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She straightened and her heart set up a rapid tattoo as they strolled out of the stable leading their saddled horses and Cleo. When Devin tethered Thor to the rail, turned and strode toward the house with long, ground-eating strides and a determined set to his rugged jaw, her palms grew damp. Stepping away from the window, she quickly slid her feet into her sneakers, thankful she had put on jeans this morning instead of shorts despite the warmer temperature forecasted for today. The simple, light blue summer top was thin and tight enough to mold to the turgid outline of her nipples, and that was just from the thought of going riding with them.
“Kelsey!” Devin called out as soon as she heard the front door open.
Dashing out of the bedroom and down the hall, she tried and failed not to appear too eager for any amount of time either chose to spend with her. So she was a pathetic, desperate mess. They could deal with it.
“I’m ready. We’re going riding, right?”
For the first time since meeting him, his tough as leather face softened as he nodded. “Yes. We have a few hours before the tour bus arrives with guests, and Greg and I thought it a good time to show you around more of our property. Come on, let’s get going.”
She liked the impatience shimmering in his eyes as he raked her from head to toe with a look she couldn’t decipher. With a spring in her step and a beaming smile, she hurried forward to take his outstretched hand.
“I should ask if you’re good to ride this morning. No lingering side effects after last night?”
“Not enough to keep me sitting around all day twiddling my thumbs.” In fact, the vague soreness she awoke with was just enough to keep her stirred up, to remind her of that painful, but mind-opening experience.
“From what I’ve noticed, you twiddle your thumbs out of habit, not boredom.” He brushed the pad of her thumb with his before releasing her hand. “Mount up and stay between us.”
She was beginning to think that’s exactly where she wanted to be. Turning to Greg who already sat astride Cherokee, she looked up into his less intimidating face. “Good morning. Thanks for taking me out.”
“You’re welcome, little bit. How are you this morning?”
Shivery. Hot. Giddy. “Good, thanks.” She stroked Cleo’s shoulder before swinging up into the saddle, glad she was such a small horse. “And even better now that you’re luring me away from work.” A look passed between the two that drew a delicate ripple of awareness along her arms as they turned the horses, putting her in the middle before setting out.
As soon as they entered the wide-open prairie, Devin said, “Tap her sides with your heels and we’ll trot over toward the tree line. Keep your grip tight on the reins but don’t pull unless you need to slow down. Move your body with the horse. Ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.” She would rather be sitting with one of them for a faster ride but refused to let her unease show. If they thought she could handle this, then she would.
“We’ll stay right with you, Kelsey.” Greg nodded, waiting for her to make the first move.
It didn’t take much, a slight nudge against the little mare’s sides and she picked up the pace as if eager to get going. Bouncing on the saddle without a lap to cushion her butt and distract her was more jarring, but also offered an exhilarating sense of freedom she’d never experienced before. Eyeing her escorts, she tried to mimic the smooth up and down movements of their bodies and soon got into the rhythm that eased the discomfort. With a shake of her head that sent her long hair flying around her, she laughed in sheer pleasure.
“You and Tom were right,” Devin called over to Greg. “She is a natural.”
“See?” Greg sent Kelsey a wink. “You’re not all city girl.”
Oh, yes, I am. But she could take this for a short time, especially if these two kept giving her such positive signs they were mellowing toward her. She didn’t expect much more than that from Devin, but a little went a long way toward easing her dispirit over being sent here.
“One ride doesn’t make me a country hick, cowboy.” She sent him a taunting grin.
He smiled, looking over her head. “Hear that, Dev? She thinks we’re hicks.”
“You would think she’d be more careful with what she says around us after last night. Pull up, Kelsey.”
She caught her breath as they slowed to a walk and then halted altogether. Following the point of Devin’s finger, she saw a huge moose standing near the trees. “Crap, those things are freaking big.” A thought came to her and she swung an accusing look toward Devin and then Greg. “I swear, if I see that animal’s head on any walls I’ll come after you with a hunting rifle.” She liked animals, especially dogs, even though she’d never owned one. Every so often something would trigger a vague memory clip of a small, black puppy, but with it always came a frisson of unease. Her unknown roots never bothered her unless that tidbit from her early childhood popped up.
Greg lifted his hat and ran a hand through his sweat-dampened hair, saying, “I don’t hunt. That’s Devin’s thing.”
Her mind quickly switched gears and slipped into the gutter because she thought that habit of his was sexy, but that didn’t stop her from turning an accusing gaze on Devin. Holding up a hand, he drawled, “I only hunt what can be put on the table. Mary is a whiz at coming up with wildlife recipes. Later this afternoon, we’ll be barbequing pheasant and venison along with beef and chicken for a cookout with the new guests coming in.”
Devin shook his head as Kelsey wrinkled her nose. “Yuck.”
Nudging Thor close enough their lower legs brushed, Devin pinned Kelsey with his dark blue gaze. “You don’t know what you’ll like until you try it.”
Okay, there was definitely a hint of double meaning to that remark, backed by another shared look between the two, and for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out what they were up to. “Meaning?” she asked point blank.
“Meaning let’s take our ride through the woods. That path is just one of the ones we take on trail rides.” Greg nodded toward the wide break in the trees and then led the way toward it.
“It’s so much cooler in here,” she commented as they walked the horses single file along the rugged trail. That was something she already knew from her walks but couldn’t think of anything else to say since she didn’t know what they were up to. “How far are we going? I’ve hiked to the creek and back, but that’s it.”
