“I love you,” Britt said. Teddy was a salve that seemed to heal everything in her life. She still had occasional nightmares, but it wasn’t so bad when Teddy was there to hold her and soothe them away. And her temper still erupted every now and then. Her bionic limb shutting down each time turned out to be like a bucket of cold water on that fire. They hadn’t anticipated that valuable side effect.
“I love you back,” Teddy said, pressing her cheek against Britt’s. “So much.”
“Okay, you two. See if you can pry yourselves apart for two minutes to watch the race,” Pop said as he and Marianne joined them. “They’re putting them in the starting gate.”
Teddy stumbled to keep her balance when Britt sprang away and snatched up her drink to drain it before the last horse was loaded.
“Oh my God. Hand me the binoculars, babe.”
Teddy handed over her cocktail instead, waited while Britt drained that one too, then traded the empty glass for the binoculars. She retrieved a second pair from her shoulder bag for herself.
Marianne shook her head and looked at Teddy. “Are you sure that’s the same woman who calmly led troops through enemy fire? She falls to pieces every time we lead that colt near a starting gate.”
Teddy smiled and rubbed Britt’s back. “She’s a lot more protective about her horses than soldiers. Aren’t you, honey?”
“Uh-huh.” Britt heard her, but the words didn’t register. Didn’t matter. She usually agreed with Teddy. She would start paying closer attention if Teddy painted their bedroom Barney purple because Britt had agreed to it. But at this moment, her attention was laser-focused on the fourth horse from the rail, who was moving restlessly in the starting gate. Home began to rock, shifting front to back, front to back, as if he was considering rearing up. She’d seen more than one horse’s career end in the metal starting gate before he ever had a chance to race. “Steady, steady.” Britt’s quiet words were for herself more than the horse. She felt Teddy’s hand slide under her jacket and curl around her belt at the center of her back. It steadied her more than words.
“He’s okay,” Marianne, watching through her own binoculars, said. “It’s a thing he does.”
The last horse loaded, and the next second seemed to hang in the air forever. Then the starter bell rang, and the doors flew open. Home from War, having rocked back on his heels, leapt from the gate almost a full stride ahead of the other horses. His jockey moved him quickly toward the rail, but not so close he could be hemmed in.
Home had won his first race handily. But the difference in how he responded to that jockey and this more experienced one was easy to see. The colt settled into a smooth glide. The jockey rode with his body and talked to the horse with his hands. They stayed a neck ahead, even as three different colts moved up to challenge around the first turn and down the backstretch. But when they rounded the second turn into the homestretch, the jockey extended his arms out over the colt’s neck and let him loose. Without even a tap of the whip to keep the young racer focused, Home lengthened his stride and pulled away like the others were only out for a stroll.
“And it’s Home from War still in front, Savory Fox battling for second with Twist a Whirl, and Dancing Cat fourth. Home from War is pulling away, one length, two lengths. Savory Fox drops back as Phar Turn makes his move on the outside.”
The track announcer’s voice rose with each length the pack dropped behind.
“Home from War now four lengths in the lead, trailed by Twist a Whirl, Phar Turn, then Dancing Cat, Gallant Man, Expresso and Cha-Cha Russo.
“And across the finish line, it’s Home from War by six lengths.” A short pause. “Phar Turn places second by a nose, with Twist a Whirl third, and Dancing Cat places fourth.”
For the first time, the jockey appeared to struggle with Home to slow him and turn him back toward the winner’s circle. But he was laughing and rubbing the colt on the neck.
“By God, I think he wanted to go around again,” Pop said, breaking the stunned silence.
“And I was worried about finding a jock who could hold him back for the long-distance races.” Britt laughed. Pop and then the rest joined in until Teddy stopped them.
“Don’t you have to go to the winner’s circle and get your trophy?”
“To hell with the trophy,” Marianne said, already heading for the stairs. “I want the check that goes with it. We’ll need it to keep that jock riding for us the rest of the year.”
Britt grabbed Teddy’s hand. “Come with me.” She hesitated. “Pop? You coming?”
“Nah. You know I hate the crush of crowds. This is your moment. You’ve earned it. Go.”
