by Piper Rayne
“What do you do?” he asks, stepping ahead with me as the line moves forward.
“I’m a…” I stall because I’m not sure I want these people to be able to track me down after today is through. Aaron’s eager smile screams stalker to me. “A Pilates instructor.”
His eyes roam down my body, and I almost follow his vision, second-guessing my claim, but I shove my phone in my pocket and straighten my back. I work hard for my body. Six days at the gym every week. Even after Chase left I never missed a day.
“I can tell.”
A genuine smile parts my lips. It’s nice to know I’m still attractive. “Thanks.” My smile must be a little too inviting because he steps closer at the same time the line in front of me clears and a pair of green emeralds sparkling with amusement lock onto mine.
Eyes so familiar my thighs squeeze together.
“You?” I say, my voice too breathless.
“You?” he mimics my tone, raising eyebrows that are way too perfectly shaped not to be waxed or threaded.
Lucas is seated behind the table and looks down at his clipboard for a second, his eyes scrolling until he looks back up to me.
“You’re here to find a date?” That pen in his hand puts a checkmark next to my name. “Tahlia Santora?”
I nod, my voice locked with one-inch chains.
“As in the Santora Sausage company?” Aaron asks next to me, and my eyes flicker over to him. I’d forgotten all about him.
I begin to nod before I shake my head back and forth. “No, but I still get the lame jokes about how I like my sausages.” I tighten my smile, hoping they each buy it.
Lucas’s smile widens, revealing more perfect, white teeth.
Aaron laughs. “You must have been razzed about that your whole life.”
I stare blankly at him, but he continues laughing.
“Hey, Aaron. Since Tahlia’s new, let me get her signed in, and then you can stake your claim,” Lucas says.
Aaron stops laughing, placing all his attention on Lucas. The smile doesn’t reach the edge of his lips, let alone his eyes, but he nods. “Yeah, hands off, Cummings,” he threatens.
Lucas doesn’t respond and waits for Aaron to step far enough away before he speaks again.
“How are you?” he whispers, so I lean in closer to the table.
“I’m fine,” I whisper back.
The oddest thing about this situation is that the embarrassment of seeing him again lasted all of two seconds. There’s a comfort with Lucas I’ve never experienced with anyone else.
He chuckles and then looks over my shoulder.
“Why don’t you slide over here and I’ll check these people in before we get your papers signed.” He points to a barrel behind the folding table he’s seated at.
I slide around him and take a seat on the barrel as Lucas makes quick work of the line. He knows most of the people, and he quickly checks them off the list. The girls hover a little longer, and I can feel the men’s eyes on me while Lucas is helping them.
After the group is checked in and they mingle with their steaming cups of Starbucks coffee, Lucas’s attention turns to me.
“Okay, so since you have the lucky little red star next to your name, I need you to fill out these papers and sign the release form.” He hands me the clipboard with the papers.
I look them over and sign, releasing all rights to sue the company should I get injured. When I finish, I pass the clipboard back to him.
He studies the papers, making sure everything is a go.
“I’m sorry for the other night,” I say quietly, so only he can hear.
He glances at me from the corner of his eye, smirks and then turns his attention back to the papers.
“No problem.” He shrugs. “It’s not like I’ve never been shitfaced before.”
“Yeah, but your money…”
He nods, his lips pursing. “Didn’t make for the best night, but it didn’t devalue it, so we’re square.”
He stands, and I follow suit while he places the pen back in the holder on the clipboard, holding it down at his hip.
“Lucas,” I sigh, but he shakes his head.
“Apology accepted.” His voice says he’s done hearing any more about it, so I nod, accepting that fact.
“Okay. Thank you.”
The smile he gives me reminds me of the first night I met him. So carefree and easy-going.
“Now, what are you doing adventure dating?” he asks, a crease forming on his forehead.
“My friends dared me that I wouldn’t do it.” I shrug.
He begins sauntering toward the rest of the people here and I fall into step with him.
