Chapter Six
Marnie wasn’t sure she liked horses. They were nice when they were calm, but seeing what Trixie had nearly done to Sam had been frightening. Horses had big bone fists on their feet, and they were much, much bigger than people. Suddenly the whole situation seemed more overwhelming than ever. She was stuck with giant animals that liked to punch and a man who liked to spank. She didn’t know which beast was worst.
“He’s still dirty,” Sam frowned as he came over. He was done with Trixie and now he was back dealing with her and her inept horse work.
“I didn’t want him to do that thing…”
“What thing?”
“The…” She pawed at the air with her hands like hooves. “I don’t want him to punch me with his feet.”
Sam smirked. “Taxi isn’t really a feet punching kind of guy, but it is good to be cautious around horses. Here, watch.”
She stood back while Sam took over, brushing the dirt from Taxi’s coat with strong strokes. It took him about two minutes to do the job she’d been attempting for the better part of an hour. When he was done, he checked his watch.
“Well, I was hoping to get you on your first ride today, but I reckon you need something to wear first. Let’s go shopping.”
“Where?”
“Culverden.”
The name was vaguely familiar. A little town on the state highway. She’d passed through it a few times on girl’s trips up to Hanmer Springs. It wasn’t exactly a bustling metropolis. Marnie couldn’t imagine what kind of clothes they’d have there.
Sam put Taxi and Trixie back in their paddock, then told her to follow him. She got into the dirty truck and they set off. Sitting wasn’t entirely comfortable. Every jolt of the old suspension reminded her of what Sam had done to her and left her feeling shy. She looked out the window at the passing scenery and tried not to say anything.
“You alright?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re quiet.”
She gave a little shrug.
He let the subject drop and put the radio on. Strains of music from the announcer proclaimed 70s, 80s, 90s and today made their way out of the dusty grille near her knee.
“How far is it to Culverden?”
“’Bout an hour,” he said.
An hour. Two hours there and back. All on a sore ass.
* * *
Marnie hadn’t been herself lately. Not that he really knew her well enough to say exactly what she was like, but subdued wasn’t one of the words he would have used yesterday. Since he’d spanked her before bed, she’d been quiet and even timid with him.
He didn’t feel guilty about tanning her hide. She’d gone out of her way to deserve it. But he did feel bad if she didn’t know how to take it and was afraid of him as a result.
“So,” he said, intending on breaking the ice and getting to know her a little. “What do you like to do for fun?”
“Go out,” Marnie said. “Or stay in.”
So she liked to be indoors or outdoors. Well, that wasn’t exactly a whole lot to go on.
They fell silent again. It was going to be a long drive.
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her shifting uncomfortably on the seat.
“About last night…”
“Look, I know you’re not interested in me, so you don’t need to pretend,” she said, tight-lipped. “I’m not going to throw myself at you again.”
Sam sighed inwardly. He was not having this conversation over and over again. He’d explained very clearly what his reasons for wanting to refrain from sex were, and she was obviously smart enough to understand them.
By the time they got to Culverden it was almost lunchtime. Sam parked the ute outside the Culverden dairy and glanced over at Marnie.
“You want a pie?”
“Salad would be better.”
“Yeah, nah, salad isn’t really on the menu here. They have pies or hot chips or fried chicken.”
“Chips then, please.”
He got her some chips and some water. She stayed outside, next to the truck, her arms still folded over her chest, and when he brought her the food, she stayed there, pouting and nibbling while he sat in the truck and ate his pie and drank his L&P.
Shopping wasn’t going to be fun, but it had to be done.
* * *
The store had a small range of women’s clothing. There were jeans designed for riding, which would work well for her, and some Aertex shirts that would be perfect for the farm. Sam also intended on making sure she got some low-heeled riding boots that would fit, and some decent length socks too. She basically needed everything besides underwear.
“I don’t wear bootleg jeans,” she said, turning up her nose. “And I don’t wear gingham.”
“Well, they don’t have a huge range, Marnie, and you need something long sleeved to keep the sun off. Try something on.”
She did, reluctantly.
“I look stupid,” she complained upon exiting the changing room.
She didn’t look stupid. She looked adorable. The jeans were snug, encasing her sweet ass in a way that made his cock twitch. They were stretchy enough to ride in too.
“Okay, now boots.”
