by Mia Moon
“This is pretty awesome, Jax,” I called out.
“I knew you’d think so.”
We rode for seemingly a long time. I wasn’t sure how many hours had elapsed because I’d left my phone back in the cabin. Long enough for the sun to rise high in the sky, long enough for me to feel toasty in my three layers. Stupidly, I hadn’t brought my camera, but figured we could return later in the week if needed.
Jax guided us into a thicket of pine trees and stopped. He slid off his horse easily, then took a rope attached to his nose and slipped the end over a post.
“This is a spot we’ve designated for picnics. The river’s right over there.” He took the reins from me and guided my horse to another post, tying her up. “Okay, to get down, you’re going to do what you did before, backward. I’ll be here, just in case.”
Gingerly, I kept my weight on my left foot and dismounted. Jax’s hands went around my waist, and I felt a little thrill as he basically lifted me off the stirrup.
“Thanks,” I was breathless from both the exertion and his nearness. He, too smelled like leather, and I wondered if all the guys did.
Jax walked a few yards down a trail to a clearing that overlooked a burbling creek. He pointed at a patch of soft-looking grass that seemed tailor made for sunbathing.
“This is where we usually take our guests for lunch,” he remarked. “Families love it, because the kids can play in the water.”
“Wait. This is your property?” I touched the wood, incredulous. “We’ve been riding for a couple of hours. Have we only been on your property today?”
“Yeah. It’s all ours.” His brows knitted together, then relaxed. “Oh, right. I keep forgetting. You’re not used to all this land and open space.”
I shook my head, amazed.
“I’ll go get the food. Be right back.”
I watched his long legs in those sexy jeans disappear into the woods, then turned to the creek, dipping my hand in the cool water. So far, the day had been unlike anything I’d experienced. The natural beauty, the rhythmic sound of Hope’s hooves, Jax’s firm and gentle manner…
“You don’t mind sitting on the ground, do you?”
I turned, and Jax was holding a leather bag, one that I realized had been attached to his horse. He set it down and knelt. He opened the top flap to extract a red blanket.
“Not at all. I’ve had plenty of picnics in Central Park.”
“But probably not with a cowboy, I’m guessing.”
I laughed, and grabbed for the blanket, unfurling it. “Not with a cowboy. My picnics are more of a girls day out with friends.”
I stood to the side and shed my fleece. Jax eyed me as I peeled off my second layer, a turtleneck, and deposited my clothes on a nearby tree trunk. Now I was down to my T-shirt and jeans. The cool air felt good on my bare arms.
“Did you wear enough layers?”
I laughed. “I’m always cold. But this sun feels good.”
We both knelt on the blanket, and he took out the food. Cheese, crackers, salami grapes, apples. Two bottles of water. My stomach rumbled, despite the huge breakfast we’d had. He was right—horseback riding did give me an appetite.
He removed his hat and set it to one corner of the blanket. It seemed like he treated his hat with reverence, and I thought it was adorable.
“Why doesn’t your boyfriend go on a picnic with you in Central Park?”
“What?” I tore my gaze away from the pretty creek to his face. I grinned. “Is that your way of asking me if I’ve got a boyfriend?”
“Maybe.” He cracked open a bottle of water and handed it to me.
I took a long drink. “No boyfriend. Guys in New York are… well, let’s just say New York guys are difficult.” I wasn’t going to get into how the last guy I’d dated—two years ago—spent three months being attentive and sweet. And then promptly ghosted me. Vanished into thin air.
He nodded and opened a bottle of water for himself.
“And you? Do you have a girlfriend?”
He shook his head. “Nope. I don’t. None of us do.”
That was interesting, how he’d brought up the other guys. Was he trying to tell me that they were gay? It would be totally fine with me if they were, and honestly, with three men that hot, I would totally understand if they were attracted to each other.
“Are you all straight?” I blurted.
I was worried he’d say something homophobic or be offended that I’d ask, but instead he just nodded. “Yeah.”