“You do know that if your friends dare you to jump off the Transamerica Pyramid Building, you shouldn’t do it, right?” He raises his eyebrows, and I giggle like I’m a fifteen-year-old girl.
“I’m not that dumb, but it was a gift, and I know they think I’ll last one outing and call it quits, but I’m no quitter.”
He stops me with a hand on my elbow right before we’re within earshot of the others. His brief touch sends a cascade of goosebumps up my arm. “I’m glad this won’t be the only time I see you. Welcome.” He smiles, and we lock stares.
“Thank you,” I say, heat creeping up my cheeks, and I’m sure I must be blushing.
We stand there for a moment until the annoying gnat I met earlier interrupts us.
“Are we going to get going?” Aaron whines. Lucas’ jaw clenches, but he loosens it quick.
“Let’s go see a man about a horse.” He nods his head toward the others and I follow him up a small hill that leads to a large barn with a paddock beside it. A bunch of different-colored horses are lined up inside the paddock with people who look like they know what they’re doing.
I follow Lucas. His jeans hang off his hips perfectly, and I understand a little better what Anastasia Steele was going on and on about every time she saw Christian Grey wear denim. His faded sweatshirt hugs his broad shoulders, and I imagine my hands searching for the body I saw the other night under the layers of warmth. The way he wears his baseball cap backward makes him appear younger in years. I clench my hands into fists as I reach the rise of the hill because I’m picturing myself flipping off his hat and digging my fingers through the golden hues of his hair.
“Tahlia.” His voice pulls me from my daydreaming just as I imagine his lips on my neck.
I gather myself quickly. I think Lucas just introduced me to the group, so I smile and give a small wave.
The guys say hello, the girls appraise me. I don’t blame them. I’d do the same thing.
Lucas speaks to the group with authority and runs down what’s going to happen over the course of the afternoon. When he’s done a line forms for the horses. Since I’m a newbie, I stay back, meaning I’m the last to get a horse assigned.
The person who works here walks over the horse I’m to use today, and I take a step back into a hard body.
“He looks angry,” I say as two hands clasp on my upper arms.
The horse in front of me is tall and agitated, fidgeting his head back and forth and stepping in place with his giant hooves.
“Have you ever ridden before?” Lucas asks from behind me.
“Yes,” I answer, trying to act unfazed by the horse’s snarl. “Just not one this big.”
“That’s what she said.”
I chuckle a bit at his joke, and it helps to ease some of the tension coursing through my body.
Lucas sidesteps me, and I miss his hands on my body in an instant. “I’ll take him, and you can take the other horse.” He points to a smaller brown horse that appears to be only a slightly better option, though the horse seems like a wanderer based on the fact that the people who work here seem to be having trouble reining him in.
“Um…” Do I want to be a wimp? Hell, no. “That’s okay, I’ll take this one.” I move forward, straightening my back, willing myself to believe that I can control this beast.
“I like it. I guess you must be used to handling big things,” he says and my eyes instinctively veer down to his package.
He chuckles and my gaze shoots back up to his face, and I know a blush is now tinting my skin. “It’s all right. You’re not going to hear me complaining if you look.” He steps forward, and my breath halts in my chest. “I think I made it clear the other night that I was hoping you’d do more than just look.” He drops the octave of his voice so only I hear him.
My thighs clench and I remain as calm as one can be even though my insides feel like a bull waiting for its eight seconds inside the rodeo ring.
“Oh,” I say.
Lame, Tahlia. So fucking lame.
“You can let me know whether you’re a looker or more of a hands-on girl.” He waggles his brows and then saunters toward his horse now that they finally have him ready for Lucas to mount.
Is he asking me for a quick fuck in the back of my BMW, or a longer, more leisurely bang at one of our places? Both fill me with a thrill I haven’t known in years—maybe ever.
Lucas swiftly mounts his horse as though it’s as natural as driving for him.
