Asha King (9 page)

“Please.”

“Please?”

His eyes never left hers, not for a moment, watching her pant and writhe, taking in her sudden groan when his mouth captured her left nipple and sucked hard.

“Please...” She arched, cried out. “Please...I need you. Lick me, finger me, fuck me—I don’t care what, I just need you to touch me.”

“You’re impatient, princess.”

“This surprises you?”

He moved up her body, this time so their noses touched. “Not particularly.” He dipped his face down to give her a sudden hot kiss, swallowing her moan. The kiss melted her bones, blasting her body with endorphins. His cock was thick and hard, apparent through his jeans and pressed right into the apex of her thighs. She almost rescinded what she’d said and begged him to fuck her then and there, when he skimmed down her body and pulled down her panties in one swift movement, and gave her clit a firm lick.

Her whole body trembled at the contact. His tongue moved lower, parting her yearning folds. Her hips moved of their own accord, rising to meet his mouth again. She felt his fingers there, circling her, then one thrust forward, easily sliding inside her. It moved out and then in again, joined by a second.

Oh, but she wanted more. She wanted the full length of him, sheathed in her, bringing her to the brink. “I changed my mind,” she whispered. “Take off your pants. Please—”

But his fingers continued pumping a steady rhythm. “No condoms and I didn’t have time to run to the store today.”

That didn’t make a lick of sense, him not being prepared, but she didn’t question it—was far too busy to wonder.

“So unless you...?”

Coming to a quarter horse farm with a box of Trojans wasn’t something that had occurred to her, so she shook her head.

“I’ll have to keep you otherwise engaged, then.” He gave her clit another rough lick, following the rhythm of his fingers, as she moved urgently against him.

Just as the tidal wave in her built, he backed off, slowing his thrusting and releasing her clit until she came down with a ragged, shuddering breath. He gave her a moment of frustrated whines and tugs on the tie before he started up again.

She dug her heels into the bed. “Don’t stop,” she gasped.

And this time he didn’t. His tongue flicked firmly over her clit, fingers thrusting and filling her, driving her harder, faster, closer to the edge. She took a huge, sudden breath, back arching from the bed, and cried out as waves of pleasure crashed through her. Her pussy squeezed at his fingers, contracting as her orgasm went on and on in extended bliss.

Eventually she went still and he eased back, trailing kisses along her inner thighs. Sweat beaded on her forehead, between her breasts. She panted hard, willing her heart to slow, though it was a struggle. Delightful warmth ran through her and she let out a contented sigh.

Adam climbed up the bed, stretching out with her, and reached for the tie. A jerk of the loop and it fell open, releasing her.

She eyed the former knot as she shucked off the straps of her bra, lowered her arms, and rubbed at her wrists. “Tie up a lot of girls?”

“Horses. Knots are multipurpose.” His arm came around her and she sank into him, pressing their naked chests together. Her lips found his in another searing, fierce kiss.

“So that seemed less like a prize for you than it was a prize for me,” Dani said as she settled against him.

“Then you don’t know much about men, honey.”

“I’ll have you know, I worked in a sex shop for a few months before I was fired for punching someone—”

“Why am I not surprised you punched someone?”

“He was sexually harassing me. Anyway, the point is, I know plenty.”

“Then at least not this one.”

That was true. In fact, as a blush rolled up her cheeks, she realized she was in a rather compromising position with a man she didn’t know well at all. She knew his character, yes—or felt that she did. But the details of his life? None at all.

Like who the woman in the picture on the dresser was.

She thrust those questions from her mind and focused on the body next to hers, warm and likely quite still aroused himself. “Even if that
was
your prize,” her hand drifted over his chest, his abs, and lingered at the button of his jeans, “surely there’s something else you have in mind.”

He groaned when her fingers moved down, molding over his thick erection. A happy thrill went through her at his reaction. Adam’s mouth found hers, pulling her into another kiss, and fresh heat rushed through her naked body at the contact.

There was a sudden loud knock on the door. “Adam?”

Dani’s heart leapt into her throat. They broke apart to look at the door, but it was locked and Dewey didn’t intrude.

Adam sighed and flopped back at on the bed, his hand thrown over his eyes. “What?”

“Um...” The floor creaked just outside the door. “Gus was looking for you. Angela sent over the schedule for camp tomorrow and the list of participants, and he wants you to double check the horse equipment for tomorrow. And he needs to talk to Dani—have you seen her?”

Because she had a slightly sadistic streak in her, Dani leaned forward and pressed her lips to his nipple, her tongue darting out to flick across the tip.

A groan he tried to suppress rumbled his chest and she grinned at his scolding look.

“She was talking to Carlee earlier—the hell if I know. I was taking a nap—tell Gus I’ll be there in a bit.”

“Okey-dokey,” Dewey muttered and moments later the stairs creaked with his retreat.

Adam immediately rolled her on her back, pinning her beneath him, and gazed down into her eyes. “That wasn’t funny.”

“It was a little bit funny.”

