Birds chirped loudly at the window and Kris groaned, dragging the comforter higher up to cover her head at the sound. She cuddled her pillow and let sleep take over again until she shot up in bed. This was not her couch in the garage. She lifted the blankets and stared at her naked body with an excited laugh.

“Ed?” she asked, but he was not in bed with her and the bathroom was empty.

Stretching her arms over her head, she laughed at their clothes scattered all over the room. Her body was sore, but she loved it, and when no regrets slammed into her, she squealed with delight. This was what living was supposed to be about. She slipped out of bed and went to take care of herself in the bathroom before picking up Edmund’s t-shirt and pulling it on over her head. She spotted her clutch on the desk and figured Edmund woke up this morning and brought it down to her. She was just checking her cell when a key grated in the lock and the door swung open.

“Morning,” Edmund greeted her happily as he stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. “Breakfast?”

“Yes, please,” she said as her stomach growled. He set the drink carrier and the bag of diner food down as she sauntered over. His gaze raked over her half-naked body, and she bent over so the t-shirt exposed her ass, revealing her nudity beneath that fabric.

He growled under his breath, and before she had a chance to peek into the food bag, Edmund scooped her up and carried her back to the bed. He tossed her onto it, and she laughed as he struggled to disrobe as quickly as he could while she hiked the t-shirt up little by little, loving the way his eyes narrowed with want and his hands shook with his desire to touch her again. She couldn’t even try to deny how much she wanted him again. Once he was naked, standing at the foot of the bed, taut muscles and bobbing erection greeting her, Kris quirked her brow. As she sat up on her knees, she pulled up the t-shirt and tossed it aside.

Last night had been about learning what she liked and Edmund preparing her for him. This morning, she didn’t want to take her time with him. She wanted him quick and fast, hard inside her as he took her and made her scream again. Edmund reached a hand out, and with a wicked laugh, she took it and they tumbled to the bed together in a heap of limbs and frantic touches. She gripped his length and loved how he cursed with a growl in her ear as she stroked him hard from tip to base until he shifted free and rolled them over so he pinned her.

Kris stretched up and nipped at his chin. His eyes darkened more and he took her wrists, planting her arms above her head as he lowered his mouth to her breasts. His lips closed around one hungrily, and her eyes slid closed while he rubbed his hard length between her folds but did not enter her.

“Teasing is not fair,” she grumbled as she lifted her hips, trying to entice him to thrust forward, but he chuckled and sucked harder on her nipple until she dragged in a sharp breath. She wiggled and tried to pull free, but he clasped her wrists tighter and pressed his hips against hers.

“Why not? You seem to be enjoying yourself,” he said with a wink and switched to her other breast.

He rubbed his cheek over the heavy mounds, and Kris realized briefly how glad she was she’d waited to share this level of intimacy with a man like Edmund. But he wasn’t the only one who could tease. Her arms slackened, and his hand trailed down to her shoulder then lower to her hip, but she was too quick for him. With a huff, she rolled them over so she pinned him instead. She slithered down his body and held his burning length firmly in her hands as she closed her lips around his tip. His body stiffened at her touch, and he cursed, his hips bucking as she sucked harder and took more of him in with each breath.

“Right, you’re right,” he grunted. “Teasing… not fun.”

Kris licked the full length of him and swirled her tongue around the crown, tasting the drop of pre-cum waiting there, but she didn’t stop. She lowered her mouth again, leading with her hands until Edmund picked up her hips and planted her cleft firmly against his lips. Her eyes fluttered, and she moaned around him as he licked and sucked hard at her clit before driving his tongue into her. Kris struggled to focus on her task and gave up when the thrill of pleasure shot through her body, leaving her shaking and gasping for air as she lay on top of him. Edmund lifted her again and after a little maneuvering, she was splayed out beneath him.

“Cheater,” she whispered as she grinned, his body covering hers with its warmth.

“No, I just always like to win,” he grunted as he pushed within her depths at the same time.

She grabbed his arms, and her legs fell open wider as he glided smoothly in then drew slowly back out. Every touch of skin left her begging for more, but he kept his pace even, nuzzling her neck until she wrapped her legs around his waist and urged him to go faster. She raised her hips, and he sank deeper within her folds, filling her as he had last night, and she relished every second. Their kisses showed their hunger for each other, and his hands holding her close told her so much about him not wanting to let go, not even after his car was fixed. Kris told herself she wouldn’t think of that day until it happened, but she clung to him, needing to keep him with her as long as possible.

