by Ciana Stone
Liz placed one hand on his shoulder and leaned down until their faces were level. “Would you please dance with me, Kyle?”
“I’d be happy to.”
Kyle didn’t know what he’d expected, but when he led her onto the dance floor and swung her into his arms, it suddenly felt like they were the only people there. Sure, he still saw everyone, heard the chatter of voices that competed with the music. But all of that seemed dulled and muted.
Liz, on the other hand dominated his senses. The feel of her body against his, the fingers of her right hand that played with the hair at the nape of his neck and her eyes, those whiskey eyes that seemed to penetrate right down to the center of his soul.
He wasn’t a man given to flights of fancy, and had been told he lacked sorely in the romance department, but when she chimed up, singing with the music and uttered the words “if you need a lover and a friend, baby I’m in” his knees felt a little weak.
Good Lord she was potent. She felt like heaven in his arms and inspired desires that he didn’t have the power to repress. For the length of the song, he gave into the spell she wove. And when it was done he had to force himself to lead her from the dance floor.
Liz gave him a smile. “Now I see what they mean.”
“Pardon?”
“You know. And I have to pee. Where’s the bathroom?”
He pointed in the direction of the restrooms, watched as she took one more shot of tequila and left. She’d been gone a few minutes when someone plopped down in his lap.
“Well, Kyle Stadler, look at you. No cast.”
“Hey Bunny.”
“So, what you got planned for the rest of the weekend, stud?”
“Working mostly.”
“All work and no play… you know what they say about that sugar.”
“I do.”
“So how about we liven up your weekend?”
Kyle knew exactly what kind of livening up Bunny Williams had in mind. She was insatiable, into all kinds of kink and liked inflicting pain way too much for his taste. He’d been with her once and that was once too much.
“Sorry honey, got a lot to do this weekend and— “
“And well now, who’s this?” Liz’s voice had Kyle assisting Bunny off his lap. It wasn’t until he’d done it that he wondered why.
“Who’s asking?” Bunny asked, propping one hand on her hips as those ample hips cocked to one side.
“The gal going home with him.” Liz took the spot on Kyle’s lap that Bunny had vacated.
“What the fuck ever.” Bunny looked at Kyle. “Your loss.”
Liz watched Bunny flounce off then looked at him. Their gazes locked, and it felt a little like the sound around them diminished again. He saw the way her pupils dilated and felt the heat that poured off her. It damn near crippled him, he wanted her so much at that moment.
She raised one hand and trailed her finger along the side of his face. “You sure make it hard on a girl, Kyle Stadler.”
Her finger trailed over his bottom lip and then down to his chin. He knew that if he chose he could kiss her right now. But he also knew that she was close to being drunk, and more importantly, he’d yet to figure out if he could trust her.
Until that happened, he couldn’t have her. No matter how much he wanted her.
“I think I should get you home.”
“Am I cutting into your plans?”
“Nope.”
She looked at him for a few seconds, then nodded. “Okay. Let’s ride.”
With that she stood, dug a couple of twenty-dollar bills from the back pocket of her skirt and put them on the table. “I’ve got it.” He said.
“Then this will cover the tip.”
A chorus of goodbyes had her and Kyle waving as they headed for the door. Kyle paid for their dinner and drinks and followed. He found her leaning against the door of his truck. Neither of them spoke as they left. They’d just crossed the town limits when he looked over at her.
“Thanks.” She gave him a smile.
“For what?”
“Taking me tonight. It was fun.”
“Looks like you’ve made some friends.”
“Maybe.”
Kyle didn’t know how to respond to that so he kept his mouth shut. After a few minutes she spoke up. “So, Cody runs the bar with her sister and the family ranch too?”
“Yep.”
“And Hannah works in a bakery as well?”
“Her mama’s. Sweet’s Sweets.”
“Cute.”
“She’s a heck of a baker.”
“I’ll have to try it sometime. Jo said she interviewed you.”
“Yep.”
“Has it aired?”
“No, not yet.”
“How do you feel about seeing yourself on television?”
Kyle shrugged. “Probably won’t watch. You going to let her interview you?”
“Probably not.”
“Any particular reason?”
“Just not interested. Hey, can I ask you something else?”
“Sure.”
“It’s about Cody and Wes. Do they have some kind of thing?”
“Not that I know of, why?”
“Just noticed the way they act when someone mentions the other’s name. I think they have a thing for each other.”
“Wouldn’t know.”
She changed the topic. “So, what do you think of Apache?”
He knew without asking that she didn’t think the horse was up to snuff. He could run, but even the vet had said that Apache’s lung capacity would be a handicap. “He’s not going to win.”
“Or even finish in the top ten.”
“Probably not.”
“So when are you going to tell Wes?”
“When I meet with him on Monday.”
“And then?”
“Then we see what he wants to do.”
“Isn’t there another jockey coming in this week?”
“Yes.”
“What’s his story?”
