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He barely nodded before she set her heels into her horse’s flanks, sending it into a slow gallop. He followed and they circled around the pair.
A smirk teased the corners of Belle’s lips, and he got the feeling that the disdainful way that her ex glanced over at her put it there.
She was getting off on besting the guy, and that amused the hell out of Declan.
It didn’t last long because the rustle of harness and leather coming up fast from behind brought his head around. He watched the couple barely squeeze through an opening between other riders, sending them rushing to get out of the way.
Belle’s mount didn’t like that—at all. It lurched forward. Declan swerved, at the ready to catch hold of the reins and take control if needed.
She held on to the reins, controlling her horse the best she could when the hated people from her past rode by her without so much as a glance over to acknowledge their dumbass move.
Ethan stood up in the stirrups to look out over the group. He let out a loud whoop, long arm extended as if pointing the way to victory on the battlefield.
His horse, disliking the noise and sudden jerking movement of its rider, wheeled off to the side, nearly colliding with another guest.
“Watch yourself, man!” the rider called out to him.
Ethan’s bark of laughter carried back to them on the wind.
Declan guided his mount closer to Belle. “You all right?”
She nodded.
He angled his chin toward the jerk. “Good way to get killed.”
She stared straight ahead. “One can only hope…”
His lips twisted in amusement.
Oh yeah, he liked this woman. Probably far too much for his own good.
The trail was dappled with spots of sun that melted most of the snow away, making the trail easy riding.
Not that Bellecouldn’tride. She just didn’t enjoy it much. Twice in her life she’d been injured by a horse. Luckily, both instances had been minor, but were still enough to make her wary of the beasts.
Like now, her hands were sweating inside her warm gloves, but taking them off would only make her fingers freeze around the reins.
She shot another glare at Ethan’s back as he took off to the front of the pack. She hopedhisfingers froze to his reins. And his ass to the saddle.
Whatever he did next sent his mount veering in front of another rider.
She made a low noise. “He always was a horse’s ass—if he freezes to it permanently, then he’s found his home at last.”
Declan issued a snort that created a plume in the cold air. He held his mount close to hers but allowed enough space for their animals to tolerate each other well. From the corner of her eye, she studied him.
God, he really was hot in that hat. His rugged features made her want to trace them with her eyes over and over again, preferably with his cock buried eight—or was it nine?—inches deep inside her.
His chiseled body rolling in the saddle had her insides tightening with need. He handled his horse with a skill that only made him look hotter in her eyes. And in the eyes of several women in their group too, if Belle was reading their glances at him correctly.
“How did you end up with someone like that?”
His question brought her head around. She pierced him in a look.
“If you don’t mind me asking,” he amended. “It’s hard to picture a smart woman like you with such a dickhead.”
Again, he made her laugh. Again, it was totally unexpected.
Since they were some distance from the riders ahead, she figured she could confide in her companion without being overheard.
