Bareback

by D. Jackson Leigh

  “Whatever.” Kate sounded resigned. “I’ll go see who is right today. You go get cleaned up and ready to go.”

  *

  The ride to the show went quickly. Kate drove and Jessica sat up front with her, while Skyler stretched her long legs out across the backseat of the truck. They started out talking over the competition, but the conversation between the three quickly turned light as Kate began to recall for Jessica some embarrassing moments from Skyler’s early introduction into the horse world.

  “Yeah, young Sky was pretty sure someone was pulling a joke on her when I first showed her that her job would be to muck stalls,” Kate said. “She was such a city kid, she couldn’t believe I wanted her to pick up huge piles of horse poop.”

  “Kate,” Skyler warned.

  Kate laughed. She’d known Skyler since a teacher-friend of the Parker family brought her and her twin brother to Cherokee Falls. The two ten-year-olds were being abused at home and stayed with the Parkers off and on for many years, arriving whenever their father came home from his construction job building large bridges. Except for near-identical features, the twins were night and day. The self-confident Skyler was aggressive, risk-taking, and volatile. The shy, awkward Douglas had a genius I.Q. and tutored his sister patiently through the more complicated subjects at school. She was his champion, protecting him from the teasing of other children and interceding with their father, taking beatings meant for Douglas.

  Kate was in her early thirties then, and Skyler became her constant shadow at the farm. Horses were truly her calling. She was a natural rider and intuitive trainer. She seemed to find animals easier to relate to than people and the horses she schooled responded to her in the same way.

  “You’ve got to know by now that Skyler always thinks there must be a better way to do almost everything,” Kate continued with her story. “So, one day, I keep seeing her take the horses out of the barn and walk them around like they are dogs. Then I notice that when they finally poop, she puts them back in their stalls.” Between howls of laughter, she explained, “After a while I realize she’s trying to housebreak…or I guess barn-break them, to go to the bathroom outside.”

  Skyler folded her arms over her chest. “Very funny.”

  Kate wasn’t done. “So I snuck in the barn and heard her telling this big chestnut mare what a good horse she was for going to the bathroom in the pasture, not her stall. But that mare would pee a bucketful the minute you put her in a stall with fresh, clean bedding. So there’s Sky with a smug look on her face leading her into a clean stall…I can still see it.” Tears began to roll down Kate’s face, she was laughing so hard. “God, I wish I’d had a camera when it sounded like someone had turned on a fire hose behind her.”

  Jessica was wiping away her own tears of laughter and holding her sides. Skyler’s embarrassed look, the brown eyes peeking from under the thick blond bangs the wind had whipped around her face, was just too precious. Jessica had never seen this playful side of the all-business trainer. She definitely wanted to see it more often. She could tell that, even being the brunt of the laughter, Skyler was enjoying the easy camaraderie.

  “Hey, Kate. I just bet you know a story or two about Jessica, too,” Skyler prompted.

  Kate raised her eyebrows. “Hmm. Did I ever tell you what a hard time her mother and I had keeping clothes on her when she was little?”

  “Do tell.” Skyler grinned.

  “Don’t you dare.” Jessica knew exactly where this was headed. Kate loved telling people about her exploits and Jessica had a feeling she would embellish them for Skyler. To spare herself, she decided to strike first. “Apparently I was an exhibitionist. I removed my clothing in restaurants and anywhere else likely to make Mom and Kate cringe. Enough said.”

  “Oh, no. You have to do better than that,” Skyler teased. “I want an example.”

  Jessica was tempted to remind her about that morning several weeks ago, when they stood by the hot tub. But she didn’t plan to relive that moment in front of Kate. She preferred to pretend it had never happened and had carefully maintained professional boundaries with Skyler ever since.

  “I have a story,” Kate said. “We were on a plane—”

  Jessica covered her face with her hands. “No, please. Not the plane story.”

  “Turnabout is fair play,” Skyler said.

  Kate nodded agreement. “Sorry, Jess.”

  “Okay.” Jessica raised her hands in mock-surrender. “But I get to choose the story. Tell Skyler about the dinner party Mom threw for Gram and her little group from the Daughters of the Confederacy.”

