be honest." The expression on his face sent her belly to a slow somersault. "Why?"
"Remind me to bring a deck of cards along."
"But I don't have any money."
"You won't need money, baby. Just a few clothes."
A heat wave blasted across her face. "Do I get a handicap? Like you half naked to start the game?"
"Sure."
Fanning herself, Summer let her mind wander down a few rabbit trails of depravity, all of them naughty and delightful. Her gaze darted to his fine body, lowering to lock on his groin. Wonder if what they say about the size of men's hands…
Night chuckled. "Yes, it's true."
Startled, she stared at him, mouth-dropping open. "You can read minds?"
"Nah. I can read faces, though. Yours is pretty damn transparent, especially when you're looking at me like I'm a side of beef and you've been stranded on a desert island living on seaweed for a year."
"I bet you're tender and tasty." The words slipped from her mouth before she could filter her verbalized thoughts.
"You can nibble on me anytime you like," he threw out the challenge, backing it up with a wicked grin.
Oh, boy. Sometimes Christmas does arrive early.
* * * *
Night followed Summer into her house a while later, in no hurry to leave her alone. No matter how many times she claimed to be fine, he knew better. At some point, she would suffer after effects from her experience, either while asleep, during waking hours, or both. He prayed she could overcome this, quickly putting it behind her, in order to return to her peaceful existence. She'd never deserved to be involved in such a violent encounter, but, then again, most victims didn't. Whether it was fate or simple bad luck, they stumbled into something not of their making or fault and suffered for it.
Murphy bounced happily, plastering kisses across Summer's face, her tail wagging as if she hadn't seen her owner in a couple of dog years. Summer hugged the dog close, returning all the love and then some.
"Let's go outside, Murphy." Summer took her collar, nudging her to the front door.
Night brought up the rear, watching her play with the large canine as she headed toward the nearby gate separating yard from field.
She had called her neighbor on the drive home, explaining in general terms what happened, reassured her she remained fit and fine, and would be able to care for her animals that afternoon.
Three horses lifted their heads from grazing, spied them, then as a group hurried toward the barn, whinnying in eager greeting. The gray once again led the herd, his motion effortless and beautiful as he flowed across the land. The bay kept abreast, his trot a bit more ragged, but efficient. Domino, the black, cantered along, keeping pace. His swollen, front knees not slowing him down in his bid for dinner.
The sight took Night's breath away. He could almost imagine what his ancestors saw watching wild herds of mustangs cover the rocky terrain, a strong stallion protecting his harem of mares and foals from predators and other stallions that looked to his group with determined takeover ideas.
Summer busily poured bags of grain into different colored buckets, adding a variety of supplements to each. She topped the creation with a carrot in two containers and a cut up apple in the third. Lugging the items inside the stalls, she opened the door, allowing each animal to enter their own stall, heading immediately for their docket of food. No one pushed, shoved, or even stuck their head in the wrong room. Instead, they calmly marched into their private dwelling and started crunching away, content and placid.
With the quiet murmur of chewing in the background, Night watched Summer work. "I have to leave soon."
She glanced up at him while retying feed sacks. "You should be with your mother right now. She had quite the upset today."
The corners of his mouth hitched upward. "That's what she said about you."
Summer grinned, using a piece of twine to secure the final bag.
"I have to meet the guys early in the
"Remind me to bring a deck of cards along."
"But I don't have any money."
"You won't need money, baby. Just a few clothes."
A heat wave blasted across her face. "Do I get a handicap? Like you half naked to start the game?"
"Sure."
Fanning herself, Summer let her mind wander down a few rabbit trails of depravity, all of them naughty and delightful. Her gaze darted to his fine body, lowering to lock on his groin. Wonder if what they say about the size of men's hands…
Night chuckled. "Yes, it's true."
Startled, she stared at him, mouth-dropping open. "You can read minds?"
"Nah. I can read faces, though. Yours is pretty damn transparent, especially when you're looking at me like I'm a side of beef and you've been stranded on a desert island living on seaweed for a year."
"I bet you're tender and tasty." The words slipped from her mouth before she could filter her verbalized thoughts.
"You can nibble on me anytime you like," he threw out the challenge, backing it up with a wicked grin.
Oh, boy. Sometimes Christmas does arrive early.
* * * *
Night followed Summer into her house a while later, in no hurry to leave her alone. No matter how many times she claimed to be fine, he knew better. At some point, she would suffer after effects from her experience, either while asleep, during waking hours, or both. He prayed she could overcome this, quickly putting it behind her, in order to return to her peaceful existence. She'd never deserved to be involved in such a violent encounter, but, then again, most victims didn't. Whether it was fate or simple bad luck, they stumbled into something not of their making or fault and suffered for it.
Murphy bounced happily, plastering kisses across Summer's face, her tail wagging as if she hadn't seen her owner in a couple of dog years. Summer hugged the dog close, returning all the love and then some.
"Let's go outside, Murphy." Summer took her collar, nudging her to the front door.
Night brought up the rear, watching her play with the large canine as she headed toward the nearby gate separating yard from field.
She had called her neighbor on the drive home, explaining in general terms what happened, reassured her she remained fit and fine, and would be able to care for her animals that afternoon.
Three horses lifted their heads from grazing, spied them, then as a group hurried toward the barn, whinnying in eager greeting. The gray once again led the herd, his motion effortless and beautiful as he flowed across the land. The bay kept abreast, his trot a bit more ragged, but efficient. Domino, the black, cantered along, keeping pace. His swollen, front knees not slowing him down in his bid for dinner.
The sight took Night's breath away. He could almost imagine what his ancestors saw watching wild herds of mustangs cover the rocky terrain, a strong stallion protecting his harem of mares and foals from predators and other stallions that looked to his group with determined takeover ideas.
Summer busily poured bags of grain into different colored buckets, adding a variety of supplements to each. She topped the creation with a carrot in two containers and a cut up apple in the third. Lugging the items inside the stalls, she opened the door, allowing each animal to enter their own stall, heading immediately for their docket of food. No one pushed, shoved, or even stuck their head in the wrong room. Instead, they calmly marched into their private dwelling and started crunching away, content and placid.
With the quiet murmur of chewing in the background, Night watched Summer work. "I have to leave soon."
She glanced up at him while retying feed sacks. "You should be with your mother right now. She had quite the upset today."
The corners of his mouth hitched upward. "That's what she said about you."
Summer grinned, using a piece of twine to secure the final bag.
"I have to meet the guys early in the
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