Riley’s Downfall(52)

Hell Raiser whinnied and then took off out of the barn. Sterling held on tight, his legs locked against the horse, praying he didn’t fall off as the horse cleared the barn and took off toward the fields.

“Sterling!” Riley shouted and began to chase him on Warrior. “I’m going to kick your ass when I get a hold of you!”

Sterling grinned and then laughed, feeling the freedom all around him as Hell Raiser slowed to a canter. He looked behind him to see how close Riley was when he saw the horse’s tail high in the air.

Hell Raiser was showing off!

Sterling beamed as his mate approached.

“You have five seconds to dismount and take that beast back to the barn.” Riley growled out his words.

“But why?” Sterling protested with a slight pout to his lower lip. “He’s letting me ride him.”

“He’s too ornery.”

“So were you.” Sterling winked at his mate. “But I managed to tame you, didn’t I?”

Riley opened his mouth to speak and then closed it, studying Sterling for a second. He grinned. “I guess you did at that.”

“So, give me a chance on Hell Raiser.” Gods, he prayed his argument worked. Sterling had invested every free moment he had had in coaxing the horse into letting Sterling ride him. It would all be a waste if Riley made him take the horse back.

Riley rubbed his hand over his head and studied Sterling for a moment. Sterling held his breath. Riley’s expression was contemplative, and it looked like he was about to order Sterling to take the horse back. “Fine, but the first sign the horse is becoming unstable, you are off of him. Are we clear?”

Woo-hoo!

“Okay. Hell Raiser just did most of the work, and I learned the basics already. So show me what I don’t know,” Sterling said with a feeling of triumphant glee coursing through him.

“Who showed you the basics?” Riley asked.

“Oh, no. I’m not saying a word.”

Riley harrumphed. “One of these days Chauncey is going to make me strangle him.”

Sterling snickered and then loosely held both reins in his hands. “I’m ready for my lessons, sir.”



* * * *



Riley chuckled as he walked from the barn, their first lesson over. Sterling was standing by the corral, bending over the rungs as he petted a cow. Not only was Riley smiling more these days, but his heart felt lighter.

As Sterling would say, the stick was out of Riley’s ass.

“I have something you can pet,” Riley said as he wiggled his brows and palmed his cock through his pants.

Sterling glanced over his shoulder, his light-grey eyes filling with a smoldering heat that made Riley’s cock hard and heavy every damn time. He would never tire of his mate looking that way. It was a heated look that Riley prayed stayed on his mate’s face for the rest of their lives.

“Do you now, big boy?” Sterling asked seductively as he climbed down from the fence and started the sexy little saunter that Riley loved so much. He seriously doubted Sterling had a clue how sexy he was when he just walked across the yard. “Care to show me just what you had in mind?”

Fuck yeah!

“Come inside and I’ll do more than show you,” Riley teased as he began to walk backward, giving his mate a heated look that rivaled Sterling’s.

“And what do I get if I follow you inside?”

“A hard cock in your ass.”

“Mmm, I like the sound of that.”

“I left a blow job in our bedroom. Would you mind going to get it?”

Sterling stumbled for a second, righted himself, and then chuckled.

Not only had Riley grown, but so had Sterling. Riley had pulled his mate out of his shyness when it came to talking in bed and had no qualms about him chattering away. It was hot as hell, although half the time Sterling made absolutely no sense when in the throes of passion.

“Then come get some of this fat cock.” Riley grabbed his crotch and hitched his hips, feeling the anticipation coursing through his body as he licked his bottom lip.

“Fat what?” Pa asked as he stepped out onto the back porch. Riley felt his face heat up to the point he thought his skin was going to burn off. He was a grown man with a mate, yet Riley felt like a cub that had gotten caught stealing sweets from the pantry.

Sterling held a hand over his mouth, snickering.

“Uh…fat…” Shit. Riley couldn’t think quickly enough as the knowing sparkle danced in his pa’s eyes.

“Have fun.” Pa chuckled as he walked over toward the corral.

“Busted,” Sterling whispered teasingly.

Gods, Riley wanted to crawl under a damn rock somewhere. That had been embarrassing as hell. He grabbed his mate’s hand and took off inside the house, racing upstairs before he ran into his pa again. He just couldn’t face the man right now.