Chapter Eighteen

Outside, Billie quickly checked the cinches of both saddles then gestured to Copper.

“Up you get.” She said, walking away and leaving Jon to get on with it.

He looked at the horse, who turned and looked back at him, then Jon gave the glossy neck a swift pat, unhitching the rein from the rail and lifting his foot into the stirrup. Copper stood perfectly still as he mounted, but unfortunately when he asked her to walk over to where Billie sat on Drummer, she still stood perfectly still. After a couple of gentle kicks, he looked across to Billie with a helpless laugh.

“I think the brake’s jammed on.” He yelled, and Billie laughed.

“She’s just trying you out.” She replied, resting her hands on the saddle horn. “You need to be firm with her - show her you mean business.”

“Show you I mean business, huh?” Jon muttered to the horse. “May as well give it a try.”

Shortening up on the rein, he swung both legs and kicked Copper hard in the ribs, and she grunted in annoyance but this time she turned around and walked to Drummer. Billie just grinned and nodded approval, turning Drummer and riding away toward the forest again. Jon gave Copper another kick, and she moved her pace from a grudging stumble to a proper walk, catching up to Drummer.

“Nice job.” Billie approved as Jon brought Copper up alongside.

“Thank you.” He reached forward to pat Copper.

They rode for almost an hour, talking softly now and then, neither willing to disturb the peace of nature. As they paused at a stream, letting the horses drink, Jon realised they were at the same meadow he and Billie had ridden through before, and her next words confirmed it.

“You probably recognise this place.” She said, idly scratching Drummer’s withers. “So are you okay to let them run a little? We’ll be heading into rough ground soon, so it’s not a bad idea to let them get any silliness out now.”

“Silliness?” Jon raised his eyebrows. “I don’t think my Copper-girl has silliness in her.”

Shocking Billie, who knew the mare pretty well, Copper twisted her head around to look at Jon, blowing out a soft breath before dropping her muzzle into the stream again.

“I don’t believe it.” Billie exclaimed. “Less than an hour and Copper loves you.”

“Hey - she’s a lady.” Jon grinned. “The ladies love me, almost as much as they love Richie.”

“Who?”

Jon had forgotten that she didn’t know who he was. Hell, she didn’t even know his last name, which was fair, because he didn’t know hers.

“Richie. My friend. Well, he was at least. Dunno about now.”

“Whatever happened, I’m sure it’ll be fine. If you’re real friends, you’ll work it out.”

“Yeah. Maybe.” Jon was non-committal, and Billie nudged Drummer forward.

“That’s enough water for them. Let’s get moving again - we still have a ways to go.”

They set off across the meadow, Billie turning to watch Jon as they moved into canter, and that nearly caused a disaster, as Drummer decided it was about time he showed his independent spirit, and instead of moving smoothly into canter he put on an impressive bucking display. Billie managed to keep herself in the saddle, but it hadn’t helped that she’d been twisted around when it started. Jon could only watch as Drummer threw himself - and Billie - about, but he did have to laugh softly when he heard her yell.

“Will you pack it the fuck in?!” Billie yelled at Drummer, taking up the loose end of her rein and slapping it hard against his flank.

At the sting of the rein, Drummer did stop bucking, and finally set off at canter. Jon pushed Copper to follow, but the older mare was one-paced and Jon just had to settle for slowly catching up to the other pair.

Reaching the end of the meadow, they pulled the horses back to walk, and Jon came up alongside Billie again, grinning wickedly.

“You said a bad word, missy.” He smirked, watching as she patted Drummer’s sweating neck.

“Who? Me?” She batted her lashes at him. “I’m sure I didn’t. I’m sure I just politely suggested maybe he should stop with the rodeo act.”

“Well, I think you made the eight seconds anyway.”

Billie snorted, but she couldn’t resist saying it. “Cowboy - in my corral - eight seconds ain’t no ride!”

Jon burst into laughter, shaking his head at her smirk.

“You’re crazy, darlin’.”

“Uh-huh.” Billie agreed.

Minutes later, Jon was forced to pull Copper in behind Billie’s horse, as the trail narrowed drastically, trees overhanging so that they had to duck under low branches. The minor inconvenience was worth it, though, as they emerged into a beautiful, secluded glade - trees surrounding a small meadow, and a wide, calm river bisecting the grassy clearing.

“Wow.” Jon said softly, looking around. The trees on the far side of the river were outlined against a backdrop of mountains, a dusting of snow capping the highest peaks even in this season.

“Yeah.” Billie smiled blissfully. “I love it here. And nobody else really seems to come here, so it’s a great place to escape to.”