Sunday

NEW POST: Draft Mode

Tomorrow Riding Camp starts. As you’ll recall from my blog posts last year, when I worked as a clown and did that child’s birthday party...it didn’t go well. Children are great when they’re, like, at a distance. Up close, it’s all poking holes in balloons with plastic forks, peeing on my knee, and asking me, “What does oral sex mean?”

Given my activities yesterday, I’m sure that question will leave me blushing, so I’m hoping these kids don’t ask. [Note to self: Edit out the sex stuff before publishing this entry.]

I’m to stay to the side—and out of the way—while the kids have riding lessons in the morning. Then I get to do crafts with them.

I hope I’m not required to make balloon animals
.

Chapter Eleven

Danyiah had the list of participant names and ran through attendance early in the morning as the kids arrived at nine. There were forms to check for signatures, emergency contact info to go over, and the like. Ten kids in the morning, ten in the afternoon—it didn’t seem so bad, but then the day was still young.

Angela Masters, Dani immediately didn’t like. She was perhaps forty or so, a horse friend of Gus’s, and gave Dani a once over upon meeting her with a skeptical roll of her eyes and insistence that she stick to paperwork and nothing with the horses.

Dani’s temper burned hotly—what it was about her that, even after a week, screamed “newbie”, she didn’t know. A bark of annoyance was about to leave her lips, when she felt Adam’s hand on her shoulder, as if he anticipated things were about to get ugly.

Already, he knew her well.

He hadn’t volunteered any info about them to anyone and any displays of affection were confined to private lip locks away from prying eyes, so she assumed things would stay a secret for a while. Why, she couldn’t say, and still didn’t want to ask. Maybe it wasn’t allowed, him being her boss and all, even though she wasn’t really working in a formal capacity.

She still didn’t want to think about it.

Carlee cheerfully greeted the kids as the sun climbed high and heated the ranch swiftly. A half hour riding lesson, then a lesson on proper horse care and safety, and then a trail ride. Dani would be freaked out about the possibility herself of heading outside the confines of the outdoor arena, but then apparently most of the kids were seasoned professionals and those who weren’t would be put on the big, relaxed older horses who knew to just follow the trail. Besides, kids were fearless.

Dani zoned in and out during the horse lessons—most of it was stuff Adam had already told her at one point or another—then the kids had their snacks and it was trail ride time.

Angela sent Dani off to saddle the horses with a pair of kids while Carlee and she took the others.

“And
try
not to spook them,” Angela called in parting.

I am going to spook you with a riding crop to the back of your head, you witch
.

Of course, Dani smiled at her two charges—both around ten, a boy and a girl. “Let’s get those horses saddled, shall we?” The white board by the barn had the list of kids and horses they’d be riding. She scanned it and realized belatedly neither child had a name tag. “So who are you guys?”

The boy looked at her with big brown eyes that rolled dramatically. “Jayden and Hailey.”

“Right.” Jayden was on a draft cross named Mr. Sunshine and Hailey on a mare named Belle. Each horse had its own tack, so she directed the kids to pick up what they could and cart things over while she got the horses from the stalls.

Mr. Sunshine moved easily. Belle caused her some issues, yanking back on the lead when Dani tried to pull it. With a frustrated sigh, she glanced around the barn for a treat and spotted Sweet Pea in a stall with a bunch of hay.

Hay. Hay might work.

She walked up to Sweet Pea’s stall and reached for the hay, her fingers grasping the rough straw. “Hey Sweet Pea. I’m just going to steal this for a bit, ’kay?”

Of course, she didn’t expect the horse to answer—she hadn’t
entirely
lost her mind—but she paused there for a moment and looked into the dark stall when the horse didn’t respond.

“You okay, you poorly named creature?”

Sweet Pea turned his head, gnawing at his side, shifting and dancing as if uncomfortable.

Probably ’cause you’re in a damn stall half the time
. To each his own, of course, and she knew he was a race horse, but she really thought he would be better off outside in the fresh air with some exercise. Even this morning, Carlee had opted for leaving him inside in case something happened on the trail ride.

She took the hay over to Belle and urged the mare out, one hand on the lead, the other on the treat to entice her forward.

“Still waiting on Jayden and Hailey,” Angela called in the distance.

Bitch
. Dani rolled her eyes and got the second horse outside.

Adam had come to help the kids and Jayden was already settled on Mr. Sunshine. He grasped the other saddle and bridle from Hailey and made short work of Belle as well.

“Sorry,” Dani said softly. “She wouldn’t come. And they’re, like, five bazillion pounds.”

He offered her a rare smile that lit his handsome face beautifully. “No worries. She’s stubborn.”

It was still mildly disconcerting when he was nice to her but she smiled in return anyway.

Adam got the kids off toward Angela. Carlee had already left with a group of five and Angela promptly departed with the rest.

Dani crossed her arms at her chest and watched them go. “So what do I do in the meantime?”

The Stetson cast dark shadows over her face. “Stalls are empty—you can clean them.”

