“What? He did?”
Ryder smiled. “Yeah, he said something about he could feel your creativity about to flow. He wants you to … damn, what did he say?”
He glanced up toward the ceiling in thought before snapping his fingers and pointing at me. “He wants you to ?impressionner.”
My ovaries just exploded. “Impress him,” I whispered. “You know French?”
“A little,” he said with a wicked smile.
I wrapped my arms around him and gazed into his eyes. “I never want to leave. I want to stay in this little house with you forever.”
His lips pressed against mine in a passionate kiss as I moaned into his mouth. When he pulled slightly back, he whispered, “I can arrange that.”
TWO WEEKS HAD passed since Ava had broken her leg and ankle. I was stunned at how well she was getting around. Life had been absolutely blissful. I don’t think I’ve ever taken such pleasure in making anyone orgasm like I had Ava. Exploring her body had become my new favorite past time. The last few days we had gotten rather experimental to say the least when she begged me to make love to her.
“Ryder, how are you doing today?”
Spinning around, I saw Destiny standing at the entrance to the barn.
“Hey, Destiny. I’m doing great. Yourself?”
She shrugged and made her way in. “Oh, I guess I’m doing okay. Been trying to get a few things taken care of around the place, but you know how that is. It’s a lot of work.”
With a chuckle, I nodded and turned back to brushing my mother’s paint, Lucky.
“Are you looking for Dad?”
“No, I was actually looking for you. Is um … is Ava still here?”
I paused for a moment before continuing to brush the horse. “Yep. I don’t think she is planning on leaving any time soon.”
“Really?” she asked in a surprised tone. “Doesn’t she have commitments she needs to get back to in Austin? Or you, for that matter? I didn’t think you were planning on staying in Montana for so long.”
“I wasn’t going to stay this long, but it’s nothing Nate can’t handle. Besides, he’s going to be handling it full time soon enough.”
She stopped right next to me and leaned against the stall door. “Rumor has it you’re playing house with your new friend.”
I dropped my hand and looked her way. “Ava is much more than a friend.”
Rolling her eyes, she looked away and mumbled, “Whatever,” as I went back to brushing the horse.
“Do you remember all the fun times we had in this barn?”
“Were you needing something, Destiny? If so, maybe you should just get on with it.”
Before I knew what was happening, she had her body pressed against mine with her arms wrapped around my neck as she tried to kiss me.
I grabbed her arms and pulled them down as I pushed her away. “What in the fuck are you doing?”
Her eyes looked pleading. “Come on, Ryder. Ava is locked away in that house and she’ll never know. You know you want me. I see it in your eyes and the way you look at me. Remember how many times we fucked in here? God, the thought of it makes me so horny.”
My mouth dropped as I stood there staring at her in disbelief as her hand moved over her body.
“Have you lost your damn mind? If you think for one moment I would ever cheat on Ava, you have another thing coming. I love her and nothing is going to change that.”
Destiny laughed. “You love her? Didn’t you just start dating her? No one falls in love that fast. Not even a helpless romantic fool like you.”
“I feel sorry for you. You really never have felt love, have you?”
“Fuck you, Ryder.”
“You already have.” Turning away from her, I looked back over my shoulder. “And if my memory serves me right, it was my best friend Roy you fucked in here, not me.”
With a huff, she stormed off and out of the barn, passing my mother without so much as saying a word.
Mom stopped and said, “Why hello there, Destiny.”
After she blew past her, mom turned to me and winked. “I take it she made a pass at you and got turned down.”
With a surprised look, I asked, “How did you know?”
Shaking her head, she chuckled and said, “Because I’m a woman, and I know how vile some of us can be. Jealousy does terrible things to people.”
Walking up to me, she kissed me on the cheek and then handed me a basket.
“What’s this?”
“A picnic basket.”
With a frown, I shook my head. “No, I know what it is, what’s it for?”
“It’s for you to take Ava lunch. With as much as you have been working the last few days around here, I’m sure she is going out of her mind in that tiny house all alone. I thought about inviting her up to the house tomorrow for lunch.”
With a smile, I said, “She would love that, I’m sure. She’s really getting around pretty good, I have to say.”
“So, with Thanksgiving next week, I dare say Ava will be joining us?”