“So far, so good.” Lily was trying not to think sexy thoughts, but Regan looked mighty fine sitting on a flashy horse. When he’d swung into the saddle with that easy confidence of his, her heart rate had sped up.

  Regan dismounted. “He’ll be okay. Let me test Molasses before you climb aboard Rex, though.”

  “Okay.” She stood back as he repeated the routine with the bay gelding. Turned out he looked equally good there. Regan was impressive no matter what he was doing, but when he mounted a horse—oh, baby. That ramped up his sexiness quotient by about a thousand percent.

  “Molasses is fine, too.” He swung down again. “Go on and get up on Rex so I can adjust your stirrups.”

  She climbed up on the horse and tested the stirrups. Definitely too long. She sat astride the saddle breathing in the scent of warm leather and warm man as Regan worked on the stirrups, his face inches from her thigh. “I’m having improper thoughts,” she murmured.

  “Good. So am I.” He moved back. “Try those out.”

  She stood in the stirrups. “Perfect.”

  He glanced up at her. “Yes, ma’am, you are.”

  Her breath caught at the warmth in his eyes. Desire was there, but something more, something tender and sweet. “I’m far from perfect.”

  “Not too far.” He gave her a crooked grin. “At least that’s my totally unbiased opinion.” He squeezed her thigh. “Visualize this horse doing everything you ask him to.”

  “I will.” She wondered if the technique would work on Regan. Then again, she really didn’t need it. Judging from the way he’d just looked at her, he’d gladly do everything she asked him to, especially when they were both naked.

  Now there was an arousing thought, as if she needed one. As they walked the horses away from the barn, she discovered that riding as an adult was a far more sensual experience than she remembered from when she was a kid. Or maybe she wouldn’t have noticed the erotic nature of sitting astride a powerful animal if she hadn’t recently had amazing sex with the man riding along next to her.

  He turned his head and caught her staring at him. “You doing okay, pretty lady?”

  “Fine.”

  “Be sure and tell me if anything is making you uncomfortable.”

  She watched as his hips moved in rhythm with the bay gelding. Meanwhile she dealt with the soft friction provided by a denim seam as it rocked against the leather saddle. By the end of this outing, she would be more than ready for a different kind of ride. “Define uncomfortable.”

  “Painful.”

  “Then I’m good.” She faced forward, because she simply couldn’t continue to look at him without wanting to have him six ways to Sunday.

  “I think we have a couple of trained saddle horses here. I can tell that to people with confidence on Saturday. They’re also good-looking, which never hurts. Somebody will see that showy palomino and fall in love, I’ll bet. Molasses isn’t as eye-catching, but he has good lines.”

  “You aren’t worried about Rex’s aggressive behavior yesterday?”

  “We need to ask a lot of questions about the home he’ll be going to. He’ll want to be the herd leader, and he requires his own stall. But if they understand that and they’re firm with him, I think it’ll work out.”

  “I hope so.” The conversation distracted her a little, but her gaze kept wandering to his tight buns cupped lovingly by the saddle. When her lust threatened to get the best of her, she faced forward again. Sure enough, they were headed for that tree he seemed so crazy about. “If someone adopted Rex, it would ease my mind about fights breaking out.”

  “That’s my thought. We’ll concentrate on him. But I plan to train Strawberry, next. If both of them left, you’d be much better off.”

  “I would.” As they drew closer to the tree, she noticed that it had a little patch of grass under it. The horses must have been grazing there in the shade, because it looked as if someone had mowed it. “Nice little spot there.”

  “It is. Nicer than I expected, even. How about stopping for a minute? We can find out how the horses behave if we tie them to that low branch on the far side.”

  “Fine with me.” She was ready to take a break from constant stimulation to her private parts augmented by the hot cowboy riding almost within touching distance.

  Regan swung down from his horse. “Beautiful view from out here. I love the way the shadows fall on the Tetons this time of day.”

