Seven o’clock comes quick when you don’t fall asleep until two in the morning.
But it was worth it to be with Fisher and finally discuss the elephant in the room. We were fools to think we could just be friends after the night we shared. Though it could come back to bite us in the ass, I’m hopeful we’ll be able to figure out how to tell Jase and my family.
At least for now, we can focus on getting to know each other without everyone else’s commentary.
I haven’t stopped smiling since I woke up, and given that I’m dealing with a feisty shit, that says a lot about how I’m feeling. Not even Craig Sanders could sour my mood today, even after everything he said last night.
“C’mon, Piper. We can do this!” I rub her neck and then adjust the reins and dig my heels. She’s been a little stubborn, but we’re working through it.
She takes off, jumps over the first rail, and smoothly gallops to the second, where she does another perfect leap. When we reach the third rail, the highest one, she tenses up, and I know she’s going to hit it before she does.
“Alright, girl. Let’s try that again.” I direct her back to the second one and restart. Once she’s in position, I kick and raise the reins higher right before she leaps and clears it.
“Yes!”
Piper’s an Appaloosa I started jump-training a couple of weeks ago. Her owner, Harlow, is new to jumping, so we’re starting easy. She’s only sixteen, but her older sister, Delilah, used to date Waylon, so I offered cheap lessons to get her started. Figured it was the least I could do for their family for having to deal with my brother. Harlow comes for riding lessons a few times a week, and I work with Piper in between.
I train her for another hour, going back and correcting her jumps and finding a rhythm. Once I bring her to the barn, Ruby brushes her for me so I can go to the family barn and take Donut for a walk. With the craziness of this past week, I haven’t had time, and he’s getting moody.
When I check the time on my phone, a text from Jase pops up.
JASE
I’d like to get dinner with you again. Just the two of us.
I re-read his message, and my first reaction is to send the vomit emoji. Instead of offending him, I go with honesty.
NOAH
I’m pretty busy until the fundraiser.
JASE
Oh, come on. You gotta eat. Let me take you out, and we can chat like old times.
Old times? We broke up two years ago and have only hung out a few times as friends. He’s living in the same de-lulu world as Magnolia who acts like she doesn’t like Tripp.
But this time, I push harder.
NOAH
I don’t think it’s a good idea. I’m stressed with getting everything organized, plus all my training. Once things slow down, we can make plans.
I’m not being totally truthful because I don’t intend to actually go to dinner with him. But at least it’ll get him off my back, even if it’s temporary. He never used to be this pushy, and I don’t like it.
JASE
Whatever. Heard you were dancing with some rando loser at the bar. Had time for him, huh?
What the fuck?
NOAH
Are you spying on me?!
JASE
People talk in this town.
I roll my eyes at how judgy and possessive he sounds.
NOAH
I can dance with whoever I want and do whatever I please. Just because I’m busy doesn’t mean you get to be an asshole.
JASE
Excuse me for thinking friends make time for each other. Now I know where I stand.
“Noah! Where’re ya goin’?”
I jump when Mallory hollers from the entrance.
“To get Donut. What’re ya doin’?” I ask, pocketing my phone. I’ll deal with Jase later.
“I wanna ride Taylor Alison Swift! Can you help me?”
She rushes to catch up with me, and I give her an apologetic smile. “Sorry, kiddo. I have a lot of catchin’ up to do. Rudy and Trey are ’round here. Can you ask them?”
“I’ll just wait for you. When will ya be back?”
I look at my phone and check the time, noticing I still haven’t heard from Fisher. I know he’s probably never done the whole “good morning” texts because of his lack of dating, but I was still hoping I’d hear from him today.
“Gimme about forty-five minutes, okay?”
“Okay! I’ll go to Serena’s until you’re done.”
She skips ahead, and I call out to her. “Don’t get in Mrs. Carson’s way!”
She’s nine months pregnant and could pop any day now. Though her due date isn’t for a couple of weeks, she could still go into labor early.
“I won’t!” she shouts as she runs out of the barn.
I hop in a four-wheeler and drive over. It’s only a few minutes away, but I crank my music anyway since I didn’t grab any coffee from The Lodge this morning and need a dose of caffeine to keep me awake.
The barn’s dark and empty when I enter. The twins are in charge of feeding and cleaning our horses this weekend. We all take turns, but knowing them, they’re probably still in bed and hungover.
“Hey, boy,” I say softly when I go into Donut’s stall and rub my palm up the bridge of his nose.
He nudges me with his mouth, obviously upset with me for not coming sooner.
“Yeah, I know. I’m gonna make it up to you with a nice, long ride.”
After I lead him into the grooming stall and clip him into place, I grab my supplies from the tack room and brush him until he’s ready for the saddle. I’ll work on him more after the fundraiser since Delilah wants me to help her with trick riding. She approached me before the rodeo, but I told her I needed time to decide because my schedule was already chaotic. I haven’t practiced stunts since last summer when Landen drove by on his dirt bike and spooked Donut. Rolling off in the nick of time, I got away with only a scuffed knee. My mom freaked out and demanded I have a spotter if I was going to do stunts, and since no one was willing to watch me, I stopped.
