Thanks again kind reviewers! I appreciate it so much! This chapter should be a welcome change from the previous angsty chapters... wink wink nudge nudge Hope to see lots of reviews! Perhaps I'll be inspired to post another chapter this weekend if I do! grins

Chapter 23

"Samantha… I just don't feel right about this." Horatio said, unable to keep a small tremor of fear from his voice.

Samantha tried hard not the laugh at her husband's discomfort, but there was definitely something amusing about the fearless Lieutenant being so terrified of a little horse. Samantha had spent the entire Saturday morning trying to convince her husband to take her horseback riding.

"Horatio, I used to have horses and I haven't been riding for years. Please take me riding!" Samantha had begged.

"No, Samantha. It's too dangerous for you to be riding horses right now." Horatio had responded firmly.

Of course it had soon become apparent to Samantha that her three-month pregnancy wasn't the only reason Horatio hadn't wanted to take her riding. Horatio Caine was afraid of horses. Now as Samantha observed Horatio fidgeting in his saddle, she was beginning to feel slightly guilty for asking him to take her riding.

Smiling, she pulled her horse up beside Horatio's. "I can't believe you've never been riding before. What's so terrifying about horses?"

Horatio sighed, looking down at the midnight black gelding he rode. Samantha had chosen a palomino filly for herself. Horatio sighed. "I really don't know…" He responded honestly. "I seem to be ok standing next to them… but that's as far as I ever got. They're a long way off the ground."

Samantha chuckled. "I think the company Hummer's are almost as bad."

Horatio snickered. "That's probably true. But company Hummer's don't have minds of their own."

Samantha smiled and reached her hand over to hold Horatio's. "We'll take it nice and slow. We've got the horses for the whole afternoon and I even packed a picnic." She patted the saddlebag in front of her for emphasis.

Horatio barely restrained a small squeak of surprise when his and Samantha's horses began walking forward. Quickly composing himself, he looked over to his smiling wife. He realized then he probably had a vice grip on her hand and loosened his hold slightly. "Sorry…" He whispered quietly.

"Don't be." Samantha said with a squeeze of his hand.

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"So full…" Horatio mumbled sleepily, tightening his arm around Samantha who nestled her head deeper into his chest. "That was a wonderful lunch."

Samantha smiled and turned her head up enough to meet Horatio's eyes. "You ready for dessert?" She whispered huskily, batting her eyelashes teasingly.

Horatio swallowed hard and looked around the open field. Their horses grazed near by while he and Samantha rested atop a blanket under a shaded tree. Aside from the horses, not a soul could be seen for miles. Smiling wickedly, Horatio turned his gaze back to Samantha. "Dessert would be lovely."

"Take off your clothes, Lieutenant."

Seeing his breathing quickening, Samantha was surprised that her husband willingly obeyed her command. She licked her lips in anticipation as Horatio peeled off his shirt followed soon after by the rest of his clothing. Looking embarrassed now that he was naked to her gaze, Horatio couldn't help but turn a bit pink as he laid down.

Crawling forward on all fours, Samantha made her way up Horatio's legs, spreading them open so she could fit in between. Horatio realized what she was about to do a second before her lips wrapped around his hardness.

Hissing sharply between his teeth, Horatio's hands instinctively came up to burry themselves in Samantha's hair. He refused to think about where she'd learned such a thing as she expertly sent Horatio to the moon and back.

Moving her lips and tongue up and down his shaft, Samantha pulled all the way out, swirling her tongue around the sensitive head before sliding it's entire length back inside. All too soon, Horatio could feel the pleasure churning inside him. He gasped and tried to ease Samantha's mouth off his erection. "Sam… Samantha… want…inside… you…" He gasped out incoherently. Samantha pulled her mouth free of and met his eyes. The wicked smile she shot him almost pushed him over the edge. A second later, Horatio threw his head back and cried out loudly as Samantha took him firmly into her mouth again and sucked and licked at a mind blowing pace. Thrusting his hips upward, Horatio shot himself inside Samantha's willing mouth, shuddering as she swallowed stream after stream of his seed.

Finally coming down from his mind blowing high, Horatio realized Samantha had removed her own clothing and was now crawling up his body. Moaning softly, Samantha sealed her lips against Horatio's, thrusting her tongue inside to duel with his own. Horatio could feel her wetness against his body as Samantha seductively wiggled her bottom against Horatio's stomach. "Samantha…" He gasped in between kisses. "I'm not a young man anymore. I can't---." His speech cut off with a hiss as Samantha raked her nails down his chest.

Horatio watched entranced as Samantha spun her body slowly around, leaning back so her back was now pressed firmly against Horatio's chest. Horatio sighed with contentment and buried his face in the crook of Samantha's neck. Surprised to find himself already hardening again, Horatio groaned when Samantha's hand guided one of his own seductively down her body. Her hand guided his to her sensitive breasts, down her swollen abdomen, and finally to the hot moist curls between her legs. Whimpering softly, Samantha pressed herself deeper into Horatio's body letting her head fall back with pleasure as she brought one hand up to bury itself in her husband's hair. Horatio felt Samantha's breathing quicken as he stroked her, moving his long fingers in and out of her wetness. Thrusting three fingers fully inside her and pumping wildly, Horatio felt Samantha tighten around him as her body exploded in ecstasy. Bucking wildly, Samantha cried out her pleasure as Horatio continued to stroke her through the pleasure.

Horatio smiled wickedly when he reached down to his hardness, guiding it slowly into Samantha's body. Samantha moaned at the sensation, and Horatio found himself grateful this woman appeared to have given him the libido of a teenager again. Thrusting upward inside her, Horatio turned Samantha's head slightly so his lips could devour her own.

Samantha could scarcely believe the sensations Horatio was giving her. His hands seemed to be everywhere as they roamed up and down her body finding each and every pleasure point only Horatio knew how to touch.

Grunting harshly, Horatio began thrusting harder inside Samantha. Crying out his name as another powerful orgasm ripped through Samantha's body, Horatio soon followed suit as he emptied himself inside Samantha with her name on his lips.

Snuggling deeper into Samantha's neck, Horatio murmured. "You are so beautiful."

Smiling softly, Samantha turned her head to look at Horatio. "We'll see how beautiful you think I am in about six months."

Letting his hand trail down her body, Horatio gently caressed her swollen abdomen. "You grow more beautiful with each passing week."