“Is it difficult meeting people here? I mean, in such a small town?” I reached for a cracker.
“It is. By the time most people are in their late twenties, they’re married and have kids. Plus, Cass, Hank and I are probably looking for something a little different from the norm.”
I munched and swallowed. Well, that was an intriguing statement. “Forgive me for prying, but what do you mean?”
Jax tilted his face and a little smile danced on his lips. “I’ll let the others explain if they want. Let’s just say we’re all looking for the same kind of woman.”
I nodded slowly and took a slice of apple, turning my gaze to the creek. I wonder what he meant by that. I was about to ask, when he started telling me about the history of the river, the significance to the area and other details.
It was obvious that he didn’t want to get into his preference for women. Maybe he and the other guys were into some kinky stuff. Or maybe that was my dirty, New York mind coming alive. They all probably wanted nice, demure women.
Regardless, it wasn’t my place to pry.
As I asked him more about life on the ranch, I settled onto my back. We’d placed the blanket in a perfect, shady spot, but I could still see the bright blue sky above. Jax also stretched out next to me.
“Look at that blue. I’ve never seen a sky quite that intense,” I said. Like Jaxson’s eyes…
“Did you know that there are no truly blue living things?”
I frowned. “What about bluejays?”
“There are actually tiny air sacs in the bird’s feathers, making it appear blue. It’s actually black. Our eyes perceive blue. Our eyes trick us.”
I glanced at him and smiled. “I didn’t know that.”
“I majored in zoology.”
So he was smart, too. I settled back and sighed contentedly. “This does something to your soul, doesn’t it?” I said softly.
“What?” he murmured.
“The air. The sky. All this nature and beauty. I feel like a different person here.”
Jax shifted onto his side and leaned up, on his elbow. “Different, good?”
He looked at me with half-lidded eyes. I nodded, momentarily stunned by his good looks. “Definitely good.”
Just when I thought he was going to kiss me, he studied my face. “What’s your life really like in New York?”
I turned to face him, mirroring his pose. “It’s great. I live in a cool neighborhood in Brooklyn. Busy! I do a lot with the magazine and there’s so much to do with restaurants and movies and bars… my voice trailed off because I realized how fake I sounded.
“What’s it really like, Lauren?”
“Lonely,” I admitted. “I have one good friend, Heather. I love her. Everyone else is just an acquaintance. If it wasn’t for her, no one would know if I was dead for weeks.”
“I’m sure that’s not true. But ever thought about moving? Going somewhere else?”
I shrugged. “I’m from Long Island originally. I guess I could go back there. Since I’ve taken this job, I’ve visited some other parts of the country and I’m starting to consider other options. It’s weird, this is the first time I’ve told anyone that. First time I’ve said it out loud.”
With his free hand, he reached out and brushed a lock of hair behind my ear. The motion sent a zing through my body.
“Nature has a way of bringing out the truth.”
I nodded, spellbound under his gaze. My heart pounded as we stared at each
other. I wanted to kiss him, and I suspected he wanted the same.
Oh, hell, why not make the first move? He probably thinks I’m a pushy New Yorker anyway. I leaned in and pressed my mouth to his.
In one motion, he leaned back, raked his hand into my hair and pulled me atop him. Any thought I had of being the aggressor was gone, because although I was on top of him, he was in command of my body.
“Straddle me,” he whispered against my mouth. I did and gasped when I felt his erection pressing against my core. My hips ground into him as he both pulled me close with one hand and orchestrated the rhythm of my hips.
“I wanted to do this from the moment I laid eyes on you,” he said. “Your hot little body’s been tempting me all day.”
“Your hot big body’s been tempting me,” I murmured, sitting up and doing exactly what I’d longed to do: unsnap his shirt. When I’d undone all the buttons, he sat up and shrugged it off. He was all muscles and hard angles, and I raked my fingers over his chest.
