Page 88 of Just Say When

I ducked through the rails, my boots making no sound at all in the soft dirt. My wrist flicked in a small circle, faster and faster, until the loop at the end of therope was wide and open. Then I sent it flying. It sailed over her head and, in the split second it encircled her waist, I tugged sharply. The rope tightened, pinning her arms to her sides.

“Hey!” she shrieked.

I pulled the rope gently but relentlessly, forcing her to walk backward unless she wanted to tumble to the ground.

“You can’t lasso me like a cow, Brax!” she hollered. But she took three more steps backward, coming closer to me with each step.

“And yet, I just did,” I said.

When she was close enough to grab, I loosened the rope so it fell to the ground. She stepped out of the loop, scowling at me. “Don’t try to run,” I warned. “You’ll just make me mad.”

And wouldn’t you know, my hellion looked entirely too interested in that prospect.

I didn’t give her a chance to try me. I squatted low, put my shoulder to her belly, and tossed her up in a fireman’s hold.

“Brax!” she squealed as I strode away from the barn. “Where are you taking me?”

I didn’t answer, and I didn’t stop until we reached the foaling pasture, out of sight of the main house and barn. Then I set her on her feet and dropped the bag next to us.

“You recognize this stretch of fence?” I asked.

A pretty pink bloomed on her cheekbones as she took a look. “Maybe I do.”

“This is where I told you not to leave the house in leggings without underwear.” I pressed into her from behind and ran my hands over her hips, searching. “Are you wearing underwear, Essie?”

Her voice was a little sassy, a little breathless when she said, “You know I’m not.”

“Filthy girl.” I swatted her ass and bit down on the junction where her neck met her shoulder. She shivered against me. “Bend over and hold on to the fence post.”

She hesitated a moment, just long enough to make me wonder if she meant to refuse, and then she did as told. I took the rope and bound her hands to the wood. Tight enough that her skin would turn pink there, but not enough to cause lasting irritation.

Then I yanked those fucking leggings down to her knees. She gasped as the air hit her skin. “Bare,” I muttered. “What did I tell you about that, hellion?”

“I don’t remember, so it couldn’t have been that important,” she said.

“Then I better remind you in a way you won’t forget,” I murmured, then bit her gently on that sweet, round ass. “Lift your foot.”

She gave me her right foot, shifting her weight to her left, and I tugged off her boot, peeled the legging off her leg, then replaced the boot. Then I did the same with her left leg.

And then I ripped her leggings clean in half.

Essie’s face whipped around on a shocked gasp at the sound of rending fabric. “What the hell, Brax?”

“I warned you,” I said, completely unrepentant.

“You’re an asshole,” she snapped. “And you owe me a new pair of leggings. The good kind. They don’t come cheap, by the way.”

“You can have as many pairs as you want, as long as you don’t leave the house without underwear.”

Her eyes narrowed into blue slits.

Head tilted, I studied her. “How wet are you right now? Because you’ve got that mean look on your face that usually goes with being soaked.”

Her gaze dropped to the swelling bulge in my jeans and she licked her lips. “Not wet at all.”

I chuckled softly. “Little liar.”

She huffed and tossed her head.

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