All the King's Horses Read online

  “What’s your opinion, your highness?”

  “She doesn’t like it. Not really. But I think she can learn, with patience. You may have to saddle her and let her out in the pens to buck for a while. She’ll do better when she has no choice and I’m not here to calm her.”

  “Limp?”

  “She compensates well. It seems like she was injured before the foal. Her walk is natural. She won’t run a derby for you, but she’ll make some young girl very happy someday.”

  “Good. Let’s take a break.”

  RJ tied his horse to a nearby tree as Lucy arranged the saddle nearby. A moment later, he had the saddle bags off the horse and over his shoulder. Opening one of the bags, he pulled out a checked blanket and laid it out on the ground.

  “What the hell...?”

  “Lunch.” RJ smiled and motioned her to sit down.

  Smiling, Lucy was happy to. He’d managed to sneak all this out there. He placed the bags down in the corner of the blanket and pulled out a bottle of wine and all the makings of a cute picnic break. Pulling out a utility knife, he popped open the white wine and poured each of them a glass in the clear solo cups he’d brought and handed her one.

  “This is very sweet of you.” Lucy took a sip of the wine. “Good wine, wow!”

  “Dad’s cousin started a winery in western New York State, and he sent us a case of his first crop. Won a few awards.”

  “I can taste why.”

  He opened the first glass dish and it had grapes and apple slices in it. RJ offered it to her, and she pulled out an apple slice. He chose two grapes himself and popped them in his mouth.

  “So, how long do you think you’ll be here?” RJ asked, trying to be coy.

  It was the question Lucy had hoped he wouldn’t ask. She didn’t want to think about going and she didn’t want to think about the short time she might have at Double Down. If she were going to be honest with herself, she shouldn’t feel this strongly about a guy she’d met barely a week before.

  Then again...Nana Sofia had always told her that her heart would know where it belonged as soon as she found it. And there was something about this ranch, and especially about RJ that made her think this was where she was supposed to be. She liked his family, she loved the horses, she enjoyed the wide open. Not that the da Silva farm didn’t have the open, but there was something about the Texas sky that was more encompassing, more overwhelming, more consuming than the green rolling hills of New Jersey horse country.

  But. A Jersey Yankee in Texas? No one had yet made an issue of her origins. Despite her ‘tawk about cawfee’ and her inordinate love of Taylor Ham, egg and cheese on a hard roll. And thank God no one had brought up Snookie.

  On the other hand—and she made a note that she was up to about three hands now—they had known each other a week and had sex, really awesome amazing sex, just once. How much was there to them yet? She sighed. RJ was waiting for an answer.

  “I don’t know. I have to pick the horses, which will be at least three weeks. Then we have to set up transport, and that’ll take a week at least. I don’t know if Mama and Dad will want to come out and see them or not. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t.”

  “Lucy...”

  She held up her hand. “RJ, I know where you’re going. I swear I do. But, don’t take this the wrong way, we’re not much of anything. Please don’t ask me to make decisions like this yet. Give us the time we know we’re going to have in the next few weeks. Don’t ask me to stay yet. I’ve got obligations I have to see through.”

  He swirled the wine in the glass. “You should know, princess, that once a Texas man sets his heart on a pretty little filly like you, there’s not much that can stop us from getting what we want.”

  She raised an eyebrow as she considered him for a moment. “You gonna be one of those men who possess their woman?”

  “I’m gonna be one of those men who take care of their woman. The kind that knows that romance isn’t a fairy tale, but tries anyway.”

  That declaration made Lucy swoon a bit. Swoon. She rolled her eyes at herself.

  RJ interpreted her eye roll wrong. “What? You think I can’t do that? That I can’t make this as close to a fairy tale as I can?”

  “No, that’s not... I mean...”

  But Lucy’s thought was cut off as he stalked toward her on the blanket. RJ plucked the wine out of her hand and nestled in the grass behind her as he pressed her back to the blanket, crawling toward her. He had a look of powerful desire in his eyes, and there was a determination in his moves that frightened her—and aroused her.

  Damn it.

