“One time, my stepmom caught us kissing in the barn while he was supposed to be providing care for a batch of new baby chicks. She never said anything to me or my dad about it, just backed away and pretended like she hadn’t noticed. That fall, when school restarted, I missed spending all day with him. I’d get off the bus and rush to find him in the stables or barn tomake out or sneak him into my room until one autumn day I got off the bus and found him kissing another woman next to an unfamiliar blue jeep parked in our driveway. When I saw them together, I froze. The woman was beautiful with long blonde hair, and bright blue eyes. I lifted my hand to wave to him, but he just stood there frozen and acted like he didn’t recognize me or know why I might be waving to him. The woman said hi and introduced herself as Harrison’swife, Kathleen Baker. I told her my name and forced a smile, then ran off inside. I wasn’t even embarrassed by the whole thing… I was hurt. I felt like I’d been cheated on when, in reality, his wife was the one being cheated on,with a minor.”
I lift my gaze and meet his, the intensity in his green eyes holds me still. Beneath the surface of his expression, I catch the flicker of anger—anger on my behalf—and a concern so deep it feels like a steady hum in the air between us. His fingers trail gently across the back of my hand before he takes it fully, his touch encouraging, patient.
“Damn, Teagan, I’m so sorry.”
I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. “For weeks later, I’d barely speak to anyone—not even Shawna. I cried a lot, felt completely wrecked by it all, and then, a few weeks passed and his internship with our vet ended. I watched him pack up and leave without so much as a goodbye.” I pause, the sting of that memory still fresh even after all these years. “I was furious. It was raining that day, pouring, but I was too mad to care. I snuck out to the stables and saddled up my horse. I’d ridden her in the rain before, but never bareback. Never when I was that upset.”
Wilder’s grip tightens slightly on my hand, grounding me and reminding me that I’m safe now.
“We took off through the fields,” I continue, my voice softer now. “The rain was blinding, coming down in sheets, but I didn’t stop. I wasn’t thinking straight. Then I slipped and fell—hard. I broke my arm and spent the next few weeks in a cast, stewing in a mixof anger, guilt, and heartbreak. It felt like the end of the world.”
I exhale deeply, reclining on my elbows as I let my gaze drift over the serene pond. The autumn of that year comes rushing back in vivid detail—the damp chill of the rain, the ache in my chest that only rivaled the pain in my arm. “But during those weeks, something shifted. I had so much time to think, to really sit with everything, and I finally realized none of what happened had been my fault. It was all on him—his choices, his actions. He took advantage of me. It took years, but eventually, I released myself from the guilt, from the blame.”
The words linger in the quiet that follows, carried away by the soft sounds of the pond. Wilder doesn’t fill the silence, doesn’t rush me by telling me what I already know. He just stays there, his presence steady, his hand still holding mine, gaze never leaving me.
Chapter 13 – Teagan
He’s been watching me the whole time I’ve been talking, his gaze steady, his expression solemn as he leans back on the blanket opposite me, finally releasing my hand. The sun has dipped lower now, painting the pond and the surrounding trees in a warm, golden glow. Dinner is finished, and while the story of what happened that Autumn and why I stopped riding doesn’t end there, I’m emotionally drained, the weight of sharing so much pressing down on me telling my nervous system to take a break. Wilder is the first person, aside from Shawna, that I’ve ever told this part of my story to.
“I haven’t been on a horse since that fall six years ago,” I admit softly, my fingers fidgeting with the edge of the blanket. “But I don’t think you can be a good vet if you’re afraid of the animals you’re treating. Getting back in the saddle with Daisy… it’s something I’ve wanted to do for years I’ve just told myself that I wasn’t ready yet. Riding her made me feel like I was ready to let go of the past and move forward into a better future.”
Wilder doesn’t speak right away. Instead, he leans forward slightly, brushing a stray strand of hair out of my face andtucking it behind my ear with a tenderness that sends a wave of warmth through me. His fingers linger there, cupping my cheek tenderly as he brushes one rough thumb across my jawline and down towards my lips.