When they reached the edge together, Edmund cupped her face and they stared deeply into each other’s eyes as passion settled on their faces and they cried out as one. Their bodies trembled and shook as Edmund wrapped his arms around her and pressed her against his nakedness, but it wasn’t just his skin she was close to. His heart pounded beneath her hand, and when they collapsed to the bed together, she sensed a bit of his soul.

“You… are going… to ruin me, woman,” he whispered with a laugh.

“Good,” she mused and kissed the tip of his nose, still trying to catch her breath herself. She rolled off the bed and found her footing, checking the time on the clock as she passed the table on her way to the bathroom. “Oh, it’s Thursday, isn’t it?”

“Possibly,” Edmund said as he rolled over so he could watch her. She grinned at him over her shoulder, enjoying his eyes caressing her body from head to foot. “What’s that mean?”

“Means you’re getting your ass back on a horse today.”

His face paled, and he cleared his throat. “I’m sorry?”

“You are getting on a horse today, remember? I’m going to Mr. Fitz’s to work on his tractor, and you’re coming with me,” she told him as she stepped into the bathroom. “Shower?” She reached for the faucet and turned the water on steamy and counted to three in her head before the bathroom door shut and Edmund’s arms were around her body. Giggling, they stepped into the shower and dragged the curtain closed to love away the morning.

If only it didn’t have to end, but Kris knew, sooner or later, she would wake up from this dream and be right back where she started before Edmund broke down outside her tiny little town.

* * *

Edmund’s cell buzzed again, and he grimaced when he saw his mom calling. He ignored it and turned it off. He shoved it back in his pocket as Kris pulled up to an old white farmhouse. A barn sat off to the right with a large pasture where several white and brown horses grazed in the shade. Kris parked the truck and turned it off.

“Who keeps calling you?” she asked. “You can answer it. I don’t mind.”

“It’s no one,” he said quickly, and when she eyed him suspiciously, he sighed. “It’s my mom. She’s being extremely overbearing again, and I’m choosing to ignore her so I can enjoy my time with you.”

Kris nodded. “Totally understandable. I wish I could ignore my mother when she comes to town,” she muttered and hopped out of the truck as Edmund laughed.

“They weren’t all bad, and you haven’t seen them since, right?”

“No, they’re usually busy pestering Grams first, and when they get nowhere with her, they turn to their children. Not that I can give them anything. They already took my damn house for the extent of their stay.” She grimaced and hung her head. “I’m going to have to scrub that place from top to bottom to get the smell of booze out.”

“I didn’t see your Grams this morning when we left,” he said as he followed her to the front porch.

Kris chewed her tongue sheepishly. “Yeah, I might have called her away with a fake emergency at the house.” Edmund raised his brow and crossed his arms over his chest until she looked away from his guilt-inducing stare. “What! Don’t look at me like that. Grams is old-school, and I was not going to get a three-hour lecture from her.” She raised her hand to knock, and the door swung open. “Morning, Mr. Fitz.”

“Morning, Kris? It’s nearly lunchtime,” he corrected with a laugh. “And you brought a friend, I see.” Edmund held out his hand to the old man and opened his mouth to say his name, but the old man cut him off with a wave. “You’re all over town, son. I know who you are. Helping Kris with the tractor?”

“Ha, no, I’m afraid I’m not as good as she is with mechanics.”

“I brought him here to ride when I’m finished,” Kris explained. “He had a minor accident with a horse a while back and hasn’t been on one since.”

Edmund shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged. “Did he need to know that part?”

Mr. Fitz patted him sturdily on the back. “Why don’t you come in, and we’ll talk while she works on the tractor? It’s just around back, Kris. You can’t miss the old thing.”

“You know, one of these days, you’re just going to have to break down and get a new one,” she warned him. “I won’t be able to keep miraculously finding parts.”

He shooed her away, and Kris bounded down the porch and back to the truck to grab what she needed while Mr. Fitz dragged Edmund inside the small farmhouse. The smell of strong bourbon hit him in the face, and he breathed it in as he spotted a squat woman in a floral apron bustling around the kitchen.