  “You are one of the most exquisite women I have ever met,” he said, kneeling between her legs. He ran his hands up her legs, over her thighs, grasping her shirt and pulling it free of the waistband. “When you were pulling those horses from the gulch to save them, I was rock hard. I always thought I wanted a woman who was soft and sweet, pliant. But seeing your hard edges, your strength, your curves, and your determination…I just want you even more. Because not only are you sweet and soft, you’re more.”

  “RJ, you don’t have to say those things. I want you already.”

  “I’m not saying them to get in your pants, Lucy. I’m just telling you the truth. Has no one ever told you that you’re sexy? That you’re amazing?” One by one, he plucked the buttons on her shirt. “That your eyes are the most beautiful bright darkness I’ve never imagined. That your hair is a satin dream.” He draped the shirt open and ran his hands around the pert globes of her breasts. “You have skin that reminds of silk and sex, and breasts that make a man beg. I’ll beg if I have to.”

  “You don’t have to beg, RJ. I’m yours. And if you don’t touch them soon, I’m going to implode.”

  RJ couldn’t seem to stop touching her breasts, running his fingers over them, caressing her nipples. He pinched and pulled, and finally slipped the lace down. His mouth immediately wrapped over her and pulled the peak in. Lucy couldn’t help arching at the feeling he created there.

  “You really do enjoy those,” she breathed.

  “I could stay here all day and worship here.” He moved his mouth to her other taught pearl, and did as he promised.

  Lucy squirmed a bit, but let herself enjoy the feelings. Until finally the feelings were not enough. She lifted her hands to his belt and unfastened him. But she didn’t pull his cock out. Instead, she trailed her hands over the length of his shaft, teasing him as he teased her.

  “I want this, RJ. I want you.”

  “You can have me, princess. Take what you want.”

  Lifting her backside up, she pulled her pants down and took the panties with them. RJ caught on fast and helped her out one leg at a time. He went for his own fly, and she stopped him, taking over the duty herself. She worked them down and made sure to take a good firm grip of his ass. That’s nice.

  But even better was when she wrapped her hand around his cock and stroked him, up and down, up and down. She had him mastered, his velvet steel feeling like the best prize ever in her hand.

  Lucy was far from a virgin, but never had a man felt so right, so good in her hand, or in her sex.

  His mouth was trying to make a connection with her breasts again, but she kept distracting him with her hand on his erection, petting and touching. She got a shuddered breath out of him after she carefully rolled his sac in her hand.

  “Lucy…” It was a marvelous sensation to have him nearly begging. He looked up at her and kissed along her jaw in the next moment. “Lucy, what about protection? We didn’t use it last time…”

  “You didn’t,” she answered. “I’m on the pill.”

  “Well, that was neglectful of me, Lucy. I should have…”

  “I would have never let your monster cock anywhere near me if I wasn’t comfortable with it, Texas. Now, I want you to show me what you can do with that thing again.”

  “Are we back in school?”

  Lucy leaned up to his ear. “Would you lik
e it if I were naughty and you had to spank me with a ruler, professor?”

  “Oh, shit…”

  She felt him twitch in her hand.

  “Do you like to play in the bedroom?”

  “Well, I don’t know. We’ll have to try it out. But, RJ?”

  “Yes?”

  “Talk later.”

  He grinned. “Are you ready for me?”

  Lucy nodded and tugged on him gently. He shook his head, leaning on one arm. His fingers slid over her sex, finding her clit. “Are you really ready for me?” Teasing her for a moment, he pushed two fingers inside her. “Mmm. Wet and ready for me, indeed.”

  “RJ, please.”

  She could feel her chest heaving, lungs pumping and just as she was about to beg him again, his cock slid in her slick, willing sex and he moved all the way inside in a single motion. He exhaled in a rush and pressed in hard. “Damn, Lucy. I can’t tell you how awesome this feels. Your tight pussy wrapping snug around my cock. The warm, slick feeling of the deepest part of you.”

  His dirty and sweet words were adding fuel to her own fire—his rhythm took him over her clit, and his erection stretching her, filling her, moving over the sensitive nerves at her opening all pumped her closer and closer to her orgasm.

