Wild Fire (The Fairy Tale Match Series) (15 page)

“Take no notice of me. I’m just not
used to having my heart broken for a change.” He laughed at himself. “I’ll just
have to admit defeat where you are concerned and be content to be your friend,
if you’ll still have me.”

Laura smiled, feeling relieved and
pleased that he was finally getting the message. She really didn’t want there to
be any funniness between them. She never coped well with bad feelings and much
preferred to get along with people. “I’d like that.”

“How about I give you a riding lesson
to make things up to you? I’m free right now and I’d like nothing better.”

“You have nothing to make up for,
Walter,” she assured him.

“But I do,” he insisted. “I tried to
push the boundaries of our relationship and that was wrong of me. Please, I
would really love to help you learn to ride. I am, if I say so myself, an
excellent teacher.” He waggled his eyebrows at her.

“Well, I don’t know.” Laura wasn’t
sure she wanted to get on a horse without Jake around. She’d not been on one
since Daisy.

“I’ll take very good care of you.”
His eyes pleaded with her. “Please say yes, so I know you’ll have truly
forgiven me.”

Laura didn’t feel like she could
refuse when he put it like that. She agreed and went to change while he saddled
up a horse for her.

*****

Fifteen minutes later, Laura sat on
the huge black horse Bill had been feeding the day before, wishing she’d said
no. The ground was a very long way away and she couldn’t help thinking this
horse was much more lively than Daisy. It didn’t help matters that his name was
Charger. She just hoped he didn’t live up to it. She’d asked Walter where Daisy
was, but apparently she was being used in a lesson for a five year old
beginner. Lucky thing!

Gripping the horse with her knees as
well as her hands, she tried to take in Walter’s instructions, but somehow she
couldn’t hear over the terrified beating of her heart. Really, she should just
tell him she wanted to get down and forget the lesson. She was about to say
just that when Charger snorted, stamping his huge hooves impatiently. She
stiffened with a small shriek.

“Relax Laura,” Walter said his hand
sliding over her knee and up her thigh. “I’ve got you safely in hand.”

Charger choose that moment to turn
his head sharply and attempt to take a bite out of Walter. Walter jumped back,
narrowly avoiding the sharp teeth. He threw several curses at Charger, which
the horse seemed to take exception to. He immediately reared up at Walter,
pawing the air in anger.

Laura gave a scream, certain the
horse was going to take off with her like the last time. Suddenly strong arms
came out of nowhere to grab Charger’s reins. Laura turned her head to see
Jake’s angry gaze. Sobbing and panic stricken she attempted to get down from
the horse, but Jake was already grabbing her by the waist and pulling her into
his arms.

He held her close as he turned on
Walter. “What the hell is going on here? Why is Charger with you and what the
hell is Laura doing on his back?”

Walter shrugged casually. “Rob asked
me to exercise Charger for him. I had already offered Laura a riding lesson,
which I told him but he said it was an emergency. I was only trying to help him
and not let Laura down at the same time.”

“You should know better. Charger is
not a riding school horse, he is our prize stallion. He should never have an
unexperienced rider on his back. You know how temperamental he is. Especially
not Laura after the experience she had with Daisy.” He stroked her hair as he
spoke.

Walter’s eyes followed the movement,
an angry gleam flitting across his features. Then he moved forward, taking her
hand from where it rested on Jake’s chest. His expression immediately took on a
concerned look.

“I am truly sorry Laura, if I have
caused you any distress. It was not my intention. I was planning on riding
double with you to show you how to manage the reins. We simply didn’t get that
far.” He kissed her hand, lingering far too long for Jake’s liking. He didn’t
like the way Walter was manipulating Laura. It was obvious to him that Walter
had been staging a full on seduction using fear tactics. She seemed not to see
it as she stepped out of Jake’s embrace and squeezed Walter’s hand in
reassurance. Jake gritted his teeth.

“It’s okay Walter. I am sure you
didn’t meant any harm, but please don’t ask me to do any more riding lessons. I
never want to get on a horse again as long as I live,” she shuddered.

