Cord dragged in the garbage can and cleaned up. Finished with that chore, he rearranged the ropes according to type and length. He restacked the saddle blankets.Gathered the horse’s grooming supplies for a thorough washing. Set all the saddles on the ground and checked for wear and tear he might’ve otherwise missed.Took him ten minutes to find a clean rag. He kicked over a plastic pail and sat on it while he cleaned Ky’s saddle. The kid needed to climb on a ladder to get on his pony, Plug. But he’d been determined to get on “the cowboy way” so he’d swung his short leg over like an experienced buckaroo the second time he attempted to mount. Cord had been absurdly proud.After he’d finished wiping the grime off and coated the leather with leather conditioner, he picked up the next saddle. He’d bought this saddle for Marla right after they’d gotten married and she assured him she’d love being a rancher’s wife.What’d he been thinking, marrying her in the first place? So she’d been pret

“I see weeds. You see all that?”She nodded. “Nothing on earth is as pretty as Wyoming wildflowers.”“Oh, I’d beg to disagree, baby doll.”AJ looked up and saw him staring at her. “You know what I meant.”“And you know what I meant. You’re beautiful, AJ. Wild and free on the back of that horse. The wind in your hair, the sun glowin’ on your face, miles of blue sky behind you. Wish I had a camera.” To show her how stunning she looked because he didn’t need tangible proof. The image of her would be burned into his brain forever.Those sharp gray eyes narrowed. “Did you hit your head in the last couple days?”“What do ya mean?”“First an apology? Then a horseback ride? Now you’re tossing me compliments like poetry? You gonna whip out a guitar and serenade me with cowboy love songs next?”“No. Next, I’m gonna…” He spurred Jester in the sides and yelled over his shoulder,“Race you to the butte.”He heard her laughing and knew his playful side surprised her, hell it surprised him too, but

AJ hopped up and snagged her prize off the podium and hefted it in the air like she’d won the gold buckle at the rodeo.A few women noticed and clapped.Carolyn McKay floated her a thumbs up before she and her sister snuck out.The deputy and male bar patrons stared in horror at the decorations and the leftover food. And Bebe and Toots were having a sword fight with two monstrously long and anatomically correct penis-shaped swords.Which wasn’t nearly as much of an eyeful as the three women bouncing on a six-foot inflatable penis like it was a buckin’ bull. And two other women slow dancing with their life-size phallic partners.Oh yeah. Keely would be absolutely pea green with envy.Liza kept a silly grin on her face as Noah climbed up on the stage and helped her to her feet. “My Prince Charming.”“My drunken bride.”She giggled. “It was a grr-reat partay.”“I see that. Ready to return to the castle, princess?”“Yep.” Liza grinned at AJ as Noah scooped her into his arms and carried he

“I know that look. No, you don’t stink. I just wanna play some water games with you.”She flashed back to the hot tub incident the night he’d meted out her penalties. After blowing him while he’d floated on the surface of the water, he’d fucked her tits again.Slower, longer, taking more time to arouse her by playing with her nipples and letting her suckle just the tip of his cock. Then he’d bent her over the edge, perfectly aligning her clit with a water jet and mounted her from behind like a stallion and fucked her until she screamed her release.“AJ,” he warned.“And if I say no?”“I’ll say tough shit, we’re doin’ it anyway.”“Sorta thought you might say that.”“Roll over. I need to untie your hands.”He made quick work of the rope. Before she sat up, he trailed his lips down the curve of her right butt cheek, and back up the left. She tried to get up but he pushed his hand in the middle of her back and held her down.“Ah-ah-ah. Not so fast. For this next lesson, you’re gonna be bl

After they’d checked the herd, they continued clopping along. The serenity of the scenery negated the need for idle chatter. Cord led; she followed.“See that stock tank? Race—”The second she heard the word race she was gone. He didn’t come close to catching her. “Maybe you should ride this horse next time, McKay. I’ve beaten you both times.”“I won once.”“Want to go best three out of five?”“No. You have a daredevil streak, Ms. Foster. How come I never knew about it?”“Because being a wild child was Keely’s reputation, not mine. I was too busy working in my dad’s stead to be wild.” After she realized what she’d confessed, she kicked her heels into Nickel’s sides and they were off.Cord reined up beside her. “You gonna explain that, or are you gonna make me guess?”She said, “Guess,” deciding he wouldn’t figure out what no one else had during those years.“Let’s see. I moved back here seven years ago after bein’ in Seattle for two years, so you would’ve been fifteen. I don’t remembe