Page 17 of Wrangling Hearts
My lips parted on a shaky breath when my hands began to wander slowly under the cover of bubbles. Chills danced up my spine despite the warm water as my fingertips skimmed my inner thigh. My legs fell open wider, and my hand moved higher, reaching where I had started to ache.
It’d been so long since I’d been touched. Desired. Needed in a way that had nothing to do with responsibility. I thought of Beau. The way his eyes ran over me the other day at Circle M, how they snagged on my hips and chest. On my lips. It was a fleeting look, but just long enough for me to notice.
It didn’t take my mind long to replace my hands with Beau’s—rougher, stronger, just what I needed. It was too easy to imagine his body cradling mine in this tub, his stubble tickling my cheek as he kissed along my neck while he teased me with those capable hands. It felt so real. So real I could practically feel his tongue drag along my skin.
His hand found my breast while the other worked between my legs. My back bowed, gasping breaths leaving me. A desperate whimper left me as he toyed with my nipple and pressed harder on my clit. His chuckle was deep and taunting in my ear—a reminder of who was really in charge. That arrogance usually made me see red, but now, it only drove my need higher.
I ground my hips into his hand, chasing after the pleasure building inside me. Heat rose to my cheeks, sweat prickled at my temples, and the water sloshed with his movements. Everystroke sent the pressure building in my lower belly tighter, higher, more intense.
My toes curled. My muscles locked. And that pressure nearly exploded?—
Until my fucking phone started to buzz on the tray over the water, shocking me out of the fantasy like a bucket of ice water.
Savannah’s name flashed on the screen as my phone vibrated along the wooden slab. I didn’t know whether to be relieved or infuriated that she had interrupted. I desperately needed the release, but for it to have been because of Beau? No way in hell. Maybe it was for the best, even if my body was crying out in protest. I wiped my hands off and answered before it went to voicemail. She’d probably think I was dead if I didn’t answer.
“Hey.”
“Why are you out of breath?” she asked, skipping pleasantries, but my sister was never one to beat around the bush.
I fidgeted in the tub as if she knew exactly what I was doing. “Don’t worry about it. What’s up?”
“Nothing. Just wanted to see how Mom was.” Savannah had stopped calling our mother Mama the summer before she left for Stanford eleven years ago. She didn’t want to be made fun of for her accent and forced it away.
“She’s fine—well, not fine, but the same.” I wasn’t going to tell her about Mama’s outburst or that she was growing weaker by the day. I knew she wouldn’t want me to tell the others. I wouldn’t have told Emmett if it weren’t for the fact that he was there when it happened.
It felt deceitful to lie to my siblings—not that Tess ever checked in long enough for me to tell her—but it was for the best. They didn’t need the burden I carried every day. Especially Savannah. She needed to focus on her life in Dallas and not worry about home.
“That’s good, I guess,” she said. Paper shuffling came over the line.
“Are you working? It’s nearly seven.”
“Downtime is for people without billable hours,” she countered. I rolled my eyes, smiling into the phone. “I heard you’re trying to get some fancy partnership for the ranch. What’s that all about?”
“Just wanting to expand. Make Golden Bridle more established, and a partnership with Cavendish Academy would do that.” She had no idea how bad things were. And she wouldn’t. Not if I could help it.
I sat up abruptly, water and bubbles falling over onto the floor. “Actually, do you think Delilah would be willing to help? She just got her equine therapist license, didn’t she? I’m going against those egomaniacs at Circle M, and I have a feeling they’re going to use Joseph Roberts’s pull.” Just mentioning Beau, even indirectly, made me fidget. I’d probably never be able to look him in the eye again.
“Yeah, a few months ago. I’m sure she’d help. Especially if it meant taking those assholes down. You should text her.”
“Okay, I will.” I felt bad that I hadn’t thought of Delilah helping until now, that I hadn’t stayed in touch more regularly. While she was technically Savannah’s best friend, we all grew up together like siblings, so she was another little sister to me.
Yet another thing I dropped the ball on.
“Well, I gotta go. Give Mom a kiss for me. And if you need help with the legal stuff, let me know. I’ll even give you a discount,” she teased.
“Gee, thanks,” I smiled.
“Talk to you later.”
“Yeah, bye.”
I sent Delilah a text, letting her know what was going on, and her response was almost immediate.
I can’t wait to make those assholes get on their knees and lick our boots.
I grinned at her typical Delilah Chase response, feeling hopeful that we actually stood a chance against Circle M.
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