“You’re beautiful,” I whispered. I couldn’t help myself; shirtless, he looked like a model for a designer denim ad. He grinned and with zero effort, rolled me onto my back. His knee went between my legs and he pressed against my inner thigh, then paused.
I opened my legs and he settled in, pressing his hard cock against me. We were only separated by four layers of clothes now. Three, if he wasn’t wearing underwear.
“And you’re the most stunning woman I’ve seen in a very, very long time. I love your long hair. And your green eyes.”
“Stop,” I said, as he slipped a hand under my T-shirt. His hand stilled on the skin of my belly.
“Sorry.” He pulled his hand out.
“No,” I cried. “I meant, stop telling me I’m pretty. I don’t take compliments well. The other thing, don’t stop.”
He laughed and his hand went back under my shirt. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to get used to compliments.” His hand found my breast and slipped easily under my bra. I sucked in my breath as he lightly pinched my nipple.
Slowly, so slow that I wanted to scream out of frustration, he lifted my shirt up my body and over my head. Then he pushed my bra cups down, exposing my breasts. My nipples were like little mountains, pointing directly at Jax.
“Fuck,” he whispered, lowering his mouth to one nipple. He groaned as he sucked, sounding so sexy that I pressed my hips up to meet his erection.
He captured my mouth again with his, devouring me. I whimpered as we ground against one another. His hand found the front clasp of my bra, and we mashed our chests together, needing to feel skin on skin. He pushed himself up so he was caging my body, and I ran my hands over his chest, pausing to twirl my index fingers around his nipples.
“Lauren, I want to fuck you right now but I don’t have a condom.”
I was panting. “Later,” I managed to say. “We can do other things now.”
He kissed down my neck, a trail of fire. As he flicked his tongue around my nipple, his hand skimmed down my stomach and under the waistband of my pants. I knew where he was headed and I moaned.
Maybe I should’ve cared that I was outdoors, in the open, being ravished by a man I’d met less than twenty-four hours prior. But I felt so safe with Jax, and I was so attracted to him, that I decided to allow myself this bit of pleasure.
What could it hurt?
“Jax…” I twined my fingers in his hair just as his thick fingers slipped inside my wet folds.
“Yes, darlin’?”
“Undo my pants. Or I can. Please?” I squirmed underneath him, wanting him to have better access to my clit than what the jeans afforded.
“My pleasure.” He sat up and as he undid my jeans, I admired the bulge in his crotch. I kicked off my shoes and he stripped my jeans down my legs.
Suddenly shy at being almost naked in the open, I threw an arm over my breasts. “My God, it’s daylight. I don’t normally… oh!”
I shuddered in a breath because Jax’s body was between my legs. He ran his tongue around my bellybutton, then fluttered kisses down my stomach and dragged a finger across the damp fabric of my panties.
Keeping his fingers between my legs, he stretched out next to me. I wiggled my hips against his hand.
“Do you want my fingers inside of you?”
I nodded, ready to beg. Really, I wanted more than his fingers inside me. I felt a pulsing in my clit, practically in time with my heartbeat.
Jax knew how to tease, and took his sweet time slipping his fingers under my panties. He groaned when he felt the slippery skin of my labia.
“You’re shaved,” he groaned, and I wriggled to take my panties off. There was no one else around. Who cared if I was naked out here? Certainly not me at this point. I needed Jax to touch me.
“That’s it,” he hissed. “Like that. Spread wide for me.”
I did, and he toyed and teased and tormented me with his fingers.
He slipped his fingers out and licked one. Then another. “I think I’m addicted to you. I want to taste that sweet pussy of yours but it looks like you’re enjoying my fingers too much.”
“Y-yes,” I sobbed, grabbing his hand and placing it between my legs. I was so close, and while I wanted Jax’s tongue on my clit, I loved how he kissed me softly and whispered filthy things in my ear as he fingered me.
It didn’t take long for me to orgasm, and I screamed into the forest, closing my eyes and shuddering with each wave. In that moment, I felt so connected with Jax, as if he was put on this earth to give me pleasure.
