by Anita Claire
Looking down at me, his eyes deepen as he appraises me. Leaning his hand over the fence, he brushes my cheek with the tips of his fingers. Then reaches out and pulls me closer with his index finger under my chin, he leans in kissing my lips lightly. My entire body lights up. In the background, I can hear the teenage girls giggling.
Catching my breath, I pull my thoughts in place. “We have a choice, I can leave Deborah with two teenagers and six horses, or you can help us bring the horses back to the stables. Deborah will bring us back here to get our cars.”
He looks at the horses, “I’ve never ridden before.”
“Then we’ll give you an easy horse.”
Smiling, he looks at me for a couple beats. Finally, he says, “OK, sure, I’ll try it.”
Turning around, I yell over to Deborah, “Nate will help us take them back.”
“It’s going to get cold, let me see if Deborah has extra gloves and ear muffs.”
“I’ve got that in my car.”
“You are a Boy Scout; all prepared for cold weather.” I say appraisingly.
Chuckling, he heads back to his car. Running back to Deborah, we discuss which horse we should give Nate, and which horse I should take.
“Why don’t you and the girls gallop back to the stable with the extra horses. Nate and I can take our time walking our horses back. By the time we get to the stable, you’ll have the other horses un-tacked, it won’t take long to brush, feed, and blanket these two if we all work together.” I suggest.
Nodding, Deborah says, “And it gives you some alone time with your cute, new guy.”
Nate joins us—probably hearing that comment. He’s carrying old winter gloves and a knit ear-warmer.
He extends his hand introducing himself to Deborah. In her loud straightforward manner, she says “hello”, then turns to me, “Nice, Juliette. This one’s cute and has manners.”
Nate smirks, while I can’t wipe the goofy smile off my face.
Deborah always travels with a backpack of extras, including riding helmets. She hands a large helmet to Nate. He fiddles around adjusting it, then looks at the horses, “Which one do I ride?”
Taking him over to Jackson, a mellow, sweet-tempered bay, I show him how to mount. I then lead Jackson and Velvet, a feisty paint I chose because she and Jackson ride well together, to the other end of the arena. After showing Nate how to hold the reins, turn left, turn right, and stop, I also make him practice an emergency dismount.
While we’re practicing, Deborah starts to leave with the teenagers.
“We need to keep Velvet busy, so she doesn’t see them leave.” I warn Nate.
“It’s now almost four thirty, we have about twenty minutes before sunset, hopefully we’ll get to the barn before it’s completely dark.” I explain as I string battery-operated lights over the horses’ necks, and hand Nate a safety vest with a battery powered light bar. Taking Jackson’s lead, I guide both horses out of the arena, closing the gate behind us. Mounting Velvet I tell Nate, “You need to be on my left side,” as I move the lead rope to my right hand and double it up. Jackson’s head is at the level of my saddle, making it easy for me to hear Nate, but much harder for him to hear me. We only have a short amount of time on the road before we reach one of the public paths that intersect Los Altos Hills. The air is cold, but the sky is amazingly blue, and the sunset should be beautiful. Luckily, Velvet is in a mellow mood. She likes to run along the trails; that’s why I wanted the others to go ahead.
“How long will this take?” Nate asks.
“About forty-five minutes, these guys walk about four miles an hour.” Pointing, I say, “The trail head for the path is right ahead. I hate riding on the street. People in this town like to drive real fast.” As we ride, I can feel the air getting colder. The lots in Los Altos Hills are a minimum of an acre, and there aren’t any streetlights, which make it great for stargazing and sunset watching, but bad for walking horses back to their stables safely. The only illumination comes from lights inside private homes.
“Are you sure you know the way back?” Nate asks.
Chuckling, I respond, “These guys take this path almost every day. They know dinner’s at the other end of the trail. I guarantee they know the way home.”
As we ride, I watch the light from the setting sun turn the mountains pink, the sky purple, and the ground gray. The lights around the horses’ necks cast an eerie glow.
Nate says, “Blauschimmer. Wasn’t that the word your German friend had for the pink hills at dawn and dusk?”
