Joel patted her leg. “You are doing great. Loosen up, though. If you sit like that for any length of time, you’ll be so sore at the end of the ride you’ll be walking funny.”

“Loosen up?” Vicki stared at her hands, at the saddle under her fingers. She had a hold on the leather, but she wasn’t white-knuckling it anymore. “I think this is about as loose as you’re going to get.”

He kept Trigger moving forward, but shifted closer. He slid his hand up her thigh. “No, I think you can do better.”

No bloody way. “Joel Coleman, if you’re going to start something sexual, you can fuck right off.”

His eyes widened. “Okay, you’re still a little stressed.”

“You think?”

Joel laughed. “I’m not headed for any intimate parts, darling. Trust me.”

That was the problem. She did trust him, and yet was it enough? “Don’t push me too hard. I’m going to break.”

He soothed her, and Trigger at the same time for all she knew, the sound stroking her, but it was too late. Tension had flooded in. Her heart rate had increased, and she really didn’t want to be there anymore.

Like some miracle worker he read her mind. “Come here.”

He opened his arms and she leaned over, clutched his neck and allowed him to pull her from the horse. He cradled her with one hand, pausing only to loop Trigger’s lead rope over a hook before carrying her out of the round pen.

Foolish regret washed over her in a wave. “Damn it, I was doing so well.”

“You are amazing. You got up on the back of a horse. All by yourself. That calls for a celebration.”

“More moonshine shots?”

He snorted. “Not likely. I think I mentioned something else.”

Vicki stared into his face as he carried her to the side of the barn. His eyes sparkled with mischief, his muscles tense under her fingers. “What are you planning…? Oh, you’re not serious.”

She caught hold tighter as he eased her between his body and the ladder fixed vertically to the wall. “The lesson isn’t finished.”

“Oh God, you’re insane.” The idiot went straight up the ladder and into the hayloft, carrying her body weight as well as his own as if she were a feather.

The lighting was thinner up here, no bright fluorescent bulbs overhead. Joel nuzzled her neck as he brought her to where the bales were stacked unevenly, a little bench all ready for him. He sat with her still in his arms, her knees ending up straddling him. “Stand up.”

“You just left Trigger loose in the arena. Saddled and bridled.”

He undid her jeans and tugged them off her hips. “You’re not listening to me.”

“You abandoned your horse.” Oh Lord, what was he up to? She caught his shoulders for balance as he pulled the fabric off one foot, then the other.

“Trigger will hang out until we’re done. It’s like saddle training them when they’re younger.”

Her fingers moved of their own accord and slipped through his soft hair. “Joel?”

He ran his hands over her naked hips, gaze lingering for a moment on her pussy before he met her eyes. “I want you.”

God. If only. Vicki batted down the emotions and slapped her brain until it was focused on nothing but the physical side of that comment. “I’m yours.”

If she’d expected him to go slow, she’d have lost the bet. He jerked her forward and covered her with his mouth, tongue dipping between her folds. His fingers gripped her ass cheeks as he squeezed and played, that damn talented tongue lapping her entire length before stopping to torment her clit.

She dug her hands into his hair and held on tight.

Enthusiasm he had in spades, no doubt about that, eating greedily, driving her crazy. One hand snuck around her hip, caressing her skin until a finger pressed into her, and she groaned out his name.

“You like this, hmm?” He pumped slowly, stroking the most sensitive spots inside, and her legs quivered. Another flurry of his tongue over her clit, and the first orgasm hit, her sheath clutching at the two digits he now spread her on. “Oh, darling, yeah. That’s the way. Cream on my fingers. Mmm, you taste good.”

She wanted him to shut up and get his tongue back on her, but the words were driving her as much as his touch. “Don’t stop.”

Begging. Begging for more, more than he could even know.

He licked and nibbled until she was ready to scream, the constant thrust into her sex flinging her closer to the edge so rapidly she couldn’t breathe. When he pulled his fingers free, she muttered unhappily.

“You just wait, I’m going to fill you up pretty good with something else.” He fumbled at his groin, and she peered down to see he had already rolled on a condom, his thick cock rising from his open pants.

“Hell, yeah.” Vicki dropped into his lap and speared herself on his erection, her head falling back in ecstasy as he stretched her wide. “Oh God, Joel.”

He caught her hips in his hands and rocked her up and down, the wide head of his shaft creating the perfect internal caress. “That’s it. Move over me. Use your thighs. Fuck, that’s good.”

Vicki leaned in and took his lips, the taste of what he’d been doing a moment earlier lingering on his tongue as he helped her fuck herself on his cock. All the way up until he’d nearly break free, then a hard plunge down, her body undulating over him.

He hummed against her lips. “Only thing that would make this better would you being butt-naked, those tits swinging every time you ride.”

Vicki closed her eyes and gripped his shoulders tighter. “Some other time.”

“Nice and smooth, right, feel these muscles?” He stroked her ass, her lower back, returning to massage her butt as he helped carry her weight. “Feel how relaxed you are? That’s the way to ride. Everything moving and easy.”

A stream of laughter bubbled up. “Joel Coleman, is this a riding lesson?”

He nuzzled her neck and brought their bodies closer, dragging a hand between them to tease her clit as he fucked deeper into her body. “Ride your cowboy, darling. Make it good.”

Pleasure broke and she couldn’t do more than gasp, words eluding her as her body caught hold of his cock and tore his orgasm free as well. Joel squeezed his eyes shut, and she stared into his face as he came, all control gone in that moment, nothing but the physical delight they’d shared.

