Mounting Love

The stable is quiet as Adam turns on the lights. His horse, Hunter\'s Moon, sticks his head out the stall door and softly wickers at him. Adam smiles at the sound and pours an extra scoop of grain in his bucket.
\"Good morning, Old Man. Ready for a little exercise, Hunt?\" He pats the gelding on the neck as he pours the grain into the feed bin and changes Hunt\'s water. He works silently around Hunt as he brushes him down. He softly brushes a hand down Hunt\'s side, remembering the first time he\'d even seen the bay gelding. It\'s been only 5 years but it seems like forever. His revery is broken by the sound of Jeff banging open the barn doors.
\"Jeff!! Can you hold it down!!???!! Some of us are trying to sleep in here!!\" Adam yells over his shoulder as he hears Jeff approach.
\"No sleeping today, partner. I know it\'s our day off but the Captain wants all the mounts in the arena in 20 minutes. That includes us.\" Jeff hangs his arms over the stall door, looking none too happy.
\"Damn!! Knew I should\'ve stayed at home instead of coming in and exercising Hunt!!\" Adam throws the brush he\'s holding into a bucket and opens the stall door. \"Am I supposed to bring Hunt?\"
\"No. Since we\'re off duty, it\'s ok this time. It\'s supposed to be some kind of briefing anyway.\" He takes the bucket from Adam and hangs in on a hook near the tack room door. \"So how did last night go? I never saw you after you left with that woman.\"
Adam smiles and starts off towards the arena as fast as he can. Jeff trots off after try trying to catch up.
\"What!??!! Tell me what happened! You didn\'t have sex with her did you?\" Jeff grabs his arm to slow himn. Tn. The smile on Adam\'s face is answer enough for Jeff. \"You did!!! I can\'t believe you!\"
\"I get to see her again too.\" Adam comments as he starts walking again.
\"NO WAY!\" Jeff shouts in shock after him.
They turn a corner and enter the arena. Adam notices right away that all the other officers in the arena are watching a young woman on a very young mare working over high jumps. He walks closer, hoping to catch a glimpse of the person riding the mare from hell as the other officers had dubbed it. Knowing he\'s in for a show, he shoves his way to the front of the crowd. The mare is willingly working for the woman, never missing a step. Amazed at the rider\'s ability he turns to the person beside him to ask her name.
\"Terry, who is she?\"
\"Don\'t know but she\'s been here for the last 2 hours working with that mare and so far hasn\'t had a single problem.\" Terry whispers back.
The Captain walks to the front of the crowd and raises his to to get everyone\'s attention.\" Alright everybody! Settle down!!\"
The crowd quiets and the Captain waves to the rider to come back to the middle of the arena. She canters a circle, then slows the mare to a walk til she reaches the Captain\'s side.
\"Thanks for coming on such short notice, Gentlemen. I found out this morning that we have a new trainer. She will be working with each one of you personally to improve your riding skills. The Chief was very unhappy when he heard a few of you got knocked off your horses while chasing that perp through the park the other day. I was told we\'re getting sloppy and we need more practice time. \" The Captain waves to the woman and she dismoutns, taking her helmet off.
Adam inhales sharply as he recognizes the the rider. Jeff pokes him in his side.\"Adam, isn\'t that..??\"
\"Yes.\" He whispers in total shock as he watches her approach the Captain and shake his hand.
\"I\'d like you all to meet Tammy DeMar. She will be working with you starting today with all the off duty officers.\" The Captain steps back and she smiles at the cro \"I \"I know this is all so sudden but I don\'t plan on making this unpleasent for you.\" She looks over the crowd, looking at each officer in turn.
\"I bet!\" Jeff whispers to Adam. Adam gives his a jab in the ribs to quiet him.
\"First off, I don\'t plan on changing the way you ride now. I just plan on giving you a few points to help you be a better rider and comunicate better with your partners. I will be here every day to help answer any questions on any problems you might have. Any questions?\" She looks around but everyone is quiet. \"Ok then. If you need me, you know where to find me.\"
\"Dismissed!\" The Captain announces. The crowd slowly fades and Adam makes his way closer to Tammy in hopes to speak with her.
