Chapter Eight

Jasira couldn’t believe it. From the bit of light given off by Stone’s lighter she could make out drawings on the wall. One in particular caught her eye, a circle made up of equal portions of red, yellow, white, and black. The man on the horse had this exact symbol around his neck.

Glancing over to where Stone stood a bit further in, Jasira gulped as her heart stuttered. Immediately she relived the passionate kiss they’d shared. The way he’d held her in his arms made her weak-kneed just thinking about it. It didn’t matter if his main intention had been to snap her out of the fog she’d been in or not. The feeling changed in seconds and became so much more. It had been like being in a dream and waking to his kiss.

“Stone,” she called in a hushed voice, not wanting to yell.

The coolness of the cave banished the second he stood near. “Yes?” his low husky voice asked.

Jasira pointed to the wall. “Look at these. They’re amazing. Are you sure we should be in here?”

He met her gaze in the flickering light and shrugged. “I’ve never been in here before, but I think we should leave.”

“Okay.” Jasira was disappointed but she kept that to herself. In no way did she wish to disrespect his heritage. Stealing one last look at the four-colored circle, she moved to the mouth of the cave. I need to do some research on what that is. Jasira patted Snips and led him out of the cave. Once out in the light, she replaced the rifle and swung up, wincing from the soreness in her legs.

As they rode along a creek bed, Jasira glanced over to him. Stone pushed his hat back and met her gaze. A sexy smile crossed his face, softening the hard angles.

“Something on your mind?” he asked, his deep voice doing unspeakable things to her insides.

Will you kiss me again? Jasira licked her lips. “No, not really. Just admiring how well you ride.” Way to go, Jasira. Lie to the man, and on a Sunday. While her curiosity of the cave ran rampart, he hadn’t been in there before and she had the feeling he didn’t want to discuss it. At least not with her.

Heat flared in the depths of his gaze. “You’re a good rider yourself. Up for a little more speed?”

With a smile she nodded. “Lead the way.” Excitement flowed through her.

Soon they were galloping across the plains. Jasira held onto the saddle horn with the hand not gripping the reins and kept her eyes ahead.

“Relax,” Stone hollered over the pounding of hooves.

Looking over at him, Jasira envied the way he sat a horse. The man truly was one with the stallion. “I don’t want to fall off,” she insisted.

“Hold up,” he ordered, slowing his mount.

Jasira followed suit and waited for him to say something else. He maneuvered right up to Snips. She watched in silence as he hooked Tate’s reins over the saddle horn then dismounted.

“Everything okay?” she asked, suddenly unsure.

“Scoot up,” he said.

“What?” Did I hear him right?

“Slide forward,” he repeated, taking her foot out of a stirrup.

Jasira did and the saddle rocked as Stone lifted himself up and settled behind her. “Wh…what are you doing?” Her breathless question slipped from her lips.

“Trust me, waštelakapi. Put your foot back in.”

What’d he call me? She fumbled to slip her foot back in the stirrup. It was hard to concentrate with the heat from Stone’s hard body cocooning her. Her belly tightened with desire as his rugged scent filled her nose. There wasn’t anything soft on him. He reached around and readjusted her hold on the reins.

“Let’s go,” he murmured, capturing the hand she would have held onto the saddle horn with. She whimpered when he placed it on her upper thigh and kept his hand on hers.

“What are we doing?” she asked, nearly breathless from his hard physique, sliding against hers.

“Shhh. Relax. Sink into me, waštelakapi. Ride with the rhythm, not against.” His words were whispered in her ear.

Relax? Is he serious? I can hardly concentrate on breathing. Jasira did as he said and his chest cradled her back, helping her to find the easy motion Snips had.

“Loosen up on the reins,” he said softly, his other hand brushed the back of her thigh and she shivered. “Good,” he purred. “Ask for a trot.” She did and with Stone behind her, she fell quickly into the movement. “See, it’s not hard, you just need to relax and move with the animal. Feel his movements as an extension of yours.”

