by SJ McCoy
“Okay. I trust your judgment. Give them a call.”
Chapter Seventeen
Hope started to doubt herself when she saw the two horses waiting in the yard for them. Chance had been right—getting up into the saddle was going to be tough. She thought she’d figured it out, that if she got her good foot up in the stirrup she could swing her bad ankle over, no problem, but she’d forgotten one detail—she’d have to put all her weight on that ankle while she put her good foot up first. She pursed her lips as she eyed the two horses, neither of them was small.
Chance put his arm around her shoulders. “You told me you’re not a novice, but how much riding have you done? You’re starting to look a little nervous.”
She smiled up at him. “I used to ride a lot as a kid, and I still do sometimes when I get time. It’s not the riding I’m so bothered about, it’s the getting up there.”
He nodded. “Don’t worry about that, I’ve got it figured.”
She raised an eyebrow at him, but the instructor came over to them before he could explain.
“Good afternoon. I’m Parker, I’ll be riding out with you this afternoon. First of all, I’d like to get you both mounted up and we’ll spend a few minutes in the arena, just so I can get a feel for your level of experience and comfort in the saddle. Is that okay with you?”
Chance nodded. “Sounds like a plan to me. Do you mind if I help her mount up?”
Parker looked at Hope. “Is there a problem?”
She shook her head, feeling embarrassed. She’d hoped not to make an issue out of it. “No, not at all.”
Chance smiled. “It’s okay, I know what I’m doing.”
Parker looked uncertain, but nodded his agreement. “Okay. I’ve got you on Heather.” He led them to the horses and untethered the bay mare.
Hope looked at Chance. “What do you have in mind?”
He smiled and went to stroke the mare’s nose before he replied. “You’re going to kneel your bad leg in my hands while you get your good foot in the stirrup.” He cupped his hands together and met her gaze. “Come on, this is going to be the quickest and most painless way for you both.”
Hope took hold of the reins and patted the mare’s neck. “Sorry about this, Heather. We’ll be fine once I’m up there, okay?”
The horse turned her head and gave them a curious look, but continued to wait patiently.
Hope put her knee in Chance’s hand, then stopped. “Are you sure about this?”
He nodded. “Yup. Just go for it.”
She put all her weight onto her knee, and he boosted her up so she could get her good foot in the stirrup.
“You okay?”
“Yes. Thank you.” She shifted her weight out of his hands and swung her leg over so she was astride the saddle. That had been a lot easier and less painful than she’d feared.
Parker smiled at them. “I take it you’ve done that before?”
Chance nodded. “That and just about everything you can imagine to get someone up there without disturbing the animal.”
Hope laughed. “And here I was thinking you were concerned about me.”
Chance shook his head at her with a smile. “You know I am, but she’s the one taking care of you.” He rubbed Heather’s nose. “And I need to take care of her.”
Parker handed him the reins of the big gray gelding who was waiting patiently. “Meet Hercules. I have a feeling the two of you are going to get along just fine, and I don’t think you need any help or instruction, right?”
Chance smiled. “I think I can manage.”
Hope watched him talk to the horse for a few minutes, obviously making friends with him. Then he mounted effortlessly and patted Hercules’ neck once he was settled in the saddle.
Parker went and opened the gate to the arena. “Bring them on in and we’ll put you though your paces.”
Hope felt a little uncomfortable; for all her claims, she hadn’t ridden in a couple of years, and she knew she was going to look like a novice compared to Chance, no matter what she did.
Parker stood in the center of the arena and watched them walk the horses around the outside. “Okay, Hope, let’s see you circle Heather away. Cut her across the center line and then ask her to canter back around to Hercules.”
Hope urged the mare and she did exactly as she was asked. Hope was grateful that she didn’t need too much encouragement and a gentle squeeze with her legs was enough to get Heather cantering back around to Hercules.
She smiled at Parker’s praise. “Good job, that’s great.” He turned his attention to Chance. “I think with you I’ll just say, do your thing.”
Chance smiled and nodded. “Hercules seems pretty smart to me. Can I put him through his paces?”
