The Damaged Heroes Collection [Box Set #1: The Damaged Heroes Collection] (BookStrand Publishing Mainstream)

by James, Sandy

  With Gold safely back in his paddock stall, Katie quietly worked to remove the equipment. Seth finally made an appearance, but he didn’t make a move to help her. “Can you finish up, Boss? Ricky wants to talk to me about driving his filly in the tenth qualifier.”

  She felt like someone had hit her in the gut. “Are you sure you want to drive for anyone else? I mean, after all, you know Gold.” Katie tried to calm the shaking timbre of her voice. She didn’t want to appear too emotional, even if she was. “You don’t know anything about those other horses.”

  “Of course I want to drive. God, it’s like flying. It’s like I can see what the horse is going to do before he does it,” Seth replied. The look on his face reminded her too much of Brian’s expression whenever he drove. She’d lost Seth—lost him to the track. “What’s wrong, Katie?”

  She wanted to scream at him and was sorely tempted to throw something heavy at his head. What’s wrong? You could break your neck, you stupid... Katie shook her head. “Nothing’s wrong. Go on, Seth. Go drive your qualifiers.”

  “Thanks, Katie.” He smiled and turned to run back up the bark-lined aisle.

  * * * *

  Katie didn’t see Seth again until much later when she was trying to load Gold in the trailer to head back to the farm. The chestnut had returned to his usual uncooperative mood and stubbornly refused to get inside.

  Seth walked up behind the horse and smacked him once on the rump. “Come on, Buddy. Time to go home.” The colt walked calmly into the trailer.

  “I hate you,” Katie grumbled.

  “I know,” he replied with a wink. “Can I ride back with you? I left some stuff at the farm.”

  “Sure. I’m going to take a shower and catch a nap before I ship in Jack tonight, so you can drive yourself back.”

  “A shower, huh?” He wiggled his eyebrows. “I could join you.”

  Katie could feel the heat spread across her cheeks. “Seth, shh. Someone might hear.” She glanced around nervously before crawling into the driver’s side of the truck. Lord, he was being dense. Track people gossiped with unequalled relish, and Seth had almost committed a fundamental error. She finally attributed his slip to still being under the influence of the endorphin rush that had come with the qualifying races.

  Back at the farm, Katie took care of Gold’s needs while Seth turned a few of the horses out into corrals. By the time chores were completed, she was exhausted. The last few days had been physically and emotionally draining. If she allowed herself to close her eyes for more than a few seconds, she knew she’d fall asleep on her feet.

  “Seth?” she asked as she tossed him her keys. He caught them and gave her a confused frown. “Don’t forget to come and get Jack and me in time to get him to the paddock.”

  “Sure, Boss. Go take a nap. You look beat.”

  “Gee, thanks a heap.” Katie trudged wearily to her room. All she wanted was a hot, relaxing shower and to sleep for the next twelve hours. Unfortunately, she figured she would have to settle for a warm trickle and a two-hour nap. She slammed the door behind her.

  Katie carelessly dropped her clothes in a trail as she shed them on the way to her bathroom. By the time she entered the shower stall and coaxed the water to reach a temperature somewhere above lukewarm, she heaved a sigh and stepped into the stream of water. She was so weary that all she could do was place both of her hands on the wall and let the water cascade over her head and back.

  At least the water warmed enough to relax her, and Katie finally decided the limited hot water supply would give out quickly, so she reached for the soap. She heard the shower door swiftly open and close and saw a familiar masculine hand beat her to the sticky white cake sitting in the soap dish. She wasn’t even surprised.

  Seth had intended to leave, had even gotten as far as putting on his seatbelt and starting the truck. But an image of Katie came into his mind that set his blood on fire. Just remembering what had passed between them made him hard and flooded him with need. He wanted her. Desperately. He thought about driving to the store for condoms, but from what Katie told him, pregnancy wasn’t an issue. And he had no doubt her blood was as clean as his. He didn’t want to wait.

