by Hope Ford
He rubs his head. “First of all, don’t forget who you’re talking to. Second of all, I said she could learn to go horseback riding. She’s always wanted to learn. We shouldn’t deprive her of that after everything she’s done for you. I mean, look around here, Jason.” His arm spans out, gesturing to our hundreds of acres. “How could we not offer to teach her?”
Derrick isn’t backing off the horrible idea, and all I can see is how one of the ranch hands is going to be sharing a saddle with Karly, his hands and arms roaming all over her, taking total advantage of every opportunity to breathe her in, touch her, and be with her.
It’s so appalling I can’t stand it. “That’s right, she did so much for me so I should be the one to teach her,” I say.
“You? I’m sorry, but you said you weren’t going to risk breaking your leg again by getting back on a horse.”
“I just meant that it was too risky at the time. I’ll… work up to it.”
Derrick gives me a look, and I recognize it as the same look he always gave me and Trent when he was challenging us to something when we were growing up. “You sure?”
“Damn sure,” I answer back, full of confidence. If it means I can keep Karly off the back of another cowboy’s horse, then fuck yeah I’m going to get on a damn horse.
Karly
It’s silly how many times I’ve been close to tears thinking about this last PT session. Both Jason and I knew we were on a countdown, which made each session feel bittersweet—at least it did for me.
I arrive and work with Jason a little, but since it’s the last session, I’ve put together a binder full of stretches and exercises he has to do if he wants to keep building muscle in his injured leg as well as balance.
Jason listens to my explanations, but he doesn’t seem sad at all while I’m having trouble not wrapping my arms around him and sobbing out a goodbye. This just goes to show that I’ve read more into our relationship than there is. I really need to get out of here. I definitely don’t want him to see me falling apart.
“Okay, that’s it. You’ve officially graduated from needing my help or guidance. I’m so proud and happy for you. I really am,” I say and decide less is more because I don’t want to cry when he’s smiling and not sad.
I head for the exit.
“Wait, I have something special I want to give you,” Jason says, catching up with me at the door without his cane and with great balance.
“You don’t need to give me anything. I was paid—”
Jason takes my hand and leads me out the door and off the porch. I’m so caught up in how much his touch sets my body tingling that I can’t seem to finish my valid protest.
“If you turn down my present, I don’t mind telling you that I’ll be crushed. I worked really hard on it.”
He puts his hand on his heart when he says crushed, and since he is still holding my hand, it’s against his hard chest. I feel a little breathless.
“You really shouldn’t have,” I say.
“You don’t know what it is yet,” he laughs.
How can he be so calm and happy? I’m such a silly, sentimental woman.
Jason clicks his tongue, and a horse that is a beautiful mahogany shade of brown trots out of the barn and stops in front of us. “This is Legacy. He’s six years old and my favorite horse.”
“You can’t give me a horse. I can’t have a horse—”
“I’m not giving you my favorite horse.”
He walks up to the horse, and when he takes hold of the reins and then lifts his right foot into the stirrup, I feel like I might throw up. Getting onto a horse can put a lot of strain on his knees if they aren’t strong enough to perform the task correctly.
Jason glides up onto the horse slower perhaps than he once did but with perfect form. My heart soars for him. “You did it!” I can’t help the squeal that comes out I’m so excited for him.
“Yes, I did, and now you’re gonna get up here with me. I’m giving you horseback riding lessons.”
“Horseback riding lessons? Wow, that’s huge. Are you sure?”
Jason holds his hand out toward me. “I’m absolutely certain.”
I take his hand, and he helps me up onto the horse to sit in front of him. “First lesson? Relax your legs. You’re going to want to flex them to hold onto the horse, but you’re not going to fall off if you stay centered. Don’t squeeze your legs.”
“Okay.” That sounds easy enough. But I soon learn as we ride around the corral, it isn’t. Derrick and Olivia are standing off to the side, leaning on the fence watching us. Jason’s arms are on each side of me, and I can feel his heat at my back. If I could stay just like this, right here, I would do it for as long as possible. With each trip around the ring, I have to remind myself over and over again that this is just his way of repaying me for all he thinks I’ve done for him. But regardless, it’s still fun and intimate.
14
Jason
I convinced Karly to stay a few days so we can continue her lessons, and once she confirmed with the hospital that she won’t be back for a few days, she agreed. Today, she’s going to be riding on her own.
I’m riding Legend, a younger horse that’s a great horse but takes a more advanced rider, and Karly is on Legacy. She’s been doing very well in her lessons. It’s too bad I’ve been struggling so much through each one.
It isn’t my knee I’m struggling with.
Getting to be so close to her and touch her has made me just want to touch more of her.
I take her for a ride off the path up the mountainside to the clearing where there is a river. She’s nervous because it’s her first off-path ride and her first ride solo.
I get off my horse to let Legend drink water. Then when I help Karly from Legacy, she slides right into my arms, right up against my body, and I kiss her. Because how could I not?
I can’t hold back anymore.
