by Green, A. S.
“Well...are we still going for a ride?” I brace myself for disappointment. Does he regret what’s gone on between us? Was he more freaked than he let on about Mrs. Marsden almost catching us?
Before Luke can answer any of these questions—spoken or not—I hear the clop, clop, clop of several horse hooves hitting the stable’s concrete floor. I glance toward the sound just as the dark-haired lifeguard emerges from the stable doors, leading two more horses out into the paddock.
“Tess,” Luke says, sounding resigned. “This is Max. Max, this is Tess. My CIT.”
His CIT. At first I am relieved by his proprietary emphasis, but then I worry I’m reading too much into it. I am, in fact, assigned to him. I’d be his CIT whether he wanted me or not.
“Hey,” Max says in greeting. Luke unlatches the paddock gate to let me inside the ring. I can tell the gray horse is meant for me because the stirrups are set at a much shorter length than on the other horse’s saddle.
“Nice to meet you, Max.” I look back and forth between the two handsome staffers—one light, one dark—as I wait for an explanation as to why the lifeguard is handling the horses. Am I being replaced? Oh, Christ, is Luke into threesomes?
“Once the activity schedule gets in full swing—” Max interrupts his sentence to put his left foot in a stirrup and pull himself up. He swings his right leg over the back of the horse, and the saddle leather creaks under his weight. “I won’t have time to ride. It’s now or never for me.”
I cover my nervousness by plastering on a smile. “Sounds cool. Now I’ve got two guys to laugh at me when I fall off.”
Max grins broadly while Luke frowns, saying, “I would never let you fall.”
I give him a nod, trusting his words. But when it comes to any other kind of falling—most notably, falling for a handsome cowboy—I’m afraid it’s a bit late for that.
Luke moves to the left side of the horse with the shorter stirrups then laces his fingers together. I place my foot in his hands, and he hoists me into the saddle.
“Meet Sodbuster,” he says. “You’ll be spending a lot of time together.”
Sodbuster stomps his foot, but otherwise seems unimpressed with making my acquaintance.
Luke slips my left foot into the stirrup and double-checks the length. Then he slips a finger under the wide strap that goes around the horse’s belly to hold the saddle in place. Once he seems assured that it’s tight enough, he turns to Juliet and mounts her in one graceful, fluid movement.
“Ready?” he asks, as he adjusts himself in the saddle.
I pick up the reins, not really sure what to do with them. The animal beneath me is broad backed and warm. I can feel the contained energy in his muscles, pulsing with life. It’s both worrisome and exhilarating, terrifying and sensual. I can see why people love it so much.
“Ready as ever,” I tell him, drawing in a calming breath.
“Follow me, then,” Luke says. “Max, you pull up the rear.”
Chapter Ten
Luke
After an hour of riding, and several nervous—and hilarious—squeaks from Tess whenever Sodbuster changes his pace, the three of us are deep in the woods where the trees are at their thickest. Sunlight filters through the green canopy, dappling the ground. I’m gratified that the trail is still in good shape from last summer and I won’t be having to clear any overgrown brush before tomorrow.
We stop at a shallow trout stream that cuts through the woods and allow the horses to get a drink. When they’re done, we all dismount. Max and I lead the horses back up the hill a ways and loop their reins over a low-hanging tree branch. Tess walks along the bank to watch the stream.
It’s a beautiful spot, untouched. It makes me think of the Garden of Eden. It’s also where I intended to take Tess before Max invited himself along. I’d planned it all out, how I was going to lay her down in the grass, spread her open, then get one more taste of her before finally letting my dick in on the secret that, so far, she’d only shared with my mouth and hand... Feeling her warm, silky tightness envelop me until my balls tightened and drew up under me—
“You know,” Max says, brutally interrupting my thoughts. “If your CIT isn’t working out, I’m sure Mrs. Marsden could make some assignment changes. It’s still early.”
I don’t understand what he means. Is he attracted to her? Is he trying to weasel in? I wouldn’t blame him for it, but he can get that idea out of his head right the fuck now. There’s no way I’d ever let him touch her. “What do you mean not working out?”
“The way you’re looking at her. You seem pissed, or something. Annoyed at least.”
“I’m not. Everything’s fine.”
“Really?” he asks, not sounding convinced.
“Really.”
Max goes silent and we watch Tess as she moves closer to the stream. “She’s pretty,” he says, stating the obvious.
I make a noncommittal sound in my throat and turn to go check on the horses as they pull and rip at the short grass that grows around the trunk of the tree.
“Makes funny noises when she gets nervous,” Max says from behind me. “Hey, she should be careful.”
“What?” I turn to find Tess avoiding the muddy bank by climbing out onto a large rock that juts over the stream. She’s crouching at its edge, leaning out, reaching forward with both hands as she tries to scoop up a drink of cool water.
I know from past experience that that particular rock always has a fine layer of moss and algae this time of year. If she’s not careful...
Sure enough, her knee slips out to the side and she pitches head first into the stream. It’s only knee-deep, not like she’ll drown, but I can’t help my reaction. “Tess!”
