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“I do, and no. I’m not going to go pick a ranch hand Bachelor-style and hand one of them a rose, then pull them up into the hayloft.”

Triss merely shrugged. “Where are you off to? My first client isn’t until nine-thirty so I thought we could hang out until then.”

Mieka checked the time on her phone. It was only eight. She let out a deep sigh. “Nate wants me to join him on a ride to one of those log cabins you guys built along the river.”

Triss perked up. “Oh right! I thought you’d be perfect for that. What do you think?”

Her sister wasn’t wrong. The idea of getting to decorate and furnish a bunch of cabins sounded like a lot of fun. Mieka was itching to get on some of the websites Nate was going to direct her to, as well as the IKEA website and start planning each cabin. She already had ideas, but she needed to see the space first. “I appreciate you thinking of me. I think it’s going to be fun.”

Triss beamed. “I was going to do it, but I’m more than happy to pass the torch.”

“Well, consider the torch passed. I’m excited.”

“To spend someone else’s money?”

“That, too.”

They both laughed.

“Enjoy the ride. Nate’s a great guide.”

Nate being a guide was not her concern. It was what he was trying to do—show her how great country life could be—and the fact that she’d dreamed about kissing him last night.

Yes, she finally fell asleep, but then she had to dream, and all of those dreams involved Nate and his lips on various parts of her body. She woke up with soaked panties and flushed cheeks. Then seeing him all sexy and looking like a cover model for Farmer’s Weekly magazine or something made all those dreams come rushing back and her body got insanely warm.

If you made the ranch your home, you’d get to feel those lips all over your body all the time. It wouldn’t just be a dream.

She resisted the urge to smack herself in the forehead to clear that internal dialogue. It was her vagina talking—her stubborn cat—nothing more. Her vagina was lonely and talking like a desperate lunatic.

“I’m going to be late,” she said, clearing her throat and heading to the foyer. “What time does your last client leave?”

“Five, so maybe we could run to the store and pick up something for dinner afterward? I was thinking tacos, but I need to buy lettuce, sour cream and jalapeños.”

Mieka’s hand landed on the front door handle. “Sounds perfect. I’ll meet you back here at five. Have a great day.”

Triss leaned in and the two hugged quickly, then Mieka was out the door, bringing her butterflies and ladybugs and a few horny hornets in her belly with her. It was going to be crowded in the saddle.

Chapter Six

For someone who admitted to having never been on a horse before in her life, despite how worldly she was, Mieka did surprisingly well.

It helped that Macklin was such a docile beast and just followed Umber in front of him as Nate led them through the field toward the trails.

It was an idyllic May day, with a bright blue sky, a warm sun and just enough of a breeze to keep the sweat from pouring down his face. The perfect day for a ride into the woods with the woman he was sweet on. Now, if only he could get her to stop gripping the pommel on the saddle like it was a life raft and she was sloshing about the sea in the middle of a hurricane.

He decided to load up their donkey, Sasquatch with a bunch of supplies, as well as Rubix, a newer horse they’d acquired about six months ago. He was a gentle brown stallion with white socks and seemed to have acclimated well to the group. He was a good addition and they hoped to breed him with Pom-Pom or Carolina next year.

“How you doing?” he asked, trotting back to ride beside Mieka whose knuckles were white she was gripping the pommel so tight.

“Fine,” she squeaked.

He chuckled. “Grab the reins, you’ll feel more in control.”

She didn’t move.

“Minx, grab the reins.” He sidled up closer to her. Umber and Macklin merely snorted, but neither did anything to stop him from getting them so close, then he reached over and pried her fingers off the pommel before sliding the reins in between them. “Hold on with your thighs. But not too tight, otherwise he’ll think you want to run.”

Her brown eyes widened. “I don’t want to run.”