Seduction's Stakes

by Claire Ashgrove

  Maddie's laugh sounded forced, and the hand she slipped into his tightened with restrained anger. “I don't think you have a thing to worry about, Stephanie. The things Riley and I have discovered makes Nathan pale in comparison, and quite frankly, I don't see how it's any of your business. But since you seem intent on knowing, Riley and I have only recently decided to let our secret become public knowledge. It seemed it became too difficult to keep our mutual feelings hidden."

  Riley's gut bottomed out with Maddie's comparison to Nate. The rest of her reply left his head spinning. It fell off her lips so naturally, he had to remind himself she was acting a part for Stephanie. But when she turned that intoxicating smile up at him, and he looked into her glittering green eyes, Riley realized she wasn't just acting. There was a degree of truth in what she'd said. He took a deep breath, overwhelmed by the discovery.

  Now, he just had to figure out how to make her accept it and forgive that damned kiss.

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  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  After suffering through Stephanie's pursuit of Nathan Harcourt and never having the spine to stand up for herself, Maddie delighted in the surge of joy that coursed through her when Stephanie's dark eyes flashed with anger.

  She leaned into Riley, laid her head on his shoulder, and surrendered to the moment. She didn't know how to act, and the only way she'd convince this woman of her part, was to let her feelings go. Maddie just needed to make Riley believe she was playing a game. Then, her confessions would stay safe.

  "I see,” Stephanie mumbled. Disappointment etched into her features. “So there's nothing I can do to convince you, Riley love, into a trip down memory lane?"

  "I'm afraid he's otherwise engaged,” Maddie answered for him. Although the woman's choice of words soured a bit of her fun. “Permanently engaged, Stephanie."

  "Angel, Dirk wanted us to go look at the filly for him,” Riley cut in.

  She gave him a look of gratitude, and allowed him to lead her away from Stephanie and outside. There, she turned on him. “You slept with that nutso?” Her voice rose in pitch, incredulous.

  Riley's face filled with color. “In one of my lesser moments of sanity, yes.” He hurried to add, “Believe me, I paid the price in full. Still am, evidently."

  Maddie couldn't help herself, and she broke out in a laughing fit. She could just imagine how Riley had paid for it too. Stories spread throughout the racing world of how Stephanie handled her involvements with men. Poor Nate had to change his locks on his doors when he made the mistake of accidentally leaving his keys in the jockey's room after a race. Stephanie managed to get a hold of them, copy them, and he'd found her waiting, naked, in his bed.

  "Now why does that amuse you so much?” Riley asked as he fit his hand into hers and started for the brightly-lit barn.

  "I have visions of a naked woman stalking you, wearing nothing but a trench coat."

  Riley pursed his lips with an unamused frown. “You have no idea how close you are to the truth."

  She laughed harder, almost tripping over a piece of uneven ground in her amusement. She stumbled, but Riley's arm tightened, steadying her until she found her footing.

  "It's hardly that funny, Maddie."

  "No, it's beyond that funny. I can't believe no one warned you ahead of time."

  "Oh, they did. I just didn't believe them,” he muttered.

  Trying to stifle a giggle, she cleared her throat and bit down on her lip. But she failed terribly. The laugh broke out with a little snort as they stepped through the barn doors. Riley's deepening scowl only amused her further, and she gasped for air, trying to explain. “It's just ... I never thought ... Riley, you of all people. Mister suave ... charming...” She giggled again, losing herself to her humor.

  "That's quite enough, Maddie,” he warned with a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

  "You couldn't find anyone better than her?"

  The wind rushed from her lungs as Riley caught her up and pushed her rather roughly against the barn wall. He leaned in closer, slipping his knee between her legs, and brought his mouth inches away from hers, his eyes suddenly dangerous. “The better than her has been avoiding me for the better part of two years, Maddie."

  A chill zinged down her spine. Oh, God, he'd turned the tables again, and she hadn't seen this coming at all.

  He brushed his nose against hers, and touched his lips to hers. His breath heated her cheek as he turned his face and murmured near her ear, “How much of that did you mean in there?"