Nodding, I say, “Yeah, I’m glad I get to share one of my favorite places—and times of day—with you.”
The pink starts fading until the trees are backlit against the sky; my favorite part of the sunset. We both ride in comfortable silence. Thankfully, nothing spooks either horse. Soon our only illumination is the blue and green lights strung around the horses’ necks, and the light from our vests. Finally, I see the lights of the barn; they look like a beacon calling us home. The horses know we’re close, I can feel their gait increase. I have to hold them back from trotting up the hill. Deborah comes out to greet us, taking Jackson’s lead rope as Nate dismounts. The teenage girls look at Nate and giggle as they run off to one of their mom’s car.
Giving him the elbow, I grin and say, “You’re a hit with teens.”
He smirks and shakes his head.
We then secure each horse with the lead rope and halter. Showing Nate how to do it, we remove the tack, unbuckle and take off the bridle, and then unhitch the cinch of the saddle. Deborah shows Nate where to put the tack, and how to flip the saddle pad so the sweat can dry off.
“This is my favorite part. I love grooming the horses. I think it’s because the horses enjoy being groomed.” I tell Nate as we brush out their coats with a currycomb, and then a body brush. Deborah and I each check their hooves. Nate helps us put on their blankets. We then lead them into their stall, where I see the girls had already filled their troughs with food and water before they took off. The whole activity probably takes half an hour, including Deborah dropping us off at our cars. Nate stands at my car as she drives away.
Shivering in the cold and dark, I say, “Do you want to meet me at my place?”
Cupping my face, he leans over and gives me a panty wetting kiss, smiles, nods, and says, “your place.”
Chapter 13 – A Matryoshka Doll
Turning my car heater on as high as it gets, it just starts getting warm by the time I get home. Parking in our garage, I pull off my riding boots and leave them in the garage. Entering the house I turn on the lights and start walking to the front door when the doorbell rings. As I open it up to tell Nate that was a quick parking job, he picks me up and throws me over his shoulder. I scream in surprise and delight as he stalks directly into my room. Dropping me on my bed, he’s directly above me, hands on either side of my head. He wipes the laugh off my face with a deep kiss. He breaks the kiss to ask, “We good?”
Smiling and nodding, I wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist, and pull him in so we can continue kissing. I then roll us, so I’m now on top. He unzips my fleece forcing me to release my arms from his neck so he can wrench it off my arms. The next layer is my sweatshirt. Releasing our kiss, he pulls it up and off. When he realizes I’m now wearing a running jacket, he pushes me up by my upper arms. “How many layers do you have? You’re like a Russian Matryoshka Doll” he says.
Laughing, I tell him, “It’s cold out there.” Sitting up as I straddle him, I peel my running jacket off, and then sweep my long-sleeved running shirt off. Looking down, I watch his eyes get darker with each layer that’s shed. Wiggling my butt, I give him a lap dance. His hands are grasping my thighs as his thumbs rub my inner thighs. With a sly smile, I coo, “Like my sexy lingerie?” Then I reach back to unlatch my sports bra. Undoing it, I continue to lap dance as I slowly pull down the straps, finally uncovering my breasts. His hands instantaneously reach up and grab them. Without releasing my
breasts, he sits up smashing his mouth into me.
He brakes the kiss to breathlessly say, “too many clothes, we’re still wearing too many clothes.” He flips me onto my back, reaches down, unbuttons and unzips my riding pants. He pulls them down to my thighs, then jumps off the bed.
Grabbing the hem of my pants, I can’t help but laugh and grab onto the edge of my bed as he yanks them off. Reaching up, he grabs my underpants and yanks them off too, then pulls off my socks. The condo is cold, so I scurry under my covers wondering why I bothered washing my sheets since we’re only going to dirty them again. The two of us maintain eye contact as he quickly throws off his fleece and Henley, then kicks off his shoes and pulls down his jeans. He grabs his phone and wallet out of them and places them on my bedside table as he turns on the light. Looking at me, he says, “I want to see all of your nice skin.” Then he rolls off his boxers. Diving under the covers, he emerges on top of me, giving me a deep kiss. “Mmm,” he says,” I like all this skin to skin contact.”
