Page 16 of Titus

“We can eat somewhere then hit Forty Acres,” Rini suggests before I can answer.

I definitely want to celebrate but in my head that celebration only involves me and Quinn. I’m not on the group thing tonight. Her and her alone is what I’m on. Thankfully, her mind is on the same thing.

“I’m not feeling a crowd tonight. We can definitely hit Forty Acres again but not tonight. Maybe you and Lab can go tonight,” she says, almost pleading with her girl.

“Yeah, ma. Let’s do that. I’m wit just me and you tonight,” Lab says while draping his arm around her. “Come with me; let me show you how we get Phoenix on the trailer.”

“Can I touch her?” she asks, excitedly.

“As long as I can touch you,” he says as they walk away.

The moment they are out of sight, Quinn steps into my space. Her soft hand caresses my beard then she rakes her nails through it. As always, her pretty eyes stare up into mine.

“We do have to celebrate you tonight. What do you have in mind?”

I grip her ass then lick my lips, reminiscing. “What’s on my mind is a replay of last night,” I admit, wishing I could still taste her sweet pussy.

“Before that, Titus,” she says, smiling. “Maybe dinner at the lodge?”

“Let me worry about that. You just handle yo’ business and I’ll come back and scoop you when you’re done.”

“You don’t have to come back. I’ll hop on the Sprinter. There are three of them making constant trips here. Go take care of Phoenix and do your cowboying. I’m good.”

“I’m coming back to get you,” I insist.

“And no you are not,” she insists back. “First of all, I don’t know how long I’m going to be. I have a quick meeting scheduled with Lana in fifteen but there are two more prospects I want to catch too. I’ll let you know when I’m heading back.” After leaning up and kissing me, she adds, “Congrats, again. You did your thing. I can’t wait to see what pre-dessert plans you come up with.”

Quickly, she breaks our embrace then hurries off before I can object. While shaking my head at her, I head over to the small arena stables and find Lab. He’s removing Phoenix’s skid boots. They are made of foam liner and a soft chap leather for comfort and to protect her. They are on her ankles and prevent shifting and rubbing. I walk over to help him. He’s removing the ones from her back legs so I take off the front ones. She only wears them during practice and competitions.

Rini is leaned up against my ride. Lab must have pulled it up to the stable while I was with Quinn. She’s still sipping on that big ass cup. She finished hers during the competitions then grabbed Quinn’s before we left to knock hers off too.

“Where’s Quinn?” she asks.

“Went to go talk to some recruits. She’s going to be here for a minute,” I answer.

“Maybe I should stay here with her?” she says but that shit sounds more like a question I can’t answer. That’s her call.

“Go be with her, ma. When we get back to the ranch, I have to help with her for a minute.”

“Nawl, I’m tipsy and I don’t want to mess up her business shit. I’ll go with y’all. I might need a little nap anyway. I’ll text her.”

While she does her thing, we finish up with Phoenix and I go to the back of the trailer. I step inside, rearrange the hay, then check her food and water dispensers. When I step down, Lab has her standing right in front of the small ramp. I step down, grab her reins, then lead her inside.

“What’s ol’ girl going to do?” I ask him.

“Go back with us. She’s inside.”

“You helped her up?” I ask, concerned about his back. He has to limit bending and avoid lifting anything over ten pounds.

“Nawl.” He grins. “Her drunk ass had that liquid courage shit. She held onto the seat, jumped and crawled her thick ass into the truck. I didn’t help but I enjoyed the view.”

“You wild, bruh.”

After securing Phoenix, I get off the trailer, close and lock it, then get into my ride. It takes me about fifteen minutes but I manage to exit the fairgrounds and head back to the ranch.

When we reach the stables back on the ranch, my cousin Beauden is out here with two of his horse trainers. After parking and getting Phoenix off the trailer, I walk over to holla at him.

“How did you beat me back here?” I ask because he was at the livestock show at the rodeo. He had three hundred head of cattle up for auction today.

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