  “Do you miss Virginia?” It was as much as she dared ask. Of course he had some bad memories connected to the place, but he’d lived there for several years, both when he attended college and after he opened a clinic with his friend Drake. Wyoming’s rugged terrain was nothing like the manicured pastures and wooded hills of Virginia.

  “No, I don’t.” He walked Molasses over to the low branch on the far side of the tree. “Getting accepted into the University of Virginia gave me an ego boost, and I made some...some good friends there. I stayed for the people more than the landscape, although it’s pretty.”

  She heard the catch in his voice and knew he had to be thinking of the two people who’d betrayed him. “I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you there.” She walked Rex over to where Molasses was tied and secured her horse’s reins to the same branch.

  “I’m not. Not anymore.” The emotion edging his words made his meaning clear.

  As she met his gaze and saw the frank appreciation there, her chest grew tight. If she was his rebound girl, apparently she’d succeeded in mending his broken heart. She told herself not to worry that this was the beginning of the end. Just because she’d had a rotten experience once before—when the guy had recovered from a breakup and then left her—didn’t mean it would happen again.

  “Let’s go sit on the grass for a minute.” He held out his hand.

  She took it, and her heart squeezed. They were holding hands, just like in his vision of cliff diving. She could fall for this man. She might already be falling. If that was a mistake, she didn’t know how to undo it.

  He led her over to the little patch of grass before releasing her hand. “Pick your spot.”

  She chose one dappled with shade and sat down cross-legged. Taking off her hat, she finger-combed her hair and lifted it off the back of her neck. He remained standing, and she looked up at him. From this angle, she had a fine view of his excellent and talented package. She’d take that view over the Tetons any day. “Aren’t you going to sit down?”

  “Yeah. I just like watching you.” Pushing back his hat with his thumb, he settled down facing her so their knees bumped. “And I like touching you and kissing you and feeling you come when I’m deep inside you.”

  She quivered as heat surged through her. “How you talk, cowboy.”

  “I like it when you blush.” His smile crinkled the corners of his eyes. “It makes your freckles stand out.”

  “You’re about to make me vain about those freckles.”

  “You should be.” Reaching over, he threaded his fingers through her hair. “I just want you to know that you’re an amazing woman.” He rubbed a strand of her hair between his fingers. “Until I met you... Correction, until you invited me into your bedroom to handle your problem—”

  “Cheesy, wasn’t it?”

  “Nope. Fun. Like you.” He held her gaze. “I had no idea what I was missing, Lily. I never dreamed I could want a woman this much. I lived in a colorless world with no real passion. You inspire me to be different.”

  She wanted him so much she could barely breathe. “You inspire me, too.”

  “When I suggested riding out here, I was thinking we could have some outdoor sex, since we hadn’t done that yet.”

  “Oh.” Surprisingly, she hadn’t considered that, but now that he’d told her, she began to ache in predictable places. She hoped he hadn’t given up on the idea.

  “I pictured it as another quick romp to tide us over until after we’d fed the animals and had more time to ourselves.”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  “Now that we’re here, it doesn’t sound so good to me.”

  “It doesn’t?” She certainly hadn’t expected to hear that. Canceling her ticket on the orgasm train wouldn’t be easy. Maybe she should just tackle him. “Why not?”

  “Because I don’t want it to be quick. I want it to be slow and sweet.”

  “Oh!” Apparently they were back in business. Goody.

  “I want you stretched out naked in this fragrant grass while I kiss every freckle on your silky skin. Then I want to slide into you, over and over, and tell you how beautiful you are while I make you come.”

  “Oh.” If he kept talking like that, she might spontaneously combust without benefit of penis.

  “What I want, Lily King, is to make love to you.”

  “Ohhhh.” For the second time in two days, she nearly swooned.

  14

  REGAN HAD CHOSEN his words carefully when he’d announced that he wanted to make love to Lily. Earlier today they’d had sex, and maybe they’d just have sex again in the future. But this time was about gratitude. Six months ago he hadn’t felt particularly fortunate. Today he’d realized he was the luckiest guy in the world.