  It had been simple enough to slip back into her room. His clothes fell on top of her path of garments as he had shed them rapidly and hurried to join her in the shower. He needed her again; he’d make her need him too.

  Without a word, Seth molded his body to her back, wrapped his arms around her waist and worked the soap between his hands, building up lather, letting each twist of his wrist brush against the underside of her breast. All the time he rained kisses over the back of her neck, her ears, her shoulders.

  Seth rubbed his slippery hands over her breasts where he toyed for a while as he continued to nibble on her sensitive neck. When he slid one hand between her legs, she trembled. His fingers played intimately with her, coaxing her to the passion he knew bubbled and churned just below her calm exterior.

  His lips found all the tender spots, his hands knew all the right places. Her heart could never refuse him. Katie put her palms against the wall to brace herself against his onslaught. The pleasure he sent through her made her legs weak, made her want things that she shouldn’t have, and made her dream of things that could never be. When she felt as if she could stand no more, she turned in his arms, cupped his face in her palms, and kissed him with every ounce of love she felt. Then she pulled away and gave him a coy smile.

  Taking the soap from his hands, she rubbed it between her palms to work up some suds before she set the bar aside. She let her hands slide from Seth’s neck down his chest where she massaged small circles. She seductively splayed her fingers across his flat stomach and then slipped her palms around his hips to cradle his backside. That heavenly butt. Katie’s hand roamed back to his hip. Nervously biting at her bottom lip, her fingers traced a path down until she found the courage to wrap her hand around his erection. Seth hissed in his breath in response. “You didn’t like that.” She immediately pulled her hand away.

  “Are you kidding? I loved that.” He pushed her shoulders roughly against the wall. His mouth claimed hers in a kiss that demanded all she had to give. He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her off her feet. “Put your legs around me, Katie.” She did as he asked, and he plunged into her.

  She grabbed his shoulders, squeezing her legs tightly around Seth’s waist as he thrust into her again and again. Love me, Seth. Love me as much as I love you. The tension came quickly, pulling her to paradise. When her body found its release, she shouted her joy.

  Katie’s voice pushed him over the edge. His body answered her call as he buried himself deep inside her in one last stroke.

  They both panted for breath. “Wow,” was all Katie could say as she slowly descended to reality and carefully put her feet back on the slippery floor.

  “Not good with Mike?” Seth asked in a conceited tone as he gently smoothed her wet hair away from her temple. He kissed her forehead.

  “Dreadful. God, I’m tired.” She turned to rinse the remainder of the soap off before opening the shower door to step out. She wrapped a towel around her body, poked her head back inside the shower stall, and smugly smiled. “I should probably tell you that you’ve only got about thirty seconds of hot water left.”

  Seth tried to give himself the fastest shower of his life, but by the time he finished, the water had rapidly retreated from warm to tepid to icy. His teeth were chattering when he opened the stall door. She handed him a dry towel.

  Standing in front of the mirror with her own towel firmly wrapped around her, Katie worked a small brush through her wet hair. “You know, you should’ve gone back to the dorms.”

  “I know,” Seth answered as he dried his body. He noticed Katie staring at his reflection in the mirror before she averted her eyes. He chuckled at her modesty. “It’s not a crime to look.”

  “You’re awfully vain.”

  “So I’ve been told.” He chuckled. “Some ti
psy redhead once sang me a song along those lines.”

  Katie frowned at him for a second then Seth watched her lips curve into a sassy smile. A damned alluring one at that. She started to sing “I Want a Lover Who Won’t Drive Me Crazy.” He laughed.

  Seth sauntered over to her and tugged on her towel until it began to fall from her body. Katie stopped singing, squealed, and reached for it. He grabbed her shoulders to keep her from moving. “Lady, do you know how beautiful you are?”

  She blushed profusely, retrieved her towel, and wrapped it around herself like a terrycloth cocoon before walking from the bathroom. “I’m getting dressed and catching a nap.”

  Seth draped his towel around his waist and then ran his hand over her backside as she left. “How about we skip the clothes and just take the nap? Or better yet, how about—”

  “Seth, go back to the track.”

