On The Fence (Uninhibited in Apple Trail, Arkansas) by Keri Ford Read Free Book Online Page B

to have insane amounts of stamina, but he’d lost it with her.
    A rush of school girl giggles raced through her, but she managed to keep from spilling them out her mouth. She’d finally managed to see the Riley she remembered that morning. He’d been lighter and seemed happier. He still was… to a degree.
    The closer he moved to the house though, he seemed to be curling into himself, returning into a shadow of a man. His mouth was straightening into a hard line, his shoulders were rolling back into place.
    He walked her up the short concrete drive and didn’t even pause at the glass screen door. He just reached down and opened it like he lived here.
    She glanced up. “I thought you barely knew these people.”
    “I don’t know them as well I know you, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
    Heat raced through her that had nothing to do with embarrassment and everything to do with the wetness forming between her legs. “Of course not.”
    “Stephanie said they’d be in the back, to just come on in.”
    He held the door opened and she walked past. It was a nice home, held that just cleaned and fresh scent to it. The walls were white and bare of pictures or any other things. The tile floor in the hall opening was a pretty tan and her heels clicked over it, ticking off the time until she would be in his arms again. Or it seemed that way to her, at least, because being with him again was something she couldn’t wait to get after.
    Laughter and voices echoed through the entryway and she followed them toward the back of the house, through a cute little country looking kitchen that had yellow walls and a dark wood table. Out the glass sliding doors were a dozen or so people laughing and having a good time.
    Riley reached around her and slid the glass aside. “The man at the grill in the jeans and white shirt is Parker. The brown headed girl next to him with her fingers hooked in his belt-loops is Stephanie.”
    “Pretty.”
    Riley only shrugged. And it made her heart flutter, which was a really stupid and ridiculous thing to happen, but there it was anyway. For the next half-hour, she stood next to Riley as he made introductions. The more he talked tractor races, cows, and gardening, the more his shoulders relaxed, the more often his hand found the small of her back.
    When she was scooping potato salad on his and then her plate, she got a startling wash of déjà vu. Dear God, this was high school all over again with Riley leading a conversation here and there and she smiling and laughing along. There was the difference in Riley being reserved and conversation centering around livestock and the weather instead of cars and football, but still basically the same.
    Don’t get her wrong, she was having a good time. Riley included her in the conversation same as he used to, but she was over this and ready for more. She sat next to him at a table that had been set up in the yard. He handed her a glass of tea and she his plate.
    “Having fun?”
    She smiled. “Yeah. I am.”
    At that moment, a lovely blonde sat next to her. Shellie faced the woman as she sat. “Hi, I’m Shellie Chambers. I’m a friend of Riley’s.”
    “Oh hey!” The woman’s face brightened, her brilliant eyes held a smile and warmth. “Jessie McBride.” Another blonde sat on the other side of Jessie. “And this is my cousin, Tiffany. Are you here visiting?”
    And at that moment, Riley’s hand dropped to Shellie’s thigh. His large palm covered the top of her leg, his long fingers rested between her thighs, and she completely lost her train of thought. He wasn’t doing anything suggestive or dirty under the table, but it was just that his hand was on her, warming her and zapping her words before they could even reach her tongue.
    Shellie blinked and stared at Jessie. “I’m so sorry, but what did you say?”
    Jessie’s head tipped back at that and laugher spilled out. She sat forward again and leaned over to whisper. “Don’t worry.