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Her hands run down my sides and back to grip at my shoulders just before she bites my bottom lip, teasing the flesh away from my teeth. I press my hands into the small of her back, pulling her hips toward mine, matching her kisses.
It is not our first kiss, but it’s slower and more measured than anything we have shared before. With pleasure, I realize her tongue already knows the contours of my mouth, her hands seem calibrated to know exactly what will radiate fire through me. Every touch, every small sound she makes, every dart of her tongue, sends pulses of electricity through my body. She’s not just kissing my mouth, she’s kissing all of me. Everywhere. All at once.
The applause is well earned, but not something I was expecting. She disentangles herself, laughing and straightening her jacket.
Behind us, the entire class, Pippa at the helm, are staggered by the entrance of the barn, cheering and hooting and whistling.
Lolly bows and turns back to her horse. “That’s not embarrassing in the least.”
It’s not. I want her mouth on mine, her lips parted, her tongue exploring me, our hands wandering wherever they may.
“Tea is at four o’clock.” It’s the woman with the blue hair, but I momentarily can’t remember her name. I can barely remember my own. “Don’t be late.”
“You will come, no?” I can’t bear to be parted from her. Even for an hour. Lolly Benoit has forgiven me my misstep and I am the happiest man alive.
“Tea?” She ducks under the stall door, laughing. I could be wrong, but I think I hear her mutter, “…if you’re sure that’s what you want?”
RIDING HIGH
Lolly Benoit. Greenshoot Polo Ranch. Upper Wilmington, Gloucestershire, England.
Alicia needs to hear about our lip-lock in Technicolor. With memes. And emojis. So many emojis. Hearts and rainbows and— Did I just make the biggest error of my life? I’m hormonal as hell, but that’s no excuse.
He wants me.
He’s free.
He didn’t sleep with her.
Because of me.
Because he can’t get me out of his head.
I am his passion.
He finds his passion because of me.
He sees me.
He honest to god, sees me.
Right?
This isn’tme being full of estrogen and needing affirmation? Is it? I can’t tell. I want it to be true, but I’m flooded, and I want a cool head. Becausewhat if I’m wrongand this is just some pathetic, gratitude jag I’m on?
Aaaaaaaaargh.To hell with it, I need to talk to her directly. Even though the time difference means it’s unspeakably early for her, this is too big for text.
She picksup on the first ring. “All alive? No one’s hurt? You okay?”
“You’re never goingto believe this…” I’m way in the back of the barn in the wheelbarrow bay next to the dung heap. The only place in a barn where no one ever wants to go. And I need the privacy. I need her to hear me, help me, guide me. Because if anyone sees me, it’s my bestie.
Let’sstart at the not-quite beginning. “He kissed me.”
“Well, wait just a minute…”I can hear the cogs turning in her mind. Alicia knows me well enough to know I don’t justswitch mountswithout some serious soul searching and lots (and lots and lots and lots) of time to process my feelings. This is an outlier becausehehas been public enemy number one since the interview. “Who is this ‘he’ who kissed you?”
I wantto string her along, tease her, make her guess, but I also need to process this. Properly. With someone who doesn’t have a raging ladyboner and the worst case of the feels ever. I’m bursting at the seams. All of them. Simultaneously. “Mariano’s here.”
“Shut the front door!He is not!” It’s exactly the response I wanted from her, shock and delight and intrigue. “How didthathappen. No, back up. He kissed you?”