\"Tammy!\" He shouts as he sees her start to mount again. She stops and looks around, finally seeing him. She smiles warmly at him and walks to him.
\"Adam! Good to see you. How are you feeling today?\'
\"That\'s a question I should be asking you.\" He lightly brushes a stray hair from her face and she takes his hand in hers, holding it close.
\"Sore. But not too sore.\" She flashes him a knowing smile.
\"You do realize that while you\'re here, we can\'t be together.\" The saddness in his voice catches her attention and she looks around to see if they\'re being watched.
\"Silly. I\'m a civilian. There\'s nothing against fraternizing with a civilian!\" She sees Jeff walking their way and gives Adam\'s hand a gentle squeeze. \"Besides, I think half your friends already know who I am after last night.\"
Jeff walks up behind Adam and softly coughs. \"Are you going to introduce me or do I have to do it myself?\"
Adam smiles at Jeff and steps to the side so he can shake Tammy\'s hand. \"Jeff Bowers, This is Tammy DeMar. Tammy, This is my other partner, Jeff.\"
\"Pleased to meet you, Jeff.\" She smiles as Jeff lightly kisses the back of her hand. \" I\'m sorry if I\'m making this short Adam but I need to work with this mare some more before my first class.\"
\"No problem. I\'m off duty today anyway. Call you later?\"
\"You better!!\" Seeing no one around, she leans forward and brushes her lips against his, flicking her tongue through his parted lips. \"Talk to you later tonight.\" She walks over to the mare and effortlessly swings up in the saddle.
They walk through the arena doors whispering excitedly, only to be stopped by the captain.
\"Yes Captain?\" Adam shifts from foot to foot. Damnit here we go!
\"I need the two of you to be in this first class today.\" He puts his hands up to stall any protests. \"It won\'t take long. It\'s just so we can figure out where improvement is needed. It will only take an hour or two and then you are free to leave.\"
Adam glances at Jeff and sees him trying to hide a smile. \"Ok. When does it start?\"
\"You have a half hour. Go ahead and tack up your horses and start warming them up.\" He smiles to them as he turns to leave. \"Let me know what you think of the class, will you?\" he calls over his shoulder.
\"Sure!\" Adam watches him til he\'s out of sight. \"Shit!!!\"
Jeff, chuckling, pushes Adam through the arena doors and down the aisle towards Hunt and Hero\'s stalls. \"What? Have a problem with getting to see more of her today?\"
\"No. I just don\'t think I can keep my mind on what she\'s teaching while she\'s wearing those tight breeches.\" Adam laughs as he opens Hunt\'s stall door and removes his halter. \"Hard to ride when you have a boner too!\"
\"Somehow I have a feeling that she\'s gonna make sure you listen to what she says instead of watching her ass.\" Jeff sets a saddle on the top of the stall door and then sets one on Hero\'s.
\"I hope you\'re right.\"
They finish tacking up in silence, each wondering what\'s in store for them in the class. As they head out of the stalls, they notice 4 other officers also making their way to the arena. Jeff raises an eyebrow in his best \'this could prove interesting\' look and picks up his pace. They enter the arena again behind the others and watch as Tammy working the mare in slow circles at a canter, changing leads every third stride. Adam mounts up and whistles low to Jeff, to look up. Jeff mounts and looks over at Tammy as she sits back, brings the mare to a halt and spins her on her hind quarters, picking up speed with each turn. Suddenly she stops the mare and backs five steps.
\"Wow!!\" Jeff mutters to Adam. \"Didn\'t know that mare could do that!\"
\"Neither did I.\" Adam replies as they start off at a walk around the arena. Adam focuses all his attention on Hunt as they work around the arena. 20 minutes later, he looks up and sees a man striding towards Tammy as she dismounts and pats the mare on the neck. She smiles at the man and they talk for a moment before she turns around and waves for the officers to come to the middle of the arena.
