Page 55 of Into the Lion's Den (Secrets of the Northland Shifters)

“Not unless she wants to ride tandem with someone else,” Angel suggested.

Reese made a sound of derision. He probably thought I’d be relieved to have a justifiable excuse for backing out of the trip.

Well, he was right. But unfortunately, he looked so damn smug I quickly agreed to double up.

“Fine,” I told Angel. “I’ll ride with you.”

Reese flinched beside me, and he made another sound—this one like a low growl.

“Nope,” Angel said, the corners of his mouth twitching upward. “I’ve got to manage the cart with all the camping equipment.”

“Well…” I slapped on a friendly smile and made eye contact with each of the eleven guests. “Could I double up with one of you?”

“Everyone’s a newbie here,” Angel said. “They all need to focus on their horses, not on a passenger.”

“But…” I refused to look at Reese, who’d gone as still as stone.

“You can ride tandem with Reese,” Angel said, smiling broadly now.

“But…” I protested.

“Mount up!” Angel said cheerily. “Let me know if anyone needs a hand.”

I let out a breath and Reese grumbled under his breath, but a few seconds later we were both astride a black horse named Dante, riding single file into the woods. Angel rode at the front of our line; Reese and I pulled up the rear.

I cursed my pride and stubbornness. Those flaws were what landed me in the—some might say enviable, but I was going with awkward—position of riding a very warm, muscular animal through the forest with Reese’s very warm, muscular thighs pressed up behind mine.

He’d wrapped his arm around my waist, sandwiching me between his body and the front of the saddle. The unfortunate effect was a rocking sensation aimed directly at my clit.

“Don’t squirm so much,” he muttered with more than a little irritation.

“I’m not squirming. There’s a thousand-pound animal moving under me. He moves, I move.”

I decided not to mention I was already riding the edge of an orgasm and probably would be the whole trip.

Fifteen agonizing minutes later, we passed the old red barn where Reese had once been—dare I say—sweet to me. That’s where he’d told me about his father’s death, and I’d promised to help him solve that mystery, knowing—if I could actually help—it would give him some peace.

I turned slightly in the saddle to take another long look at the building as we rode past.

“Would youpleasestop moving?” Reese growled. Then he muttered to himself, “Angel’s gotta be the worst fucking sadist.”

“I’m not moving.”

“You are. Every little shift is…” Reese pulled back on the reins, slowing our horse and putting more space between us and the rider in front of us. “Are you really that oblivious to the fact your ass is right up against my cock?”

Heat flared through my body, and I was grateful he couldn’t see my face. The only consolation was that apparently I wasn’t the only one suffering. “I should have never come on this ride.”

“Agreed.”

I let out a breath. “You know, you don’t have to be so grumpy about everything. We won’t be on this ride forever, and I do have my own tent. It’s not like you’ll be forced to sleep with me.”

“Small miracles,” he clipped.

“Wow. Didn’t mean to disgust you with the prospect.”

He didn’t respond to that, but I felt his thighs tighten on the horse.

Dante moved into a trot, and I gave the barn one last perusal before it was hidden again by the trees. I still thought it would make an amazing event space. All it needed was a little elbow grease.

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