But now I’m ready to challenge myself again to see if I’d be a good fit for her. Delilah’s experienced and competes regularly, but since she fired Craig, she’s looking for a new trainer.
Once Donut’s tacked up and I’m in position, we ride out of the barn. “Let’s go visit the retreat!”
I barely have to lead him anymore because he knows the way. He enjoys seeing people and trail horses. Well, I can only assume he does, but he always seems happy to go there.
We take the trail to the retreat that brings us around the fishing pond. Guests love relaxing here and being close to their cabins. There’s a hut next to it that we keep stocked with fishing gear, bait, and snacks. Next to the pond is the trail horse barn and pasture. Wilder and Waylon work there most often since they give the daily tours.
In between, across the creek are The Lodge, a gift shop, and a staff building. Since we provide a buffet style for breakfast and dinner, the cooks start early in the morning to prep for that day’s meals in the staff building. It’s also where housekeeping stores everything.
The gift shop just opened last fall, and when Ayden’s family moved here, Laney became the manager. She had experience running her mom’s boutique in Texas and was looking for a job anyway, so it was a perfect match to have her manage it.
I wave to guests as they walk by and stop a couple of times for kids to pet Donut. After I go around The Lodge, we walk past the bonfire area and pool house. Every Friday evening, we host a s’mores party for the kids and families to hang out and eat. If one of the family members can’t do it, another staff member is there to help.
The pool house is open daily until nine. There’s not a lifeguard on duty, but a staff member is always nearby if anyone needs assistance. I wish I had more time to enjoy it, but my work schedule keeps me busy until well after it’s closed and the guests are in their cabins for the night.
There are five cabins in total. Two sleep up to twelve people, and the other three hold up to six. When fully booked, we can have upward of forty-two guests. Depending how many are staying and choosing to go on horseback rides determines how busy the twins are on their guided tours. They love making it fun with jokes and pointing out silly scenery details. Wilder likes telling girls where he had his first kiss or where he pantsed Waylon when they were teenagers. It usually gets a good laugh out of the group.
Once we pass the corral area where the charity event will be held, we ride through the ranch hand quarters cul-de-sac. The twins live in one of the duplexes, and go figure, Wilder’s truck is still parked in the driveway. Waylon’s is gone, though, so hopefully, he’s working. There are no days off when you live here.
To get to the ranch side, we’d normally have to go back around the corral, past The Lodge, and toward the pond. But since Mallory is waiting for me to return, I take a shortcut. I guide Donut through the backwoods restricted from guests. It’s the wooded area of the mountains that separates the ranch and retreat.
When we approach the barn, seeing the doors closed confuses me because I know they were left open. Looking around, I don’t see anyone parked nearby. Waylon couldn’t have completed all the chores in less than an hour unless he showed up right after I left. In fact, he should be here, but I don’t see or hear anyone.
I drop to my feet and lead Donut to the doors. The lights are still on when I open them, but Donut’s stall door is closed. I left it open so if my brothers showed up, they’d know I took him out.
“Hello?” I call out as I bring him to the grooming stall and clip him in place. “Waylon?”
The wooden floor creaks in the tack room, and my heart kicks up. I pause and listen to see if it happens again. Normally, I wouldn’t be that dumb girl in a scary movie who goes down the dark basement with no flashlight or backup when a known serial killer is on the loose, but I don’t think twice when it comes to my horses. Craig’s already messed with me once and implied he wasn’t done at the bar. I’m not about to let him get away with sneaking on the property again.
As I creep down the center aisle, another creak echoes. Someone is definitely in there. I spot a rake next to the wheelbarrow and grab it. If Craig’s in there to fuck with me or plant a trap of some sort, he’s about to get whacked in the head and kicked in the balls.
My stomach’s in knots as I grip the rake’s handle in one sweaty hand and slowly reach for the doorknob with the other. I push open the door and stab the air with the rake.
I’m met with silence as I glance around for him. One of the saddle stands tipped, knocking over some equipment, which must’ve been the noise I heard. Once I set the rake against the wall, I kneel and start cleaning up the mess.
When the door slams behind me, I release a strangled gasp. Boots smack against the floor, and I rush to my feet, but a hand wraps around my waist, pinning me to a hard chest. My adrenaline amps up as his hold tightens. I jab my elbow roughly in his gut, then drive my fist into his nose before he can do anything else.
He releases me with a deep grunt. “Fuck!”
I turn around with my foot ready to give him a personal vasectomy, but I’m met with long hair that is definitely not Craig’s.
“Oh my God! Fisher?”
He stands, holding his nose, and my eyes widen at the blood dripping down his hand.
“What…” I mutter. “What’re ya doin’ here?”
“Didn’t you get my text?”
I blink, scrambling for my phone. “No, clearly not.” Once I dig it out of my pocket, I see his name on the screen.
FISHER
Meet me in the tack room when you’re back.
“H-how?” I shake my head. “I thought you were at the Monroes today? Where’re you parked? Why didn’t ya say anythin’ when I came in?” I ramble off a million questions while searching for something to help with the blood.
When I come up empty-handed, I tell him to hold tight so I can run to the restroom to grab something. By the time I get back, most of the bleeding’s stopped.