The face of the man she’d fallen in love with.

A loud slam broke from the right, sunshine flooding over them as the hayloft doors swung wide to the cold bright day.

“Shit.” Joel jerked her jeans around her, attempting to cover her naked ass as Jesse stared at them from beside the open doors.

He took in their position, not giving them any privacy. His expression made it clear he was pissed.

“You mind?” Joel called.

“I’m doing my bloody work. Shouldn’t have to give a warning call before I walk into the damn barn. Just…” Jesse grabbed a bale and tossed it through the opening, “…fuck each other blind for all I care, but do it in the goddamn trailer. I’m moving out. You can have it to yourself and stop providing free shows for everyone in the family. Unless that’s part of what turns you on.”

He didn’t give them a minute alone. Vicki waited until his back was briefly turned so she could clamber off and race around the corner, hiding behind the bales as she scrambled to straighten her underwear and jeans. It was like some weird nightmare she couldn’t wake from.

“You’re moving out?” Joel repeated.

“Steve and Trevor have room for me in their place.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I think I do,” Jesse snapped. “I don’t want to talk about it. The decision is made.”

Vicki died a little more inside. She might not like Jesse very much, but this was her fault as well, coming between the brothers. Another part of why staying in Rocky wasn’t a good thing.

Joel stepped into view and looked her over. “You okay?”

“Embarrassed,” she whispered. It wasn’t how she wanted this session to end. And it certainly wasn’t how she wanted Joel and Jesse to end, either.

Joel held out a hand, wrapping his fingers around hers and tugging her to his body. He kissed the top of her head. “Don’t be. Honestly.”

“Yeah, don’t be embarrassed,” Jesse cut in. “It’s not as if I’ve never seen ass—”

“Fuck off, Jesse,” Joel ordered.

The slam of another bale smacking into the bed of the pickup truck below rang like a warning klaxon in the silence that followed. Jesse glanced over one final time, then deliberately turned his back and returned to dropping bales.

Joel led her to the ladder and went down first. Vicki glanced over her shoulder to see Jesse staring after her, anger in his eyes, frustration and…a touch of sadness?

She swallowed hard and faced the wall. It wasn’t her place to make him happy. In fact, she couldn’t understand how the two brothers had turned out to be so different from each other. Guilt poked her even as she admitted she wanted nothing further to do with Jesse.

If she weren’t in the picture, would they be able to patch things up?

Falling in love wasn’t supposed to hurt this hard.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Twenty-one candles crowded the surface of the cake. Vicki stared, not so much in shock at the number of them, but at the entire celebration raging around her.

The Colemans had insisted on hosting her a birthday party.

“You need help?” Robbie leaned harder against her leg. He’d basically jumped her the moment she and Joel had walked into the big ranch house. Joel raised a brow, but said nothing when Robbie determinedly separated their linked fingers so he could take control and tug Vicki off.

And now, after the meal was over, she still had a cling-on by her side.

“I can help, if you’d like. I’m a good candle blower-outer.”

Beth laid a hand on her son’s shoulder. “Let Vicki have some of the fun, okay?”

“I don’t mind.” Vicki smiled at the little guy. She stopped herself before sharing she’d never blown out candles before, deciding last second her lack of experience wasn’t worth bringing up. She was getting the chance now, no matter that the occasion was bittersweet.

She’d done it, Joel and her. She still didn’t love the beasties, but she was comfortable enough around horses to survive the summer.

She left in just over two weeks.

Little fingers poked her arm. “You making a wish or somethin’?”

Vicki nodded. “I am. You ready to help me?”

Beth caught Robbie as he shoved himself too far forward. “Whoa there, mister, you don’t need to be kissing the cake to do your job.”

Laughter curled around the clan, and in spite of not having made a wish, Vicki leaned forward and blew.

Besides, there was only one wish in her heart these days.

The enthusiastic helper at her side probably took out most of the skinny candles, but she did see a couple flames waver and extinguish after she aimed their direction. All except one, which flickered then roared back to full potency.

She drew a breath to try again then paused, surprised by the chorus of whistles and catcalls that broke out. Lots of grinning faces greeted her, Joel being jabbed in the ribs good-naturedly by Blake.

What the heck?

One quick tug and she had Robbie’s full attention. “Why are they laughing?”

He pointed his finger at the still-burning candle. “You missed one. That means you got a boyfriend.”

Her gaze shot to meet Joel’s, and he smiled, sweet and sexy at the same time. Her heart broke a tiny bit further even as she soaked in the experience.

“Well,” she said to the group at large. “I guess I do.”

Cake and ice cream consumed, the crowd sauntered outside to take in the fresh spring air.

“Thankfully the winter was short.” Hope leaned her elbows on the railing and watched the nephews kick a soccer ball around the yard. Nearby, Blake and Jaxi’s nearly two-year-old twins were pretending to be horses, whinnying and pawing the ground with their feet. “Damn, those kids are cute. There should be a law against it.”

“Makes you want some of your own?” Vicki wasn’t ready for kids, no matter how cute they were.

Hope shrugged. “I think I’m immune for a few years. There’s still a lot of things Matt and I want to do before we start a family, especially with the shop finally making some money instead of sucking my savings dry.”

“Kids are fun, but yeah, not something to rush into.” Jaxi stroked the soft curls of the baby held against her chest in a cotton hammock contraption.