I help prop her up against the hotel pillows before I lie on my side and slide myself until our pussies are flush so we’re both able to grind on each other. The first roll of my hips has Juniper gasping, clutching the sheets in her fist.
I’ve done this before and found it enjoyable, but it’s completely different with someone I’m in love with.
Juniper’s hand finds mine, and we interlace our fingers as we grind against each other, our hips finding a rhythm that has us both moaning. Stars burst behind my eyelids as pleasure builds behind my hips. The glide against each other is easy with how wet we both are.
“Fuck, sunshine,” I grunt breathlessly, propping myself on my elbow so I can watch her come undone. “Your pussy feels so damn good. Tell me you’re close.”
“I’m close, please don’t stop,” she whines, her hips starting to falter.
“Never going to stop. Gonna do this for the rest of my life. Fuck, I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Those words slipping from her mouth do me in, and she must feel the same because we come at the same time. Her head tips back, and she moans my name, fingers holding mine in a death grip as shecomes.
When the wave of the orgasm subsides, I move so I’m spooning her from behind. My thighs are sticky from the residue of our orgasms, but I can’t find it in me to want to move to get cleaned up.
Juniper moves to sit up, but I keep her lying down. “Give me a second to hold you first. Then we can get cleaned up.”
“Okay.” She sighs, sounding happy and content, matching the way I feel.
Chapter 31
The motel showerwasn’t big enough for both of us, so after taking turns in the bathroom, we’re in the other clean bed, snuggled up, relishing being together again.
My head rests on her chest, listening to the comfortingthump, thump, thumpof her heart as her fingers gently twist a strand of my hair over and over.
All the emotions from the day crash through me at once, and tears spring to my eyes. I try to hold them back, try to keep them from falling, because I don’t want to ruin the peacefulness surrounding us.
Watching Addison race was nerve-racking. I’ve watched barrel racing before, but knowing it was her first time after so long had my stomach in a knot. She was beautiful out there, her face fixed into a determined scowl, her body following every move Athena made.
When her run was over, I didn't think twice before rushing out of the stands and seeking out her familiar truck and trailer. I had a whole speech planned, but everything I’d memorized evaporated when I saw her up close after so long. I’m surprised I was able to speak at all.
Thankfully, she didn’t reject me. I’d prepared for that scenario with Colleen, just in case, but nothing could have made me ready for the wave of relief that washed over me when she told me she hadn’t moved on.
It’s useless to try to hold my tears at bay. One slips down, landing on her skin.
Addison’s body immediately tenses, and she sits up, concern painted all over her face. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m overwhelmed with everything. They’re mostly happy tears, I promise. I just—” I let out a shaky breath. “I don’t know where we go from here. I was going to wait until tomorrow to talk to you, but I’m antsy.”
“It’s okay to be overwhelmed. It’s been a whirlwind of a day for both of us. You can talk to me now, if that’ll help ease some of your anxiety.”
I sit up, using the sheet to cover my body. I probably shouldn’t be talking business in my birthday suit, but desperate times, I guess.
“Let me preface by saying, I know you love traveling and competing, and I’d never ask you to give that up. Like I said earlier, I can’t promise I’ll be able to come with you to every event, but I’ll try to make it to as many as I can.” I clear my throat. “Daddy came to me last month with plans to build an indoor arena. He’s working on the permits now, and by next spring, he hopes to have it completed and ready to open as a training facility.
“He was hoping—wewere hoping—you’d agree to come teach barrel racing and riding lessons when it’s completed. We haven’t fleshed out a salary or?—”
“Yes.”
“I haven’t even finished my spiel.”
“Juniper, you could pay me ten cents an hour and I’d still agree. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking while training Athena, and I’ve realized that, while yes, I’ll always love barrel racing, there are more important things in life. My goals have changed. Maybe I’llenter some rodeos for the hell of it, but I don’t want to do it forever. I loved teaching the riders over the summer and helping the kids when I was back in Nevada. I was planning to look at jobs around Copper Creek so I could be closer to you. These past seven months have given me the opportunity to think about what I really want.”
“What do you really want?” I want to hear it laid out for me. I need to know she’s not saying this just because of me or my anxiety.
“I want to teach. I love watching the moment somethingclicksand they find their stride. I want to wake up and have coffee with you in the mornings, then listen to you talk about your day after dinner. I want to watch you paint and hold your hand through the good and the bad days. I want to take you out dancing at The Mule and get to know your friends better. I want to put a ring on your finger and say our vows among the wildflowers.”