  Damn and double damn, how could he have known? But before she could answer, his teeth nipped at her earlobe, sending sparks of pleasure arcing through her body. Warm and moist, the tip of his tongue flicked at the soft skin along her neck, and he sank his weight into her, crushing her against the wall. His hands slid around to cup her bottom, and with one firm squeeze, he lifted her against his hips. Hard and ready, his erection rubbed against her sensitive center, and she couldn't hold back a gasp of shocked delight.

  "All of it? Bits and pieces? A small portion? Tell me, Maddie. Do I make you forget about Nate?” He rolled his hips, pressing into her.

  Her knees went weak. “Yes,” she hissed out on a whisper.

  His groan went all the way to her soul and left her trembling. His mouth sought hers fleetingly, catching her lower lip and giving it a little tug, before he drew away, only to suckle at her upper one. At the same time, he thrust his hips forward again, letting the motion roll through his body and his belly flattened against hers.

  Somehow his fingers slipped beneath her dress, and when they danced along the curve of her buttocks, fire spread through her body. Gazing down at her, the dark intensity in his eyes deepened when he slid that hand across her thigh and cupped her mound. He pressed his fingers into her aching folds and stroked with gentle caresses.

  "Maddie,” he murmured as his body jerked into hers. “You're mine."

  His mouth crashed into hers, hot and demanding. She looped her arms around his neck, eager for the taste of him. She couldn't help herself as the desire he ignited enveloped her. She brought her hips forward, needing his touch. He delved a finger inside her opening, and she moaned, but the noise got lost in his kiss, blending with his own.

  She clung to him as he brushed, stroked, and brought his palm against her with exquisite pressure. God, she couldn't get enough of him, and distantly it registered what he was doing to her here, against Dirk Bettans’ barn and how she didn't want him to stop.

  He broke their kiss, and raked his mouth to the side of her neck, nipping at her skin, then soothing his sharp teeth with the gentle tip of his tongue. “Come for me, Maddie. Tell me it's real,” he whispered.

  He didn't need to ask. She was already there. Her release consumed her, taking her with such abandon her legs wobbled against the shocks of pleasure that surged through her veins. He held her up with one arm, brought his mouth back to hers and guided her through her climax with one never-ending kiss.

  She sank into him, and although he slipped his hands away from her flesh and wound them around her waist, he didn't move. The ragged fall of his breath danced against her shoulder. Beneath her cheek, his heart pounded fiercely against his ribs.

  As her pulse slowly returned to normal, and his breathing leveled out, he murmured, “If I move, are you going to slap me?"

  With a mist of tears clouding her eyes, she shook her head.

  He took a half step back and caught her hands. Searching her face with his gaze, he said in a quiet voice, “I'm taking you home. To my hotel room, where you belong."

  She managed a nod. “I'm not..."

  "I know,” he grit out.

  * * * *

  The drive to their hotel was little more than twenty miles, but they crawled along at an ant's speed, and Maddie's embarrassment deepened with each one. She'd just behaved like a wanton, and Riley robbed her of all her pride. She couldn't even find her anger to turn it on him for his devilish trick. Not when he
completely disarmed her by coercing her into disclosing the secrets of her heart.

  Right now, she couldn't even summon the energy to fight him. And what he wanted her in his room for, she couldn't imagine. No matter how she might want him, she absolutely was not going to sleep with him. Not after he'd been with Sybil. The idea was such a turn off, she couldn't hold back a shudder.

  Riley said nothing until they were safely confined in his room. There, he let loose of her hand, tugged his shirt off, and dropped into the couch, patting the seat beside him, instructing her to sit.

  She sank into the cushions, avoiding looking at him.

  His arm wound around her shoulders and pulled her back against his chest. “Some things are forgivable, Maddie. Some things aren't. Some are even so meaningless they don't even warrant forgiveness at all. What do you want from me to make it right?"

  "I want you to go away,” she answered in a near whisper. “Sell me the horse, and leave me alone."