She sat and sulked as she tried pull on boots, complaining that some were too tight and others were too loose until finally she said some would do. While Marnie made the assistant’s life a nightmare, Sam had a look around the store. After what felt like an interminable length of time, there were three pairs of jeans and four shirts on the counter, along with socks and boots. Sam reached over Marnie and added an item to the pile—a riding crop.
“Don’t you have enough of those already? There’s a whole bin of them.”
“Those are for the horses,” he said. “This one’s for you.”
The checkout lady chuckled to herself, and added the cost to the bill. A couple hundred dollars later, he, the crop, and Marnie were out the door.
He’d thought she might be cheered up by the shopping trip, chicks usually loved spending other people’s money, but Marnie didn’t even say thanks. She just stamped her way back to the ute and got in, slamming the door behind her.
“What’s wrong with you?” he asked as he got into the driver’s side.
“You embarrassed me!” She growled the words, staring straight ahead.
“How?”
“What you said at the counter.”
“Oh, about the crop?”
“Yes, about the crop,” she frowned. “That wasn’t very nice. That lady laughed at me!”
“She wasn’t laughing at you. She thought I was making a joke.”
“No, she didn’t.”
“Well, so what?”
“So you embarrassed me!”
“Marnie, I’m about to really embarrass you if you don’t stop acting like a spoiled little brat,” he growled.
“Fire me.”
“What?”
She looked at him fiercely. “I said fire me. Get rid of me.”
“No.”
“Asshole.”
Sam gritted his teeth. He’d been about as patient as he could be with her, but nothing seemed to please Marnie. Apparently she’d decided to act like a brat until he slept with her. Fine.
He got the truck started and headed back toward home. Marnie sulked for a solid half-hour as they wound their way back up toward the farm. But what she didn’t pick up on was the fact that they had turned down a lane before they got there and were heading up to a quiet little lookout only the locals really knew about. From there, the Canterbury plains were spread out below. It was beautiful, but Sam wasn’t intending on taking in the view.
“What are we doing?”
He stopped the truck, got out, and walked around to Marnie’s side. He wrenched the door open, unsnapped her seat belt, and pulled her out before turning her around and pushing her back down over the seat she’d just vacated. She spluttered and gasped, but he wasn’t listening and she wasn’t really saying anything anyway. Those short shorts betrayed her again as he grabbed the crop and started using it on the exposed part of her lower cheeks and the tops of her thighs, the leather tongue leaving splotches over the pale skin. The whip of the crop through the air was followed by a precious pink mark each and every time he brought it down, finding fresh skin to punish with every stroke.
Marnie screamed bloody murder, but that didn’t stop him. Pouting and stamping and slamming things wasn’t appropriate behaviour, and if that was what she had taken away from his punishment the night before, then obviously he hadn’t done a very good job.
“You know why this is happening to you, little girl?”
“No!” Marnie shrieked.
“Because you’re acting like a spoiled little brat. I told you last night. I’m in charge here, Marnie. You do as I say and you do it without pouting, understand?”
“You… Owww!”
She didn’t have a chance to mouth off to him before he started working the crop over her ass again. This was the problem with spoiled animals of any kind, those who had learned bad lessons over time. The hardest horse to train was one who had already learned it could push people around. They took longer and required way harder working than any of the others. Marnie had obviously spent her life throwing her weight around, but she wasn’t going to anymore. He’d work her little ass as long and hard as he needed to in order to bring her into line. He didn’t care if she wanted it, or even if she understood. He wasn’t dealing with the rational part of her. He was speaking directly to the animal inside this squirming little brat.
“Oww! Sam! I’m sorry!”
He stopped as soon as she made an apology.
“What are you sorry for?”
“I’m sorry for being a bitch,” she said, using a word he personally wouldn’t have chosen, but which fit.
Sam ran the tip of the crop over her hot cheeks, stroking it gently between her thighs too. “You know better, don’t you?” He made his voice deep and calm.
“…yes…” The admission came as a squeak.
“I don’t know who made you think that being angry would get you what you wanted, but whoever it was didn’t do you any favours. I don’t respond to sulking or pouting, little girl. If you’re upset, you talk to me. I might not be able to fix what’s bothering you, but it will save you this.”