  “Oh, God, RJ.” Her words were low and his mouth found hers, stealing her breath in a thorough kiss that found a perfect opposing time to his cock.

  “I’m going to come.” His rhythm picked up, thrusting harder, faster. His pace was demanding.

  “Yes, yes, inside me,” Lucy panted.

  The world suddenly went white as her orgasm rushed through her, pulling her body tight, pulling his erection in deeper, milking him for his cum—which in the next moment his cock released, spilling inside her sex, filling her with his very essence.

  “Yes!” He still pumped, even as her climax released her. A moment later, he slammed his mouth over hers again and pulled her close to roll to the side, sated and exhausted.

  * * *

  With a lazy pace, RJ refastened the buttons on her shirt. Stopping at each soft breast, he sucked the relaxed nipple into his mouth for one last taste before tucking it back into the lacy cup. He buttoned the last few buttons, chiding himself for never realizing how sexy it was to re-dress a woman. He slipped her discarded panties back on and helped her slide her legs back into the pants. He shimmied both back up over her lovely bottom and made sure everything sat in place, comfortably.

  Lucy sat up and gave him a deep, luxurious kiss, then helped him re-dress as well. He enjoyed her fingers on his cock as she tucked him back in.

  “Keep that safe. I’m becoming rather fond of it.” Her words were quiet and teasing.

  Once he was set again, he lay down and pulled her to his chest. She nestled in and let out a satisfied sigh.

  “You did me good, Texas.”

  “You do me good, princess.” He trailed fingers through her soft black hair. “Tell me about you.”

  “Not much you don’t know. I’m not really much of a mystery.”

  “Your family? Where you grew up?”

  “Oh, those things.” Her laugh was sweet. “I grew up on a horse farm in Alexandria, New Jersey. My nana, Sofia, liked to tell me that I was almost born on a horse. Mama was in a show when I was ready to make my appearance. We grew up very wealthy. I didn’t even realize there were people who couldn’t buy food until I was nearly ten, when Fatima made friends with a very poor girl. I had no idea the amount of money we had. I gave the mom my allowance that I saved up for Christmas, and she cried because she could buy her kids shoes. Fatima and I spoiled Jilly for as long as they were friends.

  “Nana Sofia died when my youngest sister was born. She had been so much to me. She told me all about our family, the Bragança family and the Lusquinos legacy. She was born before Manuel abdicated and she remembered the court in Portugal. I loved her, so much. My heart broke when she died...” Lucy paused to wipe her eyes, but continued.

  “I went to Rutgers for business and it turned out I didn’t really have a natural talent for it. I struggled, while Marcia would end up gliding through. Mama and Dad knew I wanted to run the farm, so they are giving me a chance to, while Marcia waits for me to fuck up.”

  “You know about Greg, the mistake. He made me swear off men and relationships until quite recently.”

  “I’m glad I could convince you we’re not all bad,” RJ said. He leaned down and kissed her head. “Is it cool being a princess? Are there perks?”

  Lucy rested her chin on his shoulder. “My great-whatever grandfather tried to keep the kingdom together. But people were not so apt to believe the ‘by the Grace of God’ thing anymore, and the trend was for democracy. All we are now is a lineage that once wore a crown. The only perks are the ones that the ex-pats create for themselves. I suppose if Tee, Marcy, Sof, or Jack ever found a royal consort, it would be handy. Other than that, it’s just leftover jewels and a long ass family tree.”

  “Jack?” RJ was confused.

  “My brother. Joaquim Manuel Jorge Michele Edvard Gothe Bragança da Silva, the crown prince of New Jersey.”

  His laugh scared the horses.

  Chapter Eight

  “GOT SOMETHING TO WEAR THAT’S NOT horse related or a ball gown?”

  Lucy looked up from the book she was reading and found RJ standing behind the screen door. “Um, yes, I guess.”

  “Good, come on. We’re going in Austin for barbeque and dancing, Texas style.”

  Standing and closing the book, Lucy headed in. “It’s eight. Do we have time?”

  “It’s Friday night,” RJ answered. “And we’re not that old.”

