MountainStallion (4 page)

She looked taken aback by his reaction and said, “I know I’m
not a professional but I have observed grooms and I think I can do a fairly
decent job—”

“It’s not that,” he said, resting his hands on her shoulders
and staring into her eyes. “You have no idea how much I’d love a rubdown.”

This made her smile. She touched a fingertip to his lips,
narrowed her eyes and said, “I think I know.”

Pace stretched his arms behind him and unhooked the girth
near the top of the saddle. Unlike true horse saddles, those of Horsemen could
be adjusted in multiple areas, depending on the owner’s choice. He lifted off
the saddle and placed it on the ground, then tugged a blanket out of the
saddlebag.

Gayle stood nearby, squeezing moisture from her wet hair.

He draped the blanket over her and gently rubbed her hair.
Her playful grin touched his heart and he drew her into a snug embrace. Her
soft, smooth cheek rubbed against him. She uttered a contented sigh then
stepped away from him only to remove the blanket from her shoulders and drape
it over his equine back. She dried his wet coat then he used the blanket to dry
off his man-half. Her small yet strong hands caressed him then kneaded his
equine shoulder. It felt so good that Pace tossed the blanket aside and closed
his eyes, once again surrendering to her touch.

“If you want me to reach your shoulders you’ll have to
kneel,” she said.

Roused from his semi-stupor of pleasure, he unfastened his
harness and shrugged it off. He tossed it atop his saddle, then lowered himself
to his knees.

Glancing at her, he said, “You can sit on my back if you
want to.”

Gayle moistened her lips then parted them. Her eyes gleamed
with longing that made Pace’s heart skip a beat. If she accepted his
invitation, she’d be astride him without the saddle, no barrier between them.

Taste of the Truth

Without a word or another moment’s hesitation, Gayle lifted
her skirt and slid her shapely leg over Pace’s back. She placed a hand on his
shoulder to steady herself as she settled onto him.

Pace could scarcely control his excitement. Of course he’d
carried riders and bedded women before. He wasn’t as experienced with females
as some, but he’d had his share of admirers. He considered himself a
decent-looking Horseman. He’d even been called handsome, yet when it came to
women, he never quite knew what to say. Work was different. He felt confident
about his skills and ambition. Whatever task he undertook, he did so with his
heart and soul.

“You’re very tense,” Gayle said, kneading his shoulders.

“I’ve been busy lately.”

“Yes. From what I gather your employer is a real monster.”

This stunned him. “Why do you say that?” He craned his neck
to look at her but she gently grasped his head and guided it back to its
natural position.

Stroking his cropped hair, she continued, “The workers who
came to my shop talked about the horrible hours they’ve endured, but they’re so
afraid of him that the hours were
all
they complained about. They wouldn’t
admit to poor treatment or unfair pay. In fact they seemed to
like
their
master, but I know they lied.”

“Why do you say that? Maybe they are treated and paid well.”

She snorted. “I know what the wealthy are like. They’d kill
workers to squeeze what they can out of them for the scantest price.”

“That’s a cynical attitude.”

“It’s the truth.”

“For some it probably is, but fair people do exist in the
world.”

“How can you say that? When you came into my shop earlier
you looked as if he hadn’t let you off that mountain in weeks.”

How could he switch from being enamored of her one moment to
irritated by her the next?

“First of all, no one is forced to stay on the mountain. We
had an important order from the Fighting Carriers. They keep us safe and the
craftsmen know it. When an order from them comes in we have enough volunteers
to work extended hours so anyone who doesn’t want to doesn’t have to.”

“You’re saying it’s a choice?”

“Yes.”

“And the ones who don’t volunteer won’t find themselves out
of work?”

His expressive Horseman ears swept back in a gesture of
anger. He curled his lip and snorted, “I resent that statement.”

“Why are you so upset? I’m on
your
side.”

“By insinuating I’m either a slave or an idiot?”

She stopped massaging him and slid off his back. Immediately
he missed her weight and warmth, but their tempers had flared too much for them
to continue with any type of pleasure.

“Not everyone has the luxury of being the one to give
orders. There’s no shame in taking them, Pace. To me the shame falls upon those
who abuse their power.”

“Why do you assume the owner of the forge abuses his power?”

“Because!” She tossed her hands in the air, exasperated.

“You don’t even know him.”

“I’m not sure I want to. In fact I’m not sure I even want to
know you anymore.”

“Good.”

“Fine. I’m going home.” She stomped toward the rocky
corridor.

“Good luck,” he said, folding his arms across his chest.

She paused and sighed, her slender shoulders sagging. “I
guess I wouldn’t get very far.”

He actually felt sorry for her.