“Who’s your friend, Earl?” the woman called out, wiping her hand on a dishtowel.

“Kris brought him out. This is her new boyfriend,” Mr. Fitz announced.

The woman’s eyes sparkled as she took his hand. “Well now, I was hoping that was the case. I’m Mrs. Fitz, but you can call me Flora.”

“Nice to meet you, Flora, and I’m not sure if we’re really a couple yet,” he said, glancing over his shoulder. Did he want to be her boyfriend? Hell yes, he did, but he wasn’t sure if that’s what she really wanted yet. Spending time with Kris was the highlight of his day, and he liked to think she felt the same, but sometimes, Kris was hard to read despite the bluntness of her mouth.

“Well, why are you spending so much time with the girl if you’re not her boyfriend?” Flora asked with a knowing grin. “Come on to the kitchen. I just finished making some bourbon balls.”

Edmund sat in the chair she pulled out as Mr. Fitz took the one opposite. Flora set down two glasses and poured lemonade for them both before sitting down to join them. Edmund turned his glass one way then the other, picturing Kris outside working on the tractor in her mechanic jumpsuit, her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail and leaning over so the fabric showed the perfect curves of her ass.

“What are your intentions with Kris?” Mr. Fitz asked sternly, and for a second, Edmund swore he was staring at Grams through the man’s eyes.

“I… uh, I like her,” he said lamely. Then, when the old couple burst out laughing, he sagged in his chair. “I just came out of a bad relationship, and Kris, she’s an amazing woman. I can’t believe no one’s scooped her up yet.”

“She’s too damn good for anyone in this town,” Mr. Fitz said and smacked his hand on the table. “She deserves someone who will treat her like a woman, respect her. None of those shitheads she dated before knew what they were doing, and they were always after one thing.”

Flora nodded enthusiastically, her gray curls bobbing around her face. “Horrible, the lot of them. The things they said after they dumped her.”

Edmund’s hand held his glass tighter. “What things?”

“She’s never talked to you about the ex-boyfriends?” Flora asked, surprised.

“I only know about Charlie, but they seem to get along well enough.”

“Oh, those two, they’re like peas in a pod,” Flora said with high fluttery laugh. “He should’ve been her brother, not that Dennis, always kicking up trouble just like her parents.”

Mr. Fitz patted his wife’s arm. “Now, dear, he is doing better these past few months.”

“Yes, but I hear their parents are back in town. Is that right?”

Edmund leaned back in his chair, his lips pursed as he tried to find a polite way to answer her question and ask about what these other men had said about Kris. “Yeah, they pretty much kicked her out of the house. She slept at the garage the first night and uh, and…” He trailed off, coughing to cover his nerves, but Flora giggled like a little girl and Mr. Fitz winked. “Right, do I need to worry about these other guys? They wouldn’t hurt Kris, would they?”

The couple exchanged a glance, and Flora shrugged. “Roy’s the only one who’s been running his mouth since you came to town,” she said. “He always was the jealous type. Said he loved Kris, but the second she refused to—well, you know—he broke it off and told everyone she was a tease. And that’s putting it nicely,” she added in a whisper.

Edmund’s anger grew. Kris was anything but a tease. She was filled with love and life, and he didn’t think she could ever hurt anyone, at least not on purpose. “Anything else I should know?”

Mr. Fitz crossed his arms over his chest, and his wrinkled face scrunched. “He’s been blabbering about her turning into a… into something that I will not say out loud. The rumors are all over town about you two, and while most people don’t mind, he’s not being very cordial about the situation.”

“I guess I’ll have to have a little chat with Roy if he can’t keep his mouth shut,” Edmund muttered. He wondered if he was at the bar the night he and Kris kissed, if he’d spotted her leaving the inn the other night, or seen her leave with him this morning. If he went near Kris, if he hurt her, he’d have to take care of it.

Edmund and Tommy never talked about it, but they had been in a few fights of their own during their college days before Tommy joined the army. Edmund might appear thin and lean, but he packed a punch that had knocked many a man to their knees.

Flora leaned over and whispered in Mr. Fitz’s ear, and they grinned, laughing quietly together as she leaned against his shoulder.

“What?” Edmund asked, lips twitching. “Did I miss something?”