The race announcer had been replaced by an enthusiastic racing commentator broadcasting over a website channel and displayed on large screens throughout the track facilities.
“What a display of speed today, folks. This two-year-old colt was sired by War Front, out of Unbridled Storm. This is his second race in the Road to the Kentucky Derby series. He won the Iroquois at Churchill Downs last month by four lengths.”
“That’s right, Jim,” his co-announcer said. “It’s still early, and there are a lot of races to come, but it’s a safe bet we’ll see this colt again when they load the starting gate in May for the world’s most famous horse race, the Kentucky Derby.”
* * *
Britt woke slowly, aware the darkness in the room was fading to gray. Naked and sprawled on her back, she sighed with absolute contentment. The source of her bliss was Teddy, also naked and snuggled against her side.
They’d left Home from War at Keeneland to be tucked in by his favorite groom, Roberto. The colt would board there until his next race, which was scheduled in four weeks at Churchill Downs in Louisville. She wondered if the black colt the California trainer had purchased would be there. She was anxious to see how he’d match up against her colt.
She moaned when a warm mouth closed over her nipple, then sharp teeth gently squeezed until electric jolts ran from her breast to her crotch. “I love the way you say good morning.”
“I love that you’re still in bed and not already in the shower and going out to play with your horses.” Teddy moved on top of Britt, and Britt wrapped her leg around Teddy’s so she couldn’t leave the bed. She realized her mistake when Teddy’s thigh slipped between her legs and pressed against Britt’s very wet sex and swollen clit.
“Hmm. Somebody has a morning stiffy. You know, some of the nurses were in the hospital cafeteria taking one of those magazine surveys the other day, and one of the questions asked how many orgasms a woman can have in a lifetime. You know, like you can reach a limit, then there’s no more. So, I told them that a woman can have an infinite number…as many as there are blades of bluegrass in Kentucky.”
Britt’s breath hitched when Teddy undulated her hips and her thigh massaged her aching clit. “I think we killed off a couple of acres last night.”
Teddy had been at Fort Bragg for the past three weeks, arriving back in Kentucky yesterday just before the race at Keeneland. They were exhausted when they’d finally fallen into bed last night, but their need to reconnect was stronger than their need to sleep. They’d made love for hours before they finally gave in to restorative rest wrapped in each other’s arms.
Teddy rolled her hips again and kissed Britt, her tongue dominating Britt’s. Teddy drew back, then kissed along Britt’s neck before whispering in her ear. “I’m thinking we should set higher goals…like a whole pasture.”
She slid down Britt’s body, nipping an earlobe, licking a nipple, rimming her navel, and scraping blunt fingernails across the sensitive nerves of Britt’s lower belly as her tongue found and teased Britt’s plump clit to rock-hardness.
“Teddy. Don’t tease.” Britt tangled her fingers in Teddy’s hair. “Please.”
Teddy sucked her into her mouth and entered her with two slender fingers. Pumping and sucking. Pumping and sucking. She played Britt like a concert violin, the tension gathering as quick as a summer
storm. One scrape of her nails across Britt’s belly, and the storm exploded. Lightning shot through every limb, holding her arched and breathless for long seconds. Then Britt collapsed.
Teddy crawled up and kissed Britt briefly, then slid across the bed on her belly, reaching for the bedside table.
Britt rolled over in swift attack, using her body to pin Teddy to the bed. This was one of their favorite positions, especially when Britt was prepared with an extra bit of equipment that freed her hand. Teddy said it was some erogenous spot inside that was always missed when she was penetrated from the missionary position. Britt liked it because it made her crazy hot. Teddy groaned and opened her legs wider when Britt reached between them.
Britt loved how responsive and uninhibited Teddy was when they made love. She would top Britt one minute, then become a complete bottom the next. It gave Britt the freedom to do the same. She skimmed her hand through Teddy’s slickness a few times. Her lover always produced plentiful lubrication. Then she plunged her thumb inside and forked her fingers on either side of Teddy’s clit, stroking that bundle of nerves each time she withdrew her thumb and thrust inside again. She sucked at Teddy’s neck and bit down on her earlobe.
