Page 105 of The More the Merrier

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to approach a scene on horseback.” Dalton shook his head as if remembering. “I’m well skilled at this point in my life, but there are others who are newer to their squads. Their training isn’t the same as it used to be and we’ve grown in numbers. Crescent Ridge lost all their volunteers to either retirement or full-time jobs, so we’re expanding to cover them as well as Autumn Brook.” Dalton named our neighboring towns on either side. “It’s been great because it means more funding and crew but the amount of land has tripled.”

“I didn’t realize that. We’re all in the middle of nowhere,” I mentioned off-handedly. “Tanner said he and Jesse took a riding course for first responders. They needed to learn how to set a good pace without tiring out the horse because of an emergency, among other things. Talking to Jesse is next on my list to see if they might be interested in expanding the program to the police department. My only concern is that I would need more horses.”

“What about Dane?” Dalton rubbed his hand across the scruff on his chin. “He just launched his training. Collaboration could move this thing forward.”

“He doesn’t have the space to train that many at once, but together we could make something happen.” As a team we could figure out the logistics. We could really work well together. I admired Dane’s courage. He’d recently left his parents company to run his own business. Though he had a solid handle on things, his branding was a little off. This might be the venture we didn’t know our town needed.

“He has the business skills, marketing, and all that, but you’ve got the horses and the land. Plus, you have Trey handling the ranch and Eloise managing the bar. When you’re idle and without a project, you get bored and restless instead of taking it easy.”

Nodding, I agreed. Dalton was spot on though I was a little surprised at his insight to my brain. Trey was my nephew, born when I was in middle school. We got along more like brothers and referred to each other as such. His father bounced off when he was a toddler, so I always tried to keep an eye out for him. My older sister, Savannah, appreciated it most of the time. Working with me proved to be a good decision all around for both of us. Eloise recently returned to Falcon Creek after being away for a while. She had a brilliant business mind like her younger brother, Dane.

“I have more free time than I know what to do with. I need something to keep me busy, and idling isn’t fun for my brain. This project will succeed because I’ve got the passion to make it work and networking with Dane is a winning move. Low-dose high frequency training rather than an eight week course might work better. If everyone’s already burned out from long shifts, no one is going to want to get on the back of a horse. A few afternoons once a quarter seems doable?”

“We could all use a quick refresher. Obviously, it’s different for the firefighters or cops. They use off-road equipment to get their gear and water to wherever it’s needed.”

Dalton was frequently dispatched alongside the firefighters, and in a small town population wise but expansive in land, his creativity likely came in handy more than once.

“Thanks for the idea.” I swallowed hard as he locked his ice-blue eyes on mine. He was giving me a different kind of look, one that had me thinking of naughty things again.

“What’s on your mind, Dalton?”

“I’m actually wondering what’s on yours.”

I gathered the costumes, putting them in the bags they’d arrived in. “I enjoy the conversations we have, but I doubt I could ever…” I shook my head. Nope. I wasn’t openly admitting what had been on my mind since he left the bar the other night with Kendall in tow.

“You could never do what, Santa?” His voice deepened, and it took me a minute to compose myself. Dalton wasn’tthatmuch younger than me. My hesitation was more about how he carried himself, constantly oozing dominant vibes. The first time I realized how much I liked him, one random night at the bar after a long conversation that lasted well past closing time, it took a lot of alcohol to thwart the urge to tell him. Which was funny because alcohol typically made me open up more.

“People don’t suddenly switch from being into a certain style of relationship into another. You’re younger than me,” I stated more for my benefit than his. “I turned forty-five this year.”

“Forty-fiveispractically ancient,” he teased. “Life is too short not to take chances. You might find something you’ve been missing.”

I dropped the bag in my hand, turning to give him a piece of my mind, but I was met with a cocked eyebrow. Dalton was turning me on in ways he had no business doing. Worse yet, he was correct. I swallowed hard, trying to kill the erection suddenly pressed against my jeans.

“I want a relationship with Kendall, but it doesn’t seem like you’re seeking the same sort of thing.” He shrugged but there was something more to his casual mention.

“I’d like to pursue a relationship.” I took the bait. “But there aren’t many people I’d consider submitting to.” Dalton charmed me into sharing more than I’d intended. How the hell had he pulled my secret desire out into the open?

“Understood. We don’t have to take things any further,” he offered smoothly.

“Further?” I ignored the warning bells clanging around in my head. “We haven’t done anything yet.”

I opened my mouth to elaborate when Dalton reached behind me, very similar to what I’d thought about earlier, crushing his mouth to mine and pushing me against the wall. The action ended whatever else I’d been poised to say. He tasted better than I imagined, and his rough passionate kisses were intoxicating. I thought I was out of my element before, but he threw me completely off-kilter. He was so hot. I lost all concentration as he kissed me. He tugged my hair, though it was short he had a good grip. I moaned into his mouth. Dalton had me panting in between hungry kisses as he pinned me in place with his body. He handled me in a way that held the promise of something sexier later. The passion flowing between us was stifling, and I’d been blind not to acknowledge it before. He broke away first.

“Fuck,” I growled.

“I guess I should have asked if you were into men before I did that.” Dalton wiped his thumb across my lip and I had the strangest urge to suck on it.

“Uh, well, yeah, I am.” I took a sharp breath in and let it out slowly. I was pretty sure he knew that already and was being coy. “But usually, I lead. Besides, you’re younger than me,” I repeated, as if he hadn’t heard me.

“You’re so very hung up on the age thing.” He blew out a long breath skating over the mention of me being dominant. “Why?”

It wasn’t the gap in between our respective birth dates. How could I tell Dalton it was nothing more than an excuse? I’d gotten serious Daddy vibes from him each and every time he strutted into my bar. Could I even entertain the idea of Dalton becoming my Daddy? The stern cadence of his voice when he spoke combined with the ease at which he handled things thrown at him, on top of his unwavering resolve in emergencies, were some of the many reasons I admired him. His carefree attitude that turned downright authoritative the other night gave me a glimpse of the sort of man I’d wanted in my life.

When Dalton counted down for Kendall to listen to him, I had barely calmed the sudden heat prickling across the back of my neck. If he ordered me to do anything, even without some sort of dynamic, I’d easily cave. I yearned for someone to help me balance the stern dominant side of myself along with the vulnerable side. That was the heart of it all. I’d never shown anyone that side of me.

Licking along my teeth, I took a few more seconds to force my tone even. “Don’t worry about it.”

Dalton tilted his head to the side and swept his gaze across my face. He leaned into me, not quite restraining me anymore, but even if I wanted to, I couldn’t simply walk out of the room. No, I’d have to physically move him in order to do so. I was fit enough, working between my ranch and the bar kept me in good shape, but I did not want to disrupt the electricity buzzing between us.

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