  “Fine.” He strolled across her room and opened the door.

  “You can’t leave like that!”

  “Oh, your towel. I forgot.” Seth replied as he unwrapped it from around his hips, rolled it into a ball, and threw the cloth across the room at Katie. She caught it midair.

  It was becoming a highly entertaining game to see how often he could make her blush. It was even more rewarding when he could fluster her enough to make her nibble on her bottom lip.

  Reaching for the doorknob, Seth waved at her. “See you later.”

  “Get back here!” Katie grabbed his boxers and jeans from the floor and tossed them to him.

  “But these are dirty, and I’m clean.” He caught the garments and held them at arm’s length, wrinkling his nose.

  “Tough. I’m not bailing you out of jail for indecent exposure.”

  Katie fished through the drawers of her bureau and grabbed a t-shirt and some pink panties before retreating with them to the bathroom to dress. Seth hoped those were all she planned to wear when she came back out. He’d never known a woman who looked as sexy as Katie in a t-shirt.

  He slipped his boxers on and plopped down on her bed. The frame groaned in protest. He could hear the sound of her blow-dryer and figured she’d be busy for a few minutes, so he stretched out on the quilt to relax until she finished.

  When Katie finally walked out of the bathroom, she found her biggest problem sound asleep on her bed. But she was too tired to protest. Nobody would know anyway, so what did it matter? She got into bed, snuggled up to his back, and molded herself to him.

  Katie couldn’t find it within herself to condemn him for wanting his family money. He had never known anything but affluence, and it would be cruel to expect him to give it all up for her way of life—especially when he probably thought her way of life was beneath him. She was smart enough to understand; her heart had the most difficulty with the whole situation.

  In the few moments before letting much needed sleep overtake her, Katie listened to Seth’s deep, even breathing. It felt so right to lie by his side, just as it had felt so right to share her body with him. At least when he left, there would be some wonderful memories she could keep close to her broken heart.

  Closing her eyes, Katie sighed. “I love you, Seth,” she whispered. “I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone.” It felt so good to finally say the words aloud—even if he would never hear her. He could never know how much she cared. She wouldn’t saddle him with that burden.

  Chapter 21

  “Just bide your time and let him make his move in the stretch,” Katie cautioned Josh Piper as she led Monterey Jack to the entrance chute. “Don’t get in a speed duel on the front end because he likes to go hard at the gate.” Josh adjusted the reins, but he didn’t appear to be listening as he turned to look over his shoulder. Katie tried to rein in her temper, but it wasn’t easy. I miss you, Brian. “You’ve got to keep him in line, Josh. If you get away sixth or better by the first turn, I’ll be happy. Save him for the stretch. Are you listening to me?”

  “Yeah, yeah. Gotcha, Katie,” Josh replied, buckling his chin strap on his red, white, and blue helmet.

  Seth and Katie stood against the fence and watched the start of the race. As the wings folded neatly against the sedan, Katie’s breath left her in an indignant gasp. “No!” Despite her warning, Josh let Jack take him to the front of the pack.

  Seth whistled when the first quarter time posted. “Twenty-six seconds. Ouch. Jack is done.”

  Katie flashed Seth an angry glare. “Tell me something I don’t know. Damn him! I told Josh not to...” She kicked the bottom of the fence. “Stupid freakin’ cowboy.”

  Watching the race was agony. Jack put in a good effort, but because his strength had been sapped too early in the race, he faded to fifth by the finish.

  “A damn postage stamp,” Katie grumbled in disgust as she stomped toward the chute to wait for her horse and to yell at the man who would no longer be her driver.

  “Postage stamp?” Seth asked as he followed her.

  “The check will be so small it’ll only be worth enough to buy a damn postage stamp. You can’t keep a stable running on fifth place checks.” She kicked at the dust around her feet. “I’m gonna kill Josh.”

  As the animals returned to the chute, the race official announced the claim through the loud speakers. “Monterey Jack claimed for eight-thousand. Goes to Light Speed Racing. Picked up by Taylor O’Riley.”

