Free Abandoned by Becca Jameson

were too close to really see each other properly. “I haven’t slept well. I know the timing sucks, but…”
    But what? She held her breath.
    He didn’t finish. Instead he held her shoulder with his free hand and stepped back. “Let me show you around.” He’d already said that. So far all she’d seen were his pecs and his fine ass. If there was a barn surrounding her, she was nearly oblivious.
    He didn’t release her hand. He threaded his fingers between hers and started shuffling backward. Allison followed. It took forever. “So, this is the barn…” she teased.
    “Yep.” He winked. “There are some horses in each of these stalls we pass.”
    “Figured that.”
    “The last one is Sadie. She’s my favorite. We’re going to ride her.”
    “We?” Allison stopped, her arm pulling tight when Daniel didn’t.
    He tipped his head to one side and gave a wry grin. “Yeah. Don’t worry. I’ll hold on to you.”
    She shook her head, almost without meaning to. “I, um…not so much.” She bit her bottom lip, curling it between her teeth.
    Daniel chuckled. “No worries. Sadie is the gentlest soul you’ll ever meet.” He tugged, forcing her to continue forward. “You’ll love her in no time.” He finally stopped at the last stall in the back of the barn.
    Allison was vaguely aware of other people around her, undoubtedly working, but she never glanced in their direction. She looked to the left when Daniel released her hand and opened the half door to the stall. As he entered, she gripped the wood across the top of the door and watched him.
    Sadie was huge as far as Allison was concerned. And gorgeous. But that didn’t make Allison want to ride her. Or even climb up onto her back.
    She was a solid dark brown and her ears twitched when Daniel rubbed her back. He made a click with his tongue and took her reins to lead her from the stall. When he had her in the center of the aisle, Allison plastered herself against the wall.
    She wasn’t exactly afraid of the horse. More like uninformed. Up close and personal like this, she couldn’t breathe. She was majestic and barely flinched while Daniel put a saddle on her and cinched it tight. He glanced at Allison every few seconds. “You really aren’t fond of horses.”
    She shook her head and then licked her lips. “It’s not so much that I don’t like them. It’s just that…” What, exactly?
    “Trust me?” He reached for her again.
    That was a loaded question. In her soul she knew she trusted this stranger with her life, but he was really asking her to trust Sadie , and she wasn’t as sure about that.
    As though he’d read her mind, he spoke again. “Sadie hasn’t ever met a person she didn’t like , and she’s never tossed anyone yet.”
    Good to know …
    “Ready?” He didn’t give her time to think. He wrapped his hands around her waist , and before she knew it, he’d swung her up onto the saddle. She held her breath and grabbed the horn between her legs. Seconds later, Daniel swung up behind her. Oh God .
    Allison squeezed her eyes shut and stifled a groan. She was barely aware of the horse. All she knew in that moment was Daniel’s firm body pressed against her back and her pussy against the saddle horn.
    Daniel wrapped one arm around her just under her breasts and held her closer. His nose met her ear. “On second thought, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. Your pheromones are driving me crazy, woman.” He nipped her ear with his teeth and then kissed it.
    Allison thought she would faint. She held the horn with both hands, squeezing so tight her knuckles turned white. She didn’t know for sure if she held on to avoid falling or to keep her pussy from rubbing against the leather.
    “Next time, maybe not sandals for riding,” he said, nudging her legs and pointing at her feet.
    “I didn’t exactly leave the cabin with riding in mind.”
    “What did you have in mind?”
    She didn’t answer him. Her hands lurched from the horn to