Highland Stallion Read online

  “It’s all right. Sophia’s hired me.”

  “Oh?” Moor smiled, looking relieved. “Finally going to sell some of that wood?”

  “Yes,” she said. “In the meantime, we need some grooming supplies.”

  Zach tugged her aside and said, “I have no money.”

  “I’ll take it out of your wages, if it will make you feel better,” she whispered.

  He held her eyes. “All right.”

  “Once your back’s healed, we can get a proper harness.”

  After speaking to the blacksmith’s wife, Sophia and Zach left with several different combs, brushes, and soft cloths.

  Zach held up a currycomb, his eyes narrowed. “Terra and Moor said I should use these things, but we never had any of this in the mines.”

  “Doesn’t it hurt to change shape if you don’t take care of yourself? I heard that Horsemen’s skin and muscles are very sensitive, even if you are stronger than oxen.”

  “Changing isn’t very pleasant, but I’m growing more accustomed to it since I’ve left the mines. I like being able to fly again.”

  “It must be wonderful,” she smiled, gazing skyward, “to soar like that.”

  He glanced at her, a strange expression in his eyes. He seemed about to speak, and she had the oddest feeling he was going to suggest taking her on a flight. Instead he continued walking out of the square.

  Sophia lived a couple of miles outside of the village. The crest of the hill in front of her cottage gave her a perfect view of the Running Way where Horsemen took off and landed for trips to the Spikelands. Sometimes she’d walk to the village just to watch the activity on the Running Way. Most women found Horsemen incredibly sensual. Sophia was no different. The strength of their massive, galloping bodies sent a thrill through onlookers, and their flights were heart-pounding in their majesty. Even when they landed, windblown, red-eyed, and gleaming with sweat, they exuded power and dignity like no other creature.

  Though the cunning, spirited Carriers were incredibly attractive, Sophia had always preferred a different sort of Horseman. Every year she attended as many fairs as possible, mostly to display her needlecraft for which she’d won many prizes, but also to watch the Horsemen’s pulling contests. Pullers dwarfed most of the Carriers. Even the large Carriers like Terra and Moor didn’t possess their sheer mass. Their men’s bodies were huge and chiseled and their equine-halves long-legged and thickly muscled. They pulled enormous amounts of weight, stunning audiences with their displays of power, yet most of them possessed quiet dignity compared to the Carriers. When fights broke out amongst Horsemen, one could wager that it involved the arrogant, restless Carrier-types. It was rare that a laid-back puller, content with his power, would engage in useless brawls. Highland Horsemen were a stoic lot, especially if Zach was any indication of their manner. His life must have been sheer hell for a man like him to lead a bloody rebellion.

  It was dusk when they reached Sophia’s cottage. She invited him inside and he built a fire while she prepared stew. Zach watched her before he took his grooming supplies and headed to the barn to figure them out.

  “May I help you?” she asked.

  He looked hesitant but said, “Yes. Thank you.”

  Sophia smiled. She knew Horsemen loved being groomed, especially by women. Zach hadn’t gotten a taste of it yet, and neither had she, but she was more than ready.

  Though Sophia’s mare had been dead over a year, she kept the barn clean and used it for storage. She lit lanterns while Zach arranged the grooming articles on a trunk. He took the stone pick and began cleaning his front hooves.

  “Lift up your feet and I’ll get the back,” she said.

  He drew a deep breath, his eyes gleaming as he handed her the pick. He looked so uncomfortable that she grew even more anxious. Maybe this wouldn’t work for them after all. Perhaps they were only meant for dreams, where no real touch or scent existed, just feeling and fantasy.

  He lifted one back foot, then the other. She found them fairly clean, considering he’d been working Simon’s rocky land for most of the day.

  Zach reached for one of the brushes, but she placed a hand on his wrist. “Let me. I know what I’m doing.”

  “I…” A sheen of sweat glistened on his forehead and upper lip and she noted his breathing had increased. “I can’t.”

  “Is it me, Zach?” She swallowed. Maybe he really didn’t like her after all.