Karly tries to resist, but just when I think she’s going to pull away and slap me, she kisses me back. As my hands start to roam over her body she does pull back. “We can’t do this because I’m your nurse and you’re my patient.”
“Not anymore, remember,” I say, breathless with desire. “I graduated. If anything, I’m the teacher, and you’re my student.”
Karly gasps and then laughs.
“Don’t worry, I don’t have any rules about not kissing my only student.” I pull her back into my arms and tug her to a patch of grass with me.
I imagined what this would be like, but I had no idea just how good it would feel. Karly is in my arms, and nothing is going to stop me from showing her exactly how I feel about her.
Her hands knead into my shoulder across my chest, and she’s pulling my shirt from my body. I hold my hands up just until the shirt is off and then they are back on her. I can’t get her undressed fast enough. When I have her shirt free and her bra off, I hold her to me, her breasts and soft curves held tightly against my body as my whole body shakes and tremors at the contact. I knew we would fit together, but I swear it’s almost as if she was made just for me.
“Karly, I want you,” I tell her between kisses. One hand is on her breast, kneading her soft skin and teasing her hard peaked nipple. The other is at her back, holding her lower body against me. My hips jerk, and I know by the whimper in my ear she feels my erection pressing into her.
She pushes me to my back and leans over me. Her hand is at my jeans, and she’s unbuttoning me, pulling down the zipper, and then her hand is in my pants, pulling me out. Her eyes never leave mine. “I want you too.”
She smiles then and slides down until her mouth is at my hard cock. As soon as she opens her mouth and fits me inside, I know I’m a goner. She works magic, sliding me in and out of her mouth while her hand works up and down my root.
My hand goes to her hair, and I grab on to it probably harder than I should. She moans around my shaft, and my hips start to jerk.
“Climb up here, Karly. I need to be inside you.”
She shimmies out of her pants and underwear and climbs on top of me. Her hands go to hide her curves, but I grab on to them, pulling her down until her pussy is pressed against my shaft, her large mounds are pressed against my chest, and her lips are pressed against mine. I devour her, licking and tasting her, not wanting to come up for air.
Her hips start to move, and my cock is sliding through her wet, swollen folds. Fuck, she feels good.
She reaches between us and positions me at her opening. Her eyes are focused on mine, and she almost looks out of it with the desire lighting up her face.
She takes me in, slowly moving down. Her tight channel hugs me, and I can feel her insides stretching, making room for me.
Her big blue eyes are round as saucers, but she doesn’t give up. She keeps lowering her hips until she’s fully seated and I’m deep inside her channel.
I caress her cheek with my fingers. I want to root into her, claim her, and make her mine, but I need to know she’s okay first. She’s all that matters to me. Now and forever.
“You okay?”
She nods her head and starts to move. Up and down. I can feel the hard pebbles of the ground under my back, but I don’t care. I’m here with Karly, and nothing could stop me now.
“I need you to come, Karly,” I tell her, knowing I’m not going to last much longer. She feels too good. I slide my hand between us, and she sucks in a breath as I pass her stomach. I stop and caress her, wishing I could kiss her there and show her that I don’t care what curves she has. I want them all. “I love your body. All of it,” I whisper against her ear, and she moans in response.
I cup her mound as I’m moving in and out of her. My fingers go straight to her hard nub and stroke circles around it. She’s jerking her body, but I don’t stop. With each thrust, she’s grinding into my hand and I’m sweating, trying my best to hold off my climax.
“Come for me, sweet girl. I need to feel you fall apart in my arms, Karly.”
Her hands go to my shoulders, and we meet each other thrust for thrust. Her body pulls tight a second later, and her damn pussy is like a vise on my dick, sucking me in and not wanting to let it go. But still I thrust until she’s coming all around me and I’m shooting my seed deep inside her.
Breathless, she tries to move, but I hold her to me so that we’re still joined and she’s lying on top of me. Fuck, if I died and went to heaven right now, I would die a happy man.
My hands slide down her back and grab on to each of her ass cheeks, almost daring her not to move yet. I want her to stay just like this.
Karly
It was magical being with him, but once the afterglow fades, the things he said about owing me for helping him to regain his old life come back to me. I feel like I took advantage of his sense of gratitude. As a matter of fact, I know I did.
I know if I lie here one minute longer, the tears are going to start, so I jump up and start pulling on my clothes. It’s broad daylight, and normally I’d be self-conscious about showing off my extra padding on my stomach or my rounded hips. But right now, I don’t care. I just know I have to get out of here.
I feel terrible. Horrible. I want to kick myself for what I’ve done. “I need to leave,” I tell him.
He’s trying to stop me, pulling on his pants and walking after me as fast as he can, but I just pick up the pace and keep moving.
I untether Legacy and climb up in the saddle. I urge the horse to go with a little nudge to the side, and as soon as he starts to move, the tears start to fall. And I don’t even try to stop them.
15
Jason
She’s riding faster than she should be, but luckily, I’m better by far than she is, and I overtake her horse. As I cut her off, I take hold of her reins. “What were you thinking pulling a dangerous stunt like that? Why are you crying?”
