It’s glaringly apparent that Audria doesn’t share the same level of eagerness. Her boots tapping a staccato beat into the dirt. She fidgets until her fingers resemble a complicated tangle, only to undo the mess and start again. Her fear smells worse than the paddock manure.
A shuddering exhale wheezes from her lips. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”
Her jittery tone makes me frown, the expression extra droopy. This is meant to be exhilarating. From what I see, Audria might prefer another shot at the haunted house. I’ll never force her, but quitting isn’t in my vocabulary.
After pasting on a smile, I cinch an arm around her shoulders. “Trigger is the best of the herd. He’ll treat you right.”
The palomino gelding stomps his foot. Impatient, maybe? I’d be in a hurry to get this fine filly on my back too.
Her throat trembles with a thick swallow. “Trigger? He sounds like a death trap.”
“It’s all a front. He’s a total dud.”
The horse swings his head to glare at me.
“Don’t make him angry,” she mutters. “Remember what happened with Sprout?”
At this rate, I’ll never redeem myself. That damn heifer is ruining all my fun. “Don’t you want adventure, babe?”
“Of course.” The helmet on her head bobbles as she nods.
I pat the horse’s golden neck. “He’s safer than a rollercoaster. Consider this a free thrill with minimal danger.”
Audria appears unconvinced. “Sounds like a roll in the hayloft will provide the same benefits. I love a good time just the same as any gal, farmer. Do we have a deal?”
I squint at her, the persuasive offer simmering in my gut. “We can do both.”
A noise of protest squeaks from her. “You’re a very stubborn man, and trust is a fickle thing. I have serious regrets about placing mine within your grasp.”
I clutch my chest. “Don’t lose faith, babe. He’s not gonna hurt you. This bag of bones is dead broke.”
Audria blinks at me. “Is that supposed to reassure me?”
“It means he’s trained very well. The kids get on him in the pasture without a halter or bridle.”
“Good for those little daredevils,” she mutters.
“Just sit on him. You don’t have to move.”
“That seems like a trick.”
I hold up a palm. “Scout’s honor.”
She purses her lips. “Were you even in the Scouts?”
“No,” I admit.
Audria sputters. “Then you can’t use that.”
I wave her off. “Focus, babe. He’s all tacked up and ready to rumble. I’ve taken him for several spins around the arena. It didn’t look scary, right?”
“No,” she grumbles. “You’re a hotter cowboy than Scott Eastwood.”
I cock my head to the side. “Huh?”
“Never mind.” She worries her bottom lip between her teeth. With a flat palm, she strokes Trigger’s velvet muzzle. “How about I give him more treats? He really liked that.”
“You’ll spoil him.”
“Shouldn’t he be for being such a good boy?” she coos at the gelding.
I grunt. “You can feed him after we’re done. You have nothing to be afraid of. I plan on keeping you around for at least a little longer. No sense sending you to an early grave.”
Audria skewers me with a glare. “Not funny.”
I tug her into me, smashing our mouths together before she can utter another protest. She’s rigid in my hold for a mere second, collapsing against me with a moan in the next. Shoving with my hips, I pin her against the barn.
Our tongues thrash in a battle of passion as we grope and caress one another. An inferno pumps fiery smoke throughout every inch of me, making it impossible to recognize anything aside from my want for this woman. I grind my cock into her, erasing any doubt about how she affects me. She whimpers, thrusting against me for more. A lazy rotation of my groin adds the friction we’re chasing.
Audria loops her arms around me, eliminating any space between us. My palms drift to her ass and give a possessive squeeze. The heat billows and expands around us until we’re succumbing to the fire. She claws at my shoulders, scoring along the sensitive flesh before ripping at my hair. I bite her bottom lip with a growl, feeling more animal than man in this moment. It’s too damn much. Her eyes are glossy when I slowly pull away.
“What was that for?” she asks.
I wipe the corner of her mouth. “Aside from the obvious? A well-deserved distraction.”
She mumbles incoherently, leaning in for another kiss. “It worked like a charm. I’m feeling much better.”
“About riding a horse?”
Audria steels her spine in an instant. “I almost forgot about that.”
“Are you dick-struck?”
Her hand cups me through my jeans. “Not a chance. It seems you’re the one with a big problem.”
I clench my jaw so hard that a muscle pops. Sneaking off to a secluded corner is tempting, but the risk of getting caught by my niece deflates that fantasy in an instant. We will have plenty of hours left in the night when we’re far away from potential onlookers.
With a silent curse, I step out of her clutches. “All joking aside, horseback riding is perfectly safe.”
She rests her forehead against mine. “I blame myself for this. If I’d let you finish explaining about my roping lesson before blabbering incoherently, we’d probably be eating dinner in a perfectly safe environment, or having sex. Either way, I wouldn’t be one step away from mounting a freaking horse. I sabotaged myself, but let’s be honest. Two never-ever dates in one afternoon? That’s a tad excessive. We can totally skip this.”
She’s been spinning versions of this same excuse for the last hour. I give another slow shake of my head. “You’ll be fine, babe.”
“This wasn’t on your original agenda. You can just as easily cross it off the list.”
“Where’s the excitement in that?”
She sighs, long and low. “You’re right. I’m being a whiner.”
“Wiener?”
“You wish, big guy. I’m only capable of handling one monstrous male at a time. This dude requires all of my concentration.” She rakes her fingers through his forelock.
Suddenly Trigger is my competition? That just won’t do. I clap my