“Lauren,” he said, his voice as shaky as I felt inside, “You’re even more beautiful when you cum. You’re so fucking gorgeous.”
I reached for his silver belt buckle, fully intending to make him feel as good as I did. That’s when his phone rang, shattering the mood.
Chapter Five
“Dammit. I’ve gotta see who it is.” He turned and grabbed his cell. “Yeah?”
He listened for several seconds, then sighed. “We’ll head back.”
Jax set the phone on the blanket and leaned to kiss me. “As much as I want you to do whatever it is you were going to do, because I suspect you were going to be really fucking amazing at it, we’re going to have to wait. Our neighbor’s fence is down, and some of his cows escaped. I’m needed back there.”
“Of course,” I said, disappointed. I reached for my bra and shirt. But I understood; Jax had a business, and he probably depended on his neighbors, as they depended on him.
“We’re going to have to go a little faster on the way back, and we’ll take a more direct trail. I brought you on the scenic route coming here. Is that okay? You feeling okay about that? We’re not going to gallop or anything.”
I slipped on my jeans and shoes, then followed him to the horses. He was efficient in helping me onto Hope.
Feeling more secure, I was more relaxed as Hope trotted behind Jax’s horse. I even managed to zone out a little and wondered what had just happened with Jax.
I’d let him touch me on a picnic blanket in the middle of the woods. I wasn’t inexperienced when it came to men, but I also didn’t sleep around much, either. In fact, I hadn’t been with a guy in over a year, mostly because the few guys I’d met in New York were through a dating app, and they’d all turned out to be lame.
We seemed to reach the ranch in no time, and Jax helped me off Hope and immediately pulled out his cell and tapped on the screen, walking a few feet away. As he made his call, I stroked Hope’s neck. She really was beautiful.
“We did it,” I said to her, grinning. Incredibly, I’d overcome one of my small fears. Hope nudged her nose into my hand. I was beginning to adore her.
Jax returned after a few minutes and introduced me to a young guy, younger than me. He was a ranch hand, apparently.
“He’s going to take the horses back to the stables,” Jax said, gesturing to the young man. “I apologize, but I have to get going to help with the fence. You’re free to hang out in the lodge, wa
nder around the property, whatever you’d like. Sorry to end our date abruptly.”
Our date? I warmed at the thought. If only I could date men this wonderful and sexy. For a woman like me, I knew today was like a unicorn: rare.
I stretched and smiled. The ride, along with the time in the sun and my delicious orgasm had left me sleepy. “I think I’ll head back to my cabin for a while, if you don’t mind. Can we catch up together later?” I hoped that was enough of a hint for him.
He ran the back of his index finger down my cheek. “Absolutely. But don’t forget, Cassidy’s taking you to dinner tonight in town. He’s going to show you around the place we call civilization.”
I chuckled and Jax brushed a kiss on my cheek, sending little tingles over my skin. “Do you guys have some sort of itinerary for me that I don’t know about?”
He grinned and eyed me up and down. “Maybe we do.”
With that, he turned and walked away, and I was left wondering exactly what he meant.
I woke from a blissful nap to find a piece of paper near the door of my cabin, as if someone had slipped a note through the crack at the bottom. I scooped it up.
See you tonight at six. Wear your best cowgirl outfit. -Cassidy.
I grinned. A cowgirl outfit. Because I owned nothing but dark-hued city clothes, I’d gone shopping before I left. I brought several pairs of jeans and I’d made sure to buy one cute, western-style plaid shirt before I left New York. I had boots, too, but they were more like ankle boots, black and short.
Still, once I dressed and looked at myself in the mirror, I felt like I fit in reasonably well. My hair hung in long waves, and I swiped pink gloss on my lips. The Montana air had certainly done great things for my skin, as if I’d gone to Manhattan spa. My cheeks were naturally pink, and I’d gotten a little sun that left behind a golden glow.
