Page 9 of Spring Forward

Huxley keeps pouting the entire time Delaney and I are eating, but no one pays him any attention. When Eden and Mack walk in along with Fletcher, I don’t waste time ushering Delaney out of the house. The need to get her alone is riding me hard and I know August will be just fine.

Delaney giggles when I grab her hand and dump our dishes in the sink before starting to pull her out the door. “Wait, Noel,” there’s a breathy quality to her voice that has my dick standing up and taking notice, “I need to grab a few things from my room before we get started. I can meet you at the barn?”

“I’ll be right here waiting for you,” I insist, not wanting to miss even a moment with my woman.

The moment she heads up the stairs, Fletcher slides up next to me. I don’t spare him a glance since my eyes are glued to my woman’s perfect ass. When the scenery is good, you don’t look away.

“She’s yours, huh?”

“Yep,” I pop the p as I answer Fletcher’s question without any hesitation.

“I have a feeling it’s not going to be easy to convince her to stay,” he hedges. “She’s been moving around and taking contracts for a while, yeah?”

“I know it’s not going to be easy,” I glance his way since I can’t see Delaney anymore, “but I’ll figure out a way to convince her. She belongs here. With us.”

He makes a humming sound and nods slowly. “She’s family.” He slaps me on the back, a twinkle in his eye filled with mirthful amusement. “At least, she will be once you convince her to give you a real shot.”

Then he’s gone, I’m sure to bug his fiancé because the man can’t stay away from her, his laughter following him. I get it why he doesn’t want to be away from Eden, it feels like the longer Delaney is upstairs, the more my skin feels too tight on my body.

I let out a breath of relief as she comes back, and I usher her out of the house and toward the barn. When we both take a deep breath of the fresh air at the same time, she giggles at the synchronicity. The sound makes me grin; I want to make her laugh every day. I think I need it now.

The warmth filling me has the memories always waiting in the wings stepping back deeper in my mind. She has no idea what she does for me by just existing.

When we get to the office which has been in the barn for years, we settle on the couch, and I watch with rapt attention as Delaney pulls out a laptop and a binder. The way she’s all business is a turn on. She doesn’t even know how sexy she is.

“The biggest question is why you’re interested in having an equine therapy program at Limitless and what your goals are,” her voice is sweet and coaxing, making me want to spill all my secrets and darkness at her feet.

“I know how horses can help those who need it—people with PTSD and trauma, mental health issues, addictions, eating disorders as well as those with autism, learning disabilities and traumatic brain injuries. I’ve felt how much working with the horses has helped me.” Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise and she studies my face but doesn’t interrupt me. “It’s what inspired me to look into what it would take to start an equine therapy program here. Then I took it to Fletcher since he’s in charge, technically.”

Her voice is a whisper, “Do you want to focus on adults or kids?”

I can see the questions in her eyes, but she doesn’t push. If I weren’t already gone for her, her quiet acceptance would do it. Even though she wants to know, her curiosity isn’t about gossip, it’s about care.

“It’s okay to ask,” I murmur.

She shakes her head and insists, “I don’t want to pry.”

With a soft smile, I lean back against the couch and take a moment. I don’t talk about my time in the military, but I’m not interested in hiding anything from her.

“I joined the military when I was 18 and was in for ten years before I got out. I’ve been home now for about two years. That first year was rough. I didn’t know where I belonged and felt lost. But I also knew Limitless could give me a purpose. When I was growing up, the horses were a source of peace for me, and I was a damn good trainer. They used to call me the horse whisperer ofthe ranch,” I admit with a chuckle and my Freckles grins, “but it still took me some time to find my footing. Our horses saved me in a lot of ways.”

“And you want to help other people who feel the same?”

“And more. I respect the horses and how they can help without even really trying. People deserve to have access to therapy that works for them. We can do that here.”

Delaney reaches over and grips my hand which I hadn’t even realized was fisted. I immediately relax my hand and lace our fingers together. “That’s a really great reason to start a program like this.”

“Thanks, Freckles.” I clear my throat and shrug one shoulder but don’t let go of her hand. “I’d like to help as many people as possible. I don’t have a preference when it comes to kids or adults.”

She nods slowly and I can see the wheels in her head turning. “The horses might dictate that, but we can see about planning a program for adults and kids. It’ll give you options.”

“Good,” my voice drops an octave, the contact between us pulling my focus away from work and toward how much I want to pull her onto my lap and kiss her until we’re both panting.

Delaney immediately launches into work and I’m in awe of her. I’m also barely listening. She talks about everything from getting a website up and running for the program to how she’ll be assessing the horses and then creating a training regimen for those who are suitable to be included.

All I can seem to focus on is Delaney’s mouth. Her lips are pouty and so damn kissable. With a huff, she pulls her handfrom mine, and I startle, not realizing we were still holding hands.

“You need to pay attention, Noel,” she admonishes me.

---