* * *
Marnie wanted to be mad, but she’d known the minute she’d gone slamming out of the shop she’d pushed him too far. It had just been too hard to climb down off her high horse and apologize. She was so confused and so sore. The crop stung like hell, but his large hand spread between her shoulder blades felt good, as did having her legs spread for him again.
Was she losing her mind for this man? All she wanted was him inside her and it was driving her mad not being able to have him. She lifted her ass up a little, feeling the crop trail down and then up between her thighs.
Sam ran the leather over her denim-clad pussy, then gave it the lightest flick. Marnie let out a soft moan and arched her back more.
“You need this, don’t you,” Sam said in that rough but gentle voice.
“Yes…” she breathed the word as he tapped the crop against her sex again, working the tip up and down her crotch, whipping her protected slit with firmer and firmer swats until she moaned with desire.
“You’re in heat,” he growled, putting the crop to the side and replacing it with his hand. He cupped her pussy and squeezed. “I can smell you, Marnie. You need to be fucked, but I can’t do that. Not now. We’re going to have to find another way to get you off, my girl.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m taking my time with you, remember?” He spanked her pussy lightly and she moaned again.
Then she felt his fingers working inside her shorts, his thick digits finding her wet slit. She was more than ready for him. She wanted his cock, but what she got were two fingers pushing inside her, his other hand yanking at her shorts, spreading her ass cheeks as he started to finger her right there in the car park.
“Oh, fuck, Sam…” She gripped the car seat as he pounded her pussy with his fingers, working them in and out of that tight wet hole. She spread her legs as wide as she could, just faintly aware that she was making a spectacle of herself in a public place. Sam made her mad with arousal. She didn’t care about anything besides him.
“I want to fuck you, Marnie…” There was thick lust in his voice. “Fuck…”
Was he going to do it? Was he going to give in? She hoped so. When he pulled his fingers from her pussy, she thoroughly expected them to be replaced with his cock. But instead he pulled her from the car and pushed her to her knees in the dirt, his hands working at his fly to free his cock. He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her mouth onto his dick, taking her roughly.
“Touch yourself,” he ordered. “Make your pussy come.”
He worked her head back and forth along his shaft, using her lips as she stuffed her hand down the front of her shorts and played with her clit. Sam’s cock was so fucking swollen and hard inside her mouth, pounding deep and long. She was going to come. She knew it. She couldn’t help it. And so was he. He held her head still with both hands and thrust in and out until he let out a shout of triumph and release, his seed spilling over her tongue as she rubbed her slippery wet clit to the best orgasm she’d ever given herself, drinking his cum down eagerly.
“Good girl,” he said, holding her in place, looking down at her with those brilliant blue eyes. “Such a fucking good girl.”
* * *
Marnie was silent for the rest of the way home. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence as it had been before, but more of a peaceful one. Sam glanced across to see a satisfied, smug smile plastered across his quiet passenger’s face. She was happy then; good. He missed her being happy. Not that he’d known her for very long, but he liked to think she hadn’t been miserable for her entire time with him. He didn’t consider himself to be a cruel man, and having a permanently unhappy woman for company didn’t make him feel good at all.
Sam intended to teach her to ride when they got back to the farm. She could put on those new clothes he’d just spent a small fortune on and he’d take her down the river, where he led the treks sometimes. She’d like it down there. He’d been meaning to take her to the waterfall on the bike yesterday, but they’d got… distracted. A small chuckle escaped his lips. It had been a nice distracted, very nice actually, but still, he hadn’t shown her the river or the waterfall like he’d intended.
When they got back, he would put her up on Taxi, putt around the paddock together a couple of times, then they’d set off. Sam was a firm believer that the best way to learn to ride was just to get on and ride; to face the fear and do it anyway. As long as the mount was safe and steady, it was the best method there was, in his opinion. And Taxi was nothing if not safe and steady. If Marnie was going to be any help to him at all this season, he would have to get her confident around horses, and soon. Maybe having her watch him work with Trixie had been a bad idea. He known at the time it could have gone either way with the little mare—sometimes she behaved, sometimes she didn’t, much like Marnie herself. But unlike Marnie, Trixie’s size and strength made her dangerous. But just like Marnie, Trixie was sweet underneath it all, and he was as drawn to the horse as he was to the girl.