  Lucy found herself in the front seat of RJ’s perfectly restored 1968 Mustang half an hour later, roaring down the highway toward Austin. The leather of the seats was impressively soft and supple and nothing inside had any sign of wear.

  “This is nice,” Lucy said, running her hand over the soft gray leather.

  “I rebuilt it, with some help from the McCoy cousins. Though, they’re handier with women, horses, and cattle.”

  She giggled. “In that order?”

  Taking a moment to think, RJ answered, “Most likely.”

  “It’s so cool that you get along with your cousins like you do. Mine are sticks in the mud, and quite a few of them still live over in Europe. We had to go on a skiing vacation to Interlaken one year with them, and they were all dressed to go skiing, stood around in the lodge, got drunk and then stumbled to an après-ski club. All I wanted to do was ski.”

  “We lucked out on both sides of the family. Mom’s sister in the McCoy clan—which by the way, once you’re in, you’re in good with all of them. There are eleven of them. Twin brothers who like to have kids, apparently. And Dad’s Miller family, one of the oldest in the US. Somewhere back there, we have one of the Mayflower arrivals in our tree. There were four brothers. Dad, whose name was James, by the way, Donald, Thomas, and Carl.

  “And, in fact, we’re going to see Carl. My uncle has an award-winning barbecue joint smack in the middle of Austin. Addie said she was going and taking Fatima with her, so I figured we’d all head down.” He cut himself off.

  “Oh, I get it. We’re not just going for ribs and beers.” Lucy gave him a glance.

  “What? No, of course we are.”

  “Geo McGovern and his handsome friend Tate are escorting the ladies this evening, aren’t they?” Lucy was trying not to laugh.

  “I don’t know anything about Tate.”

  “But you do know Geo is there.”

  “Yes. I mean—”

  “Aha! You are spying on your sister!” There was no stopping Lucy’s laughter as RJ got completely flustered. “RJ, it’s fine. I get it. I mean, you at least know Geo and Tate. I don’t. I’m totally fine with going to spy on them.”

  “Let’s not call it spying,” RJ said and paused a moment. Eventually he sighed. “It’s spying.”

  “You need to learn the fine art of politic
al speak. It’s not spying. It’s clandestine chaperoning.”

  RJ snorted. “Wow, I like that. That’s great.”

  “You do know that eventually you’re going to have to trust her with that young man, right? I mean, the guy is a deputy sheriff. He’s a fine, upstanding young gent.”

  “Yeah, I know. She’s really not my little sister anymore. She’s my younger sister. And I have to remember that she’s a college graduate, capable, intelligent, and horny.” Making a gagging noise, RJ took the exit that said ‘Austin.’ “I don’t like the last part.”

  “She’s her own woman.”

  “Yeah, well. We Texas men like to protect our little sisters.”

  “Make no mistake, RJ, I will die for my sisters and brother. But when you see them doing reverse cowgirl and they aren’t on a horse, you learn the boundaries.”

  Lucy shivered. That had truly been something she never needed to see, and hoped she never would again—though it was a hard lesson learned for Fatima with that asshole. The next time the door opened, it wasn’t her but his wife. None of them had known he was married. Fatima had wound up with some bad bruises and a restraining order.

  “How much longer until we’re there?” Lucy asked.

  “Ooh, we’ve got about an hour or so,” he answered, looking at the mile markers.

  “That long? And we’re driving back tonight?”

  “Nah, we’ll grab a hotel.”

  “Mister Miller, that’s awfully presumptuous of you, assuming I would stay in your room with you.”

  RJ tossed a glance at her. “I plan on wearing you out, princess. Ribs, beer, dancing, and sex.”

  “That sounds like an amazing Friday night.”

  “And tomorrow we can walk around downtown and check out all the stores and art galleries.”

  “Also sounds amazing.”

  “And then I’m going to take you home and make love to you again.”

  Lucy moved closer to him in the car. “You sure do like to do that, don’t you?”

  RJ smirked. “What’s not to like? Those beautiful tits, those curving hips, that delicious pussy, and those fantastic sounds you make when I slide home? Yeah. Yeah, I like it. A lot.”