Page 54 of Redemption

“Like I’ve said before, I’ll do anything you ask me,” I replied.

She nodded once. “Thanks,” she muttered before taking off at a run to the stables.

I kept pace with her, my fitness improving now that I had room to run and exercise. We mounted the horses in sync and headed back down to the house, strategizing how to get the cattle together. I would lead again and she would herd from the back. The cattle were spread so far apart, it would be tough with the house and trees in the way.

I watched her work, gesturing to her when a cow got a mind of its own and stepped away from the herd. I put pressure from the front and sides and led them backwards, up and away from the house and together we worked to get them back to the south pasture. It was harder than yesterday, it took more effort. Like their night of freedom had them acting like rebellious teenagers.

When we approached, I could see the gate was shut, which was odd. How the hell did they get out? I raised my arm, waving to Kat and signaled for her to slow down so I could ride ahead and open the gate. When the last of the cattle trotted through, Kat joined me.

“The gate was closed?” Her brow furrowed.

“The gate was closed,” I confirmed, feeling kinda smug that she was wrong about me. “Guess it wasn’t either of us.”

“Hmm,” she replied, her frown still in place. “Just means there was another way out. Come on.”She clicked her tongue and pulled on the reins and set off at a trot, riding the perimeter of the pasture, along the fence. I followed suit, wondering what she was checking for.

“There!” she shouted back over her shoulder, pointing across into the bottom corner. We rode over and dismounted. I followed her and saw immediately that the fence was broken and had been partially trampled into the mud.

“Fuck!” she shouted.

“Hey, it’s okay, we can fix it.”

“We’re gonna have to!” she snapped back.

I took a breath, not wanting to get riled up and have a repeat of earlier. Especially when I should be staying away from her. “What do you need me to do?”

“We need tools but I left them back at the ranch.”

“I’ll go get them, just don’t touch anything,” I said and mounted Chester, urging him back the way we came. I rode fast back to the house, enjoying the rush of wind, the scent of nature, the freedom. I wasn’t sure where she kept hers so I grabbed what I could from my cabin and headed back, cursing softly when I saw she had in fact, touched the fence.

“What did I say?” I grumbled as I leapt off Chester, my ass only a little saddle sore. She was in a crouch, tugging the fence up out of the mud. Her arms flexed tightly as she pulled with all her might but it didn’t budge.

“I touched it, I know, but I was worried the cows would see it again and try a second prison break,” she huffed, her cheeks pink with her exertion. “Help me!”

I surveyed what she was doing and unfortunately the only way to help was to get in behind her. I locked my knees behind hers and reached around her, gripping the fence on either side of her hands.

Her hair tickled my cheeks, her cherry blossom scentinvaded my senses and I willed my dick not to get hard when her ass was practically riding it. Okay that was stupid to think because immediately I was thinking about her riding me, reverse cowgirl style and it was definitely getting hard.

“Ready?” she asked softly, turning slightly and our cheeks nearly brushed.

Damn, it was hard being this close to her, I wanted to throw her down to the ground and fuck her into the dirt. What the hell was wrong with me?

“Uh, huh,” was all I could respond. We both pulled and nothing happened.

“Harder!” she cried and fuck that was the wrong thing to say, but it sure as hell gave me the burst of adrenaline I needed.

I tugged harder and there was a wet soundingslurpbefore the fence eventually moved. It was slow, but then released with a pop and sent us flying back. She landed against me, cradled between my legs, sprawled half over me and my arms wrapped around her instinctively.

She glanced up at me from under her thick lashes, our faces close together, our breath panting and our stares locked. Neither of us moved away; if anything, she sank into me deeper. My eyes dropped to those lips that I needed more than my next breath. I tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and lingered there, my fingers stroking the delicate shell before trailing down the column of her slender neck.

Her breath caught, her hard façade dropped and her flash of vulnerability made me greedy.

Made me want to take.

I wet my lips, ready for a taste and she leaned forward. My heart pounded in my ears, adrenaline riding me hard and my need roared for this woman whoI wanted so much and couldn’t have, like some cruel joke from fate to punish me even more.

I closed my eyes and tilted her chin slightly, ready to fit our lips together. I already knew it would be the perfect fit, the perfect pressure, the perfect taste.

Just before they touched, her breath caressing my skin eagerly, Charlie’s face flashed in my mind and I froze. After everything I’d taken from him, would he really want me in this position with his eldest daughter? His pride and joy? He’d done so much for me, given me life and a home, when I’d taken from him the thing he loved most. He was generous and good and here I was laying in the dirt with his daughter.

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