RaeAnne Thayne - Thunder Canyon Homecoming / A Thunder Canyon Christmas

He wanted to share this experience with her, to introduce her to pleasures that no one else ever had. And he wasn’t just thinking about what they could do on horseback.

And while he tried to keep a tight rein on his thoughts, it was next to impossible. He was all too aware of her arms around him, of her soft breasts pressed to his back, rubbing against him. Though he was sure he couldn’t actually feel the hard nubs of her nipples through the layers that separated them, he imagined that he could. He wanted to touch her, all of her. He wanted to strip away her clothes and—

He managed to lasso the runaway fantasy before it took him to the point of no return and, after another torturously slow turn around the paddock, he said, “Let’s see what you can do on your own.”

They headed out at a leisurely gait. Surprisingly, after half an hour in the paddock with Corey and Jax, Erin felt a lot more comfortable on the back of the horse than she had at any time during her two lessons. She had a moment of panic when they headed away from the barn, but Jax was so strong and steady beneath her that it was gone as quickly as it had come.

Lucifer wasn’t nearly as complacent, and though Corey didn’t have any trouble controlling the spirited stallion, it was obvious that the animal was eager to run. His feet danced impatiently and he tossed his head excitedly, but Corey held him in check and continued to keep pace with Erin and Jax.

When they broke through a stand of trees to yet another open field, Erin said, “Why don’t you let him run?”

Corey looked over his shoulder. “I don’t want to leave you.”

“Well, I would appreciate it if you came back.”

He grinned at her dry tone. “Are you sure you don’t mind?”

“I’m sure,” she said. “And I’m guessing that you crave the speed as much as he does.”

He didn’t deny it. “We’ll be back.”

She knew they would. And truthfully, she didn’t mind letting them go. In fact, it was a pleasure to watch them streak across the fields. Horse and rider—two beautiful beings—so closely attuned to one another they moved as if they were one entity. As they raced off into the distance, Erin sighed.

What was she doing? She had no business being here with this man, no reason to think that getting involved with him could end up in anything but heartache. He was from Texas, she was from California, and it was only a coincidence that their paths happened to cross in Montana. She didn’t even know how long he planned to stay in Thunder Canyon—or even how long she did.

But why couldn’t she enjoy his company so long as he was here? For once in her life, why couldn’t she be impulsive and irresponsible and just let things happen?

She heard them returning before she saw them. The thunderous pounding of the stallion’s hooves in the distance made her turn just as they plunged through a copse of towering pines. The horse raced ahead, wild and reckless, and the man on its back looked every bit as dangerous. But it wasn’t fear that made Erin’s heart pound in her chest—it was excitement. Anticipation. Lust.

She wanted him. It was ridiculous to continue to deny it. It was also ridiculous to imagine that she could ever have him for anything more than a very hot, very short-term fling.

And what would be so wrong about that? her clamoring hormones demanded to know.

As he drew nearer, her heart pounded even harder.

What would be wrong , she reminded herself sternly, was that she didn’t even know the man . Aside from the fact that he was Dillon’s brother, she knew almost nothing about him. And she wasn’t in the habit of falling into bed with men she didn’t know.

Corey reined in the horse, reducing his pace to a canter, then a trot and finally slowing him to a walk as they approached Erin and Jax. She turned her mount around and began to head back, but she was less successful in redirecting her thoughts.

“You both look as if you enjoyed that,” Erin said.

“I don’t think there’s anything I love more than exploring the great outdoors on horseback.”

“This is beautiful country,” she agreed.

“The prettiest in the whole world, apart from Texas, of course.”

“Of course,” she agreed drily.

He grinned. “Although I hear the West Coast has some good stuff, too. Like California girls.”

“Are you going to break into song now?”

“I only ever sing in the shower,” he told her, “so if you want to be serenaded—”

“Not necessary,” she assured him.

Corey chuckled.

“So what did you think?” he asked a few minutes later. “Not just of the ranch, but the ride.”

“I think I could learn to like this,” she admitted.

“I knew you would,” he said confidently.

There was that arrogance again—but it definitely suited him.

“You’ve probably been riding since you were little,” she guessed.

“Since I was knee high to a grasshopper, to hear my mama tell the story.”

She made a point of tilting her head way back to look up at him. “I can’t imagine you were ever knee high to a grasshopper.”

“I was,” he surprised her by admitting. “In fact, I was short and scrawny almost all the way through high school. I couldn’t even get a date to my junior prom.”

“And your senior prom?”

He grinned. “Well, that was a different story.”

“I’ll bet.”

“How about you? Did you go to your senior prom?”

She thought back, smiled. “Yes, I did. I went with Thomas Anderson. He was president of the chess club, editor of the yearbook, valedictorian of our graduating class.”

“The first boy you ever slept with?” he prompted.

She shook her head. “No. But he was the first boy to break my heart.”

“Where is he now? Want me to go beat him up?”

She laughed. “That’s not necessary. I got over him a long time ago.”

“Glad to hear that,” he said. “How about more recently?”

“More recently what?”

“Have you been dating anyone in Thunder Canyon?”

“No. And I’m not looking to start, either.”

“Why not?”

She shrugged. “I’ve been working a lot.”

“You know what they say about all work and no play,” he warned her.

“I don’t play games.”

“Some games are fun, darlin’.”

She smiled at that, but her smile quickly faded. “I was dating someone in San Diego for a while.”

“Did he break your heart, too?”

She shook her head. “But I think I might have bruised his.”

“And you’re still feeling guilty about it,” he guessed.

“Maybe. I don’t know. I didn’t think our relationship was that serious. We hadn’t been dating very long, but he was looking to make a commitment and I wasn’t.”

“Because you’re not ready to settle down? Or because you didn’t want to settle down with him?”

“I just didn’t want to settle,” she said and winced when she realized how the words sounded.

But Corey nodded, understanding. “There was something missing.”

“A lot of somethings, actually,” she admitted.

“How is that your fault?”

“Well, according to my mother, I didn’t give him a chance, my expectations are too high, I need to understand that chemistry takes time—” she broke off, her cheeks burning. “Well, that’s getting a lot more personal than I meant to.”

“So, there was no chemistry with this guy, huh?”

She ignored his question because she knew the answer would lead her down a treacherous path.

They were at the barn now, and Corey dismounted before turning to help Erin down. She was grateful for his assistance, because as relaxed as she’d begun to feel in the saddle she wasn’t at all confident in her ability to get out of it. She put her hands on his shoulders and slid down, the front of her body brushing against the front of his.