by Krista Lakes
“You are welcome,” he replied. There was a serenity to what they were doing that surprised him. He was much less afraid of looking like an idiot now that he was out here than he had been this morning.
“This way,” she instructed, taking him up a hill.
The mountains were breathtaking. He could finally understand why the song went “purple mountain majesty above the fruited plain.” From up here, the mountains were dark purple against the light blue sky. Wildflowers dotted the meadows with color and life. Plus, the air smelled amazing up here. It was so clean it nearly hurt after the smog of the city.
“Hold on,” she said, pulling her horse to the side to check a fence post. She made a note on her phone and went to the next one. “I just have to check these couple of posts.”
“Is this what you do all day?” he asked, looking around. If this were his job, he would never want to do anything else.
“Not really,” she said with a soft chuckle. She put her phone back in her pocket and looked around at the beautiful scenery. “I don't get to do this very often. I have to supervise the ranch hands, order supplies, pay bills...”
“So, paperwork?” he supplied.
She nodded. “I don't just manage the horses, I manage the ranch. Even before we had kids coming, it was a fair amount of work. Now it's more.”
“Did you not want the kids to come?” he asked. “Since it's more work for you?”
“Oh, I want them!” She turned in her saddle to look at him. “They're amazing kids. We had a weekend test trip with some of the kids up from Denver a couple of weeks ago, and it was spectacular. Some of them had never seen a horse. A couple had never seen the stars from anywhere but the city.”
He nodded. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen the stars. It was too bright with city lights at his penthouse in California.
“I love having them here,” she continued. “It's like getting to see everything for the first time. Plus, the smiles? The kids all loved it and were asking to come back. I'm so excited to have more kids here over the summer.”
“It sounds like they'll keep you busy,” he said.
She nodded. “Yeah. I'm looking forward to it.” She shifted in her saddle to look at him. “How are you doing? The ride okay?”
He thought about it for a moment. This was actually a lot more fun that he'd thought it would be. He was going to smell like horse, but it was wonderful being outside in the sunshine and there was something special about being out in nature with an animal. He could get used to this.
“I'm doing great,” he replied.
“Good, because we're about to do the hard part,” she replied with a smile and she urged her horse to go a little faster.
Chapter 14
Laura
Laura led as they took the back way home to the ranch. She couldn't stop smiling. This was going better than she'd hoped. It made her glad that she was on her horse in front of Ethan, that way he didn't have to see the goofy smirk that was plastered on her face.
“Slow down there, cowgirl,” Ethan called out.
Laura glanced over her shoulder to see Ethan a little way back on the trail. His smile was just as broad as hers as he held the reins. His horse was carefully navigating the rocky path, but apparently wasn't going fast enough to keep up with her.
“Whoa,” she said, pulling on her reins.
Her horse came to a stop in the middle of the trail, and they waited for Ethan to catch up.
“Come on, slowpoke,” she shouted. “Don't be afraid of a few rocks.”
“If the horse is afraid of them, then so am I,” Ethan called back. “Besides, I'd really rather not fall off. That would be ugly. You don't want to see me cry. I'm a really ugly crier.”
Laura laughed at his comment as she watched Ethan trying to keep his balance. He shifted his body side to side, trying to stay centered on the horses back as they traversed the trail. She was actually pretty impressed with how natural Ethan seemed in the saddle, especially considering that it was his first time riding.
Within just a couple of minutes, Ethan got to the bottom of the hill and rode up beside Laura.
“And here I thought this horse riding stuff was easy,” he commented.
Laura glanced over, noticing that his knuckles were a bit white from holding the reins so tightly. Looking at his confident smile, she'd never have guessed.
“You did well,” she said, with a warm smile. “Let's head back to the barn. Just follow me and hold on. Use your core.”
She then made a clicking noise with her tongue. Immediately after, her horse began to trot down the trail. Now that they were past the technical area of the ride, Ethan was able to keep up with ease. Laura stood up in the saddle and gently tapped the horse's side with her heel. Within seconds, they sped up from a trot into a gallop.
The moments when she was riding fast enough so that all she could hear was the wind as it whipped past her ears, sending her hair outward beyond her back, those were the times that she cherished the most about riding. There was nothing like it.
However, somehow it was even better knowing that Ethan was right behind her, sharing the same experience. She loved that he was there, seeing the same beautiful trees as they passed by and breathing the same, sweet summer air that she was.
At the speed they were riding, it didn't take long for them to get back to the paddocks. Laura didn't even have to tell her horse what to do. He slowed down on his own as soon as they broke through from the trees and into the pasture where the ranch was.
“Good girl,” she said, patting the back of her horse's neck. “Let's get you settled in.”
Ethan rode up next to her, smiling from ear to ear. “That was incredible. Especially the last part.”
“It wasn't too scary?” she asked, with a playful smirk.
“I'm man enough to admit it was a little scary at first,” he said. “But after a few seconds, I got comfortable riding at that speed. Thanks again for taking me out. Seriously, I have a new appreciated for horses. Makes me wish I had given them a chance a long time ago.”