“Not at all,” Flora said on a sigh. “Why don’t you go check on her? I’m sure she’d like to see you while she works on that blasted tractor.”

Edmund stood and walked out the back door Flora indicated, wondering what the old couple murmured about as soon as he walked away. He opened the screen door and saw Kris leaning over the tractor. He stepped quietly down the steps and a smile stretched across his face at the sight of her doing what she loved. She was covered up to her arms in grease, but as soon as he reached her, she dropped the side panel back in place and climbed up the wheel to sit in the seat.

“Hey,” she said, looking down at him.

A smudge of grease covered her cheek, and his chest swelled. She was never fake around him. “Hey. Get it working?”

“I think so. It was a pretty easy fix this time,” she said and turned the key to get the tractor going. The beast of a machine choked to life and hummed. Kris nodded, satisfied, and turned it off. She stood to climb down. With a laugh, she leapt into Edmund’s arms. He caught her easily and spun her around as they kissed. “Thanks for catching me.”

He set her on her feet, her body sliding sensuously against his as he did so. “Anytime.”

“Right then, ready to go riding?”

His smile fell as he glanced into the pasture. “You sure? I don’t think I can do this.”

“Course you can,” she assured him. “I’m going to change real quick, and we’ll get them saddled up. You can just ride behind me at first if you want.”

He pictured her astride the horse, cradled in his lap and leaning against his chest. “Sure, we can do that first,” he agreed.

She kissed him on the cheek, and his heart fluttered before she took off around the front of the house. He leaned against the fence, watching the horses walk around the field before a large brown one with white patches lifted its head and neighed at him. He thought of backing away from the fence as it turned his direction, but he stayed put, drawn in by the animal’s round, brown eyes. The horse drew nearer and brushed its large, soft nose against his hand. Edmund was used to being within twenty feet or so of horses at the stables, but he had not touched once since the accident. The scar on his cheek tingled, but the horse nudged his hand again, and he raised it, resting it on the beast’s face. He ran his hand down the white stripe, scratching as he went, and the horse lowered its head even more.

“Alright, I’ll admit it,” he whispered to the horse. “Maybe it is time.”

The horse stomped its front hoof as if in agreement then shook out its mane. Edmund’s hand shifted to its neck, running down the short hair.

“What’s your story, huh?” he asked the horse. “You don’t look too old.”

The horse turned back to him and gazed into his eyes. Edmund’s hand paused. The longer he locked gazes with the horse, the more he saw the same emotions he’d felt not too long ago. Loss, anger, fear maybe? The horse pressed its nose hard against Edmund’s shoulder, and he leaned his face against its large nose, running both hands down its mane.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Mr. Fitz said from behind him, and Edmund turned to look at him and Kris staring in wide-eyed amazement. “I thought you said he hadn’t been near a horse in years?”

“He hasn’t,” Kris said. “How did you do that?”

“Do what?” Edmund asked. “He—is it a he?” They both nodded at him. “He came up to me.”

“I’ve had that horse for two years, and he ain’t ever come up to anybody,” Mr. Fitz said in awe approaching the fence. The horse whinnied but didn’t move away from Edmund. “He hasn’t taken to someone like this since he was removed from the racing world.”

Edmund frowned. “What happened? He’s still pretty young.”

“His trainer was killed in an accident,” Kris said sadly. “Somehow, the horse knew, and no one could ride him, or even approach him, he was so out of control. Mr. Fitz caught word they were going to put a horse down, so he drove up to Louisville and bought him, brought him here, and this is the first time I’ve seen him near anyone.”

Edmund smiled at the horse. “Well, I guess we just have a connection.”

“Yeah, and now you’re going to ride him,” Kris said. “It’ll be good for you both.”

“What? I can’t just ride him like that! He’ll throw me,” he argued with Kris as she marched to the gate and opened it, Mr. Fitz following.

“Only if you start panicking,” she grinned. “Come on, let’s get him saddled up.” She strolled towards the barn, and a white horse whinnied, rushing over to nuzzle her neck with her nose. “Hey, girl,” she whispered to the horse. “Missed you too, Babydoll.”

“Babydoll,” Edmund repeated and glanced at his horse as it approached him on the other side of the fence. He stiffened as the tall beast neared him, but when he lowered his head so Edmund could rest his hands on it, he relaxed. “You’re sure not a Babydoll.”