He didn’t do his usual drifty sliding around the corner as he liked to do, out of respect to Marnie, who was still sitting there in silence looking pretty pleased with herself. He should have slowed down and changed down a gear before clattering over the cattle grid though—the suspension on the old ute wasn’t the best and they bounced, Marnie’s head nearly hit the ceiling of the cab, and she yelped as her bottom came back into contact with the seat.
“Sorry,” he mumbled. “Old habits die hard.”
“‘s okay.”
Shocked to his core, Sam nearly ran off the narrow strip of gravel that passed as a road. He’d been expecting her to unleash a tirade of vitriol, or for her at least to utter a small complaint. Her simple acceptance of his apology was a complete turnaround. Good, but unexpected. Had their relationship finally turned a corner? Was she possibly going to treat him as a friend, rather than the enemy, now?
Sam slowed down for the corrugations up ahead. They really needed to get the grader through again before they were inundated with trekkers—he’d have to get Aunt Magda onto it. The little city cars that so many of them arrived in would struggle over these bumps and dips in the road.
“Once we get back you can go and put your new clothes on, then we’ll go riding,” Sam announced.
“I don’t want to go riding.” Marnie pouted. “I hurt.”
Sam sighed. He’d been so hopeful that Marnie’s attitude had changed for the better, but it didn’t appear that it had, after all. He took out his frustration on the steering wheel, tightening his grip around it until his knuckles went white. “You’re here to work, remember? Part of that work will be riding, leading treks,” he said through gritted teeth. “There isn’t a lot of time for you to learn. And to be honest, if you’re not used to riding, your backside is going to hurt after being in the saddle for a while anyway. Even if you hadn’t been a naughty girl and gotten yourself spanked. You’ll be fine.”
Marnie didn’t say a word, but when Sam looked across at her, the smile had gone from her face and had been replaced with a look of apprehension, almost fear. Stretching out a hand, he rested his palm lightly on her thigh, his fingers splayed across her warm, bare skin.
“You’ll be fine, I promise,” he murmured. “I teach people to ride every day. Taxi will look after you. He’s a gentleman.”
“Not like you, then.”
Sam chuckled. “No. Not like me.”
* * *
In the privacy of her bedroom, without Sam around, Marnie spread her new clothes out on her bed and fingered the fabric. They were totally not her style, but they were actually quite nice, and made her feel a little bit like she belonged. Maybe if she looked the part, it would be easier to act the part, too.
She regretted the ungrateful way she’d acted at the shop. It was nice of Sam to buy her these clothes, and she hadn’t even thanked him. Come to think of it, she hadn’t thanked him for the food he’d bought her, either. Or for anything else he’d done for her. A flash of guilt shot through her. Was it true, those words he’d said to her as he’d whipped her ass with that evil crop? Was she a spoiled little brat? She wasn’t, really, although she had to admit she had been acting like one. A little bit, anyway. She should probably try to be a bit nicer to him. Especially if he was going to use that crop on her every time she wasn’t.
The fabric of her shorts scraped against the welts the crop had left on the back of her thighs and she winced as she slid them down. Turning, she checked out her rear end in the mirror. Damn, the man was a brute! Her entire bottom was pinkish, slightly bruised looking, and crisscrossed with darker red lines where he’d plied the riding crop. You deserved it, you were a bitch, her subconscious reminded her. Reaching back, she touched the nastiest-looking welt gently. It stung. She couldn’t believe she’d sucked him off. Not when he’d just done that to her. Even if her orgasm had been great, she should hate him. She hissed in pain as the brand new pair of jeans she was pulling on rubbed her tender bottom roughly. She should definitely hate him. She should, but she didn’t.
Once they were on, the jeans were comfortable enough. They fit her so snugly they felt like they’d been made just for her. And although the shirt was totally not her, it, too, was comfortable enough. The darts in the side hugged her small waist and if she thrust her chest out, the buttons gaped slightly across her cleavage. Not exactly the sexy look she was used to, but it would do.
She felt Sam’s eyes on her the second she walked out the door. He didn’t say anything, but she knew he approved. His eyes followed her every move. Pausing, she met his lust-filled gaze then did a little twirl.
“You like?” She smiled. “Thank you. They fit perfectly.”
Sam’s grin lit up his entire face, making her all melty inside. She’d been attracted to him right from the start, but he was definitely far sexier smiling than scolding. He didn’t answer her question, but by the look on his face, it was clear he was pleased.
