Chapter 31
thirty-one
. . .
Wren
Of course the week flew by in a blur, because I was having the best time with Axel being here. Coach had pushed me hard during our workouts the first few days back, but I didn’t even care because I got to go home to the man I loved afterward.
Thankfully, we’d pulled back these last few days to prepare for my first competition.
The Valley International was a big event, and the most elite competitors from around the world were here for it.
It was my favorite event, because it was on my home turf where I trained and lived, and the familiarity for me and Wrax made it all the better.
There was no travel involved, and I’d always looked forward to this one each year.
I’d ignored the recent articles about my return this past week.
And I’d heard about online conversations going on in the equestrian world about me as well, and I purposely stayed away from all that.
From what I’d been told, it was just a lot of talk about the accident and if it was going to be my downfall. And if my elderly horse was going to drop to the ground feebly during the competition.
They had no idea that Wrax was in top shape. He’d aged well, as he’d been well cared for, which showed with each passing year. But right now, the way we’d been training, he was more than ready.
Today was day one of a three-day event, with dressage on the first day, cross-country on the second day, and show jumping on the final day.
Dressage was always where Wrax and I stood out.
The phase took place in a large rectangular arena, where the judges watched for precision, harmony, and obedience.
It was the moment of the event to showcase your horse’s training, and the way said horse responded to its rider, who was giving subtle cues.
The simplest way to describe dressage was that it was a sport where one was judged on how well the horse and rider appeared as a single moving entity.
And Wrax and I—we were one.
We moved with ease and grace and were able to communicate without words.
With a simple touch, or the way I shifted or leaned, he just knew what to do.
That was why you didn’t trade out your horse years into your career, because the kind of relationship that I shared with Wrax couldn’t be bought.
It came from years of trust and friendship.
Today we would be judged at the highest level, on advanced movements like piaffe, an on-the-spot trot, and passage, a slow, elevated trot with suspension. The goal was to make it look easy.
And that was exactly what we did.
Loud cheers erupted as I saluted the judges, and I leaned down and wrapped my arms around Wrax’s neck as we trotted out of the dressage ring.
Coach Sharky clapped his hands together where he stood off to the side, but my eyes were already on Axel, who was standing beside him with a big grin on his face.
I moved toward him, sliding off Wrax as Axel wrapped his arms around me.
“That was amazing, baby,” he whispered against my ear.
My score was announced, and Coach Sharky pulled me in for a hug. “No one is going to touch that score. She’s back!”
“Wrax is back, too,” I said. “I’m going to go take him out of the sun and let him rest. We’ll be back to watch in a bit.”
I liked to watch the other athletes perform, but I also knew it would be a long three days and it was important to rest a little each day as well.
Axel and I took Wrax to his stall and then watched a few of my friends perform before grabbing some food and calling it a day.
Having Axel with me settled me in a way that I appreciated.
The next two days were grueling. The cross-country portion was the most challenging, although we sailed through without issue, which felt great.
That was where we’d had our fall at our last competition, so it felt good to put all those concerns that people had about me and about Wrax to rest. And the final day was my favorite—show jumping.
We crushed it—and my score remained untouchable over the three-day event, which felt damn good.
I’d proven that I wasn’t afraid to compete.
Wrax proved that he wasn’t washed up.
It was important to me that whatever I decided to do moving forward—I felt proud of it.
The morning after a long three-day event was always my favorite. I could finally relax.
My body could finally relax.
My mind could finally relax.
I glanced beside me to see Axel sleeping. The sheet lay just over his hips, and I couldn’t help but take him in. Chiseled abs, golden skin, a deep V leading to a patch of dark hair. I ran my fingers over his stomach and down lower, beneath the sheet.
He was leaving today, and I wanted to savor every last second we had together.
I found him hard as a rock. My hand wrapped around his morning erection, and he groaned. I pushed the sheet down and moved to my knees, stroking him a few times before leaning down and wrapping my lips around him.
His fingers tangled in my hair, and a moan escaped his lips.
“Morning, baby,” he said, his voice gruff and breathy.
I just took him deeper, wanting to make him feel as good as he’d made me feel last night. My body had been fatigued, and he’d known exactly what I needed. He’d buried his head between my thighs and then buried himself there afterward.
I’d fallen asleep sated and relaxed, which wasn’t the norm after a competition.
My head bobbed up and down, my tongue swirling around the base as he bucked beneath me.
I would bring him right to the edge and then pull back, wanting to make this moment last as long as possible.
My hand found his balls and gave them a little squeeze before I continued to slide my lips up and down his shaft.
“Fuck, Wren. This feels so good.” His voice was deep, and I could hear him fighting to stay in control.