“You’re stronger than you realize, Teagan,” he says, his voice low and sure. “That guy? He sounds like a manipulative asshole and a predator. And after what you went through, no one would blame you for being afraid of riding again. But the fact that you didn’t let it stop you? That you faced it head-on with Daisy yesterday? That shows real strength. You’re going to be one hell of a vet some day because you’re already one hell of a woman.”
His words hit deep, and I can’t help the small smile that creeps across my face. I don’t need validation to pursue my dreams, but hearing it from someone who only says what he means and doesn’t fill conversation with pleasantries and niceties? It feels good. It feels really good.
Wilder clears away the last remnants of our meal, scooting closer until he’s within arm’s reach. He grabs my hand, tugging me gently toward him. Before I can say anything, he curls his arm around my waist and tilts his face toward mine, pressing his lips to mine in a kiss that’s full of tenderness. He tugs on my hair slightly, angling my face upward as he deepens the kiss with unspoken words until we both pull apart, breathless.
“You taste like strawberries and wine,” I murmur, unable to hide the smile spreading across my lips. “I think I could kiss you forever, Wilder Cameron.”
“I think I’d like that,” he replies, his voice a little rougher this time, before his lips find mine again.
This kiss is more frantic, and I slide my hands up into his thick, brown hair, tugging gently before letting them drift down through the strong lines of his back. My fingers find the edge of his belt, and I don’t hesitate, unfastening it and tugging the zipper of his jeans down. He lifts his hips slightly, breaking the kiss just long enough to free himself.
Grasping his hard shaft in my hand, I can’t help the sharp breath I take. He’s thick and built like a rod, velvety smooth over steel, and the sheer size of him makes heat pool low in my stomach. Wilder groans softly against my lips as I stroke him deliberately, and remembering how it feels to have him sends shivers through my body.
His hands are on me now, sliding up under my dress, his fingers finding the edge of my panties. He pushes them aside, slipping one inside of me to test. I knew I was wet, but the sound he makes—a deep, guttural groan that vibrates against my lips—sends a new wave of heat rushing through me. The way he reacts, the way his body responds, has me aching for more.
“You just walking around out here soaked like this Teagan?” he asks against my lips.
“Only when I’m around you.”
He groans again, flips on top of me and pushes my dress up all the way before grabbing a condom from his discarded pants, tearing it open and rolling it down his length with a final snap to be sure it’s tight.
“Looks like a storm is coming, so we gotta be quick," his eyes look beyond me at the horizon behind us where dark grey storm clouds are rolling in.
When he settles between my legs, I feel his crown teasing at my entrance before he pushes in slowly, filling me completely. My body arches instinctively as he buries himself deeper, and the breath I’ve been holding escapes in a soft, shuddering sigh.
He adjusts, lifting my legs higher to angle himself, and then thrusts again—deep, deliberate, and unrelenting, his gaze locked on mine through every pump. His movements are urgent, like he’s unraveling with every stroke, his hands roaming over my body like he’s trying to memorize every curve, every reaction. For someone so quiet, Wilder is anything but reserved as a lover. His touch is commanding, his presence consuming, and the waymy body responds to him—every moan, every gasp—is enough noise to make up for both of us.
“Faster,” I beg, my voice breaking as his thumb finds my clit, pressing and circling in perfect rhythm with his deep, steady thrusts. He grinds into me, stretching and filling me completely, each stroke sending sparks of heat spiraling through my core.
I lift slightly, my abs tightening into a crunch as my orgasm builds from my clit and spreads to my core. It hits me hard, wave after wave of intensity stealing my breath, and his name tumbles from my lips like a prayer.
Wilder’s right behind me, his cock twitching as he stills inside me, buried to the core. He groans low and guttural, the sound vibrating against my skin as he releases, his warmth filling me completely.
“Fuck, Wilder…” I pant, my hands clutching his shoulders as I try to catch my breath. “God, this feels too good. Being with you, here, feels too good.” And I mean it in the most earth shattering, scaring the shit out of me way. My mind starts flipping through all the scenarios where this doesn’t have to end at the end of my extended weekend with my sister. Where we can somehow manage to do long distance while I’m away in school for the next four years. I feel like a ship being tossed in a sea of confusion because I’ve never felt this way about a man before and it’s terrifying.
