Just Horsing Around

By Marie S

Jessica flew down the path on Amber with a huge grin on her face. She felt wild and free. Egan was immediately behind her on his stallion Ember. His laughter echoed after her. She liked the sound of it and hadn’t heard it too often yet.

Breaking out into the clearing by the pond, Jessica brought Amber to a stop. The horses deserved a chance to get a drink. She slipped off the mare’s back and led her to the water’s edge.

“Have a drink, beautiful girl.” Jessica stroked Amber’s neck as she leaned down to drink.

Suddenly Egan was whispering in her ear. “Have a drink, beautiful girl.” He smiled and held his thermos out to her.

Jessica took the thermos and drank some water as she looked askance at Egan. It was a hot day and she was parched.

“Thanks, Egan. I was so thirsty. So are Amber and Ember.” They were sucking the water up with their large tongues.

“This was a good place to stop.” Egan surveyed the billabong. It would make for great swimming. He tied his reins around Ember’s neck to prevent the leather soaking in the water. “I’m hot. I could use a swim. How ‘bout you, Jess?” He pulled off his hat and dropped it on the long grass.

“What about the horses, Egan? Won’t they run home?” Jessica watched Amber drinking, but followed Egan’s lead and tied up her reins.

“No. When they’ve finished drinking they’ll move on to the grass. Look at it, Jess.” He pulled his shirt over his head and threw it on top of his hat.

The grass was thick, green and lush here. Jessica was acutely aware that Egan was pulling his clothes off right next to her.

“Uh, good. I don’t have bathing suit, Egan.”

“Neither do I, Jessica.” Egan shot her a dazzling smile and toed off his boots before he began to unbuckle his belt.

Okay, this gorgeous man, who she really liked, was going skinny dipping and wanted her to join him. Her hesitation was coming why? She stole a look at him. Egan was stripped down to his underwear. He was so…so…so…she toed off her new riding boots.

Jessica was still removing her clothes when Egan splashed into the pond. She looked up to see his firm naked behind skimming across the surface of the water as he swam. All that remained were her underwear. She removed her bra, but kept her panties on and splashed into the water. Jessica didn’t look up to see if Egan was watching her as she entered the water.

Egan didn’t mean to stare, but hell he was a man. She was beautiful. Her breasts jiggled slightly as she ran into the water. They were high and firm. He imagined cupping one of them in his hand and sucking the pink nipple into his mouth. It had been too bloody long since he’d been with a woman. He dove under the water and began to swim. As refreshing as the water was he still needed to cool off.

The water felt wonderful. This was perfect. Egan was swimming away from her at the moment which mystified her. She splashed and swam around toward the middle of the pond. Jessica then flipped over onto her back to float and stare at the blue sky and puffy white clouds while she hummed a familiar tune.

Egan watched her as she floated. There was only an occasional stroke of her arms. Those gorgeous tits that tantalized him floated above the water. He swam silently toward her. His hand grabbed her foot. Jessica left out a loud high pitched scream.

“Bloody hell, love. It’s just me. What were you thinking of?” He pulled her toward him and wrapped his arms around her trembling body.

She looked up at him sheepishly as she calmed herself. “I was just thinking of how beautiful a day it was and how pretty the sky and clouds were when I wondered if there were snakes in the pond. That’s when you grabbed my foot. I’m sorry I screamed.”

Egan threw his head back and laughed. “So you reckoned I might be a snake, Jess? Hmm, I could be.” At that moment they both realized how close in proximity they and their nearly naked bodies were. Their eyes met; followed by their lips.

The pressure was gentle at first as their lips touched and explored. It was their first kiss, but their lips were greedy along with the rest of their bodies. The pressure intensified and Jessica’s lips parted when his tongue skated along her lower lip. Egan moaned into her mouth and moved his body against hers.

