More than Exist(47)

“I don’t know…”

“Well, I do; now up you go.” He put one of my hands on the handle thing of the saddle, and the other on his shoulder, then put out his hand to give me a boost up. It wasn’t graceful, but I made it onto the horse, then lost my breath when he swung himself up effortlessly behind me.

As his thighs settled against mine and his muscular chest brushed against my back, I began to see the merit in his proposition. Still, when Skywalker started moving, I gripped that handle for dear life.

“Easy,” Luke murmured in my ear, causing a delicious tingle to travel through my body. “Don’t tense up. I’ve got you; just relax and let the horse do the work.”

After a while, I was lulled by the slow pace and the feel of Luke’s hard length pressed against me, and I felt some of the tension ease. It was actually kind of peaceful, trotting along under the heat of the sun, and I found myself enjoying everything about the moment.

We were traveling along a part of the property that I must not have discovered yet. Nothing looked familiar. And when the trees broke and we entered a clearing that showcased a sparkling pond with a walk-out dock and a couple rowboats, I wondered how many other secret discoveries awaited me on Luke’s land.

“It’s so beautiful!” I exclaimed, my voice filled with awe as I watched the water shimmer as if it were filled with diamonds.

“Once it’s really warm, we come out here all of the time. It’s Matty’s favorite place.”

“I can see why.”

We came to a stop and Luke hopped down, then offered his hands up to help lift me off the horse and to the ground.

Once we were both on our feet he said, “It’s probably still way too cold to swim, but I thought you might like to sit on the dock. Maybe put our feet in.”

I smiled up at Luke, taking in the shadows of his face under his cowboy hat, and was struck by how thoughtful he was. “That sounds wonderful.”

He surprised me by taking my hand in his and holding it as we walked down the dock, the wood creaking slightly with each step. I listened to the lap of the water hitting underneath, and let out a happy sigh as I let my senses take it all in.

We took off our shoes and I let out a sharp squeal when my feet hit the frigid water.

“Cold?” Luke asked with a chuckle.

I laughed off my high-pitched reaction and nodded.

“It definitely warms up in the summer, but always keeps a little chill, never getting too warm.”

We leaned back on our elbows and enjoyed our surroundings, Luke pointing out a few ducks as they landed on the far side of the pond.

“Are you happy here?” Luke asked softly.

“Yes, very,” I replied enthusiastically. “You have a wonderful home here, Luke. It’s so wonderful for you, your father, and Matty, that you get to do what you love every day and be with the people who matter the most. I’ve loved getting to know everyone, and honestly, being here has made me appreciate the simple things again … Staring up at the stars, making a meal for people I care about, even getting up on a horse for the first time.”

The last I said with a sweet smile, which he returned. I caught the intent in his eye before he made his move, but I didn’t tell him to stop or move away. I wanted him to kiss me.

Luke brought a hand up to cup my face tenderly, then moved it around to the back of my head and pulled me close, so our lips met halfway. It started soft, gently, probing … then I opened my mouth and offered myself to him. He immediately deepened the kiss, his lips branding mine as he eagerly acquainted his mouth with mine. I moaned softly in the back of my throat as he leaned in to me.

I allowed myself to fall back slowly, his hand coming up to cradle my head as it gently touched the ground. Luke followed my lead, his body leaning over mine, his hands coming to either side of my head, bracing his weight. I opened my legs, offering him an alternate place to put some of his weight, and fire exploded through me as he accepted that offer.

His hard, taut body nestled snuggly against me … We held nothing back. I felt alive. On fire. Fully in the moment and loving every second. I pushed my hands up, into Luke’s thick, silky hair, and I tugged slightly, causing him to groan and nip playfully at my bottom lip before sucking it in his mouth and scraping his teeth lightly as he let it loose.

He pulled up, both of us breathing raggedly, and placed his forehead against mine. His breath was coming in gasps, and even though I was affected the same way, I couldn’t help the grin of satisfaction that slid over my face. I liked that I made him feel that way. A little reckless, a lot turned on. It was the same way he made me feel.

“We should probably head back. Matty will be home soon,” Luke said, his voice still thick with need.