“Better late than never,” she replied, as she walked her horse toward the barn. “Let's get these guys back in their stalls so they can get some water and rest.”
“That's a great idea,” he said. “Plus, didn't you say something about a surprise?”
“I did,” she said, flashing a wink. “I'll show it to you as soon as we get the horses settled in.”
They rode side by side into the barn, then hopped out of the saddles. Ethan passed Laura the reins, and she walked both of the animals into their separate stalls. She made sure that they had enough water and hay, and then stepped back out. She'd asked one of the stable hands to help her brush them down when she got back so she could give Ethan his surprised.
She turned to see Ethan standing in the center of the barn, dusting the front of his jeans off with his hands.
“Come with me,” she said, beckoning him with a finger. He raised his eyebrows but crossed the barn with her. She led him to a ladder leading up to the hayloft. The smell of hay was strong here.
“Where are we going?” Ethan asked, looking around the barn.
“Up,” she said, pointing to the ladder. “And no staring at my butt.”
“I make no promises,” he replied.
She shook her head, put her foot on the first rung and started to climb. It was a quick climb up to the hayloft. Sunlight filtered through the open hayloft door on the side of the barn. The ranch was quiet. No one would bother them up here.
She stepped to the side and made room for Ethan to come up. He was definitely staring at her butt.
Hay was stacked on all three walls of the loft. They were getting a new batch in a few days, so there was more room than usual. Directly in the middle of the area was a clearing about the size of a small living room. In it, there were two bails of hay for seats, and one picnic basket, filled with a homemade lunch for them both.
“Have a seat,” she said,
keeping her eyes on Ethan to see his reaction. “Here's your surprise.”
At first, he looked a bit confused, at least until he saw the picnic basket. Then his expression softened and his lips tipped upward into a smile.
“You did this?” he asked. “For me?”
She nodded. “Yeah. I mean, it's nothing too fancy obviously. It's just lunch.”
“No, no,” he said. “It's not just lunch. It's better than that. Seriously, this is really thoughtful, Laura.”
Her cheeks began to tingle a bit, and she knew that she was blushing. She looked away for a moment, hoping that her face would return to a normal color before he saw.
“This is the best surprise,” he said. “Thank you.”
“Don't thank me before you try the food,” she said, giggling. “What if you hate it?”
“I doubt that will be the case,” he replied. “But if it is, we'll just go get Sandy's.”
She strolled over to one of the hay bails next to the picnic basket and sat down. Ethan was still standing in the opening of the hayloft. He was backlit by the blue sky and the shining sun, and she could only see his silhouette. The contrast of color seemed to accentuate just how tall and lean he was. He really looked like a cowboy as he stood there, too. The tight jeans, the shirt, and probably the fact that he was surrounded by hay, all contributed to the look. Laura enjoyed the view for a moment and felt herself suddenly more drawn to him than ever before.
For fear of being caught blatantly staring at him, though, she finally called him over. “Come sit with me. Let's eat.”
“You won't hear an argument from me,” Ethan said. “I'm starving.”
The floor boards creaked as he stepped toward the bail of hay that was situated directly next to hers. Laura wasn't sure how he was going to react to having a picnic in a hayloft. The guy was a billionaire, after all, and she was certain that most of his lunches were probably in fancy restaurants while wearing a suit. Still, though, he appeared genuinely happy to be there, and that excited her. It made her feel good about the effort she had put into getting this surprise together for him.
“So what's on the menu?” he asked, nodding toward the picnic basket.
“Well, let's find out, shall we?” she said, as she opened up the basket and pulled out a plastic jug. “This is my homemade lemonade. I can't promise you'll love everything else I have packed in the picnic basket, but I'd be willing to bet money that you'll go nuts over this. It's a secret lemonade recipe known only to a handful of the Corbett family.”
“In that case, I consider myself lucky for being able to have a taste.” As Ethan spoke, it seemed apparent to Laura that he was more interested in her than he was in the lemonade. It was like he couldn't take his eyes off of her. She loved it. It made her feel beautiful and extraordinary.
She pulled two plastic cups out of the basket and filled them both with lemonade from the jug.
“Secret recipe, huh?” he said, taking the cup from Laura's hand. “What's the secret?”
She shook her head and shrugged. “Well if I told you, it wouldn't be much of a secret, would it?”
“Touché,” he said, holding the cup in the air. “Cheers.”
“Cheers,” Laura echoed his words and then tapped the edge of her cup to his.
Ethan took a sip of the lemonade and Laura watched as his eyes widened with delight.
“Well...?” she asked hesitantly. “What do you think?”
After another swig, he dropped the cup from his lips. “This is incredible, Laura.”
“You're just saying that,” she said, feeling her cheeks tingle once again.
“I'm dead serious,” he said. “This is unbelievable. How did you make this?”
“I won't tell you all of the secrets,” she said, with a sly smile. “But I can tell you that part of it is about using lemons straight off of the tree. Once you have lemonade with fresh lemons, you'll never be able to go back.”
