blinked slowly, her eyes speaking to him that she was okay. “Hopper therapy worked.”
He chuckled. He was glad Autumn’s pet helped; yet, giving credit to an animal put him in his place like a gut punch. Give her time . “Good.” Several long beats passed with them staring at each other.
“I haven’t been to the barn,” she said into the void. She patted Thor’s neck, moved up to his shoulder until she rubbed his head. “You’re a sweetheart,” she spoke softly next to his ear, her hands stroking his long mane and making Bradley envious. “Such a good boy.”
He cleared his throat and thought about training before her low purr had him walking bow-legged. “Care to explain?”
“Let’s go.” She patted her leg as if she called a dog. Thor followed! Dagnabit, if this didn’t beat all. Bradley walked on the outside of her, just in case things got out of hand. After a few laps around the ring with Thor obeying like an obedient child, he quickened his pace and moved ahead a few steps. Cadence put the back of her hand against his chest, and Thor slowed.
A miracle, a flat out miracle that she possessed this much control over her stallion. Thor nodded his head, as if he read Bradley’s thoughts, and answered, “Of course she did.” The power of the moment floored him, and he gazed at the white clouds to gain control.
Several laps later, Cadence stopped in front of the barn. After giving Thor the hand gesture to stay, she disappeared inside. Bradley followed her to the supply cabinet tucked in the corner. From behind a bucket of treats, she removed a cluster of bananas, peeled one, and went back out to feed it to Thor.
“That’s how you did it? You snuck in here, and befriended the stallion with bananas?”
“I did.” A huge smile stretched across her lips, and her eyes glistened with life. Darn she was a beautiful sight. He wanted a taste of her, to give her the kind of kiss that would have her only wanting him.
“You’re staring.” As if Thor understood, he lifted his head and eyed him.
“I can’t seem to help myself.” The air sparked between them, clogging his throat as a more powerful fervor jolted through him, and tightened his chest and erection. His balls ached, but he wouldn’t act on what his body wanted, not until he was sure of her mind and heart.
“Don’t just stare, Bradley.” On his name, her voice dropped an octave. A few encouraging words, and he leapt. He ignored the fear prickling his nerves that this was too soon, that she wasn’t ready.
****
The distance between Cadence and Bradley evaporated. It was anyone’s guess who’d move first. Mouths, lips, and tongues mingled while hands jockeyed for position, touching and caressing each other’s arms, necks, and faces. She clutched onto his chest, and balled his shirt in her hands. Her nipples pebbled wanting the same attention, but Bradley didn’t touch her anywhere intimate. She didn’t like it yet understood. By coming out of her shell, she showed him she made progress. In time, he would trust her actions and believe in her, just like Thor did. The secret training she did with her stallion would be tested when she scratched off the last item in her bucket list. The thought of what was yet to come excited her.
Her and Bradley’s conversation the first night he slept with her had blown her away, and her view of life changed. Right after he left the room to tend to Thor, she lay in bed, remembering how things were before the accident. She tried to pinpoint why she had grown so depressed but came up empty. Depression didn’t necessarily have to have a reason. Losing a child was an excuse in itself. Now that her world felt lighter, brighter, it seemed like something else had made it worse, forced it to deepen, and made it harder for her to get through. Why did the ugly, dark, hopeless feeling go away now?
Deep in her head, she hadn’t realized he’d stopped kissing her. “Huh?”
“I didn’t say
He chuckled. He was glad Autumn’s pet helped; yet, giving credit to an animal put him in his place like a gut punch. Give her time . “Good.” Several long beats passed with them staring at each other.
“I haven’t been to the barn,” she said into the void. She patted Thor’s neck, moved up to his shoulder until she rubbed his head. “You’re a sweetheart,” she spoke softly next to his ear, her hands stroking his long mane and making Bradley envious. “Such a good boy.”
He cleared his throat and thought about training before her low purr had him walking bow-legged. “Care to explain?”
“Let’s go.” She patted her leg as if she called a dog. Thor followed! Dagnabit, if this didn’t beat all. Bradley walked on the outside of her, just in case things got out of hand. After a few laps around the ring with Thor obeying like an obedient child, he quickened his pace and moved ahead a few steps. Cadence put the back of her hand against his chest, and Thor slowed.
A miracle, a flat out miracle that she possessed this much control over her stallion. Thor nodded his head, as if he read Bradley’s thoughts, and answered, “Of course she did.” The power of the moment floored him, and he gazed at the white clouds to gain control.
Several laps later, Cadence stopped in front of the barn. After giving Thor the hand gesture to stay, she disappeared inside. Bradley followed her to the supply cabinet tucked in the corner. From behind a bucket of treats, she removed a cluster of bananas, peeled one, and went back out to feed it to Thor.
“That’s how you did it? You snuck in here, and befriended the stallion with bananas?”
“I did.” A huge smile stretched across her lips, and her eyes glistened with life. Darn she was a beautiful sight. He wanted a taste of her, to give her the kind of kiss that would have her only wanting him.
“You’re staring.” As if Thor understood, he lifted his head and eyed him.
“I can’t seem to help myself.” The air sparked between them, clogging his throat as a more powerful fervor jolted through him, and tightened his chest and erection. His balls ached, but he wouldn’t act on what his body wanted, not until he was sure of her mind and heart.
“Don’t just stare, Bradley.” On his name, her voice dropped an octave. A few encouraging words, and he leapt. He ignored the fear prickling his nerves that this was too soon, that she wasn’t ready.
****
The distance between Cadence and Bradley evaporated. It was anyone’s guess who’d move first. Mouths, lips, and tongues mingled while hands jockeyed for position, touching and caressing each other’s arms, necks, and faces. She clutched onto his chest, and balled his shirt in her hands. Her nipples pebbled wanting the same attention, but Bradley didn’t touch her anywhere intimate. She didn’t like it yet understood. By coming out of her shell, she showed him she made progress. In time, he would trust her actions and believe in her, just like Thor did. The secret training she did with her stallion would be tested when she scratched off the last item in her bucket list. The thought of what was yet to come excited her.
Her and Bradley’s conversation the first night he slept with her had blown her away, and her view of life changed. Right after he left the room to tend to Thor, she lay in bed, remembering how things were before the accident. She tried to pinpoint why she had grown so depressed but came up empty. Depression didn’t necessarily have to have a reason. Losing a child was an excuse in itself. Now that her world felt lighter, brighter, it seemed like something else had made it worse, forced it to deepen, and made it harder for her to get through. Why did the ugly, dark, hopeless feeling go away now?
Deep in her head, she hadn’t realized he’d stopped kissing her. “Huh?”
“I didn’t say
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