  Kate groaned. “I’m afraid that moment has been wiped from my memory banks.”

  “I’ll bet.” Jessica slapped her shoulder playfully before turning to Skyler. “Well, I was about four years old and I wanted to see what was going on that was so special.”

  Kate interrupted. “Laura and I were on pins and needles. It was the first time our mothers had met, and we were hoping they would like each other.”

  “I came downstairs,” Jessica said. “But it was a warm evening—”

  “So, she shows up in the dining room when we’re in the middle of dessert,” Kate interjected. “She’s butt naked and telling these stuffy bluebloods that she wants ice cream.”

  Skyler smiled. “Kids run around naked sometimes. I don’t know why anyone worries about it.”

  “Oh, the crime wasn’t being naked. It was what I said when Gram asked me, ‘Jessie, honey, where are your pajamas?’” Jessica lifted her chin in imitation of her four-year-old self. “I simply told the ladies that if Mom and Kate didn’t have to wear pajamas, then I didn’t either.”

  “No.” Skyler guffawed. “You didn’t!”

  “Oh, she certainly did,” Kate growled. “I could see my life flashing before my eyes. You could have heard a pin drop as Little Miss Jessica strutted her naked self over to me, climbed in my lap and took a big drink from my water glass, then waved good night over her shoulder as she skipped back down the hallway to her bedroom.”

  “Oh, my God. What did you do?”

  “Well, we were stunned. We just sat there until we heard her bedroom door shut, then Laura said, ‘That child has the most vivid imagination.’”

  “Gram was horrified,” Jessica said.

  “My mom thought it was funny seeing me stuttering and trying to smooth things over,” Kate added. “She was used to me not giving a damn what other people thought.” She paused, and a soft note entered her voice. “I wanted to laugh, but Laura would have killed me later. She was trying to make everything so perfect.”

  Skyler chuckled, but Kate’s wistful tone made her wonder again what had happened between her and Jessica’s mother. They were lovers and she’d said something recently about Laura pushing her away. It sounded like Kate still cared, and she and Jessica had remained close. So, what went wrong?

  *

  The sun had broken through a thick cloud cover only a bare hour before, so although the day was warm and the sun’s glare strong, the parking area, little more than a commandeered pasture, was still slick with mud.

  “Good thing this truck has four-wheel drive,” Kate grumbled as she parked.

  Skyler eyed the mud. “Jess, maybe you should grab your cane. This mud looks pretty slick.”

  Jessica frowned. She hated that cane. She saw it as a sign of weakness. Secretly, in the back of her mind, she’d been looking forward to showing up at this event with Kate and Skyler in tow. Cherokee Falls was well known for producing winners. She relished the thought of showing off a bit and making the competition uneasy.

  “I’m fine, Sky. Don’t worry about it. I don’t even think I brought the damned thing.”

  Skyler fished around in the back of the vehicle and produced the cane. “There’s no point in taking chances. You could rip that knee out again with one slip in this crud.”

  Jessica stood with her hands on her hips, refusing to accept the cane. She had a better idea. “That cane co
uld get stuck in the mud and make things worse. Why don’t you just carry it for me, and I’ll hold on to you. I’m sure I’ll be safe hanging on to your arm.”

  Kate snorted. Did she see Jessica just bat her eyes? When Skyler obediently offered her arm Kate’s mouth dropped open. Jessica looked like the proverbial cat about to eat the canary and Skyler was blushing. Shit. Kate wanted them to be friends, but the chemistry between them felt like dangerously more than that.

  Skyler helped Jessica navigate the bleachers to reach a good vantage point about midway up. There were a lot of Olympic wannabes on the roster but probably only one serious contender for the trials. That was Rachel Sorensen and her German bred Trakehner. Skyler didn’t miss the fact that Rachel’s husband and trainer, Joe, was sitting with several of Virginia’s horse community bluebloods just a few rows from them. He watched with interest when she and her companions took their seats. That’s right, Skyler thought, check out the women who are going to steal that Olympic team slot right out from under you, buddy.

  Kate nudged her. “See that chestnut stallion over by the barn?”