Goddamn it.
“Blargh.” She turned and stomped for the barn.

“‘Blargh’?” he returned as he followed.

“It’s a thing I say. When I’m...blargh-ish.”

In the cool, musty barn, empty from prying eyes, his hands wrapped around her waist from behind when she was just a few feet inside. She sighed contentedly, leaning into him, and turned her head so his mouth could meet hers. Her body heated immediately, his touch leaving her warm and craving in just moments.

His lips left hers to trail over her cheek, then down the sensitive flesh of her neck. “So I’ve been to the store.”

“Mmm.” Dani let her eyes drift closed. “Get anything good?”

“I certainly hope it leads to something good.”

She moaned, leaning into his hands as they drifted up to grip her breasts, kneading them and working her nipples into hardened points. He grew hard behind her and her panties moistened, body eager to feel him inside her at last.

“Did you happen to bring anything
with
you, or are you just teasing me?”

“You want to in a
barn
?” There was heat to his voice even if he tried to sound incredulous. “Maybe you
are
a farm girl after all, princess.”

Dani chuckled. “Hey, the place is pretty clean—I know, I spent all week doing it. Was that a yes or a no?”

“Alas, it’s a no, and there’s work to do.”

Stupid responsibility.
She disentangled herself from him. “Including shoveling stalls?”

He pressed a kiss to her temple, then backed up, probably to do whatever his horse wrangling duties entailed. “Including shoveling stalls.”

Much, much less sexy, but then she supposed it had to be done. She turned to gaze at the vacated stalls that weren’t too messy but definitely needed some cleaning—she’d have to find the wheelbarrow. As she skimmed the remaining horses, her eyes settled on Sweet Pea again. “Oh, Sweet Pea was doing something weird a minute ago.”

“Something weird?” He came up behind her, peering at the horse over her shoulder.

“He looked like he was trying to bite his sides?”

Adam swiftly moved past her, brushing her shoulder as he went, and ran straight for the stall. “You’re sure?”

A worried knot formed in her gut as she followed. “Well, yeah. He looked a bit restless. Why?”

Adam cursed softly and unlatched the stall door. “Did he go down? Roll?”

“No, he’s just been standing there looking uncomfortable...why, what’s wrong?”

“I have to get Carlee and call the vet.” He turned back, feet scraping on the gritty barn floor, and grabbed a lead from the wall. “Take him out to the field and start walking him.”

The knot in her stomach grew tighter. “Adam?”

He glanced back at her at last and sighed. “Colic.”

She hadn’t been given any lessons about that. “It’s bad?”

“It can kill him.”

Oh God.
“What do I do?”

“Just walk him while I get Carlee and the vet. Keep him going and try to keep him from going down. If he rolls...”

“How am I supposed to—”

Adam fed the chain at the end of the lead through Sweet Pea’s halter so it ran under his muzzle. “Keep both hands on the lead and give it a good jerk if he stops. He
has to
keep walking. If he does go down to roll, there’s nothing you can do, so just make sure he’s away from anything that he can hit and step back so you don’t get knocked down.”

But she couldn’t do this—couldn’t have that kind of responsibility. Not if it meant the horse’s
life
. “Let me go get her—”

“It’ll be fastest if I ride—she probably doesn’t have her cell on.” Adam pressed the lead into her hands and grasped her shoulder, gazing deep in her eyes. “You can do it, Dani. Just keep walking him.”

She nodded and fought to keep from trembling as he took off for the house.

Sweet Pea followed at a slow pace, turning to nip at his side every few steps and stretching oddly like he was about to pee. Dani took a deep breath, tightened her grip on the lead, and gave him a tug. He followed, but not without hesitation.

Her mind was a wreck, not entirely sure what was going to happen but half expecting him to just keel over at any second. She had no idea where Dewey was and Gus, if he was around, certainly couldn’t walk the horse. She kept a firm grip on the lead and brought the horse out of the barn, past the paddock, and straight for the outdoor arena. Adam had said the field but the arena was huge and at least that way people would see her when they returned.

She got him through the gate and tied it closed behind them, then began the long trek along the fence toward the back of the arena. Pylons had been left out along with barrels, and a length of rope and a fake calf for teaching the kids. The sand beneath her feet gave with every step, squishy and making it difficult to keep up a good pace.

Dani watched Sweet Pea as they went, the horse’s eyes wide. His coat gleamed darkly in the sun, proof of his owner’s love and attention. Carlee would be heartbroken if—

He’ll be fine
, Dani told herself, even if she didn’t entirely believe it.

The sun was hot, beating down on her hair and face. She’d left the hat back in the barn, she thought—mostly she’d been running around and hadn’t thought to keep wearing it. She cast her hand over her sweaty brow and tried to ignore it.

As they reached the end of the fence and turned in an arc to follow the back one, Dani glanced to the north and saw Adam on horseback, riding through the field in the direction the others had gone. He’d reached the vet then, right? So someone would come soon? She patted Sweet Pea’s neck and wished the animal understood her words of assurance.