  “No.” He took a step closer.

  “Then what?”

  He shook his head, his jaw set as he stood still. “Go ahead. Do it.”

  Sophia stared at him. He looked like he was preparing to be whipped rather than groomed. Perhaps she didn’t know as much about his kind as she thought. From conversing with Inez as well as overhearing the village Carriers, she knew Horsemen required stimulation of muscles and skin to shapechange properly and comfortably. Many of the wealthier Horsemen even paid professional grooms to give them full-body brushings and massages.

  Her hands trembled with apprehension as she began cleaning the day’s worth of sweat and grime of the field from his coat, careful to avoid his injuries. Within moments, she’d forgotten any misgivings as she became absorbed in her work. Dirt fell away, revealing the most beautiful coat she’d ever seen on a Horseman. It was short, sleek, and such a dark brown it was almost black. Hundreds of thin white scars marred its perfection, and she detected others hidden beneath the hair. The flesh covering the steely muscles of his beast-body was incredibly soft. Weakness flooded Sophia’s legs when she thought about what he must have suffered receiving those scars. No wonder he seemed so withdrawn and untrusting. Knowing him, she could hardly believe he’d led the rebellion. He seemed so gentle and there was such kindness in his eyes she couldn’t imagine him harming anyone or anything.

  She untangled and thinned his brown and white tail then picked up a soft brush and ran it over his clean coat. Her eyes fixed on the gleaming brown hair, delighting in the sleekness over massive muscles. She brushed his shoulder and a low moan escaped his throat. His eyes were closed, his expression one of ultimate relaxed pleasure. His breathing was slow and regular, as if he was half asleep. Sophia smiled. It seemed he liked grooming after all.

  After discarding the brush, she took one of the soft cloths and rubbed it over his beast-body. She used the cloth to clean his wings as well, since she guessed the brush would be too rough for them. They twitched and opened and she smiled as she gently rubbed where his wings joined his body.

  When she finished, she stepped back, smiling with pleasure. His shoulders, back, and flanks gleamed in the lantern light. His long white fetlocks hung like silk over his hooves. Sophia’s heartbeat quickened. He was the most beautiful Horseman she’d ever seen, just like in her dreams.

  With his beast-half well cared for, she prepared for the best part. Her heart racing, she took a step closer and said, “Would you kneel so I can rub down the rest of you?”

  Zach’s eyes snapped open and his breath caught visibly. His eyes were dark with passion as he silently did as she asked.

  Sophia swept aside his long brown hair twisted into a loose braid down his back. She placed her hands on his massive shoulders and kneaded the steely muscles. Her palms swept his back and gently squeezed his ribs before she walked to his front.

  “Oh Gods,” she said breathlessly, splaying her hands across his broad, hairy chest. Her fingers gripped solid muscle. His heart throbbed against her palms and his arms wrapped around her waist as he pulled her close.

  This time his kiss nearly stole her breath. His mouth covered hers, his tongue parting her lips and searching every moist, soft corner and crevice. His hands slid up her back and pressed her to his chest. Tenderly he took her face in his hands as he continued kissing her. Sophia melted. She moaned, pushing closer to his chest. Beneath her dress, her nipples hardened. Her clit seemed to catch fire and her pussy grew damp with passion.

  “Oh, Zach,” she panted against his open lips. She kissed his
cheek and neck, squeezing his waist tighter. “Zach.”

  “Beautiful Sophia,” he murmured, his soft lips traveling over her throat. He kissed her forehead and eyelids before claiming her mouth again.

  Sophia never imagined feeling so safe in a man’s arms. He was so big, strong, and gentle. His massive body could have crushed hers, but he handled her as he would the most fragile glass object. The fingertips stroking her face were callused but the touch itself was tender. Though his kisses burned with passion, he never crushed her lips or used his tongue too roughly.

  Finally, he held her at arm’s length, his chest rising and falling with harsh breathing. Perspiration misted his face and chest and she noted some had broken out on his equine chest and flanks as well. So much for all that good grooming, but a man of his species couldn’t help his exceptionally high body temperature. And, she admitted, she found his big, damp body incredibly arousing. She suddenly wished he was in Huform so she could lie in bed with him, wrapped in all that heat and power.

