Chapter Twenty

Returning to the horses, Billie untied them both and led them to the river to drink. Of course, obeying the old proverb about leading horses to water, neither of them showed interest in the water, and after a few minutes Billie led them back to Jon.

While Billie had been dealing with the horses, he’d packed away the debris of their picnic, then walked up to where they’d left the saddles, hooking a hand into each, in the gap behind the horn, and carrying them back to where the blankets lay.

When Billie saw what he’d done, she chuckled softly.

“Would’ve been easier to let the horses carry them.” She told him, but Jon shrugged.

“Maybe, but the grass is shorter here for getting back on.”

“I guess.” Billie smiled. He was only trying to pull his weight after all. “Okay, take your girl and I’ll get them saddled.”

“I can do Copper.” Jon offered, then gave a grin. “And you can check I’ve done it properly.”

“Okay.” Billie agreed. “Just drop the rein on the ground and she’ll stand.”

Jon watched closely as Billie saddled Drummer, copying her faithfully. Having just carried the saddles, and well aware of how heavy they were, Jon was impressed with the easy, practiced way Billie swung the saddle onto her horse’s back. When he did the same, Copper grunted and looked at him reproachfully, because he let the saddle land on her too heavily.

“Sorry darlin’.” He purred, scratching at the base of her neck, and she forgave him instantly, proving that even a teenaged quarterhorse wasn’t immune to the Bongiovi charm.

Billie made a quick check of his work, and with the exception of suggesting he may want to pull the cinch tighter, she pronounced him an adequate cowboy.

“Waal, thank ya kindly, mayum.” He said in an exaggerated drawl, tipping the brim of his hat to her. Billie just rolled her eyes and turned back to Drummer, stepping into the stirrup and mounting easily.

Jon swung up onto Copper’s saddle and they set off again, following the riverbank this time.

They rode for another couple of hours, part of their route taking them deep into a canyon, and Billie looked around to get her bearings, then halted.

“Remember where I found you?” She asked. “At the outlook?”

“Yeah. Where you saved me from ending up coyote food.”

“Yeah.” She laughed, pointing upward. “Well, that’s it up there - see the three big rocks?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Just to the left of those is the outlook point.”

“That’s cool.” Jon grinned, looking around. “I liked the look of this place from up there, but it’s even prettier than I thought.”

“There’s a lot of pretty places around here - just that you have to know where to look.”

“In which case I’m glad to have such a good guide.” Jon quipped, then continued in a softer voice. “But it could be the company that’s opening my eyes more.”

“I……uh…..” Billie didn’t quite know how to respond to that, so she didn’t, just turning Drummer to the left. “We should keep moving, otherwise it’ll be dark by the time we get back.”

“Okay.” A sudden thought struck Jon. “Hey - does Copper have to go home tonight?”

“Nah. Jace said to just keep her until my guest is gone. She’ll stay with Drum.”

“In the same corral?” Jon frowned. “Is that okay? I mean - won’t they - y’know?”

“Huh?” At first Billie didn’t get it, then she started to laugh. “Okay - I’m revoking your honorary cowboy status!”

“Why?”

“Jon…..ummm…..I don’t know how to break this to you. First, horses only - mate - when the mare’s in season, and Copper isn’t. Second, well, Drum’s a gelding, so even if she was in season, he wouldn’t have a clue what to do, or the equipment either!”

“You mean you cut his balls off?” Jon exclaimed, feeling a sympathetic twinge in his own at the very idea.

“Not personally, no.” Billie laughed at his obvious discomfort. “He was already gelded when I bought him.”

“Poor horse.” Jon muttered.

Billie didn’t bother to answer, just chuckling at Jon’s reaction to something she considered normal.

The light was just starting to fade as they reached the ranch, Billie’s timing well-practiced, and they each unsaddled their own horse before turning them into the corral. Jon offered to fill the water while Billie sorted out feed, then they headed into the house once the horses were settled. Billie grabbed beers from the fridge, passing one to Jon.

“Hey - where’s Deke?” He asked suddenly, and Billie shrugged.

“He’ll be around somewhere. Probably asleep under the porch. Or off chasing rabbits.”

“Hunter, huh?”

“Oh, hell, no. When I say chasing, that’s what I mean - he’s not exactly got this whole stalking thing worked out - he’s more of a ‘yeeha, here I come’ kinda dog. I don’t think he’d know what to do with a rabbit if he did catch one!” She took a mouthful of beer before opening the fridge again. “You hungry?”

“Not really.”

“Me either.” Billie closed the fridge. “I’ll maybe make some popcorn later.”

“Sounds good.”

“Yeah.” She said, slightly distracted. “I’m just going to jump in the shower.” She shifted uncomfortably. “I think I still have sand stuck to me.”

What she didn’t say was that her jeans were uncomfortable, too. After they’d dressed on the riverbank, the mixture of her juices and Jon’s semen had continued to trickle from her, and the crotch of her jeans had gotten damp, worsened since she hadn’t worn panties.

“I’ll just make myself at home.” Jon smirked, and Billie nodded as she headed to the bathroom.

“You do that.”

Billie showered quickly, washing away the sticky residue of their earlier lovemaking, feeling the tenderness of her flesh from the unaccustomed activity. She dressed in a baggy t shirt and soft jersey shorts - her usual lounging-around-the-house attire, then as she left her bedroom she realised she could hear a guitar. It wasn’t being played exactly, but from the repeated notes she guessed Jon had found her dad’s old guitar and was trying to tune it.

When she reached the living room, he looked up, a slightly guilty expression on his face.

“Sorry. I wasn’t snooping around - honestly - I just went to put that hat back in the closet and found this.” He blanched. “Aw, shit. It’s not Craig’s, is it?”

“No.” Billie smiled at his obvious worry that he’d opened up an old wound, or overstepped a boundary. “It belonged to my dad. I can’t play, though, so it’s been in that closet ever since the accident. Nice to hear it again.”

“You sure?” Jon strummed experimentally. “I think that’s the closest I can get it to in tune - really needs a new set of strings.”

He played softly, not singing, just letting the notes fall, seeing the slight smile on Billie’s face. On a sudden impulse, Jon raised the guitar off his lap, beckoning Billie over.

“What?” She asked, crossing to where he sat anyway.

“Siddown.” Jon tugged her onto his lap, placing the guitar on her lap and reaching around her. “Time you had your first guitar lesson.”