Page 48 of Pigeon

Axel put his fist through a window before stalking home to cuddle his beloved daughter. Minus the window, Gunner did the same with his kids. I left, drove straight to the rescue, found Ivy, and pulled her surprised body to mine. Standing amongst a dozen quacking ducks, a swan, and several curious goats, I buried my face in her neck and stood still, soaking in her warmth and comfort. Ivy wrapped her arms around me and let me have my time. When I finally pulled back, running my hands over my head and through my hair, Ivy waited in silence.

“It’s been a hard week, and I needed that. Thank you.”

“My hugs are free, and you’re welcome to as many as you want. How about a ride when I get out of here tonight?”

I nod, relieved that she understands without needing an explanation.

“Today’s my last day until hay is done. We can go to the ranch, spend the night there and disappear for a while,” Ivy suggests quietly.

I nod again, suddenly liking the idea of getting away from humanity for a while.

“I’ve got to go wrangle an uncooperative emu. Want an experience you’ll never forget?” Ivy asks with a small smile.

“How do you wrangle an emu?” I ask.

“Very carefully while walking on the dangerous line between life and death.”

Ivy was not wrong. Emus and I are never going to be besties after the experience I went through tonight.

Riding my bike with Ivy tight against my back is heaven. Placing my left hand on her knee, I relax and let myself enjoy it. Not enough time has passed when I see the ranch driveway come into view. Making the turn, I realize I should have rode slower, drawing out the pleasure. Parking my bike near the house, I wait while Ivy steps off before I follow suit. When I start toward the house, Ivy grabs my hand and leads me to the barn instead.

“What are we doing?” I ask as we enter the dark, warm barn.

“Going for that ride I mentioned.”

“Thought we just had it.”

“When my mind is too busy, and the world has let me down, my form of riding involves a horse. It’s therapeutic in ways nothing else is. Trust me. This will settle your mind and reboot whatever’s broken inside.”

Ivy disappears inside a stall and returns leading a large, muscled black horse. Slipping a bridle over his head, Ivy moves to his side and waits for me to give her a leg up. Landing softly on his broad back, she looks down at me, waiting. It’s been years since I’ve ridden a horse and even longer since I did it bareback. Grabbing a handful of mane, I swing up behind Ivy and slide forward until her ass is cradled between my thighs and my front is plastered to her back. Wrapping an arm around her waist, I refamiliarize myself with the motion of a walking horse. Once clear of the barn, a couple of blue heelers show up beside us, and the horse breaks into a smooth, effortless lope.

After we’ve covered quite a bit of distance, Ivy speaks quietly to the horse, and it slows to an ambling walk. Moving off the small road we’d been on, we make our way down a slight slope. Words aren’t needed, and the complete silence is welcoming. Splashing through a creek and up the other side, Ivy stops the horse near a tree. I slide off and wait while she does the same. I walk to the tree and take a seat with my back leaning into it. Ivy sits in front of me, slightly sideways, and rests her cheek against my chest. The dogs lay nearby while the horse grazes next to us. We sit in silence for several long moments before I tell Ivy about the Morales family, how we know them, and what we did with them. I leave nothing out, and she never interrupts. When I run out of words, she raises her head, tears evident in her eyes, and shares her thoughts.

“I wish Angel had met you and your club years ago. She needed a protector, a friend, someone to love her the way she deserved. That didn’t happen, but you still saved her in a way. Saved her from whatever other indignities they would have done, like tossing her out like trash. She was taken care of and loved in the end. I’m sorry you had to deal with that, but I’m glad at the same time that she had men like you and Axel looking out for her.”

I nod then pull her head back to my chest. Resting my chin on top of her head, I hold her that way for a long-ass time. We make the ride back to the ranch in silence, and I notice that the weight in my chest has lightened. Whether it was talking with Ivy or riding the horse in the dark, I don’t know, and it doesn’t matter. Either way, Ivy has had a hand in starting the healing process.

Waking up slowly, I roll enough to pull Ivy’s body tight to mine. It’s still dark outside the window, but I know morning can’t be far away. Ivy’s hair smells like clean mountain air, so I bury my nose in the curls. When that doesn’t wake her, I move my face enough to run my tongue up the side of her neck, then nip her ear lobe. Still not waking up, I let my hand drift down to the waistband of her panties. Sliding a finger inside them, I flick my finger through her pubic hair. Going further south, I find wetness. Lifting my head, I look down at her face to see a smile gracing her lips.

“You’re awake,” I accuse.

“Of course, but I was enjoying your method of waking me, so I played along.”

“You’re wet,” I growl close to her ear.

“You’re in my bed, naked, and you have your hand in my panties. Of course, I’m wet. I’ve been that way since you dropped your clothes last night,” she admits with a small laugh.

“Me getting naked gets you wet?”

“You breathing gets me wet. You naked makes me needy,” Ivy corrects as she places her hand over mine and slides my finger up and down the length of her slit.

“You’re a dirty girl, and I want you to tell me more,” I tell her as my finger circles her opening.

“Keep doing that, and I’ll spill all my secrets and dirty thoughts.”

Pulling my finger away, I slide my hand around to her ass, give it a squeeze before pushing my hand back between her thighs from behind and finding her wet opening. Pushing my finger deep, Ivy moans low in the back of her throat.

“Use your words, Ivy. I want to hear those dirty thoughts,” I whisper in her ear while pumping slowly into her. My head falls back, enjoying this immensely when my eyes land on her dresser across the room.

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