Their argument wasn’t entirely her fault. He probably should
tell her the truth about owning the forge and tack shop. She truly believed she
was siding with poor, unfairly treated workers. From a woman who had been born
into wealth, that was unusual and refreshing. It struck him that he was being
unfair by hiding the truth just as she was being unfair by making uniformed
judgments.

Something else bothered him and before he revealed his true
identity, he wanted to hear her reply.

“What makes you think I haven’t been off the mountain
lately?” he asked.

She shrugged. “The expression in your eyes. I can usually
tell when a Horseman isn’t allowed enough freedom. You look like caged animals.
I’ve known enough of you to realize you need time to fly free, stretch your
wings and gallop through open fields. If you’re not allowed that, it’s not good
for you. It makes me furious to see anyone shackled, whether it’s literally
like in the mines of the Vertue Mountains or figuratively, by unreasonable
demands from a miserly employer. No one should live like that, especially a
Horseman like you…” Her voice trailed off and color rose in her cheeks.

“One like me?”

She nodded, her gaze sweeping him from head to tail. “You
look like you could be a Fighting Carrier yourself. If you can’t stretch your
wings every day it’s…criminal.”

Pace had never received such a compliment in his life. She
didn’t merely admire his appearance, but she observed his very soul. He didn’t
know what to say. Mere words weren’t enough to let her know how deeply she’d
touched him. Instead he swept her into his arms and covered her delicate mouth
in a tender, passionate kiss.

When their lips finally parted, Gayle gazed into his eyes
and said, “Will you change to Huform? Your equine form is beautiful but I’d
like to see you as a man.” Hopefully her request didn’t insult him. Until now
she’d never been romantically involved with a Horseman.

By his sultry smile and the arousal in his eyes, he didn’t
mind at all.

He stepped back, then hesitated.

“Do you prefer I turn away?” she asked.

“It’s your choice. Shapeshifting isn’t very attractive—”

“The end result is.”

He grinned and closed his eyes. His entire body shuddered
and the cave floor trembled as he changed to Huform. The process was fast, a
blur of equine fur to human flesh. Almost before she realized, Pace stood in
front of her in his two-legged form.

Heavens, he was gorgeous. Standing slightly over six feet,
he had incredibly long legs of rock-hard muscle. A dusting of dark blond hair
covered them. Amidst an even darker thatch of kinky pubic hair rose his
gorgeous, uncut cock. The pinkish head peeked through its sheath, indicating
his arousal. The heavy balls beneath called for her to touch them.

Gayle had never been wanton. She’d been kissed before but
had never coupled with a man, either human or Horseman. Perhaps she had been
waiting for Pace. The shared dream meant they belonged together. Now faced with
the gorgeous, naked Horseman, all her repressed desires overcame her.

As if drawn by the same magic in the dream, she stepped
closer to him and touched her trembling hands to his chest. The wide expanse
broadened even more as he drew a deep breath. His warm hands covered her
shoulders and he said, “You have no idea how badly I want you, Gayle.”

“Yes I do,” she whispered and touched her lips to his chest.
The curling, golden hairs covering it tickled her and she smiled, closing her
eyes and rubbing her cheek against him. She kissed her way down his taut
stomach, dipped her tongue into his navel then knelt in front of him. Her eyes
opened and her heart pounded out of control. All her senses focused on him—his
wonderful, masculine scent and the heat emanating from his body. If she leaned
the slightest bit closer, her lips would brush the tip of his beautiful cock.

“Gayle, before we go any further there’s something I want to
tell you.”

Horror struck her and she tilted her face up to his. “You’re
married?”

“No, I’m not married.”

“Betrothed?”

“Of course not.”

“Then whatever you have to say can wait.”

Moistening her lips, she impulsively reached out and trailed
her fingertips along his length. She’d never been with a man but instinct told
her what to do—or perhaps her passion drove her to take what she wanted from
him.

She grasped his quivering shaft in both hands and pushed down
the foreskin. He swelled in her grip.

“It’s about my work—” he began, then groaned. She blew
little puffs of air across his cock head.

“I don’t care. It doesn’t matter to me if you’re a worker or
if you don’t have much. I earn a good income from my shop and I’m sure that
eventually you can open your own tack shop.”

“Oh could I?” He sounded almost insulted.

“Don’t be offended. I know how proud men are, especially
Horsemen, but wealth isn’t the only measure of a man’s success. Other things
are far more important. Let’s not talk about it anymore. Not right now. I just
want…” Her voice trailed off and she touched her lips ever so lightly to the
tip of his cock, just over the little eye.

“But Gayle, I’m—” He stopped speaking and moaned as she took
his cock head into her mouth. His fingers tightened in her hair, not enough to
hurt her but just enough to let her know how much her motions aroused him.

