by Taryn Plendl
“Nope,” Ryke confirmed. “Looks like your girl is going for a ride.” He pointed toward the barn where Mirabelle had just mounted Snickers.
“Damn stubborn woman,” I muttered. “I told her to rest.”
With a soft tap to Sable’s side, I brought her up to a trot, heading toward her. Ryke’s voice, clear with warning, reached my ears, but I wasn’t stopping. Mirabelle’s insistence in putting herself in danger sent my anxiety levels soaring. Instinct drove me to drag her off that horse and put her over my knee, although I was sure she would turn the tables on me if I tried.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I stopped next to her and waited for her to answer me.
“What does it look like, Silas? I’m going for a ride.” Her eyes narrowed in challenge, her chin lifted in defiance.
Was she serious? After what we’d done just hours before, she couldn’t possibly be comfortable on top of a horse.
“I thought I told you to rest,” I growled softly.
“I wasn’t aware I’d lost my good judgment with my virginity this morning.” She patted Snickers on the neck, eyeing me with irritation before clicking her tongue and giving him a kick, sending him off into a full gallop.
“Son of a bitch!” I hollered in frustration.
Howling laughter exploded from Nate, who was propped against the fence as if this were a fucking comedic performance. His failure to catch his breath did nothing to calm down the rising inferno in my chest.
“Good luck breaking that filly.” Nate gasped, holding his stomach.
“Don’t you have something you should be doing, Nate?” I grumbled.
“And miss all this?” He shook his head. “No way.”
“Fuck off!” I barked over my shoulder as I set out after Mirabelle, his laughter traveling through the air. Ryke at least had the decency to cover his smile when I passed.
She gave Snickers free reign, flying across the open field. Sable had a challenging time catching her. After a few minutes, she transitioned to a trot, peering over her shoulder, a huge grin directed at me as I approached.
“I hope you can’t walk for days, little girl,” I snarled as I sidled up next to her. She was breathtaking, her skin flushed and her lips parted in laughter. Her whole being radiated a happiness I’d missed. I’d say Snickers was just as proud. “You two are quite the pair.” I laughed, unable to stay mad. I nodded to the stream up ahead, following her to the thin tree line.
We dismounted and tied the horses, letting them do their thing, and found a flat rock next to the stream to sit on.
“Seriously, how are you feeling?” I asked once we were settled.
“A little sore, but not bad.” She shrugged.
Her honesty made me happy. She leaned back on her arms, tilting her face up and closing her eyes. A small smile rested naturally on her lips, and she looked stunning. Her dark curls spilled down her back, resting on the rock. The steady lullaby of the trickling stream and the stomping and snuffling of the horses were soothing.
“He loved this.” I rested on the rock, matching Mirabelle’s pose. “Dalton could’ve spent days out here, just soaking in the surroundings.”
Much like Mirabelle, Dalton’s face had been like an open book. He was always content outside where the sun’s shimmering warmth filled every corner with light. I loved this ranch for the same reasons, but even more so because of the joy it brought to the only family I had.
“Do you think he was happy, Silas?” she asked, breaking my thoughts, her soft voice quivering with emotion.
“Yes. Without a doubt, Mirabelle.” The need to touch her had me wrapping her small hand in mine, threading our fingers together. “I can’t think of any time where he spoke of regrets. That wasn’t him, you know?” Her shoulders relaxed as she rested her head on my shoulder. “He was happy and driven and full of life. I’m not exactly sure how to run this ranch without him, but I do know that together, you and I can make him proud. It’s what he wanted.”
“Yeah.” She took a deep breath and sat up. “Walk with me?”
Without releasing her hand, I stood, pulling her up with me. Something about her hand in mine felt right. Everything about being with her felt perfect.
“Why didn’t you ever put the moves on me?” she asked, waggling her eyebrows at me. The change in the sorrowful mood was instant as we strolled over the countryside.
Her sudden playfulness had me grinning at her as I nudged her with my hip. “I wanted to. So many fucking times, I can promise you that.”