“As you wish Laura. I am so grateful
you forgive my error.” Walter moved to take Chargers reins. Jake quickly let go
of Laura and interceded.

“Leave him.” He grabbed hold of
Charger, piercing Walter with an icy glare. “I don’t want you anywhere near my
breeding stock ever again.”

“I was doing you a favour Carter!”
Walter snapped. “Don’t you think I have better things to do than take care of a
job one of your stable hands should have been doing?”

“Believe me, I will be having words
with Rob. This is never to happen again.” Jake was shaking with rage as Walter
walked away. He wished he could just sack the bastard, but they had too many
riders that would walk away and follow him. It would cripple their business.

He turned to look at the white faced
Laura. She’d moved several feet away to get space between herself and Charger.
He knew the work he’d done with her on their ride back after Daisy’s run had
been all but undone. He held his hand out to her and beckoned. She shook her
head.

“Laura,” he called softly. She looked
up, her eyes shone with fear. “Come here.” She shook her head again.

“That horse bites,” she informed him.
“I’ve seen him try and bite both Walter and Bill. I’m not coming any closer.”

“Horses are like people Laura,” Jake
informed her. “They all have their own personality. This horse has a very
strong will. You have to show him who is boss. He comes from a very long line,
right the way back to the very first stallion my great, great grandfather
started with. Did Kerry ever tell you why this ranch is called the Twisted
Tree?”

“No.” Laura was intrigued despite
herself.

Jake gently moved towards her with
Charger, talking the whole time to distract her. “There was a stallion in these
parts that was legendary. He was black as night and as smart as a man. Everyone
in the area wanted to catch him. He was sought after for his strength, speed
and intelligence. There wasn’t another stallion like him. My great, great
grandfather wanted him too, in order to start a horse ranch that had always
been his dream.”

Jake stopped by her, enjoying her
enraptured face as he told her the story of his heritage. He brought Charger
nearer, stroking him gently to calm him as he continued.

“For years my great, great
grandfather tried to catch that horse. It kept on outsmarting him, but he never
gave up. Then one day, he managed to put a rope around the horse’s neck. The
stallion wouldn’t be tamed so easily. He fought back, managing to break loose.
My great, great grandfather almost gave up. But he searched for the horse one
last time. And to his astonishment, he found it. The rope had become caught
around a twisted tree’s branches, trapping the animal so completely, he could
barely move.”

Jake took her hand gently in his,
guiding it to Charger’s soft nose. He placed her hand on the soft muzzle,
continuing the story as she tentatively stroked Chargers nose.

“He spent ages sitting by the
stallion’s side. Earning his trust as he freed him from the tree. After that,
he was able to bring the stallion home and start his ranch. He named it the
Twisted Tree, after the tree that finally helped him catch his prize stallion.”

“That is amazing,” Laura breathed as
she began to relax, touching Charger gently in awe. “And this horse is from
that stallion’s line?”

“He sure is. Precious and
irreplaceable. He knows it too. Charger demands respect, but he has got a soft
side too. He never actually bites Bill you know. It’s a game they play. They
love each other to bits.”

“And Walter?”

“Walter he meant to bite. He also has
very good taste!”

“Jake!” Laura burst out laughing. He
joined in. Charger whinnied as though laughing too.

“He isn’t meant for riding lessons,
but would you care for a short spin around the paddock? I don’t want you to
live in fear of such incredible animals.” Jake got up onto Charger’s back,
leaning down and offering her his hand. She hesitated, fear clogging in her
throat. She had all but decided she was never getting on a horse again.
However, this was with Jake, not on her own. Did she really want to miss the
opportunity of being this close to him?

Gathering her courage, she put her
hand in his and let him pull her up in front of him. Shaking, she took the
reins Jake handed her, his hands resting over hers. He nudged Charger into a
slow walk, all the time guiding Laura in how to sit, steer and take charge of
the horse. Slowly she began to relax and enjoy the ride. A sense of
accomplishment flowed through her.