  Skyler followed the direction of Kate’s nod. Her eyes traveled over the lean neck, tapered shoulder, and long legs. “Nice. Isn’t that the stud over at Rolling Meadows?”

  “That’s him. I was thinking of breeding Summer to him next season.”

  “I thought you were going to retire her.”

  “I’d like to try her one more time. She’s still young enough and never had any problems.”

  Skyler shrugged. “For my money, I’d wait and think about breeding her to Rampage if you are looking for just one more shot.”

  “What? And end up with a bad-tempered baby? Why, I’m shocked that you would suggest that.”

  Skyler knew she was being teased. “Yeah, well, he does have some redeemable qualities. He’s a great jumper, very solid, and a good pedigree. You could do worse.”

  Kate shot Jessica a “you-go-girl” look.

  “Besides,” Skyler continued. “I figure Summer is so good natured, maybe she could prevail and produce an offspring with at least a decent temperament, even with that demon horse.”

  Jessica swatted Skyler on the arm. “That’s my boy you are bad-mouthing, and he’s a sweetheart. A little misunderstood by most people, but a real sweetheart.”

  “Yeah, so is Skyler,” Kate joked. “Misunderstood…by too many women.”

  It was routine for Kate to tease Skyler about her womanizing reputation, and Skyler’s usual response was cocky and boastful. But she didn’t play that game today. The teasing made her uncomfortable, perhaps because she sensed Jessica’s disapproval. She covertly studied the smaller woman. She wanted this partnership to work. The tug-of-war between them had ended and training was progressing better than Skyler had anticipated. Training an Olympian could sort of fill out her resume, she told herself, but there was more at stake for her than improving her credentials. She had come to admire Jessica and wanted her to succeed. She liked the way she communicated with her horse. She liked the fact that she never mentioned her injury, even when it was obviously causing her a lot of pain. And she never quit until a training session was done, no matter how much she hurt. Skyler didn’t want Kate’s flippant banter to affect the way Jessica saw her; she’d already made more apologies to this one woman than she had to all the others in her life.

  The thought of spending the afternoon with Kate and Jessica looking over the competition had sounded like a good idea to her. She thought it would motivate Jessica to see what she was up against. Also, Skyler hadn’t been off the farm in a while. She shrugged off the question nagging at the back of her mind: Why had she stuck so close to the farm lately?

  “Damn,” Jessica complained. “I forgot to find the restroom before climbing all the way up here.”

  Skyler pulled the cane from where it rested between her feet. “Take this. You should use it to get back up these bleachers and save the wear and tear on your knee.” As Jessica began to protest, Skyler softly patted the muscled thigh next to hers, gentling her the way she would a skittish colt. Her eyes radiated her understanding. She knew the proud rider hated to show her weakness, temporary as it was. “There’s a method to my madness,” she said softly. “You see the guy sitting two rows back?”

  Jessica’s eyes flicked discreetly over Skyler’s shoulder. “In the blue shirt?”

  “Yes. That’s Joe Sorensen, Rachel’s husband. We are going to see him again at the trials. He’s already checked us out. Obviously he knows who you are. I’d rather they saw you limping. Let them think you’re not a threat.”

  Jessica looked doubtful, but the gentle stroking against the top of her thigh was distracting. She found herself mesmerized by the slow smile that creased Skyler’s handsome face.

  “We can surprise them in a few months when they find out you and Rampage are really their worst nightmare.” Skyler held Jessica’s gaze a moment longer. God, those blue eyes are gorgeous, she thought.She held out the cane again, and this time Jessica accepted it without protest.

  Kate didn’t like what she was seeing. The affection on Skyler’s face was obvious as her eyes followed Jessica’s descent down the bleachers. Kate loved Skyler like a younger sister, but she also knew her shortcomings. She loved Jessica in a different way, as a parent with a fierce protective urge that surpassed her regard for her close friend.

  “Don’t even think it,” she growled in Skyler’s ear.

