I looked up at the sun. I expected Caleb to bring Claire out to the stables by now. Where in the hell was he?

I shook my head. There was something different about that woman. Something that made me want to see her again. Something that made me want to spend time with her outside of bed. What had gotten into me? I didn’t do the romantic stuff. I didn’t do the relationship stuff.

But something in me was clawing to spend time with her. Alone. I walked inside and checked the saddles again.

I looked up when I heard her laughter filter inside the barn.

Fuck.

She was gorgeous. I saw her look adoringly at my step-brother and for a second a shot of jealousy coursed through me. But then I remembered how we shared her. How we treated her like a goddess. How we gave her the world together. She loved it. And something about her told me she needed both of us. I just didn’t know why yet. Maybe today I’d find out more about the mysterious Chicago reporter we had both fallen for.

“Hey, city girl.” I grinned.

Claire blushed. “Hi.”

“Ready to go horseback riding with me?”

Claire blinked. “I’ve never been horseback riding. I’m a little inexperienced.”

“Are you scared?” I asked.

She met my gaze, there was a playful gleam in her eyes that made my heart speed up.

“I’m not saying I’m scared. I’m just saying that I’ve never done it before.”

“Well, there’s a first time for everything, right?” I chuckled. I looked over at Caleb. “How did the morning go, brother?”

“Good.” He nodded. “Took Claire to the office. She met Rosa. I think she saw the whole operation.”

“Yes.” She smiled. “Caleb was very thorough. I think I have a good idea how the business side runs.”

I rolled my eyes, knowing Caleb could make things serious and dry if I wasn’t around to lighten him up. He was the worrier. The brains behind the machine. “Then let me show you the fun part.” I winked. “Come on. I’ve got her from here.”

I saw him hesitate to leave.

“Do you want to join us?” Claire offered.

He shook his head. “No, I’ve got to get back to the office. I’ll see you later, darlin’.” He walked out of the barn, his boots kicking up dust.

I faced Claire. “Come here.”

I pulled her into my arms, inhaling her. She was soft and sexy. She purred when I ran my fingers along her breasts, tracing their shape against her shirt.

I tipped her lips to mine and kissed her. “I’ve missed you all morning. Ever since I left you naked in your cabin.” I playfully gripped her round ass.

She broke away. “I think the horses are watching.” She giggled.

“Let ‘em.” I picked her up, tossing her over my shoulder.

“What are you doing?”

I carried her to the corner cot where the vet sometimes stayed over if a horse was about to foal. I closed the stall door behind us.

“Kissing you,” I teased. “And maybe a little more.”

“But we’re supposed to go for a ride,” she protested lightly.

I unbuttoned her shirt and she sighed when it fell away. I kissed the tops of her breasts over her bra.

“You really want to ride?”

She nodded. “I do.”

I pressed her gently against the stall wall. I slipped my hand between her stomach and her jeans until my fingers strummed her clit. She was wet and slick. I ran my fingers around in circles, relishing how soaked she already was.

“Ohh,” she moaned. Her head rolled to the side.

I kissed her throat. “Just a little one, ok?”

“A little what?” she whispered. I felt her clutch around my fingers as I pushed them inside her entrance.

“A little orgasm, city girl.” I waggled my eyebrows. “I don’t know why a woman as beautiful as you hasn’t had multiple orgasms every night. Every damn day. But I’m going to make sure that isn’t the case anymore.”

Her hips bucked under my command.

“Because…” Her breath hitched. “I-I don’t have much sex.”

I blinked. “What?”

I unbuttoned her jeans. The denim was too restrictive against the back of my hands. I needed more access to her sweet spot.

“Men think I’m too nerdy.” She gasped. “The reporter thing, I guess.” Her nails dug into my shoulders as she jerked into my fingers.

I didn’t buy it. Not at all. She was fucking hot.

I bit at her earlobe. “Did Caleb make you come like this in the office?”

Her eyes shot open.

I laughed. “It’s ok if he did. Relax, baby. I want you to have as much of this as you can get. As long as it’s just him. Just me.”

“Really?”

“Really,” I stated.

She started to pant and I knew she was close to coming. Her lip did this cute trembling thing when she was close. I wanted to take her on that cot, but I knew after last night and this morning she was still sore. I wanted this to be about her. Just a little taste of what I had planned for tonight.

“Ohh Nash.”

“That’s it, baby. Come on my fingers.”

“Ohh, I can’t stop it. This is so bad. So, so, wrong.”

I twisted her nipple with my other hand. “It is hot and you’re sexy when you’re dirty. Did you know that?”

It was the icing on the cake. Her body convulsed as she came in my hand. She sucked in breath as her body vibrated and hammered into the wall.

I smiled. “How did that feel?”

I retrieved my hand and zipped her jeans, while she buttoned her shirt and straightened her bra.

“Like I’m living my naughtiest life ever.”

“You are.” I winked. “It looks good on you.”

I took her by the hand and led her back to the horses. “Everything isn’t about sex today. It should be, but it’s not,” I joked. “How about that horseback ride I promised?”

“Sounds good. But can I get some water first?” she asked.

“Oh hell. Sure.” I ran to the corner and filled a clear cup with water from the jug. I offered it to Claire. She took a sip and I saw how flushed her body was.

“You sure you want to go out there? It’s a scorcher today.”

“Yes.” She seemed determined. “I have an article to write. I have to see the ranch firsthand.”

“All right. Then let’s get you on this horse. You can take Lightning. She’s a good girl.

She eyed the mahogany horse, looking at it skeptically.

“She’s gentle,” I reassured her, petting the horse’s muzzle. “Wouldn’t hurt a fly.” I smiled. “Come here.”