  “Supper is probably ready,” she whispered.

  He nodded, though the expression in his eyes told her he was starving for something other than food.

  “I’ll change to Huform and meet you there.”

  “All right.” She brushed his mouth with a kiss and glanced at him over her shoulder as she left the barn.

  Several moments later, Sophia had set the table in her one-room cottage and sat, awaiting Zach.

  He stepped inside, his head almost brushing the ceiling. Sophia stared, thinking the sight of him in Huform was almost too magnificent for a woman to endure. He must have bathed in the river, since his dark brown hair hung loose and wet down his shoulders. His man-half was the same as always, a broad mass of muscle and sinew marked with scars, but his equine-half was gone, replaced by long legs of tight, thick muscle pressing against his plain brown trousers. A noticeable bulge filled out his crotch, and she knew from her dreams his great size extended to all his equipment. His bare feet were large and well-formed.

  “I washed my shirt and hung it outside,” he said. “I hope you don’t mind—”

  “Not at all,” she breathed. Mind? She wished he’d discard the trousers as well. “Sit down and eat.”

  He joined her at the table, and they ate in silence for several moments, their eyes fixed on one another.

  “This is like food of the Gods,” he said between mouthfuls of stew. “I haven’t had anything this good since the night I spent at Terra’s.”

  “Have more.”

  His golden eyes glanced into the black cooking pot before he reached for the ladle. “Just another bowlful.”

  Sophia smiled as she enjoyed her stew. They shared a loaf of bread then some raspberry tarts she’d made the day before.

  “I took a look at your woods after I went for a swim. I’ll start work first thing in the morning. It’ll be slow-moving without a harness, though.”

  “I’m not in a hurry,” she said. “Especially if you’re still sore from your injuries. Do they heal right away when you change shape?”

  “Mild injuries do, and shapeshifting speeds healing, though it’s difficult—sometimes impossible—to do if you’re badly hurt.”

  “Are the sores gone? And the place where the rock hit you?”

  He shrugged. “Neither of them is bothering me much.”

  “I have some work to do before bed.”

  “I’ll go to the barn and look over your tools. Tomorrow I’ll cut the wood, then maybe we can see about a harness so I can move it by the wagonload.” Zach stood, his warm golden gaze fixed on her before he left her alone.

  Sophia sighed as she sat, her sewing in her lap. Usually she didn’t mind her work, but with Zach living there, she felt excited enough to jump out of her skin. She wished he’d come back from the barn and talk to her. What was he doing out there for so long?

  After finishing her work, she prepared for bed, brushing her hair and slipping into a long cotton nightgown. The chill in the air told her autumn was on its way. Slipping on her boots, she stepped outside and ran to the barn, her arms wrapped around her middle as the cool wind struck her.

  “Zach?” she called.

  She stepped into the barn to find him, once again wearing his equine-half, standing by the trunk. He blinked his eyes, as if he’d been asleep.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “What are you doing out here?”

  “Sleeping. I’m assuming you don’t mind me staying here.”

  “Come in the house.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Why?” she demanded.

  “Do you want the truth?”

  “Yes, I want the truth.”

  “The temptation might kill me.”

  Sophia grinned, but he wasn’t smiling at all. He looked deadly serious.

  “This is crazy. I don’t want you sleeping in the barn. Please come in the house.”

  “Plenty of farmhands sleep in their employers’ barns.”

  “You’re not just a farmhand and I’m not just your employer. We share dreams.”

  Zach drew a deep breath. “Then you know why it’s too dangerous for me to join you in that house.”

  “You plan on attacking me?”

  “Of course not.”

  “Then we should be safe enough.” She walked out of the barn, pausing in the door to glance over her shoulder at him. “Don’t make me come out here again. It’s freezing.”

  “Freezing?” She heard him mutter as she left. “It’s a perfect night. Any hotter and a Horseman would be boiling.”