Jasira’s eyes fluttered. The urge to close them and give herself over to the seductive magic of his timbre was powerful.

“Close your eyes, waštelakapi,” Stone commanded on a silken thread. “Learn the motion.”

She did, one hand under Stone’s on her thigh and the other on the reins. The wind blew by, and she didn’t feel cold thanks to the man behind her. Jasira had no fear, she trusted the man holding her to keep her safe.

“Open your eyes, Jasira,” he whispered in her ear. “This is how you gallop.”

Gallop? Her eyes drifted open and she saw he was right. They moved along at an easy gallop. In her peripheral vision, Jasira saw Tate keeping up. Stone removed his hand from her thigh and placed it, along with the other one, on her waist.

“I think you’ve got it.”

He pressed a quick kiss on her cheek. Then the heat was gone. Jasira missed it. Before she could dwell on that, he appeared at her side, mounted once again on his stallion.

How’d he do that? “How did you do that?”

“Trade secret.” Stone winked and tugged the brim of his hat lower and nudged his horse even faster. Jasira smiled and followed.

Stone stopped them by a stream. Jasira rubbed her legs down, trying to work out the stiffness. Gracious I hurt. I’m going to be so sore tomorrow. Moving toward a rock, she sat down and watched Stone as he walked the horses to cool them down and give them a drink.

Tall, dark, and handsome finally had a face for her. And a name. Stone Black Hawk.

Jasira licked her lips when he removed his hat, setting it over the horn of Tate’s saddle. She stared without qualm as he moved the horses to a patch of grass and dropped the reins to the ground. Reaching into a saddlebag he pulled out a small clear bag before striding toward her.

Coming or going, I could watch him walk all day long. All day! Coiled promise, strength, and more rolled off him. Walking ad for sex. Stopping before her, he reached out with one hand and smoothed it down her face. Jasira shuddered with want.

“How are you feeling?”

Horny. “A bit sore. But it’s all worth it. Thank you so much for inviting me.”

“The pleasure is all mine.” Stone sank to the rock beside her and handed her an apple from the bag in his hand. “Here you go.”

“Thank you.”

Sitting side by side, they ate their apples in silence and once finished gave the cores to the horses. Stone stared down at her as he replaced his hat on his head.

“Ready to go back?” he asked.

No. “I think so.” As she said that, Jasira looked up at Snips and groaned. He seems even taller.

“Need some help up?” Stone’s question vibrated with sexual tones.

Lord help me, I want to say yes just to feel his arms around me one more time. Swallowing, Jasira shook her head. “No. I’m just wondering how he managed to grow since I got down.”

Stone’s laughter was husky and made her smile. He appeared at her side. “You know, there is a cure for this problem.”

Jasira glanced up at him and grinned. “Waiting here for you to bring a vehicle?”

His hands slipped around her waist and tugged her against his torso. She could feel his hardness pressing against her and knew it wasn’t a one-sided attraction. Not that the kiss hadn’t already alerted me to that fact.

“No. A massage.” Before she could blink, he’d lifted her up into the saddle. “Or, could be you need to ride more.”

Forming words were impossible as the mental image of Stone giving her a full body massage danced through her mind. When she got control of herself, Jasira saw him lounging on his horse, watching her.

“Come ride with me.”

Her name sounded like a sexual act rolling off his tongue, and she barely stopped a whimper. Behind that innocent statement loomed a thread of promise. For a lifetime.

“Lead on.”

The ride back was mostly silent, but she didn’t mind. She rode lost in her thoughts, most of which lingered on the explosive kiss they’d shared. Sorrow filled her as his ranch came into sight. This day has been amazing. I don’t want it to end. They rode toward the barn at a slow trot.

Sore yet exhilarated, Jasira followed his actions and removed the tack from Snips, rubbed him down, and gave him a scoop of grain before releasing him out in a paddock.

“Come inside,” Stone said.

“Sure.” Together, each holding a rifle, they entered his house.