Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 59154 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 296(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59154 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 296(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
“Hello, Chester.” I didn’t reach out to touch him–I was too intimidated.
Damn, he was big. I couldn’t believe Johnny fell off an animal this huge. And got kicked in the head by another one!
Johnny reached out and rubbed the horse’s forehead and murmured to him in a deep, soothing voice. “Hey, buddy. How are you? Did Colton feed you this morning? Sorry I wasn’t here.”
My chest squeezed. Listening to Johnny talk to his horse was too sweet. If I’d had any doubt about his character–which I hadn’t–it would’ve evaporated now.
He grinned at me. “You can pet him.”
I drew a breath. I shouldn’t be scared. I supposedly worked on a ranch. Lyssa wouldn’t be scared. I reached out and gently rubbed the white star on the horse’s forehead.
“Want to go for a ride?”
My eyes flared wide. A ride? “Me?”
Johnny laughed. “I wasn’t asking Chester.” He leaned down close to my ear. “I can think of a different kind of ride if you want to do that instead.”
I flushed–and my pussy clenched–at his alternate proposition.
“How about this? Ride horses first, then you can ride me.”
“Okay,” I breathed, liking that idea. “But the horses? Um. By myself?”
He shook his head. “No, silly. With me. You can ride Chester, and I’ll ride Montague.”
It was just a horse. People rode horses every day. And, Johnny wouldn’t put me on an animal that might be dangerous to me or the other way around. I definitely didn’t want to hurt the precious horse, no matter how big he was. “Um, okay.”
I was Lyssa, right? Fearless. Fun. A little freaky. A ride and then a ride.
“Great.” Johnny flashed me a smile and opened the gate to Chester’s stall.
I stepped back out of the way, pressing my back against the far wall to give them lots of room. My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out of my pocket. It was a text message from Stan.
Call me. No hard feelings about you leaving. I have another project to discuss with you. It involves a big raise.
“Everything okay?” Johnny asked.
“Yeah, my boss.”
He perked right up, eyes narrowing on me.
“I mean, my ex-boss in L.A. Stan.”
Johnny nodded as I shoved my cell away. A few days ago, I’d have jumped at the chance at what Stan was offering. I did miss having a purpose. Knowing what I was supposed to be doing. Being the good girl. Pleasing my boss. I almost wanted to know what new project he had in mind. Finally get that raise. But that would be old Emma shrinking back into the familiar. And I was playing Lyssa.
So, now?
I wanted to ride a horse and then ride a sexy cowboy.
13
JOHNNY
Lyssa wasn’t comfortable in a saddle. She gripped the reins in a tight hold, her arms and shoulders tense. Her ass had to be hurting with how she held herself instead of her body moving with Chestnut’s gait.
She didn’t complain. In fact, she looked to be enjoying it. Her face was lit like a child’s on Christmas morning, excited for something new, perhaps even something she didn’t even know she wanted.
Still, I couldn’t take her on a circuit around the ranch and then be done. No, I had to make this special. I also wanted her all to myself. We hadn’t even made it to the bunkhouse yet where we had privacy, but while I was the only one currently living in the space, only my bedroom truly belonged to me. Anyone could come into the common room, use one of the showers. Even crash in one of the empty bedrooms.
So I’d be greedy and ensure she was mine and only mine for a little longer by taking her to the secret swimming hole on Natalie and Rand’s property. They were part of the pack which meant the place was just for us. No locals. All privacy.
When it came into view, I had Montague stop. Reaching out, I took Chestnut’s reins from Lyssa, not sure if she even knew that pulling back was the brakes.
“What’s this?” Her eyes coasted over everything before her.
“It’s a hot spring.”
Her head whipped toward mine, her hair sliding over her shoulders. “A hot spring? Really?”
I nodded, sliding off Montague, then going around to lift Lyssa down with my hands around her waist. I slid her down my body, enjoying all her soft curves as she came to land on her feet.
Our eyes locked, and she licked her full lips.
“You good?” I asked before I released her, making sure her legs would hold her after our ride.
She nodded, and I stepped back, letting the reins drop.
Montague and Chestnut wouldn’t wander off with all the grass around to nibble on.
“Ever gone skinny dipping?”
Her eyes widened, then darted around furiously. “Um. No. My sister has, but I was too embarrassed.”
I raked my gaze over every inch of her. “You’ve got nothing to be embarrassed about, baby.”