Slowly, Claire moved closer to the horse and me. I took her hand and placed it on Lightning’s muzzle. The horse nudged her head toward her.

“See—she likes you already.”

Claire smiled, and I noticed the cute way her nose wrinkled. She gave Lightning gentle pats on the nose. “She’s beautiful.”

“She’s in good company then,” I explained. The two of them were the perfect pairing.

Claire locked her eyes on me.

“Where’s your horse?” Claire asked after a brief pause.

“I’ll go get him. Wait right here,” I instructed.

“Wow,” Claire said, once I returned with my horse. “He’s a beauty too.”

“Thanks. This is Thunder. I raised this one. My parents got him for me when I was just a kid.” I swallowed, slightly startled that he had so easily mentioned my parents in front of her.

“Ok, so there’s Lightning and Thunder? Do I sense a theme here?”

I laughed. “Yeah and Caleb’s horse is Bolt.”

“No way.”

“Oh yeah. All three were born on different nights during thunder storms. Seemed fitting.”

“That’s kind of beautiful.”

“I guess I never thought of it that way, but yeah, it is.” I turned to grab the reins.

Claire’s eyes bulged. “Right now? I’m getting on right now? I mean—don’t you have to give me some instructions first?”

“Sure. But first, you need to hop on. Put your hand right here.”

She followed my instructions.

“Now, I want you to put your foot here,” I explained, pointing out the stirrup of the saddle.

Claire stepped forward again, raising the wrong leg.

“No, no.” I walked up behind her. I tapped her thigh. “This leg.”

She glanced at me for a second over her shoulder, and then lifted the leg I had tapped.

“Can you pull yourself up and swing your other leg around?” I asked.

Huffing, she placed her feet back on the ground. “You know what? Maybe this isn’t for me.”

“Don’t be a bad sport, city girl.” She glared back at me, but I laughed. “Come on. I’ll help you up.”

Reluctantly, Claire placed her foot on the stirrup again. This time, I stood behind her, gripping her tightly around her waist, giving her extra support while she pulled herself up.

“Look at you.”

She held the saddle horn on top of Lightning.

I mounted Thunder, and then positioned him right beside Claire.

“All right, here are the basics,” I started. “When you want your horse to go, you squeeze your legs, giving her a gentle kick to the sides. To steer, you pull the reigns to the left when you want to go left, and to the right when you want to go right. When you want to stop, you pull straight back. Got it?”

Claire nodded. “I think so.”

“Good. Let’s just start from there then. Let’s go.”

I gave Thunder a gentle kick to the sides, trotting in front of Claire and then looked over my shoulder to make sure she was following.

“Oh my God,” she said.

“What?”

“I just can’t believe I’m riding a horse!” She laughed.

“See? This is better than a spa, right?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say all of that,” Claire teased. “So, when did you first learn to ride?”

“As a kid. My mom taught me a long time ago.”

“Really? Does she still ride?”

“No.”

“How come? This is such a beautiful place to ride.”

I paused for a moment. “She died in a bad car accident some years back. With Caleb’s dad.”

A long stretch of silence passed between us, and the only sounds heard were the horses’ hooves on the ground.

I stared out into the field, wondering why I’d told the truth. I didn’t tell people about my mother. I hated the look of pity in their eyes. But it was different with Claire. I wanted her to know.

“I’m so sorry, Nash. Really. I had no idea.”

I shook my head. “I appreciate that. But it was a while ago. Caleb and I have moved on.”

“By sharing and working the ranch?”

“Yeah. Brothers from another mother.” I laughed.

“I think it’s great you two have each other.”

I nodded. “It is. Even if he’s a pain in the ass.”

“But it can’t be easy. You’ve both lost a parent.”

“We handle it differently,” I added.

“How so?”

We trotted along the ridgeline.

“Well, Caleb buries himself in work. The ranch is his focus. Money. Bills. All the stressful stuff. It’s like he lives for it. If he worries enough he doesn’t think about them.”

“And what about you?” she asked.

“Me?” I laughed. “I have fun. I live life to the fullest. YOLO, right?”

Claire eyed me. “Is that really why you do it?”

I shrugged. “I miss my mom. I do.”

“I’m sorry,” she barely whispered. “I’m sure you do. Everyone handles grief differently.”

Suddenly I saw Lightning pulling up beside me. I turned sideways, seeing that Claire had moved next to me.

“I thought you said you’ve never ridden before?” I asked.

“I’m a fast learner,” Claire answered. “Ok, actually, I’m nervous and keep thinking I’m going to slide off. My legs are too short. I’m gripping too tight and I think Lightning thinks I’m giving her kicks. She keeps going faster.”

Sure enough, I saw that was precisely the problem. “Hold on, ok, ok, stop.” I saw the panic on Claire’s face. “Pull the reins back. That’s right. Tug them straight back.”

Claire succeeded in bringing Lightning to a stop, and I brought Thunder to a stop as well. I jumped down. “I should have given you a smaller horse. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. How about I ride with you and Lightning?”

“I think that sounds like a good idea.”

I tied Thunder’s reins to Lightning’s and then hoisted onto the horse right behind Claire. Her back arched as she relaxed into my chest. When I reached beneath her arms to grab Lightning’s reins, Claire removed her hands from them.

“No. I want you to hold the reins too.” I paused. “I’m just here for extra support. I still want you to learn how to maneuver a horse on your own. Just think of me as a backseat driver, all right?”

Claire glanced back at me. “Just don’t let me fall.”

“I won’t. I promise.” I knew then I was more invested in this woman than I should have been after only one night together.