\"Morning, Gentlemen. I would like for you all to line up facing me.\" She watches them all line up and sit watching her. \"Now, I\'m going to come around to each one of you and I\'d like for you to tell me your name.\"
She walks to the first rider and he leans down as he says his name to shake her hand. She grasps his hand with a smile and effortlessly yanks him off his horse. She walks away from the dazed rider and approaches the next one, who says his name but does not offer her his hand. She smiles again and grabs his leg, pushing him backwards off his horse. She then approaches Adam, who\'s next in line, and he watches her warily. She tilts her head to him and murmurs his name before grabbing his leg and pulling him off Hunt. He lays on the ground looking up at her, stunned.
\"Nothing personal.\" She whispers to him before going on to the next rider. By the time she has met each rider, all the officers are lying on the ground stunned. She walks to the middle of the arena again and climbs back up on the mare.
\"I know none of you expected me to just throw you off your horses but when you\'re in the field you must expect the unexpected. \" She looks down at the man next to her and smiles to him. \"This is Officer Davis. He\'s here to help me show you how to prevent what just happened. First I\'d like to make one comment. Everyone of you have your stirrups too high. Think Dressage not Hunter-Jumper. You need to sit deeper in the saddle.\" She turns the mare to the side to show them her stirrups. \"Your center of balance is in your butt not your legs.\"
Suddenly, Officer Davis grabs her leg, pulling it out of the stirrup, and tries to yank her out of the saddle. Instead of falling, she leans back and pushes the mare into a sideways walk towards him, effectively pushing on him instead. He then grabs her arm and she spins the mare towards him, knocking him over. Every trick he tries, she blocks and reversees on him. Adam watches in fascination as she finally urges the mare to back until she is dragging her assailent. She stops and finally lets go of Davis.
\"When I\'m through with all of you, practically nothing should be able to come between you and your horse.\" She says as she turns back to the group. \"Now, I want each one of you to pick a spot on the rail and move off at a walk.\"
Adam looks over at Jeff. Jeff smiles his \'payback\' smile and Adam nods slightly to him in acknowledgment. She works them for the next hour at various gaits, improving everyone\'s seat. Finally she calls for everyone to halt and line up again.
\"Not bad. Everyone gets a star! Tomorrow will be an off day for you since I won\'t be here. When I come back expect to work more on you seat and we\'ll start on basic self defense.\" She tilts her hat and smiles. \"Dismissed.\"
Adam and Jeff quickly take their horses back to their stalls and stow the tack away. As quietly as possible, they hide themselves outside of the arena, waiting for her to leave. After a few minutes they finally hear her call out to Davis that she will see him later. Jeff looks over at Adam and smiles as he puts his finger to his lips to quiet him. Tammy walks through the door and starts down the aisle, completely unaware of the two behind her. Jeff whispers \"Now!!\" and they both jump up, grab a leg and arm, and carry her to the nearest hay pile.
\"Shit!!\" She yelps out before they throw her high into the air, landing on the top of the pile of hay.
Jeff laughs so hard form the look on her face that he nearly falls over. Adam watches as Tammy slowly climbs her way out of the hay and looks up at him.
\"YOU!! I should\'ve known!!!\" She narrows her eyes at him as she picks pieces of hay out of her hair and tosses them at him. \"I\'ll get you back for this! You just wait!!\"
Jeff laughs even harder. \"OOOOOHHHH!! I\'m scared!!!\"
She turns her gaze on Jeff and he stops laughing instantly. \"You ought to be.\"
\"Um I think it\'s time we left now before she makes us eat that hay for lunch.\" Jeff taps on Adam\'s arm to get his attention.
Adam just stands there staring at the way her hair comes down over her eyes and shines in the sun pouring down on her. He suddenly walks to her, leans her backwards and plants a huge kiss on her soft mouth. Her yelp of surprise is muffled by the kiss and she holds tightly to him, not wanting him to stop. He pulls her closer to him as he breaks the kiss. She looks into his eyes and sees his amusement.
\"You\'re still not off the hook, Lover.\"
He shrugs as he lets og of her, smiling. \"Worth a try. Couldn\'t hurt.\"
She lightly slaps his arm and smiles back. \"Go on you two! Get out of here before I have to get mean!\"
Jeff bows mockingly to her. \"Yes Mistress!\"
She listens to their laughter as they turn back down the aisle and leave the barn. As soon as they leave, she starts giggling and shaking her heads at their antics