Just Shoot Me (Cowboy Way, #1) by Becky McGraw Page B

forward, the horse took one step and she felt
herself sliding sideways again. Dean’s hands gripped her hips, and
the heat of his fingers seemed to burn through her
jeans.
    “ You’re gonna have to hold on
better than that, or this is going to be a long ride. Hold onto the
horn,” Dean suggested. He covered her hand with his, and put it on
the horn, then patted it. He grabbed the reins, clicked to the
horse and she felt his thighs flex under her legs. The horse
started moving forward and she gasped, as her body rocked from side
to side and she felt as if she was falling again. Tina’s other hand
found the horn, and she held on for dear life, praying where he was
taking her wasn’t too far.
    The sooner this ride was over, the better, in
her opinion. She was not, and probably never would be, a country
girl. She might work for a western wear company, have on brand
spanking new jeans, boots, and a cute western shirt, but that did
not make her a cowgirl. Just like her samples for the Texas Tomcat
apparel hadn’t made Dean Dixon a model. He was a cowboy, a country
man. That had never been her type of man before, cowboys were her
sister’s flavor. But damned if it didn’t seem to be hers with
him.
    The horse took a stutter-step and Tina
wobbled, even though she was holding on. Dean’s left arm wrapped
around her waist, and he pulled her back against him. She wiggled
trying to get comfortable, and he leaned near her ear and growled,
“Sit still.”
    “ How the hell do you figure I’m
going to do that on a moving mountain of a horse?” she asked with a
huff.
    “ Moving?” Dean laughed. “This ain’t
moving, sweetheart.” Dean walked the horse to the gate behind the
barn, then dismounted and opened it to lead the horse through into
the pasture. He shut it, then got back on the horse. “Hold onto
your bloomers, Priscilla, it’s about to get bumpy. I don’t want
this to take all night.”
    Neither did Tina, but they were going fast
enough for her. Dean’s arm clamped around her waist, he leaned over
her back pushing her forward, and his legs flexed. The horse shot
forward and she squealed, almost tempted to throw her arms around
the horse’s neck. She gritted her teeth against the jarring, as she
was bounced willy-nilly in the saddle and against Dean Dixon. Dean
groaned, then pulled the horse to a stop suddenly. Tina grabbed the
horn to keep from pitching over the horse’s head.
    “ Okay this isn’t going to work,” he
said gruffly near her ear. His hot breath tickled her there,
sending chills snaking down her spine. “You’re going to have to
move with me and the horse, or we’re both gonna wind up on our
asses.”
    “ I’m doing the best I can,” Tina
said with frustration.
    “ First thing you need to do is
relax,” he instructed. Tina nodded and tried to force some
elasticity into her body. “That’s better. Now feel how the horse
moves under you and roll your body with him…with me.” Dean clicked
his tongue, flexed his legs and the horse started walking. Tina
focused on the roll in the horse’s movement and tried to match her
body movements with his. Dean’s hips rolled behind hers and they
seemed to be in perfect rhythm after a while.
    The fact that the slow gentle roll was very
akin to the slow gentle roll of making love was not missed by her
body. With each forward motion, the seam on her too tight jeans
pressed against the bundle of nerves at the top of her thighs, and
sent delicious tingles floating through her body. Tina bit her lip
to stifle a moan and took short even breaths. She tried to shift
her position a little, but that made things worse.
    She decided the best thing she could do was be
still and focus on keeping the rhythm. If she came on the back of
this horse with Dean Dixon behind her, so be it. Tension inched up
inside of her, her heart fluttered in her chest. Her breath got
shorter, and she leaned back against Dean’s solid chest trying to
ease the pressure. His arm