12. Conner

"What do you want to do?" Conner asked.

"How about the Tilt-a-Whirl?" she asked.

"Is that one of those things where you stand up against a pad and hope that gravity holds you in as you go upside down?"

"Yep." She grinned.

"What about the blech factor?" he asked.

"Only happens if I go too many times on the loopty loops. I can even do those twice. It's the third ride that gets my tummy."

Conner was dubious. He had a blatant distrust of crazy rides like that, especially the ones at fairgrounds where they are set up in a matter of hours. One loose screw and the entire thing comes apart. He'd seen rides malfunction and people hurt.

"Is the big, bad cowboy scared?" Taryn taunted.

"I might be," Conner said.

"I read that the best way to conquer a fear is to face it. Let's go." She grabbed his hand and pulled him to the line. They dutifully showed the wristbands he had bought for the both of them and got on.

Conner could never admit that he enjoyed the ride. However, he loved the sounds of Taryn alternating between screams and giggles. They hit the bumper cars several times, the swings, and even the carousel.

"When I was little, I always wanted the horses to jump off the carousel and go for a ride all over the place, like they did in Mary Poppins."

"You've seen Mary Poppins?"

"Chim chiminy chim chim cheroo. Good luck will rub off when I shake hands with you," she sang." Mom loves it. I've seen The Wizard of Oz, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Grease, and all kinds of movies like that. She loves the older movies, especially the musicals."

"Good to know," Conner said.

In between all of that, they ate Philly cheesesteak sandwiches for lunch and had cotton candy afterward. She popped more balloons with darts than he did, and he knocked more bottles down with baseballs than she did. They tossed rings on bottles and shot basketballs into hoops. By the time they needed to leave, they each had two stuffed animals of various sizes tucked under their arms.

"I had a lot of fun today, Dad," Taryn said. "Thanks."

"I did too, kiddo." Conner smiled widely. It was still a shock to his system to hear her call him dad, but he liked it.

They stowed their prizes in his truck and prepared their horses for the night's events.

As usual, Taryn did amazing. He wondered briefly if it might not be cheating a little bit that Taryn could talk directly to Pegasus. Then, he decided that it wasn't. No amount of talk between a girl and her horse could create talent. Both of them had the skills needed to excel. Tonight, it was Taryn and Pegasus who came in first on the barrel racing, with Jenna taking a close second. She took third in the breakaway roping.

He was about to walk over to the bull chutes when he saw Kelly purposely walking over to Taryn.

"Nope. She is going to stay away from my daughter," he muttered.

Just as he reached them, Kelly shot him a sweet smile and scurried away like a cockroach that had just been spotted and didn't want to get smashed.

"Hey, Taryn, nice job tonight."

"Thanks," she said.

"What did Kelly want?"

"She told me that I did a great job. She said that she was a barrel racer and breakaway roper when she first started out. She also told me that I'm pretty enough to be rodeo queen someday."

"Did she now?"

"Yeah. She frowned when I told her that I was going to go to college and get my medical degree so I could be a vet. I didn't want to be a rodeo queen."

"What else did she have to say?" he asked.

"She wanted to know why you and I hung out at the fair all day today," Taryn said. "I think that was the real reason she came to talk to me. I don't think she cares about how well I ride or thinks that I'm pretty enough to do anything."

"You have good intuition. She's not really a nice person. So, what did you tell her about why we were hanging out?"

"Just that you and mom were friends, and now you and I are friends. Nothing else is her business, and if you want her to know that I'm your daughter, you'll tell her."

"How old are you again? Thirty?" Conner asked.

Taryn giggled. "Nope. I'm just mature for my age. Besides, I've heard Mom say the same thing about other people who got nosy."

He patted her on the back and said, "I've got to get. I'll talk to you later."

Conner had a good night. He took first or second in all events and managed not to get trampled. He considered that a successful night. He just finished his final event when he noticed that Kelly was walking toward him.

He closed his eyes and groaned. "I'm not in the mood."

"Congratulations on your wins tonight," she said, leaning up against the fence, trying to look sexy.

"Thanks."

"Let me take you out for some drinks to celebrate."

"No. I've already told you that I'm not interested in you, either as a friend or anything else."

"It's because you're shacking up with that red-haired bitch, isn't it?" she asked. "Have you told her that you're just going to walk away and leave her heartbroken when we move on?"

"Watch your mouth. Beth isn't a bitch. As a matter of fact, she is the complete opposite of you. I guess that's why she's so attractive."

"Ouch. That might hurt if I believed it. You're just with her to get your dick wet. All that's going to happen is that you are going to hurt that sweet little girl," Kelly sneered.

"Stay out of my business and stay away from Taryn," Conner said.

She grinned wickedly and walked away. Conner got an uneasy feeling that she was up to something evil.