“You're right about that,” he said, shaking his head in awe. “I think you've just ruined me. I'll never be able to drink lemonade from the store again.”
Laura shrugged. “I guess you'll just have to let me make it for you from now on.”
She didn't really mean to say it. It just sort of came out, without her even thinking about it. As soon as the words spill from her lips, she cringed.
God, why did I say something so weird? she thought. I'm so awkward.
To her pleasant surprise, though, Ethan seemed to resonate well with the idea.
“I'd like that,” he said, his pale green eyes locking with hers. “I'd like that very much.” He paused. “It snows here. Where did you get fresh lemons?”
“I have a little lemon tree in my house,” she explained. “It goes outside in the summer and comes in for the winter.”
“I see,” he replied, taking another sip.
There were a few seconds that passed, and all that they did was stare into each other's eyes. It caused a warm tingling to stir inside of Laura. She wasn't sure if it what she was feeling was similar to what she had felt the first time they met, or if it was completely different. Maybe it was just the spark of attraction, which the two of them obviously shared with each other. Regardless, she felt something. There was sexual tension in the air, and it was so thick that it was almost palpable.
“Um, so, you said you were hungry?” Laura stumbled over her words and nearly dropped her cup of lemonade onto the floor.
Ethan smiled warmly. “Yeah, I'm famished.”
“Okay, good,” she replied. “Once again, I didn't make anything too extravagant. I wasn't sure what you'd like, so I just made something simple. How does a turkey and swiss cheese sandwich on rye bread sound? It's my personal favorite.”
“I love turkey and swiss!” he said. “That's my go-to sandwich for when I'm eating at home.”
Laura smiled wide, relieved by his response. “Whew. That's good, because if you hated it, then you'd have to fill up on nothing but potato chips and lemonade.”
She pulled the two cellophane-wrapped sandwiches out of the picnic basket and handed one of them to Ethan.
“Thank you, Laura,” he said. “This is perfect. Honestly, this is one of the best days I've had in a long time. Between me surviving the trail ride and then this, a nice lunch with you out here in the country, I'd say it's just about as good as it can get.”
He let out a long and relaxed sigh as he gazed out the open doors of the hayloft. It made Laura feel good that she was able to please someone who could have afforded anything he wanted. It was proof to her that there were indeed many things that money could not buy.
The best and most precious things in the world can't be purchased, she thought. This moment is one of those things.
Chapter 15
Laura
Ethan and Laura unwrapped their sandwiches and ate in silence. The only background noise was the light wind as it rustled through the trees outside and the occasional squawk of a lonely raven that was flying around nearby. It couldn't have been nicer. Laura's surprise lunch had gone better than she'd expected.
Once they had finished eating, Laura quickly cleaned up and put all of the trash into the picnic basket. Ethan took his final swig of lemonade and then scooted over on the hay bail, closing the space between Laura and himself just a tiny bit.
“Hope that was enough to eat,” she said, pushing the picnic basket out of the way. “You devoured that sandwich in minutes.”
“I'm a fast eater,” he said, laughing. “Besides, I was hungry, and it was delicious. I'm full, though. It hit the spot just perfectly.”
Now that the meal was over, Laura had nothing to distract her. She couldn't change the subject and talk about the lemonade or the sandwiches. So when the sexual tension between the two once again presented itself, she had no choice but to face it head on.
Without even thinking about what she was doing, she found herself leaning toward Ethan. There was still a bit of distance between them, but it was like her
attraction to him slowly closed that gap, bringing them closer physically.
“Hey, Laura, is that the raven that's been making so much noise?” Ethan asked, pointing outward toward the top of the tree where the black raven stood proudly.
Of course, Laura could easily see the bird from her current position, but she wasn't about to admit that. The raven was the perfect excuse to slide all the way over to where Ethan was seated.
“Where?” she asked. “I can't see from here.”
She then moved her butt across the hay, until her left hip collided with Ethan's.
“Right there,” he said, still pointing.
They were so close now that she could feel his warm breath drift over the side of her neck as he spoke. It caused a tingling sensation to dance through her, and her eyes closed halfway to the sensation.
“Oh, yeah, that's the one we've been hearing,” she said, realizing how obvious it must have been that she'd only used the bird as an excuse to sit nearer to him. She didn't really care.
The sexual tension was back and as strong as ever. It was as if they'd never had the time apart after the museum.
Laura looked away from the raven and brought her gaze to Ethan. Their eyes locked and she immediately got lost in them. She practically melted right there on the hay bail, hypnotized by his sexual stare.
All logical thought went straight out the window. Laura could only think of one thing at that moment, and that was Ethan. With their faces so close and the attraction so powerful, she quickly submitted to her desires. All she wanted was him. For the moment, nothing else in the world mattered at all.
“Kiss me,” she whispered, but her words were so quiet that hardly any noise came out at all.
It must have been loud enough for Ethan to hear because he leaned in as soon as she had finished speaking. His lips touched hers as he gently pressed toward her. A soft moan eased up and out of Laura's throat while a fire ignited inside of her.