I run toward her, getting to the spot where she went in just as she stands up, dripping wet and laughing at herself. There isn’t a dry spot on her. She holds out her arms and gives them a shake, sending water droplets flying.
“I knew I was going to fall this morning, but this wasn’t what I pictured.” She groans as she wades through the current to the muddy bank, and I smile at how cool she is about taking a tumble.
For years I’d obsessed over a two-dimensional girl while Tess was out there in the world, heading down a path that would one day collide with mine. She is so much more than I could have hoped for: smart and funny; sweet and feisty; self-assured and daring. More complicated than any girl in a worn out magazine.
When she gets to the edge of the stream, she gives her arms another shake and blows water from her lips. My stomach tightens at the sight of her nipples popping through her T-shirt, reacting to the shock and the cold.
At least her shirt isn’t white. For one, I wouldn’t want Max to get that kind of peep show. For two, it would suck to have to restrain myself from so much temptation.
It’s bad enough with Max here. More than once I’ve groaned out loud at the thought of Tess’s hips rocking against her saddle, wondering if the ride gave her sweet little pussy even a hint of the pleasure I had intended for her.
And now with her breasts looking so biteable... What I wouldn’t give to pull one of those pink buds into my mouth.
Max is suddenly beside me, and I want to tell him not to look.
Tess stomps up the small incline toward where we’ve tied the horses. “I think I better get back,” she says as she passes in front of us. “Before I catch pneumonia anyway. A hot shower should do the trick.”
My cock gives one hard pulse as I turn to watch her go, and my mind fills with the image of us in that shower together. Max chuckles low under his breath, and I shoot him a hard look, annoyed that he’s distracting me again.
“I take it back,” he says, his voice still low but now filled with amusement at my expense. “You’re not pissed at her. You want to eat her alive.”
I don’t respond, which only confirms his suspicion.<
br />
“Better watch yourself, dude. Find some other way to get your rocks off.”
He’s not wrong. I wish I could get bored of Tess like I do with everything else in my life, but I don’t see that happening any time soon.
“Don’t say anything to anyone else,” I tell him.
“As if.” He sounds offended I would think that of him. “But people are going to figure it out on their own if you keep panting after her like that.”
Tess turns Sodbuster against the hill, and she stands on the high side so she can get on without any help. Man, the girl learns fast.
“You haven’t kissed her yet, have you?” Max asks.
“Shut up.”
“Fuck. You kissed her.” Then he shakes his head. “Christ, it’s only the first full day. You. Are. Fucked.”
Tess is now on her horse, straddling her saddle and leaning back like she did last night. Then she glances over her shoulder toward us, but she’s only looking at me. “Are you coming?”
My throat thickens, so Max answers for me. “Probably.”
I give him a hard jab in the ribs as a drop of pre-cum soaks through my briefs.
Chapter Eleven
Tess
When we get back to camp, I don’t have time for a shower like I planned. I only have time to get a dry set of clothes before the campers show up in small groups for their orientation with the horses.
I spend the afternoon watching in admiration as Luke gets the kids laughing and comfortable with animals that are so much bigger than they are. The campers don’t do much real riding—just fun “exercises” in the saddle to help them find their balance; they turn around sidesaddle with their hands in the air, then backward, then to the other side, then front again.
Luke shows them how to get on and off from the proper side, how to hold the reins, and how to coax a horse forward with a cluck of the tongue, or a gentle kick of the heel. By the end, the kids are riding their horses in a lazy circle around the edge of the paddock, the youngest of them yelling, “Yee haw!” and acting like they’re actual cowboys out on a cattle drive.
There’s really little for me to do but say encouraging words then help Luke return all the horses to their stalls at the end of the day.
Through it all, we don’t talk much. We certainly say nothing about last night or this morning. As Luke puts the last horse away for the day, I wipe my hands on a towel and toss it toward the dirty laundry basket. That’s when Luke lets out an exasperated sigh, and I turn to face him.
“Max knows.” He leans his back against the stall door and crosses his arms.
“Max knows?” I lean against the opposite stall and mirror Luke’s posture. “You mean about us?”
The corners of his eyes tighten as if the memory is painful. “Not all the details. But he knows I’m into you.”
I let out a sigh of relief and drop my arms to my sides. “I wasn’t sure if you still were. Into me, that is. Or if it was a one-off. Or... I suppose a two-off now. Well... I guess that’s it then.”
“What’s it?” he asks like he’s not tracking our conversation.
I draw my eyebrows together in confusion. “Luke, I understand how much these horses mean to you. I’m not going to be the one to jeopardize that.”
He shakes his head and drags his hand over his mouth and chin. “That’s not what I was saying.”
He wasn’t? Interesting. But still. I was serious when I said I wasn’t going to be the one to ruin things for him. I like him. A lot. I think he likes me, too. But if this has to end, I’d rather get it over with, as painful as that may be.
“Well, that’s what I’m saying, Luke.” I think I sound firm enough that he’ll let this go. “Do I want more? Absolutely. But some things are more important.” I push off the stall and walk toward the tack room to—I don’t know—do something to get some space and shore up my resolve. Luke follows behind me.