“It’s nothing. Can we please go?”
“Karly, no, we can’t just go. After what we just shared I’m not letting you take off like that. What happened? What’s going on in that head of yours?”
She sniffles and is wiping her tear-stained face. “I feel guilty taking advantage of you the way I did.”
“You what?” I ask, surprised. “You took advantage of me?”
She won’t look at me, but at least she’s talking. “Yes, you were so thankful for me helping you. I don’t know. You’re my patient.”
“Was your patient. Was. I’m not your patient anymore, and there’s no way you took advantage of me.”
I’m steaming mad because we’ve only met not that long ago, but it seems that we have a real problem with communication. I’m mad, but I try not to let it show in my voice. “I taught you to ride a horse because of my gratitude, but I didn’t kiss you and have sex with you as a thank you. I did it because I want to be with you. I want you to want to be with me because I’m in love with you. I have been since you called me on my half-assed workout and challenged me to be a better man.”
“You hated me, though.”
“I didn’t. That day I was an ass, I overheard three doctors talking about asking you out. I couldn’t compete, Karly. I was jealous, and I thought the best thing to do was to push you away.”
She finally looks at me. “Jason, you’re better than all three of them put together.”
I climb down off my horse and walk around to her, helping her down. As soon as her feet hit the ground, I have my arms around her, and I’m holding her close. “I’ll probably never be the man you deserve, Karly, but I’m going to work every day to try and be just that. Yeah, you’re too good for me and deserve better, but I can’t lose you. I love you.”
She puts her chin on my chest and looks up at me. “I love you too. I’ve been so upset knowing I had to leave you soon.”
I shake my head. “You’ll never leave me again, honey. Your place is here with me. We’ll work out everything else. All that matters is this. You and me.”
She kisses me, and I can feel her smile as she pulls away. “I’m in love with you too. I didn’t want to be—it’s so against the rules—but I couldn’t help it. Jason, I’m crazy about you.”
I’m smiling again, and now so is she.
Epilogue
Karly
I’ve never been prouder than I am on the arm of Jason at the wedding of his brother Trent to Lacy. When I saw him standing at the front with his brothers, I could almost feel the pride about to burst out of my chest.
I’m having a blast and can’t believe how far Jason’s come with his healing. He’s dancing and very good at it.
Even though it’s a dance the groomsmen are supposed to do on their own, they all come out and grab their dates. I feel bad for the other girls because the best man chose me, but as I look at the other couples dancing, I realize we each feel the same way about the guy we are each dancing with. Of course, Trent and Lacy are a breathtaking bride and groom. Olivia and Derick are holed up in the corner, no doubt waiting to be able to make an escape. The sheriff had to come in his uniform, but he made it, and Carrie is absolutely stunning as she smiles up at him. Chrissy and Bart are barely swaying to the music, and I see him whisper something to her that causes her to blush. Then Rose and Brody are holding their baby in their arms between them as they sway to the music. Over the course of the last few weeks, I’ve met all of Jason’s family and their friends, and they’ve already started treating me as if I’m part of the family.
“Who are you looking at, Karly? I want you to only have eyes for me,” Jason growls in my ear, kissing my neck.
I turn back, kissing him.
“Well?”
“Oh, you wanted an answer to that silly question?” I laugh.
Jason nibbles on my earlobe. “If I don’t get one, I’ll have to take you somewhere private and make love to you until you can’t see straight.”
Because he’s had a little too much to drink and because he isn’t the kind to make idle threats, I tell him, “Look around, Jason.”
But his eyes don’t come off me.
>
“I’m serious, look around. Look at all the people in love.” When he finally looks around, I continue, “See? I’m telling you we are looking at the next bride and groom and the one after that and the one after that and so on.”
“Yeah, you could be right about that. Or maybe you’ll be the next bride.” He’s smiling, but the look in his eyes tells me he’s not joking.
“Maybe I will.”
Epilogue 2
Karly
Three Years Later
I still sometimes have to pinch myself. How is this my life? I went from being all alone in this world to now having a husband, family and friends. I don’t take it for granted even for an instant.
“What are you smiling about?” Olivia asks me. “Or can I guess?”
I just smile because I know exactly what she’s talking about. Thankfully, she’s going to let me be the one to tell everyone. My wonderful husband hasn’t been able to keep his mouth shut so I planned to tell our friends tonight at our weekly dinner.
“Hey honey.” I hear in my ear as big warm hands land on my shoulders.
I turn so fast in my chair I almost get whiplash. All the other ladies, Olivia, Lacy, Carrie, Chrissy, and Rose, have to be watching us because the conversation around the table has ceased.
“Jason Keller, what are you doing here?” I ask him.
He holds his hands up innocently enough, but I don’t trust him, not with this.
I give him my best stern look I can muster. “You had better not say a word.”
He makes a big to-do about zipping his lips and throwing away the key. “My lips are sealed. Well, as long as you get to it. You keep stalling and I can’t make any promises.”