Parker nodded. “Sure.” He looked a little skeptical to Hope.
Chance didn’t seem too worried. He urged the horse forward and Hope smiled as Hercules lengthened his stride and dropped his head. Chance circled him one way and then the other, and then had him canter around the outside of the arena. The way he sat in the saddle and moved with the horse, he looked like he lived in the saddle, but then he probably did. Hope looked at Parker, who was smiling appreciatively.
“He likes you.”
Chance smiled. “I like him. How old is he? He feels as though he used to be a showoff and he’s forgotten most of what he can do.”
“You’ve got that right. He’s thirteen now, but he was a good dressage horse when he was younger.”
“He still is.” Chance grinned and lowered his hand. Hope watched as Hercules arched his neck and tucked his chin in. At the same time, he shortened his stride and started to lift his feet higher, looking for all the world as though he was prancing along just to show off and prove Chance’s point.
Parker laughed. “Wow! That’s awesome. I never thought I’d see him do that again. He’s seemed so resigned the last couple of years. As though he’d given up on having fun since he’s not competing anymore.”
Chance reined him around and brought him back to walk behind Hope and Heather. “He’s not given up, he just needed reminding how to have fun.”
Parker nodded. “Well, thanks for reminding him. None of us have been able to do it.”
“Sometimes it just takes a stranger to come along and show you what the people around you haven’t been able to.”
Hope turned in the saddle to look at him. He met her gaze and winked, making her smile. He was talking about what she’d done for him as much as what he’d done for Hercules.
“Yeah. I guess,” said Parker. “You two just keep on getting to know them and I’ll go get Apollo and we’ll head out.”
~ ~ ~
As they rode along the cliff tops looking out over the ocean, Chance felt at home and relaxed. He was back in his element now. Hercules was a great ride. Chance almost wanted to take him home to Montana. He didn’t like that the riding school seemed to have written him off. “You’ve got a lot of good years left in you, don’t you, bud?” He smiled at the way Hercules twitched his ears back to listen to him and then nodded his head as if he understood.
Hope brought Heather up alongside him. “You two seem to be getting along well; I feel like I’m interrupting your conversation,” she said with a smile.
Chance smiled back. “We’re just having a chat. He’s a good boy. I almost want to take him home with me.”
Hope laughed. “Who knew that was all it’d take? I wish I knew dressage.” She looked a little worried after she’d said it. “Sorry, it was just a case of see the line and say it.”
He smiled. “I know, no problem. Horses are easy, though. Much easier than humans.”
She nodded. “They are. I think you should ask if he’s for sale.”
Chance nodded slowly. Maybe he would. He glanced ahead to where Parker was leading them. He was a good trail leader. He’d assessed their abilities and felt comfortable to let them do their thing. “I might.” He patted Hercules’ neck.
“I’ll bet h
e’d love Montana.”
Chance looked at her, wondering if she would. It was a crazy thought, though. Even if she wanted to, it wasn’t as though she could move there. Buying a horse was one thing. He could move Hercules up there and his old life would soon be forgotten. It wasn’t the same for humans. They had attachments and obligations and responsibilities—practical realities to take into consideration. “He probably would. He’d have a good life up there.”
She nodded, but didn’t reply. Was she having the same kind of thoughts he was? It didn’t matter. He didn’t need to go thinking too much into everything she said, or thinking about their whole situation. She’d been right when she said they should play it by ear. All they could do—all he wanted to do—was make the most of the time they had here. And the time they were having was pretty damned good. It didn’t get much better than this; he was riding out along the coast, with a beautiful woman beside him, and a damned good horse beneath him. He tried to bite back a smile as a thought occurred to him—with any luck, the beautiful woman would be beneath him again later.
She raised an eyebrow at him. “Dare I ask what you’re thinking? It looked like it might be naughty.”
He laughed. “Oh, it was naughty, all right. I can’t tell you though. But, if you’re good, I’ll show you later.”
“Ooh! I’ll look forward to that.”
He nodded and shifted in the saddle. He didn’t need to start looking forward to it that much just now. “Me too.”
