He slides his hands down my back, stopping above my waistband. “May I?”
“Shouldn’t we be heading back?”
“We should. May I?”
“Yes.”
He slides his hands down my pants and underwear, each one cupping a butt cheek. He squeezes, making me harden against him. “Damn you, Finn. Stop hiding your best assets.”
“My brain is my best asset.”
“I’d say it’s a close second, or maybe a third if we consider each butt cheek separately. I think I prefer the right one a bit more.” He squeezes each one. “Hmm, maybe the left one.”
I’d better stop this before I leave a stain in my underwear. “We need to get to Rifle before it’s dark.”
He pulls his hands out and kisses me. “Fine.”
We hit the road shortly after and keep a steady pace throughout the day. Close to dusk, we finally spot structures in the distance. Rifle is surrounded by mountains and canyons, looking peaceful with the sprawling river behind it. The wall they set up for protection is eight feet tall, enough to make an attack challenging but not impossible.
Caden and Trey ride ahead to speak with the two guards by the gate. There’s a watchtower close by with another guard on duty.
“Finn,” Timothy says quietly from his pony, “I sense about two hundred people inside the town.”
“Okay. Why do you sound worried?”
“Didn’t you say there were three hundred people living here?”
I did.“I may have gotten the number wrong. Do you sense anything else?”
Before he can answer, Caden calls for us to come over.
The others ride ahead, and Timothy says, “I prefer to hide for the time being.”
He’s making me worried, but I trust his instincts. “Best do it fast.”
“Do you think we’ll be searched when we enter?”
“We’re from Unity. It will be an insult if they try.”And very telling.
Timothy slides down from his pony and climbs into the empty bag on the side of my horse. He can make himself smaller by wrapping his eight legs around his body, but my horse huffs in anger due to the added weight. I stroke her neck and nudge her forward until we join the others at the gate.
Caden watches the pony next to me, now without Timothy riding him. He glances at the bag next to my legs in confusion, but he doesn’t ask for an explanation with the guards close by.
We enter through the gate, and the town is noticeably quiet, although some people do stand around and watch us. I remember more hustle and bustle the last time I visited, thoughthat was in the morning. I search for the mayor’s familiar face but can’t find him.
“Welcome!” The man who walks toward us has messy dark hair and seems to be in his fifties. His teeth are more gray than white. “It’s an honor to have Hivers from Unity in our little town.”
“Where’s Ralph?” Caden asks.
“I’m afraid he lost the last election and decided to leave town. I’m doing my best to fill in his shoes.”
“A lie,” Timothy whispers from the bag.
I don’t need Timothy to tell me that, because this man’s crap is easy to smell. I try to catch Caden’s attention, but he’s sitting with his back to me. I watch the townsfolk until I notice a woman who tilts her head at the gate, as if signaling me to leave.
“Congratulations on your win,” Caden says.
“Thank you! Democracy is a beautiful thing. Now, I’m assuming you’d like a place to stay for the night. We have—”
