Page 67 of Tattered and Torn

She wriggles her butt just a bit to get comfortable.

“All good?” I ask as I hand her the reins.

She nods as she pats Odin’s neck. “Good morning, Odin. Let’s go camping.” She chuckles. “I wish my parents could see me right now.”

“So, here’s how this is gonna go,” I say. “I’ll ride first, and Sal will follow behind me. You’ll take up the rear. If you have any problems at all, just holler, and we’ll stop. It’s a three-hour ride. Just like before, we’ll stop halfway to stretch our legs and drink something.”

Gabrielle nods, smiling like the trooper she is.

I lay my hand on her thigh. “Are you sure you’re a city girl?”

“Born and raised. But I grew up watching reruns of Bonanza and The Rifleman with my dad. I’ve always liked watching westerns. And I always liked cowboys.” Her smile widens.

“Well, then I guess you picked the right fella.” I wink at her before patting her leg. I move up the line to mount Zeus, and Nora hands me Sal’s lead. “All right, let’s move out.”

“Have fun,” Nora says as she waves. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. Hey, boss, did you remember to pack the sat phone?”

“Yes, missy,” I say as I nudge Zeus forward. “I packed it.”

* * *

Gabrielle is a good sport, riding along quietly as we head up the trail. I keep glancing back at her to make sure she’s okay, and she always gives me a reassuring smile and a thumb’s up. There’s one moment of drama when a rabbit runs across the trail in front of her. She makes a bit of a startled squeak, but Odin, like the dependable gentleman he is, traipses along as if nothing happened.

About halfway to the lake, we stop in a small clearing beside a stream to let the horses rest, drink, and graze on some lush grass.

Gabrielle and I grab water bottles and protein bars from our pack and find a fallen log that makes a nice park bench. We have a perfect view of the rushing stream.

“I can see why you like it here so much,” she says between bites of her protein bar. “It’s beautiful.”

I swallow a gulp of water and nod. “Indeed it is.” But it’s Gabrielle I’m lookin’ at, not the stream. You’ve seen one stream, you’ve seen them all. I’m used to them. But I don’t think I’ll ever get used to looking at Gabrielle. She lights up the place, wherever she goes. She practically glows.

I finish my protein bar and water and stow the trash in one of the packs. Whatever we bring up here with us, we carry back to the lodge. We’ll leave no sign of our presence.

“All done?” I ask Gabrielle.

She polishes off the last bite of her protein bar and balls up the wrapper. I hold out my hand to take it, and then I dispose of it with my trash.

“Do you need a potty break?” I ask. “If you do, now’s the time. It’ll be another hour and a half before we reach the lake.”

She seems torn, and then finally she nods. “I’d better go.”

“Don’t wander far from the trail,” I remind her. “Keep me in your sights at all time, got it? And watch for poison ivy. You don’t want a rash on your ass.” I wink at her.

Grinning, she salutes me. “Yes, sir.”

I guess I do get bossy at times. But I can tell from the impish smile on her face that she enjoys teasing me. I enjoy it, too.

A few minutes later, Gabrielle emerges from the woods washing her hands with hand sanitizer. “No ass rash,” she says with a grin.

As she passes me on her way to Odin, I reach down and palm her pert little ass. “Maybe I should double check when we reach camp. You know—just to be sure.”

She pauses and turns back to me. “Maybe you should.”

The temptation is too much to pass up, so I lean in and kiss her. I just meant for it to be a light kiss—nothing hot and heavy. But when our mouths touch, it’s like fireworks.

She opens her mouth to me, and I can’t resist the invitation. I seal our mouths, and my tongue finds hers. Her arms go around my waist, and mine go around hers. I pull her close and revel in the feel of her soft breasts pressed against my chest. I’m sure she’s fully aware of my sudden erection, which is nudging her belly.

“We’re sleeping in a tent tonight?” she asks, breathless from our kiss.

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