Brody - Ellie Masters Page 0,51

I shouldn’t have…” His forehead presses against mine as he sags against me. Propping his hand on the doorframe over my head, he pulls away and stares down at me. “This, I swear, no matter what happened between us, who better to put the pieces of your heart back together than the boy who broke it in the first place?”

“Brody…”

His finger presses over my lips.

“I lost the most precious thing I ever had. I’m giving you notice that I’m taking it back.”

My entire body thrums with the passion of that kiss, the loss of his body pressed against mine, and the undeniable conflict his words evoke.

His palms slide up my arms and wrap around my shoulders. He pulls me into his embrace and tucks my head beneath his chin.

“I suppose it’s time we have that talk because if this kiss continues much longer, I’ll strip you and bury myself in that sweet pussy of yours long before you’re ready to beg me for it.”

Spirit whinnies and snorts as he shakes his head. His long mane ripples in an undulating wave down his neck. His rear foot stomps at the dry, baked ground, and he stamps with impatience.

Brody gives a low chuckle.

“Cock-blocked by a horse. I guess that’ll have to wait until we get to Lookout Rock.” He steps back and glances at the porch. Suddenly somewhat uncertain, he rubs at the back of his neck. “Where are these boots of yours?”

I stare at him, shocked, surprised, and blown away by what he said. I straighten and roll my shoulders back. Brody laid out the gauntlet. If I continue, I give tacit agreement for whatever happens. Am I ready to have sex with him again? I curl in my lower lip and bite it with my teeth. Virile. Masculine. Brody is a gorgeous and potent male who steals any good sense I may have left.

“Don’t break your promise, Brody. Don’t break my heart again.”

“I promise.” He spies my boots and retrieves them.

While I put my boots on, he takes my backpack and secures it behind his saddle on Spirit. He walks Chesty over to the porch, giving me a hand as I swing up and into the saddle. As I settle in, he stares at me in brooding silence.

“What’s wrong?” My hand grips the pommel of the saddle as hesitation runs through me.

“I can’t believe you’re here, that’s all. And thank you.” He presses his fingers to his chest, and his eyes close for a moment before he steps around Chesty to mount Spirit. “You ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.” I want to ask what he’s thankful for but decide not to press. Brody isn’t a man who bares his emotions. It feels wrong to press. I don’t want to scare him off, but I need Brody to be open and raw with me.

With the lingering heat of our kiss cooling off, we head down the lane and toward the trailhead where our individual properties abut one another. Brody leads. Chesty proves she’s a gentle creature, carrying my inexperienced ass up the meandering trail. It doesn’t take long before we transition from grass and rocks to scrub and brush as we climb.

Brody doesn’t speak, keeping his own counsel, as I focus in on the wide expanse of his back and the way his broad shoulders taper down to a narrow waist. That’s where my gaze settles, watching his sculpted ass as it shifts in the saddle with each of Spirit’s steps.

A beautiful day, there’s hardly a cloud in the sky, leaving deep blue overhead. A light breeze takes away the heat, leaving me comfortable in my jeans and heavy boots. I opted for a light t-shirt, knowing the trail would be dusty, and if it gets cold, a light jacket is tucked into the bottom of my pack.

Before long, trees takeover from the scrub oaks, towering over us and close out the sky. We continue on in silence, twisting up the trail. Through breaks in the trees, I watch the floor of the valley drop. Spirit crests a rise, and the trees fall away as we reach the ridge with an unobstructed view of the valley.

“How’re you doing?” Brody twists in his saddle.

“It’s gorgeous up here.” I take in a deep breath, filling my lungs with the smells of pine, soil, and the musky loam. “I forgot how beautiful it is.”

How secluded.

“It sure is.” His gaze doesn’t waver from me and heat rises in my cheeks.

“It’s been forever since I’ve been up