Page 229 of Dirty Discipline, Vol. 1

“I always ride Petrol when I’m here. I’m a good rider.”

“I’m sure you are,” he agreed. “But he’s too big for you to saddle by yourself, or are you going to try to tell me that you always saddle him yourself?”

“Well, no, usually one of the hands is around to do that. But I thought I could manage. Put me down. I can walk.”

“Ahh, but why walk when I can carry you?”

Reggie stared up at Alex, who was carrying her without the slightest hint of exertion. Wow, he was strong.

“Reggie! Alex! What happened? Are you okay?” Kelly called out, walking into the entrance.

Reggie’s chest decided right at that moment to let out a series of chesty, gasping coughs.

“I’m fine, Kel,” she answered once she’d caught her breath again. “Alex snuck up on me and I dropped a saddle on my foot.”

Alex walked into the living room and set her down on the sofa.

“So why are you so dirty?” Kelly asked.

“I fell over,” she gritted out. That had been his fault, too. “I’ll just get changed, then I’ll head out to give Colin that message.”

She felt Alex stiffen as he crouched in front of her. “You’re not going anywhere but to bed.”

“It’s the middle of the day!” Reggie protested. “And it’s just a bruised foot. I feel fine.”

He’d started to undo her boots, then gently drew off her socks. Lance would never have cared for her like this.

“You have a bad cough, the last thing you need is to be riding around the countryside. Now, wiggle your foot.”

She wiggled it around. “See, just bruised. And it’s not a bad cough. Like I said, I’m fine.” She seemed to be saying that a lot around him.

“Don’t lie to me.” His voice was scarily cold, and she looked up at him warily.

“It's okay, Reg,” Kelly said. “I’ll take the message out to Colin.”

“You will not,” he growled at Kelly. “Why don’t you just give him the message over the radio?”

Kelly blushed, while they both looked on in amazement. Kelly never got embarrassed about anything. “It's kind of private, okay?”

“Fine. I will take it out to him. Right after I carry this one up to bed.”

But she didn’t want to go to bed. However, Alex had clearly made up his mind as he picked her up and started carrying her upstairs.

“Which bedroom is yours?”

She frowned at him. She wasn’t telling him that. Unfortunately, Kelly was in a helpful mood. She rushed ahead and opened the door, and he walked into her room, setting her down on the bed. He pointed a finger at Reggie. “Stay put. Sleep. I’ll check on you when I get back. Where’s the message?”

“Oh, um, here.” She reached into her pocket for the piece of paper that Kelly had given her. She’d had to swear that she wouldn’t open it.

“Thanks, Alex,” Kelly told him.

“You’re welcome. Reagan, I’ll see you later.”

“I look forward to it.” Not really. “Sit, Reggie, sit. Good girl, woof-woof.”

“Oh man, that was awful!” Kelly came in and sat next to her on the bed.

“You’re telling me,” she grumbled. “Did you hear him order me to sleep? Who the hell does he think he is?”

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