Tingles shot up her spine when he laid his big hand in the centre of her back to guide her out to the barn. The last time he’d put his hand on her back like that had been to bend her over the ute seat to punish her. I’m in charge here, Marnie rang in her ears. He wasn’t whipping her this time, but the gentle pressure of his huge hand nestled in her back reminded her that he truly was in charge, of everything.
Before they got to the barn, Sam stopped at a metal gate leading into another paddock and whistled. In just a few seconds, a huge chestnut beast came galloping toward them. He was ginormous, towering over her and nearly dwarfing Sam. Marnie took a step back.
“It’s okay, Marnie, just relax. This is Fred. He won’t hurt you, he’s gentle as a lamb.” Sam’s deep voice rumbled through her, soothing her, but she couldn’t relax. Not properly. Not when there was an animal the size of a small elephant standing right there, ready to run her over.
“But he’s so big,” she breathed.
“Yep,” Sam confirmed. “Seventeen hands. He’s a big boy, but gentle. Here, hold out your hand.”
Tentatively, she stretched out her hand, her fingers tightly closed, and shut her eyes, only to open them again when Sam’s fingers enclosed around her wrist. With his other hand, he prised open her fingers and placed a piece of apple on her palm.
“Hold your hand flat, like this.”
She copied his example, and he helped her, his big hand underneath hers steadying her shaking wrist. Tingles went up her spine as Fred lowered his head and gently took her offering, his lips tickling her palm. He nickered softly, perhaps thanking her, as Sam’s strong arm went around her waist, pulling her in close to him.
“He won’t hurt you, I promise.”
They walked like that the rest of the way to the barn, Marnie tucked up against Sam’s side, with the big horse following along so close behind Marnie could feel his warm breath on the back of her neck. She kept waiting for him to run her over, or to rear up and punch out with his feet like Trixie had done, but it never happened. And Sam didn’t seem concerned at all to have a horse clip-clopping along behind them and gradually, she relaxed. Maybe Sam was right after all. Maybe Fred was safe enough.
Fred went straight to the hay net tied to the fence railing that Taxi had been nibbling on earlier, and it didn’t take long for Sam to put a halter on him and tie him up. Taxi came up to the fence all by himself, and it didn’t take long for Sam to get him tied up, either. Marnie watched, nervous. She wasn’t too sure about this. Those horses were big, and it was a long way to fall… maybe she should refuse to get on.
Sam didn’t tell her to brush Taxi this time. He seemed content to do all the work himself while she stood back and watched, growing more and more uncertain. Sam moved between the two horses easily, confidently, seemingly unafraid. He brushed them, picked out their feet, pressed metal bits into their mouths and latched up bridles. Neither horse moved. Fred was tall, as tall as Sam himself, but Sam threw the saddle on his back effortlessly and pulled the girth tight, his biceps bulging through his shirt as he did so.
“Get your helmet.”
Marnie froze. This was getting far too real, now. Getting on the back of the motorbike had been scary enough, and then there had been Sam to hang onto, and it was far closer to the ground. Now, unless she was mistaken, Sam intended for her to sit on the horse by herself, and it was much higher up, and it had a mind of its own. How was she supposed to make it go? More important, how was she supposed to make it stop?
She didn’t want to get her helmet. She was quite happy right where she was, with both feet planted firmly on the ground. She had no desire whatsoever to climb up into a wobbly saddle, to be rocked around on a horse that may or may not buck her off and send her flying into the dirt. Why did she have to learn to ride, anyway? Coming here was a bad idea. A very bad idea.
“I’m… are you sure… I’m scared.”
In two strides, Sam was in front of her. He grabbed her by both shoulders and shook her gently, but his eyes were kind. His eyes were perhaps the kindest she’d ever seen them, as he held her firmly.
“Marnie, it will be fine. You’ll enjoy it, I promise you. Once you’re up there, it’s the best thing in the world. There’s nothing else like it.”
She looked at the ground. She couldn’t meet his eyes. She knew she was disappointing him, but she was afraid. The horses were so big and…
“Look at me.” With one hand, he tilted her chin up to look at him, and with the other, he brushed a stray lock of hair back off her forehead. Slowly, she met his gaze.
