Chapter Five
River
There’s something about lunging a horse that calms the chaos in my head. The rhythm of Linux’s hooves pounding against the dirt, the steady pull of the lunge line in my hands... It’s like therapy, but without the awkward silences and overpriced sessions.
Out here in the field, it’s just me and him, circling, testing boundaries, figuring each other out. I wish breaking a horse was as easy as breaking my ridiculous thoughts about Colby Burke. But my stubborn ass brain just keeps dragging me back to him, again and again.
He’s dangerous. Too charming. Too handsome. And far too tempting.
But, dammit, it’s been a long time since a man made me feel like he does, and as much as I don’t want to admit it, I like it. His jealousy is flattering. And the way he touches me, even accidentally, lights a fire in my blood.
Still, it’s not like we can act on it. Not for real. So, I do the only thing I can. I avoid him.
But avoiding Colby is easier said than done. We’re always running into each other. In the barn, on the porch, around the house. Anytime we’re within ten feet of each other, there’s an explosion of heat and electricity, and a desire so powerful it knocks me on my ass.
He wants me.
I want him.
But nothing can happen.
We both know it, but knowing doesn’t make it easier.
For three days, we play this game, and for three days, I lose. Every damn time. He’s like a magnet, and I’m the opposite charge, drawn to him inexorably, irrevocably. It’s a slow and torturous death, and I’m the one holding the shovel.
It’s almost funny. If anyone had told me a month ago that I’d be lusting after my boss who is my father’s age, I would’ve laughed in their face. But here I am, daydreaming about Colby’s lips, his hands, and the things they can do.
Linux slows his pace and tosses his head, bringing me back to the moment. I can’t be thinking about Colby, not now. I need to focus.
“Easy, boy. Easy. Just a little bit more,” I coo softly, encouraging him, and he picks up the pace again. It’s not perfect, and his strides are still a bit stiff, but he’s making progress.
My father always taught me that no matter how much time you spend with a horse, it’s never safe to forget they’re a wild animal at their core.
One wrong move, one wrong look, and it can all go to shit.
What he failed to mention is that men are just as unpredictable.
If he had, maybe I would’ve been prepared to deal with a man like Christian, and maybe things would’ve ended differently and I wouldn’t have ended up here, pining after my boss.
I push the thought from my head. It doesn’t matter. The past is the past, and no amount of wishing can change what happened. What matters now is the present. Here. With Linux.
It takes about an hour, but eventually, the tension drains out of his body, and he falls into a rhythm.
I’m so proud of him, I almost burst. This is a big win, and a step in the right direction.
By the time the sun starts to sink toward the horizon, Linux is calm and collected, and ready for me to guide him back into his stall.
“You did such a good job today, buddy.”
His ears perk up, and he huffs.
“Yeah, I mean it. I’m proud of you. Tomorrow, maybe when I hop up on your back you won’t try to throw me off, huh?”
He tosses his head as though in agreement, and I laugh as I rub his neck and shoulder. He’s come so far, and we still have a ways to go, but this is a good start.
Once Linux is settled in his stall with fresh hay and a scoop of grain, I clean up the area and make my way back to the main house. Before I make it inside, Colby stops me.
“River. Wait up.”
I freeze in place, not daring to look back. My heart is hammering, and every cell in my body is screaming for me to keep walking. To skitter away like a frightened animal. But, somehow, I manage to stand my ground and wait.
When he’s a few feet away, I turn and make eye contact.
“You did great out there today,” he says, tipping his chin toward the field where I was working with Linux. “Hope you don’t mind I was watching.”
“Nope. Don’t mind at all.” It’s a damn lie. If I’d have known he was watching, I might’ve given some thought about the fact that I’m wearing a pair of old denim shorts that have seen better days and a dirty flannel shirt. Not that it matters.
“Glad to hear it.” He’s got his hands shoved into his pockets, and there’s a faint smile on his lips. “Anyway, I came to ask if you’d be interested in some private lessons.”
“Private lessons?”
“Yep. You and me. One-on-one.”
“With what, exactly?”
“Breaking.”
“Breaking?” I can’t help myself. I know I shouldn’t say it, but damn it, this is too easy. And Colby, well, he looks like he just swallowed a mouthful of nails. “Are you saying you want to break me, Mr. Burke? Or are you offering?”
