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“About what?”
“Stampeding mustangs, ignoring a law enforcement officer when he tells you to stop, what the hell you’re planning to do with the rest of your life.”
Spence wasn’t sure how that last part had come about. He’d meant only to tease her about their non-encounter encounter the previous year. But now that he’d said it, he wasn’t sorry he had.
“And we will talk, Harper. What you’re doing can be really dangerous, especially if you are relocating those horses after they’ve been rounded up by those wanting to ship them to Canada for slaughter. Just because I tell you that you’re beautiful or I like watching the way you move, or I’ve never had a better meal than the one I had this morning doesn’t mean I’m going to let you get away with not minding me or putting yourself in harm’s way. Fact is, I’ll probably tell you all of that when I’m putting enough sting in your tail that you think twice about doing whatever you did to deserve it again.”
“Consensual non-consent, right?” He nodded. “But I can always use my safe word and opt out.”
“But you aren’t going to.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Because I felt it when you gave over to me last night. I felt you sink into your submission to me and my authority and felt, I’m guessing, safer than you ever have in your life. You live a life that involves a lot of risk. I’m willing to accept that, but I’m not going to let you get yourself harmed or killed. I’m going to be the guy that pulls you back from the ledge and says no.”
Harper searched his face, but for what she wasn’t quite sure. It looked as though she started to say something and thought better of it. Without another word, Harper turned Mattie and galloped towards the house.
CHAPTER8
Harper hadn’t expected to feel as relieved as she was when she heard Spence riding up behind her.
“You and I are going to come to a meeting of the minds about you riding away to avoid confrontations with me.”
“You didn’t tell me to stop.”
“I didn’t think I had to.” Spence reached out, grabbing a rein and bringing Mattie to a halt. “You need to understand this may be the worst time I could ever get involved with you, but I’m not turning away from something I think could be really special. I’m going to take all kinds of shit from my team and my bosses, and I’m fine with that, but I need to know you’re on the same page as I am, and that does not include riding or walking away from me when things get uncomfortable.”
“I’m not good at this, Spence. I’m just not. I don’t do relationships. I’m touchy and moody and like to have my own way.”
He pulled Mattie closer and then reached behind her head to grasp her neck and kiss her, his lips coming down on hers with determined strength which became sensual persuasion as soon as she yielded and leaned into him. “We’ll figure it out. All I need to know is that you’re in and you’re agreeing to cede to my authority.”
“As a ranger or as the man in my life?” she asked with a cheeky grin.
“Both,” he quipped, giving her another kiss.
“I think I can do that, but I can’t promise I’ll always get it right.”
His grin was mischievous but with a certain predatory glint. “That’s what consensual non-consent is for. Step too far out of line and I’ll be there to put you over my knee and spank your ass silly.”
“Will that be followed with incredible amounts of lovemaking?”
“Absolutely.”
He released her and they fell in beside one another as they returned to the barn. Once there, they untacked their horses, groomed them, and then put them in their stalls, both of which had big, private paddocks off the back.
Once they got back up to the house, Harper turned her hand to lunch and then did all the things she’d left undone before leaving for the Appaloosa World Show—laundry being chief among them. She told Spence to put anything that needed washing in the machine, and she’d do it along with hers.
As he needed to talk to his team, she offered him the use of her office and he headed up the stairs. When he came back down, he enticed her to sit on the couch with him, where he pulled off her boots and massaged her feet.
“That feels amazing,” she moaned.
They spent several hours snuggled on the couch, sharing stories of their lives. Spence asked more questions about Dulcie, but never anything really to do with her death. It seemed to Harper that he really did want to get to know Dulcie as a person, not just as a murder victim or corpse.
At first it was difficult to talk about her without becoming tearful, but Spence just held her and let her go at her own pace. More and more, she was able to let go of the shock of Dulcie’s death and remember the woman she had been. She’d have to remember to tell Spence she’d figured out his tactic and then thank him for giving her that gift.
Harper was happily ensconced on the couch with Spence when she realized the sun had started to set. “Shit, I need to go help Dusty feed.”
“Nah,” he said, transferring her feet from his lap to the coffee table. “Why don’t you and your pretty bare feet stay up here and fix the menfolk some dinner, and I’ll go help Dusty.”