  Katie stomped her foot. “Shit! I knew he’d get back at me for claiming College Mascot!” Then she suddenly realized the more personal implication of the claim. She glanced back at Seth and instantly recognized how hard he was taking the loss of his favorite horse. The pain was clearly etched on his face. “Do you want to take him to the test barn? All claims go—”

  He shot her an angry scowl. “Through the test barn. I know. I’m not an idiot, Katie. I was there when you claimed Mascot.”

  “But it’ll give you a chance to tell him goodbye.”

  “No!” Seth shouted before stomping off toward the paddock. “I hate goodbyes.”

  Katie let him go because she understood. He wasn’t the only one who hated goodbyes.

  * * * *

  Katie tended Jack in the test barn and dutifully handed him over to Taylor O’Riley when her labors were done and after Jack had produced his urine sample. She bore no grudges; she’d been on both sides of the claiming game many times. It was business, but her heart ached for Seth, for what he’d lost tonight. The first claim was always the hardest, and she knew that he held a special place in his heart for Jack.

  Walking back to her truck, Katie saw Seth leaning back against the empty trailer, obviously waiting for her. She could tell from the pinched expression on his face his emotions were still running high. “You don’t have to go back to the farm tonight. I can finish chores up myself,” she offered.

  “I quit.”

  “Don’t be silly, Seth. You can’t quit. You don’t have a choice,” Katie calmly replied. She wasn’t prepared for his vehement reaction.

  “I don’t give a shit! I quit! I can’t do this anymore! Any moron can just come in and take away your favorite...” He stopped talking and pushed himself away from the trailer.

  “I know it hurts. It always hurts to lose someone you love.” She couldn’t stop the catch in her voice.

  Claiming could be rough, but Katie wondered if the whole situation might be affecting Seth on a more personal level, as it was her. Her heart hoped that his distress offered proof the man could love something, someone, after all.

  Don’t be absurd, Katie. Seth doesn’t love you.

  The irony dawned on her like a slap upside the head—Seth was her “claimer.” She might hold him for a while, but she could never keep him. The Remington heritage would always have a higher claim on him. And just like she let Monterey Jack go, she would have to let go of Seth. That thought made her chest feel so tight, she couldn’t breathe.

  “We don’t have anything in tomorrow. Can I take the day off?” Seth asked, appearing to be reining in his temper.
r />   “Big plans?”

  “Yeah, something like that.”

  “And you’re not going to tell me?” Katie was surprised at the pitiful hurt in her own voice. She had no claim on this man—could never have any claim on him. Why should it hurt so much if he had plans that don’t include her?

  “You’ll think it’s stupid.” Seth stared intently at the ground.

  “Try me.”

  “I want to go see Brian. I was going to ask to borrow the truck. I thought I’d take that stack of race tapes you’ve got in the tack room and go watch them with him. He can give me some driving pointers.” Seth shrugged. “Maybe he might like seeing proof of how good he really is. I imagine he’s a little discouraged right now.”

  “Can I go with you?”

  She was pleased to see the smile that formed on his lips. “Of course, Boss.” Then he grew quiet for a moment and stared at his boots again.

  “What? You want something, but you’re afraid—”

  “Can I go back to the farm with you? Please?” he blurted out. “Can you believe that bastard took my horse?”

  Katie realized he was still hurting and didn’t want to be alone. But she also knew exactly what would happen if they ended up at the farm. While she wanted nothing more than to make love with him again, it was the wrong thing to do. “Seth we can’t...”

  He shook his head. “I know, I know. I just need to hold you, to have someone to talk to. Please?”

  The hurt in his voice melted away any resistance she could offer. “Get in the truck.”

  * * * *

  Back at the farm, Seth spent some time with Spun Gold. At least this horse wouldn’t get claimed right out from under him. He’d make sure Katie never put the colt in a claiming race. At least for the rest of the season. Seth had to remind himself that he would have no say in anything Katie did after that. Not for the next five long years. If ever again.