Bouquets and Buckles: An Age Gap, Snowed In, Cowboy Romance (Crimson Ridge)

There are a dozen curious creatures in this part of the stables. All angling their long necks and letting out impatient snorts in order to get a glimpse at the girl out here helping with the chores this morning.

Skylar croons and chats away to each of them as she works her way through the stalls. She’s taken over mucking out and shooed me off as soon as I showed her the ropes.

I’ve busied myself elsewhere… because I’m unable to keep off her. Every part of me wants to reach out and touch her in some way.

Not just sexually—I mean, that’s undeniably part of my addiction to this girl—but in the way we seem to be able to spend time together so easily. It’s effortless to be with her.

She’s smart and quick to tease, and for someone like me who has enjoyed his own company for a very long fucking time, Skylar fits with that in a way I wasn’t expecting.

We haven’t even talked about Brad all that much, which I thought might be where things faltered between us. Once the fucking and tension was out of our system, I had worried that maybe we would have nothing to talk about beyond her being my son’s best friend. That our worlds would be too distant from one another.

Instead, we’ve spent the past day and night together. Talking.

She showed me her store’s Instagram, photos and videos of her floristry work—which is stunning—plans she’s got for events and clients who have already booked her for the new year. Skylar’s smile only grew brighter when she sheepishly told me about the dream she’s had of growing different varieties of peonies, of having a farmgate style pick your own operation, while building a team to handle the shop front for her.

This girl has got budgets and spreadsheets and absolutely has her shit together. When I think back to being young and dumb and her age, I’m embarrassed to admit all I was doing was roping, riding, and chasing skirts.

Everything is done with such an eye for aesthetic detail, it’s no surprise Skylar’s busy as all hell.

In between phone calls with her parents and some other friends, she told me about her folks’ travels and how they want her to fly to meet them somewhere during the summer.

I mean, admittedly, a lot of those conversations have been while naked or in between another round of hot-as-fuck sex, but there’s a familiarity there between us.

In all honesty, I hadn’t expected to find that sort of connection with anyone, let alone a girl half my age who I shouldn’t even be looking at.

Something that was put into sharp perspective when Brad video called, and it made for a very awkward twenty minutes when both of us tried to pretend like we didn’t spend all of Christmas with my tongue in her cunt.

“She’s so glossy.” Her voice glides in and interrupts my thoughts. I’ve been busy grooming my bay gelding, Fizz, lost in my own mind and didn’t even hear her approaching.

“That she is. Fizzy loves a compliment, too.” Sure enough she’s nuzzling Skylar, looking for a bit of extra attention. “How’s it going down there?”

“I think I’m all done. You might have to check my work, though, Mr. Rhodes.”

Her lips roll together, and lashes flutter. Baby blues bounce between my eyes, down to my mouth, then up to my hat. She settles her gaze there, lingering, and her tongue darts out to wet her lips.

Tossing the brush into the bucket next to my boots, I tuck my hands in my jacket pockets and close the distance between us. Advancing slowly, watching eagerly as Skylar retreats with a sinful little smile playing on her lips, until her back makes contact with the wooden wall.

“Did you get distracted on the job, sweetheart?” I selfishly eat up the way her pupils dilate and lips part on a shallow exhale.

“Maybe.” Small white puffs leave her lips with the heat of her breath on the crisp air.

It’s way too goddamn cold out here to be sinking into her, even though that’s a particular fantasy I’ve played out in my mind’s eye one too many times over the past couple of days.

“Can I tell you a secret?”

“You can tell me anything.” I lean one arm over her, high on the wall, brushing our bodies together.

She bites her bottom lip, and the glassy look in her eyes spells my impending doom. Because I know it, I know whatever comes out of this girl’s mouth next, I’ll agree to.

Her tiny fingers curl into the front of my jacket, and she goes up on tiptoes. I have to duck my head lower so that she can reach my ear and it sends a shudder roaming through me.

Illicit thoughts drift in of having days, months, years on end when this could be a reality between us.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Rhodes, but I forgot to put any panties on.” Skylar’s voice is a sultry whisper. “And I can feel you running down my thighs.”

“Jesus.” I swallow thickly. My pulse starts thudding hard as hoofbeats in my neck.

“Then you had to go and stroll around in that hat and those jeans… and…” She peeks up at me through a heavy curtain of lashes.

“Are you telling me that your needy little pussy is out here bare and slutty and dripping with my cum?” With my other hand not leaning on the wall, I rub my thumb back and forth across her bottom lip before tugging it down.

I’m fucking addicted to the way her pupils blow out when I treat her this way. A little bit stern, but mostly just teasing her and telling her how perfect she is.

Goddamn, if it doesn’t make everything insanely hot that my cum is still inside her from when I had her bent over the bathroom counter this morning.

“Do you want to see?” Her words are soft. Delicate. Just like her.

Fuck. I might just forget my damn mind and propose to this girl.

“I didn’t think I could find a way to fuck you out here, but I might have to change that plan.” I press my thumb into her mouth, and the good girl she is, Skylar swirls her tongue around and laps at the pad.

Pushing off the wall, I grasp my hat and lift it off, placing it over her pastel pink waves.

As I sink down to my knees in front of her, those blue eyes widen, and her lips hang parted as she watches me.

I give her a wink as my fingers hook into her waistband.

“Suits you, sweetheart.”

“Does it?” Her fingers seek out my hair in the way I’m absolutely addicted to. I want those nails digging into my scalp and tugging hard as often as possible.

“Mmmm. You’re gonna have to let me see you wear it from another angle, just so I can really get a good look at you.” I flick the button on her jeans. “I think you’re gonna have to ride me with only that on. Right now, there are too many clothes on this perfect body for me to be certain.”

She laughs, a light tinkling feminine sound, the kind of playful noise that is so foreign in this barn, but one that feels so fucking right. Her stomach caves as my fingers press against the softness of her skin.

Just as I work her jeans down, just as I lean forward to lick a long line over her pouty clit—plump and begging for my attention—and suck it into my mouth, there’s the sound of a vehicle outside.

Tires crunch over the snow, muffled music plays as the two people I certainly have no interest in seeing pull up next to the barn.

“Oh my god.” The fingers that should be guiding me to exactly where Skylar wants my long, slow kisses are now tugging me off her. “Is it Brad?”

I hastily wipe my mouth on the back of my hand. Fucking fuck.

“Christ. Do you want me to get rid of him?” I get to my feet, helping pull her jeans back up. I’d gladly give anything, find any excuse under the sun, to tell my son to fuck right off right now.

She bats my hands away. Eyes gone round as the moon.

“Just go stall him,” she hisses.

I hate everything about what this means… that our time has ended in an abrupt halt. If I’d known this morning was our last chance to be alone together, I wouldn’t have come to the stables at all.

“It’s ok. Go.” She jerks her head and fastens her jeans, then turns. Only, she falters for a second and quickly pulls my hat off and thrusts it back into my hands before she vanishes out of the stall.

Slipping away from me without an opportunity for a proper goodbye.