  Sophia sprinted back to the house, kicked off her boots, and leapt into bed. It felt good to be snug in the warmth of her blankets, but cuddling in Zach’s arms would be even better.

  The door opened. He’d changed back to Huform and wore his trousers. He approached the hearth and stretched out in front of it. Arms folded behind his head, he stared up at the ceiling, the firelight dancing off his bare chest.

  After a moment, Sophia decided to put her plan into action. Her pulse sped and her mouth suddenly felt dry as she said, “It would be warmer if you got in the bed.”

  His chest swelled as he drew a deep breath, but his reply sounded unruffled. “I’m not cold.”

  “I am,” she pressed, trying hard to keep her temper in the face of his attempts to deny their passion.

  For a moment, he seemed to stop breathing. In a swift motion, he stood and approached the bed.

  “Move over,” he said in a husky voice.

  Unable to resist smiling, she did as he asked. He lifted the sheet and the mattress sank as he lowered himself beside her. Sophia sighed with pleasure as he wrapped his arms around her and drew her close to the long, hard length of his body. He felt so pleasantly hot that the night’s chill faded almost instantly.

  “You are cold.” His deep voice rumbled in his chest, vibrating against her cheek pressed against the hair-dusted muscles. “But a Horseman will warm you up fast.”

  “You already have.”

  * * * * *

  Zach’s pulse raced as if he’d just hauled a fully loaded wagon up a steep hill. His cock felt like steel pressed against the soft curve of Sophia’s belly. Desire burned him from within, setting fire to his naturally warm body. Never in his life had he wanted a woman so much. The reality of holding Sophia was even better than the dreams they’d shared. He wanted nothing more than to be buried in her soft, welcoming body. To a man whose life had been one of toil and abuse, feeling her gentle touch had reached his very soul.

  In the barn, he’d felt uncertain about allowing her to groom him. Though other Horsemen were accustomed to such intimacy, Zach had always associated touch with shame and pain. The idea of anyone touching his scarred body made him cringe, yet he knew how wonderful it would feel for Sophia to brush and caress him. It had been even better than he’d imagined. She’d loosened tight, sore muscles, relaxing and arousing him at the same time. All the while, he’d thought of lying with her, of f
eeling their human legs entwined, of having her small, fragile body cling to his.

  Already the chill had gone from her as she snuggled close to his chest. One of her hands reached behind his neck and caressed his nape. She stroked his hair, her fingers weaving through the long, heavy tendrils.

  “I want you, Sophia,” he spoke against the top of her head. Her rose-scented hair tickled his lips, enticing him. He pressed her closer, caressing her back with long sweeps of his hand.

  Her gaze lifted to his, glistening in its intensity. “Then take me, Zach. I belong to you.”

  It was true. No matter how he wished to be better prepared for her, there was no denying they belonged together. Resisting a dream lover was nearly impossible. He’d known when he climbed into her bed that he’d surrendered. There was no way he could sleep there without making love with her. It was too much to ask any man.

  “Sophia,” he groaned, covering her mouth with his.

  She tasted so sweet. Her small hands stroked his face, caressing his brow, eyelids, and cheekbones. She wiggled against him, teasing his cock trapped between them. The trousers had become a torture device, restraining that part of him that most needed freedom.

  She mewled her protest when he tugged away. He caught her grin and the intensity in her eyes when he left the bed, yanked off his trousers, and jerked the sheets and blankets aside.

  Lying on her back, Sophia beckoned him with her gaze. He grasped one of her feet and caressed it. His hand slid up her ankle and calf. Pushing up her nightgown, he kissed her knees, then raised the garment even more, his heart pounding mercilessly as he gazed at her soft mound and plump clit poking through a cushion of hair. He’d tasted her so many times in their dreams, but this time would be real.

  At the first touch of his tongue on her clit, she moaned and grasped his hair. Zach closed his eyes, lapping her clit, using the tip of his tongue to explore her moist folds of flesh. She wiggled with pleasure. Encouraged, he slipped his hands beneath her buttocks and lifted her slightly, all the while licking and sucking.