FOUR PLAY Read Free

week of getting to know each other, he invited you out to his ranch?"
    "First day actually. I helped him with a mare foaling. You know the routine—up all night until the filly made her debut. Just like a woman to keep men waiting." He chuckled.
    "And she showed up in her birthday suit too, I take it?" Charli smiled, imagining the two men sitting in the hay, holding vigil over the mare. The image warmed her heart in ways she hadn't considered.
    Charli was for the most part a city girl, having lived most of her life in or around Austin. But a person couldn't live in Texas without some exposure to cowboys, horses and the country. She had a lot of respect for the men and women who raised livestock, putting in the hard work and long hours necessary to ensure a healthy herd.
    Connor rose several notches on her estimation meter. A good man who cared about animals, and wore a sexy pair of blue jeans. Ymmm.
    Her legs tightened around his bottom and she inched closer as they drove up the long road to the ranch house and barn.
    Pulling up to the barn, Connor set the kickstand in place and turned off the engine. "Grant is out of town and Ed won't be here until later to feed the animals." He spread his hands out to his sides. "So, basically, we have the place to ourselves."
    A thrill of anticipation skittered through Charli's insides, her body warming to all sorts of naughty things they could do in the barn, in the hay, against the wood fence, out in the open where no one but the birds, bees and horses would see them. Her core tightened, juices stirring as she slid off the leather seat and stood. She dug her hands into her back pockets, throwing back her shoulders, emphasizing the swell of the pink rib-knit tank top, the patterns of the lace demi-bra pressing through, the thin fabric.
    Oh, yeah. Ever since her encounters with Original Sin, Charli couldn't look at any situation without seeing endless possibilities for sex. Wow, what did that make her? A nymphomaniac, whore or a bitch in heat? With a deep breath to steady her galloping libido, she smiled. "Well, we're here, so what's next?"
    Connor unstrapped her helmet and set it on the back of the bike. "Another ride."
    She tilted her head. "If we're going for another ride, should I leave the helmet on?"
    "Not on the bike, we're going to take it a little slower." He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and grinned. "Don't look so disappointed. I promise, we'll have fun."
    Connor disappeared into the barn and emerged seconds later leading two horses, saddled, bridled and dancing around in the dirt, anxious to get going.
    Her body tensed and Charli stepped back. "We're riding those?"
    Connor laughed out loud. "Yes. Don't look so skeptical. I got the most calm mare of all of Grant's stock. Sassy'll be no problem."
    "But there's plenty to do here. Why go farther?"
    "Are you afraid of horses?"
    "No, of course not," Charli lied. "Only the last time I was on one, I was ten. And that horse was supposed to be the most tame of all of them. I was thrown, ended up with a mild concussion. Had a touch of temporary amnesia along with it."
    "Oh." His face fell and his shoulders drooped. "I guess we could drive across country on my motorcycle, to where I had in mind."
    Feeling like a downer, when Connor had gone to all the trouble to set up this little production, Charli sucked up her fear and brushed aside his suggestion. "No. I really need to get back up on a horse to get over this fear. Let's do it."
    Connor's face beamed. "Good. All you have to do is put your foot in the stirrup and swing your leg over the top." He handed her the reins and climbed up on his horse.
    Too proud to admit she didn't know what she was doing, Charli reached her foot high and placed it into the stirrup.
    Sassy picked that time to dance to the side.
    With her foot in the stirrup and nothing to hold onto, Charli hopped several times then fell back on her butt in the dirt, her pride and her ass suffering greatly. She