“Ma’am.” The guy nods my way, and I watch his flexing forearm holding the reins on the horse. The muscles in his arm are straining as if he let up even a little, the horse would rear back.
“Um.” I hesitate, and the guy nods for me to go ahead.
Is he crazy? I’d rather not become paralyzed just to find a date.
Lucas and his brown horse trot over, which fuels my horse’s adrenaline further. The handler, having no other choice, grips tighter, but the horse rears his head back with a neigh that sends spit spraying across my face.
Chuckles from the group of participants ring out around me. I close my eyes in disbelief and wipe my face. The man still doing his best to grip the reins of the crazy horse in front of me hands me his bandana. I wipe the rest of the saliva off my face and nod to the man in thanks, returning his bandana.
I second-guess my decision to be here. So far nothing has gone as planned.
“Come on,” Lucas says, his hand extended waiting for mine.
“I can just sit out.” I glance around, seeing that there are a few benches outside of the pen.
“I hate to break it to you, but if you don’t do the activities, you’re wasting your friend’s money, and I don’t think you’ll win the bet.” He cocks his eyebrow, and we both know he has a point.
I grab Lucas’ hand, place my foot in the stirrup and he pulls me up effortlessly until I’m straddling him from behind.
I try my best to ignore the scent of his cologne, or the way he shifts to get himself comfortable. He backs into me and pushes the seam from my jeans in exactly the right way to leave me biting my bottom lip.
The workers open up a gate in the pen, and another one of them leads the group of us out. We all follow behind him and his horse in single file.
“There’s an awesome spot on the trail where we’ll stop and have lunch. It’s this really great pond,” Lucas says, tapping our horse with his heels. “Good girl, Violet.” He pats the side of her neck, and I swear she sighs. I’d sigh too if he were on top of me whispering sweet nothings into my ear.
Violet trots along and I keep my hands on his hips, but once we start moving up into a hilly area, Lucas puts the reins in one hand and eases my hand to the middle of his stomach. “Hang on tight, it might get bumpy.”
The front of my body is flush against his now as my hands entwine across his hard-as-a-rock stomach. The scent of his soap mixed with his cologne fills my nostrils now that my nose is practically shoved into his neck, and a little voice at the back of my head warns me this is a terrible idea. He’s trouble, but damn, he’s like chocolate. I shouldn’t indulge, but my willpower is too weak. Maybe just a nibble.
Yeah, right.
7
The way Lucas navigates the horse through the hillside is flawless. It’s obvious this isn’t his first time on a horse. The rest of the group are still in front of us, riding along the open trail. We stay back, and I wonder if that’s because he’s the leader and wants to give people privacy, or if maybe it’s because he wants the two of us to have some privacy.
“So, you’re a boxer and an adventure dating leader?” I ask, and he laughs.
“I’m a boxer.” I can actually hear the smile in his answer. “My buddy had some business to attend to out of the country, and I agreed to take over being the point man on all the group dates until he returns.”
“Oh. That’s nice of you.”
“Yeah, I’m good like that.” He chuckles again, a deep and hearty laugh that makes my stomach flip. Well, part of the stomach flip might be because I can also feel his stomach muscles contract underneath my hands while he laughs. “Unfortunately, I’ve been doing it for two months.”
“That’s a long time. Is your friend okay?” I ask even though it’s none of my business.
“Yeah, it’s a family thing. He had to go back to Seoul to settle his family’s estate.”
“Sounds complicated.”
“Is there such a thing as an uncomplicated family?”
Just as we’re easing into a conversation, we reach the pond. The same handlers from up on the ranch take each horse and tie it up to a wooden post, while everyone else heads toward some tables set up along the water’s edge.
Lucas shakes off the help of the handler, putting Violet alongside the wooden post and securing her. He holds his hand out to help me down, and by some small miracle, I don’t make a fool of myself while climbing off. I send a mental thanks off into the universe for the fact that Mom and Dad made me take riding lessons when I was young.
