He had to stop this. His sister had a right to dance with anyone she pleased. Just because he was frustrated about Kate didn’t give him the right to ruin her evening by being an ass.
“Let me get us another drink.” He escaped to the bar before Kate could answer and before he pummeled Brick into the dance floor.
* * * *
Kate studied Hunter as he marched with confident strides toward the bar. She was a little buzzed, or she’d probably be looking for safer company to hang out with. She was always up for a dalliance or two, but Hunter McCoy went far beyond a mere dalliance. The man could ruin her, and Kate didn’t have time for or interest in being ruined right now, even by a hot, gorgeous hunk like him.
She’d never gone for men with long hair, but Hunter’s glossy black mane conjured up all kinds of things in her sex-starved imagination. She found it sexy as hell. She found him sexy as hell. His shoulders were broad, his body graceful like a cat—except on the dance floor—and his dark brown eyes promised things that made even Kate blush, and Kate had been around the block a time or two in her college days. Even if she’d parked the car lately and rarely walked around that block, let alone drove.
Those very eyes spent part of the evening affixed to her breasts. She couldn’t decide whether to be pissed or flattered.
She opted for something in between.
Hunter didn’t seem like the ogling type, so perhaps she should be flattered.
He returned to the table and eased his big body into the tiny banquet chair.
“You don’t need to babysit me. I can take care of myself.”
He let out a breath as if he’d been holding it. “I do need to dance with the bride.”
She nodded, more than happy to send this disturbing man on his way. Kate didn’t like being off-balance, and Hunter made her feel off-balance. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from him as he walked up to the bride and asked for a dance. The petite blonde smiled up at him and let him whisk her away.
Seconds later, the groom bowed low and invited her for a dance.
“I warn you. I step on toes.”
He laughed. “I have steel-toed shoes.”
She glanced down at his feet.
“Gotcha.” He grinned at her, and she grinned back. The man’s happiness was contagious.
“Your bride is beautiful.”
“That she is. I’m Zeke Wolfe. You must be Hunter’s guest.”
“I’m Kate, and not exactly. I’m his sister’s guest, but his sister seems to have gravitated to the best dancer here.”
“Who can blame her? Those two can dance.” Zeke kept glancing at his bride and Hunter, not out of jealousy, but more out of longing to be with her.
“It won’t hurt my feelings if you go to her.”
Zeke glanced momentarily down at her and smiled gratefully. In a move so smooth and quick it took Kate a few seconds to process what had happened, she was dancing in Hunter’s arms, and Zeke’s bride was back where she belonged.
Hunter shot her a wry smile. “I guess fate is insisting we be together tonight.”
“If you say so.” Kate didn’t believe in anything she couldn’t see, which probably was why she was such a skeptic when it came to love. Her own parents’ marriage had been one of convenience and familiarity. They’d gotten along fine, though more like two business partners than two lovers. She didn’t think they’d shared a bedroom since their last child had been born, nor did they vacation together. Which suited both of them just fine. If they had lovers on the side, Kate had never seen any blatant evidence of their dalliances. She had to give them points for that. For the past several years, her mother lived on the Kentucky farm while her father resided in New York City.
A slow dance started, and Kate wanted to escape to the safety of their table, but Hunter tightened his grip on her waist and pulled her in closer while keeping a respectable distance between their lower bodies.
Kate had no choice but to follow his lead and place her other hand on his shoulder. One of his big hands rested on the small of her back. He was actually a decent dancer when the music slowed down, and she had no problem matching his steps. His closeness did strange things to her, and she didn’t like the feelings being dredged up inside her. Kate controlled her feelings just like she controlled everything in her life. Emotions weren’t part of her plan, and neither was Hunter McCoy. She knew an emotionally unavailable man when she met one, and she’d met her share. She didn’t need another guy in her life who didn’t care much for her as a person.
Even so, she couldn’t resist his pure maleness. She leaned into him, fascinated by his strong, square jaw and noble features. She’d bet her favorite saddle the man was hot in bed. Everything about him was a contradiction. He was civilized with an underlying current of being feral when the mood struck him.
In her college days, she’d have taken a man like him to bed for a night or even a weekend of hot, messy sex. Those days were long gone, and she opted for safe, boring men instead of wild, masculine men, when she opted at all.
“Congratulations on your win in the FrontRunner on Saturday.” She needed to take her mind off the dirty track it’d taken and distract them both with talk of horses, the lone thing they had in common. She made it a point to keep close tabs on her competitors. SeaStrong had won the two-year-old race by ten lengths and hardly broken a sweat, according to what she’d seen on TV and read online.
“Thanks.” Hunter grinned, puffing up with pride for the horse he’d chosen and paid a pretty penny for.
“When is SeaStrong running again?”
“Sid,” he corrected. She got the distinct feeling she’d annoyed him.
“Sid, then. When is Sid running again?”
“When Sid says he’s ready.”
“Sid? You mean Mitch, his trainer?” Kate jerked slightly, stumbled, and stepped on his toe. He yelped. “Uh, sorry,” she said sheepishly.
“I do mean Sid—the horse.”
