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“I need to be on this ride, Belle. But if you can’t bring yourself to get in the saddle… Well, I’m not sure that I can leave you behind alone.” He was torn between watching over the group and sticking by Belle.
Just watching her features ripple with emotion was something to behold. One that he wanted to kick back and stare at and study.
Suddenly, her mare skittered away from his, knocking Belle sideways.
He reacted without thought. He stuck out an arm, scooping her out of the air before she could hit the snow. With a jerk, he yanked her upright and brought her up against his body to steady her.
She planted a hand on his chest and tilted her face up to his. “My horse…” She was breathless. “Is running away!”
“Your— Damn!” He bolted after it.
Her soft laughter chimed on the wind. He stopped and whistled. The mare came trotting back to him, but they needed to hurry if they were going to keep up with the other riders. A glance toward the trailhead showed him that several were already setting off.
A voice projected into his ear through the comms device he wore concealed by the brim of his hat. “Everyone in position?”
Dammit.He really needed to get out there.
After he reached Belle again, a look of resolve solidified on her pretty face. “I’ll take the horse. I’m ready.”
He leveled his gaze at her, seeing that arguing would be useless. When Belle’s mind was set on something, she seemed to go after it. Last night at the party, that was an escape. With him.
And he’d freely and happily given it to her.
He would again, given half a chance.
She stuck her foot in the stirrup, but the leather seemed to actually twist around her foot like a serpent, hanging her up.
“Oh, shit!” He lunged forward to help her again before she got her leg broken or worse, dragged behind a spooked animal.
She quickly extracted her boot from the leather. Her cheeks burned with two red spots. “I should have warned you that stuff happens to me. A lot. Anything that can go wrong usually will.”
He chuckled. “I see that. Okay, let me hold this steady for you.” He positioned the stirrup for her to slip her foot into.
She did so, and he gave her a hand into the saddle. She swung her leg over it and took the reins without mishap.
Satisfied that she was in control and wouldn’t go careening off the mountain, he mounted up and they rode side by side across the field toward the place where all but a few stragglers brought up the rear.
Once again, he saw the regal way she handled herself. He’d bet that this woman had some secrets. Her bearing spoke of something much more. Her perseverance and grit were something else entirely.
Glancing over at her had his gut clenching with need and his teeth grinding in sexual frustration.
Christ, she was pure sex and sin in that saddle. With her hair flowing freely and her gaze fixed on the jagged mountain landscape, she shifted the reins to one hand, bringing her breasts forward as her body rolled in the saddle…
She pulled out a glove and managed to stuff her fingers into it, using her teeth to tug the fabric down to her wrist. Then she did the same to the other hand. Her demeanor warred directly with how down-to-earth she acted. Carrying apples in her pockets and tugging on leather gloves with her teeth.
He eyed her. “Think we can catch up to the others?”
She looked out over the blanket of snow, churned up where the other riders had ridden through. “Yup.”
“What are we waiting for?” He clicked his tongue, sending his horse into a canter. The sound of hoofbeats followed as Belle caught up to him. When they crested a short rise, he saw them.
The power couple.
Belle let out a snort. “He has no idea how to handle a horse.”
“That’s obvious.”
“Let’s get ahead of them.”
