The week with Tristan flew by. He and Mariah had become quick friends. They ran through the fields, brushed the horses, fed them, found Sally and adopted her for the week, went swimming and watched movies every night in their couch cushion fort. Tristan's laugh and excitement was contagious.

His enjoyment influenced everyone he was around. Chrissy even seemed to be warming to Max. He was showing an impressive ability to redeem himself. When Talia walked into the horse barn, interrupting an intimate moment between them, Chrissy jumped away from him marching out of the barn. Talia attempted to ask her about it but she refused to talk about it. Since Talia interrupted them Chrissy made every effort to avoid Max. Max, on the other hand, couldn't take his eyes off her. Talia watched as he tried to get her attention and she tried, and failed, to ignore him. Each time she caught Max staring at Chrissy, she'd nudge her toward him. Chrissy would just flip her off. Talia really was a bad influence on her.

As much as she enjoyed teasing Chrissy, Talia was going through her own hellish torture. Zeke stuck to his word. He didn't kiss her or touch her. Which made things worse when she found herself wrapped around his body every morning. It was a good thing she woke before him every morning. Apparently, her subconscious was a slut with no self-control.

Watching Zeke, Max and Terence spend time with Tristan was a hell of a turn on. The only thing that would have made it better was if they were half naked and holding puppies. Chrissy, Annie and Talia found themselves on more than one occasion staring slack-jawed as they played with the kids.

It was during one of those mind melted moments that Talia found herself agreeing to go on a trail ride. Talia may have had an easy connection with Zeus and Hera but that was the first time she'd ever been around horses. She'd never ridden one.

"Lia, it will be fine. You and Peg will be fine." Zeke stood next to her holding Pegasus' bridle.

"Yeah." Talia's heart beat hard in her chest.

"Ms. Talia, it is going to be fun." Tristan said. He was sitting with Terence on a calm brown horse named Hercules.

"It's going to be wonderful." Mariah sat with Max atop a gray and white stallion named Cupid.

"Are you going?" Talia asked Chrissy.

"No. Annie and I are cooking up a picnic to take to the lake with the kids when you all get back."

"That sounds awfully suspicious. Why can't I stay and help?"

"Sweetie, that's nice, but we know your cooking skills suck. Now, get your butt in that saddle." Chrissy and Annie went up to the kids telling to have fun then threatening Max and Terence with death if anything happened to them.

"Up you go." Zeke held onto Pegasus and waited for her to get into the saddle.

"Uh...ok."

Talia put one foot into the stirrup heaving herself up onto the seat. Unfortunately, it was the wrong foot and she found herself facing the wrong way. Giggles floated over to her from the kids. Untangling her foot from the stirrup she attempted to turn herself around on the seat but Pegasus moved causing her to lose her balance. She felt herself tilting too far to the side. Zeke's arms shot out stopping her from falling.

"Thanks." Talia said.

Zeke grunted a response with a pained look. It took her a moment to realize why he was pained. When Zeke stopped her from falling, his hands landed on her breasts. After almost a week of not touching he now had both hands on her breasts. When she sat up his hands were still on her.

"You can let go of the girls now."

Zeke blinked and pulled his hands back as if he were burned. "Sorry." He muttered.

"Are we going or are you going to feel up Talia some more?" Max yelled. Tinkling laughter from the kids brought a blush to their faces.

Zeke mounted Zeus riding in front of everyone. Talia remained in the back of the group. She and Pegasus would take things nice and slow. After riding for a while, Talia felt her butt falling asleep. With each bump, she felt Pegasus slow even more. Her pace of nice and slow was now almost non-existent. Talia tried nudging her with her heels but the gentle horse turned and bit her.

"Bitch." Talia muttered as she rubbed her calf.

Pegasus decided in that moment that she needed to increase speed. Only she was going in the wrong direction. She'd veered off the trail going into the woods. Talia pulled on her reigns but that didn't stop the pig-headed horse. Pegasus was the good one he said. Pegasus was tame. Bull!

Just as Talia tried to get her to stop again, Pegasus whinnied and bucked up knocking Talia off the saddle. Her fall sent pain shooting up from her tailbone. Talia looked to see what had spooked Pegasus. It was Sally again. That skunk was a menace.

Talia sighed leaning against a nearby tree. A soft click came from somewhere close. She couldn't tell where it had come from but strained to hear if there was anyone or anything nearby. The last thing she needed was a visit from a real dangerous animal. What she heard instead was Pegasus trotting off toward the ranch and another set of hoof beats coming toward her. She closed her eyes. If it was who she'd thought then she didn't want to see him approach like a knight in shining armor. Her panties couldn't take seeing that.