“I really had no idea. You always picked on me and made fun of me.”
It was the truth. It was easier for me to keep myself in check when I did that, but it also kept Dalton from knowing I had feelings for his little sister.
“True. We also threatened every guy in town so they would stay away from you.” Out of the corner of my eye, I watched to see her reaction. I was pretty sure she was going to be angry, but her reaction surprised me.
“I knew that,” she admitted, her lips pulling up in a delightful smile.
“You did?” Here Dalton and I thought we were so slick.
“Yup. The girls told me they’d heard some of the guys talking about it. It didn’t make a difference to me. It actually made my life easier to not deal with the drama.”
Huh. We’d figured she would’ve hated us interfering in her life like that.
“Besides, I was kinda hung up on an older boy.” She giggled.
Swinging her around, I pulled her into me, capturing her lips with mine. The kiss was not entirely innocent, more of a tease, as she opened her mouth with a moan that went straight to my groin. Pulling her tighter to me, I threaded one hand in her hair and grabbed her ass with the other, lifting her up as my tongue explored her mouth before slowly descending to her neck.
Her long legs wrapped around my waist, pressing her core right against my swelling cock.
“Fuck, Mirabelle.” This woman was going to kill me.
“Again?” she asked, grinning at me as her soft curls cascaded down her back, brushing my hands. How had I lived for four years without the playful side of her?
“Sorry, baby, we can’t.” Setting her down, I inched away. “I don’t have any condoms, and I’m not taking you on the ground.”
As I placed another kiss to her lips, my intentions were to stop our little make out session, but before I could wrap my head around what was happening, Mirabelle dropped to her knees and attacked my belt, unbuttoning my pants and pulling them down faster than I’d thought possible. My rock-hard dick pressed against my boxer briefs. It seemed as determined to reach her as she was determined to reach it.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I asked, shocked by her actions.
Her small hands slipped beneath the waistband, and she pushed my briefs down my thighs, looking almost enamored as my hard cock came into full view. Through long, dark lashes that brushed her cheeks when she blinked, her eyes bored into mine. I nearly lost it.
“Mirabelle?” My voice shook. I was torn between stopping her, and being afraid she’d stop.
Her eyes held my gaze as her warm, soft tongue lapped the underside of my cock, teasing and taunting. As she leaned in for another taste, her teeth grazed the sensitive skin before she covered them with her lips. Gliding up and down, she grew eager and tried to take too much of me at once. When she gagged, her cheeks turned red.
“It’s okay, baby. Use your hand at the bottom.” I entangled my fingers in her soft curls, careful not to put pressure on her head. No matter how much I wanted her to take all of me, she needed to move at her own pace.
With a determined nod, she wrapped her lips tightly around me, slowly taking my full length into her mouth. The friction was so incredible, I almost lost my balance. As she worked her tongue around me, her delicate hand squeezed, taking me to new heights.
“Holy fuck!” I groaned, throwing my head back, eyes clenched shut. The sensation of her tight, wet mouth was all-consuming, sending a rush of
warmth through my chest. My hands tightened in her hair, more for balance than control. My hips took on a mind of their own, rotating and jerking slightly, and I fought the overwhelming urge to buck into her mouth.
My mind shut down to everything but her touch. Every movement, stroke, sound shot me closer to the edge. Knowing this was quite possibly her first time made it even hotter.
She hummed as she grabbed my ass, pulling me deeper into her mouth. This time she didn’t gag, and I lost it.
“Oh, shit! Mirabelle, st—”
Before I could finish my warning, my release pulsed into her mouth. I tried to pull her back, but she held on tighter, taking everything I gave her. Legs shaking and heart beating loudly in my ears, I struggled to control my breathing.
Letting me go with a soft pop, she grinned up at me. The love I felt for this woman was intoxicating, filling every void in my heart. At the risk of blubbering like a baby, I pulled her to her feet and wrapped my arms around her, burying my face in her hair. Her scent enveloped me like a hug.
“Was that okay?” she asked as she stepped back, eyes filled with concern.