As the lesson progressed, it started
to dawn on her that she could feel every inch of Jake plastered up against her.
The experience was highly erotic with the rhythm of the horse below her and the
feel of Jake’s hard chest against her back. He blew hot breath into her ear as
he gave her instructions, making her shiver with sensual awareness. Letting go
of one of her hands, he moved his hand to   rest against her stomach, making
butterflies erupt at the warmth of his touch.

Her breath caught in her throat as
desire rippled through her every fibre. She struggled to follow his words,
nearly dropping the reins when his hand slipped under her t-shirt and stroked
the soft skin of her belly.

“Jake, what are you doing?” she
gasped, her head dropping back onto his chest.

“I’m giving you a wonderful memory of
riding on a horse,” he whispered into her ear, while his hand brushed over her
breast, his finger slipping inside the lacy cup to gently flutter over her
nipple. Laura did drop the reins then, as a shock of desire shot straight to
her core, nearly sending her up in smoke.

Jake leaned over her, grabbing them
before Charger could get any ideas in his head. “Maybe we’d best stop there.”

Laura groaned in frustration. Her
body was so on fire, she could swear smoke was coming out of her ears.

“You always do this to me Jake,” she
hissed at him. He laughed at her disgruntled face, as he got down from Charger
then helped her to the ground.

“We need to brush him down after all
this riding. Care to learn?”

Laura still wasn’t sure of herself
around horses, but she didn’t want to give up this time with such a relaxed and
fun Jake. Nodding her head in agreement, she followed him back to Chargers
stable. They took him to his stall, where Jake unsaddled him and removed the
reins. He handed Laura a brush, showing her how to sweep it over Charger’s coat
in the correct way. He made her start at the horses head, getting her to talk
gently to Charger, so he’d know her and trust her to take care of him.

Jake moved away to return the riding
gear to the tack room, but Laura barely noticed. She was caught up in the
enjoyment of the simple task, feeling a connection build between her and the
magnificent horse as she talked silly nonsense to him. He seemed to enjoy it,
reaching round to nuzzle at her shoulder. She jumped at first, but relaxed when
she realised he wasn’t trying to bite her.

“Having fun?” Jake asked from the
stall doorway. She turned to see him watching her, the light of desire dancing
in his eyes. She felt the impact of his gaze clear down to her toes, taking her
breath away.

“Oh yes,” she finally managed to
answer. “I really feel like I’m starting to conquer my fears. Thank you Jake.”

“It was my pleasure.” He moved
towards her, taking the brush from her hand. Charger snorted in protest. “Take
it easy boy. You’ve had her all to yourself for ages now. It’s my turn!”

Laura felt her legs tremble as Jake
led her from the stall. He shut the door, securing the stallion inside. Taking
her hand, he led her into the tack room, closing the door behind him.

“What are you doing?” she asked him,
her voice breathless as desire raged through her body.

“I do believe you complained outside
about me not taking care of your needs.” Laura flushed at his words.

“I wasn’t,” she protested weakly.

“Well, I’ve decided to accommodate
your request,” he told her completely ignoring her protest. Laura lost her
train of thought and her reply died on her lips as she looked deep into Jakes
eyes, watching as they darkened with desire, his gaze landing on her lips. He
lowered his head, kissing her deeply, his hands plunging into her hair and
loosening it from the bun she’d tied it in to keep it out of her way. He angled
her head to deepen the kiss, backing her up until she came up against the tack
room wall.

She gasped at the sudden impact. His
tongue took advantage, sweeping into her mouth and tangling with her own. He
grabbed her hips, lifting her so she could wrap her legs around his waist. She
rocked her body against his hard arousal, the throbbing between her legs nearly
undoing her. Her body burned in a blazing roar of desire as his hands gripped
her t-shirt and pulled it over her head. He flung it behind him, his lips
traveling down her neck, his fingers undoing the clasp on her bra.