“Why do you keep going back to your mom?”
Grace rocked her head from side to side. “Because she was the one who introduced me to riding. I feel like I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for her and her constant pushing.”
“But what about Blake?”
“I love Blake, but sometimes my sister can be overbearing. I understand she’s trying to help me and doing a better job than Mom ever did, but she doesn’t always stop to think about what I want.”
“And what do you want, Grace?” I asked. Her answer was important to me. Just as she was becoming important to me. I wanted to slay dragons for her and give her the moon. Whatever it took to make her happy, I wanted to be the one to give it to her.
Grace stopped her pacing and looked at me with tears in her eyes.
“I’m not even sure I know what I want. I never have a say in anything. I’m twenty-five, and I don’t know what I want to do with my life.”
“You have to know at least a few things that you want to do. Are you really being forced to do everything in your life, or do you actually enjoy some of it?”
“I want to ride. I want to go to the Olympics.”
“Do you really want to or are you just saying that?” I saw how she rode. It was obvious she enjoyed that but was the goal of the Olympics her idea or someone else’s.
“I really do. I love riding and I love competing. It would be amazing to go there.”
“Keep going,” I encouraged.
“I want to be able to control my life.” She looked at me.
I strode closer to her, so we were just a few feet apart. “Then take the control back.”
Her shoulders dipped. “I don’t know how.”
“Start with something small and easy.” I stepped in front of her and brushed her hair over her shoulder. I’d been needing to touch her again since the moment she got up.
“Umm, okay.” She looked so uncertain it tore me. “Like what?”
“What is something you want to do right now? Anything that would be completely all your idea.” I ran my fingers lightly up her arm.
She smiled slowly, and my heart stopped. She was just so damn beautiful when she smiled. I could see her eyes light up with whatever idea was running through her head.
Then she surprised me by rising up on her toes and planting a brief kiss on my lips. She pulled away and looked at me through her long lashes. I groaned when the tip of her tongue poked out and swiped along her bottom lip. The kiss had been too quick. I needed her lips on me again.
I grabbed her waist and pulled her to me. If this was what she wanted, then I would gladly let her kiss me. It took a lot of effort to let her be in control. She needed to take what she wanted, so I needed to let her lead.
I moaned when I felt her soft, warm tongue push against my lips. My mouth immediately opened, welcoming her inside as I gripped her hips harder, molding her body to mine. I wanted to take this further, but I held myself back.
Grace’s hands gripped the front of my shirt, holding me firm against her. I reached around and cupped her ass. Her kiss was like a drug. Everything around us disappeared. It was just the two of us locked together. My hands roamed her body, mapping her every curve.
I couldn’t tell how much time had passed when she broke the kiss and looked at me.
I panted. “What else do you want?”
She licked her lips. “I want you.”
“You have me.” I pressed my forehead to hers.
“No, I want you to fuck me.”
Oh fuck.
All my control blew away in the breeze. A second later, I had Grace with her back pushed up against the tree and my tongue dancing with hers. She was amazing. It was a turn on to have a woman know what she wanted and go for it. And if I was that something, then there was no stopping us.
I wanted inside of her so badly. Grinding my cock into her belly, she tangled her fingers in my hair and gave a tug. Sparks of intense desire wracked my body from the roots of my hair to the tips of my toes.
Just as quickly as we heated up, the temperature dropped around us. The horses snorted, and a gust of wind ripped through the trees, making it rain leaves on us. I lifted my head to see Storm pawing at the ground before I looked at the sky. Off in the distance, black clouds were rolling in fast with lightning zipping through them.
Fuck.
“Shit. Looks like a storm is coming in, and it’s not going to be pretty. We need to get back quickly.” I set her on her feet, grabbed her hand, and we jogged over to where the horses anxiously waited for us. Once in the saddle, we took off toward the barn. Glancing back at the rapidly darkening sky, I prayed we’d make it before the worst of it reached us.