A flash of something dark and dangerous glints in his eyes. “You’ve got a smart mouth, River Thurston. You know that?”
I smirk and cock my hip. “So I’ve been told.”
Colby takes a step closer. Close enough for me to smell the clean, crisp scent of his cologne. Close enough for me to see the hint of stubble lining his jaw. Close enough for me to count the flecks of gold in his hazel eyes.
“I like that,” he says.
“Like what?”
“Your mouth. Smart or not.”
My cheeks warm, and my tongue darts out to wet my suddenly dry lips. Colby’s gaze drops, and he leans in closer, bringing his face just inches from mine. My heart is thudding wildly, and I’m half-afraid he can hear it.
“And you’ve got no idea what else I’d like to do with it.”
His voice is like liquid velvet, and I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from gasping.
“I-I think I can guess.” Oh, my God. Am I stuttering?
His lips curve in a slow, seductive smile. “Can you now?”
Colby moves closer, backing me up until my ass touches the wall of the barn. He braces a hand beside my head and dips his own until his lips are almost touching mine. My brain short circuits. I’m paralyzed. Frozen in place by his dark, smoldering gaze.
Holy hell. My panties are soaked, and I’m practically panting. How does he do this to me? How does he turn me into a blubbering idiot with nothing but a look?
“What are you doing, Colby?” My voice is barely a whisper.
“Something I shouldn’t,” he whispers. “But I can’t stop myself.”
I want to tell him that this is a bad idea. That we’re crossing a line we can’t uncross. That it would be foolish to risk our working relationship for the sake of a quickie in the barn.
I want to tell him all of that, but the words die on my lips.
He presses his mouth to mine, and all the thoughts in my head go quiet.
His lips are soft, but his kiss is anything but.
It’s hard and desperate, and full of pent-up longing.
My entire body shudders as his hands come up to cup my face.
He strokes his thumb along my jaw, parts his lips, and slips his tongue into my mouth.
This is crazy. This is insane. And I can’t stop myself.
I grip the collar of his shirt and yank him closer. I’m hungry for him, aching for his touch. My pulse is pounding, and I’m shaking. But it’s not enough. Not nearly.
“River,” he breathes. “Get inside the barn. Now.”
My heart is in my throat as I step backward, and he follows me, pushing the door shut behind him. As soon as the latch clicks, he’s on me. His mouth covers mine again, hot and hungry as he palms my breast then slides his fingers over my stomach and lower, tracing the curve of my hip.
I tug at the hem of his shirt, desperate to feel his skin against mine. He breaks the kiss and takes a step back, and the man just watches me as he works at the first button on his flannel shirt. He’s taking his time, letting me watch, letting me enjoy every inch of newly exposed flesh.
I swallow hard. There’s no denying the obvious. He’s perfect. His chest is broad and thick with muscle. Ropes of muscle vein and stretch beneath his golden skin, and a smattering of dark hair lines his abdomen, disappearing below the waistband of his jeans.
“Jesus Christ,” I mutter.
He cocks an eyebrow. “You like what you see, baby?”
I nod and lick my lips.
He takes his sweet time finishing the last few buttons. Then, he tosses the shirt aside, and the sight of his bare chest has my thighs clenching. He’s solid and thick and absolutely mouth-watering. I can’t remember the last time I was this attracted to a man. Maybe never.
I’m not sure what’s gotten into me, but without even a thought, I reach out and place my hand flat against his stomach, tracing the contours of his muscles. His abs clench beneath my palm, and the low rumble in his chest is the most erotic sound I’ve ever heard.
“You keep doing that, and I can’t be held responsible for what happens next,” he warns.
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah.”
I trail my fingers up, over the hard planes of his chest, and then along the ridge of his shoulder. His muscles flex and jump beneath my touch.
“What will happen, Colby?”
He doesn’t answer. Instead, he grabs the hem of my shirt and pulls it over my head, revealing a lacy white bra that leaves little to the imagination.
He groans and closes the distance between us, kissing a path from the shell of my ear down to my collarbone, and then lower, pressing his lips against the swell of my breasts.
