Melody woke in the place she liked best... Luc’s arms. He was spooned around her and she lay there just listening to the sound of his breathing. It had been several weeks since they had used the barn on the way home. Their wedding was next week.

Melody sighed contentedly. She managed to extricate herself from Luc’s embrace and the bed without waking him. That wasn’t as easy as one might think. Most nights their bodies were so intertwined that it was not always easy to avoid waking the other. Thankfully, they were usually so exhausted from their lovemaking that they woke in the same position in which they’d fallen asleep.

Luc started to stir and Melody rained butterfly kisses on his face as her hands smoothed the hair on his head and on his chest. She waited until he seemed to settle again. She quietly entered their closet, grabbing jeans, a t-shirt, and her boots along with socks and a good bra. She went into the great room and quietly got dressed.

Leaving Luc a rather nebulous note on the fridge, she slipped out of the house and ran down to Luc’s truck. Starting the engine, she drove to a predetermined point to meet Sierra. She smiled. Unbeknownst to anyone, she and Sierra had been working in secret to teach Melody to ride. It wasn’t that Luc didn’t work with her when he could, but having the two stallions had become time consuming as they planned to be gone three weeks to France. He worked with her when he could, but she had taken great pains to not let him see how good she was getting.

Sierra had located a big, gentle buckskin mare named Gypsy for Melody to learn on. The mare reminded Melody of Queenie in that she was big, but quiet and sweet and seemed to dote on Melody. Knowing that generally what Ryder knew, Luc knew and vice versa, they had been keeping the mare at a friend’s who had an arena and access to an open range.

The plan for today was for Melody to meet Sierra at an off-road parking spot where Sierra would be waiting with her gelding Joker and Gypsy. They planned to ride out in the open and Sierra had suggested going to visit her red roan mustang stallion as a destination. It was going to be a long ride, but Sierra had told her it should be easy enough.

Melody pulled into the parking area and joined Sierra at the trailer.

“Ready to ride, cowgirl?” Sierra said to Melody.

“Hey, I’m just getting used to horses. Can we leave the cattle until next year?”

Sierra laughed. “Seriously, Mel, you’re doing so good with Gypsy. Luc is going to be so proud of you.”

“You’re sure this isn’t going to fall into the lying by omission thing?”

“Hmm, nah, more the marital secret for a good cause with nothing dangerous or illegal. We should be fine. Keep in mind if you got in trouble for learning, I’d be in even more trouble for teaching.”

They saddled their horses, swung up in the saddle, and headed out into the open range. Their first goal was a locked gate that opened up onto Flying M land. They started out at a walk and then picked up a jog trot. Melody had been an adept student. With Gypsy’s calm demeanor she had quickly lost her fear and gained enough confidence that she would now gallop in the arena. She had yet to lope in the open, but planned to tell Sierra she was ready.

Melody had quickly found that she enjoyed riding. She envied both Luc’s and Sierra’s absolute comfort in the saddle, but was quickly developing a good seat, which Sierra had called a natural, along with good hands and legs. Melody had started learning in a borrowed saddle, but was thrilled when her Varney had been restored. She felt as though it had been made especially for her and thought it was quite beautiful.

“Let’s move out a little,” said Melody to Sierra, who nodded her head in response.

Melody kissed to Gypsy while applying a little leg, and the mare moved smoothly up into a nice, well-cadenced lope. Melody looked over at Sierra, who was beaming.

“What’s got you so happy... other than the usual?”

“Honestly, watching you progress and seeing you want to go faster and be so comfortable is just the best feeling.”

“It never would have happened without you and Gypsy.”

They continued on alternating between loping to cover ground and continuing to improve Melody’s riding skills and walking in order to give the horses a breather.

They had negotiated the first gate with Sierra showing Melody how to do so without having to dismount. They were loping once again when they rounded the curve that led into the canyon where the mustangs Ryder had given Sierra as a wedding present had made a home.

They stopped to just take in the view.

Melody shook her head. “They are so beautiful. I can see why their running free is important to you. He is glorious.”