She bucked her hips against her hand, thrusting her thumb deeper as Teddy raised her hips to meet each stroke. They easily found their rhythm, but the pressure was never quite enough for Britt, so Teddy reached behind her, offering her hand. Britt shifted so that Teddy’s fingers stroked her as her hand stroked Teddy. She was going to come again. She bore down with her thumb and thrust faster, harder. Teddy’s breath began to hitch. She was about to come, and not a moment too soon.
“Come with me, Teddy. Come on, babe.” Britt barely had time to recognize the flood of warmth spilling into her hand and the clench of muscle around her thumb when her own orgasm nearly paralyzed her. Somehow, she managed to thrust through it until Teddy went limp, and she gratefully followed. They panted together, and then Britt planted a few kisses between Teddy’s shoulder blades. She removed her thumb slowly, nipping at Teddy’s perfect ass. She felt like a big cat, wanted to rub herself all over Teddy. Instead, she rolled to the other side of the bed and slipped her hand inside her pillowcase. Yes. It was still there.
She glanced at the clock. Six thirty. “Hey, look at the time. I haven’t heard Pop downstairs yet.” Britt started to get up, but Teddy pressed her back down.
“That’s because I hung a big DO NOT DISTURB sign at the bottom of the stairs last night.”
“You did?”
“Yes. I told E.B. I needed some private time with you because we needed to discuss some things.”
Britt smiled. “I like the way you discuss things.”
“Stop. I really mean talk. Will wants me to continue working with the prosthesis program, but only the civilian part. The VA in Lexington also wants to hire me. They’re having to contract out more and more work to therapists they don’t know because of the volume of patients being sent to them. So I’ve been thinking that maybe I should start my own practice and take patients referred to me from the VA here. In Durham, I wouldn’t be working with patients, just going down there once or twice a month to teach other therapists about the digital limbs.”
“I’ll have to take trips, too. Homey will have to race sometimes in California. He might be the only racehorse I own, or I might find another to invest in. I don’t know.” Britt reclined against the pillows and tugged Teddy down to cuddle against her. “Spending a few nights apart isn’t as bad as wondering if you’re coming back from some patrol in Afghanistan.”
Teddy sat up and retrieved something she kept hidden in her hand from the drawer in the bedside table. Tears ran down her cheeks. Britt reached for her, but Teddy shook her head.
“Don’t, or I’ll lose my nerve, and it’s taken me a long time to work up the courage to ask this.” She opened her hands and popped open a small jewelry box. “Britt Story. Would you consider…will you marry me?”
Britt was stunned, unable to believe Teddy was doing this. She looked into those tear-filled eyes and said, “Not if it’s going to make you cry.”
Teddy’s crestfallen expression told Britt her joke had fallen flat, so she hurried to set things right. She felt under her pillow to retrieve an identical jewelry box. She popped it open and held it out to Teddy.
“And I’ll say yes only if you do.”
About the Author
D. Jackson Leigh grew up barefoot and happy, swimming in farm ponds and riding rude ponies in rural south Georgia. She is a career journalist but has found her real passion in writing sultry lesbian romances laced with her trademark Southern humor and affection for horses.
She has published 13 novels and one collection of short stories with Bold Strokes Books, winning three Golden Crown Literary Society awards in paranormal, romance, and fantasy categories. She was also a finalist in the romance category of the 2014 Lambda Literary Awards.
Friend her at facebook.com/d.jackson.leigh, on twitter @djacksonleigh, or learn more about her at www.djacksonleigh .com.
