Page 31 of The Devil in Blue Jeans
When they finally reached the center of the sand ring, Eli and Gunner glanced their way and then trotted over on their mounts.
Gunner grinned at Charly. “Don’t look so scared. Thunder will take good care of you.”
“I’m not scared, but he better not hurt me,” Charly said to not only Jaxon but Thunder too.
The horse snorted, as if he understood, and Jaxon let out a laugh. He’d never met a woman like Charly either.
“I would never put you up on his back if I thought you’d get hurt,” Jaxon told her, then gestured for her to move forward. As she stepped closer to Thunder, Jaxon moved in behind her. He placed his hands on her waist and felt the residual trembles that ran through her body. Heat enveloped him as he recalled the way those tremors melted away into soft moans beneath his fingertips. He bit back a groan as his cock went from semihard to steel instantly, and he fought against drawing her closer.
He slid his hand down her left arm and took her hand, setting one hand on the horse’s mane and the other he placed on the back of the saddle. Stepping even closer, he ran his hand down her thigh. “All right, give me your leg,” he murmured. “Bend your knee and do a little hop when I count three to help hoist you up.” On his count, she hopped, and he lifted her leg over the saddle.
Once she settled into the tack, he took a step back and watched as she held the reins in her left hand properly, confirming that she’d ridden a few times before. “Thunder knows his job,” he said, tucking his hands into his pockets. “All you need to do is be comfortable in the saddle and if you feel unsteady, grab onto the horn and hold on tight. Thunder will never go too fast or throw you off.”
“Okay,” she said with a soft nod. She stroked Thunder’s neck. “We’re going to get along just fine, then.”
Jaxon agreed with a nod. “Give him a nudge with your legs to walk forward,” he said.
She did as he instructed, and Thunder moved forward calmly.
When they were out of hearing distance, Eli asked, “Is feeling someone up a new way to offer a leg-up?”
Gunner barked a laugh, but Jaxon didn’t reply. Instead, he kept walking closer to Charly. “A squeeze of your legs will get him into a trot.”
Again, she followed his instructions without hesitating and gave Thunder a light squeeze of her ankles.
“Good,” he called after she trotted a little while. “Take hold of the horn and squeeze again to get him to lope.”
Thunder began loping around the ring, and Charly sat easily on him while they smoothly transitioned between each gait, until she came back to a walk.
When she turned Thunder and headed back toward him, Charly’s face was split into an enormous grin as she patted Thunder’s neck affectionately.
“See? Nothing to worry about,” Jaxon said with a smile. “You did great, and you’ll do just fine on the roundup.”
“Thanks,” she said, continuing to stroke Thunder’s neck as the horse stopped in front of him. “You’re right, he’s a very good boy.”
Jaxon took hold of Thunder’s reins, never feeling so jealous of a horse before. He craved for her hand to be traveling over him.
Ignoring what Eli and Gunner had said, he stepped up to help her off the horse, holding her by the waist as she dismounted. She slid down his body, and he fought back a moan, but didn’t stop her from feeling his erection. He wasn’t totally convinced she hadn’t done that on purpose, but a quick look into her face and her expression revealed nothing.
Beginning to feel like he was punishing himself by having her there, Jaxon whistled, and Decker came jogging over. He hopped over the fence, taking the reins from Jaxon.
Decker winked at Charly. “Well done!”
“Thanks.” She beamed.
Jaxon watched the interaction with a scowl. Decker took one look at him, and promptly turned away, leading the horse back into the barn to take off its tack, though his shoulders shook with silent laughter.
Eli coughed, obviously failing to hide his laughter.
Jaxon glanced back toward his friends, both Eli and Gunner were smirking at him. He needed to get a hold of himself. This woman was turning him upside down.
“So now what?” she asked, her eyes keen with excitement.
He ran a hand across the back of his neck, letting the tension fall away. “We’re going downtown.”
She followed him out of the sand ring, saying goodbye to Eli and Gunner as they left. “Why?”
“A real cowboy isn’t a cowboy without wearing proper boots and a hat.”