Sierra smiled. “He’s not as big and powerful as the blue roan, but I think he’s every bit as pretty.” Sierra removed her hat and fanned herself. “It’s pretty hot. Why don’t we go give the horses a break in the corral and we can get out of the heat in the line shack?”

“Sounds good to me.”

They put the horses in the corral, got them water, and let them munch on the grass that had been growing. Once inside the line shack they turned on the A/C unit and sighed at the relief the cool air brought.

Sierra smiled broadly.

“What?” asked Melody.

“That corner?” she said, indicating the one by the fireplace.

“Yes?”

“The first time Ryder ever put anything in my ass, it was up here. He used a scored piece of ginger.”

“Like the spice?”

“Yep, only ginger root.” Sierra grinned. “Remember how I told you to avoid Luc’s belt if you could?”

“Failed that. Jesus, that hurts.”

“I agree. Well, avoid the ginger. Ryder has only used it once and he just scored it as opposed to peeled it. You want to talk sting and heat. Holy hell.”

“Is it just me or when they take you anally does it make you feel all submissive, obedient, and yet incredibly aroused?”

“I know. I hate it.”

“I know,” said Melody, laughing with her friend. “And since you warned me about ginger, let me warn you about Mr. Bumpy. It’s this steel plug that starts with a small bump and then goes to a medium and then graduates to a larger one. Not as big as Luc, but I hate that thing. He used it in the dairy barn the night he gave me my ring.”

“Don’t you love that place? I know I shouldn’t say that but the second Ryder turns off the main highway onto that drive, I get so wet.”

Melody laughed. “We’ve only been there that one time, but it was pretty fucking memorable... with a lot of memorable fucking.”

They both laughed.

“We’re truly blessed,” said Melody wistfully. “I always dreamed about finding a man who made me feel loved and safe and that I was truly the most important thing to him.”

“I know. But I hadn’t counted on his spanking my ass and putting things in my bottom, including his cock, whenever he wants to...”

“Or thinks you need it. The worst part is knowing I’m so much happier because Luc is there to set up boundaries and enforce them. I just don’t worry about things.”

“I know,” agreed Sierra. “I always say Ryder does all the heavy lifting and I just go through life saying ain’t love grand.”

Their merriment was cut short when they heard a loud whicker of alarm from Gypsy, an answering sound of alarm from Joker, and the red roan stallion’s bellow as he charged the fence.

Melody threw open the door. “No!” she wailed.

Sierra joined her in the doorway. They watched as the stallion crashed through the corral’s fence and headed straight for Joker. Joker spun and galloped for the opposite side of the corral, gathering himself and clearing the five-foot-high fence. They watched in shocked dismay as he galloped around the far side of the valley and then headed back to the Flying M.

The stallion nickered at Gypsy and snorted to show his dominance. The sweet, gentle mare ran before him as he got behind her and nipped at her flank, running her out of the corral and down toward his herd of mares.

“Oh, shit,” said Melody. “Please tell me you have your cell phone with you.”

“Oh, yeah. It’s in my saddlebag.”

“Uhm, Sierra, I don’t remember seeing your saddlebag.”

“What?” Sierra said as she rushed out to where they had left their saddles. Seeing that Melody was right, Sierra remembered having put the saddlebags in her truck as opposed to the tack compartment of the trailer. She looked up to the sky and sighed, “Fuck.”

She turned and looked at Melody, whose face displayed the same sense of dread.

“This is not good... on so many levels.”

“No shit. Ryder is going to kill me. That’s a cardinal rule. If I’m out riding, I’m supposed to have my cell phone with me.”

“Luc doesn’t know I’ve been learning to ride... I’m just hoping he doesn’t see this as one of those lies by omission.”

“Probably not,” said Sierra. “I mean he knows I’m capable of teaching you and that I wouldn’t endanger you. But they may decide a ride up here without anyone knowing before crosses that line.”

“Should we start walking back?”

“No. If that stallion came after Gypsy it probably means she’s coming into heat. If we get too close he could charge and as you know enraged mustang stallions are not something we want to mess with.”

“So what should we do?”

“I’m thinking kick back, have another bottle of water, and wait. Joker will go back to the Flying M. Ryder will see my truck and trailer are gone. He’ll say something to Ruthie, who will tell him about our lessons. He’ll tell Luc. They’ll figure out we came up here and come after us.”

