STORY EXCERPT

Maddie nodded her head. “I’m ready,” she responded. Maddie took a deep breath as she stuck her foot in the stirrup and boosted herself up. Then she willed her lame leg to lift over the saddle. But it wouldn’t raise more than a couple inches.

“I can’t do it! This blasted leg is still broken!” she cried as she lowered it. Parker grasped her waist when she made a move to lower herself completely.

“No, it’s not. All the exercises have strengthened it. It’s your head that makes it feel lame,” he snapped.

Maddie felt her anger rise at him. “How do you know? It’s not your stupid leg!” she yelled as she struggled to get out of his grasp.

He simply grasped her waist firmer. “Get up there! Don’t you dare stop halfway!” he said harshly. The horse shifted, and Maddie grasped the saddle horn quickly with her right hand. Tears filled her eyes as she used her left hand to lift her left leg, using every bit of willpower she could muster.

“Ah, it hurts!” she screamed, idly wondering if the veins in her forehead would burst with the effort.

“I know. Just keep going. It’ll hurt less once you’re up there,” he said encouragingly. Maddie cried as she inched the leg over. Then she let out a piercing scream to get her body up there. Parker gave her a little boost at the very end, but that was it. She scooted her buttocks in place as she panted. Her heart was racing. Parker grinned up at her.

“See, I told that you could do it,” he said matter-of-factly. Maddie frowned and wiped away her tears.

“Yes, and I was oh so graceful,” she remarked sadly. Her knee throbbed, and she bit her lip.

“Ah, who cares about graceful? You’re up there. That’s what matters,” he said casually as he stuffed something in Mia’s saddle bag.

“I should be able to move my leg more by now! It’s been five months. I’m starting to wonder if it will ever work again,” she said sullenly.

“Oh, stop whining. There were men hurt worse than you in the war, and they healed. It just takes time, Maddie. Jeesh, you’re always so impatient,” he said. Maddie gave him a sassy scowl behind his back. Then she looked down at Mia when the horse shifted.

“It’s been a long time, old girl,” Maddie whispered to her. She really wanted to pat the horse’s neck, but she was afraid of falling off. Instead she clung to the saddle horn. Mia tossed her head and whinnied as she stomped her massive hooves.

“Okay, here I come,” Parker said happily as he climbed on. His added weight caused Mia to stomp and step sideways.

“Whoa,” he said loudly, leaning back in the saddle. The horse immediately stopped moving. Once he was settled in the saddle, he kissed the back of her head.

“How you doing?” he whispered softly. His warm breath sent shivers down her spine. Her body leaned back into him as he kissed her ear. Mia shifted backward a step as they moved around.

“Parker, you’re going to make me fall!” she scolded. Parker ignored her and pushed her hair aside so he could nuzzle her neck. She sat up quickly when she heard her father calling to them.

“Go, Maddie, go!” he called from the house. Maria waved a rag furiously in the air.

“See, even they want us to keep going,” he teased as he kissed her neck. She giggled.

“He means go, as in on the horse,” she said wryly. Parker poked her in the side.

“My Lord, we’re on a horse! How on earth did that happen?” he said in mock disbelief.

ADULT EXCERPT

Parker shook his head as he lightly touched all of the other small puncture wounds scattered over her arms, chest, and neck.

“Are they anywhere else?” he questioned.

Maddie nodded and pulled the waistband of her riding pants down. “That’s the last one,” she whispered. He gazed at the deep scar right above her pubic hair and sighed. Then he gazed up at her.

“How did your leg break?” he asked.

Maddie exhaled sharply before speaking. “I wish I could remember more. I do remember running through the woods though. I scrambled to get away from him. I remember feeling terrified, and not knowing if he was right behind me. The last thing I remember was tumbling off of something. Randy and your uncle Jerry found me unconscious a couple hours later at the bottom of an embankment. I told you I was a monstrosity,” she whispered. He heard the catch in her voice.Parker glanced up at her face. Her lip quivered as she locked eyes with him. 

Parker sat on his knees and hugged her fiercely. Her chest heaved as she sobbed. It was then that Parker let loose his own tears. After a few minutes Parker pulled away from her. Her eyes were red and puffy. He was certain his own were as well.

“Maddie, you are not a monstrosity. Don’t you see what you are? You are a survivor. A living, breathing, vibrant, beautiful survivor!” he exclaimed vehemently. Maddie tilted her head as she gazed back at him. The intense love which shone from her eyes staggered him.

“But the scars, my leg…” Her words were quickly cut off by his mouth upon hers. This time it was no tender kiss. It was a kiss laden with passion. Her body responded immediately, and she leaned into him. She returned his kiss hungrily, exploring his mouth with her tongue.

Parker deftly slid her down into the mud. She watched with amazement as he pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it to the side. Then he lay atop her, smoothing the hair away from her face as he gazed into her eyes. The feel of his strong chest crushing her breasts set his heart into overdrive.

“I love you, Maddie,” he panted as he kissed her neck all the way down to her breasts. When he drew a nipple into his hot mouth, she wound her hands into his hair and pushed his mouth down firmly.

“My God, Parker, yes,” she moaned. The hard bulge in his trousers pressed into her crotch. She spread her legs and wrapped them around his waist.

Parker kissed every inch of her face, neck, arms, and chest. Scar or no scar, his lips worshipped her. She dug her fingernails into his back and clung to him as he pressed his groin into hers. When he was poised above her, she kissed his strong biceps and gazed into his eyes.

“So you don’t care?” she asked meekly.

“You’re perfect,” he whispered. And he truly meant it. Scars or no scars he loved her. No matter what she had been through, he loved her. “There’s nothing on this planet that could stop me loving you. You’re stuck with me, Maddie Catalan.”

* * * *

Maddie melted at his words. She felt the ever-present force which swirled around them intensify. Her body vibrated with its powerful frequency. A frequency so high it drowned out all the evils of her past. She knew the force was love. She grasped his strong shoulders and pulled him down to her, kissing and nibbling his sweaty neck. She was suddenly consumed with a frantic need for Parker. The need to belong to him was overwhelming.

“Make love to me,” she whispered anxiously as she reached down to release his cock from his pants. Parker smiled softly as he shook his head and locked eyes with her. Then Maddie looked down. His stiff dick looked so pink against his tanned stomach.

“When I make love to you, it will be as your husband. I love you and you deserve that,” he whispered before kissing the tip of her nose. Maddie felt her stomach flutter.

“I love you, too,” she whispered when he leaned down to lavish kisses on her breasts again.

“It’s about time,” he panted when he lifted his head. Maddie chuckled as she grasped his thick hair, pressing his face harder on her breast. All the while, part of her brain was focused on his cock pressing into her leg. Then he kissed his way down her belly, dipping his tongue into her belly button before making his way to her riding pants. She flung her arms back in the mud as he wiggled her pants off of her. She surrendered to him willingly and parted her legs.

When his tongue dipped into her cunt, she moaned, arching her back and winding her hands in his hair. A sweet pressure built inside of her as she pumped her hips.

“Please make love to me,” she panted. Parker poised above her. His erection dug into her thigh. She saw the inner struggle on his face, so she stroked his jaw.

“Maddie, we’re not even engaged,” he said sadly.

“Then let’s get engaged. Right now,” she whispered as she reached down to grasp his stiff cock.