by C. A. Harms
I licked my lips in anticipation as I focused solely on the joining of our bodies. She panted and moaned loudly as she took me into her in one quick movement. I gripped her hips, and she brushed my hands away. As they fell to the mattress, she began moving hard and fast. Leaning back, she placed one of her hands on my thighs, giving me an even better view of her pussy as she rode me hard.
It was the sexiest damn thing I had even seen.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Bailey
I tried not to show just how much it hurt to watch him pack his things into his duffle bag. Yes, I was slightly hung over, and no, I didn’t remember every moment of last night. But I remembered all the moments that mattered. I remembered each time we had sex, and there were plenty of rounds throughout our last night and day together. But right now it felt like my heart was on fire. It hurt to imagine lying in this big bed tonight without him at my side. My vision clouded with unshed tears, and I tried to hide them but failed miserably.
Jackson turned just in time to see me wiping away one that had escaped. “When you coming home to me?” he asked as he crawled up next to me on the bed. He took me into his arms and pulled me close, immediately washing away the ache.
“I just feel like I need to be here a little longer. My mom is just starting to respond to her therapy sessions,” I explained. “Dad needs me too. He seems different now. It’s sad, but I think my mother attempting to kill herself made him realize just how bad things had gotten for her.” When he remained silent, I went on. “He’s trying. I know he is. I guess I’m just scared the moment I leave, he’ll give up again. Then who will she have?” My eyes once again welled with tears.
“I’m gonna miss you, beautiful. Things don’t feel quite right without you around.”
His words only made it harder to hold back my tears. Jackson’s sweet was something special. Something he rarely showed, but I felt so damn lucky to get a glimpse of that side of him when he did.
“I already miss you,” I said as the tears rolled over my cheeks.
We held each other on the bed until we had just enough time for him to make it to the airport. I would have been fine with him missing his flight, but I knew he had responsibilities, even if that meant he would be working side by side with the dark-haired beauty. I had no idea what her name was, but he said there was nothing between them and never had been, so I had no reason not to believe him.
That was a conversation I did remember, regardless of the drunken haze I was in.
***
“How is she doing?” Amber asked, her tone hopeful. “I talked to Alena earlier, and she said you two spent the day with your mom. That’s good, right?”
“Yeah,” I replied. “The therapist seems to think she’s making progress. It’s going to be a long process for her to recover, but she believes this was my mother’s cry for help. Which means she didn’t really want to die. She just wanted the pain to stop.”
“Bay that is great news. What about your dad? How is he taking it?”
“It’s only been just shy of two weeks since she was admitted, Am, but he seems like the old version of himself. I just hope it lasts, ya know?”
Our conversation soon shifted to the bakery and Olivia’s amazing cooking skills.
“She is pretty badass. In fact, I’m a little worried she’ll outbake me,” Amber said with a laugh. “She’s a natural and creative as hell. The customers love to see what she comes up with next.”
I laughed as I pictured Liv in the kitchen. She was definitely better in there than I was. Nothing about me screams cook or baker, unless you liked your food charbroiled with a thick layer of crunchy, black crust.
“How is Jackson? Have you seen him today?” He had been so busy at the ranch that our time was always cut short when he got the chance to talk. Not only did he have a new horse to train, but they had started up their riding lessons again, and he always had his daily chores to do.
“He hasn’t been around much. Ryan said things aren’t going as planned with Phoebe’s horse.”
I flinched. Though I didn’t know the dark-haired woman’s name, I instantly knew that’s who Amber was talking about.
“Phoebe?” I asked, pretending to be oblivious despite the bad feeling in my stomach.
“Um, yeah. I think the horse is named Cherry. I guess she is super-stubborn, and Jackson’s general horse-training techniques aren’t working. He’s been spending more time than he normally does trying to break her, and Ryan said it’s making him into a moody bastard.” She laughed. “Ryan’s words, not mine.”
“That explains why we rarely have time to talk. He always seems so rushed.” Each day that passed I missed him more and more.
“Do you know when you might be coming back?” Her voice was muffled, and she sounded winded. I heard pans clinking in the background and what sounded like the oven door opening and closing.
“I fly out tomorrow at six a.m.” Smiling, I waited for the reaction I knew was coming.
“Are you serious?” She gasped.
“Yep,” I assured her just before she squealed in happiness. “But don’t tell Jackson. I want to surprise him.”
“Okay, I promise.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Jackson
By the time I got home, I was so exhausted I fell asleep on the couch. When I woke up, it was close to midnight, and I was irritated with myself for missing a chance to call Bailey.
Over the last week, I had spent hours working with Cherry only to have it all backfire. She had attitude, and she was determined to give me a run for my money. She was the most frustrating horse I’d ever worked with. I remember all the stories my father shared about his training days and the horses that had tried his patience. No wonder he was more than happy for that to be the first task he passed off to me.
After a shower, I crawled into bed and told myself I would call Bailey early the next morning. A few hours later, I kicked off the sheets in aggravation when a loud crack of thunder woke me. It was all I needed—something else to spook the horse that was already determined to make my life a living hell.