Our tongues collide as he runs his hand along my curves from my thigh, up my hip, over my stomach to my breast. Releasing the kiss, he looks into my eyes and smiles. Kissing my chin to my ear, he licks my ear and whispers, “You have a great, little, curvy body.”
My ear, neck, and shoulder have their own mini orgasm from that statement. Ducking his head under the covers, he moves down my body. Holding my breast, he takes one in his mouth and gives it a big suck; it causes my core to convulse. Pulling my nipple up with his teeth, he sinks back down for another big suck. Moving further down, he pulls the comforter back, so he’s half exposed. Grabbing my right leg, he places it over his shoulder as he licks my stomach then puts his mouth on my clit and flicks just above it with his tongue. The action causes my thighs to vibrate. Slowly, he rotates his tongue around my clit going deeper. With his teeth, he pushes back the clit’s hood and gently flicks it with his tongue. I’ve never felt anything like this. Gasping, I arch my back and lift my chin, rolling my head as I fist my sheets and gasp, “Nate….”
Gently scraping his lower teeth and tongue against my inner folds, he applies enough soft pressure to cause a quickening down my legs. The third time he gently teases my clit, I can feel myself start to come apart.
Raining a row of kisses and licks up my body, he ignites my core. Stretching his arm out to reach the nightstand, he grabs his wallet and pulls out a condom.
Shakily, I say, “How many do you have in there?”
Giving me a cocky smile, he says, “I reloaded at home.” Then he tears the wrapper with his teeth.
As he reaches down, I can feel him putting it on. As soon as he’s done, he maneuvers himself over me. After staring into my eyes for a few beats, he looks at my lips, then smashes his mouth into mine while simultaneously shoving his penis into me. Rocking into me, I pull our mouths apart, so I can gasp loudly. My back arches and my breath goes deep, punctuated by low moans as he continues to rock deeper and deeper. Grabbing one of my legs, he lifts it to his shoulder and rocks even deeper into me. Rocking harder, I can feel my orgasm run up my core and explode into every crevice of my body. I gasp loudly grabbing his arms, as I scream his name really loudly. His cheek is next to my cheek. His cadence changes as he releases into me. This is accompanied by a series of low guttural moans that throb in my ear and vibrate on my neck. My internal muscles squeeze him as I involuntarily arch back; my arms are now stretched wide, as the orgasm runs its course. Nate looks down, with a satisfied smile as he watches me come undone. A gentle kiss on my cheek causes me to shiver. Then he kisses me on my clavicle, causing another shiver. Feeling him start to pull out, I reach up and hold his arm, “Not yet, I need another minute,” I gasp. He just stays still as I feel him deflate and slide out. Moving so he’s lying on his side facing me, he watches as I come down off my orgasm. When he hears me breathing normally, he drags his finger along my face causing a small shutter.
Looking into his eyes, I smile. My gaze runs down to his shoulders. There’s definition between his side, front, and back shoulder muscles, something I find mesmerizing, sexy.
Touching the planes of his shoulder muscle, I ask in my post-coital voice, “Do you lift?”
He gives me a half smile as he runs his finger from my chin, down my throat, to my clavicle. In a soft voice he says, “Yeah, I try to either start or end my day in the gym.”
My finger runs farther down to the tattoo that runs around his arm and up to his shoulder. “Any significance to this?” I ask as my fingers trace the intricate pattern.
“Yeah, I was a dumb shit college kid and thought a tattoo would be cool.” he says with a smile.
“You don’t like it anymore?” I ask, continuing to trace the pattern.
He drags his finger from my clavicle down to my breast. Lazily he draws concentric circles around my breast, each circle getting closer to my nipple.
“I don’t dislike it. It’s just if I didn’t have a tattoo, I wouldn’t get one.”
“I wonder how many people who get a tattoo in college would prefer that they didn’t have it ten years later?”
“Yeah, if they passed a law that you can’t get a tattoo until you’re twenty-five, half the tattoos wouldn’t exist.”