  Skyler flinched, then leaned back, resting her elbows on the vacant bench behind her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “I can see what’s developing between the two of you.” Kate watched Skyler’s gaze flick once again to Jessica’s trim frame before settling down at her own feet. “The chemistry needs to be good between you two to be a successful threat in the show ring, but Jessica is young. She may not know how to draw the line to keep it professional, not personal. You need to draw that line.”

  Things never changed. Kate Parker had always treated her as an equal, but she was still a blueblood from the right side of the tracks. Apparently she didn’t want a mutt like Skyler coming after someone in her family. “Good enough to be her trainer, but nothing else, huh, Kate?”

  “Sky, it’s got nothing to do with how worthy you are. You know I love you. You’re a great trainer and a really good friend.” Kate sighed. “But we both know you can’t stick to one woman. If you need to scratch an itch, I’m asking you to do it with someone other than my Jess.”

  What she felt for Jessica wasn’t an itch to be scratched. It was more, and that scared her. Truth was, Skyler herself was afraid she wouldn’t be able to handle those feelings, and she would end up hurting Jessica. That mattered to her a whole lot more than Kate’s concerns. Yet it hurt worse that her mentor didn’t trust her, that she seemed to think Skyler would use Jessica. Skyler stared darkly into the crowded bleachers. She hated herself for not being worthy. And, at that moment, she hated Kate for pointing it out. And she resented Jessica for being so beautiful and talented and wonderful…and, hell, sexy, too.

  “There’s nothing going on between us but work,” she told Kate. “But now that you mention it, maybe I do need to scratch an itch.”

  She’d spotted an old conquest she knew would be more than eager for a scratching session. She rubbed her sweaty palms on her jeans. The idea of chasing after a bed partner didn’t seem all that appealing, but she started down the bleachers anyway. “Don’t worry about me after the show. I see my ride home,” she threw over her shoulder at Kate. Then she paused and turned, the old Skyler leer firmly in place. “Do me a favor and ask Clint to feed for me in the morning. I probably won’t make it back to the farm until tomorrow afternoon.”

  “Sky, wait!”

  But Skyler ignored Kate’s call and stomped down the bleachers.

  “Shit.” Kate knew Skyler’s choice to have only casual sexual experiences was a form of self-punishment, a way of reminding herself that she wasn’t worthy of anyt
hing deeper and permanent. It was typical behavior, resulting from physical abuse as a child, but after years of careful nurturing from Kate’s mom, she had seemed to overcome her low self-esteem. She’d fallen deeply in love with Sarah Berrington Tate, and her career as a rider took off. She was at last something other than the abused, belligerent waif the Parkers had rescued.

  But Sarah’s betrayal had crushed her, and Kate had doubts that Skyler could ever recover. It was a hard choice: protect Jessica or trust Skyler’s fragile emotions. Jessica was the only daughter Kate would ever have. The only part of Laura, the woman who would always own Kate’s heart, Kate still possessed. She would not allow Skyler to damage her.

  *

  On her way back from the restrooms, Jessica took some time to watch the contestants in the warm-up ring. Rampage had it all over these horses, she gloated. Their workouts had been going really well, and the knee was still holding up. Skyler really had been able to sharpen their performance.

  Skyler. Jessica smiled at the thought of her.

  They were proving to be a good team. Kate was right. Skyler had been in that winner’s circle and understood what it took to get there. She was steady and sure in her instructions. It made Jessica feel a confidence in herself that she hadn’t felt before, and Rampage responded to the change.

  A couple of times during the past weeks, Skyler had ridden him herself to see what kind of cues he was giving Jessica and recommend responses that could improve his performance. When Skyler took the saddle, she and her mount became one beast. Even the temperamental Rampage bowed to her commanding confidence and moved smoothly through his paces. The roguishly charming trainer atop twelve hundred pounds of equine muscle was the sexiest thing Jessica had ever seen.

  Her pulse jumped at the thought and she stumbled slightly. She was eager to get back to the bleachers and take her place next to Skyler again. Maybe they could go to a nice restaurant before they headed home. Why she wanted to spend more time with Skyler outside their training arrangement wasn’t something she wanted to analyze just yet. She was looking forward to the afternoon and didn’t plan to spend it trying to second-guess herself.