“And I would be sad about that why?” she questioned
He laughed and invited her closer “Come meet my friend here.” He said as he walked the horse to the railing where she was. She climbed up and sat down on the top rail.
“Tornado, this is my girl Lindsay. Isn’t she beautiful?” he asked the horse
Lindsay laughed softly and reached to pat the horse. Nick kept voice level and smooth as he talked “She said she was going to go swim all day but snuck down here to watch me work. I think that means she likes me.” Nick pulled on the rope so that the horse would look like he nodded in agreement “see Tornado agrees that you like me.” Nick said still working with the horse.
“Let’s show her how well you walk around with me. She likes to look at my jeans from behind anyway, let’s make her day.” He said teasing Lindsay but not looking away from the horse he was leading away.
“Thank you!” she whispered loudly as he walked away. She could hear his soft laughter in return. Lindsay climbed down and continued to watch Nick.
Dalton and Sarah approached quietly and watched him too. There was a long standing rule that when Nick was working with a horse to approach quietly as not to disturb him. A spooked horse was dangerous.
Sarah leaned over and whispered “He is amazing with horses. He has a great gift.”
Lindsay nodded “He always has, right Dalton?”
“Yes, even when we were kids. He would be able to gentle a spooked horse. He was breaking them long before he probably was old enough too. But Nathan saw his gift and encouraged it.”
“He gets it from his grandfather” Nathan said as he approached quietly overhearing their conversation. “My father did this his whole life and he was excellent at it. He could tame the meanest horse with enough time and attention. Nick can too.”
They all turned to watch Nick while he finished up for this day. The horse already appeared to be behaving better. Nick kept talking to him as he led him back to his stall and gave him food, water and brushed him a moment. “Good boy” he crooned again and again as he left the stall.
“Hi all” Nick said as he joined the group. He wrapped his arms around Lindsay from behind and kissed her hair.
“Nick, that was wonderful to watch.” Sarah said in awe. “I’m jealous that you have that gift.”
“Thank you Sarah. I am not used to an audience.”
“We could sell tickets by the thousands if you went public. It is beautiful to watch.” Sarah returned.
“Ah, no thanks. We will keep this a family affair.”
Nathan slapped him on the back and said “good job” as he walked away. “Gabby is planning a big barbeque for lunch. She thought you all planned to spend the day by the pool.”
“That’s where we are headed” responded Dalton
“Us too.” Lindsay answered
Nick asked Lindsay if she wanted to come with him while he changed. She nodded and they walked to his house while Dalton and Sarah headed to the pool.
Nick barely waited until the door was closed to back her up against the door and kiss her hungrily. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back just as desperate. “I needed that” he said as he stepped back. “For some reason, I missed you so much more last night.”
“Why?”
“I’m not sure. I just did.”
“Call me next time, please.” She urged
“Okay, but at 2 am you might not like me as much.”
“Not a chance.” She said dragging his head back down to hers for another kiss “I’ll talk to you anytime for any reason.”
Nick kissed her quick and went to shower and change. Lindsay wandered into his room and moved to his closet. She sought comfort from his smell on his clothes.
“If you take more of my shirts, the family is going to start too wondered why” he said from the bathroom door where he watched her.
She blushed and hugged the one she had in her hand closer. “I can’t help it, it reminds me of comfort when I smell you or your clothes. I feel at home.” She paused then shook her head “I guess guys don’t want to be thought of as comfortable. They want to be known for their passion.” She said walking away from the bedroom. “Sorry.”
“Stop right there.” He said as he straighten in the door way. “Sit down on that bed”
She stopped but didn’t move towards the bed. She was embarrassed and didn’t look up. He walked to her and gently led her to the bed.
“Sweetie, you have nothing to be sorry for. I feel so many things with you at different times too. I feel comfort, passion, love, friendship, caring and concern. It depends on what I need from you at that moment. That is what it means to complement another person, when they need comfort, you provide comfort. When they need love, you provide love. I want to you be comfortable around me, as well as loving, passionate and caring. Do you understand what I am saying? I love it that you want to wear my clothes because they smell like me. I just love to look at you in them.” He said with his killer smile
She leaned forward and kissed him. “You say the sweetest things to help me feel better.”
“I want you to feel better. We get to spend a wonderful day together, I feel fabulous. Let’s go.”
“I have to go to my room to change, are you going to come with me?”
“Just try to stop me.” He said holding her hand as they left his house.
Lindsay led him to her rooms and went to get her suit in the dressing room. “Do you need my help?” Nick called suggestively after her. “I am good with buttons and stuff.”
“I believe I can handle the buttons and stuff myself.” She said with a laugh
“Spoilsport.” He cried
“I’ll make it up to you later.”
“Promise?”
“Yes, I promise. Do you want to put the sunscreen on for me?” she asked as she exited the dressing room in her bikini
Nick jumped up to run to her to put the lotion on but stopped dead in his tracks at her bikini. “Oh, dear. I wasn’t paying attention at all if you have worn swimwear like that in previous years.”
“No, not quite like this. This was a recent purchase.”
