The waitress came to take their order. When she left, Mr. Dahl shook his head. “You don’t know how glad I am that Avery’s with you.”
That gave Mason pause. “Why’s that?”
“Because you understand her, and support her being a cop. It’s not an easy job she’s taken on.”
“No, it’s not. I respect her for wanting to serve and making a difference.” He respected a lot of things about her.
Mr. Dahl’s face became more animated. “See, this is what I’m talking about. Have you seen her shoot yet?”
“No, but my buddy Tate says she’s good.” He’d like to see her shoot firsthand soon. Maybe once they got back to Rifle Creek, he could convince her to go with him to the range.
“She is. Taught her myself. Apparently, Tate sharpened her skills more, but with your background I’m betting you could take her to the next level.”
“If she’s interested, I’d be happy to show her some things.” He smirked at her dad. “But I don’t think she’ll be asking me for pointers anytime soon.”
That got him a laugh. “My stubborn spitfire. God, I love her. And between you and me, I’ll never understand why she married that dipshit.” He jerked his chin and Mason turned his head to find Doug standing over at the buffet across the room with his wife. “Must have been tough on her, to see them last night. I’m really proud of her. Of how hard she’s worked to overcome everything and move on after the divorce.”
Mason turned his attention back to Mr. Dahl. “She doesn’t talk about it to me.”
“No, she wouldn’t. She’s too proud. But let’s just say, she struggled a lot at first. Couldn’t see that it was a good thing to cut that dead weight from her life and be free of him. She can now, though.”
“He was that bad, huh?”
Mr. Dahl grunted. “He never deserved her in the first place. I pegged him as a manipulative shit the first time I met him. But love is blind, I guess. Anyway, that’s all done now, and we just want her to be happy.”
“So do I.” Her happiness was becoming more important to him by the day.
He smiled at Mason. “Glad to hear it.”
The rest of breakfast passed in an easy camaraderie while they ate and shared military stories, and her dad told a few about Avery growing up. By the time it was over, Mason had a newfound respect for her and what she’d been through. Her ex was a piece of shit for hurting her, and Mason was dying to know what had really happened. But he wanted to hear it from her, not her dad or anyone else.
Her dad startled and dug his phone out of his pocket when it rang, squinted as he read the screen. “Oh. The girls want to know if we want to join them for a trail ride in fifteen minutes.” He looked up at Mason. “You ride?”
“Yessir.” The idea of riding was welcome, but doing it with Avery was even better, even if his knees and back would ache like a bitch afterward.
Mason was already dressed in jeans and boots, but he stopped at the cabin to get his hat. From there they met the ladies at the stable, set on the edge of the grounds closest to the main lodge.
He spotted Avery the second they crested the rise above the stable, her bright hair all but glowing red-gold in the sun. Her face lit up when she saw him, and something deep in his chest expanded.
“Up for a trail ride?” she called out to him. Her mom and sister were with her, along with another dozen people.
“Always.” He’d been born and raised an Alberta cowboy. Being in the saddle felt like home.
The trail boss gave Mason a young gelding. Avery was already mounted on her mare, so Mason swung into the saddle and nudged his horse over to hers. She looked sexy as fuck in the saddle, totally confident and at ease. “You look like you’ve done this before.”
She smirked at him, her self-assurance a total turn-on. “A time or two. How was breakfast?”
“Great. Your dad invited me out fishing whenever I want.”
Avery quirked an eyebrow. “Did he? Well then, brownie points for you.” She tossed him a saucy smile and turned her horse. “Let’s go, Canuck cowboy.”
Even that tiny challenge revved his dominant side. Made him want to answer by dragging her out of her saddle into his lap and kissing that sassy mouth until she clung to him for support.
He nudged his horse and caught up to ride beside her. She rode like she’d been born to it, and the enjoyment on her face made him itch to reach over to grasp her reins, draw her to a halt and kiss her right there in front of everyone.
Instead he looked away and consciously relaxed his body, even as that restless, edgy hunger stirred in his gut. The rolling, golden hills and grassland surrounding them were beautiful, but the sedate pace was boring as fuck.
He longed to break free of the group and gallop across the terrain, make Avery chase him to catch up. He’d race her to a secluded spot somewhere out of view of the others, pull her off her horse and blanket her with his body right there on the grass, using his mouth and hands to take her to a fever pitch. Make her want him as much as he wanted her, then hold her there, make her wait, make her crazy with need, until she begged him to make her come.
He drew in a slow, steady breath and sought his restraint. He’d meant what he’d told her before. Nothing would happen without her consent.
But if she gave it, then game fucking on.
Chapter Eight
If the trail ride had left him on edge, sitting beside Avery at the reception later that evening was way worse. Mason kept his fingers twined with hers as they sat at their table with her family, conscious of every single thing about her.
For the wedding she’d changed into an insanely sexy, snug green dress, and added strappy black heels that showed off the muscles in her long, bare legs. All he could think about was taking her back to the cabin and trapping her against the door as soon as they walked in, kissing her until she couldn’t stand up before he carried her up to the bed in the loft and leaving her in nothing but those shoes as he buried his tongue between her thighs and made her lose her mind.
He shifted, his pants suddenly too tight in the crotch, and pretended to be paying attention to what she and her sister were talking about. She was still a little stiff whenever he touched her or showed any affection, but he didn’t think anyone had noticed because they all seemed to believe he and Avery were really together.
With every passing minute it felt more real to him too, and he wondered if she felt the same. Not that she’d ever admit it. Whatever her ex had done had made her close herself off from guys, and she wouldn’t let her defenses down easily.
Just one more reason he was dying to get past them. And not just for a roll in the hay anymore.
His goal for tonight was simple. Keep her focused on him, not her piece of shit ex or the trophy wife who seemed determined to rub salt in Avery’s wound with a snide look every chance they got.
“I’m starving,” Avery finally said with a sigh. “How long until dinner?”
“Not until after all the wedding photos are done,” her sister said. “And God knows how long that will take.”
A few staff members were putting out some appetizers and finger foods on a table over in the far corner. Mason stood and tugged Avery to her feet. “Come with me.”