Books Available from Bold Strokes Books
A Love that Leads to Home by Ronica Black. For Carla Sims and Janice Carpenter, home isn’t about location, it’s where your heart is. (978-1-63555-675-9)
Blades of Bluegrass by D. Jackson Leigh. A US Army occupational therapist must rehab a bitter veteran who is a ticking political time bomb the military is desperate to disarm. (978-1-63555-637-7)
Guarding Hearts by Jaycie Morrison. As treachery and temptation threaten the women of the Women’s Army Corps, who will risk it all for love? (978-1-63555-806-7)
Hopeless Romantic by Georgia Beers. Can a jaded wedding planner and an optimistic divorce attorney possibly find a future together? (978-1-63555-650-6)
Hopes and Dreams by PJ Trebelhorn. Movie theater manager Riley Warren is forced to face her high school crush and tormentor, wealthy socialite Victoria Thayer, at their twentieth reunion. (978-1-63555-670-4)
In the Cards by Kimberly Cooper Griffin. Daria and Phaedra are about to discover that love finds a way, especially when powers outside their control are at play. (978-1-63555-717-6)
Moon Fever by Ileandra Young. SPEAR agent Danika Karson must clear her werewolf friend of multiple false charges while teaching her vampire girlfriend to resist the blood mania brought on by a full moon. (978-1-63555-603-2)
Quake City by St John Karp. Can Andre find his best friend Amy before the night devolves into a nightmare of broken hearts, malevolent drag queens, and spontaneous human combustion? Or has it always happened this way, every night, at Aunty Bob’s Quake City Club? (978-1-63555-723-7)
Serenity by Jesse J. Thoma. For Kit Marsden, there are many things in life she cannot change. Serenity is in the acceptance. (978-1-63555-713-8)
Sylver and Gold by Michelle Larkin. Working feverishly to find a killer before he strikes again, Boston Homicide Detective Reid Sylver and rookie cop London Gold are blindsided by their chemistry and developing attraction. (978-1-63555-611-7)
Trade Secrets by Kathleen Knowles. In Silicon Valley, love and business are a volatile mix for clinical lab scientist Tony Leung and venture capitalist Sheila Garrison. (978-1-63555-642-1)
Death Overdue by David S. Pederson. Did Heath turn to murder in an alcohol induced haze to solve the problem of his blackmailer, or was it someone else who brought about a death overdue? (978-1-63555-711-4)
Entangled by Melissa Brayden. Becca Crawford is the perfect person to head up the Jade Hotel, if only the captivating owner of the local vineyard would get on board with her plan and stop badmouthing the hotel to everyone in town. (978-1-63555-709-1)
First Do No Harm by Emily Smith. Pierce and Cassidy are about to discover that when it comes to love, sometimes you have to risk it all to have it all. (978-1-63555-699-5)
Kiss Me Every Day by Dena Blake. For Wynn Evans, wishing for a do-over with Carly Jamison was a long shot, actually getting one was a game changer. (978-1-63555-551-6)
Olivia by Genevie
ve McCluer. In this lesbian Shakespeare adaption with vampires, Olivia is a centuries old vampire who must fight a strange figure from her past if she wants a chance at happiness. (978-1-63555-701-5)
One Woman’s Treasure by Jean Copeland. Daphne’s search for discarded antiques and treasures leads to an embarrassing misunderstanding, and ultimately, the opportunity for the romance of a lifetime with Nina. (978-1-63555-652-0)
Silver Ravens by Jane Fletcher. Lori has lost her girlfriend, her home, and her job. Things don’t improve when she’s kidnapped and taken to fairyland. (978-1-63555-631-5)
Still Not Over You by Jenny Frame, Carsen Taite, Ali Vali. Old flames die hard in these tales of a second chance at love with the ex you’re still not over. Stories by award winning authors Jenny Frame, Carsen Taite, and Ali Vali. (978-1-63555-516-5)
Storm Lines by Jessica L. Webb. Devon is a psychologist who likes rules. Marley is a cop who doesn’t. They don’t always agree, but both fight to protect a girl immersed in a street drug ring. (978-1-63555-626-1)
The Politics of Love by Jen Jensen. Is it possible to love across the political divide in a hostile world? Conservative Shelley Whitmore and liberal Rand Thomas are about to find out. (978-1-63555-693-3)
All the Paths to You by Morgan Lee Miller. High school sweethearts Quinn Hughes and Kennedy Reed reconnect five years after they break up and realize that their chemistry is all but over. (978-1-63555-662-9)
Arrested Pleasures by Nanisi Barrett D’Arnuck. When charged with a crime she didn’t commit Katherine Lowe faces the question: Which is harder, going to prison or falling in love? (978-1-63555-684-1)
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