses love swimming, so we might let them get their feet wet if they feel like it.”
“What?” My eyes widened, and not even the rhythmic sway of Molly’s footsteps beneath me could calm my suddenly racing heart. “We’re not going swimming with them, are we?”
“Where’s your sense of adventure?” he asked with laughter in his voice until he glanced over and saw the expression on my face. “Relax, we’re not going swimming with them. When I said let them get their feet wet, that’s all I meant. They might want to walk through the water a bit to cool down.”
“Oh.” I breathed out and then chuckled at myself. “Sorry. Swimming with them might actually be kind of cool. I just wasn’t expecting it. Next time, give me a heads-up and I’ll bring a suit.”
He shrugged and there was a wicked gleam that came into his eyes, but he didn’t let me in on where his mind had wandered to. Instead, he pointed out several natural landmarks they used to guide them. An outcropping of rocks, a broken tree, and a mountain peak a ways away all formed part of what they looked for when they’d ventured off a trail.
Eventually, we started talking about ourselves again, getting to know each other more. He held Nairobi’s reins in one hand, his body rocking with the horse’s movement as his eyes caught mine.
“How do you like the world of stock-brokering so far?” he asked. “It’s kind of difficult for me to imagine someone who enjoys the outdoors so much doing something like that for a living.”
“I didn’t know how much I liked the outdoors until yesterday. If you asked me before, I’d have said it sounded too sweaty and buggy. I enjoy my job, though. I’m still learning, but it’s going well. What about you? Do you enjoy working here?”
“I love it.” He cast his gaze to our surroundings, drinking in the magnificence of the mountains in the distance while he spoke. “There’s nothing like it. The city feels stifling to me now. I still have business interests there, but I try not to stay any longer than I have to.”
“Yeah? What kind of business interests?”
He shrugged his broad shoulders, pausing for a beat before he replied. “Before I found this place, I founded a company in the financial services industry that’s still up and running. I oversee the operations, but my heart is here now.”
“Really? Don’t take this the wrong way, but I can’t imagine you in financial services.” I took advantage of the fact that he was still looking out ahead of us to really look at him, trying to mentally replace his washed-out jeans and fitted T-shirt—white again—with a suit and tie.
No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t do it. His boots were made of brown leather and were scuffed instead of polished. One of his hands rested on his thigh while the other still held the reins, but even a quick glance at his fingers revealed they weren’t kept and polished like so many guys I knew in the city.
He interrupted my ogling when he suddenly turned his head and brought his gaze back to mine. “I won’t take it the wrong way. I’ve seen me in that industry, and when I’m out here, I can’t imagine it either. Then again, I also can’t really imagine you as a stockbroker. I guess that’s what this place does to a person, though. It allows your soul to get some rest and all the bullshit to fade away.”
“I like that.” I smiled. “I also agree with it. I’ve only been here for a day and I already feel more relaxed than I have in a long time.”
Harrison and I kept talking while we rode, until eventually, it was time to turn back. When the stable appeared between the trees, he turned to look at me again. “We usually have a big cookout for our clients on their last night here. Do you think your sister would be interested in that for dinner?”
“If not, it can just be the two of us again,” I said. “I hope she’ll want to leave the house by now, but I’m just not sure.”
My earlier frustration with her resurfaced when I got back to the house. She was pacing in the lounge, her hair twisted into an elegant knot behind her head and her phone glued to her ear. When she saw me walk in, she mouthed, “It’s my wedding planner,” and then kept right on weighing menu options.
I sighed, shaking my head as I headed for my bedroom to grab a shower.
So much for bonding with my sister.
11
HARRISON
Usually, we had the cookouts at a firepit Ashton and I had built outside of the main house. Since Keira had let me know that Hailey had decided to rest again, I’d told her to come to my place for some grub.
I had the grill out back fired up, cold beers in a bucket on the table outside, and I was just laying down the steaks on the sizzling grate when I heard her voice behind me.
“I love the smell of barbecue. There’s nothing that says it’s a weekend afternoon quite like that smell.”
“I’m glad to hear it. I forgot to ask if you even eat meat.” When I glanced at her over my shoulder, my hand froze with the next steak still hovering a few inches above the grill.