Jessica gasped at the feel of his hard muscular body pressing against her softer one. He was big. The water wasn’t cold and his cock swelled against her. She wrapped her legs around his hips. Egan had swum them to the water’s edge and was carrying her out of the pond. Their lips were still attached. She wrapped herself even tighter around his body to hold on.

Next Egan laid her down in the thick carpet of green grass. She loathed losing contact with him. He remedied that immediately by covering her body with his as his lips hungrily found hers again.

******

Bud was riding one of two of the four wheelers the Sheriff’s department owned. He was going across the eastern flank of his land toward an area he had set up for target practice. Letting yourself get rusty shooting a gun could lead to being a dead deputy.

Suddenly he heard a woman’s scream. She sounded terrified. Bud veered off in the direction the scream had come from. It was in the area of the pond. He had a good vehicle for this terrain and he was armed.

He pulled up short of the area where the scream had emanated and shut off the engine. Bud stealthily made his way through the brush until he was in the meadow next to the pond. A naked man had a woman pinned down with his body. His intentions were pretty fucking clear.

Bud slipped the safety off his gun and aimed it at the man’s head. He knew there was a risk he might hit the victim if he had to shoot the asshole.

“Sheriff’s department. Get off the woman, shitbird or I’ll blow your brains out.” Bud’s tone of voice made it clear he was deadly serious.

Egan rolled off of Jessica and instinctually swept her behind him to shelter her as best he could.

“Bud? What the hell are you doing?” Egan glared at him as all his passion disappeared when he looked into Bud’s face and the gun pointed at him.

Bud saw the flick of a red braid as Varner pulled the girl behind him. It was Jessica. He felt his blood boil.

“Jessica, you can step away from him. Get behind me. I’ll take you home.”

Jessica peered wide eyed around Egan to see Bud’s gun trained on Egan. She gasped.

“Bud, I think you have the wrong impression. Egan wasn’t hurting me. We went swimming and um, you came upon us as we were kissing. I was a willing participant.”

She was getting increasingly self conscious that she was practically naked around Bud White. That was like being naked around your brother or your father. She stayed sheltered behind Egan.

“Then why the hell did you scream? I heard you.” Bud said stubbornly though he was lowering his gun.

Jessica’s face flushed bright red. “I thought there was a snake in the water.”

“Looks like the only snake is here on shore.” Bud glared at Egan again.

Uh oh. Jessica realized this still wasn’t good. Bud was being protective and she saw Egan visibly tense in front of her. At least Bud had put his gun away.

“Now wait a tic, mate. Could you believe I would hurt any of the girls? I never would.” Egan sounded indignant.

“There’s more ways to hurt a girl than hit her, Varner. You can take advantage of her.” Bud growled.

“Bloody hell. I wasn’t taking advantage of her!” Egan stood up and clenched his fists.

Jessica scurried to stay behind him as she stood up. She was shivering despite the warmth of the day. Her body was wet and goose bumps were all over her. She’d had enough of this.

“Wait a moment both of you. I know you’re trying to protect me, Bud. Thank you, but I don’t need to be protected.”

She put her hand on Egan’s shoulder. Could she feel more uncomfortable than she did at the moment?

“Thank you for the wonderful ride and swim, Egan. I’m cold and want to go home right now. She stole a glance at Amber. The mare was much closer than her clothes. She dashed to the horse and mounted before Egan had a chance to grab her arm.

Jessica went galloping down the trail back toward the stables. She didn’t look back. Her face was still flushed bright red.

Egan stared after her with his mouth open. He wasn’t thinking about how angry Bud was at the moment.

“I never thought I’d see my very own Lady Godiva. Did you see how gorgeous she looked racing down the trail?” Egan almost said with her tits to the wind and her braid flapping behind her, but he caught himself just in time with his admiration of Jessica’s assets. “Mate, I’ll never forget that sight.”

And that was the last thing Egan remembered before Bud White’s right fist connected with his face and he crumbled to the ground out cold.