“Oh, thank goodness. Nick was going to cry and have his eyesight checked if he missed this before.” He said as he moved around to examine all of her. “My heart is beating me to death.”
“Come on, I need sunscreen.” She said laughing and leading him into the bathroom where the lotion was.
Nick gladly applied the lotion to her skin. Then she returned the favor and treated his skin. They were both a little dazed when they finished.
She reached for the skirt that went with her suit and they walked out to the pool to join the others. Sarah winked at Lindsay as they passed by. Sarah had directed her to the shop where she got her suits that Dalton liked so well.
Lindsay and Sarah were lying on their chairs later in the afternoon while the guys played basketball in the pool.
“How did the suit work?” Sarah asked in a whisper
“Very well.” Lindsay answered “Amazingly well.”
“Do tell.”
“Let’s just say he is now wondering what he has missed in previous years in regards to my swim wear.”
The girls burst out laughing and the men turned to catch their “high five”.
“Oh lord, we have been had.” growled Nick.
“They have plotted or are plotting something. I’m guessing the swim wear Lindsay is wearing.” Dalton said “It looks like the suits that Sarah had in Hawaii. She probably told my reaction to my sister and they plotted against you.”
“We can’t let them together or we are doomed.” Nick grumbled
“It’s too late. We can only accept our fate and love them anyway.” Dalton replied hanging his head
“Oh no, she will pay for this.” Nick replied charging to his girl. He picked her up and threw her into the pool
and dove in after her. She came up sputtering and gasping “What did I do?” she asked smiling
“As if you didn’t know.” He said wrapping her tightly in his arms. Lindsay wrapped her arms and legs around him as he swam with her. “You set me up with that swim suit didn’t you?”
“Would I do that?” she asked innocently
Nick dunked them both under the water and she came up sputtering and laughing again. “Confess your plot.”
“What plot?” she asked and was rewarded with another dunking
“Tell me or you are going under again.” He threatened with a smile
“I cannot tell the secrets between friends.” She said and he dunked her again. “Okay, okay” she said as he brought her up again. “Sarah told me where she found some very nice swim wear that I might like.”
“And?”
“And what? She was right; I do like the purchases I made there.”
“And it has nothing to do with getting a reaction out of me?” he asked knowingly
“No, not at all.” She said too innocently and he dunked her again.
She kissed him thoroughly when he brought them up this time. “I did like your reaction to the suit though.” She said when they stopped the kiss.
“I knew it.” He said laughing at himself. “You will pay for this somehow some way.” He whispered in her ear
“Promise?” she whispered back and he laughed
Dalton and Sarah floated by on their gigantic raft and Sarah and Lindsay exchanged another “high five” and a smile.
“Stay away from her.” Nick scolded so Sarah could hear him “She is bad for my health.”
“Count on it friend.” Sarah yelled back at him. Dalton clamped his hand over her mouth. “Run Nick as fast as you can.”
Sarah unexpectedly licked Dalton’s hand and he jerked it away. “It’s too late Nick, your fate is sealed. You have been had.” She said laughing. “You go girlfriend, he is yours hook, line and sinker.”
Nick let go of Lindsay and sunk to the bottom of the pool. Lindsay dove after him and kissed him.
Nick and Lindsay got out of the pool and sat on the lounge chair together. Lindsay was sitting in front of him. “I love you Nick and I really did like your reaction to this suit.” She whispered to him
“And I really like this suit.” He whispered back “But you naked with me in the hot tub yesterday is the best view. That is what I remember.”
“Ummhmmm” she agreed as he kissed her neck and wrapped her in his arms.
“Are you ready to go change and go out?” Nick asked later in the afternoon. “I want you alone.”
She nodded and got up from her chair. “see you guys later, we are going to dinner and then to see a movie.”
“Have fun!” Sarah called after them “Bye Nick” she singsonged to him
“The only thing saving you from a thorough dunking my dear, is that fact that it could make you feel bad.”
Sarah gasped at him. “How did you know that?”
“I read your blog, my friend. I read it every week.” He said as he kissed her cheek. “but you are still bad for my health.”
Nick knocked on Lindsay’s door when he returned from showering and dressing for their date. She was wearing her robe again as she opened the door. “Hi babe.” He said as he swept her up in a hug. “What is on under the robe this time?”
“You could untie it and find out or you can watch while I finish getting dressed.”
“I’ll do both.” He said reaching for the tie on her robe. He stepped back away after he removed the robe and tossed it on the bed. “Oh, yeah. I like that.” Lindsay was wearing a white lace corset top and a mini skirt. “I’m almost speechless. Did you buy this outfit for my benefit?”
“Mostly. It was beautiful also.” She said turning to model for him.
“Yes, it is beautiful but you radiate in it.”
“Thank you. You look very sexy yourself. I have mentioned before that I like it when you wear boots and jeans.”
“I believe the quote is that I fill out my jeans nicely.” He replied flirting with her
“Nicely was a polite public term. Superb is my private term.”
“Merciful heavens woman, get your shoes and let’s go.” He growled “Otherwise I am in big trouble.”
Lindsay winked at him and went to get her shoes.
