After teaching Addison how to properly saddle and prepare a horse for riding, Gage left Ace in his stall while he led out Abby by the reins. The horse slowly trotted out, calm as ever, while Addison looked more nervous than ever.

“Abby will take great care of you, don’t worry,” he said.

Leading the horse outside, he tied the reins around a post there, and gestured for Addison to come closer. The chill in the air had put a beautiful flush on her cheeks, and now that she wasn’t wearing make-up, he could see a small smattering of freckles on the bridge of her nose.

She looked absolutely adorable, but she also didn’t strike him as a woman who would take that as a compliment, so he kept it to himself. Adjusting her scarf and buttoning up the front of her coat, she put on a brave face as she walked to his side.

“Okay, okay,” she muttered to herself, puffing out a breath.

“Now, you just put your foot in the stirrup right here,” Gage said, patting Abby’s side as he touched the cool metal hanging off the saddle. “And push yourself up. I’ll help you if you get stuck.”

“You better,” she replied, eyeing both him and Abby warily. “Here goes nothing,” she added a moment later, hooking her left foot in the stirrup.

Smiling to himself, Gage watched her heave herself up. It was clear she was out of her comfort zone, but she was willing to give it a shot anyway. Was that just who she was, or was she doing it for him? A selfish part of him wished it was the latter.

“This… horse… is… tall,” Addison huffed, struggling to get her other leg over the saddle.

“Okay, just…” he started to say, just as she lost her balance altogether and tumbled back the way she came.

Her foot still caught in the stirrup, she flailed around, but he was close, and easily caught her in his arms. Scooping her up, he tugged her foot free, as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

This was the closest he had ever been to her. The scent of her skin was stronger than ever, and her face only inches away from his as her weight rested on his arms. Time seemed to stand sill as he held her gaze, listening to her heart beat faster and faster.

All he had to do was lean in, and he would get his first taste of her. His mate. The bear inside of him let out a purr at that thought, confirming what he had already come to know. The idea of actually finding her made him hesitate, letting the moment pass.

Addison cleared her throat, the flush on her cheeks deeper than before.

“I think I’m safe now,” she said with a slow smile.

“Right,” he replied, easing her down to the ground. “Want to try again?”

“Sure,” Addison shrugged. “Now that I know you’ll catch me,” she grinned.

“You can count on it,” Gage replied.

* * *

“You’re a natural,” Gage said, as he and Addison led the horses along the edge of the property.

Here, grass gave way to trees, and wilderness encroached on his neatly maintained land. Tall pines shot up as the terrain slowly turned mountainous, with a small lake glimmering in the distance.

Gage knew every inch of the place, but Addison was just taking it in, her gaze wandering around as she gripped Abby’s reins tightly in her hands.

“Don’t lie,” she chided, a smile tugging at her lips.

“Well, you’re still on the horse, aren’t you?” he countered.

“And that’s being a natural?” she scoffed.

“All right so maybe I embellished a bit,” he shrugged. “But really, you’re doing great. You’re not so stiff anymore, you let your body move with the motion.”

“Did you grow up around horses?” she asked.

“My mom loved them,” he replied. “I used to ride Abby there when I was a kid. Ace is a newer addition. I’m just used to having them around, I think.”

“And your dad?” Addison gently prodded.

“He used to say mom loved the horses more than him,” Gage laughed. “It was just a joke, of course. Those two were total lovebirds until the very end.”

Enough time had passed that he was able to say that with a smile. His parents had had a full, happy life together, and in the end, wasn’t that all anyone could hope for? They gave him and Reid a happy childhood, and Gage would always be grateful for that, and keep those good times in his heart.

The ranch was his parents’ legacy. Taking care of it was his way of staying close to them, and honoring their memory.

“I’m sorry that you lost them,” Addison said quietly.

“Thank you,” he replied. “It’s been years since they passed. They loved this ranch, built it from the ground up. I’m doing my best to make them proud.”

“Well, I know very little about ranches, but to me you seem to be doing a great job,” Addison smiled at him as they reached the lake.

Hopping off Ace, Gage led both horses to the water before helping Addison dismount. She held his hand as she carefully slid off the saddle, looking proud of herself.

“I didn’t fall this time,” she said.

“Is it bad that I kind of wanted to catch you again?” he asked.

The question seemed to take her by surprise, and even Gage wasn’t sure what made him so candid. Of course he already knew Addison was the one for him, but to her, he was still pretty much a stranger. And one that might not have made the best impression so far.

He still regretted the way he had walked out of dinner, and that he had let Reid get to him. It was difficult, adjusting to having his brother around again. But Gage vowed to get a better handle of his emotions when it came to Reid.

“I could climb back up and try it again,” Addison said, a hint of a smile on her lips. “The not falling was probably a one-time fluke, anyway.”

Gage arched a brow at her, a grin tugging at his mouth. So he wasn’t just imagining the fact she was interested in him, too. He had let the moment pass before, but he wasn’t about to make the same mistake twice.

Stepping closer, he took his time approaching her as the horses lapped at the crystal clear water behind them, their tails swishing back and forth. His gaze locked with Addison’s, he slid his hand around her hip and to her lower back, pulling her closer.

She took in an uneven breath as their bodies bumped together, the pure, unadulterated chemistry between them crackling in the air. In one smooth motion, he dipped down to hook his arm behind her knees, lifting her up.

Just as before, she wrapped her arms around his neck, but more purposefully this time. Breathing each other in, it was Gage who slowly bent his face to hers, nuzzling her as their lips brushed together.

He took his time, teasing her with small kisses, enjoying the way her body responded. Her arms tightened around his neck, her lips parting for him as he deepened the kiss, losing himself in the moment.

It was sweet and tentative at first, with both of them taking it slow. But with his need for her growing with every passing second, the kiss soon turned demanding and urgent, with Addison letting out a soft, moaning sigh that drove him wild.

He didn’t even realize when or how it had happened, but suddenly Addison’s legs were wrapped around his hips, with his hands firmly on her full, round ass. His bear going wild inside him, Gage drowned himself in the kiss, reveling in the way Addison’s body rubbed against his as they lost all sense of place and time.

When they finally pulled apart, Addison was panting, her lips red and swollen, and he was already rock hard. As if coming out of a trance, Addison glanced around, her cheeks reddening. Biting her lip, she gave him an embarrassed smile, her hands still firmly locked behind his neck.

“Oops,” she said, her voice still breathless.

“All part of the tour, ma’am,” Gage smirked.

Letting out a laugh, she swatted him on the shoulder.

“Oh really? This is the standard package?” she cocked a brow at him.

“Deluxe,” he smirked, getting an eye-roll in response.

“We should probably be getting back,” she commented, sighing to herself. “I promised to look over some decrees and other paperwork for Reid.”

The mention of his brother should have been like a cold shower for Gage, but with Addison still wrapped around him, all he could think of was how he already needed to kiss her again.

Just his luck that they were stuck on this ranch together, with plenty of opportunities to enjoy each other’s company. And he for one was going to take advantage of every single one of them.