I liked this torture when he would run his hand down my stomach and then linger at my entrance, playing with me there.

I wasn’t disappointed. He did exactly that, building the throb even higher before he said, “I fly out in the morning with the rest of the crew.”

“Yeah?” I began to pant, opening my legs wider for him.

His finger went around me and then dipped inside.

I gasped silently, and then a second finger went in, which had my back arching off the bed an inch.

“But I have till then.”

I opened my eyes.

He added a third finger, and he was watching me, his eyes dark with hunger and lust. Then he began to move his fingers, thrusting into me in a slow and steady rhythm, and I lay there, never wanting him to stop, never wanting him to leave.

I tried to relay that as he settled himself between my thighs and slid into me. I tried to relay that many times throughout the night, and when he got up to shower and pack in the morning, neither of us had slept at all.

Then the knock came, and we both knew our time was up.

It was his ride to the airport.

I stood, pulled on his shorts and sweatshirt that I hadn’t let him pack, and followed him to the door.

His manager stood there, and she blinked a few times when she saw me. “Oh.” She moved back a step and offered a small wave. “I’ll . . . uh—” She gestured to the car that had two other people sitting in it. “I’ll wait by the car for you.”

The passengers were both gaping at me.

Gayle was halfway to the car, when she pivoted and came back. She pointed to his suitcase. “I’ll help grab this one.”

He nodded. He had another bag over his shoulder, and he also handed that one over. “Thanks, Gayle.” Brody’s hand came to my waist. He said to her, “I’ll be there in a second.”

She went back, putting his things into the trunk and getting behind the wheel.

They were still watching, but Brody turned so his back shielded us. He pulled me to him, his head burrowing in the crook of my neck and shoulder. He ran a hand down my back.

I waited, wondering what he might say. Would he say the words? When he was going to go? Was he going to?

He didn’t. He just kissed up my neck and moved his mouth to find mine.

I poured everything into that kiss, my arms around his neck, and I rose all the way up to my tiptoes.

When he pulled back, his eyes were hooded, but they cleared for a bit. He only said, “I’ll be back,” before he pressed one last kiss to my forehead and pulled away.

He descended the steps, got into the passenger seat, and only looked back once when the car turned away.

I didn’t know if he watched me in the rearview mirror, but I stayed there just in case. When the car was in the driveway and no longer within sight because of the trees, I took off. I had to go as far with them as possible.

Running barefoot through the fields, I called for Shiloh.

I whinnied. I neighed. I yelled her name in panic.

She came galloping through the trees a moment later. She must not have been far away, and like so many times before, I ran to meet her. She veered over, and I swung up onto her back. She barely paused.

I didn’t have to give her much guidance.

She knew the other weird smelling horse that I’d grown attached to was in that car, and I wanted to run next to him. It was a minute later when we broke through the brush and the tree line. The car was ahead of us, so I leaned forward on Shiloh and urged her to go faster.

She did.

Then, as we were catching up, the car moved to the side, and we were able to run next to it.

I looked over to Brody, who was watching me, but then he pointed beyond me to my other side.

I looked over.

The entire herd was running beside us, like heads of smoke wafting through the trees.

We went with them until they turned onto the main road, and I pulled Shiloh back. The herd switched, moving to the next mountain valley, and after a moment of watching the car, I let Shiloh pull me away.

We joined the herd.

Brody

“Brody.”

Gayle was tapping my arm, so I reluctantly opened my eyes.

“We’re landing.”

Just like the last time we’d flown together, she thought I’d been asleep the whole flight home, but unlike the last time, I hadn’t been. Dark sunglasses kept the illusion and kept prying questions from coming my way. We took over almost the entire plane, but I had to give Shanna some credit. She stashed a few of us in first class. I was by the window, Kara next to me, and Gayle behind me. Shanna was across the aisle, but she seemed as much in a non-talkative mood as I was. Once she sat, she ordered a merlot and kept the drinks coming.

Everyone in first class had been drinking, except Kara and me. Even Gayle had two glasses of bourbon. The flight attendants had been nervous, with reason, but they seemed to relax since we were close to landing. No fights between the passengers had broken out.

“Is there anything you need, Mr. Asher?”

I glanced up, hearing the slightly warmer than necessary voice. The flight attendant was there, her smile warm and alluring.

Kara snorted next to me, rolling her eyes.

“No. I’m good. Thank you.”

“Okay.” Her eyes were inviting. “Just let me know.”