So far, I’d only seen her with her hair up and mostly with that cap on her head. Tonight, however, her hair was down and hanging in shiny, dark waves to her waist. It framed her face, contrasting with the pale, porcelain smoothness of her skin.
While she hadn’t picked up much of a tan in just two days, her cheeks were rosier than before, making her look like she had a
glow about her. Her deep brown eyes were crinkled at the corners as she laughed, her hair shifting on her shoulders from the slight shake she gave her head.
“You definitely don’t have to worry about that. I’m a carnivore. I’d eat steak every day of the week if I had a choice.”
Fighting to keep my eyes on hers instead of letting them dip to her chest, I finally placed the last steak down and took a step away from the flames. “I’m the same. Chicken should count as a side-salad. I’ve been told meat-and-potatoes people are boring, but if you ask me, that’s all I need to survive.”
She moved to the table and motioned toward the beers. “Can I open one of these for you?”
“Sure. I didn’t want to crack one open before you got here.” I wiped my hands on the apron hanging around my neck, then untied it and set it down on the table. “Have a seat. I’m assuming Hailey didn’t change her mind after all?”
As she lowered herself down onto the wooden bench, I couldn’t take it anymore. I allowed my gaze to drop for just a fraction of second. The shirt she had on was more revealing than any of the ones I’d seen her in before, and I swore my mouth went dry at the sight of her cleavage. Her neckline didn’t dip scandalously low, but it did display the tops of her breasts very fucking well.
Her shoulders were bare, her straps only two black pieces of fabric I’d probably have been able to tear off with my hands, given the opportunity. A small metal tab on her side let me know that the shirt had a zipper, which meant it would be even easier to get it off her.
Images of what she might be wearing underneath it flooded my brain for a moment, and I was halfway hard before she even handed over my beer. Fuck me, I’m going to sleep with blue balls tonight for sure.
“So,” she said as she popped the top off a beer for herself. “What’s it like working for Ashton? He seems like he can be quite the character.”
Or maybe not, since there was nothing sexy about Ashton. But I supposed it was a good thing that I wouldn’t be turned on while I was supposed to cooking steaks.
It was the perfect opportunity to set her straight about the incorrect assumption they’d made that the place belonged to him, but I didn’t want to. I really liked the way she talked to me like I was just another guy. She didn’t seem to care about status or money, or at least, she didn’t seem to mind that I had neither.
As far as she knew.
Since she was only going to be here for one more night anyway, it didn’t really matter who she thought owned the place. Plus, I enjoyed being treated normally for a change. Selfishly, I wanted to indulge while I could.
I decided to just go with it. “Ashton’s a character, but he’s also a good guy. Underneath the rough exterior and the gruff personality, there’s an old softie.”
“I had a feeling it might be something like that,” she said, smiling. “It always seems to be the people you expect it from the least who end up being the best. He handled Hailey really well, for starters. I don’t know if she’d ever have gotten up on that horse after struggling at first if it hadn’t been for him.”
“If there’s anything he excels at, it’s giving people the kick in the backside they need,” I said. “He lets the softer side out sometimes, though. If he’d thought she needed a gentler hand, he wouldn’t have barked at her like that.”
“She responds well to a challenge—usually,” she said, then cocked her head thoughtfully. “I suppose that’s one thing we have in common. What’s it like working with him?”
“There must be some hardasses where you work too,” I said. “Probably about the same.”
She chuckled. “There are, but I don’t work for any of them the way you do for him. My direct supervisor and mentor is great. Strict and firm, but we have a good relationship and I’m learning a lot from him.”
I flipped the steaks. “My relationship with Ashton is kind of similar. He’s been working this farm for a long time, and he’s very set in his ways.” I sighed softly as I thought back to when I’d first met him. “His wife passed away three years ago, and he’s become a lot more closed off since. Those two were so in love, even after thirty-five years of marriage.”
She rested back with her palm braced on the bench she was sitting on, genuine sadness clouding her eyes. “I can’t even imagine losing someone after loving them for so many years. It’s got to be the most difficult thing in the world to try carrying on after something like that.”
“Yeah, it’s been tough on him,” I said as I checked the steaks, then leaned my hip against the serving table beside the grill when I realized they needed a few more minutes. “He’s always been salty, but it got a lot worse after she passed. At first, he wouldn’t even speak to anyone except me and a few of the other workers here.”