  He shook his head. “Five hundred and seventy-five thousand, and I'm not going away. Your voice might say that, but your body doesn't. Whatever you've got locked up inside, you won't let me walk out of your life."

  She sighed. She didn't have that kind of money to spend right now. Even if she did, it wouldn't solve her immediate problem with Riley. She needed him far from her. “You can't stop me from going away, you know?"

  "Angel, I can't stop you from anything and wouldn't think to try. You go ahead and run. Sail over to Italy. When you come back—and you will ‘cause Kentucky's in your blood—I'll be here. Waiting."

  God, that sounded so permanent. A tear slipped down her cheek. “Erase the night with Sybil, make it go away,” she whispered, a bit forlorn.

  "I can't,” he answered quietly. “What happened, happened. We need to move past this, Maddie. You're in my blood. I laid here last night aching for you. And you have no idea how much it pains me to admit that."

  He made it sound so trivial and that bothered her more than anything. If he could confess one moment how special things were between them, and in the next instant thrust himself inside Sybil without even caring he was doing so, she couldn't help but question how many more times it would happen.

  At her silence, he coaxed, “Five-fifty and you agree to let me take you out—frequently."

  She shook her head. “Five-fifty and you agree not to touch me."

  "No can do, darlin'. My fingers itch to do so."

  "Then, I guess we're at a stalemate,” she sighed and let her head roll back against his shoulder.

  "Guess so,” he whispered. “A shame.” His lips moved against her hair. “Cause together, angel, you and I outshine the Triple Crown."

  She shivered. He made the possibilities sound so beautiful. No wonder women fell at his feet.

  With a little nudge he pushed her upright. “C'mon, let's go to bed."

  Damn, the man didn't give up, did he?

  He took her hand and led her inside the bedroom. When the door closed, he crossed the room to draw her into his embrace. With one quick jerk, he pulled her dress over her head, then stepped away to shuck his pants and boxers.

  "What are you doing, Riley?” she asked as she covered her chest with her arms.

  "Going to sleep. Ladies’ first.” He nodded toward the bed.

  Apprehensive, Maddie slid beneath the covers. She told herself she had no choice, that she'd left her purse in Infidelity's stall and her keycard was inside it. Ignoring the fact she could go to the front desk, she refused to admit this was exactly where she wanted to be.

  Riley crawled in behind her, draped his arm about her waist, and snuggled up against her back. God, he felt so perfect. How in the hell did he expect her to sleep?

  * * * *

  Under other circumstances, Riley would have questioned his sanity about putting her in his bed stark naked. He wasn't entirely certain his brain was functioning normally as it was, but he'd held on to enough of it to convince himself this was the only way he'd ever succeed in breaking through Maddie's determination.

  With her dainty little ass molded against his hips, she couldn't possibly be ignorant to his throbbing cock, but that was exactly what he was after. He would keep his word. No sex unless she asked for it. But before the damn Belmont in three weeks, he intended to have her asking for it on a routine basis. Not in any way that would possibly humiliate her, rather because she accepted this crazy attraction they shared, and decided to forgive him.

  He didn't want her broken. He wanted her ... Damn it, he wanted her to care enough about him she wouldn't want to say no.

  Closing his eyes, he listened to her breathe. Her rigid spine matched his own, and although his cock strained painfully against her soft sex, knowing she shared his misery was somehow comforting. It took all his self-control to keep his hand at her waist and not explore her body as they lay in silence, both too aroused for sleep. But when a drop of her moisture slid along his hardened shaft, he sucked in a sharp breath, swearing he'd died and gone to hell.

  Instinctively he moved against her, a hesitant little push just to bring her flesh closer to his. When he lay still once more, she slanted her hips a fraction backwards.

  Half-buried in her softness, Riley ground his teeth together. He didn't know who was crumbling faster—he, the instigator of this little game, or she, his willing playmate.

  Responding, he thrust forward again with a long slow stroke. She ground down against him, almost taking him inside.