“We just have to be more careful,” he says.
“This sucks, Luke, but it’s impossible to be careful enough. Will Max say anything?”
“Not a chance.”
“Then we dodged a bullet. Let’s leave it at that. You love this job, and I’m not going to blow it for you.”
He laughs a cynical kind of laugh. “So your parting shot is to use ‘job’ and ‘blow’ in the same sentence? That’s low, Tess.”
I feel my face heat. “Sorry.”
He hooks his thumbs into his belt loops. I don’t think he means to, but his eyes travel down my body, then back up to my eyes. His Adam’s apple bobs.
“So...” I say, not knowing where to take this conversation next.
“So...” he says.
“See you tomorrow, I guess. I’m going to hit the showers before dinner.”
“Yeah.” The corners of his eyes tighten again, and he wipes his dirty hands down his thighs, leaving a dusty track behind. “I’ll finish up here. See you tomorrow, Tess.”
And that is that.
* * *
Except that it’s not.
For the next ten days, I learn all the horses’ names, how to check for nettles in the blankets before saddling them, how to curry them down, clean tack, and muck out stalls. I also learn how long I can be in Luke’s presence before my head spins and my pussy starts to throb, which—I’m ashamed to admit—is all of thirty seconds.
Luke often catches me staring, which would also be embarrassing if I didn’t catch him just as often. I don’t intentionally tease him, but more than once when I’ve bent down to pick something up off the stable floor, I’ve turned to find the front of his pants bulging.
When that happens, our eyes lock, and he gets a pained expression before excusing himself for a few minutes to “take care of something.” He doesn’t offer any lame explanation for what he suddenly needs to do. There’s no point. He knows I know.
I’m perfectly aware because I’m just as shameless, counting the minutes until we can get the horses saddled and take to the trails. With my assigned position at the back of the line, I can swivel my hips and rock my pussy against the saddle just the way I want to, without anybody noticing.
I can even close my eyes and enjoy all of the pounding sensations I can get from it because Sodbuster doesn’t need any involvement from me. He’s content to simply stay in line.
Just like me and Luke. Mercilessly toeing the line.
Chapter Twelve
Luke
“Where are you going?” I ask.
The question is rhetorical. Tess and two of her cabinmates are headed across the loop, and they’re all dressed in beach cover-ups with towels draped around their necks. Tess’s so-called cover up is made of mesh, so I can see the sweet shape of her ass and thighs.
They all stop midstride at my question and turn like a single unit. I tuck my thumbs into the front pockets of my jeans and wait for the explanation.
The two other girls look at Tess with their eyebrows raised, but she waves them on. “It’ll just be a second,” she tells them. “Go on without me. I’ll catch up.”
Only once they’re on their way do I risk dipping my chin and letting my eyes scan over her bikini-clad body. Goosebumps skitter down her arms.
“Sorry,” she says. My eyes come to hers, and she glances to the right. “I came by to tell you, but you weren’t in the stables.” She looks down, then to the left, anywhere but at my face. “Seline got an eye infection, and Max needs help with swimming lessons. You and I didn’t have any trail rides planned for today, so Mrs. Marsden temporarily reassigned me.”
“Reassigned you?” How did this happen? The Marsdens didn’t say anything to me about it.
“It’s just for today,” Tess says softly.
I raise my head and look toward the swim beach, even though the lodge is blocking my view. “Don’t do too good of a job. I wouldn’t wan
t Max to keep you.”
She shifts her weight, and when I look down into those beautiful green eyes, I’m both startled and happy to see her finally looking at me. But then she folds her arms and her attitude shifts. “You’re not actually jealous, are you?”
“No,” I say because I have no right to be, then admittedly, “Yes.” I exhale wearily. “I don’t know. I’ll miss having you around today. That’s all.”
“I thought maybe you might be happy for the change of pace, a little break from me.” She’s trying to keep it light, but I know she’s talking about the torture I’ve obviously been going through. The last couple days, she’s seemed to have actually enjoyed watching me squirm.
I’d probably scare her if I admitted how tentative my hold was on my self-control so I play off her comment as a joke. “A break from what? There’s nothing going on between us.”
Tess starts to rise up on her toes. It’s the smallest of movements, but I lean back in self-defense. If she gets any closer, I will crush my mouth down on hers. Has she forgotten where we are? How exposed? Damn these camp rules.
“Are you swimming with us today, Tess?”
I look down and am surprised to find one of the youngest campers, who has come out of nowhere and is now tugging at Tess’s towel. She’s wearing a pink and purple swimsuit that seems to be made entirely of ruffles.
Tess flashes her one of those brilliant smiles. “You bet I am, Sadie.”
“Hooray!” Then the little girl throws out one hip and points her finger up at me. All sass. Total attitude. “No horses on the beach.”
“No, ma’am,” I say, touching the brim of an invisible hat. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
“That would be too much work for Tess, and she’ll be more fun if she’s got energy.”
I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face. I’m sure I look like the cat who not only got his cream, but remembers it quite clearly.
My eyes rise to lock with Tess’s. “I have it on good authority that she’s got plenty of pent-up energy.”
