Page 150 of Giddy Up, Daddy

“Only sometimes,” I said, happy that her sass had returned. It meant that she wasn’t in shock, as I’d been fearing.

“I don’t want to go to urgent care,” she said as if reading my mind.

Carrying her up my steps to the back porch, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. One of our many medically minded friends could stop by. If Marissa wasn’t pregnant, she’d be the best pick as she lived closest, but there were others. Elias, Dalton, and August all lived nearby and would drop everything if I asked.

“You need some food, water, and electrolytes. Then I’m inspecting your body. If you don’t want me to, let me know who to call.”

She blushed, looking away. I’d explored every inch of her from her mouth to the hollow dip in her collarbone to the swell of her breasts all the way to her dainty feet. And everything in between. It wasn’t about titillation this time.

“No need to call someone. I trust you,” she said softly.

“Good to know.”

We’d been friends a long time, but never more than that. She’d gotten married to some asshat on a power trip. I never cared for her ex-husband, but I’d kept my mouth shut.

People only did what was best for themselves no matter how much bullshit piled up in front of them. He forbade her to ride horses at all. It hadn’t been just to control her, but to limit her time around her close friends. Him stopping her training sessions was only one of many things I found out later. Last summer, after they’d broken up, Kennedy and I spent almost every day and many nights together. She’d challenged me multiple times. Moody, lonely and reckless was not a good combination for someone like her. I’d received late night phone calls from concerned friends. Kennedy would drink herself silly, and I’d show up and collect her. She never put up a fuss. I’d given her the summer, but I wouldn’t allow her to go off the rails again.

It was one of the many things I wanted to talk to her about. She’d benefit from a Daddy if she’d stay in one spot long enough to listen, and I considered myself the man for the job.

My guidance would be good for her, but it was unlikely she’d surrender. Gently taking some things off her shoulders would give her room to blossom out of the shell her ex stuffed her into.

Despite everything, it felt nice to hold her in my arms. Maybe it was finally time to broach the topic of a relationship. I wasn’t getting any younger, and the way she was looking at me made me feel like a superhero. One who saved damsels in distress with wrangling skills instead powers.

Chapter Two

Kennedy

Standing in Alden’s living room in nothing but my bra and panties, I tried to limit my grumbling. He took my well-being seriously but spent far too much time inspecting my body. Being pulled from one horse to another at something more than a canter had knocked the wind out of my sails. Everything from my waist down felt bruised. My neck and shoulder muscles were knotted with tension.

Alden glanced at me, his blue eyes sparkling with something I couldn’t name. Lust?No. Mirth?Something else.Arousal? His calloused hands brushed across my hips, stoking a fire in my core. Maybe some part of him was happy to be touching me even after a serious situation. Rubbing his hands over each of my legs, he took care as he made his way to my ankles. “Does anything hurt more when I touch it, darlin’?”

“Not more than my pride. Especially since you were lecturing me before practice.”

“Reminding you of important shit since you haven’t done this in a long time isn’t a lecture, sweetheart.”

“You obviously believed today was my first day on a horse.”

Alden rolled his eyes. “I tell you the same thing every time you come over here. Where’s this little attitude coming from?”

Staring down at Alden, I huffed. He had no idea the sorts of things that had been flying through my brain the past few minutes.

“I don’t know. Maybe I was distracted.” I threw a lame half-hearted response at him.

“When you’re ready to ride again we’ll have a conversation about the importance of double-checking the latch. That way distractions or not, you’ll know it’s secured.”

“Will that conversation involve your strap?”

Alden cocked his head slightly. He studied me for a moment as if trying to figure out exactly why I was goading him into something physical. He had spanked me more often than anyone else in my life, but only for fun.

“Does it need to?”

“No,” I said, sulking. Though there was a part of me that wanted to say yes. Maybe it would be a better deterrent than another boring lecture.

Alden picked up my right foot. “You’re not being honest, but we’ll come back to it. Are your ankles sore or stiff?”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

“Sort of, but I want to make sure they aren’t injured. Rotate your ankle, darlin’.”

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