Page 80 of A Kiss From Death
“How’s my beautiful girl?” I ask her, and she neighs louder in response, telling me just how much she’s missed me. I feel Hade saddle up to my side; he seems content watching the interaction from a small distance.
“Hade, meet Willow.” Dragging my eyes back to the mare, I gesture to Hade. “Willow, meet Hade.” She lets out a questioning chuff, and I laugh. “I know he looks scary, but I promise, he’s a big softy under all that hardness,” I whisper to her while rubbing my palms up and down her muzzle.
She looks at him curiously and extends her neck out to sniff him wearily. He slowly raises his hand for her to smell, and she eagerly presses into it, sniffing deeply. She seems satisfied with her findings, playfully nipping at his hand.
“Phew, that went better than I expected,” I say under my breath, slowly letting all the air out of my lungs. “She tends to be picky with who she deems fit to be in her presence.” Hade raises his brows like I’m some crazy horse whisperer, and I casually shrug. “She can be a little stubborn at times,” I admit.
A knowing smirk shoots across his face. “I can see why you two get along so well.” He chuckles, and I shove my shoulder into his side. Willow lets out a grunt in protest. He gives her a deep scratch with his knuckles, and she immediately melts into his embrace, forgetting any ill thoughts towards him.
“He has that effect on me too, friend,” I whisper into her ear, low enough so Hade won’t hear me.
He grunts beside me, and I turn to his perfectly chiseled face, briefly brought back to the way his lips felt against mine. Shaking my head, I clear my thoughts and respond, “Yes?”
“What was your plan going to be if my new bestie over here decided she didn’t like me?” I roll my eyes dramatically—they are so not best friends—but I stand corrected as I spotWillow practically falling over the stall door so she can drape her neck over his shoulder and rub her head into the side of his neck.
Traitorous bitch.
“There are only two horses here that I know wouldn’t be noticed if they were missing come morning,” I state happily. “Willow girl here, who happens to strongly dislike the stable hand with a burning passion…” I trail off, dragging my eyes to the far end of the stable until they land on the very last stall. “Hank,” I say with a soft chuckle. “Better known as my Plan B.”
I can’t help the giggles that rack my body that’s probably fueled further by the exhaustion taking hold of me. I bid Willow farewell with a kiss to her nose and a promise to return before I turn to walk down the long hall. I stop in front of the last stall. Hade follows willingly and slides up right next to me, looking inside with wide eyes.
“Meet Plan B,” I say with a laugh as my eyes rake over the old gelding laying against the side of his stall. Hank is the oldest horse stabled here and is slower than molasses. It would undoubtedly be faster to walk somewhere rather than ride on his back. Tufts of hair are missing from his palomino coat due to his old age, and he barely pays us any attention as he lounges happily. The only way I can ever get him motivated enough to do anything is if I bribe him with fresh carrots. Even then, it’s still a fifty-fifty chance he listens.
“Are you sure he’s even alive?” Hade asks, squinting to get a closer look.
“Hank, you want a carrot, buddy?” I yell over the stall door loudly so his old man ears can hear me, which makes his ears perk up in response. “See? Perfectly alive, just old as dirt and verylazy.” I say the last word with extra umph, making him neigh in disagreement. “I knew you could hear, you little hellion,” I playfully scold him. Turning to Hade, I add, “Someone seems to have selective hearing, apparently.”
Hade’s rich chuckle floats over my body, and time stops for a brief second. I could die happy in the sound of his unguarded emotions. They make me want to keep shoving parts of myself into his hand to hold forever.
I reach into a bucket hanging on the stall door and grab one large, bright orange carrot. Leaning over the stall door, I toss the carrot over to him so it lands right in front of the lazy beast. He stretches his neck out and swipes the carrot off the ground, munching happily.
I grab Hade’s hand, dragging him along behind me. “C’mon, let’s grab Willow and get out of here. I’m freezing.” He leans in, wrapping his arm around me and dragging me into his side, attempting to warm me up. I can’t hold in the slight blush that takes over my face.
We lead Willow out of the stable into the sparkling night. She obeys happily, eager to stretch her limbs and be free of the confines trapping her wild soul. If I were a horse, I think I would be Willow.
She nibbles on the grass below her as I approach her side. Saving time, I decided to skip strapping her down with a saddle and prepare to hoist myself up on her bare back. Hade plants his hands on each side of my waist, halting me. I look over my shoulder at him in confusion, and a sly smirk kicks up at the side of his mouth.
“Allow me,” he says against the side of my face and then lifts my body effortlessly, making me squeal as he plops me down softly onto Willow’s back. There goes that dramatic blush rushing up my chest and cheeks I can’t seem to contain tonight.
“Thank you,” I say shyly as he kicks his leg over her in one swift move, planting himself directly behind me. I can feel the heat radiate off him, and it warms my back while simultaneously making a chill run up my spine.
He reaches around me, trapping myself between his two very large arms and grabbing the reins. I’m thoroughly caged in by a dangerous beast with no way of escaping.
Poor Nyxi.
He gives Willow a soft tap with his foot, spurring her to start walking. She jolts forward, making me slide back into Hade’s chest and wedging my ass tightly between his large thighs.
I wiggle, trying to recenter myself on her back, but all it seems to do is make my ass grind against him harder. He lets out a low growl behind me, and I manage to swallow the whimper threatening to spill from my lips. This man knows how to draw every emotion and feeling out of my body. I feel his harden behind me, and I can’t help the satisfied smile that stretches across my face knowing he’s just as affected by me as I am by him.
I decide to see just how far I can push him, pretending to adjust myself more as if I’m uncomfortable. I plant my hands in front of me and shuffle my ass back and forth slightly, pushing back as I wiggle into him, trying to get comfortable.
“Stop that,” he grunts from behind me, and I’m sure if I looked over my shoulder, I would see steam pouring from his nostrils.
“I’m simply trying to get comfortable,” I respond innocently.
“And Aeron was the most handsome man in Lunaria,” he quips back, lightning fast. I throw my elbow back, attempting to jab him in his side. He catches my elbow before I can make contact, because of course the man has the reaction time of a god. It makes me wonder what other godly traits he may possess, the thought making me twitchy.
Hade leans forward, pushing his wet chest into my back at the same time he wraps his right arm around my waist, pulling me taunt against him. “I thought we were taking turns spouting lies?” he whispers against the shell of my ear, and I know he doesn’t miss the chill crawling up my spine, making me squirm within his grip.
