Chapter 14
Molly wasn’t sure what was causing more anxiety: the birth of Shadow’s pups or Bart’s arrival. They’d hopefully be happening at the same time. As the date approached, Molly’s anxiety increased.
She continued her rotation in the exercise program.
The horses were different, but Molly enjoyed working with each.
She looked forward to it all day, often arriving early, and riding for more than an hour.
That had her spending more time at the stables, talking with Silas, Willy, Buck, and the other stable workers.
Everyone was working there out of a love for horses.
So she was with her people, and she was now there as an expert rider, not as the resort owner, and she liked that.
Molly monitored Shadow’s progress daily.
She wasn’t showing signs of premature birthing.
That was good. She was slowing down and spending more time in her whelping pen, a nesting box designed to protect the puppies during birth by keeping them contained, protected from the cold, and safe from accidently being crushed or smothered.
Molly was familiar with the commercial offerings and had selected the best one available: easy to clean and sanitize, flexible yet tough, with a plastic bottom to protect her wood floor, and easily moveable.
Molly had custom pads that made it comfortable for Shadow and the pups, and could be regularly changed out.
Shadow seemed happy with her set up, but Molly fretted about it every day. She guessed she was over-prepared.
But that was her nature. She liked being prepared.
This time she checked with Silas for the days Bart had reserved a stall for Beryl.
She’d told Bart Shadow was due on July 1.
She was pleased to learn that he’d reserved a stall for Beryl on June 30, a day before.
That suggested he might be staying three nights, the three nights that were most likely Shadow’s birth dates.
Then he’d be gone when the fireworks started.
Because of livestock in the stables, fireworks were not allowed at the resort.
The loud, unexpected explosions were upsetting to horses, mules, and wildlife.
Shadow and other domestic pets didn’t like them.
But Molly could ban them all she wanted; it never stopped them from happening.
People set off fireworks from lakefront cabins, and the sound reflected off the lake.
It was a fact of life. Fireworks were going to happen.
Molly rearranged her day on June 30. Bart was expected, but she wanted to get her daily riding assignment in.
She now lived for the exercise ride, and if she didn’t take her rotation, one of the guys would have to do two that day.
She took seriously being on a team helping that part of the business.
Thinking that Bart would be arriving midafternoon, she left the office after lunch, changed into her riding outfit, and started working with Rebel at 1:00.
Rebel was a big, powerful, unruly two year old uncut stallion.
The owner’s plan was to start breeding him at age three.
The owner had been working for two years to get Rebel under control, and the wild stallion was still a work in progress.
In frustration, he’d shipped Rebel off to Silas.
Molly liked working with Rebel but had suggested to Silas that he should charge more to exercise the difficult horse.
The stallion was a challenge for even the most experienced rider.
Training services were more valuable than exercise.
And Silas had experienced riders for the task.
He’d agreed to talk with the owner. In the meantime, Silas’ team was taking turns running Rebel through his paces.
Rebel was exciting. He had an element of untamed wildness, and could run like the wind.
He wasn’t interested in a nice controlled gallop.
When prodded, he wanted to go, really go.
It was terrifically exhilarating, but the team was trying to train Rebel about controlled speed.
Rebel demanded all of Molly’s skills. He was going to be a magnificent stud, but was still a work in progress.
Molly spent most of the hour trying to run Rebel through a controlled gallop, then back to the start line in a lope, then another controlled gallop.
But Rebel wasn’t interested in control. He only knew one speed, a wild and reckless full-out stampede.
Molly was totally absorbed in the challenge, fighting the powerful stallion the whole time, pulling back on the reins, trying to introduce more discipline.
Rebel was both energizing and exhausting.
After the final gallop, she started the cool down and noticed for the first time that Bart had arrived and was watching with Silas and Willie on the corral railing.
Already full of adrenaline from the ride, she felt a fresh burst blast through her groin.
Okay, then. She was about to get laid. Couldn’t come at a better time.
Bart wasn’t going to know what hit him. He hadn’t seen her like this.
She was aroused, pumped, and exhilarated.
Knowing she was being watched, she finished the cool down, but Rebel didn’t cool down well.
Molly finally persevered, bringing him back to the corral in a semi-controlled lope, the stallion’s neck and head bobbing up and down, snorting loudly.
She nodded and smiled at Bart. She could see the desire in his face as he flashed that piercing smile that pretty much undid her.
Silas said, “Really nice work, Molly. Rebel’s a handful.”
“That’s an understatement, but what a horse. He’s going to be special.”
Willie said, “How are your arms?”
Molly chuckled. Her arms were aching and about to fall off from fighting the stallion for over an hour. But she said, eyes twinkling, “No problem. They feel great.” She’d never admit to the guys she wasn’t strong enough to manage a powerful horse.
Smiling, with tongue in cheek, Willie said, “Uh-huh. I’m sure they feel great.”
Molly slid off Rebel, took his reins, and walked him back to the stables with Bart at her side.
“Howdy, Cowboy.”
“Nice riding.”
“Silas is humoring me since Jo passed.”
“Silas told me. I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you. It was hard, but Silas is helping me move on. I’m not ready to start looking for another horse, but these daily exercises have been great.”
Molly looked over to see Bear and Shadow together. Shadow had slowed down and was getting moody. Bear was being respectful.
“Looks like Shadow is ready.”
“Any day now.” She paused and looked right at him. “Thank you for coming early. I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”
“I wanted to be here for the birth, and I’ve missed you.”
Molly’s heart skipped a beat. Those were the words she wanted to hear. “Thank you for saying that. When we get back to the cabin, you’re about to see how much I’ve missed you.”
“Should I be worried?”
“Yes. The combination of these rides and having you gone for a month is making me crazy.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Molly couldn’t help the racy banter. She was flushed from the ride and deeply aroused. She liked so much that he’d come early. She’d really missed him. How much sense was there in having a two day a month boyfriend? Didn’t matter. He was here, and she was about to get laid, really laid.
Silas had helped Bart unload Beryl, so Molly left Rebel with one of the stable workers for brush down and grooming.
Bart, his small backpack on, walked with Molly down the dirt road toward her cabin.
The second they were around the bend, Molly moved into his arms, and they launched a hot, deep kiss that lasted a long time.
Boy Howdy. He had it as bad as she did. She felt his arousal and ground her body against it.
When the kiss finally broke, his arm around her shoulder, her arm around his waist, they walked quickly as one unit to the cabin.
They made it through the living room, going directly to the bathroom where Molly turned the shower on while clothes were dropping to the floor.
She took a condom into the shower, setting it on a dry shelf.
The soap squirt bottles were unleashed and they were soon covered in suds.
Bart pulled her to him. She wrapped her arms around his back and looked up.
The kiss was epic, hot, deep, passionate, their mouths hungry for each other.
Molly couldn’t get enough, mouths open, tongues working, her neck and face burning up, panting for breath.
She spread her legs and pressed her soapy spot against his hard arousal.
God, that felt so good. Her body was on fire.
Bart moved his hand below. She spread her legs, pressing her pelvis to him.
He entered her with a soapy hand, pressing hard against her place, Molly groaning approval.
She needed that pressure just like that, and right then.
She worked against his hand with hard, aggressive thrusts.
She couldn’t get enough, the itch making her crazy.
The kisses continued as Molly moved her hand to his erection.
He was hard, and she worked her hands up and down the long shaft. God, what a magnificent man.