I bring the paper towel to his face and clean his nose and hand.
“Well, I’m glad you can handle yourself, but Jesus Christ. I wasn’t prepared for that.”
“I’m so sorry,” I enunciate slowly.
He smirks. “Noah, I’m not mad. You reacted exactly as you should’ve not knowin’ I was in here.”
“How’re ya here when you told me you were workin’?”
“I finished at the Monroes early and decided I couldn’t wait another minute to kiss you again, so I parked at The Lodge and walked over. I saw the four-wheeler parked here, and when I saw Donut’s door open, I knew you’d gone out for a ride, so that’s when I texted you. I bought some No Trespassing signs this mornin’ and hung them up while waitin’ for you to return. I also ordered more cameras and will install them once they arrive.”
“Wow. Thank you for doin’ that. I’m still tryin’ to wrap my head around why you were hidin’ in here.”
“Well, you hadn’t responded to my text, so when I heard footsteps, I hid behind the door in case it was someone else comin’ in. Then when I saw you, I aimed for your neck and closed the door for privacy.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose while my breathing steadies. I didn’t even notice his truck when I rode past the parking lot. “Maybe you say my name next time instead of creepin’ up on me?”
The corner of his mouth tilts up as he grabs my hip. “I thought you read my text and knew I was in here.”
“Well, I hadn’t. So when someone comes up behind me without sayin’ a word, I assume it’s a murderer!” I whisper-shout.
He twirls a strand of my hair and wraps it behind my ear. “Duly noted. Here I was, tryin’ to seduce ya.”
I arch a brow. “You have my attention.”
He chuckles, inching closer until we’re almost touching. “Kinda goes against my whole goin’ slow rule. But I missed you and wanted to taste your lips.”
Leaning against him, I smile now that my heart rate has gone down to normal. “That can be arranged.”
Fisher cups my cheeks with both hands and crashes his mouth against mine. A whimper slips from my throat, and he sinks his tongue in deeper, causing heat to build between my legs and swim up my body. I fist his T-shirt, clinging as tightly to him as possible, and he walks us to the back of the door.
“Fuck, Goldie. This is a bad idea,” he murmurs as he drags his tongue down my jawline and sucks under my ear.
“Not what a woman wants to hear when a dick is pressin’ into her.” I pant, exposing my neck to him.
“Trust me, I want to. But if I touch you, I won’t wanna stop, and right now, we need to. I’m not fuckin’ you in a barn.”
I chuckle at his scowl. “I dunno. Sounds kinda hot to me.”
“It won’t be when we get caught.” He sets his palms on the door next to my head and focuses on me. “Is anyone else workin’ in here?”
“My brothers are supposed to, but Wilder’s still in bed. I’m not sure where Waylon is.”
He dips his mouth back to mine and softly brushes his tongue between my lips. “Tell me how wet you are.”
His strained voice makes me grin at how hard he’s trying to stay in control and not move too fast.
When he steps back to give me space, I spin around and press my back against his chest. Our rapid breathing is the only sound as I unbutton my jeans and slide my hand down my panties.
“Mm…” I moan, coating my finger.
He grabs my ponytail, pulls my head back, and then lowers his mouth to my ear. “Touch yourself,” he growls. “Make yourself come.”
It’d feel better if it were his fingers, but I can’t deny his erection pressing into my back and his hot breath against my neck aren’t almost as satisfying.
Short bursts of air release from my mouth as I pant through the intense sensations. His free hand grips my arm and guides my fingers while I rub circles over my clit.
“That’s a good girl, Goldie. So wet for me, aren’t you?”
“Mm-hmm.” I bite my lip to keep myself from moaning too loudly.
“Pretend it’s me touchin’ you. It’s me makin’ you burn hot and lose yourself. Think of my mouth on your sweet cunt.”
“Yes, please,” I beg, not caring that someone could walk in on us.
“So goddamn temptin’, Noah. But I can’t this time, so you’re gonna have to do it for me. Slide two fingers inside your pussy.”
I do as he says and then set my foot up on the grooming bucket to give myself deeper access. His whispered demands and neck kisses have me losing control within a matter of minutes.
“You’re so goddamn sexy when you come.”
My body goes limp against him as I rest my head on his chest and collect myself. Fisher grabs my wrist, pulls my hand from my panties, and brings my fingers to his mouth.
“Fuck me. Your sweetness is gonna taunt me for the rest of the day.”
I arch my back into his erection. “I think that’s the least of your problems.”
He spins me around and cups the back of my neck, pulling me into his mouth and giving me a taste.
“I better go before someone sees me, but I’ll call ya tonight.”
“You should FaceTime me. Around eight.”
He arches a brow. “Why’s that?”
I adjust my body to button my jeans and fix my hair. Then I open the door and peek up and down the aisle to make sure it’s clear. Once I’m certain no one is around, I turn back toward Fisher.
“Because I’ll be in the tub.” I wink, and he shakes his head.
“I’m already sufferin’ here…” He lowers his gaze to his groin.
I close the gap separating us and give him one final kiss. “Then come over at nine. I’ll leave my door unlocked.”