“Good God, woman! I can hardly feel my legs.” I laughed, tucking myself back into my jeans and buckling my belt.
She smacked me on the ass and walked back to the horses, swinging her delectable hips, clearly proud of herself.
M I R A B E L L E
Music blared from the speakers as I drove into town, singing at the top of my lungs. I missed my brother like crazy, but knowing I was where he wanted me made it easier to deal with. For the first time since my return, I felt free and happy.
When Silas and I had gotten back from our ride yesterday evening, Nate had given me shit about the two symmetrical mud stains on my knees. Silas was about to tell him off when I explained I’d thought Snickers had a rock in his hoof. When I innocently asked how he’d thought I’d gotten them, Nate’s face turned red, embarrassed he’d assumed the worst. I turned and left, but not before winking at Silas. These guys still didn’t know what to do with me. With a little more time around them though, they would see I wasn’t a fragile woman they needed to be careful around.
As I turned into the grocery store parking lot, my phone buzzed.
“Hello, Silas.” I smiled, excited he was thinking of me.
“Where are you?” His voice sounded irritated.
“Uh, I’m in town, why?”
“You can’t just leave without telling anyone, Mirabelle.”
“Actually, Silas, I’m pretty sure I can do just that.” Even though he couldn’t see me, I rolled my eyes. “However, I’m doing an errand for Caroline, so she’s aware of where I am. So, if you’re that upset, why don’t you go take it up with her.” I ended the call and shoved the phone into my purse.
That man was going to drive me crazy. One minute, he doted on me, and the next, he was pissed for no reason. The thought of him asking Caroline about sending me off on an errand made me grin. She would have his hide if he copped the same attitude with her as he did with me.
I grabbed a cart and worked my way around the store, loading everything from Caroline’s list. The bag of fun-sized Snicker bars tempted me, but I managed to restrain myself from digging in while I shopped.
“Mirabelle? Is that you?”
The voice belonged to a petite woman I recognized from high school.
“Hi, Gayle. How are you?” I hugged her, noticing the small boy next to her. “Well, who is this?” I asked.
“This is my son, Darren.” Gayle smiled at her little boy who was intently focused on the horse figurine in his hands.
“Wow, I had no idea you had a child. How old is he?” Gayle was two years ahead of me in school. I remembered hearing she had gotten married, but not about a baby.
“He’s five. I’m sorry, but he probably won’t talk to you, though.”
Taking note of his mannerisms, I watched him a little more carefully. If I had to venture a guess, I would say he was on the autism spectrum. Many of the kids I’d worked with during my occupational therapy clinicals were somewhere on the spectrum. It was a part of my training I’d truly enjoyed.
“May I try?” I asked, not wanting to overstep. When she nodded, I knelt to his level, careful not to invade his space. “Hi, Darren. That’s a pretty nice quarter horse you have there.” I pointed to his figurine and was rewarded with a shy smile. “I live on a horse ranch, and we have more than twenty horses.”
“Really?” His little head popped up, and a toothy grin crossed his face. Then the magic happened. “Did you know horses have sixteen muscles in each ear? They can rotate their ears one hundred and eighty degrees.” He bounced on the balls of his feet. “You can tell if a horse is cold by feeling behind their ears. If it’s cold there, so is the horse.”
“Somebody likes horses.” Knees popping as I stood, I grinned at Gayle’s wide-eyed stare at the little boy who was like a little walking, talking horse encyclopedia.
A little hand tugged on my jeans, drawing my attention.
“Horses have seven blood types. Horses with pink skin can get a sunburn.” His gaze wandered as he concentrated. Right then and there, this little guy stole my heart.
“Has he ever been on a horse?” I asked Gayle.
She shook her head.
A smack on my knee made me giggle. Someone didn’t like not having my complete interest.
“Horses mourn the passing of a companion.”
The statement was completely innocent, yet it hit me like a sledgehammer to the chest.
The ache in my heart must’ve shown on my face, because suddenly, Gayle was apologizing.