After the rodeo was over for the night, he was crowded by women, all wanting autographs. He sighed at all of the pictures, shirts, and hats that were thrust at him, while at the same time, ignoring all of the flirting and suggestions about how he could spend an enjoyable evening. Gideon was just as busy, giving away signatures.

When the crowd had finally dispersed, Gideon said, "That is almost as tiring as chasing down the bulls."

"That's your fault that the ladies find you so exciting," Conner said. "They can see your handsome self under all of that grease paint."

"Maybe, or they could just be secondhand adrenaline junkies," Gideon said. "If I took them up on their offer, do you think they would want to have sex while I was wearing the face paint or after I washed it off?"

Conner grinned and shrugged. "I honestly have no idea. I guess you'll have to ask the ladies tomorrow night."

"I don't think that my wife would appreciate that," Gideon said.

"It's not like you're actually going to do anything. You're just conducting scientific research."

"How about ‘no.'"

"Then I guess inquiring minds will always want to know."

Gideon laughed and said, "Some of us are going out for drinks tonight. Do you want to join us?"

"No thanks," Conner said.

"You have other plans?" Gideon grinned.

"I might," Conner said.

"Just don't hurt her again," Gideon cautioned. "She doesn't deserve that."

"I didn't do it intentionally the first time," Conner replied and told him about Matilda's spell.

"Wow. That explains a lot," Gideon said. "I was shocked when you walked away and acted like you didn't know Beth when I mentioned her name. I figured that you two just had a major fight and broke up."

"Nope."

"I would just be careful, then. I doubt that the woman has become any softer, and she may do something more drastic if she finds out that you're seeing Beth again."

"I've thought of that," Conner said. "I'm watching my back." Then, he slapped Gideon on the shoulder and said, "Go enjoy your drinks, and I'll see you tomorrow."

He checked on Pegasus and Zephyr and with a huge grin, headed over to Beth's house. Taryn met him at the door.

"What are you still doing up?" he asked. "I figured that you would have been in bed by now."

"Nope. She took a shower and then insisted that she stay awake to see you. I didn't even tell her that you were coming over."

"A little psychic there, huh?" Conner asked.

"Nope. I just know things sometimes."

"Let's read a book before I go to bed," Taryn said, grabbing Conner's hand and leading him to the couch.

They took turns reading a page in each book. She asked for another chapter and Conner couldn't resist. When she asked for a third, Beth said, "No. It's way past the time you should be asleep."

Taryn hugged him goodnight and went off to her room.

"I think that she loves you already," Beth said. "I've told her about you all her life, and now that she finally has met you, you've become her superhero."

"Superheroes fall," Conner said. "Now that I know I have a daughter, I'll do my absolute best to be there for her and be the best father that I can be, but I'm certainly no saint."

"I know, and she'll know, too. She'll love you for all your gifts and your faults."

Conner nodded. "I love her, too."

Beth and Conner cuddled together. He wrapped his arms around her and their lips met. Fire exploded inside of him, and he moaned with a want so intense that he was afraid it would kill him.

She led him to her bedroom. Their clothes seemed to magically disappear, and they fell into the bed, their arms and legs entwined. They explored each other with their mouths and fingers.

Conner's heart thundered in his chest as Beth's hands ran over his chest, back, and arms. He gasped for air when she wrapped her arms around his thick shaft and slowly stroked him. The heat built up inside of him, threatening to consume him.

He reached between her legs and discovered that she was hot and wet, ready for him. Conner straddled his beauty, placed the large, apple head just inside of her entrance and slowly pushed into her until he was completely encased in her velvety soft walls.

They moved together in a slow rhythmic dance that only their souls could hear. He moaned as her silkiness caressed his hardness.

"Conner," she cried out, her fingers digging into his back. "Oh, my lord, Conner," she said.

Her body began to tremble and with one hard thrust, he was sheathed deep inside of hers. She began to pulsate, massaging his shaft.

"Beth," he breathed, as his cock began throbbing, and he shot a hot load of his seed deep inside of her.

He closed his eyes and relished in the pure ecstasy that overcame him. When he could breathe again, he collapsed next to her, pulling her into his arms.

The lovemaking was so incredibly intense. It was more than just sex. It was as though their souls had melted together. He had no words that could describe how he felt.

"You know the French call that la petite mort, or the little death, because it is so powerful and for a minute it is almost like you die."

"I can see why they would call it that," he said.

They cuddled together for a while and then he said, "Although I think Taryn would understand, I don't think that she should find me here in the morning."

"Maybe so," Beth said.

They cleaned up and then he got dressed and headed back to the hotel. "What am I going to do?" he asked himself. "How can I keep going on the circuit, only seeing Taryn and Beth once in a while? On the other hand, am I ready to give up the rodeo? It's become the only life that I know."