When I pulled up to the barn, seeing Phoebe’s little red car parked in the driveway only pissed me off more. I’d spent the last week ignoring her flirty and sexual comments and listening to her recap all the nights we’d spent together, and she was on my last damn nerve.
Today may just be the day I told her and her horse to fuck off.
I grabbed the thermos of coffee on the seat next to me before I jumped from the truck and jogged toward the barn. Rounding the corner, I skidded to a stop when I almost ran directly into Phoebe. My mother stood at her side, and both held a coffee cup in their hands—cups that came from inside my parents’ house. The idea of them bonding just gave me a sour feeling in my stomach. But I knew my mother was lonely, so I tried not to make a big deal about it. I would have a talk with her later, though, that was for sure.
“Jackson, you didn’t tell me you dated this sweet girl. And for over a year.” My mother glared up at me. “Phoebe has been filling me in on your relationship.”
I held my tongue, because telling my mother that Phoebe and I didn’t have a relationship beyond screwing occasionally was probably not smart. “That was a long time ago, Ma. No need to reminisce on something that was never meant to be.” I pushed past them, trying my hardest to hide my irritation.
They remained silent behind me, and I didn’t look back. Whatever conversation the two of them had been sharing, I wanted no part of. I knew Phoebe had an ulterior motive for being here, and the way she was trying to bond with my mother proved it. Her behavior only made my already pissed-off mood that much worse.
I walked straight for Cherry’s stall and opened the gate. The damn feisty pain in my butt slowly turned, giving me her ass. She was about as tolerable as her owner.
“I think she likes you,” Phoebe said as she leaned over the open gate. I rolled my eyes at her sarcasm and chose to keep my comments to myself. Instead, I h
arnessed Cherry, even though she gave me attitude by huffing and pulling on the reins.
“Yeah, girl, I know. I don’t want to do this, either,” I grumbled as I led her toward the corral.
Phoebe’s footsteps scuffled behind me, and all I could think was, At least she wore boots this time instead of heels.
***
My mood didn’t get any better as the day wore on. Not after hours of fighting Cherry. Not after taking a couple breaks to call Bailey, only to have her phone go to voice mail. And surely not after Phoebe kept continuing to not so subtly caress my arms and chest.
I was so close to handing over the reins and telling her I was ready to admit defeat when the unthinkable happened. Cherry gave in to the bridle and saddle, stopped fighting against the reins, and accepted the headstall.
An overwhelming sense of accomplishment washed over me, and I fist-pumped the air. “It’s about damn time, sweetheart,” I said to Cherry. “I never thought we would get there.”
“I knew you would,” Phoebe said. “Still underestimating your abilities, I see. But I never once thought you wouldn’t get her to accept it. Yeah, it took a little longer than you wanted it to, but the challenge is the best part.”
I was too excited to give a damn about the fact she was referring to more than getting Cherry over that hump. “Now we can work on putting some weight on her back,” I said. “Once she passes that test, we move on to mounting.” I patted Cherry’s back and rubbed it in a soothing way. “You are stubborn, girl, but you did well.”
I allowed her to roam in the pen while I held the saddle and bridle. I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face. After a while, I rested my boot against the bottom slat of the fence as I leaned my forearms on the top post, completely focused on and proud of Cherry as she pranced around.
Phoebe stepped up to my side, but I refused to allow her to ruin my mood. For the first time in days, I felt like smiling.
“So tell me a little about Bailey.”
Her question caught my attention immediately. “She’s amazing. I don’t remember ever feeling the way I feel with her—free, relaxed, and so comfortable. Bailey feels like home.”
“Wow,” she replied. A long paused settled between us. Then she had to ruin the peace. “So what you’re saying is the chances of you and me repeating those steamy nights we used to share are only possible in my fantasies?”
I shifted to the side to look at her, and I smirked. “Yes, Phoebe, that is exactly what I’m saying. You and me had some good times—”
“Some really hot times.”
I chuckled and looked back out toward the pasture. “Okay, some really hot times. But those times are over, darlin’.”
Another round of silence set in, and when her lips grazed my cheek, I instantly leaned away.
“Well, if you ever get tired of the same old thing, you know where to come for a little something wild.”
She winked, and I crinkled up my eyes, about to tell her to back the fuck up, when I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. As I looked up, my world spun out of control.
“Bailey.” I pushed off the fence and took a step in her direction. I had no idea how long she had been standing only ten feet away, or how much she’d heard of the conversation Phoebe and I just shared, but my stomach was in knots.
“Surprise,” she said coldly. My heart sank instantly as her gaze shifted between Phoebe and me.
“Baby,” I said as I stepped closer, bringing her attention back to me.
“I may have had too much to drink that last night you were in Chicago with me,” she said. “I may not be able to remember most of what we discussed after about the fifth shot, but there was one specific conversation I remember very well.” She narrowed her eyes at me. “You lied. Why not just tell me the two of you had a thing once? Or wait.” She shifted on her feet and looked back over at Phoebe. “‘Really hot times.’ Isn’t that how you described them?”