They dismounted and unsaddled the horses, Billie unhooking a rope from Drummer’s saddle and clipping it to his bridle and tying him to a low branch. Jon copied her, taking the rope that hung on Copper’s saddle and tying the mare to another tree, making the horses safe before the humans could relax.

Billie untied the saddlebags from Drummer’s saddle and turned to Jon.

“Wanna bring the blankets? The grass is probably damp.”

“Sure.”He tugged the blankets from both saddles and followed Billie toward the river, where the grass was much shorter. Spreading them on the ground, Jon dropped himself ass-first onto Copper’s blanket, Billie sinking gracefully onto the other, legs crossed Indian style. She opened the top of the saddlebags and they unpacked the picnic.

“We didn’t pack anything to drink.” Jon said suddenly. “Guess I failed at the picnic-making, huh?”

“Not really.” Billie smirked, pulling two plastic cups from the bottom of the saddlebag. “I knew you hadn’t packed anything, but I also knew there was a nice clean river here, so we can just have water.”

“Water, garnished with deer crap?” Jon smirked.

“Yep. Adds to the cowboy experience.” Billie winked, getting to her feet again.

With nothing better to do, and needing the drink, Jon followed her to the riverbank, and they crouched by the water’s edge, filling the cups with the crystal clear water and drinking deeply. Their first thirst slaked, they refilled the cups and went back to the picnic.

Lounging on the saddle blankets, they ate everything they’d brought, Jon grinning and nodding his thanks when Billie announced his picnic-making skills were acceptable. When the food was gone, Jon lay back on the blanket, enjoying the heat of the sun on his face, but Billie needed to move, somehow, and she toed her boots off slowly before getting to her feet.

“I’ll not be long.” She told him, looking down at Jon, who squinted up at her.

“Where you goin’?” As he asked, he wondered if it was a dumb question - there certainly weren’t any bathrooms out here, but maybe she still needed to take care of some private business.

“I’m going for a swim.”

That got his attention, and he raised a hand to better shade his eyes.

“And did you bring a suit?”

Billie was already walking away, but he saw her shake her head.

“Nope.”

Jon lay back again, chewing thoughtfully at the inside of his cheek. He had to be honest - even the thought of Dorothea, the knowledge that he was cheating didn’t stop him wanting Billie under him again. But surely he was man enough that he could keep his hands - and his dick - to himself? A soft groan of surrender escaped him - he knew he was going to follow her down to the river, knew he was going to join her in the river, so why was he fighting it so hard?

He left his boots on the blanket and headed to the riverbank, finding a neat pile of clothes topped by the black hat. Billie’s head bobbed to the surface, halfway across the river, and Jon watched her as he stripped off his shirt. He was unzipping his jeans when he heard her voice.

“Decided to join me, huh? Well, the water’s just about perfect.” She called. Of course, when she said ‘perfect’, she meant just above freezing, since the water came down from the snows on the mountain, but if she was in here freezing her ass off, it only seemed fair that Jon should do the same. Besides, once you got over the initial shock it was refreshing.

“I can’t resist water.” Jon yelled back. “Or skinny dipping with a beautiful naked cowgirl.”

“Who said I’m naked?” She asked, and Jon actually paused, his hands on the waist of his jeans, then Billie popped up to a standing position, revealing she really was. “Okay, you got me.”

“I plan to get you.” Jon muttered almost inaudibly, surprising himself. Nice going, Jonny, he thought - good willpower there.

Naked now, he stepped to the water’s edge, then went in ankle deep.

“Fuck!” He yelled. “Dammit, Billie - it’s fucking freezing!”

“Wuss! It’s not that bad once you get in. Come on, cowboy!”

Cursing with every step, Jon moved deeper into the river, yelping in near pain as the icy water hit his crotch.

“Fuck.” He gasped again, sure he could feel his dick shrinking instantly.

Then Billie was there, right in front of him, and she pressed her body against his, kissing him suddenly. Jon’s hands automatically grasped her ass, and Billie put her arms around his neck, still kissing him. While Jon’s mind was distracted by her mouth and body, Billie chuckled, throwing her weight backward and tumbling them both all the way into the river, sinking to the bottom before rising to the surface again.

Jon was spluttering in equal parts shock and cold, and knowing he couldn’t effectively slap her ass through the water he contented himself to drive his fingertips hard into her butt instead.

“That wasn’t nice!” He gasped, and she laughed at him.

“Told you it wasn’t that bad, though.” She kissed him again, then squirmed out of his arms, her skin wet and slippery so he couldn’t hold her. “C’mon.”

She swam away from him, and Jon chuckled softly as he followed, watching the movement of her pale body in the clear water. It really wasn’t that cold.