“Maybe that’ll help you forget.” Bud spat on the ground about two inches from Varner’s head with a small satisfied grin. He sat down on a log to wait till he woke up. He’d make sure he was okay to ride that beast of his back to the stables. Bud sat and cleaned his gun to pass the time.

Egan woke groggily a few minutes later to find Bud watching him. He grasped his jaw and swayed as he sat up. Being hit by Bud was like being hit with a tree trunk.

“What’d you do that for, mate?” Egan struggled to get up. Bud stood and put out his hand to help him up. Egan grudgingly took it when he figured out which of the two hands he saw was really Bud’s.

Bud pulled him to his feet. “Just a gentle reminder not to hurt her in any way. Not on my watch, Varner. You got that?”

Egan nodded yes. He wasn’t sure his jaw was still connected to his bloody face.

“Good. We’re okay then. Can you ride your horse back to the stable or do you need a ride?” Bud stuck his hat back on and prepared to leave. He turned back to Egan to get his reply.

Egan didn’t have a good strike or great aim, but he socked Bud for all he was worth. He was aiming for his jaw but hit him in the cheek below his eye. The man didn’t only hit like a tree, he stood rooted to the ground like one too. He barely staggered back a step from the impact.

“Now we’re okay. I can ride.” Egan stalked toward his clothes; still somewhat unsteady on his feet. He heard Bud’s low chuckle behind him as he pulled on his pants. The pile of Jessica’s clothes lain by his.

“Do you want to drop her clothes off at the house or should I?” Egan looked up at Bud. He was satisfied now that the deputy was at least going to have a black eye.

“I’ll drop them off since I have the ATV. You’ve got to take care of your horse. The little one will probably already be pissed off at me by the time I get there and Marie will know all about it long before I walk in the door.” As time passed he realized the girls would not be happy with him. Yeah, well. It wouldn’t be the first time.

“Why would Ashley be mad at you?” Egan didn’t get the connection. Maybe he still wasn’t thinking clearly.

“Because I interfered. Even if my intentions were good. You sure as shit don’t understand women at all, do you?” Bud shook his head and felt the tenderness on his cheek when he moved his face.

“Not at all.” Egan stated truthfully. “You do?”

“Not really. Let’s just say you learn to recognize patterns of behavior when you’re around them all the time. And in a case like this they’ll be functioning as one. Later, Varner.” Bud walked to the edge of the meadow toward the ATV. He was carrying Jessica’s clothes.

Egan finished putting on his boots, pants and hat. To hell with his shirt. He stuffed it in his saddle bag. He mounted Ember and turned him toward home. The stallion began to trot. It felt like his hooves were pounding his head.

“Easy, boy.” Egan slowed him to a walk. The stallion was in a hurry to get home because his mare had already gone. He wanted to watch over both his mares. Bloody women.

He tentatively touched his rapidly swelling and bruising jaw. Egan was lucky if he’d be able to eat or drink for a week. He wasn’t feeling too well. When he arrived at the stables he managed to pull off his saddle and put Ember out into the pasture. Jessica had released Amber out there as well.

Egan couldn’t manage to take the saddles into the tack room. He needed to lie down. On the way to his cabin he chundered once in the bushes. He kicked the door partially shut behind him and fell down on his bed. To hell with his boots was the last thing he thought about.

******

Bud drove the ATV up to the Curry’s house. He hoped he didn’t run into Jessica. Not that the little princess would be any better. Cutting the engine he thought maybe he could get away with leaving Jessica’s clothes and boots on the porch. No such luck; the screen door opened.

“What in the world is going on, Bud? Why would you think that Egan would attack Jessica? She came running home with barely any clothes and all wet. She’s having a hot bubble bath soak now.” Ashley walked up to Bud and peered suspiciously up at his face.

He tried to deflect her scrutiny. “How the hell was I supposed to know it was Varner? I never saw his bare ass before. I heard a scream. I thought a woman was being attacked. I was doing my job.” His chin jutted out which also tipped his face up away from the petite Ashley. To no avail.