“He rides for two other owners, but neither have much of a chance this year. He’s good, experienced and has a winning record.”
“In other words, he stands a chance of taking the job away from me.”
Kyle looked over at her. “Honestly, yes.”
“Is there anything that could knock him out of the running?”
“Sure. How well he handles Landing. That’s always been the issue.”
They fell silent again. Kyle figured she was thinking about the jockey position. She had her heart set on it, and truth be told, she handled Landing better than any rider who’d ridden the animal. But Wes wanted to win, and she had no ribbons under her belt. That was a strike against her. If they found someone who could control Landing, Wes would demote her to exercise rider.
When they pulled up in front of the Creek House she looked over at him. “Thanks again for taking me tonight. I had a good time and I’m sorry if I cut into your action.”
“I wasn’t there for action. Never am.”
She unfastened her seat belt and angled to face him. “So women just come to you?”
“Yeah, pretty much.” After the words were out of his mouth he wondered if she took it to be a brag. He hadn’t intended it that way. He’d just stated the truth. He didn’t go out looking for women. That just wasn’t in his nature.
She cut him a smile. “And that being the case, you haven’t found one you wanted to hook up with? Permanently, I mean.”
“Doesn’t appear so.”
“Seems a waste. Come on, don’t give me that look. You know you’re hot.”
“I could say the same about you.”
She slid over closer. “Really? Then why haven’t you made a move on me?”
“I could ask the same.”
“Oh so that’s how this goes? Well, in that case.” She slid over closer, reached up and took hold of his neck.
When she pulled his face down to hers and her lips claimed his, lust s
parked to life, hot and intense. It took every ounce of control he had to keep from touching her. His hands itched to take hold of her, pull her closer or push her back on the seat and climb on top of her.
But he did none of that. He just let the kiss go on until she pulled back. Her eyes searched his for a moment and then she slid away. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“It was going to happen.”
“You think so?.”
“Most likely.”
“And now that it has?”
“Now we decide what happens next.”
“Well I guess the routine for you would be for me to invite you to my bed and when we’re done you get up and leave, right?”
“I guess.”
“I don’t think I can do that.”
“Why?”
“It’s cheating.”
“Cheating who?”
“Myself. I’m not into one-night stands and despite your reputation I don’t think you are either.”
“Not really, but sometimes we don’t have the luxury of choosing.”
“So that’s why you’ve never been married? You didn’t think you had the right to choose?”
“I could ask the same. Why have you never married?”
“Who says I haven’t?”
“You’re married?”
Maybe it’s because she’d been drinking, or maybe it had just been building up for a long time, but tears filled her eyes and spilled over. “I was. Once.”
“What happened?”
“He died.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Me too.”
“How did it happen?”
That question had her scrambling out of the truck and headed for the door. He watched her go inside and sat there for a few moments thinking. It was seriously time he found out just who Liz Redgate really was.
Chapter Eleven
Liz parked her truck in front of the barn and looked around. She didn’t see Kyle and she breathed a sigh of relief. Kissing him had been a mistake, on several levels. First, she worked for him and it was never a good idea to be in bed with your boss. But even breaking that rule was nothing compared to the damage the kiss had done to her.
She hadn’t stopped thinking about it. It wasn’t like it was her first rodeo. She’d enjoyed intimacy with men, one of whom she’d even married, but not a man from her past, including her husband had ever sent her lust-o-meter into the redline, overload, lose her mind desire that Kyle Stadler inspired.
It not only stole her ability to put the man out of her mind, but scared her. That kind of passion and that level of need was something she didn’t know how to handle. Then there was the issue of trust. Liz knew that Kyle didn’t trust her. Hell, she didn’t blame him. She hadn’t been exactly open with him.
That bothered her more than she cared to admit. Until now she’d lived her life straight up, hiding nothing and taking it on the chin when life threw her a punch. How had she let this happen? She was becoming like her father and that scared the living hell out of her.
She wasn’t ready to see Kyle, but she’d already decided that when she did, she was going to come clean and tell him everything. He might tell her to get the hell off his ranch and if he did, she’d honor that. She’d be disappointed. No, worse than that. In just four short weeks, Kyle had gotten under her skin and that kiss had sealed the deal. She had it bad for him and if he kicked her out, she’d be devastated.
But she would survive because that’s what she did. She got kicked into the dirt by the people she loved and somehow she always managed to drag herself back up. She would again, but god knows it would hurt.
She loaded Traveler into the trailer hitched to the back of her truck and headed out. She was taking Cody up on her invitation to visit and was looking forward to it. She stopped at the end of the drive and texted Cody to let her know she was on her way.
It didn’t take long for Cody to respond. Liz read the directions and made a right turn onto the hard-top road. It was a good half-hour drive to Cody’s place, and the landscape didn’t vary much during the drive. Liz found a certain rugged appeal to the land, but she missed the plains and rolling hills of home, the ravines and buttes where she spent so much time as a child, riding and running, pretending to be someone else.
