Page 52 of Head Over Spurs

Her stomach swooped when he paused mid-step and turned to look at her over his shoulder. His eyes searched her expression, as if trying to ensure it was really okay to say yes.

“We’re going to be up all night with Lucky anyway,” she continued. “Besides, the stall will get too crowded otherwise.”

She was bordering on begging for his closeness. But with Riley, she didn’t feel as if she was being weak or desperate. The way he reacted to her wanting him, it was like his own wanting only increased with her openness.

“I can’t argue with that logic,” he replied, the corner of his lip teasing up. In only a few smooth steps, he was back in front of her.

She rose, motioning for him to climb under the canvas cover first. “This way we can both keep an eye on him.”

Riley kicked off his boots and slid in. Settling onto his side, he propped himself up on an elbow. She followed suit, taking the space he left and quickly snuggling in—pressing her back against his chest.

Wordlessly, he lifted a hand, hooking his arm over her side and holding her tight to him. Her breathing hitched when his fingers began dancing along the curve of her body. He moved slowly, giving her ample time to stop his caress. Instead, a soft whimper escaped her as his touch trailed along her ribs. She shifted to provide him more access.

Reaching her waist, his finger curled into the softness of her side for a moment before continuing on. Finally coming to rest on her hip, his hand slid under the hem of her shirt. His fingers ignited desire in her, as if sparks were catching where his hand met her skin.

His touch slid up along her skin, heading back the way he came until his palm flattened across her stomach. It was there he stopped, his fingers splayed out and his thumb gently dragging back and forth against her abdomen.

The way he held her, it didn’t feel like he expected more tonight. Instead, it was as if he was savoring her closeness. And it was a marvelous feeling to be savored by Riley.

It was late into the night by now. And when he leaned in, his lips grazing her ear, and said, “get some rest. I’ll watch him first,” she suddenly felt too exhausted to argue. He had Lucky, she could trust that. But he had her too. Oh, how he had her.

23

JULES

It took very little time for Jules to remember where she had slept. The familiar scent of stables filled her senses before she had even opened her eyes. What stood out to her when she did crack them open was that she was alone with Lucky.

The foal was sleeping soundly now after more than one night feeding, so she was as quiet as she could be rising and folding up the bedroll. She took the canvas pack and carried it out to the aisle, closing the stall door behind her.

She stood in the center of the aisle, her lips pursed and hands on her hips. There was a distinct pull nagging at her to go find Riley, and it was frustrating her. She was leaving this town at the end of summer—something that was creeping up on her with a vengeance. Yet she found herself wondering what this pull could mean, nonetheless.

The decision to follow the invisible force was decided for her. Because as Jules stood there contemplating the path she was heading down after last night, Riley rounded the corner and appeared in the wide-open barn entrance.

With the sun still low in the sky this morning, it outlined hisbroad shape in a warm glow. He looked like a golden god—blond and tanned and flashing one of his sunshine smiles.

“Mornin’, Juliette,” he drawled. “Sleep well?”

“Very well. But did you sleep at all?” Her brow dipped in concern as she considered him. In appearance, he seemed well rested. But she was starting to learn that he was impressive at putting up an easy going front. Even when he was struggling, say from a back injury for example. Did sleeping on the ground like that make his pain worse?

With a relaxed stride, he closed the distance to meet her in the center of the barn. “I had a great night,” he replied. “What’s got you bothered?”

“What makes you think I’m bothered?”

He responded by smoothing out the pinch of her forehead. “A few hints,” he answered with a soft smile.

The sound of a familiar country ballad being whistled drifted through the air. Peering over his shoulder, she spotted Cooper approaching the stables. Riley turned to follow the melody as well, a sigh escaping him. “I still want that answer,” he muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

“Ry! Grey says we’re needed for an overnight to move some of the herd to the other side of the lake. Tack up,” Cooper announced in lieu of a greeting. His eyes bounced between them, as if contemplating what he might have just walked in on.

As the wrangler, she knew these times would come up for Riley. That was why she was here. She would be the hands at the compound while he was up in the mountains. But that would mean more nights sleeping on the ground after he had a significant back spasm.

Tension coursed through her body. She bit the inside of her cheek to bite back her reaction. Of course, the cowboy at her side didn’t miss any of it. He pressed his hand to the small of her back and told Coop, “Sure, just give us a second.”

Cooper studied them for another beat before he shrugged, apparently unconcerned about what was happening in the moment. “Yeah, whatever. All I know is that we’d better be back for my birthday. Jules, you’re still coming out for it, too, right?”

She smiled back at him. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

He nodded, appeased, and turned to leave the barn once again. The second they were alone, Riley spun, taking her face in his hands. “What’s going on?”

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