Ashley reached up and grabbed Bud’s chin in her hand to look at his cheek. “Bud White! You’ve been fighting.”

Bud winced. She sounded just like Marie, except she’d have called him Wendell.

“With just one blow exchanged on each side, I’m not sure that can technically be called a fight.” He trailed off lamely.

“Humph, it sounds like its past technicalities, Bud. Didn’t you know Egan and Jessica fancied one another?” She pushed him down on the porch swing and took Jessica’s clothes from him.

“How the hell was I supposed to know that?”

Ashley rolled her eyes. “Listen. Watch. For goodness sake’s Bud. You’re a cop. You used to be a detective.”

Bud grumbled. “I still do detective work.”

Ashley really inspected Bud’s cheek now that he was down at a level where she could see him.

“You need to put ice on that or you’re going to have a big shiner, Bud. There’s a small cut too. I’ll clean it, but then you go home to have Marie look at it. She’ll know what to do better than I. I’ll be right back.”

Bud rocked lazily on the porch swing. It was a nice day. Maybe he could get a glass of iced tea. He heard female voices as he waited. Bud wondered if she was talking to Jessica or Marie. Marie wasn’t working at the clinic today and should be home. She was working on her garden.

Ashley bustled out onto the porch with supplies for his cheek. It burned like a son of a bitch when she cleaned it with antiseptic. She put ointment and a Band-Aid on it and then handed him a bag of frozen peas.

“Hold that to your cheek, Bud.” She patted his arm. Ashley didn’t seem pissed off at him any longer. “Would you like a glass of iced tea?”

He grinned at her. “That would be great, Ash. How’s Jessica?”

“She’s fine, Bud. Just terribly embarrassed. Especially from how she rode away.” Ashley grinned. “That must have been quite a sight.”

“I tried to avert my eyes. Tell her not to be embarrassed none by it. Varner was the only one really looking.” His tone said what he thought of that.

“Was that what started the fight, Bud?”

“That’s when I clocked him.”

Ashley turned to go get Bud’s iced tea when she froze. “Bud, is Egan all right? He’s not lying out there by the pond is he?”

“Yeah, he’s okay. He was none to steady on his feet at first, but he rode back to the stables on that big horse of his. He’ll remember what I told him each time he moves his face for a while.” He grinned at her.

“Bud, you’re incorrigible. I’ll be back in a minute.”

Ashley returned with a glass of iced tea in one hand and her phone in the other. Bud sighed when he realized she was talking to Marie. Ash handed the iced tea to him and he sipped it with relish. It was good, sweet and full of lemon. Just the way he liked it. Ash was awfully quiet as she listened to Marie.

Finally she answered his wife. “Ok, I’ll tell him, Marie. And Jessica and I will go check on Egan to make sure he’s okay. I’ll call you if he has any of those symptoms you told me.” She made a kissing noise into the phone and said good-bye to her cousin.

“Marie said you should come right home after you finish your tea so she can examine you, Bud. If you don’t feel well enough you’re to call her and she’ll come over to pick you up. She’s worried Egan may have a concussion from how you described he was after the fight. Did he lose consciousness, Bud?”

“Hell, yeah. For a couple of minutes anyway.” Bud drank more of the tea.

“Bud, you should have told me right away. Take my phone and call Marie if you’re not feeling well.” She placed her phone in his hand, gave his cheek a kiss and ran or sort of waddled into the house. Hurried movement was becoming more difficult for Ashley as her pregnancy progressed.

Within minutes Bud was alone at the house swaying on the swing. Ashley and Jessica had hurried out to the truck and driven toward the stables and Varner’s cabin. Jessica had refused to make eye contact with Bud as she’d walked by. He figured he had some making up to do with her. Hell, he was just trying to protect her.

He took a big swallow of tea and set the glass on the table. Bud leaned his head back and was sound asleep in no time flat.

