Back in the Saddle (Diamond Firetail Farm)

Chapter 18

18

Taylor

I sat in the morning meeting listening to Ciaron. I hadn’t been attending morning meetings as much as I should have, preferring to get on with the day’s work. It meant we were not presenting as a united team. Another casualty of our failing relationship.

“This morning we’re going to move some paddocks. The ones at the top road I’d like to move down to the river paddock,” Ciaron said.

I shifted in my seat. That didn’t make sense. I was sure those horses were due first. So why were we moving them further away from the foaling unit? That was a mistake. If one went into labour out in that paddock, we wouldn’t be able to move them quick enough. They could give birth before we even got to them. A mare’s labour could last less than fifteen minutes.

I bit my lip. Now was not the time to bring it up. He was the broodmare manager and where horses moved to was up to him. He didn’t need to consult me about it. Ciaron paused, his gaze stopped on me as he glanced around the room. I trained my face into a neutral look.

After the meeting I drove past the paddock Ciaron was planning to move. The horses there were definitely the ones who were due first. I waited for Ciaron to get back to the office and then made my way to him. He looked up from his desk when I came in.

I sat before I said anything. I didn’t want him to feel like I was standing over the top of him. “That paddock of horses we’re moving. They’re due first. Should we keep them closer to the foaling unit?”

Ciaron shook his head. “They haven’t had fresh grass for a while. This will be their last chance.”

“Is it worth the risk?” I pressed.

“None of them have started to show signs. And at least four of them don’t usually birth early or on time.” His answer came quick. It was obvious he’d thought about it in depth because he’d checked and done his research.

“OK. That makes sense.”

“Thank you for waiting until I came back before asking about my reasoning.”

I smiled. “See, I do listen.”

Ciaron cracked a grin. “Wonders will never cease.”

I shook my head in jest. “Don’t push your luck.”

He laughed. “I’d never dream of it.”

Gosh, I’d missed that laugh. I missed so much about him. Most of all, I missed my best friend.

He studied me. “Does that mean you’re ready to discuss the breeding choices for this season?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

And that was the truth. I thought he’d lost interest in the farm as well as me.

“I wanted to, but you didn’t seem to want to share anything.”

He wasn’t lying. The more lost I felt outside of work, the closer I held everything at work.

“I know. I’m sorry.”

I looked down at my hands in my lap. I had so much to be sorry for. How were we ever going to get back to where we were—happy and strong? Were we past full repair, like if we were to fix things, we’d be fragile and ready to break with just the slightest stress?

“Taylor.”

Could we ever be us again?

How could he love me after the way I treated him? I was as bad as his mother, the way I just expected him to do everything. I forgot to consider his feelings. Then I’d accused him of being unfaithful like his parents. I couldn’t get past these mistakes. My mistakes. How could he?

“Taylor.”

I raised my eyes to Ciaron, but he was no longer in his seat. He was crouched beside me. He moved in front of me and placed his hands on my thighs. “It’s OK to recognise what we did wrong, but we can’t hold on to blame.”

He was always too forgiving. His mam. Me. Was it because he didn’t love himself enough?

“You deserve better, Ciaron.”

Ciaron stood up and pulled me with him. “What, and you don’t?”

“I’m the one that broke us.”

“We broke us, Taylor. We did. There were two of us in this marriage. And there were two of us out of it.”

My hands were shaking in his. “You tried to tell me more than once that we had a problem.”

“Yeah, well, maybe I should have tried harder earlier. Maybe I should have told you before it all turned to shit instead of trying to smooth it all over.” He cupped my face and searched my eyes. “I will never make that mistake again. I love you, Taylor. Now. Today. Forever.”

He bent his head forward and kissed me. His warm hands framed my face as his fingers entwined in my hair. I breathed in his scent—man, horse and earthiness. Pure aphrodisiac.

My stomach swirled.

“Wait here,” Ciaron said. He walked to his office door, pressed the lock in and closed it. “We don’t need everyone hearing us making up.”

I giggled. “What does making up involve?”

Ciaron stood in front of me and held my chin. “Maybe this.” His tongue swept across my lower lip. He pressed himself against me and warmth spread between my legs and settled in my core.

“And maybe this.” He kissed me hard and wet while his hands went to the button on my jeans. His fingers were hectic as he struggled with the button and zip. He pulled my jeans down below my arse.

“This.” He slipped his hand into my underwear. His fingers circled around my clit. A small cry escaped my lips as I pushed myself against his hand. His hot breaths against my cheek were ragged. Fuck, he was so turned on. My breaths matched his. He pushed his fingers in and then dragged them back out, rubbing against my swollen clit. My legs shook.

I moaned.

“You’re going to come on my hand and then on my dick,” Ciaron rasped out.

His fingers were rough, insistent, probing. My toes curled in my steel cap boots.

“That’s it,” he groaned. “Come for me.”

His fingers were deliberate, coaxing me. I clutched at his shoulders as my legs gave way. I clenched my teeth and came undone. Ciaron covered my lips with his, drowning out my cry. His fingers slowed, matching my trembles and luring more out of me.

My panting slowed as my muscles relaxed. Ciaron and I were cheek to cheek. His lifted in a smile. “I’m enjoying this making up.”

I nodded, unable to form words as I released my fingers from his shoulders. Ciaron spun me around and pulled my underwear down. He lowered his zip and his jeans rustled as he pushed them down. My stomach squeezed as his hand wrapped firmly around my hip. The perfect fit. He moved in close. His breath brushed my ear, sending heat and a shiver through me.

“Try not to let Fran hear how much you love my dick inside you.” His voice was husky and just that alone kept me on the brink of orgasm.

I blushed. The only reason Fran hadn’t heard me cry out was because Ciaron had absorbed it with his mouth.

“Maybe you shouldn’t have made me come so hard.”

Ciaron chuckled. “Time for round two.”

“Show me what you got, Irish Boy.”

I scanned the window. The wooden venetians were slightly open, letting light in. But no one would be out there gardening. So, there would be no one to accidentally see us.

He tilted my hips and guided himself inside me. I leant forward, resting my hands on his desk. It was cold for a moment before the heat in my palms transferred. Holy shit. The stretch. It kept coming and felt so good. Ciaron’s other hand came to my hip, holding tight. He tilted my arse. After twenty years, he knew exactly how to hit the spot. We moaned in unison. I flattened my palms on the desktop and pushed myself back against him. The only question left was who would orgasm first.