“I’m going to be right there beside you all the way. You’re not going to come to any harm. Taxi does this all the time—he teaches people to ride. He’s good at it.” He stared at her harder, and a shiver went down her spine.
“Do you trust me?”
“I trust you.” The words slipped out before she could stop them, but as she thought about it, she realized they were true. He’d scolded her, spanked her, fucked her, embarrassed her, whipped her, and used her body for his own carnal pleasure. He’d also fed her, taken her shopping, came charging to her rescue when she screamed, and cuddled her close when she cried. Yes, she trusted him. He was the first person she’d trusted in a long time.
He smiled, his approval turning her insides to mush.
“So relax. I’ve got you.”
Sam helped her fasten her helmet, then he led her, with her heart pounding harder at every step, toward Taxi. She almost couldn’t breathe, she was so scared. But Sam took her hand and placed it way up high on Taxi’s neck, just below his ear. Holding her wrist gently, Sam smoothed her hand all the way down Taxi’s sleek neck, then closed her fingers around a handful of his mane, just in front of the saddle. Keeping his body close to hers, he lifted her left leg and guided her foot into the stirrup.
“One, two, three, jump!”
She only jumped a little bit, too terrified to do it properly, but Sam boosted her at the same time, and his strong hands around her waist settled her into the saddle. He kept his hands there, holding her, while she felt her muscles adjust to the thickness of the horse beneath her. Her bottom throbbed, but she was too terrified to feel much in the way of pain, really. All she could think about, all she could feel, was fear. It washed over her in waves, crashing down on top of her, threatening to topple her, but Sam’s strong hands steadied her, waiting for her to find her balance. Taxi didn’t move.
Now that she knew she wasn’t going to fall off just yet, Marnie let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. The saddle was starting to feel secure now, a bit like a chair, and Sam must have known this because he handed her the reins, sliding her fingers along the leather, closing them into position.
“Okay?”
To answer him, Marnie had to look down. It was a good feeling, being above Sam, even if he was technically still in charge. She smiled.
“We’re going to walk now. Do you trust me?”
“Yes,” she breathed.
* * *
Sam had half expected her to say ‘no.’ To hear the word ‘yes’ from her lips both surprised and pleased him. Obviously, he’d done something right.
The first step Taxi took nearly unseated her and he got ready to grab her, but after a few seconds she got the hang of it, relaxing into the saddle, letting her hips rock with the motion of the horse. She was a natural. He thought she would be, she had a good sense of balance; he’d discovered that when she’d been on the back of the bike. And the way she’d started to bond with Trixie yesterday told him that she would pick up riding pretty quickly. She wiggled in the saddle and winced slightly and he felt a momentary stab of guilt. He’d been pretty hard on her. Had he been too hard? But the wince disappeared and a proud smile spread across her face instead.
“I’m doing it! Sam, I’m doing it! I’m riding a horse!”
Sam couldn’t help but chuckle. Her enthusiasm was infectious.
“And a fine job you’re doing of it, too, little girl. You ready to learn the controls?”
Being a trekking horse, Taxi was fairly used to being booted and hauled about every which way by inexperienced riders, and had long since learned not to react. Sam never let the riders be rough, but still, Taxi was used to fairly obvious directions, and didn’t follow subtle commands anymore. He could teach her the intricacies of subtle body language cues later, if she wanted to learn, but Taxi wasn’t the type of horse to learn them on.
Tingles of passion shot up Sam’s arms when he ran his hand down Marnie’s calf, adjusting her foot in the stirrup and showing her how to press her leg against Taxi to make him move where she wanted him to go. His palms nearly burst into flames from the electricity sparking between them as he enclosed her fingers in his, helped her gather up the reins, and showed her how to steer and stop.
“Good girl.” He murmured it almost under his breath but she heard, and he couldn’t help but notice the way her face lit up at the unexpected praise.
“Okay, ride a couple of times around the pen here, then we’ll go for a proper ride, once you’re comfortable.” Stepping back, Sam gave her full control of the gelding, but watched her carefully for signs of panic. If she was going to freak out at all, she would do it now. But the smile never left her face as Taxi ambled slowly around the pen, and even though she clearly winced several times, it was obvious she was enjoying herself.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her. She was gorgeous when she smiled, and although her new red checked shirt clashed horribly with her pink helmet, she looked adorable on top of Taxi. He wanted to haul her out of the saddle and rip off her clothes… Don’t! he commanded himself harshly. Your cock has caused enough trouble.
