Page 39 of Choices

"Hey, baby," I whisper, so fucking happy to see him.

That is until I see Sarah reach over and try to stroke his arm. I frown and bat her hand away.

"Mine," I growl.

She holds her hands up defensively but continues to stare. "I gotta get me one of those." She whispers.

'Having fun?' Santi mouths as he continues his lewd striptease on my lap.

"Fuck yeah, I am," I say, reaching around, grabbing his ass, and sitting him fully on my lap.

He's heavy, but my thighs are thick.

He's sweaty and smells masculine but my hormones have pure lava flowing through my veins. Before I can get too carried away, though, he gives me akiss on the cheek and a wink before turning back to the ring to fight again.

"So what do you think of my little business venture? The owner says I can keep the proceeds from 'lady's nights'. Think other women would come? I was also thinking we could set up a night or two for like a Magic Mike show?"

"Oh my God, yes! My book club girlies will eat this up!"

I smile. "I'll text you guys some graphics or things you can send with all the details to promote it. If it gets big enough we could do like Facebook ads or something."

Sarah grips my shoulder and gives it a little shake. "You're so fucking smart! I wish I had thought of this!"

I laugh off her praise. We spend another few hours, chitchatting, ogling the men, and drinking.

It's crazy to me how quickly my life had gone from the lowest point to something that was feeling quite like the highest so quickly.

Chapter thirteen

Hannah

The next week, after I've dropped the kids off at school, I come home to Rico's SUV in the driveway. I can't help the smile that spreads across my face. These boys have become a regular part of my life and I can't find it in me to be mad. In fact, they seem to be falling seamlessly into the "new Hannah" movement I have going.

I jog up to the driver's window and peer inside when it rolls down.

"Where are we going today?" I ask, bright and bubbly.

"Back to the farm. Lauren's there and she wants to take you on a trail ride."

I squeal before running inside to change. None of my riding britches will fit, but my leggings will do. I throw on a low-heeled boot that will have to replace my old paddock boots. If this is going to become a regular thing, I'll have to buy britches and boots that fit my new body.

I'm anxious the entire way to the farm. A nervous anticipation thrums through me like it usually would during show days. It's the same nerves about performing, but instead of galloping around a cross-country course or being judged in dressage, I'll be judged on how well my new body can ride. Which, I honestly have no idea how it will.

After Aiden, I got diastasis recti, which means my ab muscles have a gap in them. My hips widened, and my feet got bigger. And each of these only got worse every subsequent pregnancy.

Would I even be able to mount? Would my body do what it's told? Or would I flop around, hurting the horse's back?

I didn't have the answers and it scared me.

Matty and Rico kept my mind busy with small talk, but the nerves still simmer just under my skin.

We pull into the main entrance of the house and Diego's dogs alert everyone to our presence. Diego and Lauren open the front door together a moment later.

A little shy and awkward, I go to shake Lauren's hand, but she wraps me in a fierce hug that's almost bruising. Diego gives me a tiny empathetic look behind her, but it's clear he thinks his wife hung the moon.

"It'ssonice to meet you!" She squeals and I can tell she's one of those bubbly, cheerful women who don't have a bad thing to say about anyone. It puts me at ease. Her body is tight and lithe, though, so my insecurities about riding remain.

After we say goodbye to the boys, I follow Lauren down to the barn. She shows me the black horse I had loved on the last time I was here and said I'd be riding him, Little Man. We groomed them and chatted about my riding experience. Lauren was sweet enough to sound impressed and reassured me I had more experience than she did.

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