“Do you people ever sleep?” I ask incredulously, earning laughs from both men.
“Not much.” Louie hands the reins over to Josh. “See you on Monday, boss.”
“Up you go.” Josh lifts me easily onto Magic’s back, then swings himself up effortlessly.
“That was kind of hot.” I lean my head back so I can look up at him and smile.
“You’re easy to please, honey.” He kisses my cheek and urges Magic along, out of the barn and across the pasture.
The air is cool in the early morning and dew covers the tall grass brushing my feet. It smells clean, woodsy, as I take a deep breath and inhale it all, the forest ahead, the horse, and the sexy man curved behind me.
“Lean on me, baby. We have about a thirty-minute ride ahead of us.”
“Can I nap?”
“You do enjoy your sleep, don’t you?” he asks wryly.
“Doesn’t everyone?” I ask with a frown.
“Mmm.”
I lean back, my head resting on his shoulder, and he kisses my cheek, his arms wrapped loosely around my waist, the reins in his fists.
The rhythm of the horse soothes me, but I don’t sleep. We ride in silence, and as twilight breaks overhead, casting everything in gray and blue, Josh stops Magic near a tall maple tree in the middle of a field. The mountains are ahead, dark in shadow, and as we sit on the horse, Josh wrapped around me, the sun begins to rise, sending a riot of color down over the mountains.
Red, orange, and yellow bleed through the sky, interrupted only by a few white clouds.
“My grandmother,” Josh begins in a hushed voice, “used to bring me here very early in the morning, just like this. After my grandfather died, she brought me more often. I think she was lonely.”
I tilt my head back and watch him speak, enjoying the way he feels behind me.
“This is the best view of the sunrise in the world.” His eyes are trained on the mountains, watching as the whole world wakes up.
“But the best part”—he smiles down at me and guides Magic closer to the tree—“is right here. Look closely.”
He points to the trunk of the tree, where there are carvings. Three sets of old-fashioned hearts and initials are carved in the tree. At various heights.
“My great-grandparents”—he points to the set of initials highest on the tree. “My grandparents, and my parents.”
“No Zack and she-who-shall-not-be-named?” I ask sarcastically.
“No.” Josh shakes his head and glances down at me. “Z signed on with the army and they left pretty quickly after they got married.”
“It’s beautiful,” I murmur, looking at the weathered letters and hearts, and then back over at the sunrise. “This is amazing.”
“You are amazing,” he corrects me, and cups my cheek, pulling my lips to his. “I want to spend every sunrise with you, Carolina. Don’t go back to your house next week. Stay with me.”
“We’ve moved fast from the beginning,” I begin, but he shakes his head and frowns down at me.
“Tell me you were fine with sleeping alone last week.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Tell me you didn’t miss me.”
“I can’t do that either.”
“I need you here, baby.” He pushes my hair over my shoulder, his eyes soft and gentle. “I shouldn’t have let you go in the first place.”
“You didn’t let me go . . .”
“Yeah, I did. I’m not going to let it happen again.”
“I’m right here.” I snuggle against him and smile contentedly. “Let’s go home.”
“My pleasure.”
* * *
“Okay, I’ll say a word, and you say the first word that comes to mind.” We are sitting on Josh’s couch on Sunday afternoon, him in his sexy gray sweats that hang low on his hips, showing off his sexy V and defined abs and dark skin.
I want to lick him.
I’m in a tight tank and his short boxer-briefs, lying on the opposite side of the couch from him, my feet in his lap.
Those glorious hands of his are kneading the sole of my foot. I want to purr like a kitten.
“Uh, why?” he asks skeptically.
“We’re getting to know each other better.” I switch feet.
“I know you pretty well.” He offers me a playful smile and runs his hand up my calf.
“My head, not my body, perv,” I mutter dryly, making him laugh.
“Okay, shoot.”
“All right.” I settle back into the cushion, my hands on my belly, and watch him happily. “Tractor.”
“Field.” He’s watching his hands on my foot.
“Picture.”
“Frame,” he responds absently.
“Horse.”
“Friend.” I tilt my head and watch him carefully. He’s still looking down at my feet and legs, and enjoying giving me the massage. His voice is soft and relaxed, and his body is loose and stress-free.
“Cara.”
“Love.” I grin at him as he raises his eyes to mine before turning his gaze back down to my legs.
“Sex.”
“Cara.” His eyes find mine again, heating up now, and his hands tighten around my ankle. “My turn.”
“Okay.”
His hands glide up the side of my leg to my knee and back down again in long, fluid strokes. “Tree.”