“Straighten up.” His voice was husky with arousal and even to his own ears, sounded gruff.
“Huh?” She sounded confused, but looked hurt, probably at his gruffness. She obviously responded better to praise than what she perceived as correction. He made a mental note of that for the future. It would be much easier to teach her what he needed her to know, if he knew the way she worked.
“You’re tilted forward,” he said, gentling his voice.
“That’s cos my butt hurts.” Her voice had a distinct duh! snark to it, and she accompanied it with a filthy look no doubt meant to put him in his place, but he let it ride.
“Well, riding like that is going to do really nasty things to your lady parts. Rubbing against the saddle like that is going to give you chafing like you wouldn’t believe. It won’t be pleasant tomorrow, for you. So straighten your back, like this.” Sparks sizzled between them as he touched her, one hand on her belly, the other on her back, pressing her into position. Electricity zinged up his arm as he prodded her with his fingers, straightening her body, his thumb hovering just above her crotch. All he had to do was reach down and… stop!
He inhaled long, slow. “That’s better. Good girl.”
Leaving them to it for a moment, he snuck out of the pen to get Fred. He couldn’t keep watching her, not when every fibre of his being was aching for her. It was either pull her off the horse and ravish her here in the dust, or do his best to distract himself. He chose the latter. It wouldn’t be comfortable riding with a raging erection, but he didn’t have much choice.
* * *
Marnie had never seen Sam ride. But he looked every bit as sexy in the saddle as he did on the ground. Being up so high emphasized his wide shoulders and narrow hips, and the muscles in his thighs were outlined as he wrapped his legs around his horse. The butterflies in her tummy fluttered madly and sent heat straight to her core. Ignoring Sam’s instructions about her riding posture, she tilted her pelvis forward again so her clit rubbed against the saddle and sighed softly.
She felt so naughty, doing exactly what Sam had told her not to do. But the incredible sensations ricocheting through her body right now would make any painful chafing tomorrow worth it. Taxi ambled along slowly behind Sam because the rough trail was too narrow for anything other than single file, but every now and then Sam would turn in his saddle and look back at her, making sure she was doing okay. The graceful way he moved his hips so just his upper body turned did delightful things to her insides. She squirmed a bit more in the saddle, clutched the reins a bit tighter in her fingers, and worked her clit furiously against the leather, moving in time with Taxi’s steps, each rocking motion taking her closer and closer to the edge. Her breasts tightened, aching, to match the throbbing in her pussy. Throbbing that changed and turned and tingled with each step.
Tangling her fingers in Taxi’s mane, she gave a small cry as she shattered, holding on for dear life as wave after wave of intense pleasure washed over her.
Sam turned in the saddle. “Are you okay?”
* * *
“Y… yes,” Marnie stammered.
From her rapid breathing, flushed face, dilated pupils and weird voice it wasn’t hard to guess what Marnie had been doing. The naughty little minx! Sam hid his smile. She’d gotten herself off on the bike, too. Riding things clearly agreed with her. He needed to teach her a lesson.
The stubble on his jaw scratched his fingers as he rubbed his chin, deep in thought. He couldn’t bring himself to spank her again, not after whipping her so soundly on the way home, but at the same time, he couldn’t let her go unpunished. Still, there was more than one way to skin a cat. An evil grin slowly spread across his face as the answer came to him.
“You’re doing well, little girl,” Sam declared. “Come on, let’s trot.”
He waited until the trail widened up ahead and there was room for them to ride side by side before he urged Fred into a trot. He was fairly sure that trotting wouldn’t make Marnie fall off, but he wanted to be sure. He wanted to punish her, but he didn’t actually want her falling and hurting herself. If she wasn’t used to coming off horses, the ground was a long way down.
“You ready? Squeeze your legs tighter around him, click to him with your tongue, that’s it. Good girl.”
Sam sat easily in the saddle to the two-beat gait, but beside him, Marnie was bouncing around, which was exactly what he’d intended to happen. She yelped every time her bruised rear contacted the saddle. He’d forgotten just how bouncy Taxi’s trot was; Fred’s gait was far smoother.
Marnie’s yelps grew more and more desperate. A quick glance across at her face told Sam what he already knew—this was torture for her. She looked close to tears, and totally miserable. It was clear she’d been punished enough.