Nick held her hand as he drove to the theatre. They picked a romantic comedy to see and went in. The theatre had an arm rest that moved out of the way so Nick could hold her hand throughout the movie.
Lindsay didn’t concentrate very much on the movie because Nick was caressing her hand. Her senses were on full throttle. He had amazingly strong hands and they held her so gently whenever they were together.
After the movie they went to a nice restaurant that afforded each guest some privacy. The placed their dinner orders and began to talk.
“Did you like the movie?” Nick asked
“Ah, yeah sure. It was probably good.”
“Probably? Were you sleeping?”
“Ah no.”
Nick got a sneaking suspicion and decided to tease her a little “What was the movie about Lindsay?”
She stalled as she tried to remember finally she gave up “I have no idea.”
Nick leaned over to whisper to her “Were you distracted by something, love?”
“Yes” she hissed back at him “You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
He laughed gently “Not at first, but I could see you watching my hand caress yours and so I worked it a little for my benefit. I thought you would get used to it and go back to watching the movie, but your eyes just focused on my hand.”
“My senses were on high alert. I didn’t know my hand would be so receptive.” She said as she looked at her hand “I was day dreaming I guess.”
Nick took her hand in his and kissed it. “I confess; I didn’t watch much of the movie either. I was watching you as I caressed your hand. It brought me great joy to see your pleasure. You can tell me your day dreams when we get back to my house.”
Lindsay colored and dropped her gaze to her lap.
“Oh, yeah. I need to hear those day dreams babe. I am counting the minutes until we get home.” He said as he kissed the hand he still held.
Lindsay remembered as much about dinner as she did the movie. Nick was caressing her hand again as they waited for their meals. Then when their meals came, she ate one-handed because he kept her hand occupied.
Nick held her hand as they walked to the car. He could tell she wasn’t really with him and he reveled in it. “Lindsay, did you enjoy your dinner?”
“Shut up Nick” replied Lindsay laughing “I can’t help it.”
“I love it. It makes me feel like a superman. I will thank you properly when we get home.”
“Oh, no.” she exclaimed “My feet aren’t touching the ground as it is.”
Nick laughed at his girl. “You will like it, I promise.”
The ranch was quiet when they arrived back. Nick walked beside Lindsay back to his house. She was still a little stunned at her reactions to him tonight so he just pick up right where he left off. “You make me forget everything…work, sleep, eating. I just get wrapped up in you.” He murmured into her hair as he held her close.
“That seems fair, since I don’t remember much about the movie or dinner because my senses were on full throttle from your first touch.”
“I can’t say I am sorry about that love, that worked out better than I could have planned.” He said kissing the top of her head.
“Does that make us even then? My swim suit for your hand caresses.” She asked teasingly
“NO! You deliberately set me up with that suit and my hand caresses were a lucky by product of touching your hand.” He said chuckling at her plotting. “I will get you back for the swim suit, never fear.”
“How about this? My suit in exchange for
not telling my brothers you hog tied me in the woods?”
“Oh man, I forgot about that.” He exclaimed “Ok, it is a deal. We are even.”
Until tomorrow she mumbled
“What did you say?” he asked rolling her over again to pin her to the bed.
“I said, do you have plans for tomorrow?”
“I have to work some with that horse Tornado and then someone is dropping off some new stock for David to look over for potentials in the breeding program.”
“Oh, yeah, I forgot about that. I have stats and possible scenarios to run while he looks them over.”
“But after that we can do something? Hang out by the pool and have a night time swim?”
“Heavenly. Now we need to get to bed since we have busy day tomorrow. Will you walk me home?”
“Of course goofy girl.” Nick walked her to her room and kissed her good night. “See you tomorrow my love.” He whispered as he left.
“I love you Nick.” She whispered back
Chapter 12
The next morning Lindsay happened to meet up with Nick as he had breakfast. “Hey” she said entering the kitchen. “I didn’t expect to see you in here.” She walked over to him and leaned down to kiss him.
“I am getting a slow start this morning.” He said with a wink
“He has been waiting for you.” Gabby grumbled “He tried to blame me for being slow with breakfast but I know better. He glanced in the direction of your room every time there was noise.”
Nick slapped his hand onto his forehead and grumbled right back “Mama, I love you but I am going to have to tell Dad on you. He will keep you quiet.”
“Yeah, right” Gabby laughed at Nick “When has that ever happened?”
“True. I thought I would give it a shot.” Nick said as he finished his coffee and kissed his two favorite women goodbye.
“Lindsay, you make my son very happy. I am so glad for you both.”
“He makes me very happy too. I have loved him a long time but now that it is mutual, it gets bigger every day.”
“That is what it is supposed to do. Love grows as you give it away.”
“That it does.” Lindsay nodded
“Now, what are you sitting here for, go follow him.” Gabby groused
“I love you Mama Gabby.” Lindsay said as she left the kitchen laughing.
Lindsay walked quietly to the barn and went to see her horse, Brandy. “I miss riding you girl. Hopefully not much longer.” She said as she brushed her and gave her a treat. “We will go for a nice long ride as soon as I can.” She said as she left the stall and went to find Nick.