A loud neigh resonated from the corral in between the two structures, snagging Leslie’s attention. An angry looking horse that needed to put on weight tossed his head with a snort as he pranced back and forth along the rail, eyes glued toward them. “What does he want?” she asked, looking up at Kurt.
Dipping into his pocket, he pulled out a sugar cube and nudged her toward the paddock. “A treat. I rescued him from the dog food factory and have been using bribes to gain his trust. I became his best friend when he got his first taste of sugar. Stay back, he’ll bite if you give him a chance.”
Bemused, she watched as Kurt held his hand out, palm flat and the mustang nipped the cube without checking it out first, his large eyes glaring at her with mistrust. “I don’t know a thing about horses, but can’t understand how anyone can allow one to get into this condition. Even I know their ribs aren’t supposed to be so pronounced.”
“Seeing an animal so neglected tries the patience of conscientious ranchers and livestock owners. Unfortunately, we see it all too often. This guy,” Kurt managed to pat the horse’s rump as he trotted away, “doesn’t trust me enough to saddle him yet, but he will. I haven’t failed with a reluctant partner yet.” He cast her a pointed look before dipping his head to nip the tender skin along the curve of her neck, the slight sting ricocheting down her body.
Exasperated as much with him and his teasing touches as with herself for responding, she glared at him as he pulled back and nudged her toward the small barn again. “You agreed to set aside our physical relationship while I’m here.”
“No, I didn’t. I agreed we wouldn’t sleep together,” he replied smoothly, reminding her Doms didn’t always play fair, or nice.
Before she could retort to that ridiculous excuse, he hauled her against him and covered her mouth in a carnal kiss that sent a flow of bubbling heat from her lips to her toes. Just as she leaned into him, telling herself it couldn’t hurt to succumb to this pleasure one time, he broke away, snatched her hand and started walking again. Leslie glared daggers at his broad back, resisting the urge to deliver a kick to that fine ass as she ran her tongue over her throbbing lip. They wound their way around two more outbuildings, both as large as the first, and she met several more employees. Each time they moved away from the introductions, Kurt would prod her along with teasing pinches to her backside, hard enough her jeans were no barrier to the resulting throb.
Swearing under her breath, Leslie wrenched her hand from his. “Not funny, Kurt,” she griped before looking over his shoulder and gasping at the large moose staring at them from the edge of the woods. “Oh, wow, that thing is huge.”
Kurt pulled the pistol from his waistband, his gaze turning sharp as he eyed the animal. “Stand still a minute. Odds are he’ll keep on going unless provoked.”
“You wouldn’t shoot it, would you?” Between his size and antlers spreading out several feet from his head, the moose was a daunting sight, but also magnificent. She hated to think of him getting hurt, or worse.
“I will if he charges, but like I said,” he nodded toward the lumbering animal turning back into the trees, “they usually don’t stick around.” Grabbing her hand again, he pointed in the opposite direction of where the moose had gone. “Come on. Fun time is over since the day is getting away from us. I want to get a little practice in before the sun starts to go down.”
A five-minute walk brought them to a small open field divided by a small island range draped with Ponderosa pines. At the base of the ridge sat stacks of hay bales with painted circular targets on the front. Leslie shivered as Kurt settled her in front of him, not sure if the goosebumps racing across her skin were from the chill in the air or the press of all those hard muscles against her softer frame.
“Cold?” he whispered in her ear before warming her by sinking his teeth onto her earlobe.
“A little. Aren’t you?” She cursed the breathless catch in her voice. Dam
n it, she wasn’t a simpering teen with her first boy, or even a newbie sub with her first Dom. She was supposed to be put out with him, wasn’t she?
“No. Just remembering when I had you at the club is enough to keep me warm. Did I ever mention how much I like those little whimpers you make when I’m tormenting you?”
Why hadn’t she realized how devious he could be, she bemoaned as those scenes popped into her head? “No, and I don’t appreciate you bringing it up now.”
“Then it’s time to get serious.” He placed her right hand around the butt of the pistol and her left below it, the smooth wood handle of the weapon in her hand creating a sense of anxiety out of the blue. Shaking it off, she concentrated on his instructions. “You’ll do better with a double grip for now. A pistol has a kick to it, but nothing like a rifle. I took the bullets out, so don’t worry about it being loaded.”
“Is this necessary? I’m uncomfortable with this thing.” And with you being so close. Was that the reason for her sudden nerves about the gun, the twitchy anxiety that wasn’t there when she’d first seen it tucked into his waistband?
“Yes, and you’ll get used to it. I learned to shoot before I started school. When I was around five, I witnessed a puma attack on one of our hands and saw how fast and accurately my dad reacted.”
“Was he okay, your employee?” She shuddered, remembering the sudden splatter of blood as a bullet entered Alessandro’s head and the nausea that unforgettable scene conjured up for months afterward.
“Yes. A few stitches and he was back to work thanks to Dad’s excellent marksmanship. Now, pay attention.”
Leslie tried but between Kurt’s nearness and the memory of walking into that fateful scene, it was difficult. With his help, she took aim and pulled the trigger several times, breathing a sigh of relief the easier it got with each empty click. And then her unease returned as he loaded the gun with bullets. She quaked inside as she took aim, not understanding why until she squeezed the trigger and the loud rapport thrust her back to that day almost four years ago, and the horrible murder she’d walked in on.
Alarm bells went off as Leslie stiffened against Kurt and her face bleached to snow white. Her slight body trembled under his hands and against his chest, her calm, steady breathing turning to desperate pants, her eyes going blank with fear. Snatching the gun from her hands, he tossed it on the ground, grabbed her shoulders and gave her a small shake, worry and anger gripping his throat.
“Leslie!” he snapped. “Look at me.” It took another shake before her eyes cleared enough to recognize him, the soft whimper spilling from her bloodless lips cutting him to the quick. “I’m here, baby. No one can hurt you. No one can get to you, I promise.” She sank against him, still shaking but with a return of color to her cheeks. Relief loosened the knot in his belly as he pulled her close. “There you go.”
Kurt held her for several minutes, doing nothing but rub soothing strokes up and down her back, waiting for her breathing to calm until she lifted her head. He wasn’t surprised to see a return of wariness reflected on her face.
“I’m sorry.” Leslie pulled back, averting her gaze. “I don’t know what came over me.”
“Yes, you do.” He refused to let her revert to shutting him out. They’d come too far to start taking steps backward. Bending, he picked up the pistol and returned it to his waistband before latching onto her elbow and starting back to the house. “Can you talk about it now the secret about your placement in witness protection is out?”
She hesitated and then capitulated with a sigh that got to Kurt on several levels. “I guess there’s no reason to keep quiet, is there?” Her eyes traveled around the pasture. “It’s so quiet out here, so peaceful. That was the first thing I noticed about Montana. Such a vast difference from Reno.”
“That’s where you’re from?” Keeping his steps short and slow to give her time to gather her thoughts, he watched her face closely for signs of duress.