******

Ashley hurried over the rutted road toward the stables. She let out an exasperated sigh as they bounced along.

“What’s wrong?” Jessica looked at her with alarm. She was so worried about Egan after Marie told Ashley they should check him for a concussion.

Ashley rolled her eyes. “It’s nothing, Jessica. It’s the bouncing from the ruts in the road. I have to go to the bathroom.”

Jessica grinned. “What else is new?”

“Ha, ha, ha. See how you are when you’re seven months pregnant.”

“No, thanks. Not for a long time. God, Ash. I’d have slept with Egan if Bud hadn’t come along like he did. He was slipping his hand up my waist as he kissed me and was just ready to cup my breast. It was wonderful.” She sighed dreamily at the recollection.

Ashley giggled. “Bud is better than a mother guarding her virginal daughter.”

“Stop that.” Jessica scolded her, but had to grin. Still she drummed her leg nervously with her fingers. They were almost there.

“Would that have been so awful if you would have slept with Egan?” Ashley glanced over at Jessica and then back to the bumpy road.

“No, it probably would have been terrific. But, we barely know each other and it was a little quick. Talk about having been caught up in the moment.” Her fingers touched her lips as she remember how Egan’s had felt pressed to hers.

Ashley giggled. “Well, you know parts of each other a bit better now.” She put the truck into park at the stables. “Here we are.” Jessica was already out of the truck and running toward Egan’s cabin as Ashley barely had the door open and was angling out of the cab. She grabbed the first aid supplies and followed Jessica.

As Jessica was knocking on the cabin door Ashley noticed Egan’s saddle on the ground. A horseman like Egan would never let a valuable leather saddle lying on the ground. She hurried her forward pace.

“He’s not answering, Ash.” Jessica’s voice was frantic now.

“Crack the door and call his name. He’s here somewhere. His saddle is by the corral.” She reached the porch.

Jessica opened the door and called Egan’s name only to be met with a growl.

“Be careful, Jessica. Dog is in there and is either protecting Egan or the cabin. Let him see me. He knows me a lot better.”

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea, Ashley. You should stay behind me.” Jessica wasn’t about to allow Ashley to get bit with her being pregnant.

“No, I promise you. It will be fine. Open the door a bit wider. Come here, Dog. Good boy. Come to Ashley. The dog came running out the door, tail wagging and made a beeline straight toward Ashley. She let him sniff her hand and patted his head.

“Good Dog. Ashley has a treat for you.” She reached into her pocket and fished out a dog biscuit and gave it to the happy dog. He wolfed it down. “Ooh, that’s such a good puppy. Ashley’s baby boy.” She grinned at Jessica.

“Egan hates when I talk baby talk to him and give him treats. Go ahead and check on Egan. I’ll play with Dog for a little bit. Call to me if you need me.” She gave him another dog treat and put her finger to her lips. “Ssh, there’s a good Dog. We won’t tell your master that you’ve had some goodies.” She smiled conspiratorially at the happy excited dog.

Jessica walked into Egan’s cabin and called his name. There was still no answer. She glanced around the living room and he wasn’t there. He must be in the bedroom. Peeking her head around the corner she called to him.

“Egan?” She saw he was lying on his bed with his boots still on. He gave a soft groan, but didn’t arouse. That’s when Jessica saw his very swollen and bruised jaw.

“Oh, my, gosh. Bud, how could you?” She ran to Egan’s side to inspect his face closer. It wasn’t cut open, but the left side of his jaw looked double the size of the right. She had the cooler and wouldn’t need the bandages Ashley brought. She opened the cooler and took out a bag of frozen corn and gently placed it on his jaw. His hand came up to grasp her arm.

“Egan, its Jessica. You need to keep ice on your jaw. It’s really swollen. Are you okay?”

His eyes opened wearily. “Yeah. Hurts to talk.” He still felt like someone had tried to separate his head from the rest of his body.

