Page 72 of Second Chance with the Rancher

Mieka smiled. “Did you two get into a lot of trouble growing up?”

That same shoulder lifted again. “No more than most boys, I imagine. Nothing illegal …” He scratched his chin. “I don’t think. Just stupid shit. I tried to ride two goats like water skis. Tore my taint and groin muscle. Nearly ripped my body in half.” He dropped his knees and closed his legs. “I can still feel that one when I think about it too much. The stitches … the recovery. That was probably the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. Nearly rendered myself a eunuch.”

Mieka giggled even though she knew she probably shouldn’t, but it was a funny story. She could just imagine a young Nate thinking he could ride goats like water skis, only to be horribly surprised that goats had minds of their own and didn’t run next to each other.

“You think that’s funny woman?” he asked with a growl that woke up the butterflies in her belly along with a hoard of horny hornets. He finished his beer, set it down on the grass and before she knew it, he was covering her.

Still giggling, she set her own beer down and looped her arms around his neck, blinking up at him. “I do, yeah. But I’m also really glad that you’re not a eunuch.”

He huffed a laugh and nuzzled his nose against her cheek. “Yeah, me, too.”

Grinding himself against her, she lifted her hips up to feel his hardening length pressing into her thigh.

“I’m glad we’re staying one more night out here,” he said. “I like this time with you. Just the two of us.”

She blinked and swallowed past a growing tightness in her throat. “Yeah, me, too.” Wedging her right hand between them, she found his button and zipper, unfastened them, then pushed her hand beneath the waistband of his jeans and boxers.

“Minx,” he purred, thrusting his hot length up into her hand. “We don’t have to. Not out here anyway.”

“You mean in the wide-open world under the puffy clouds?” she asked. “I think we really do have to. We can’t come all the way out here to this paradise and only have sex in a bed.”

“Well, there was the ladder, the counter, the floor …”

“The ATV this morning,” she reminded him, biting her lip at the memory of that hot, impromptu pit-stop they made on their way to the final cabin. The rumble of the ATV, combined with the friction of her crotch right against Nate’s butt had warmed her up enough that while they were driving, she started to stroke him. He then stopped the ATV abruptly, hauled her around so she was straddling him on the vehicle and they had a wild quickie right in the middle of the woods.

“That was fun,” he replied, scraping his scruff against her jaw.

She stroked him and bit his lip. “I have a condom in my pocket.”

“Oh, you little minx, you think of everything. Did you plan this?”

Shaking her head, she smiled as he raked his teeth against her jaw. “Need to always be prepared when it comes to you.” She stroked him a few more times, then they divested themselves of their pants. He laid his jeans and hers beneath her so she wasn’t laying directly on the itchy grass, then he slid the condom on and was inside her.

They made love under the emerging stars and even though they’d only each had a beer and were essentially stone-cold sober, Mieka could say without a doubt that was the best sex of her life. Because it was with Nate, and when she was with Nate, she felt cherished, desired and beautiful. And that was a feeling that could never be mimicked by any kind of drug. Nate was her drug. And he was becoming pretty damn addictive.

As reluctant as he was to return to the ranch and reality, Nate knew he needed to get back and help his brother. They were gearing up for their busiest season to date with the cabins, the petting farm and more foals and horses than ever before. It was mid-day the next day when they returned to the ranch and as he expected, the parking lot was full and people were everywhere. The petting farm was officially open seven days a week until Labor Day. So they needed to make sure to keep Bruno in check so he didn’t get run over by a speed demon soccer mom in a Dodge Caravan.

He parked the ATV in the shed beside the other ATV and the two snowmobiles, then helped Mieka climb off behind him before grabbing their bags from the trailer.

“Back to the real world,” he said with a sigh and a heavy heart as she held open the door for him since his arms were loaded with their bags and the cooler. Last night their rations had been pretty low, so he convinced Mieka to finally try one of his canned stews. She choked it back, but told him to never serve her that again.

They made their way across the yard, nodding and acknowledging ranch hands as they went, and dodging families who were trying to find a parking space.

“Hey, buddy,” Nate said, stopping next to a man who was smoking beside a small lean-to shed with a shake roof and shake siding. “You can’t smoke here. The entire property is a smoke-free zone. Please put it out.”

The man was probably in his late sixties with a grizzled appearance, thinning gray hair and a knobby nose. He squinted at Nate through his big thick glasses then dropped his cigarette butt to the ground and crushed it with his shoe. “Happy?” he asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Thanks, man,” Nate said, ignoring the man’s irritation. “Appreciate it. Enjoy your day.” They continued on their way toward the house and Nate sidled up closer to Mieka. “Smokers piss me off. They think just because the tubes are made of paper and the tobacco is a plant that dropping their butts on the ground isn’t fucking littering. It totally is. Plus, the goats eat the butts and then I’ve got nicotine addicted goats who need a Nicoderm patch.”

Mieka snorted. “Have you actually had to do that?”

“No. But you know what I mean.” They took the steps up to the farmhouse and once again she opened the door for him so he could lug all their stuff inside.

Asher and Triss were sitting at the kitchen table enjoying lunch, but both their eyes perked up.

“About time you two showed up. How’re the cabins?” Triss asked, standing up from the table and taking her dishes to the sink. Asher was just finishing his sandwich, but lifted a chin at his brother in acknowledgment.

“Ready to make us a bunch of money,” Mieka said, beaming as she took a seat at the table and thanked Triss for the coffee she brought over.

---