Page 10 of The Heat of Intensity

“Thank you,” she softly states. “Not just for believing me when they thought I imagined someone was in the house, or for stepping up to keep an eye on me. Hell, for getting the horse I’ve wanted for years. But mostly? For pushing me to get off my ass. Without you, I’d still be wallowing in self-pity.”

“You would have gotten there on your own time,” I state with determination.

“Maybe,” she muses and stares off into the distance.

We fall silent and let the soft breeze of the lovely afternoon flow over us. This is serenity. There’s no uncomfortable silence between us as we eat and enjoy the moment. The smile I’m sporting hurts my damn cheeks.

My phone gives a notification of an incoming message and I pull it from my leather vest to check. The smile is gone from my face, as is the moment of serenity.

Releasing a sigh, I tell Cosima, “There’s an issue I need to handle at the ranch. Mind if I bring you with me instead of dropping you off at your house? I promise it won’t take long.”

She instantly gets to her feet. “What’s wrong?”

“A Longhorn bull broke through a fence. He’s on the run as are a few other Longhorns and calves.”

Cosima gathers up all our stuff and rushes past me toward the bike. Where she was moving slowly around the house these past few days, she’s been getting more and more confident in her movements.

Without a doubt there’s been some post-traumatic stress that caused her to be jumpy, even more with the loss of her eyesight. The woman is damn strong to keep moving forward and clearly thankful enough with partially gaining back her eyesight.

I fire up my bike and while our time together was interrupted, I feel confident enough with the thoughts of many more moments like these in our near future. At least, that’s the goal. To have her with me as we head for the Iron Hot Blood ranch shows she’s not retreating.

A huge step forward. Her sister will also be pleased to see her there. I know for a fact that Eastlynne is working with her horses to train them for an upcoming commercial. It still blows my mind that Rourke managed to make her his old lady. She’s a real addition to the club and ranch the way she handles, helps, and trains horses that experienced trauma. She also owns a few other horses, one of those a mare bred by us.

That’s how their paths crossed, to buy a horse from us. Thank fuck our lives crossed because it also allowed me to meet Eastlynne’s sister. All of it sounds like a simple explanation, but it feels like my world shifted.

Then this morning someone scares the shit out of the special woman in my life, and we find out he was jerking off at the sight of her. Anger surges through my veins as I park my bike in front of the clubhouse.

This pervert might have given me more time to stay at Cosima’s house, but I don’t care either way because I’m going to end the fucker as soon as possible. Our ride just now showed Cosima and myself that we will happen; now or in the long road ahead of us. We’re gonna be together either way.

CHAPTER FIVE

– COSIMA –

“I’m glad you’re here and able to enjoy the view, even if it’s just a fragment of what you were used to,” my sister states from beside me.

I don’t take my gaze off of Parker who is riding a buckskin Quarter Horse. The stallion’s coat is the color of tanned deer while his manes, tail, and lower legs are black. Parker is leaning his forearm on the horn of his saddle and gives a sharp whistle to draw Rourke’s attention.

Parker is pointing out a calf currently straying from the herd when Eastlynne states, “You like him, don’t you?”

A deep sigh rips from me, and I confess, “I do.”

Eastlynne places a hand on my forearm and gives a gentle squeeze. “I’m happy for you. But please don’t spill any details if you guys hook up and do all the things you don’t want to do in a bed.”

I chuckle at the reminder of how I told her I wanted a dirty, rough, tie me up, spank my ass, choke my neck bad boy instead of a dude who is a gentleman deep down. That last part was in reference to Rourke, who is a total gentleman to my sister and has managed to draw her out of her shell…or crawl in there with her, whatever.

“I’ll keep it in mind,” I muse and glance around to make sure we’re alone when I add, “Though, I don’t know if anything will progress that way any time soon.”

“Why?” Eastlynne frowns. “You’ve told me the headaches are less frequent and the bruises have faded which means your body is healed. Well, except for your right eye, but I’m guessing you’ll have your eyes closed due to pleasure anyway.”

I shoot her a glare and she bumps her shoulder against mine. “Oh, come on, Cosima. You used to be the one who would throw my anxiety issues, and everything else, in my face at any given time. We’re still young, wild, and free and that’s gotta stay our motto no matter what. You’re the one who taught me I could do anything and was right there with me in case I needed to hide behind you to make it happen. I know you can handle anything. I’ve seen it many times before. Shit that makes me cringe and turn into a ball of stress while you basically walk through fire. You’re still the same person, Cosima. Bad times or good, one step in front of the other makes you follow the path life gives you. And right now, you’re enjoying the view.”

She jerks her chin in the direction of Parker who moves his wrist but keeps his arm still while he swirls the lariat rope above his head. He moves in on his target and lets the rope fly toward the calf that’s running off. The whole scene only lasts a few heartbeats as he catches the calf and jumps off his horse.

Yes. My sister is right. I should move forward and have sex. Before the attack I wouldn’t think twice about hooking up, and Parker has made it clear he’s interested in me.

“That dude can handle a rope,” Eastlynne remarks.

I snicker and without thinking I state, “You’re right. About all of it, and I should let him tie me up tonight.”

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