Kate didn’t get it, but then this guy was out there. “He qualified for the Juvenile Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita, didn’t he?”
“You’re not just stalking me, you’re stalking my horse?” Amusement lit up those dark brown eyes of his.
“I’m not stalking.”
“What do you call it then?”
“Research. Know your friends and your enemies.”
“And which am I?”
“I’m not sure yet.”
Hunter threw back his head and laughed. “I’m a formidable enemy and a fierce friend.”
“I’m sure you are.”
“When is your horse racing again?” Hunter asked pointedly.
“Probably early next year. I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize his Derby shot.”
“That long?”
“He’s had some soundness issues, not hugely serious, but if stressed they could be. I’m not taking chances with my investment.”
“Investment?” He frowned. “Is that all the horses are to you? A means to an end?” His mouth thinned into a disapproving straight line.
She felt as if he’d thrown cold water on her. At one time, just being around the horses, breathing in their scent, enjoying their varying personalities, and learning their quirks had been more than enough for her. But after the reading of the will four years ago, things had gradually changed. They’d become more than friends or members of the family; they’d become a business.
“I’m a businesswoman,” she answered brusquely. “I can’t afford to treat them like pets.”
“Surely you can. You’re a rich girl.” The man enjoyed needling her, and he’d found a sore spot she’d been completely unaware of.
“You don’t know the half of it. So don’t make assumptions.”
He shrugged. “I’m not making assumptions, I’m making perceptive deductions based on my gifts.”
She snorted. “Gifts?”
“Yes, I can see things. Things people and animals like to keep hidden.”
“I see.”
As a pragmatic person who didn’t believe in woo-woo bullshit, Kate resisted the urge to roll her eyes. The guy was out there. The gorgeous ones always had a fatal flaw in her experience.
“My family has had the gift for generations. It’s stronger in the females, like my grandmother and Lilli, but the males have it to a lesser extent. For example, I know that you’re hiding some kind of pain, perhaps betrayal from someone you felt close to, not a lover—” He narrowed his gaze, and his scrutiny had her squirming in his arms. She felt as if he’d stripped her bare and could see everything she kept so carefully hidden. “A family member?”
She didn’t respond. Instead she stared over his broad shoulder at a point on the wall.
“The Derby means more to you than most people. Why is that?”
“You’re the psychic. You tell me.”
“I’m not exactly psychic, not the way your people would define it.”
She wasn’t sure who her people were but decided not to ask. Mercifully, the dance ended and the band announced a break. Kate slipped out of Hunter’s strong arms and away from his disturbing gaze and too-close-to-the-truth guesses about her and her motives.
* * * *
Lilli was in heaven in Cameron’s arms. They glided so easily together that she felt his every move before he made it. She’d never had such an intuitive dance partner. She didn’t want the night to end, but end it must. And back to her ordinary life, Cinderella must go.
“I think Hunter is ready to bolt,” Cam told Lilli as they stepped into an easy slow dance.
“Why? Describe what’s happening.”
“He looks oddly out of sorts. Usually he’s so calm and sure of himself.”
“Is Kate near him?”
“Oh, yeah.”
Lilli smiled, picturing her big, strong brother nervous over a woman. “He doesn’t know what to make of her. He’s convinced himself that he’s already met The One.”
“The one?”
“It’s a long story.” She didn’t have any interest in explaining her family’s beliefs and oddities to this man, even if he was one of Hunter’s closest friends.
“He’s also been casting death glares in my direction.”
Lilli laughed. She could imagine the scowl on Hunter’s face and how he’d fist his hands to keep from decking his buddy. “He doesn’t like men getting close to me. He doesn’t want me to be hurt.”
“And you? How do you feel about his overprotectiveness?”
“I ignore it. After all, what doesn’t kill us helps us grow. You never grow as a person unless you learn to deal with pain and failure.
“What do you see between him and Kate?” She had a feeling she already knew, but she wanted to hear his observations.
“They’re having an intense conversation, and neither looks happy.”
“She’s trying to buy his horse.”
“You mean our horse,” Cameron corrected, reminding her he owned a share of Sid.
“Sid isn’t for sale at any price. We’re both quite attached to him. Even if he never runs another race or sires one baby, we’ll always have a place for him and hopefully others like him.”
Cameron hugged her closer. “You’re a fascinating woman. You know that?”
“I’ve been told that a time or two.” She laughed, and he chuckled.
The band announced their break and reluctantly, Lilli stepped back, keeping a hand curled around his arm.
“Would you like a glass of wine?” he asked.
“I’d love one.”
He led her back to the table and helped her into her seat. “Hunter and Kate are across from you. The rest of the table is open.”
Her heart warmed at his kindness in describing their surroundings. She could sense Hunter’s irritation, though. It radiated off him in waves. After the debacle with Steve last summer, Hunter didn’t trust any man’s intentions toward her. Steve had played on her good heart, trusting soul, and disability in order to get what he wanted. She’d ignored her intuition, which served her well when it came to other people’s issues, but not so much her own. She wouldn’t be so careless next time.