“Marie sent us over to check on you. She was worried you might have a concussion. Are you dizzy or is your head pounding.”

“Only when I move, love.” He tried to grin at her, but stopped real quickly when his jaw moved while trying to smile. “Ow.”

“Well, don’t move then. Or talk. I’ll take care of you. Don’t worry.” She pulled a chair up to the side of his bed and took his hand in hers. His knuckles were bruised and skinned up a bit. That must have been from when he hit Bud.

Egan looked up into her eyes. As lousy as he felt it was nice to have her looking after him. Ashley and Dog came bounding into the room. Dog whimpered when he looked at Egan and stuck his paws up on the bed. Ashley gasped.

“I should have known that if Bud hit you the results wouldn’t be minor. I think Marie should come and examine him, Jessica.” Ashley already was putting her hand out for Jessica’s phone since she’d left hers with Bud.

Egan started to disagree but was immediately overruled by both sheilas. He didn’t have the energy to really put up a protest and somehow he remembered Bud mentioned they would now be a united front. Ashley left the room and returned in a few minutes.

“Marie will be here soon. Bud hasn’t called her yet and she’s worried. I told her he’s probably still sitting on my porch swing drinking iced tea.” Ashley fought to keep her face serious.

Egan grimaced at the thought Bud was feeling well enough to sit on the swing drinking iced tea. Jessica stroked his hand. For some reason that made him feel better.

He was fussed over until Marie arrived and put him through a battery of tests such as checking his hand grip strength and flashing a pen light in his eyes.

“I think you have a slight concussion, Egan. It came from either the jolting of your brain hitting your skull when you were punched or your head hitting the ground when you went down. Everything checks out okay, but I want Jessica to stay here and wake you every hour to make sure your headache isn’t worse. If he seems at all confused call me right away. Keep ice to his jaw as much as he can tolerate to help decrease the bruising and swelling. Don’t try to eat until your stomach doesn’t feel queasy. Call me if you have any questions or worries.”

Marie put her hand gently on first Egan’s arm and then Jessica’s. “I think you’ll be just fine, but doing these things is a precaution to make sure.” She smiled and leaned over to kiss her cousin’s cheek.

“Do you want to come with me, Ash?”

“I’ll walk out with you. The saddles need to be put away if you could help me. Don’t worry about them, Egan. And I think Dog needs to be played with more and given a treat for being such a good dog.” She smiled impishly at Egan as Dog’s tail flopped up and down wildly as she patted his head.

“Don’t spoil him.” Egan’s words were a little garbled from trying not to move his jaw as he talked.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t understand you, Egan. I’ll take good care of him. C’mon Dog.” She sang to him and practically skipped out of the room with Dog following her in hot pursuit after she blew them a kiss.

Egan rolled his eyes. Hell even that bloody well hurt.

“I’m sorry, Jess.” He mumbled to her when they were alone. She didn’t need to play his nursemaid.

“Don’t be. I’ll be right here.” She rubbed her thumb over his and gave him the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen.

******

Marie drove toward the Curry’s house to find Bud after she put the saddles away in the tack room. She cut the engine before pulling up in front. Bud was sound asleep on the porch swing. She grinned and tiptoed over to him to sit down beside him after inspecting his facial injury.

He issued a snort as he awoke. His arm instinctually wrapped around her shoulder. Then he yawned.

“Fuck.” His free hand went to his bruised cheek and eye. “Hi, Hon.”

“Hi, Bud. I’m here to take you home. How are you?”

“I’m fine. Just fell asleep.” He picked up his half drunk glass of iced tea and offered her some. Marie took a sip before Bud drained the rest of the glass.

“Ready, Sweetheart?” She gave him a hug.

“Yep.” Bud wrapped his arm around her again as they walked to her car.

Marie wouldn’t say a word or question Bud regarding what he’d done. His strong protective instincts made sure Jessica or some other woman was safe even if they’d been misguided in this instance. A girl could never feel safer than when she was protected by Bud.