“Go enjoy yourself. I have some things to discuss with the workers.” He nods his head toward the lunch spread and disappointment turns my stomach because he’s not joining me.
“Okay,” I say, turning my attention to the people I should be mingling with.
I’m halfway to the picnic area when Aaron approaches me.
“Where were you?” he snips.
I’m put off by his aggressive tone, so I don’t bother to fake pleasantries. “How about you lose the attitude.” I glance at him from the corner of my eye, but men like Aaron don’t understand that you don’t bug a woman until she agrees to go out with you.
Aaron walks in line with me to the picnic area. The set-up is cute with red plaid tablecloths and large picnic baskets filled with an array of sandwiches and salads to choose from.
“Sorry, I was just happy to see Lucas didn’t keep you for himself. He has a reputation around here.”
“Reputation?” I ask.
“Yeah, he likes to pick one girl out of the herd, and he ends up taking her home after.” Aaron hands me a paper plate.
“Is he allowed to do that?” I ask, because I would think that being the leader would come with standards. I push the fact that Lucas propositioned me a half hour ago to the back of my mind.
“He’s not a teacher or our boss. He can do whatever he wants.” Aaron’s tone is filled with ire. It seems someone is not Lucas’ biggest fan. “All the women like him because he shows up with bruises and cuts on his face to every event we have on Sundays. You know women and bad boys.” He rolls his eyes as he reaches for a sandwich out of the basket.
Actually, I don’t know about bad boys. Chase and the few before him were always well groomed and treated me like a porcelain vase in bed. Which seems to have been part of the problem considering Chase probably went to his whores for the rough and kinky.
My eyes waver toward Lucas, laughing it up with the handlers. As if they can sense my gaze, all their eyes veer my way, and I snap my head back to Aaron.
An odd thought occurs to me as I place the last of my food on my plate and begin walking toward an empty picnic table. Are the handlers in on his scheme and I’m the girl he wants this time around? Is that why I got the bad horse, and he took Violet? I had no choice but to ride with him unless I wanted Whit or Lennon to
pick me up from Memorial Hospital.
What a little jackass. Well, not little, but he’s a jackass all the same.
“You don’t seem like the type who goes for that kind of man.” Aaron takes the seat next to mine at the picnic table, and a woman who’s been wandering from table to table places lemonades in front of us. Another couple sits down across from us. I smile, taking a bite of my pickle.
“I like guys who treat me nice,” I say. The woman across from us smiles at my comment.
“Well, as luck would have it I’m nice,” Aaron says.
I smile at him, not responding because my mom taught me to keep my mouth shut unless I had something nice to say.
We eat our lunch, and the other couple talks mostly amongst themselves, which is unfortunate as I’m left listening to Aaron run off his resume to me. I hear about his college days on the dean’s list and how he’s the youngest blah, blah, blah. Before he can backtrack to high school, the staff announces we have ten minutes before we’ll have to get back on our horses.
I wipe my mouth, placing my napkin on my empty plate.
“Excuse me, Aaron.” I stand. “I wanted to take a walk around the pond.”
He stands, and I release a frustrated breath.
“By yourself?” he asks.
I nod.
“Okay. Here, let me.” He takes my plate from my hands.
“Thank you.” For the plate and the break from your incessant talking, I don’t say.
“There’s a beautiful field of wildflowers on the other side.”
He turns and sits back down at the table while I venture off in search of some peace and quiet. The dirt path is worn out of the grass, presumably by numerous people before me.
The quiet allows my mind to wander to the state of my life. What am I truly looking for? Another meaningful relationship like Chase, or a fling with a guy like Lucas? I’ve never been one to be by myself, but that idea sounds nice right now—to avoid the drama of dating for awhile. But then Whit and Cole flick to mind. How happy they are. Damn, if I don’t envy their relationship because Chase might not have been the one for me, but we had our moments. Being part of a couple felt nice.