Gayle had never imagined touching and tasting a man like
this. She couldn’t get enough of him. She rolled her tongue over his bulging,
velvety cock head and tickled the underside. All the while her hands stroked
his thick, hard shaft. Then she took his balls in one hand and kneaded them,
loving the feel of the soft, hair-dusted sac.

Closing her eyes, she focused on him completely. She licked
his straining shaft, loving the texture of it and the way his breath seemed to
catch in his throat as she devoured him. Once again she took the head between
her lips and sucked it, then lapped the sensitive ridge beneath the tip.

After a few moments, Pace gently pushed her away. Still on
her knees, she stared up at him, her heart pounding.

Pace’s smoldering gaze held hers and he reached out to
gently sweep his thumb over her lips. “Who would have thought a mouth so sweet
could be so skilled? It’s time I returned the favor.”

He turned away only to pick up the blanket and spread it on
the ground. Gayle stared at him, admiring the play of muscles in his sleek
body. Taking her hand, Pace met her gaze once more and guided her onto her back.
The warm blanket added some protection against the cave floor but Gayle would
have lain there even without it. She wanted Pace on top of her, making love to
her.

Yet he had another idea first.

He settled onto the blanket as well and guided her legs over
his shoulders. At the first touch of his warm, moist lips against her clit,
Gayle gasped with pleasure. Over and over he lapped the sensitive flesh.
Overcome by lust, she moaned and writhed, but Pace slid his hands beneath her
and cupped her bottom, holding her steady. He kneaded her buttocks while
licking and sucking her clit. Then he thrust his tongue deep into her pussy and
explored with slow strokes that teased her to the brink.

“Oh, Pace, it feels—” She cried out when he used the very
tip of his tongue to trace the side of her clit, the pleasure so keen it
bordered on pain.

“Tell me, love,” he said in a husky whisper, his breath
warming her clit. “Tell me how it feels.”

“So good, Pace. So, so good,” she panted, every muscle in
her body tight and her heart pounding. Any moment she would—

She came hard beneath his flicking tongue. Her back arched
so dramatically that it ached but she didn’t care. Panting and moaning, she
grasped his head and thrust toward his mouth.

Pace lapped and sucked until her pulsations finally slowed,
then he slid upward and covered her body with his. She cried out and clung to
him when he braced his hands on either side of her head and filled her drenched
pussy with a long, slow thrust. Her hips jerked up to meet him. Though she’d just
had an intense climax, she longed for more.

“Easy, love,” Pace said, his breathing ragged. Despite the
desire gleaming in his eyes, he didn’t rush their lovemaking but pulled out
almost to the tip then filled her slowly. “You’re so tight. Don’t want to hurt
you.”

“You’re not,” she said, her fingers biting into his back. “I
want you, Pace. Oh please give me pleasure. Please give it to me.”

Her passionate words had their desired effect and he
groaned, his mouth covering hers in another deep kiss while he thrust faster.

Thoroughly aroused, Gayle met him thrust for thrust. The
heat and friction drove her to a second climax even sooner than she thought
possible. Clinging to him hard, she shook and pulsed around him.

Pace’s tongue thrust between her lips. His mouth absorbed
her cries of rapture. To her surprise, he somehow held his pleasure at bay and
slowed his thrusts. He paused, his big, hard body quivering. Again he picked up
his pace, thrusting in a steady rhythm.

Amazingly, she felt the kindling of another climax. Her eyes
closed, Gayle panted and rolled her head from side to side while he thrust. His
thick, satin-skinned cock rubbed her in all the right places.

His powerful body strained into her and he tore his mouth
from hers. His body jerked and he thrust so fast that she simply wrapped her
legs around him and held on for the ride.

“Gayle, ah! Gayle!” he shouted.

Her hands roamed over his broad, sweat-slicked back, feeling
the muscles tense, then she reached lower and grasped his tight buttocks.
Heavens this man had such a strong, perfect body! She slid her hands to his
lower back and Pace cried out and went rigid.

She guessed she’d touched his Turning Point, the place in a
Horseman where shapeshifting originated. It was an incredibly sensitive part of
a Horseman.

Still caressing his Turning Point, she rolled her tongue
along his pointed Horseman ear then lightly bit the lobe.

Pace finally lost control. He thrust even harder and faster,
his breathing hoarse and his entire body quivering.

A few more thrusts and Gayle came again. This time he joined
her, straining into her and filling her with his seed.

Finally he settled beside her and drew her against his warm,
powerful body. Her cheek pressed against his chest, she fell asleep to the
rhythm of his heart and the sensation of his hand lightly stroking her hip.