A hint of a dare lingered in the curl of his lip. I squared my shoulders and took a deep breath before grabbing the reins and putting my right foot in Ethan’s hands. He boosted me up, and Igrabbed the pommel and slipped my left foot into the stirrup. I swung my leg over Tank’s back and found my balance, trying not to look down at the ground. Ethan adjusted the stirrup length before practically vaulting into the saddle of his horse.
“We’ll start off walking until you’re more comfortable.” He nudged his horse forward, and I followed. The steady rhythm of Tank’s gait soon had me relaxing, though I still kept my gaze forward instead of down. Ethan pointed to our right at a bull swishing its tail in a pen. “That’s Havoc. You’ll want to steer clear of him. He’s a menace.”
“Why do you keep him?”
“He’s a great stud. Unfortunately, he hates people.” Ethan led us away from the bullpen. “We sometimes talk about selling him to the rodeo, but it’s not realistic. He was never trained to buck. He’s just plain mean.”
Ethan studied me as I rode. “You’ve got a good seat. Are you up to picking up the pace?”
My stomach flipped, but I stayed steady in the saddle, not wanting Tank to sense my unease. I moved my shoulders, readying myself for the speed change. “Bring it on.”
We moved first to a trot, Ethan guiding me through how to sit through the rougher gait. Though Tank’s trot was far smoother than I expected. Ethan didn’t stay long in the trot, quickly switching us over to a canter. The wind blew through my hair, making me feel cooler under the hot sun, and the smooth motion of the horse beneath me had me relaxing deeper into the saddle.
We rode to the top of a hill that overlooked where the cattle were. The herd of cows spread over the grassy pasture, and I noticed Declan and Luke were weaving among them on horseback. I looked at Ethan. “Am I keeping you from work?”
“My chores for today are done.” He waved at his brothers before turning his horse back the way we came. His horse sidled up next to Tank, close enough our legs were almost touching,and faced me. His hat shaded his face, but I could still see the deep brown of his eyes focused on me. “I get a bit of a pass since I just found my mate. They know it’s important for us to spend time together.”
“I still don’t know how I feel about that.” I decided honesty was the way to go. “It’s not at all what I expected.”
“Of course not. You’re human. I’ll give you all the time you need to get used to it. But I’ll also stay as close to you as you’ll let me.” Ethan tipped his hat back as he wiped his forehead where a thin layer of sweat had formed. “But for now, we should get out of the sun and cool down. I’d hate to see you burn.”
He led me back the way we came but veered off when we passed a tall rock formation. He just grinned when I asked where we were headed. A few minutes later, we stopped at a small pond surrounded by leafy trees. Ethan dismounted with ease, then came to help me down. I was glad he didn’t leave me to get down on my own, as my legs wobbled the second they hit the ground, my muscles screaming from the unusual activity.
His firm hands lingered on my waist, holding me steady. My fingers twitched as they rested on his biceps, lightly squeezing the powerful muscles. We stood close enough for the brim of his hat to shade both of us, making it feel like we were in our own little world that the outside couldn’t touch. I wanted to soak in the moment, savor this sensation that nothing else mattered besides him and me.
“Race you to the pond?”
“What?” My jaw dropped as he stepped back and yanked his shirt over his head, his hat tumbling forgotten to the ground. My mouth watered over the sight of his bare chest, my gaze wandering lower over his sculpted abs to the V that disappeared into his jeans. His fingers dropped to his belt buckle, and I reached out to stop him, my hands dangerously close to the bulge in his pants.
“What better way to cool down than to take a swim?” He raised a brow but stopped undressing, as if waiting for me to catch up.
“I’m not skinny-dipping with you.”
Despite the suspicion I had over his motives, my protest was weak, and he grinned a wide grin, his eyes sparkling with humor. “Unless you’re going commando, there’s no need to skinny-dip.”
My thoughts raced as I tried to remember what I was wearing under my clothes. I grimaced internally when I recalled the utilitarian bra and panties that were verging on granny underwear. I was torn between relief—the undergarments covered more than a bikini would—and disappointment that they would hardly inspire attraction. I told myself that was best, but my pride wanted Ethan’s eyes to fill with desire when he saw me.
I slid my gaze to the pond. After the lengthy ride, I was dusty, sweaty, and hot, and the cool water looked incredibly tempting. Tempting enough to have me reaching for the hem of my T-shirt. I toyed with it for a minute as I studied Ethan. He didn’t look away, the humor in his eyes morphing into a challenge, daring me to continue.
Before I could overthink it, I peeled my shirt off and kicked off my shoes. Ethan’s grin heated, and he kept his eyes trained on me as he undid his belt. We both pushed our pants down at the same time, our gazes locked.
I shouldn’t have worried about my underwear. Ethan’s boxers had little cartoon images of teddy bears wearing happy face T-shirts. He shrugged when I arched a brow. “Christmas present from Austin. They’re very comfortable.”
We stood there, stripped down to our undergarments, Ethan’s gaze as hot as I was sure mine was. He was a spectacular specimen, with massive muscles that somehow weren’t toomuch and bronzed skin that told me he wasn’t a stranger to spending time shirtless in the sun.
He held out his hand, and I took it. After lacing our fingers together, he tugged me toward the pond. Any idea of racing forgotten. The cool water lapped at my ankles as we waded in. It got deep fast, and I ducked my head under the surface. When I came up, Ethan was underwater. Then he slid up, moving closer to me. Water droplets fell from his hair as he raked it back with his free hand.
I bit my lower lip. Guests would flock to the dude ranch if they posted pictures of Ethan like this. Shirtless, with water dripping over his muscles. A suggestion I knew I would never make, as jealousy flared at the idea of women ogling my man.
My man.When did I start thinking of Ethan that way? I didn’t know, but it resonated with me. Everything else fell away; my grief, my guilt, my mistrust of men. Regret might come later, but right now, in this moment, I wanted to lay claim to him. To my man.
SIX
Ethan
Hannah’s gaze wandered over my skin, her lower lip caught between her teeth. She swayed closer, resting her hands on my chest. Her fingers against my bare skin had my heart racing. I slid my palms down her sides, past the plain bra that did nothing to cool my desire for her, to rest on her waist. My mate didn’t need fancy lingerie to turn me on. Though I wouldn’t object if she wanted to wear lace.
She stretched up, looping her hands around my neck and tugging me down to meet her. I didn’t resist. Couldn’t if I’d tried. Her lips were soft against mine. I kissed her back. The cool water of the pond should have calmed me, but if anything, I worried we might heat the water to the point of evaporating. The chemistry between us was so hot.