“You’ve got the hang of that really well,” he said encouragingly. “I’ll teach you how to rise to the trot now, you’ll find it much more comfortable. You ready?”
Marnie nodded miserably.
He demonstrated on Fred, using his thighs to propel him upward in the saddle with the movement of Fred’s legs. It was simply a matter of finding the beat, and rising up with it. A bit like dancing, really. That was something else he’d have to do with Marnie, spin her around on a dance floor. He had a feeling she’d be a natural at that, too.
“See? Now you try. Up, down. Up, down. Up, down.” He guided her, watching Taxi’s legs so he could tell her to move at the right time, but he needn’t have bothered; she picked up the rhythm really quickly.
Sam watched the relief wash over her face. Her bottom was still impacting the saddle, but in a more controlled way instead of just bouncing. Already, she held the reins lightly, along with a handful of mane, and he was pleased to see she kept her heels down in the stirrups, just as he’d taught her. He smiled broadly. Maybe Marnie would be far more useful to him than he’d first thought.
After a few minutes of trotting, Sam brought Fred back to a walk. Taxi followed suit. For her first ride, Marnie had probably done enough. He didn’t want her so sore tomorrow that she was put off riding completely, not when she was showing so much potential.
Edging Fred up to a gate, he leaned down and opened it, ushering Marnie and Taxi through.
“Just over that rise there is the barn,” he said softly. “You go on ahead, I’ll catch up.”
* * *
Riding was much more fun than Marnie had imagined it would be, but it hurt more too, especially on a sore ass. Sam had known the state of her rear when he made them go faster. He’d wanted her bottom to hurt. Sadistic bastard. She’d been on the verge of bursting into tears until he finally let her slow down.
She should hate him, but now that the pressure was off and the pain of trotting had receded, Marnie found herself with a secret little smile on her face. She kind of liked that side of Sam. There weren’t many men who could put up with her when she was at her worst. Sam didn’t just meet her where she was, he outpaced her, raised the bar, and made her realize that she really didn’t want to mess with him.
Taxi plodded back toward the barn, almost as if he was automated. He knew the way better than she did so Marnie sat there, more a passenger than a rider, and looked out over the countryside. The sun was starting to get low in the sky and red flares were starting to break over the horizon, casting a red glow over the land. It was stunning out here. There was no denying it. She had gotten lucky in being able to come out here. There were still so many people back in Christchurch dealing with ongoing aftershocks and endless insurance issues. None of those mundane practical concerns seemed to touch this place. It was almost as if the land itself were enchanted, a place apart from the modern world with all its nonsense.
Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Sam bringing up the rear. God, he was so impossibly handsome with his hard body framed in silhouette against the sky. Her movement in the saddle pushed her hips forward. She noticed that she could feel a tingle between her thighs, but unlike usual it was not an entirely pleasant one. Maybe she should have listened to him when he told her not to ride with her hips tilted forward, but it was too late now.
Taxi parked himself next to the tie point and Marnie swung her feet out of the stirrups and slid off on his left slide. As she dismounted, she felt a sharp pinching sensation between her thighs. Oh, yeah. There was chafing. And it was much worse walking than it had been riding.
“Ow,” she mumbled as she walked bow-legged around Taxi, loosening the buckles that held the saddle on.
“I tried to tell you, little girl,” Sam said as he rode up. “You’re going to be sore. Be careful when you get in the shower tonight. It’s going to sting like hell.”
“How do you know? Does riding hurt your vagina too?”
Whap!
Sam belted his crop across her ass. He didn’t even have to leave Fred to do it, and the extra distance gave that devilish leather tongue even more sting than usual.
Taxi flicked an ear as Marnie gasped in pain and clenched at her ass. “Ow! Sam!”
He smirked down at her. “Feel like being a smart mouth again?”
“No,” she grumbled.
“Good,” he said. “Unsaddle Taxi and then give him a good brush down.”
Horses were a lot of work, but there was a certain satisfaction in removing the saddle and then taking a rubber comb and working it over the area where the saddle had been rubbing. The hair beneath was a little sweaty from where Taxi had been working, and he seemed to appreciate her efforts to make him feel better, nickering in a contented way. There was plenty of discomfort out here, earned and unearned, but Marnie reckoned she could get used to this.