Page 55 of Breaking the Cowboy's Rules

And then she began to move, loving his feel and the slide and the way her body gripped him. They found a rhythm that worked, and Nico’s so-called control soon burned up in flames as they kissed, and he stroked her body and thrust up with a power and intensity that matched her own.

This was what the fuss was all about. This feeling—out of her body and out of her head but never more alive and present. She clung to him and focused on him, wanting to make him feel as good as she felt. The pleasure seemed endless, waves and waves of it, and then she was on her back, the wool blanket a little rough against her skin and the sky turning a purple blue.

She gripped his firm ass as he thrust into her, her legs tight on his hips, and she could feel herself building up again, closer and closer, and she was afraid that he’d stop before she could get there one last time, only he didn’t and when she felt herself start to fragment, she tightened her hold on him and whispered his name like a talisman to guide her back down to earth.

She felt him convulse deep within her.

*

Bodhi was quietas they rode back toward the barn—at least, that’s where Nico assumed they were headed. The sky was a darker blue now, edged with gray as the sun dropped toward a mountain range in the west.

She felt so relaxed, more like Jell-O than human, but Bodhi’s quiet unnerved her a little. Wasn’t that her role, to have doubts? It wasn’t that she didn’t. She did. She just felt so wondrous that she didn’t yet care. She would later, and she’d deal with it then. The one advantage of the careening U-turn her life had taken a little over a year ago was that so many other things that would have been worrisome or hurtful or anxiety-provoking no longer registered with the same punch.

“I wanted to take you to a special place to watch a sunset,” he said, his fingers covering hers. “We might miss it, but we might make it,” he added, casting a look at the sky.

“Let’s do it,” she said. “I’ll race you.”

Not that she knew where she was going. But Midnight seemed game, and the wind blow-dried her hair. With her makeup washed off in the river and her tangled hair, Bodhi would likely regret the riverside sex. Or maybe the gathering shadows would be kind.

They headed for a large, rolling hill that was flat on top, more like a mesa, and her heart kicked up. She bet there would be a spectacular view at the top. They raced up one side. The hill didn’t boast too much elevation, but it was massive. There was a small orchard—it looked wild, not particularly tended. She tried to take it all in. There was a large, white barn with the doors open and a lot of supplies inside, several other smaller barns or equipment sheds, and then a stand of trees flanking what looked like a cabin or maybe that was a bunkhouse.

They stopped. She slid off Midnight into Bodhi’s arms.

“Plum Hill, where the party will be?”

“Yes. You can see forever. I used to sit up in the barn at night and watch the stars through the hay door. Bowen liked to sit up there and play guitar so that none of us could flip any…goop at him.”

Nico smiled. Bodhi’s voice rang with enthusiasm, and she loved how he worked to clean up his language around her.

“Beck used to bring Ashni here to make out in the hayloft, so it was always a race to see who could claim the hill first.”

“There’s plenty of room for all of you.” She looked around. Three-sixty views and what looked like a bird’s-eye view of the ranch. Off in the distance toward Copper Mountain, she saw three large, lone fir trees facing the mountain like sentries.

“Are those the trees that gave the ranch its name?” she asked.

“Not the original ones. We lost those to a lightning strike when I was ten, same year my dad died,” he said. “The trees burned as did a fair amount of pasture, but my granddad and the ranch hands managed to put out the fire with a few neighbors who came to help. The fire department was spread too thin.”

“So you replanted?”

Ranch living was so different from the city. You took care of your own. Relied on neighbors. Sustained losses and moved on. Rebuilt if necessary. Protected your own and your community when possible.

“Yes. My granddad let each of us pick a tree and dig the hole and take care of our tree until they took root and flourished.”

“Like the three of you,” she said softly.

Fake dating. Fake relationship. Fake engagement.

Only today felt too real.

“Like us,” he answered, reaching out and snagging her hand and reeling her in to his side.

Silently, they watched the sun dip behind the mountain.

“It’s just as beautiful at sunrise. I can bring you sometime if you’re an early riser,” he said, kissing her cheek and then leading her back to the horses.

“I am.” She smiled but didn’t feel it.

Shake it off.She knew the score. Bodhi had been honest, and he was certainly not stingy with the fringe benefits.

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