“He’s Judge,” Mr. Fitz said. “Damn fine race horse, too.”

“Well now, maybe you’ll be my horse,” Edmund whispered, and Judge whinnied loudly, stomping his hoof several times.

Mr. Fitz watched the exchange before leading Edmund into the barn, Judge following closely behind. He did exactly as Mr. Fitz told him. Judge wouldn’t let anyone else close to him to put the saddle on, so it was all up to Edmund. He talked quietly to the horse the whole time, easing on the bridle and saddle with light touches as Kris and Mr. Fitz looked on, stunned. Once they were both ready to go, he placed his boot in the stirrup and hoisted himself up. Kris led the way out of the barn, and the two horses took off at a soft trot through the pasture.

“There’s a trail that leads into the woods,” she said as they bounced along. “We’ll go that way. Should be fairly easy.”

As they disappeared under the thick foliage of the old white oaks, Edmund let the beauty of the woods soothe his nerves about riding a horse again, and Judge didn’t fight him or buck at all. He walked side by side with Babydoll, whinnying every now and then. Kris and he stayed mostly quiet, but it was peaceful and he was able to enjoy her company. The path wound up and around a creek the horses crossed easily, one after the other, and when they started to climb, Kris grinned and said he was really going to enjoy the view in a few minutes.

When they crested the hill, Kris pulled Babydoll to a stop and Judge did the same beside her. “Wow,” Edmund breathed. “That’s the town.”

“Pretty cool, huh?” she said. “I love coming up here and staring down at it. Looks so small.”

“You can see everything,” he mused.

Kris climbed down from her saddle and draped the reins over a nearby tree branch. Edmund did the same, getting down a little less smoothly than she had, but he didn’t fall on his ass and counted that as an achievement. She sat down, facing the view of the town, and he plopped down beside her.

“Thanks for this,” he said. “It’s pretty incredible.”

“You’re welcome.” She leaned her head against his shoulder, resting her hand on his thigh.

They sat like that for a long while, watching the world go by as the horses grazed behind them. The shade was cool even as the warm breeze blew past their faces, but Edmund could have sat there all day with Kris. Every now and then, they spoke about his childhood or hers, about cars and horses, but it never turned to money or his future at the companies his family owned. He relaxed, enjoying the refreshing conversation with a person who actually cared about him and what he wanted in life instead of what his parents wanted or what his money could do for him. That was all his other friends wanted to talk about, and he never realized how tired of it he was until that moment on the hill.

“We should probably head back,” she sighed.

“Might be a good idea,” he agreed, but neither of them moved. He rested his cheek against the top of her head and frowned. “Kris?”

“Yes, Ed?” she asked, and he heard the smile in her voice.

“Do you… uh, do you think maybe we could… that you might be interested…” He stumbled over his words and rolled his eyes heavenward for help. “Would you want to be in a relationship with me? More than we are now, I mean.”

The wind picked up, blowing across the hill as he waited anxiously for her reply. His hand curled in the dirt beside his leg, wondering if he should have said anything, but she pulled away from him, grinning brightly, and kissed his lips.

“All the time,” she replied. “But what happens when your car is fixed?”

He’d thought of that, too, and so far, no solid solution had presented itself. “I won’t disappear on you, I know that much.” Worry filled her hazel eyes, and he wanted to chase it away. She blinked, and it was gone.

“We’ll worry about it when it happens, I guess,” she said as she climbed to her feet.

The ride back down to the barn was filled with laughter as he told her stories of his time in the stables before the accident. Every time she smiled, it sparked a deep sense of belonging within Edmund that he never had with Jenny and knew he could not live without. No matter what happened after his car was fixed, he would find a way to be with Kris. She was the woman he wanted by his side, and if he had to disown his family to do it, then so be it.

“Have a good ride?” Mr. Fitz asked as they reached the barn and dismounted.

“Perfect,” Kris told him. “Judge did really well with Edmund.”

“Then I guess Edmund will have to visit more often,” Mr. Fitz said with a wink.

“I guess I will,” he agreed, but he wasn’t looking at the old man. He was looking at Kris, hoping she heard the truth in his words and saw the promise in his eyes.