Page 30 of Rough Riding Orc Cowboy

I was beginning to suspect I did. He wasn't pushing or even trying to win me, yet he was. I wanted to chatwith him all the time; get to know everything about him. Share my hopes for my future and find out what he'd always dreamed of doing.

But I'd only be with him for one week. I wasn't even sure where I'd go after that, and I hated that I might need to take him up on his offer of gold nuggets. I'd escaped, but I was woefully unprepared to support myself. If I wasn't careful, Bradley and my father would catch me. I'd never find a way free after that.

Ruugar walked a slow circle around Barg, looking at me and my position from all angles. “Loosen your grip,” he said, his gaze focused on my hands. “He'll respond better that way. If you squeeze your legs too tight, your body will stiffen. It also makes it harder to stay balanced.”

I made myself relax, even if it was only a little.

Ruugar nodded. “Good girl.”

Oh, my. My face flamed. Could I get him to say that again?

Oblivious to my floundering heart and racing libido, he turned toward the house. “Let me grab our things, and we’ll go.”

I remained where I was, partly because I had no idea how to get down, but mostly because I was beginning to think this wouldn't be too bad.

The saddle creaked beneath me as Barg shifted his claws, huffing out a slow breath. Everything about the beast shouted patience. Maybe I’d gotten lucky or maybe this was a sorhox in general. Ebar didn't seem too concerned about anything either outside of theflies. He glanced at Barg every now and then but mostly stared at the ground.

Ruugar returned quickly, our bags slung over his shoulder. He hooked them on a small spike between Ebar’s shoulder blades, shortening the straps. After, he leaped up onto the beast's back, settling easily.

After studying my posture and the way I held the reins, he nodded. “All set?”

I smiled bravely.

“Good girl,” he said, and okay, this time I swooned. I’d never thought I had a praise kink, but I was reevaluating that notion right now.

With a gentle nudge of Ruugar’s heel, Ebar turned around and started forward, his clawed hooves kicking up small clouds of dirt.

I pressed my boots into Barg’s sides—gently. He didn’t move.

Ruugar paused Ebar and glanced back.

I gave Barg’s sides a little more heel pressure.

The beast rumbled but finally started moving, turning and pacing toward Ebar.

As we left the house behind and stepped out onto the main road, meandering along a wide path on the right side of the pavement, I focused on not gripping the reins too tightly, on not doing anything with my boots that might spook Barg. I let him move without interfering. His gait was smoother than I'd expected, rolling but not jarring. After a few minutes, some of the tension drained from my shoulders.

Ruugar sent a quick look back at me. “Everything alright?”

“I think I’m getting good at this.” Ha ha, sure.

“You are,” he said with a tusky grin that made my insides flip over.

We rode on, the wind carrying the scent of wildflowers and grass. Barg felt solid beneath me, his strength something I didn’t have to question. The farther we rode, the more I felt something tightening in my chest. A different kind of trap, one I was building for myself.

I couldn't stay here long. If I let myself think about wanting to after the week was up, it would only hurt more when I had to leave.

With a roll of my shoulders, I tried to loosen my grip on the reins. Focusing on the moment became my top priority. Not worrying about what might happen in seven days. There was a lot of time and trail riding between now and then, and many things could happen to help me make up my mind.

For the first time in days, I didn’t feel trapped. I had no urge to run. I wasn’t even hiding.

I wasriding.

In Lonesome Creek, I was free.

Chapter 11

Ruugar

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