Excerpt
Dark Horse
AE Lister © 2021
All Rights Reserved
PROLOGUE
Six years previous:
“So, Adam, what do you think?” Kamal asked, stepping back so Adam Marsland could see the Braided Crop Ranch’s very first ponyboy decked out in the gear they had chosen together.
I was that ponyboy.
My name is Henry, and I remember that day with the clarity of an unexpected revelation.
I had come to the Braided Crop Ranch to explore the world of pony play in an immersive environment. The BCR’s advertising had been so professional and the website so comprehensive I’d thought the place had been operating for years. I hadn’t realized I’d be one of the first men to experience its unique business model.
Until Adam Marsland had phoned to make sure I’d be okay with being a guinea pig of sorts—one of three men under the BCR’s three trainers—to make sure the gear and protocols they’d established would work.
The Braided Crop Ranch took pony play and exhibitionism to the next level. A place where queer men could kink out in pony gear, work under a qualified trainer, and perform in pony shows for paying guest members, the BCR provided sex-positive people with a veritable playground of possibilities.
Adam had been professional and friendly on the phone, his voice a soothing tenor, immediately putting me at ease and giving me the reassurance that whatever happened, the BCR was run by people experienced in the world of kink and pet play. When I met him in person, I’d been smitten with his movie-star good looks, his capable manners, and his prim and proper style.
After putting me in harness, tail, and bridle for the first time, Kamal Salib had marched me to the back porch at the main house and called Adam out of his office to have a look. Upon seeing a fully outfitted ponyboy for the first time, Adam had been silent, nodding assent to Kamal’s words about how the gear they’d ordered worked perfectly and how excited he was to get started with my training, while I trembled with excitement at finally being able to explore my fetish with men who obviously understood.
Then Adam had come down the porch steps and stood right in front of me, his gaze holding mine as he reached to touch the metal ring of the bridle on my cheek with a steady, calming hand.
“He’s shaking,” Adam said, turning to Kamal.
“He’s excited. His cock is ready to bust out of that jock. I think we need to consider cages instead.”
Adam’s eyes widened as I almost combusted from that suggestion. Because wouldn’t a cock cage make this experience even more humbling? Then Kamal told me to keep my eyes down like a good ponyboy, and I’d had to break away from Adam’s intense gaze.
“Expensive,” Adam commented.
“Worth it.” Kamal smiled.
Then Adam let his hand slide over my chin and down my throat, over the leather collar and the chest straps of the harness, down my torso and belly to the rust-red hair that brushed the top of the jock. “You had to put a ginger in the gear first, didn’t you? Is this Henry?”
I held my breath as my eyes closed at Adam’s tender touch and his lips saying my name.
“Yes. The others are in the arena. But I had to bring Henry for you to see.”
“He’s exquisite, Kamal. Do they all look like this?”
“More or less. But Henry’s the sexiest in my opinion.”
I felt a young man’s pride at that assessment and stood taller.
Adam nodded, and then his hand was gone. “I’ll consider the cages. Good idea.”
I stared at the ground as Kamal asked, “You still partial to redheads, Adam?”
“You know me too well, Kamal,” he said before turning and walking back up the porch steps. “Take him to the arena.”
“Yes, Boss. But come and watch him trot later, will you? I’m sure he’ll want to show off.”
I heard the door shut as Adam went into the house. Kamal laid his hand on my belly and rubbed the defined muscle there.
“Pretty sure the ranch boss has a massive hard-on right now,” he said. “I think he likes you.”
I made a sound in my throat and tossed my head, jingling the bit and relishing the realism of my predicament.
Kamal gathered my reins and led me across the grass. “We have a lot of work to do, Henry.”
Heather Smith –
I have read the two previous books and this one does not disappoint. We are lucky enough to see the return of Luke, Noah, and Kamal. Adam and Kamal created the BCR together and that is Adam’s top priority. Henry, one of the first pony boys, got an invitation to return to the ranch and he couldn’t say no. Henry had a relationship with Adam six years ago and still has feelings for Adam. Luckily Kamal got involved with reuniting Henry and Adam. Adam confesses he never got over his feelings for Henry and hadn’t had sex with anyone since. Adam struggles with wanting a relationship with Henry or losing the ranch. After some kinky sex, Adam has a choice to make. It’s up to Henry to help make the right decision.
Trio –
AE Lister’s pony play romances continue in Dark Horse. Braided Crop Ranch fans have waited a long time for Adam to find his happily ever after, and hot-damn, it’s a good one! Characters from the earlier novels have roles in this story, and The Braided Crop Ranch series is best enjoyed in order, so start with Stable Hand. You’ll be glad you did!
At age forty-seven, Adam takes his role as manager of the BCR very seriously. His ethic of maintaining a careful distance, and never straying from his rule of “hands-off the ponyboys,” has created a very lonely Adam. (Who else but Adam would refer to hooking up as a “consensual physical dalliance”?) Up till now, we’ve caught glimpses of the real Adam: loyal friend, confidante, role model. But the true essence of this man is buried beneath how others see him.
It’s been six years since Henry has seen Adam, but their chemistry is still sparking. No doubt it’s going to be an uphill battle, but Henry is determined to tear down Adam’s walls, build on their mutual attraction, and create something new and amazing.
Attempting a relationship with Henry is clearly outside of Adam’s comfort zone, and this is an emotional and trying journey for both men. But when the result is a simply stunning power exchange (thank you Kamal), both men realize their connection is too important to ignore.
There are some wonderful developments in Dark Horse, not just for Adam and Henry, as we get reacquainted with all the couples and thruples. Thanks again to the reappearance of Kamal, there’s a wide range of delightfully kinky scenes, and ponyboy Luke gets some of that discipline he so thoroughly craves.
AE Lister writes beautifully sensual and erotic BDSM scenes, and I think they’re so powerful because she knows these characters inside and out. Bits and pieces of what makes each person unique, both in their relationships, and as they’re exploring their kinks, are revealed throughout this collection of stories. It’s enchanting, the way AE Lister brings this diverse group to life.
Dark Horse is the third novel in the series, plus the sexy holiday novella Sleigh Bells – Christmas at the Braided Crop Ranch (which is not to be missed!), and I’m praying this is not the end of the Braided Crop Ranch! AE Lister has created an extraordinary community here, and I’ve become quite invested in these guys. I’m so glad to see them all again in Dark Horse.
Amy Cox –
What a sweet story we got for Adam.
I’ve been waiting to read of Adam’s fall. I just didn’t realize it started six long years ago. Adam first met Henry when the BCR opened six years ago. They have a few dalliances and then Adam lets responsibility to the ranch get the best of him. He breaks Henry’s heart, and leaves a lasting impression.
Our story takes place six years later when Henry returns to the BCR to see if there is still that spark with Adam. What follows is actually such a tender and heartfelt love story, with all kinds of yummy ponies mixed in. Adam has such depth hidden behind his professional exterior. I loved how Henry wanted to take that exterior and mess it all up. There is something so deeply sexy about a person only showing their true self to one other person. That’s exactly how Adam was.
Adam and Henry were such a complex couple and Lister did an excellent job of peeling all those layers back and giving us the story Adam deserved.
I adore the BCR and loved that we had so many moments with previous pony boys. This felt like a wonderful family reunion and I loved every minute of it.