“Are you going to do as you are told?” I challenge, secretly praying she doesn’t just so I can keep her here for a bit longer.
“Fine,” She concedes.
Turning her face up slightly, her lips meet the corner of mine.
“Well, can’t you be a good girl.” I reluctantly let her go, and turn back to the ATV, grinning as I hear her sharp intake of breath. I climb back on and wait for her to get on the back.
She’s slow, but at least she’s coming. When she’s behind me, I reach around and grab her arm, tugging it so she has it wrapped around my waist, and then I grab the other, pulling until I feel her body pressed up against mine, thighs on either side of me.
“Hold on,” I order and twist the throttle, taking us both into the cover of the trees where the dark seems impossibly fathomless. She tightens her arms, and I feel her press her cheek into my back, holding on as I take the winding trail through the woods. Her heart is thumping against me, and her nails are biting where they push into my abs.
I shouldn’t like the way it feels, the wayshefeels pushed up against me like this, but I do. My dick twitches at the feel of those nails, and it’s hard not to imagine what they’d feel like clawing down my back.
She’d leave marks, maybe even draw blood, and I know damn well I’d fucking love it.
I slow and then come to a stop at the pool, cutting the engine and the light, the inky water lapping at the sandy banks while the mountains loom over it. Niamh doesn’t hesitate to undress, despite the temperature and the darkness. She strips down to her bikini and, with the little light, I can just make out the curves on her, the dip at her waist and the flare of her hips.
I remain where I am, watching her wade into the water until she can no longer touch the bottom, and then she swims out to the center to the same spot she always goes. I can’t help but wonder what it is about swimming that has her coming back every morning. It’s like a ritual for her.
She swims until the light leaks over the mountains, and I stay, watching her the entire time. She eventuallyswims back to the shore, pulling the towel out of her bag.
“You should try it,” She says to me.
“Try what?” I watch her turn to face me, tucking the towel around her chest as she moves to her bag.
“Swimming.”
“It’s colder than hell in there,” I huff, “Absolutely not.”
“That’s the point.” A soft laugh sounds from her. “It’srefreshing.”
“No,” I shake my head, turning away when she starts to dry herself off. Out of the corner of my eye, I see her tugging on the strings of her bikini, freeing herself of the wet material, but she keeps that towel tight to her body. It doesn’t help that I’m picturing her naked body beneath it, or how I remember the way the water droplets rolled over her skin.
The ground is suddenly the most interesting thing between us, and I watch it like I could see a flower grow from the soil while she changes into her clothes.
Finally, she’s fully clothed again, and I’m able to release the breath I was holding.
“Can you give me a ride back?” She asks.
“Somewhere to be?” I press.
“I’ve got a gig at the bar tonight.” She throws her leg over the ATV, pressing into the back of me. “So don’t wait up. It’ll be a late one.”
I don’t answer her as I start it up and take her back to the house, parking the ATV in the barn. We both set off to get started for the day, but then several blurs of orange fluff dart across our path.
Niamh comes to a dead stop.
“Sweetheart?” I press.
“Kitty!” She cries, and I realize a moment later I’ve completely lost her.
Her knees hit the dirt, and she becomes overwhelmed by a whole litter of kittens, their little bodies launching themselves at her.
“Oh my gosh,” She cries, “You have cats!”
If I had known that would be the ticket to win her over, then I would have used it days ago, but no, it appears the cats have found her.
We have several on the ranch. They’re great pest control, and as much as we try, we aren’t able to sterilize every single one that chooses this ranch as their home. Feral cats have always come here. We try our best to ensure they are healthy and look after them, but some things are beyond our control. Just like the she cat finding a home in the barns and having seven kittens. She’s relatively new to the ranch and was already pregnant when she got here, so we just had to make sure she was comfortable and had a warm spot to have her kittens.