  Lily had shown him that. He wanted to show her what she meant to him, and for that, they needed to make love. He didn’t confuse it with being in love. They hadn’t known each other long enough for that to happen. But that didn’t mean they couldn’t make love. Besides, who knew? Maybe one day soon they would discover that they’d fallen, and fallen hard.

  They undressed each other with care, taking time to lay their clothes in a neat pile. They took even more time to kiss and nuzzle each other along the way. When Lily finally lay back on the cool grass, Regan’s cock felt as if it was made of tempered steel. He’d clenched his jaw as he’d rolled on the condom. If he wasn’t careful, he could come just by looking at her lying there.

  Yet he wanted to look at her and burn her image into his memory. So he knelt beside her, rigid cock notwithstanding, and memorized the picture she made. Green was definitely her color. The soft grass set her off like a jewel nestled in velvet, highlighting her fiery hair and pale skin dusted with cinnamon and nutmeg.

  A breeze ruffled the leaves over her head, and shadows danced over her body. She seemed one with nature, a sensual female aroused and ready to be taken by a lustful male. And he was that male...for now.

  An emotion stirred deep in his chest, an unfamiliar one. It felt...ancient. It had no place here, and he shoved it away, but still he heard it whisper. Mine.

  Reaching up, she stroked his cheek. “Such a fierce expression you have.”

  “Do I?” He met her clear-eyed gaze. He must have been carried away by the setting. “I was concentrating while I counted all your freckles. I don’t want to miss any of them when I start the kissing part.”

  She smiled. “We’ll be here all night.”

  “Maybe.” Leaning down, he kissed a sweet little freckle on her breast. “One.” Then another. “Two.”

  She laughed as he kept kissing and counting, but then he paused and drew a nipple into his mouth. She didn’t laugh then. She moaned and held his head to her breast, her fingertips pressing into his scalp.

  Her urgency fed into that ancient voice telling him to claim her. No, he would not. But he abandoned freckle-counting for the more primitive pleasures of nibbling and licking her breasts while he caressed her damp thighs and sought out the slick heat waiting for him.

  She moaned again and arched upward, inviting him deeper. Capturing her mouth to muffle her cries, he stroked her until she came, bathing his fingers in her juices. As she lay panting beside him, he trailed his hand up her flushed body and anointed her lips. Then he leaned over and kissed her.

  The heady taste sipped from her mouth made him a little crazy. He wanted, needed more. Kissing his way back along the damp trail he’d made with his fingers, he moved between her thighs. The scent of crushed grass and fragrant earth mingled with the aroma of sex as he settled his mouth against her heat.

  With the first lap of his tongue she sighed and opened wider, offering herself so completely that his breath caught. Mine. He feasted until her whimpering cries told him she was close.

  Sliding slowly up her restless body, he effortlessly buried his cock in her drenched channel. He felt the quiver, knew she was almost there. “Wait,” he murmured. “Wait for me.”

  She gulped. “Okay.”

  When he was locked in tight, he braced himself on his forearms and gazed down at her.

  She looked right back at him, her eyes dark with passion, her red hair spread out over the grass like tongues of flame.

  He was stunned by the force of his desire for her. “It’s never been like this for me.”

  “Me, either.”

  That helped, knowing she’d been blindsided, too. “I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

  She smiled at that. “I do. We’re both going to come.”

  “Yeah.” He appreciated any attempt to lighten the mood, because wow, this was intense. “And we can’t be loud and scare the horses.”

  “I know.” She stroked his back and pressed her fingers into his backside. “Ready for some cliff diving?”

  “Yes.” And he began to thrust, holding her gaze as the rhythm escalated, watching her eyes. He saw arousal there, but he also saw wonder, and maybe just a touch of fear. His expression probably told the same story.

  Faster, now...almost there...

  She gasped. “Now.”