Sympathy crinkled her brow as she thinned her lips. “I’ve heard grief can do that. Make a person retreat so far into themselves that some never come out again. Thank God, I’ve never experienced anything like that myself, but I’m glad he had you here to be there for him.”
“I tried my best, but I’ve never experienced grief like that either, so I don’t know how much it actually helped.” I pushed away from the side table. “On a less depressing topic, tell me about the other places that are on your bucket list.”
“There are so many, I don’t even know where to begin. I like the idea of exploring locally first before going overseas, but I’d definitely like to see places like Vietnam and Fiji.”
“Beach destinations rank at the top then, huh?” I laughed, turning the steaks when it was time. “I’m not much of a fan of sand myself, but I’ve heard those places have a lot more going for them than just the beach.”
“I love the food and the culture of both places,” she said, then explained in detail what she’d heard and read up about it all.
When the steaks were done, we left them on a board outside to rest while we headed to the kitchen to grab the salad and baked potatoes I’d made before. She helped me carry the food and the plates out, and we drank more beer while we ate.
There were no awkward silences between us, even if not every moment was filled with words. After dinner, she turned to face me after we’d loaded the dishes into the dishwasher.
“Is it okay if I stay for another little while? Hailey is probably still on the phone and I’m having fun with you.”
My gaze locked on hers when I glanced down, and the moment suddenly morphed into something else. Something heavier and much more primal.
It was like it had suddenly dawned on both of us the sun had set, it was completely dark outside, and it was just the two of us there. We were completely alone, as we had been all day and pretty much even since they’d arrived, but this was different.
Her lips parted and the movement drew my eyes down, away from the swirling browns of her eyes, until they reached her mouth. As I watched, her tongue came out to swipe across them, and when my gaze darted back up to hers, she gave me the tiniest of nods.
That was all it took for me to hand control over to my instincts. One of my arms shot up and wound around her waist, tugging her forward until her chest was flush against mine. The other hand went to the side of her neck, my thumb on her jaw and my fingers at her nape.
When I dipped my head down to slant my mouth over hers, she dropped hers back to give me better access. Her arms looped around my neck, and she pushed herself up on her toes to deepen the kiss.
Her lips might’ve been on my mouth, but they might’ve been on my cock for the way it reacted under the soft press of her lips moving with mine. It jumped to attention, digging into the zipper on my jeans as if it were trying to leave an imprint on itself for good.
Keira moaned into my mouth when my tongue found hers, and that was when I realized that even though this had started as an impulsive kiss, it wasn’t going to end as one. If she sounded that good when all I was doing was kissing her, then I had to find out what she sounded like when she came.
12
KEIRA
H
arrison kissed the way I’d always thought men were supposed to kiss. With certainty and meaning. Leaving me with no doubt in my mind that he wanted me and he wanted me now. There were none of those fumbling touches or unsure presses of lips or tongues that left a lot of room for interpretation.
In fact, from the second he’d looked down at me when I’d asked him if I could stay, I’d known exactly what he wanted. The intention had formed in his eyes, and a shiver of anticipation had run down my spine.
It had been that perfect electric moment before a kiss. The one when the guy glanced down at a girl’s mouth and she just knew.
When his gaze had lifted back to mine, I’d seen that all he was waiting for was my consent. As soon as I’d given it, there had been no holding back.
He’d stepped into me even as he pulled me closer, and there was no hesitation in the way he touched me. No hesitation in the way he kissed me.
It was something, being kissed like this. Something that I really, really liked.
Harrison seemed to be liking it too, if the bulge pressing up against me was anything to go by. As for me, I was more turned on than I’d been in a very long time. My nipples were trying to poke holes through my bra, my clit was doing its best interpretation of a homing beacon, and my panties were as good as drenched.
A moan escaped me as I pressed my body closer to his. His grip on me tightened, and the next thing I knew, we were on the move. My back slammed into the kitchen counter, but his hand was there to shield me from getting hurt.
His kisses grew harder. Hungrier. My hands skated up his strong arms until my fingers brushed his hair, and I wound them into it, tugging as I tried to get as close to him as I possibly could.
The noises he was making had been maddening all along, but as I tugged at his hair, there was a growling sound that rumbled from the back of his throat, and my knees went weak. He caught me with the arm still around my waist, but his other hand crept down and closed over the back of my thigh.
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