Page 12 of Born Wild

“I wanted to show you something. Is that okay?”

“Of course.” I blush again, this time feeling warmth spread all over. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. This is Tim. I don’t get flustered around Tim. If anything, I’m too comfortable. I tell him too much.

Listening to the music on the radio, I glance out the window and focus on the landscape we pass. The sky lights with pinks and purples as the sun dips below the tree line. Tim pulls onto the road that leads toward his family’s ranch. We pass under a wooden archway, the WV emblem of their brand burnt into the stained pine.

I’ve never been to the ranch. Never been invited until now.

“There’s the lodge for our ranch hands.” He points across one direction while turning the opposite at the fork in the road. A few minutes later, he pulls up to a massive barn and parks. There’s a grin on his face as he cuts the engine. “You ready to see your surprise?”

“I think so.” I glance over to the dark building. “Are we allowed to be here?”

He chuckles. “Cassie, I live here.”

“You don’t live in a barn!” I tease, though he’s right. I don’t know why I asked that, other than the flutter of butterflies making their home in my stomach.

He shakes his head and laughs. “Come on.”

I open my door, but he’s out and around the truck, arm outstretched to help me step down into the grass. I leave my flowers in the cab, and hook my hand under Tim’s arm to keep my balance as we walk toward the barn. When we reach the door, I let go and he steps ahead to hold it open. There’s a giddiness to his normally neutral features and it feeds my excitement. What does he have planned?

Tim flips on the lights and reaches for my hand. Inside the barn there are several stalls, but he leads us to the very last one. That’s when I see it.

“A foal!” The little creature is wobbly on its four spindly legs as he suckles from his mama.

“Just born today.” He grins. “He’s hours old.”

“That’s amazing.” If the young colt grows to look anything like his mother, he’ll be a beautiful horse. “I can’t believe they’re both standing already. I don’t think I’ll recover so quickly.” I wince as I think of birthing my own child in just a few months.

“Nature’s incredible, isn’t she?”

“Yeah.” We watch the horses for several minutes, basking in the awe of a newly born life.

“He’s mine.”

“The foal?”

“Yeah, my dad gave him to me.” Tim turns away from the horse, angling his body toward mine. “And I’m giving him to you.”

“Me?” I gasp. “Tim, you are not giving me your horse.” It’s way too generous. Besides, I barely know how to ride.

“I am.” His smile is smug and I just know I’m not convincing him otherwise. “Little guy was born on your birthday, so I kinda have to. It’s the rules. I don’t make them up.”

I bite back a smile as I take a step toward him. “You don’t, do you?”

“Yep.” He shuffles forward a step, closing the gap between us.

Our smiles fade as awareness overtakes us. He’s so close. Close enough to lean down and kiss me.God, I want him to kiss me.

As if he can read my thoughts, his gaze drops to my mouth. He leans forward, painfully slowly until we’re only a breath away. “Cassie?” he whispers, and his breath ghosts against my lips.

“Yes?” I whisper back.

He swallows hard, his gaze darting from my eyes to my mouth. “Can I kiss you?”

I want that. Badly. So much that all propriety evaporates from my mind and I don’t even bother answering. Rocking onto my toes, I close the space between us and press my lips to his as my eyelids drift shut.

Warmth spreads through my body, wrapping me up as Tim’s hands reach around my waist and pull me closer. Our kiss deepens, mouths moving and tongues brushing. He drags my body even closer and I rock my hips forward. The space between my legs aches with need, and as we kiss and pivot so my back isagainst the stall, he grinds his hardness into my body so I feel every inch of his arousal. I gasp.

“Sorry.” He pulls back, releasing his grip around my waist as a pained expression etches on his worried face. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have?—”

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