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“No problem. Hey, Allie, good to see you again. Need a boost up?” Slade shifted to stand at Honey’s side.
She released Brett’s hand, her anticipation for a ride overruling her reluctance to losing his touch, but barely. “Please, just to play it safe so I don’t embarrass myself by falling flat on my butt on the first try.”
Brett grinned, untying the large stallion’s reins from the fence rail. “Don’t let her fool you, Slade. She doesn’t embarrass easily. I watched you tumble from the mechanical bull at Casey’s twice, Allie, and you laughed without an ounce of self-consciousness.”
Slade cupped his hands lower than the stirrups and Allie let him boost her upward, grabbing the pommel for balance as she adjusted to the height. “This is much higher than the mechanical bull,” she stated, casting a glance downward.
Honey nudged Slade’s shoulder and he patted her neck. “She won’t toss you. Enjoy your ride.” He glanced up at Brett as he got out of their way. “Reed and I will get out the fireworks while you’re gone. Otherwise, we’re all set.”
“Give us an hour or so.” Brett eyed her, asking, “You all set?”
“Ready. Let’s go.”
She barely had to nudge Honey before the horse stepped in line with Brett’s large black horse, Allie finding it easy to sway in rhythm with her smooth walk and acclimate to riding again. “Oh, wow, this is nice.” Her gaze swept the open rangeland spread out before them, the colorful wildflowers waving in the breeze. It wasn’t the sun warming her when he gave her a slow perusal from under his lowered brim, the tingles racing across her nipples proof of how fast he could send her thoughts into the gutter. “What?”
“I’m just surprised at the little things you find such pleasure in, even though, as a native Wyomingite, one would think you would be unfazed by our scenery by now.”
“How can anyone not find pleasure in such a view, regardless of how many times they have seen the same beauty?” The same seemed to hold true for her every time she looked at Brett. Only recently, she had learned there was more to him than his rugged good looks and a body any sane woman would salivate over.
He started to say something then seemed to change his mind and pointed toward the woods and mountain ridge. “We’ll ride that way and take the trail to a nice lookout spot. It will give you a good view of the Kincaid ranch.”
Allie found herself more interested in watching Brett astride his stallion than in the scenery, her body warming with all kinds of fantasies she wouldn’t mind playing out before returning. Following him on the narrow, forested trail, she tried telling herself today was for getting-to-know-him-better fun, not jumping-his-bones fun, but her traitorous libido wasn’t listening. She fought her lust, though, determined not to beg for his touch again. Today she wasn’t distraught and overcome with fear, just a growing need for what this man could do to her, and for her.
They rode into a grassy copse surrounded by trees on three sides, leaving a wide, unobstructed view along the edge that took her breath away. “Oh,wow,” she breathed, dismounting with her gaze glued to the sweeping valley below and a herd of cattle the same color as her palomino, the bulls sporting large humps between their shoulders, grazing around the shimmering lake.
“I’m beginning to think that’s your favorite phrase.”
“Around you anyway.” Allie pointed toward the cattle. “What kind are they? I don’t think I’ve seen cattle like that before.”
“The breed is called Charbray and originated in Australia. Our dad wanted to try raising something different, and the high meat yield they produce at market is profitable. We’ll cut some from that herd to add to the Angus we’re taking to market soon.”
Allie didn’t envy them that chore. “I don’t think I could pick even one out to send to the dinner table.”
“You have a soft heart under that thick skin.”
Brett’s amused voice rumbled from behind her the same moment his arm curled around her waist and pressed her back against him. There was no mistaking the bulge nestled against her buttocks or the swift rush of heat swamping her senses. Lifting her head up and around, she couldn’t help teasing him, wiggling her butt.
“When I’m this close to you and feel your reaction to me, my favorite phrase isyes, please.”
His lips kicked up in a grin, revealing the good humor he’d kept hidden until this week. She wondered why he’d changed his mind about her then decided it didn’t matter when he replied, “You take all the guesswork out of what you want. I like that about you, Allie.”
“You didn’t a few weeks ago. In fact, you made a point of telling me I wasn’t your type, and my forwardness was part of the reason.” She sucked in a breath when he slid his hand upward and cupped her breast, brushing his thumb back and forth over her nipple.
“Let’s just say you have an appeal that grew on me, especially after you gave me your complete trust last weekend, and leave it at that for now.”
“Works for me.” She did trust him, at least with her body, and would agree to anything if it kept him interested. As for her heart, she would consider the risk to that fragile organ later.
He continued to toy with her nipple, the casual caress oddly both comforting and titillating. Sweeping his other hand out in front of them, he drew her attention back to the valley. “That’s only one of several herds. Our property extends beyond those ridges to the east and up to the western tree line.”
The cattle roamed the range below, surrounded by pine-covered mountain slopes and green grasslands that stretched beyond what the eye could see, a good-sized pond shimmering like glass under the afternoon sun. “Good grief, do you own half of Wyoming?”
“No, just a chunk of it.”
He spoke of his father with an ache in his voice and of the foreman who was in charge of them during the summers they spent on the ranch with fondness, of the mischief they would get into to get their dad’s attention.
“I can picture the three of you running wild and getting into trouble. My dad was always stricter with me than my brother.”
“Casey would say boys will be boys and blow off most of our rebellion. The only time he would get angry with us was when we did something dangerous, like when we rigged a zip line across a shallow ravine.”