“And then we’re going to need rescuing from them.”

Sierra smiled. “Yep. Still my best friend even though I got you into all of this?”

Melody laughed. “Absolutely. Maybe we should have told them.”

“But it was such a perfect plan...” whined Sierra.

“And you were able to get something past Ryder. You are so bad! I want to grow up to be just like you,” laughed Melody.

“Be careful what you wish for. I don’t know about Luc, but Ryder is going to be pissed. We shouldn’t have brought a mare, any mare, up here.”

“I was deliberately leading Luc to believe I couldn’t ride.”

“But it was a surprise and you weren’t doing anything dangerous.”

“Shit, Sierra.”

“I know. Shit.”

* * *

Luc was making some headway with the mustang mares. They were beginning to accept his presence as well as that of others. Queenie and her girls had settled in and now behaved as if they’d been at Crooked Creek their whole lives. They might spook a little easier, but in general they welcomed people into their pasture by either ignoring them or walking up to look for a treat or a bit of affection.

His real project had been Queenie herself. She was smart, sweet, and loyal. She liked Luc, but she adored Melody. Luc had been working with her when Melody wasn’t around. He’d been teaching Melody to ride when he had free time. But part of that free time had gone to starting to break Queenie to ride.

Melody was learning to ride on one of the geldings they had purchased for their dude string, but Luc’s plan, with Ryder’s blessing, was to train Queenie to be Melody’s personal horse. Luc liked that the big mare was quiet and didn’t startle or get upset by much. She was also strong and powerful and Luc’s thinking was that if Melody got into trouble, Queenie could get them out of it.

Luc was headed into his office when his cell phone rang. He looked at the caller ID.

“Ryder? What’s up?”

“Not sure. Where’s Melody?”

“In trouble. She snuck out of the house this morning and left me a rather vague note about her plans. Why do you ask?”

“Sierra did the same.”

“They’re probably up to no good together,” laughed Luc.

“Only Joker just came barreling back in here. No saddle. No bridle. I’m assuming he didn’t throw her or fall with her. But she’s on foot and Melody doesn’t ride. What the hell are they up to?”

Luc wasn’t quite ready to become concerned, although his annoyance with Melody was beginning to increase.

“I’m headed into the house to see if Ruth knows anything. You might want to grab a vehicle and head this way.”

“On my way. Keep me posted.”

“Will do.”

Luc found Andy, who had transferred over to Crooked Creek and was quickly becoming Luc’s right-hand man. He explained that it appeared that Sierra and Melody were unaccounted for and that Joker had come back in on his own, but unsaddled. He told Andy to call if either of them showed back up.

Luc then lost no time in joining Ryder at the Flying M. Ryder greeted Luc before Luc could get out of the Jeep.

Ryder smiled when he saw Luc had brought the four-wheel-drive Jeep. “Good choice. I called Bill Whitmore, the county sheriff. He happened to spot Sierra’s truck and one of our trailers along with what sounds like your truck over by the western boundary of the Flying M.”

“I think we start there and see if there’s any clues as to where they were headed.”

“I agree,” said Ryder as he headed to the passenger side of the vehicle.

As soon as he got in, Luc headed back down the drive and to where the trucks had been spotted. Finding them easily, the two men went through the truck.

Luc heard Ryder swear. “What?” he called.

There was nothing in his truck to give any indication as to Melody and Sierra’s whereabouts.

Ryder joined him. “Well, here’s why Sierra didn’t answer her cell phone. She left it in her saddlebags that she left in her truck.”

“Melody’s is plugged in and charging. We will have to have a little discussion about her wandering around without a cell phone.”

“I checked the trailer. There were two horses in there. So I’m thinking they went for a ride.”

“They wouldn’t have gotten far. Melody has barely gotten comfortable at the walk.”

“Oh, I had a little talk with Ruth. Apparently the two of them decided to surprise you with Sierra teaching Melody to ride. They’ve had a nice mare stashed at a friend’s boarding facility and been there most every day.”

Luc shook his head and then looked at Ryder.

“The mustangs,” they said in unison.

