Page 127 of Holiday Hire

"Yep. One, two, three." I grab her ass and push.

She shrieks and swings her leg over the saddle. She leans forward and hugs Trojan's neck. She squeezes her eyes shut and begs him, "Please be nice to me."

I put my foot in the stirrup and jump up behind her, then put my arm around her waist, pulling her into a sitting position and closer to me. I murmur in her ear, "Don't worry, Pheebs. I won't let anything happen to you." I grab the reins and make a clicking sound with my mouth twice.

Trojan moves.

"Whoa!" Phoebe exclaims.

I tug her closer to me. "Stay calm. Relax into me." I steer Trojan out of the barn and over the blanket of snow. I keep a slow pace, letting the horse get used to the cold, wet ground.

When we get near the woods, Phoebe's body finally relaxes.

"See, not so bad, is it?" I ask, surprised I finally got her on a horse with me.

She turns her head and smiles. She softly confesses, "No. It's...it's nice."

Happiness surges through me. I give her a quick peck on the lips.

She furrows her forehead.

My heart races faster. She might have been drunk last night, but she told me she doesn't want to be with Lance anymore. She claimed she wanted to be with me.

My intoxicated self didn't work too hard to keep my feelings secret either. I freely told her I wanted to be with her and hated our agreement to just be friends. Yet I don't think she remembers our conversation.

She begged to stay in my bed, but I forced myself to say no since she was so intoxicated. I didn't want her to wake up and regret me. So I kept my clothes on and stayed with her until morning, then crept out of her room.

I blurt out, "You made my day, admitting you aren't hating this ride."

She beams, then faces forward. "You were right. It's nice."

"Do you trust me enough to go a bit faster?" I question.

She takes a deep breath, lifts her shoulders, then affirms, "Yes, I trust you. A little faster will be okay."

I lightly kick Trojan and click twice.

He picks up his speed. A fog circles in the air from his breath.

I can tell he wants to run until he's sweating, but Phoebe's not there yet. The last thing I want to do is scare her or freak her out so badly she never wants to ride again.

I put the reins in front of Phoebe, asking, "Want to steer him?"

She shakes her head. "Nope!"

I chuckle. "Okay, then." I steer left on the trail, and we trot through the path of frozen trees.

"It's really beautiful," she claims.

"I thought you'd love it. We don't get to see this often. I assume you don't have many opportunities in California to see a frozen forest either?"

"No. Thanks for making me come with you," she says.

I tighten my arm around her, my heart beating faster. "You should let me take you out more often."

She turns, wiggling her eyebrows. She teases, "Like on a horse date?"

I stare at her, inhaling her floral scent, my dick hardening.

---