It was a beautiful day and Chance was glad that they’d waited till the afternoon to come out. The fog often didn’t clear before lunchtime, but it was clear and sunny now as they followed Parker and Apollo down a steep trail to the beach. When they reached the bottom, Parker turned in his saddle and smiled at them. “I think I’m just going to hang here and let the two of you ride the beach.” He met Chance’s gaze. “You’re just as capable as I am of dealing with anything that comes up. So, go have some fun. The tide is still on the way out and those two,” he nodded at the horses, “love to walk in the water, so feel free.” He checked his watch. “If you’re back here in half an hour, we’ll still have plenty of time to get back to the barn by four.”
“Thanks.” Chance turned to Hope. “Are you okay with that?”
She nodded, looking thrilled. “I am, let’s go.” She urged Heather forward.
Chance was pleased with how well she rode. He’d been a little concerned that she might have been talking up her abilities so that he wouldn’t be concerned about her, but she wasn’t. She rode like someone who’d grown up in the saddle—even if she was out of practice.
When they reached the water’s edge, Hercules surprised him by lunging sideways at the first wave that splashed over his knees. Chance patted his neck to soothe him. “It’s okay, buddy. You’re fine.”
Hope smiled at him. “You really care, don’t you? You really see him as a new buddy.”
“I do, and he is. I spend more time with horses than with people most days. I see them as equals, as work partners.” He shrugged. “And yeah, I see them as friends.”
“I love that.”
Chance’s eyes flew up to meet hers. For a moment, he’d thought the last word was going to be a different one. He’d thought she was saying, I love you. He sucked in a deep breath and waited for his heartbeat to return to normal. Where had that thought come from? Love was a big word. He wasn’t ready to go anywhere near it. Maybe that was why he was afraid she might. He looked over at her. She was smiling, her hair blowing in the wind. She was relaxed and carefree as Heather plodded through the water. What was he thinking? He was just spooking himself. Love was the last thing on her mind. He needed to get a grip.
She gave him a puzzled look. “What? I do.”
He smiled. “Sorry. You just surprised me. Most people don’t understand.” He could hardly tell her what he’d been thinking, could he?
She smiled and made a face at him. “You should know by now, I’m not like most people.” With that she urged Heather forward and cantered away through the waves.
Chance smiled as he and Hercules followed. “She thinks I haven’t figured that out yet?” he asked the horse. “She’s nothing like anyone I’ve ever known.”
When they got back to the house, Hope smiled at him as he helped her out of the car. He could tell the smile was masking pain. “Are you okay? Did that make your ankle worse?”
She laughed. “No, it’s not that at all. I’m just aching in places I’d forgotten could ache. I think I might be walking bow-legged for the next couple of days.”
He laughed with her. “Hey, don’t worry about it. At least for you it’ll wear off in a couple of days. There’s no hope for me.”
She stopped and looked up into his eyes. His heart started to hammer again. What was he supposed to do when she looked at him like that? “There’s one Hope for you, and she’s standing right here, wondering if you’re going to remember that proposition from earlier.”
He smiled and slid his fingers into her hair. “I remember.”
She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, lifting her lips up to him. How was he supposed to refuse that? He lowered his head to her and covered her mouth with his own. She tasted so sweet. Her lips were plump and soft, her tongue eagerly seeking his. As her arms came up around his neck he sensed an urgency in her kisses, an urgency that matched his own. He reached down to hook his arm behind her knees in a move that was now familiar to them both. He scooped her up and carried her to the front door. She scrabbled in her purse for the key and unlocked it. Once they were inside, Chance didn’t want to head for the sofa. He wanted to take her to bed. He might not have been able to spend the night with her, but somehow taking her to bed felt like it was moving a step closer. He wondered if she felt the same way. “Where to?” he asked.
She pointed to her bedroom and looked up into his eyes questioningly. “If you want to?”
“I do,” he breathed.
