Page 49 of Stick Around,
“How noble.”
I glanced over my shoulder, hoping to spot Reid’s silhouette again. The moonlight caught him perfectly. He was close enough that I could make out his steady presence on horseback but maintained enough distance to give us space. Something about knowing he was there, watching, made tingles dance across my skin.
The lights of the ranch appeared ahead, a warm glow punctuating the darkness. As we approached the stables, my anxiety about bears vanished, replaced by a different kind of nervous energy.
We were actually going to do this. Yes, Reid had watched before, but this time was different. This time I knew what their intentions were. This time I wanted them both.
Kellan dismounted first, his boots hitting the ground with a soft thud. He reached up to help me, his hands strong and sure at my waist even though I didn’t need his help. I slid down against his body, my hands braced on his shoulders.
“You two enjoy your sunset?” Reid’s voice was low as he dismounted his horse in one fluid motion.
I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “It was beautiful. Though Kellan tried to convince me we’re in bear country.”
“We are.” Reid led his horse toward the stable doors.
“See?” Kellan nudged me with his elbow. “I wasn’t trying to scare you into my arms.”
“Though it worked,” I muttered, following them into the hay-scented interior of the stables.
The familiar sounds of horses shuffling in their stalls surrounded us, oddly comforting after the vast darkness of the trail. I stood to the side, not entirely sure what to do with myself as the men began unbuckling saddles and removing bridles.
The way their muscles moved under their shirts as they lifted the heavy gear made my mouth go dry.
“Think you could give us a hand?” Kellan glanced over his shoulder at me with a mischievous smile. “Or are you too tired from our adventure?”
I crossed my arms. “I’m not tired. What do you need me to do?”
Reid nodded toward the tack room. “Saddles need wiping down after being near the salt air.”
“I can handle that.” I’d helped Enzo wipe down saddles a few days ago.
Inside the tack room, the walls were lined with hooks holding bridles and other leather equipment I couldn’t name. Several saddles rested on wooden stands, and the air smelled like leather.
Kellan brought in the first saddle and placed it on an empty stand. “Get all the sand off, then give it a light coat of this.” He held up a bottle of leather conditioner.
I nodded, taking the bottle and a clean rag from him. “I think I can manage not to destroy a very expensive saddle.”
His eyes raked over me. “That’s my girl.”
My heart fluttered at the possessive term. I wasn’t his girl. Was I? I wasn’t anyone’s, technically. But the way my pulse quickened suggested my body had other ideas.
Reid brought in the second saddle, setting it on another stand without a word, his eyes meeting mine briefly before he returned to the horses.
I set to work, carefully wiping down the first saddle, making sure to get into all the crevices. The leather was smooth under my fingers, worn in places from years of use. I admired the craftsmanship, the detailed stitching, and the way it was both functional and beautiful.
I was so focused on my task that I didn’t hear the footsteps behind me until I felt the warmth of a body at my back. Strong arms wrapped around my waist, and hot lips pressed against the sensitive spot where my neck met my shoulder.
“Look at you, taking such good care of my saddle.” Kellan’s voice was a low rumble against my skin.
My cleaning cloth stilled on the leather. “I’m trying to be thorough.”
His hands slid up my sides, then back down to my hips. “I’ve been thinking about you bent over my saddle since we left the beach.”
My breath caught. “Oh?”
Kellan plucked the rag from my hands and then guided them to the horn of the saddle. “Put your hands here.” His voice dropped even lower. “And don’t move them.”
Heat pooled between my legs at his commanding tone. I gripped the saddle horn, knuckles whitening.