“Let’s go talk.” I reached out to her, but she shook her head. “Sweetheart,” I begged. My heart was beating so rapidly I could feel the adrenaline rushing through my body.
“I have nothing to say to you right now,” she said as she spun around and stalked back toward the driveway.
Panic set in as I jogged after her without a second thought.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Bailey
“Will you please just give me the chance to explain?” Jackson said as I yanked open the door of my Jeep.
“Move, Jackson,” I said as he slipped between me and the doorway. At this point I was beyond pissed.
“Can we talk?” he asked.
“So you can lie some more?” I shoved him in the chest. “I’m not a dumbass. I know you have a past. I know you’ve slept with a shit-ton of women, but you lied. I asked you one simple question, one, and you lied.” I poked his chest with a finger. “I don’t like being lied to, so no, we cannot talk. You, Jackson, can get the hell out of my way right now.”
“You were drunk,” he protested. “I knew if I said she and I had a history, you would have been even more upset than you are now, thanks to the alcohol.”
“Not a good enough excuse to lie,” I said, pushing my way past him. I crawled into the driver’s seat and shoved the key into the ignition. So many things were running through my mind that I wanted to say to him, but I remained silent. It would only make things worse.
I shifted into reverse, but he still stood in the opening of the driver’s-side door. I turned to look up at him, blinking back the tears. I didn’t want to cry.
“Baby,” he whispered.
“You can either move willingly, or I can run your ass over, but you only have two seconds to decide before I choose for you.”
For a split second, surprise flickered across his face. I could see he wanted to argue, like he could come up with a way to force me to stay. But there was nothing at this point that would convince me. I needed my space.
He hung his head, shaking it lightly before he stepped back and allowed me to slam the door.
I backed down the driveway and turned onto the road, refusing to look back.
***
“He’s called ten times,” Amber said as she pulled the brownies from the oven. “I’m not saying he was right to lie. But I can say that maybe when you were drunk wasn’t the right time to admit that the lady he works with daily is the same girl he screwed for a year straight.”
“Nice,” I said.
“What?”
“Now you’re okay with lying?” I tossed my spatula into the sink, then spun around to face her as I brushed the crumbs off my hands. “He lied, Amber. He had the chance to say, ‘Yes, Bailey, in the past she and I had a little fling.’ Instead, he looked me in the eyes and stated they were never together. That is a straight-up lie, and yes, it pisses me off. So let me stew, let me pout, and don’t try to fix it. He screwed up, so he can deal with it. His ass can beg and fight to make things right, and I sure as hell am not going to make it easy for him.”
When she said nothing, I began individually wrapping the brownies she’d just cut into squares. I had to busy my hands, because they were trembling. A few seconds later, a loud knock on the back door made me jerk in surprise. My gaze shifted toward Amber as I asked, “Who is that?”
She shrugged as she walked past me to take a look. “I’ll give you two guesses, but I’m thinking you’ll only need the one.”
I had a feeling I knew who it was, but before I could stop her, she opened the door, and my stomach fluttered with excitement.
“Hey, ladies, Alena is back in town. Let the fun begin,” Alena cried as she rushed inside and dropped a heaping pile of bags at her feet. I looked at them and then looked back up, meeting her stare. “Oh, sweets, that isn’t all of it. I have the trunk of the rental car full. Daddy’s shipping the rest,” she explained casually.
“What are you doing here?” Amber asked.
“I’m here to stay.” She shrugged, and my eyes grew wide. Alena is
a free spirit, a traveler, and the furthest thing from a country girl. She prefers Gucci heels and Jimmy Choos to cowboy boots. I wondered if she realized she wouldn’t find a department store in Livingston, Montana, that carried Louis Vuitton bags.
“You’re serious?” Amber asked.
“Yeah.” Alena smiled brightly. “Chicago isn’t the same without my girls. And I’m sick of living out of a suitcase.” She glided past Amber and grabbed a brownie from the tray. “Plus, this place has some seriously hot cowboys.” She wagged her eyebrows, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Well, this cowboy is off the market.” My back stiffened and my eyes widened at the sound of Jackson’s deep, determined voice. “You’ll have to excuse Bailey for a bit. She can celebrate this little reunion later. Right now, she and I have some business to handle.”
I turned and looked up at him. “Jackson—”
“You can come willingly, or I can take matters into my own hands, but you have two seconds to decide.” I was instantly reminded of my earlier comment to him about moving out of my way. “Two,” he said as he held up two fingers. Lowering one finger, he continued. “One.”
“Jackson, I don’t—”
He gently shook his head, as if to tell me no.
I looked at Amber for help, and the traitor just smiled brightly like she was loving the show. I then looked at Alena, and she too was grinning like a fool. They would be no help.
“Time’s up, darlin’,” Jackson said as he charged forward. “I guess you coming willingly isn’t gonna happen.” He tossed me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
“Oh Lord, will you stop treating me like a toddler?” I yelled as I wiggled on his shoulder, but he just walked out of the kitchen and carried me up the stairs to my apartment. He swatted my ass when I pinched his side. “Stop acting like a toddler and maybe I’ll stop treating you like one.”