My nipples are aching, begging for his hot breath, and when his thumbs brush over the hard peaks, I moan and push into his touch.
“Oh, fuck.”
“Mm, that’s the idea,” he murmurs.
I reach for his belt and start fumbling with the buckle, but he brushes my hand away and starts working on mine instead. It doesn’t take long before my jeans are pooled around my ankles, and I’m standing in front of him in nothing but my bra, panties, and boots.
His gaze travels over my body, and when it finally lands back on my face, the look in his eyes is pure hunger.
He leans in and kisses me again, stoking the flames of desire in the pit of my belly.
His erection digs into my thigh, and when I roll my hips, he lets out a growl and grabs my ass, lifting me up.
I wrap my legs around his waist and let him carry me over to a stack of hay bales, where he lowers me down gently, never once breaking the kiss.
He drops to his knees and presses a kiss to the inside of my thigh, then another, and another, moving higher each time.
When his tongue brushes against my lace-covered center, I gasp and arch my back.
“Christ, you’re wet,” he growls.
“Don’t stop.”
“Wasn’t planning on it.”
I fist his hair and lift my hips as he teases me with his tongue, tracing the edge of my panties, dipping beneath the thin fabric, and sliding up and down my slit. It feels so fucking good. By the time he pulls my underwear down my legs and spreads them wide, I’m trembling.
Colby runs his finger through my folds, teasing and testing me. Then, he dips his head and flicks his tongue against my clit. Once. Twice. Three times. Each stroke sends a fresh wave of pleasure coursing through me, and when he finally sucks my clit into his mouth, I’m done for.
I cry out and writhe beneath him as he feasts on me. It’s dirty, and wrong, and so fucking hot. His tongue swirls and flicks and laps, drawing the most delicious sounds from my lips.
I can’t believe I’m doing this. I can’t believe I’m letting Colby Burke, my father’s friend and my boss, eat me out in a barn. And I can’t believe how much I’m enjoying it.
When his tongue dips lower, sliding inside me, I whimper and tug on his hair, urging him on. His stubble grazes the sensitive flesh of my inner thighs, sending sparks dancing across my skin. I’m on fire. A raging inferno.
Colby groans against my pussy, and the vibrations send shockwaves through me. I’m teetering on the edge, dangling precariously between the land of pleasure and the valley of orgasmic bliss.
The pressure builds in the base of my spine, and when he slips a finger inside me, curling it just right, I can’t hold back anymore.
My orgasm crashes through me, and I scream his name, digging my nails into his shoulders.
He doesn’t stop. He keeps going, drawing out my pleasure until I’m so sensitive, I can’t take it anymore.
I push him away, gasping for air. My entire body is tingling, and my skin is slick with sweat. Holy shit. I’ve never come that hard before.
Colby sits back on his heels and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. His lips are swollen, and those hazel eyes are smug with satisfaction. He looks good enough to eat.
“That was—”
“Just the beginning.”
He reaches for the fly of his jeans, and I sit up and watch, transfixed as he frees his cock.
It’s... Well, it’s glorious.
He’s thick and long, with a heavy, veiny shaft and a glistening head. And when he wraps his hand around his length and strokes, I’m mesmerized.
I want him. Every part of him.
Just as he’s about to climb on top of me, something slams outside the barn, and both of us freeze.
I scramble to sit up, instinctively covering my chest, and ask, “What the hell was that?”
Colby listens for a minute, but when we hear nothing else, he just shakes his head. “Probably a cat.”
He moves to pull me close again, but I place a hand on his chest and hold him back. Now that the spell has been broken, I can’t believe what we’re doing. We shouldn’t be doing this. It’s not right.
“Colby, wait. This... We shouldn’t...” I swallow the lump forming in my throat. “I can’t.”
“What’s wrong?”
“This. It’s wrong.”
“Nothing about this feels wrong.”
“It should. We can’t... I can’t do this.”
He looks hurt, and a small part of me hates myself for it, but I have to stand my ground. We have a business relationship. Anything more will just complicate things, and that’s the last thing either of us needs.
Watching Colby Burke nod and turn away from me is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. But I know it’s for the best. No matter how badly I want him, we can’t be together. Not now.
Not ever.
The man makes me feel way too damn much.