Page 10 of Untamed

Glancing over at the bucket, I notice the water level is almost unchanged from earlier this evening. “He hasn’t really drunk much water.”

Colter looks down at the bucket, nodding. “Just keep an eye on him for now. He might benefit from a salt lick, or an electrolyte supplement added to his food. It’ll help keep him hydrated. If he starts to go downhill, call in a vet.”

I stare at Colter, impressed by his knowledge of horses. I shouldn’t be surprised though. Maverick and my father had mentioned he was king of the rodeo for several years. Of course, he would know all this.

My smile is genuine when I say, “Thank you.”

His lips press into a firm line. He nods curtly before spinning around and leaving the stall. I watch him disappear, my heart picking up speed with every step he takes away from me. I want to talk to him more. Ask him questions and dig deeper beneath the surface.

Something tells me that, despite the grumpy asshole façade he wears, there’s more to Colter Grady than meets the eye.

Chapter Eight

COLTER

“Dulcie take the edge off the other night?” Tex snickers as we ride through the pasture.

Glancing over at him, I shoot him a glare. These assholes might like to talk about their hookups amongst themselves but that’s not me. As much as I don’t give a fuck about the ladies I stick my dick in, I’m not talking about that shit with anyone. I might not care about these women, but they at least deserve a little respect.

My mind drifts to Mila, and her pretty face frozen in surprise when she caught sight of me with Dulcie the other night. The shock in her eyes, the way they widened when they landed on my flaccid length. It’s as if she’d never seen a cock in her life. But that can’t be right. The little ball of sunshine must have had her fair share of attention from the boys. Still, there was something about her reaction that caught me off guard. And I know without a doubt, just by looking at her innocent face, that she couldn’t handle my certain… tastes when it comes to fucking.

The thought consumes me. I can’t help but imagine what it would be like to unravel her layers, to challenge everything she thinks she knows about herself. I’d push her limits, make her question what she truly wants—if she could handle it. Thethought alone makes my cock harden in my pants, stabbing against the zipper of my jeans and pushing against the pommel of the saddle. Jesus Christ.

What is it about Mila that pulls me in? Maybe it’s the fact she’s off limits. I’ve never been one to follow the rules, and the fact that I’ve been warned to stay away only makes me want her more. It’s not about a future, God knows that’s the last thing on my mind, but there’s something about her, something I can’t shake. Every time I see her, I feel this primal urge to tarnish her, dirty her up and to push her boundaries in ways she never expected. I want to see how far I can take it, to walk that fine line that’s been drawn so clearly in the sand. There’s something intoxicating about the danger of it all, the forbidden nature… it does things to me.

“Well?” Tex’s voice drags me from my dirty thoughts.

“I’m not answering that,” I grunt, clicking my tongue and digging my heels into Trigger’s sides. The horse moves into a trot. “Let’s focus on the cattle. We’ve got work to do before nightfall.”

Instead of waiting for a response, I kick Trigger into a canter, taking the right side of the cattle as Tex moves to the left. With only half a dozen strays, it’s an easy enough task to guide them back to the rest of the herd. A neighboring ranch had alerted Maverick about the escape through the broken fence and without the tools to fix it, we’re tasked with rounding them up and leading them to where the rest of the crew is driving the cattle to pasture sixteen, a secure area with better grazing.

It’s harder than it seems. By the time we meet up with Maverick and the others, the sun’s nearly set, and we’ve still got at least another hour of work ahead of us. I grit my teeth, the frustration building. This is not the life I wanted. I used to be my own boss, calling the shots. Now I’m stuck here, taking orders from some privileged rich kid pretending to be a cowboy. Sure, Ishould be grateful for the steady paycheck, but the sting of what I’ve lost cuts deeper than ever.

“Alright, let’s get them into the secure pasture. Colter, Tex, you take either side of the gate. Count them as they go through.” Maverick orders and it takes everything in me not to tell him to go fuck himself.

I clench my jaw, nodding curtly before kicking Trigger into motion. I make a wide loop around the herd, eager to get this over with. The sooner we can wrap this up, the sooner I can head back to the bunkhouse and wash the frustration of the day away.

After showering, I throw on some sweats and a shirt, knowing I need to escape the chaos of the bunkhouse for a while. The ranch has four bunkhouses in total, each with six beds. One’s reserved for the women, while the other three are split between the rest of us. I share with Garrett, Tex, Austin, Leroy and Rory. We’ve got the largest space, but that also means we’re the go to hangout for everyone else on the ranch.

The noise hits me as soon as I step out of the bathroom. Loud voices, even louder music. Though I joined in the other night for Malcolm’s birthday, tonight I’m in no mood to be social. I want to unwind, get lost in my thoughts and maybe strum a few tunes on my guitar to clear my head.

Snatching up my guitar, I move through the cabin; ignoring the questions from the guys, the quizzical looks from the girls and the kicked puppy look coming from Dulcie, the redhead that deep-throated my cock a couple nights ago. Ego must have told her that I would be up for round two and, to be honest, I can’t blame her. Most men would definitely go back. She sucks dicklike a fucking champ, but I’m not most men. I would rather use my hand than have her mouth anywhere near me again.

I slip on my boots, and shove open the door, stepping out into the cool night air. As I make my way toward the barn, I pause. The sliding door is open, spilling light into the darkness.

Mila.

My pulse quickens. Is it in anticipation, arousal or a mix of both? I frown, wondering why she has such a visceral effect on me. I recall my earlier thoughts. She’s forbidden. That must be the reason behind this reaction. What else could it be? Knowing me, it’s probably nothing more than the temptation to taste the forbidden fruit. Even though I know how reckless that would be and recognizing that I should turn around and walk away, I keep moving forward. I step inside and slide the door shut behind me with a sharp sound. My entrance is loud enough for Mila to hear, and her soft voice calls out.

“Who’s there?”

I stride over to the hay bales, setting my guitar down on top before making my way over to Clover’s stall. Mila stands at the door, as beautiful and fresh faced as ever. She exhales a soft breath of what I can only guess is relief, when she sees that it’s me.

“How is he?” I nod toward her horse. From what I’ve gathered from a few of the ranch hands, Clover is doing better.

“He’s good. I bought him a salt lick. I was just checking his water intake.” The worry from the other night has disappeared from her voice.

“That’s good to hear,” I say, sincerity in my tone, before turning and heading back to the hay bales. The sound of the stall door shutting and the bolt sliding into place lets me know that Mila is following me. It’s confirmed a moment later when I hear her footsteps echoing on the barn floor behind me.

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