She missed the crisp air on cool mornings and the way clouds would roll in, signaling a storm. She missed the smell that signaled snow, and the quiet that enveloped the land when a deep snow covered the landscape. She missed the way wildflowers would cover a field in spring and summers swimming in the lakes.
Texas was okay, but it wasn’t home. Sadly, home was no longer home either. Her father had seen to that.
Liz shoved aside thoughts that pushed her to wallow in self-pity and reminded herself why she was in Texas. She would prove to her father and to herself that he was wrong, that if he’d not betrayed her, she could have given Quinlan Racing a winning season. She knew in her heart that she could ride Landing into the roses of the winner’s circle.
She prayed Wes Pursell would give her that chance.
Dreams of achieving that goal dominated her thoughts the rest of the drive. When she pulled up in front of Cody’s house she saw Cody coming out of the barn, leading a chestnut horse. Liz got out of the truck and waved. “You ready to ride, mustang gal?”
“You know it.”
“Well, let me get Traveler saddled.”
It didn’t take long to unload and saddle Traveler. “So, where to?” She asked as she rode up beside Cody.
“South.”
“To the border?”
“Sometimes I wish.”
“Same here, sister.”
They had not ridden a hundred yards when the sound of a vehicle had Cody reining in her horse. A black Range Rover pulled up in front of the house and stopped. When Wes Pursell stepped out, Liz looked at Cody in surprise.
“What’s he doing here?”
“Beats me, let’s find out.”
They backtracked to where Wes waited. “What brings you here?” Cody’s voice didn’t sound particularly friendly, at least to Liz’s ears.
“Kyle said I could find Liz here.”
“Oh.”
Was that disappointment Liz heard in Cody’s voice? She didn’t have time to think about it since she was the reason he was here.
“What’s up?”
“We need to talk.”
“And it couldn’t wait until Monday?”
“No.”
“And you couldn’t have called?”
“It’s important.”
“So talk.”
“I think this should be private.”
She should have known better than to shoot off her mouth without thinking, but his tone reminded her way too much of her father and so temper overrode reason. “I think we’re fine.”
“Can you at least get off the horse?”
“Sure.” Liz climbed down from Traveler and noticed that Cody dismounted as well. “Okay, what’s up.”
“I have a question for you.”
“Okay.”
“Have we ever met? Before you came here, I mean.”
Now Liz knew she should have agreed to a private conversation, but it was too late for that. Besides, once the truth was out, she had all ideas that people would hear about it. And if Cody decided she didn’t want to pursue their budding friendship, then so be it.
Besides, she was tired of hiding, of feeling that she had to keep who she was and where she came from a secret. She liked this place and the people who lived here – one in particular – and she didn’t want them thinking they couldn’t trust her. It was time to set the record straight.
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“You know where.”
“I need to hear you say it.”
“In the winner’s circle of the Belmont Stakes when I was seven, and later at the Derby when I was thirteen.”
“So, it is you.”
“If you m
ean Liz Redgate, yes.”
“I mean Liz Quinlan.”
“No. Redgate. Quinlan was my maiden name.”
“You’re married?” His eyebrows shot up.
“Widowed.”
Wes blew out a breath and leaned against his vehicle. “So why the subterfuge?”
“There wasn’t any. You asked my name and I gave it to you.”
“Liz, you know …” He cut a look at Cody and then back at her. “You sure you don’t want to do this in a more private setting?”
“No. I’m fine. And yes, I know. I know that your father and mine are rivals and have been as long as I’ve been alive. I know that you bought Landing from my father. I know you thought you were taking his chance at winning by buying Landing and I also know that he thought he was selling you a bum steer, so to speak because he doesn’t think Landing can win.”
“And you don’t think it was important to tell me that when I hired you? You were just going to let me shell out on a horse that can’t win?”
“I said my father thinks he can’t win. I know he can.”
“Okay, hold on, I’m confused.” Cody spoke up. “Why does your father think the horse can’t win?”
“Because Landing won’t run for anyone but me.”
“Say what?” Wes blurted.
Liz looked at him. “I bought Landing through one of my father’s accounts and then paid him back out of a trust. He was supposed to have transfer of ownership papers drawn up but he didn’t. He just kept stalling and like a jackass I didn’t push it. I trained Landing and his times were incredible.”
“So why doesn’t your father think he can win?” Cody asked again.
“Because he went back on the deal and hired another jockey. Landing wouldn’t cooperate, wouldn’t run. So he hired another and another and no matter who he put on Landing’s back, Landing wouldn’t perform.”
“Because he only runs for you.” Cody said.
“Yes.”
“So, he sold Landing to Wes thinking Landing was a loser.”
“Yes.” Liz looked at Wes again. “He could have won but instead he double-crossed me and thought he’d pulled one on you. I imagine he’s still laughing about that.”
“And you’re here why?” he asked.
“To prove him wrong. Landing will run for me. He’ll run and win.”
“Then why does your father have people looking for you?”
