“Hey, wait up!” Jace dug his heels into the thick sides of his gray quarter horse gelding, pushing the horse to a gallop in an effort to overtake the leggy paint mare carrying Lily Mae.
When Jace had offered to take Lily Mae riding, he’d pictured a nice meandering stroll along the trails. But Lily Mae had other ideas; as soon as they were by the open field, she’d taken off on the little mare.
Jace was tempted to tell his girl that she’d earned another licking for just assuming she could take off without him, but that was before she looked back laughing and pointed toward a hill in the distance. At the top was a grove of oaks and the swimming hole where they’d passed many an hour as youngsters.
Lily Mae had already dismounted by the time Jace reached the pond.
“What took you so long, cowboy?” she asked. She was sitting on the ground, pulling off her boots, her eyes bright with mischief.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Jace asked.
“What’s it look like I’m doing?” She stood up, undoing her jeans and pushing them down before pulling off her t-shirt.
“Looks to me like you’re about to go skinny dipping.”
“Good work, detective.” Lily Mae walked over, her hips swaying seductively. When she reached Jace’s horse, she took hold of her boyfriend’s leg and looked up at him. “Join me?”
She didn’t need to ask him twice. Soon both horses were grazing as their now-naked riders laughed and splashed in the water.
“I can’t ever remember being this happy,” Lily Mae said when Jace took hold of her. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing her breasts against his muscular chest as she ran her hands through his sandy-colored hair.
“Me, neither,” he said. “And I want to marry you, Lily Mae Slater. Just as soon as we get all this bill stuff settled.”
“I’ll pay you back,” she said. “I’ll work, Jace. I’ll…”
“Baby, that’s not necessary,” he said. “All I’m going to require is for you to love me like you’ve been doing, help me on the ranch, and be honest with me about everything. Dishonesty is a deal-breaker, but I’m not worried that you’d throw away what we have by ever lying to me.”
Was it his imagination, or did she stiffen in his arms and look away?
“You hear me, baby?”
“Of course, Jace.” She hugged him tight and Jace looked up at the sky.
“It’s such a pretty day,” he said. “We’re almost finished fencing in that pasture. Once that’s done we need to get to California and bring your stuff back. I talked to my accountant Wayne this morning. He spoke to the property manager about getting you out of your lease now that we managed to stop the eviction process. He thinks they can have a new tenant in there by the end of next month, so we need to get that place cleaned out.”
He felt Lily Mae’s arms unwind from his neck as she slipped from his grasp.
“I don’t know,” she said, turning away. “I don’t think I want to mess with it.”
“Don’t want to mess with it?” Jace started after Lily Mae, who was climbing out of the water. “You told me yourself that you have a ton of expensive jewelry you bought, not to mention all your fancy clothes and furniture.”
Lily Mae wasn’t looking at him as she reached for her panties. “I don’t need any of that stuff,” she said.
Jace had exited the pond and pulled on his jeans and shirt. He caught up with Lily Mae now and reached for her hand.
“It’s not a matter of need, baby,” Jace reasoned with a laugh. “You ran up quite a credit card debt buying all that stuff. I went and paid it off for you. I want you to have it.”
“Well, maybe I don’t fucking want it!” Lily Mae spat and moved to pull away, but Jace held her fast.
“Why not?” he pressed. “What’s gotten into you? Why don’t you want to get your belongings?”
“I just don’t, goddamnit! And I don’t have to explain myself, either.”
Jace jerked the panties out of Lily Mae’s hand and stuffed them in his shirt pocket.
“I disagree. We talked about this,” he said. “I told you I wouldn’t put up with your temper tantrums.” He paused. “You’ve earned yourself a switching, young lady.”
That got her attention. “Jace, no…”
“Did you or did you not agree to my rules, Lily Mae?”
“I did, but…” Her hand had already flown back to cover her wet, naked bottom. “I’m naked!”
“As the day you were born,” he agreed. “And after today I have all ideas you’ll think twice before sassing without your pants on.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife. “Here.”
She looked up at him.
“You can’t be serious,” she said tearfully, and Jace wanted to kiss the trembling lower lip, but knew now wasn’t the time.
“Yes, I certainly am.” He inclined his head toward the willow tree by the pond. “You’re cutting your own switch, missy.”
“The hell I am!” Lily Mae backed away, looking at the knife as if it were a snake.