"Lia! Are you ok?" Opening one eye, Talia looked at Zeke dismount Zeus as if he were straight out of a cowboy movie. It was sexy as hell.

"Yep. Only thing bruised is my pride and possibly my calf where Pegasus bit me."

"She bit you? Where is she now?" Zeke looked around.

Talia raised her hand pointing in the direction Pegasus trotted of toward. "I'd say she's back at the barn by now."

"What happened?"

Talia told Zeke about the slow ride. He shook his head when she got to the part about Pegasus and the bite. But, he couldn't hold back a laugh when he heard about how Sally managed to get her to land on her ass again in the woods.

"Thanks for the support." She stood and brushed any stray sticks or leaves off her butt. Zeke reached out to help but she batted his hand away.

"Come on." Zeke climbed back onto Zeus.

"I don't think so. I think I should call it quits. Taking the walk of shame back down the trail would be better than being bucked off another horse."

"Zeus is not going to buck you off." As if on cue, Zeus nuzzled her. Her heart melted a bit. God she was a sucker.

Zeke held out his hand. "Come on."

Talia looked at Zeke mounted and couldn't envision a way of getting on that horse. He saw the hesitation on her face. Dismounting again he moved to help her onto Zeus. With his helping hands in strategic places, Talia managed to mount Zeus correctly.

"Are you walking next to us?" Talia asked.

"No." With that Zeke pulled himself onto of Zeus behind Talia.

"Isn't this breaking our deal?" Her words came out too breathy for her liking.

Zeke's arms threaded around Talia grabbing the reigns. His hard body seemed to cocoon hers. With ever bounce of Zeus' gallop Talia rubbed against him. It had to be some kind of torture.

With a grunt, Zeke said, "Maybe this was a bad idea."

"Yeah."

Talia and Zeke rode in silence catching up to Max, Terence and the kids. The ride had been painfully slow with Pegasus but with Zeke it was worse. The tension between them ratcheted up with every rock of their bodies against each other. Talia's body wanted to turn in the saddle and ride Zeke like the naughty cowboy he was. Talia's mind wanted to give her traitorous body a slap in the face.

When Talia and Zeke finally arrived at the lookout where the group had stopped everyone was busy looking at the beautiful scenery. Talia couldn't focus on anything but the strong arms around her. Zeke slid off Zeus. He helped Talia down but Zeus moved and Talia slid faster than anticipated. Her body slid down his. She felt every hard inch. Her dirty mind and traitorous body would fantasize about it after it was over. Their lips were mere inches apart with their breath mingling. It would be so easy for her to breach the distance for a kiss she craved. With a sigh, Zeke stepped back adjusting his jeans.

"What took you so long?" Max asked.

"Pegasus is a b-i-t-c-h." Talia spelled.

"Ohhh Mama said that's a bad word, Aunt Tally. Max said that you two were probably screwing against a tree."

"What?" Zeke and Talia asked.

"I did not." Max protested.

"You did. You said it quietly to Terence. My hearing is really good. Mama said I'm really good at hearing but not listening." She skipped away toward Terence and Tristan.

Max looked at Zeke and Talia. "Well you definitely didn't do what I thought. You both look too wound up for that."

Talia shrugged and walked toward the edge of the lookout. Leaning on the wooden railing, she looked out on a lush green valley. Trees blanketed the hill and valley in front of them. A hawk soared above the trees looking for its next meal. Soft wind blew through her hair causing a few strands to break free from her ponytail.

"I could stand here watching you forever." Zeke leaned on the railing next to her.

"It's so relaxing. We don't get this in California. It's one of the few things I miss about Grandin. But, the price I have to pay to enjoy it is too high." A sad smile crossed her face.

Zeke looked out onto the valley below. "I want to hold you so much right now."

Butterflies did somersaults in her belly. Her heart sped up. All the naughty thoughts, dreams and memories she'd been having for the past week had made her into a lust filled monster that would jump him at any moment if children weren't present.

Talia just nodded. She didn't trust the words that could pop out of her mouth.

"I can't wait until Saturday. I hope you're ready. It's going to be amazing." He puffed his chest out like a proud peacock.

"The way you are talking it better be. Anything below a 10.0 will be a letdown."

"Believe me, this will knock every date you've ever had out of the park."

"Good luck with that. I've had hot air balloon rides, candlelit dinners, long walks on the beach and watching the sunset cuddled in a blanket." Talia said.

"Bull shit! You just named a bunch of scenes from romantic movies."

Talia blushed. "Those movies were based on my romantic past. So, you better have some great ideas."

Zeke was right. Talia was making it all up. She couldn't tell him that she'd never had anyromance beyond dinner and a rental movie. She wouldn't make it that easy for him.