“It’s okay, really,” I insisted before kneeling to look him in the eyes. “You know what, Darren? I think you know more about horses than I do.” I swallowed the lump his last fact brought to my throat. “How would you like to come out and see my horses sometime?”
“Mommy! I want to go now.” Darren jumped up and down, excitement overtaking him.
“I’m sorry, Gayle,” I whispered. “I should’ve asked first.”
“It’s okay. Thank you so much for the offer.” She ruffled his hair before placing a calming hand on his shoulder. “Just let me know when we can stop by.”
“Well, how about this afternoon? It doesn’t look like you’ll get anything done now that I put the offer on the table.” Darren shifted side to side, spouting off more horse facts.
Gayle laughed. “You’re probably right. Can we stop by after lunch?”
“That sounds perfect.”
We said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. I was excited to get home and make sure I could get things ready for my new little friend’s visit.
I had just carried the last bag into Caroline when Silas walked out of the barn, his gaze fixed on me. When he reached me, he didn’t say a word, but wrapped me in his arms and cradled me against his hard chest. Soft flannel caressed my cheek. He smelled like spice, horses, and sweat, none of it unpleasant.
“I’m sorry,” he muttered as we swayed to the melody of a beautiful spring day.
“We have to find a happy medium.” I tilted my head so I could see his face.
“I hate not knowing where you are,” Silas admitted.
“I’m not leaving you,” I insisted, knowing now where his insecurity came from.
“I can’t lose you again, Mirabelle.” His eyebrows drew together as he chewed on his lower lip. His frustration was palpable. It broke me a little. Hurting this man was never my intention.
Being away from him all those years was hard for me, but I was seeing firsthand how difficult it had been for him, too. This strong man took command of everything in his life, yet with me, was becoming so vulnerable. It was humbling.
“I’m not going anywhere, Silas, but I’m not a horse. You can’t put reins on me and tell me which way to go,” I said softly, taking his hands in mine.
“I know that, Mirabelle. I think that’s what scares me the most.” His lips brushed my forehead, a
nd his arms tightened.
“Hey, Si!” Nate hollered as he rushed by us. “Ryke said we got another fence down.” He disappeared into the barn.
“Fuck. How is that possible?” Silas took off his hat and ran his hand through his hair. “We’ll talk later, okay?” He loosened his arms and kissed me, then marched to the barn.
Twenty minutes later, what appeared to be five-days’ worth of supplies weighed down the quads, and the guys left. Caroline and I sat in the kitchen talking about my encounter with Gayle and Darren.
“He’s autistic,” she said, confirming what I’d suspected.
“He seems very high functioning, though,” I said, as I carried my dirty dishes to the sink.
“I suppose, although I’ve never seen him talk the way you described.” Caroline took the plate from me, washing and putting it in the dry rack. “There are a handful of kids around here like him, you know.”
“Really?” I asked, trying to remember anyone else with a child on the spectrum. I couldn’t recall, but that didn’t mean there weren’t. “Before leaving for college, I probably wouldn’t have noticed. During my clinicals, my focus was kids with special needs, so I’m much more aware of it now.” A minivan pulled up the drive, stopping outside the barn. “They’re here!”
As I hurried outside, excitement bubbled inside me when I saw the little boy. His hands fluttered and flapped a mile a minute, showing his eagerness to see his favorite animal.
“Thanks, Caroline. See you in a few hours.”
With the last of the supplies loaded, I headed out to the field. Packed in the back of the truck were fried chicken and potatoes, who knew how many pies, more water, and sleeping bags. Caroline enjoyed spoiling the guys.
Silas had called about an hour earlier to let us know they needed to stay overnight to finish the work on the fence the next morning. Apparently, the damage was a bit worse than expected. It was a good thing Ryke had suggested changing the pasture rotation based on the soil samples, otherwise a few horses could’ve escaped.
After a wonderful day, I was excited to see Silas and tell him about it. My visit with Darren and Gayle had given me so many ideas, but I wasn’t sure if I was out of my mind, or if what I wanted to do was even feasible.
