The Cowboy and the Cougar (The Cougar Chronicles #1)(20)

To her astonishment, Ladybelle walked. The horse followed Jack and Sam. Holly’s bottom bounced a little in the saddle. Jack and Sam seemed to be sitting comfortably. What was she doing wrong?

"Pull back the reins now," Jack said. "We need to stop and check the girth."

"My girth is just fine, thank you."

"Oh sugar, your girth is lovely. But we’re checking Ladybelle’s girth."

Holly pulled on the reins and Ladybelle jerked to a stop.

"A little lighter pull next time," Jack said. "Now watch me." Jack slid his fingers beneath the band that went under the horse and held the saddle in place. At least that’s what it looked like it was doing. Holly didn’t have a clue. "If you can get more than two fingers under the girth, you need to tighten it."

Her hands shaking, Holly replicated Jack’s actions. Barely one finger fit between the girth and the horse. "Good to go, I guess," she said.

"Excellent. Let’s try a slow walk again. You know what to do."

"Jack, I—" She stopped. How exactly could she say her ass was bumping in the saddle? Not very sexy. "Never mind."

"How’re you doing, sugar? You ready to trot?"

"I’m not sure."

"Sure she is, Dad." Little Sam sped forward.

"He’s quite the horseman," Holly said.

"Sam would rather ride than just about anything else. Now, for the trot. While we’re walking, squeeze her side with your legs again, and she’ll move to a faster pace. Just a warning, though. It’s gonna get bumpy."

Bumpy? Bumpier than it was already? She was going to need a sitz bath for sure. Epsom salts, here I come. She squeezed her calves and Ladybelle started to trot. At least Holly assumed it was a trot. The way her ass was plunking up and down didn’t bear any resemblance at all to what Jack and Sam were doing ahead of her.

Jack slowed down and soon rode beside her. "Uncomfortable?"

"Just a touch."

"Try to move with her movement. I know it’s hard at first."

"Hard doesn’t even begin to describe it."

"I’ll massage you later." His dark eyes gleamed.

While a massage with his master hands sounded like heaven on earth, Holly wasn’t anxious for him to see her bruised behind. "No thanks."

He laughed. "Don’t underestimate the therapeutic value of a good butt massage. Try to post to the movements. Post up and down in the saddle in time to the beats of the trot."

"Right."

"Sometimes it helps to say ‘up, down, up, down.’"

"You’re kidding, right?"

"Nope. That’s how I learned."

"But you weren’t forty years old."

"True enough. I was four. Just like Sam was."

"I’m afraid I’m old and set in my ways. I love horses, I really do. They’re noble and beautiful animals but I’m not sure I was meant to ride one." Up, down, up, down.

It wasn’t working.

"Anyone can ride a horse, Holly. We all start out the way you’re starting out. It’s completely normal."

"Come on, Jack. You look like you were born on a horse."

"Hell, no. I did my share of fallin’ the first day. You’re doin’ way better than I did."

"You were four."

He chuckled. "I suppose it helped that I had no fear. Four-year-olds don’t, as a rule. But as an adult learnin’, you have sense enough not to spook the horse. So you’re ahead of me."

"I don’t particularly feel ahead of anyone at the moment."

Plunk, plunk. The bones in her butt ached. Weren’t butts supposed to have lots of cushy insulation?

Jack whistled to Sam. "Turn around, pal. I think Holly’s had enough for this mornin’."

"Oh, I hate to cut his ride short."

"No worries. I can take him out again this afternoon if he wants. Or he can ride by himself, as long as he stays close to the house."

"Are you sure?"

"Sure, I’m sure. We’ll have loads more opportunities to bring you out here."

Holly’s insides squeezed together. There wouldn’t be loads more opportunities. This was probably the only time she’d visit Jack’s ranch and the only time she’d ride a horse.

"Besides," he continued, "you need to get back to check on that great meal you put in the oven before we left, right?" He winked.

"Not really. It bakes for several hours. I don’t need to do anything."

"I was tryin’ to give you an easy way out, sugar. I know your posterior’s hurtin’."

Holly sighed. It was, at that. The massage Jack had mentioned was sounding pretty darn good.





She was sitting on a hemorrhoid donut pillow.

Her humiliation was now complete.

Thank God she hadn’t fallen off Ladybelle. That would have been the ultimate embarrassment. Right. As if the donut weren’t enough.

Luisa had brought her the pillow after lunch. She’d said it had been her mother’s.

Of course, Holly was old enough to be Luisa’s mother–her young mother, but mother nonetheless.