I loved the way that I affected him.
The way that he affected me.
I moved faster, his breaths the only audible sound in the room.
“Baby,” he warned, tugging at my hair for me to pull back, but I stayed right there.
He thrust one more time before he unloaded in my mouth, and I swallowed down every last drop.
I stayed right there until he’d finished moving, and then I pulled back and sat on my knees. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.
“Damn, woman. Are you trying to kill me this morning?” he said as he tugged me down to lie on his chest.
“Just thought I’d give you a little farewell send-off.” I chuckled.
“That’s quite the send-off. I can’t wait to come back again. Will the greeting be as good as the send-off?” He laughed, this husky sound that came from deep in his chest.
“It’s going to be a couple weeks until we see one another again,” I said, my voice quiet.
He tipped my chin up to meet his gaze. “We’ll FaceTime every day. We’ll talk throughout the day. Hell, we can even have phone sex if you want.”
I laughed. “I’ve never had phone sex.”
“Well, neither have I, because I’ve never had reason to.” His hand moved beneath the sheet, over my bare breasts. “But I could make getting you off my new day job.”
My breaths were coming quicker now, and he tugged me on top of him so I was straddling him. His hands gripped my hips before moving up my ass and to my back.
“I fucking love the way you sound when you come. The little gasps you make, and the way your skin flushes pink.”
I smiled down at him while I adjusted myself and slowly moved down. I took in every glorious inch of him as he filled me.
A gasp escaped my lips as I just stayed perfectly still, loving the feel of him buried inside me.
I glanced down to find him watching me, as if he was memorizing every line and curve on my face.
“Hey,” I said.
“Hey, beautiful.”
“What are you looking at?”
“The reason for my existence,” he said.
“Good answer.”
“It’s the truth, Wren.” He tugged me down for a kiss, and we found our rhythm. Just like we always did.
Just me and my cowboy.
Axel had refused to let me take him to the airport, since he’d called a car service. He thought it would be an easier goodbye for me if I was just here. So I took Wrax out for a ride. It was beautiful here. But it didn’t feel like home. Not anymore.
I came to a stop, leaning forward and resting my head against Wrax.
“You did good, buddy.” I sighed, and we sat there for the longest time before making our way back to the barn.
Coach Sharky was in the stable when I walked Wrax in there.
“Did Axel head home?” he asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.
“He did.” I nodded.
“I’m glad you had that time together. That was a good showing this weekend, Wren. People are talking about you, and it’s all good things.” He smiled.
“Okay.” I didn’t really care what people were saying. I was happy that Wrax and I had shown up this weekend, but it was not for anyone but us.
“I think it’s good that Axel is back home. It’ll be easier to focus now.” He walked beside me out of the barn.
His comment rubbed me wrong, but I knew I was emotional about saying goodbye to Axel, so I tried to shake it off. “I think I’m very focused. I did my best training back in Rosewood River, and we were living together there.”
His eyes widened. “Wow. This is more serious than I thought.”
I wasn’t sure how to respond to that. I hadn’t realized that I needed to run my personal relationships by him.
My friend Jillian walked over to where we were standing.
“Hey, Wren, a few of us are going to grab dinner, and I know Axel left earlier, so I thought you might want to come?” she said, her long dark braid hanging over her shoulder.
She was a year younger than me, and she’d finished fourth in the competition this weekend.
I respected her and I liked her. There’d never been any weird tension between us, and we’d developed a close friendship over the last two years.
“Sure. I’d love that. Thank you. I just have to stop by my cabin and grab my purse.”
“Great. Meet me out front in five minutes, and we can walk over together.” She smiled before turning to walk to her place.
“Be careful there,” Coach said, keeping his voice low. “Everyone wants to get inside your head right now. We have too much at stake. Too much to lose.”
I narrowed my gaze. He’d always tried to keep me separate from the other athletes, and I’d never understood it.
But after stepping away for a while and coming back, I realized it was about controlling me in a way.
He’d tried to control the horse I rode, and the friends I hung out with.
I knew Coach Sharky wanted the best for me, but Axel was right.
He also wanted the best for himself.
And his true colors were showing.
“I don’t think anyone wants to get inside my head. I think they just want to get a burger. And that sounds good to me.” I chuckled. “I’ll see you in the morning, Coach.”
“First one in, last one out,” he shouted after me. “We will not be outworked.”
I blew out a breath and waved at him before jogging to my cabin.
I grabbed my phone and my purse and glanced down to see a text from Axel.
Cowboy
I’m home. Love you.
I miss you and love you. Counting the days until you come back.
Cowboy
See you in a heartbeat.
I smiled down at my phone.
Everything was going to be fine.