  His hand slipped between her legs, and Maddie's hips slammed into his, encircling his blunt tip. One thrust, and he'd be buried in her glorious depths. He checked the urge, ordering himself not to move. Not until she asked him to. Instead, he sank his teeth into her shoulder as his fingers played against her sensitive center, holding her in place when she began to writhe against him, refusing to allow what her body wanted, and torturing himself as well.

  "Riley,” she murmured.

  "I'm right here, angel."

  Her hand clutched at the arm he kept above her head, her nails digging in to his forearm. Continuing his play within the soft folds of her womanly flesh, he gave her clit a tiny twist, clamping his elbow into her abdomen when she bucked against him. The driving motion of her body, pushed him further into her depths, and he closed his eyes with a shudder. He didn't know how long he could keep this up.

  "Riley, I...” she gasped, as he rubbed his thumb over her.

  "You ... what...?” he managed through clenched teeth.

  "Oh, God, Riley, please..."

  He didn't need to hear more, refused to make her beg, and drove his hips forward, embedding himself into her. Her contented sigh sent him over the edge, and he gave in to abandon. With a tug on her shoulder, he rolled her over, and hooking one of her knees over his elbow, settled between her legs. He wouldn't last long—she'd pushed him beyond control.

  Her back arched, and he clamped his mouth over hers as he slammed into her, cutting off her delighted cry. Her flesh gripped him, tightening around his shaft, holding him in place as it quivered around his length. She was everywhere, consuming him until she was all he could think about, all he could feel, all that mattered. His climax possessed him, rolling through him with dizzying power, and he spilled himself into her, lost.

  Spiraling down from the pulsing pleasure, he rubbed his cheek against hers in a tender gesture. Then, drew back, feeling wetness against his face.

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  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Maddie didn't mean to cry. In fact, she'd tried to stop the tears from falling. The last thing she wanted Riley to witness was that shame. She just couldn't manage to turn them off.

  His head jerked upright, and his gaze bore into hers. “What's wrong, angel?"

  She shook her head with a sniffle and tried to turn away from him. He wouldn't allow her, however, and cupping her chin between his thumb and forefinger, he turned her face back to his.

  "Maddie, talk to me."

  "Riley I...”
she broke off on a sob, closed her eyes and blubbered, “You just slept with Sybil."

  Even to her ears, it sounded absurd, and she waited for him to chuckle. But when absolute silence met her ears, she swiped at her tears and looked at him again.

  He was staring at her, with a look of such profound confusion, she didn't know what to think. She sniffled, trying to stop her crying jag.

  Riley pulled himself out of her, and inched back on his knees, his brows pulling into a severe frown. Kneeling over her, he pulled her upright and his gaze searched her face. “Where in the hell did you get the idea I slept with Sybil? And please tell me that the last day and a half of torture you've put me through wasn't because you believed that."

  She sniffled some more and wiped at her face. But the faster she smeared away her tears, the faster they rolled down her cheeks. “I walked in on you.” She sniffed again. “She said she kissed you.” Biting down on her lip, she tried to curb the humiliating wail, but it just wouldn't stop. Through it, she managed, “You were both naked."

  Riley's arms came around her, and he tucked her head into his shoulder. “Calm down, angel.” Rocking her ever so slightly side to side, he smoothed her hair and pressed his lips to the top of her head. “Calm down, and I'll tell you how wrong you are. You need to tell me though, if Sybil told you we slept together."

  She shook her head, struggling to catch and hold on to a deep breath. “She didn't remember anything after kissing you.” With a little hiccup she took another deep breath. “Said you'd said something important, but couldn't remember what it was."

  Her shoulders shook with the effort of trying to calm herself, and Riley's hands roamed across her back. She focused on his soothing caresses, letting him erode away her tension. When she felt like she could breathe somewhat normally, she leaned back into them and turned her watery gaze to his shadowed face.

  He leaned forward to click on the lamp, then pulled her back into his arms. After a moment he let out a soft chuckle. “I guess I can understand not wanting to speak to me if you thought I slept with your best friend hours after making love to you."