help me!”
She ran and grabbed the rope. Unlike Raúl, she wasn’t wearing gloves. Immediately the sliding friction of the rope burned and stung her palms. Gritting her teeth, Maple tightened her grip. They pulled, digging heels in and grunting, until they were able to tether the rope. Quickly, they did the second. With it, she was able to open the stall, run back, and watch as Raúl dragged Bane out, the horse’s angry winny so shrill it hurt Maple’s ears.
She mucked the stall as quickly as she could; Bane’s furious stamps and snorts driving her. It was a half-assed job. As Raúl maneuvered the giant horse back in, she saw how mangy his tail was and how overgrown his hooves were. Bane was suffering because of this, and it was creating a vicious cycle.
“Are you sure you can’t just let him in the pen? He needs to run.”
“Listen, Maple. I’m not going to tell you how to do your job. But this is one horse J.B. isn’t willing to risk his employees with. Don’t try to do anything on your own.”
Maple let it go; it wasn’t in her personality to be forceful. After all, what did she really know? A week’s worth of mucking stalls and caring for horses in middle school,and suddenly she was the horse whisperer? Her shirt was soaked with sweat and her heart was still pounding from helping hold the rope as Bane went back into the stall. No, she was the last person who should be second guessing Raúl and J.B., especially when it came to a dangerous horse like Bane.
She and Raúl collapsed on the spare clean hay. Her arms ached and she had rope burn on her palms. She ran her fingers up and down the ripped skin. It stung and she hissed.
“Let me see,” Raúl said, holding out his hand.
Hesitant, Maple lay hers in it, palm up. He took it gingerly, and used her fingers to open the palm more. “Ouch!”
“Be still, you big baby.”
He was bent close to her hand, giving Maple the opportunity to look at him closer. Raúl was handsome in a boyish way. His brown skin and dark mop of hair were charming. As he concentrated, the tip of his tongue poked out. Definitely cute. It didn’t help that J.B. had managed to rachet her body’s need up to unbearable levels. At this point, just about anyone would look good if they’d lay her rough and fast.
With the sting of pain from her hand and the closeness of a boy’s body, Maple felt something shift. Another loose mortar in the barrier in her mind. When Raúl reached into a bag and pulled out rubbing alcohol, she bit back a moan.
It was going to hurt so good.
“Hey, don’t look. This is going to smart,” he warned her, worried. She shut her eyes, not to hide from the pain, but to hide from him.
She felt it splash on, felt the immediate burn as it cleaned and disinfected her wound. Sucking in air, she couldn’t hide her groan this time. It slipped out.
Maple was tugged into a warm embrace. “Shh,” his fingers tangled in her hair. “It’s okay, Belleza.” Her instinct was to push away; the embrace so forward, this level of closeness terrifying. She didn’t know what Belleza meant, but she was sure it wasn’t something a co-worker should be calling her. But she didn’t push away.
The stupid paintings and stupid sexy J.B., with his hooded stares and mismatched eyes, had awoken something in her. That something craved touch. It craved skin on skin, pleasure fused with pain, and even something as simple as being held after disinfecting her palm was enough to set her buzzing.
He took her acceptance as an invitation. His fingers caught under Maple’s chin, tipping it up. She gasped as soft lips pressed to hers.
It had been a long time since she’d been kissed, and the last time hadn’t been this nice .
Maple wasn’t sure if she liked it. Raúl slid his hand to her cheek, pressing his warm palm to it. His tongue gently swept her lip, tasting her. Maple let him, opening her mouth,
She ran and grabbed the rope. Unlike Raúl, she wasn’t wearing gloves. Immediately the sliding friction of the rope burned and stung her palms. Gritting her teeth, Maple tightened her grip. They pulled, digging heels in and grunting, until they were able to tether the rope. Quickly, they did the second. With it, she was able to open the stall, run back, and watch as Raúl dragged Bane out, the horse’s angry winny so shrill it hurt Maple’s ears.
She mucked the stall as quickly as she could; Bane’s furious stamps and snorts driving her. It was a half-assed job. As Raúl maneuvered the giant horse back in, she saw how mangy his tail was and how overgrown his hooves were. Bane was suffering because of this, and it was creating a vicious cycle.
“Are you sure you can’t just let him in the pen? He needs to run.”
“Listen, Maple. I’m not going to tell you how to do your job. But this is one horse J.B. isn’t willing to risk his employees with. Don’t try to do anything on your own.”
Maple let it go; it wasn’t in her personality to be forceful. After all, what did she really know? A week’s worth of mucking stalls and caring for horses in middle school,and suddenly she was the horse whisperer? Her shirt was soaked with sweat and her heart was still pounding from helping hold the rope as Bane went back into the stall. No, she was the last person who should be second guessing Raúl and J.B., especially when it came to a dangerous horse like Bane.
She and Raúl collapsed on the spare clean hay. Her arms ached and she had rope burn on her palms. She ran her fingers up and down the ripped skin. It stung and she hissed.
“Let me see,” Raúl said, holding out his hand.
Hesitant, Maple lay hers in it, palm up. He took it gingerly, and used her fingers to open the palm more. “Ouch!”
“Be still, you big baby.”
He was bent close to her hand, giving Maple the opportunity to look at him closer. Raúl was handsome in a boyish way. His brown skin and dark mop of hair were charming. As he concentrated, the tip of his tongue poked out. Definitely cute. It didn’t help that J.B. had managed to rachet her body’s need up to unbearable levels. At this point, just about anyone would look good if they’d lay her rough and fast.
With the sting of pain from her hand and the closeness of a boy’s body, Maple felt something shift. Another loose mortar in the barrier in her mind. When Raúl reached into a bag and pulled out rubbing alcohol, she bit back a moan.
It was going to hurt so good.
“Hey, don’t look. This is going to smart,” he warned her, worried. She shut her eyes, not to hide from the pain, but to hide from him.
She felt it splash on, felt the immediate burn as it cleaned and disinfected her wound. Sucking in air, she couldn’t hide her groan this time. It slipped out.
Maple was tugged into a warm embrace. “Shh,” his fingers tangled in her hair. “It’s okay, Belleza.” Her instinct was to push away; the embrace so forward, this level of closeness terrifying. She didn’t know what Belleza meant, but she was sure it wasn’t something a co-worker should be calling her. But she didn’t push away.
The stupid paintings and stupid sexy J.B., with his hooded stares and mismatched eyes, had awoken something in her. That something craved touch. It craved skin on skin, pleasure fused with pain, and even something as simple as being held after disinfecting her palm was enough to set her buzzing.
He took her acceptance as an invitation. His fingers caught under Maple’s chin, tipping it up. She gasped as soft lips pressed to hers.
It had been a long time since she’d been kissed, and the last time hadn’t been this nice .
Maple wasn’t sure if she liked it. Raúl slid his hand to her cheek, pressing his warm palm to it. His tongue gently swept her lip, tasting her. Maple let him, opening her mouth,
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