“There’s a gate onto the Flying M just up the road, let’s go find our naughty girls.”

They drove in grim silence up to the valley that the red roan stallion now considered his. Luc drove in a wide loop around the stallion and his herd of mares. Luc spotted the buckskin mare who was obviously neither wild nor a mustang.

“What was Sierra thinking to ride in here with a mare and gelding?” asked Luc. “And why did Melody think she had to lie to me?”

“I doubt either of them was thinking—Sierra about bringing a mare up here and I do think the riding was supposed to be a nice surprise for you.”

“But why not tell me?”

“According to Ruthie, you two have talked about going to one of the line shacks for a romantic interlude...”

“Romantic interlude?” Luc laughed. “Is that what you call it?”

“No, but that’s what Ruth called it. But they had planned to fix it up for the two of you for your wedding night.”

“All that aside, I’m not okay with them coming way out here with no one knowing where they were headed.”

“Nor am I. Freckles and I are going to have to have another chat about her wandering off without my knowing where she’s going especially without her cell phone.”

“I will be having the same type of discussion with ma souris.”

* * *

Melody and Sierra heard the sound of the approaching vehicle.

“Well, they’re here.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good thing,” said Sierra.

“It is. The longer Luc has to think about it, the angrier he’s going to be. You don’t suppose he can ground me until our wedding next week.”

“Hmm, I wouldn’t put that outside the realm of possibilities. I’d offer to help, but I rather suspect I’m not going to be venturing far from the house. We’ll have to rely on Ruth and Julie.”

They both stepped back as Luc parked the Jeep right outside the line shack and Luc and Ryder got out and opened the door. What greeted them was a surprise. Both Melody and Sierra had gone to stand in a corner. They were both fully clothed, but neither said a word and stood quietly facing the corner.

Melody had suggested and Sierra had readily agreed that the best way to try to mollify the two men in their lives would be to acknowledge that they knew they’d screwed up and were accepting of whatever discipline they were going to mete out.

Melody could hear the floorboards creak and the sound of two sets of cowboy boots crossing from the door to where the women stood. She felt Luc’s arm wrap around her waist and his nose nuzzle against her.

“It would seem, mon ami, that our naughty girls know they are in need of discipline from their husbands.”

“I agree,” said Ryder. “I say we head back down to the truck and trailer...”

“What about Gypsy?” said Melody.

“Gypsy, I take it, is the pretty buckskin mare?”

“Yes, sir,” replied Melody.

“We will leave her up here for a month or so until the stallion has had a chance to breed her and settle down. Then we’ll see if we can’t separate her from the herd,” said Luc.

Luc and Ryder each took their respective woman’s hand and led them back to the Jeep. They never said a word but simply helped them into the vehicle before Luc once again gave the herd a wide berth before heading to the road.

“Ryder?” said Sierra in as meek a tone of voice as Melody had ever heard.

“Joker is fine, Sierra. We took care of him when he came galloping into the barn. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to say the same about you once I get you home.”

Sierra looked at Melody, who mouthed the word ‘shit.’

“Luc, why don’t we go back to where the girls left the vehicles. You can grab your truck and head back to Crooked Creek. Sierra and I will go home in the Jeep and I’ll send a couple of the boys back to pick up the truck and trailer.”

“I can drive the truck and trailer home,” offered Sierra.

“Or you and Sierra can take the truck and trailer and I can drive either our truck or the Jeep back,” offered Melody.

“You just lost your driving privileges,” growled Luc.

Melody turned to Sierra and mouthed the word ‘shit’ again, which caused both of them to burst into giggles.

“You two enjoy yourselves,” said Luc. “We’ll see how funny you find it when we get through with you.”

At the parking area, Luc helped Melody into the truck and they headed for home. Once he had parked the truck, Luc helped her out and took her hand as they walked up the stairs to the house. To the casual observer, it would seem like a loving gesture. Melody knew better.

“Luc, I can explain.”

“No, souris, you cannot.”

Once inside Luc pulled her into his embrace and kissed her with a hard, angry passion before turning her toward their room and giving her a hard swat to her backside.

“Room, strip, corner, now,” he growled.