“For the record, I like it. You have great arms.” I add, tracing the planes of his arm and shoulder muscles. “I think it’s a nice tattoo.”
He starts lazily playing with my nipple, which causes my already sensitive sensory system to quicken.
“No tattoos, no piercings other than your ears?”
“Yeah, I’m just a conventional engineer.”
The next twist to my nipple causes me to close my eyes and lean my head back while I gasp and breathe deeply. When I open my eyes, I can see a knowing look on Nate’s face. He’s enjoying watching my reaction.
Bending down he gives me a softer, deep kiss. He rolls his tongue around mine causing my mouth to break apart into its own mini orgasm.
As he pulls away, I trace my finger down his face. “You’re an amazing lover. You just intuitively know where to touch me. Each time it’s better than the last.”
“I just can’t keep my hands off your curves.” He admits as he runs his hand over my thigh, butt, hip, and up to my waist.
Chapter 14 – Turn up the Heat
We softly pet each other; it’s an amazing way to come down from an orgasm. Already Nate’s spoiled me for any future guys, and I realize I don’t want a plan B. His rumbling stomach breaks the mood.
“You hungry?”
He chuckles, “Yeah, you figured that out?”
“I’d offer to make you something, but we don’t have much to eat here. We can head out to Castro and see if we can get a table somewhere?”
He sits up, “Give me a minute,” he says, as he heads into the bathroom.
Now I get to check out his nice, naked butt. The toilet flushes and the water runs, then he comes back in, sits down at the end of the bed. Turning to me, he asks, “Do you need to take a shower, or are you OK just throwing on some clothes?”
Thinking about it, “Can you give me five minutes? I’ve been with horses all day and…well, I’d just like a quick rinse.”
He runs his finger from my shoulder down my arm. “Sure, five minutes. But next time, I get to join you for the shower.”
Slithering out of bed, I stand in front of him naked and shivering, “We’ve got to remember to turn the heat up in this place, I’m way too cold.”
His eyes scan my body as he nods in agreement. Racing into the bathroom, I turn on the shower, put my hair up, give myself the quickest soap up and rinse off possible. Towel off, brush out my hair quickly, apply some cream to my legs, Curly Girl to my hair, brush my teeth, and finally apply a little eyeliner and mascara. Sprinting back to my room, I see Nate and his clothes are gone. Pulling out some of my nice lingerie, I yank on some socks, a pair of clean skinny jeans, and a soft, warm sweater. Grabbing my warm leather coat and boots, I sprint out to the living room. Nate’s sitti
ng on the couch checking his phone.
Without looking up, he says, “I turned up the heat in this place, it should be warm when we get back.” Looking up, he appraises me. “When you said five minutes, I thought you were kidding.” Looking at the time, he says, “I think it was closer to fifteen minutes. But still, I don’t think I’ve ever met a woman who could get ready so fast.”
As I sit down to pull on my boots, I say, “Hey, I get lots of practice. My transition time from pool to work is short.”
Standing up, he walks over and pulls me up, and then into a kiss.
“If you continue with this we’ll never get any food.” I tell him.
“Something for me to look forward to,” he replies.
He helps me on with my coat as we leave the condo and head into the chilly night. As we dine at a Mediterranean restaurant, our conversation is comfortable. He tells me about the surgeries he watched today, while I fill him in on the completion of my latest project and my concerns about everyone knowing my dad helped me solve the problem.
Nate listens intently then offers, “My dad’s a doc; if I consulted my dad about a patient and came back with a better diagnosis, my bosses wouldn’t think less of me. Maybe you’re judging yourself too harshly.”
It’s food for thought.
After dinner, he tucks me in under his arm. As we walk back, he leans into my ear and says, “I’ve got great plans the rest of the night.”
My entire core lights back up with this promise.
Chapter 15 – Do we Have Time for Dinner?
On the way back to the condo he stops at his car, “I hope you don’t mind I packed a few things, just in case.”
Jokingly, I say, “Did you pack your footy pajamas?”
As he grabs a gym bag out of the back, he smiles, “No pajamas. With you, only skin.”
As we enter the condo, it feels warm.