Hunter excused himself to get another round.
Kate let out a feminine snort. “Cam is getting his butt chewed.”
“I know,” Lilli said. She could feel the tension in the air, but while it had to do with her somewhat, there was more to it than that. She wasn’t sure what yet, but she could pretty much guess the source of her brother’s current attitude.
“So are you and my brother hitting if off well? Cam seemed to think so.” Lilli changed the subject. She sensed Kate shutting down and closing off from her.
“We tolerate each other. Ours is a love-hate relationship. I tried to buy SeaSt— I mean, Sid, and he didn’t want to sell.”
“Neither do I, or his fifteen other investors.” Lilli heard the stress in Kate’s voice but sensed so much more. This went beyond buying a racehorse, but now wasn’t the time to pry. She could do that later. She excelled at picking up on little nuances and hints sighted people missed because they were too busy looking and not listening. Lilli listened with her ears, but she also perceived things, such as emotions, which came to her in waves or a single impression.
Kate was silent for a long while, but Lilli knew she was still sitting there. She waited patiently, a trait she’d developed to the master level ever since she’d been blinded.
“I really need to win the Derby.” The strain in Kate’s voice was clearly evident.
Lilli had to laugh. “You can’t plan it that way. These are living, breathing creatures. They have good and bad days. Sid is unpredictable in the best of times. He’s not a sure bet, but we’ll have a fun time getting there. Enjoy the ride as much as the destination.”
“I wish I could.” Kate sighed, as if she were carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.
“Your horse is a contender.”
“He doesn’t run like I saw Sid run.”
“Oftentimes Sid chooses not to run like that, either.”
Kate laughed. “I guess I should be thankful for Jet. He’s a real professional. Does whatever is asked of him to the best of his ability.”
Lilli nodded. “It’ll be a good race.”
“What about you and Cameron? You two dance like you’ve been partners since birth.” Kate deftly steered the conversation away from the horses.
“We’re just friends.” Lilli balked at Kate’s words. She of all people would know when she’d found the right guy. She was much more open and honest with her feelings than Hunter, who continued to wait for a woman who wasn’t the right one.
“Uh-huh.” The doubt in Kate’s words caused alarm. Lilli was in tune with her world, much more than a sighted person. Kate was wrong. She and Cam were decent partners on the dance floor but nothing more. Not like that. Sure, she was attracted to him, but that had more to do with his dancing prowess than any special chemistry between them.
“He’s more interested in you. He has the hots for you.”
“I know. He told me.” Kate sounded bored, as if this were an everyday occurrence for her. “I might take him up on a fling, but that’s all. I don’t have time or interest for more than that.”
“Why is that?” Lilli didn’t understand the contradictions she’d discovered in her new friend. She didn’t appear to work and had money to burn. What could be so time-consuming she couldn’t spend a few hours in bed with a hot man? And Cameron was hot. He’d felt all hard muscle and virile male against her body as they’d danced. His deep voice woke her long-dormant female parts in ways Steve never had. Yet Cam hadn’t come on to her as he had Kate. He’d considered her an able dance partner, and that was all. Lilli didn’t know what she’d do if he propositioned her. Men like him wanted a woman free of encumbrances.
Lilli had one big encumbrance.
She couldn’t see.
She’d come to terms with the superficiality of sighted males long ago and held fast to the belief she hadn’t met
the right man yet. Looking back, she’d known in her heart Steve hadn’t been the right man, but for once she’d ignored her heart and her intuition. She’d been caught up in having as normal as possible of a relationship. Steve had never made her feel less of a woman or as if her handicap held them back. At least, he hadn’t at first. Later, he’d chosen to do things that excluded her because of her lack of sight, or refused to help her accommodate for that issue.
“We’re a pair, you know that?” Kate laughed. “We’d rather be with horses than men.”
“Horses accept you as you are and never pass judgment,” Lilli said.
“And they don’t care about your bank account or how you look when you first get out of bed.”
Lilli’s slow smile spread. “You are so right about that. Sighted men can be so superficial. You learn how little appearances really matter when you can no longer see.”
Kate stayed silent for a long moment. “Sighted women can be superficial, too.”
“More so.”
“Here come the boys. Cam looks properly chastised. He’s moving to the other side of the table to sit next to Hunter.”
Lilli laughed. Her brother was such a guy. She should be mad at him, but right now she was more amused than mad. Later might be a different story.
Chapter 6—Post Parade
Cameron had never been able to figure out Hunter. Ninety percent of the time the guy was an enigma. The other ten percent he was too good to be true, but he’d made one hell of a designated driver for Tanner and his wingmen during their rowdy college days. Now he had his panties in a bunch over Cam dancing with his sister—his older sister.
Seriously?
Lilli was perfectly capable of making her own decisions when it came to men. Besides, they were just friends. Hunter needed to get a life outside of football so he’d quit running everyone else’s lives. Regardless, Cam had stayed clear of Lilli since the wedding reception almost a month ago. He didn’t believe in letting women come between wingmen.
Game Changer: Seattle Steelheads Football (Game On in Seattle Book 7) Page 5