  “Yes...” He gulped for air. “Jump.” He kissed her and swallowed her cries as her climax rolled over his cock. Then he broke away to drag in a breath, clenched his jaw and came in a furious rush that left him reeling. He felt the shock of it from his scalp to his toes.

  Breathing hard, he closed his eyes and somehow managed not to fall on her. When at last he felt recovered enough to open them, he discovered that she’d closed hers, too. She appeared suddenly more vulnerable lying there in the grass, her cheeks blushing from a recent climax and her mouth red from his kisses. As if waiting for this moment, the ancient whisper sounded again. Mine.

  But she wasn’t his or any man’s. She was her own person, and yet...if she was into this as much as he was, she was trusting him not to hurt her as that other bastard had. She’d said she didn’t care if this was a rebound relationship, but he wasn’t sure he believed that.

  God, he hoped he hadn’t used her to get over Jeannette. A rush of protectiveness made him vow that he wouldn’t let anyone hurt her. And that included him.

  * * *

  IN THE NEXT few days, Lily worked harder and enjoyed more great sex than she’d ever had in her entire life. She also couldn’t remember being happier. She and Regan were creating a practical rescue operation at Peaceful Kingdom, and that was extremely satisfying. And bonus, so was the sex.

  Somehow they managed to get the work done and still have time to fool around. Often they had to get creative, such as when they made quiet but highly orgasmic love on a hay bale while the horses ate breakfast. They’d done that twice.

  Lily found herself walking around with a song in her heart and a smile on her face. She’d always been a cheerful person, but these days it seemed as if nothing would get her down. She was in high spirits when Nick and Lester showed up late Thursday afternoon to help work with the horses.

  Having someone around felt a little strange after all the private time she’d had with Regan. But on Friday night everyone would descend to help set up, so in effect, the isolation she and Regan had enjoyed was nearly over. Lester, it turned out, had a special affinity with horses and planned to be a trainer some day. So Regan invited him out to the newly constructed pasture to help pick out two animals they’d train until the corral became too dark. That left Nick and Lily free to lean on the corral and discuss the progress that had been made so far.

  “Everything’s in place,” Nick said. “Your fliers have been distributed. Some basic food’s been ordered, which Mary Lou will be in charge of on Saturday. Dominique will be here to take pictures, and we managed to nix the jumping castle and the cotton candy machine.”

  “I’m just as glad. I know Tyler was worried about entertaining the kids, but I’m afraid a jumping castle would involve a lot of noise that might bother the horses.”

  “She was going to set it up quite a ways from the corral, but still, I agree. It’s expensive and potentially disruptive. Tyler’s hired someone who does face painting, and she’s organized an activity table for the kids with coloring and a few simple crafts.”

  “Did she decide to have a band?” Lily had been a little worried about that possibility.

  “After much discussion, not doing it.”

  “That’s a relief. I know some barns have music piped in, but since I don’t do that, I’m afraid a band might be another distraction. Regan and I have enough on our hands getting the horses ready for all that activity without adding a potential hazard.”

  “Which brings me to another point. You two have done a terrific job this week. The porch railing’s fixed, the flower beds are replanted and the new sign is gorgeous.”

  “Thanks.” Lily beamed at the compliment. The sign read Peaceful Kingdom Equine Rescue, and it had turned out beautifully. “I was lucky to find somebody local who could create that sign on short notice. Regan and I have worked hard.”

  “I can tell. And hanging out with him must suit you,” Nick said. “I’ve never seen you looking so...settled.”

  That startled her. “What do you mean by settled?”

  “Don’t take this wrong, but I’ve always viewed you as a tropical bird about to take flight.”

  “And now I look like what? A roosting chicken?”

  Nick laughed. “I was thinking more like a turtle dove.”

  “Wait a minute.” She panicked at the idea that her feelings for Regan were that obvious. “Don’t go making any assumptions.”

  “What assumptions? You two like each other and you’re both single. I’m happy for you.”

  “You haven’t said anything like that to Regan, I hope.” She would die of mortification if he had.