He laid her down on the bed and stood back to look at her. She was gorgeous. She was in a hurry, too. Her hands were on his buckle, trying to get him out of his jeans already. He smiled and helped her out then knelt on the bed beside her and had her out of her clothes in no time. He knelt back and looked down at her beautiful naked body. His cock twitched in anticipation and she reached up to touch him. He closed his eyes as her fingers closed around him. Her small, soft hand tormented him and he let her for a few moments. It felt so good. As her hand started to move faster, he leaned back out of her grasp. He couldn’t take too much of that! Instead, he spread her thighs and caressed them with the palms of his hands, making her moan.
“You’re going to ache tomorrow.”
She laughed. “Is that a promise?”
He laughed with her. He wasn’t used to a woman who could joke in bed. “Yeah, but I mean from riding.”
She waggled her eyebrows at him. “So do I.”
He shook his head and stroked his hands up and down her thighs. He loved the way her eyes glazed over as he did so. He took his time stroking up and down and when he reached the top again he stroked her gently. She made to get up.
“About that ride?”
He shook his head. “Not yet.” His fingers continued to work her, he could feel her getting wetter and he needed to taste. He lowered his head, holding her eyes the whole way until he stroked his tongue over her clit.
“Chance!” she breathed.
He spread her legs wider and traced her opening with his fingers as he sucked on the little nub. Her body began to quiver. He wanted to make her come like this, but her fingers tangled in his hair and tugged at him till he lifted his head. “You don’t like it?”
“I love it! But I’ve been fantasizing all day about riding you. I kept rubbing myself against the saddle wishing it was you. Your tongue is amazing, but right now, it’s your cock I want.”
Chance swallowed, his cock growing harder with every word she spoke. He nodded, liking this new assertive side to her. She sat up
and put a hand to his shoulder, pushing him down onto his back with a smile. “So, please, just lie back and let me?”
“Your wish is my command.”
He lay back, loving the view of full breasts above him as she straddled him. He groaned as her fingers closed around him again. It felt so good, but after she’d talked like that, what he wanted, what he needed was to be buried deep inside her. “Ride me, honey.”
She looked into his eyes and held his gaze as she stroked herself against him. Her wetness drove him crazy with his need to be inside. She lifted her hips and positioned him against her. “Are you ready?”
He nodded, and gasped a ragged breath as she impaled herself on him and they began to move together. She sat up tall and rode him hard. He reached up for her breasts and squeezed her nipples, making her ride harder and faster as her inner muscles squeezed him tight. She started to moan as he rolled her nipple between his finger and thumb and he thrust harder, knowing she was close to the edge. As she tightened around him, he felt the pressure building inside him till he could no longer hold it in. He dropped his hands to her waist and pulled her down onto him as his release surged through him. She screamed his name as she joined him, clenching around him and carrying him away with her. He came hard, shock waves tingling through him from his toes to his scalp as she milked him for everything he had. Eventually, she slumped down on his shoulder, breathing hard. He turned his head to kiss her neck, sending shivers racing over her bare skin.
“I like riding,” she muttered.
“You should, you’re damned good at it.”
She chuckled. “I think I’m out of practice. Do you think you could help me get good at it again?”
He smiled. “I’d be happy to.”
Chapter Eighteen
By Wednesday, they’d fallen into an easy pattern. Chance came over in the morning and they had breakfast together. Then they’d decide what they were going to do for the day and head out and do it. Hope was enjoying their drives along the coast, and stops in little towns and beaches. She loved their evenings spent together having dinner and making love—though not necessarily in that order. He still hadn’t stayed the night with her, and she still hoped that he would. She wasn’t enjoying how quickly the time was passing by. They only had a few days left, and she didn’t want Saturday morning to roll around. They hadn’t talked any more about what they might do after this. She’d thought she’d taken the pressure off by saying they didn’t need to decide anything, but now it felt as though she’d turned the pressure up—on herself. She wanted so badly for Chance to decide that he’d like to keep on seeing her, but she knew she couldn’t ask him for anything. She felt that if he stayed with her one night, that would be his answer—and the fact that he hadn’t chosen to do so yet felt like an answer in itself.
