Riding Hard

by Vicki Lewis Thompson

  He didn’t need more motivation than that. They were back in the SUV and on the road in no time. He started to take his hat off, because it seemed silly to keep it on for the drive home.

  She put a hand on his arm, stopping him. “Leave it on. For me.”

  He settled it back on his head.

  “Do you like it?” she asked. “I hope you do, because it wasn’t cheap.”

  “Yeah, I do like it. A lot.” He glanced over at her. “Thank you for talkin’ me into it.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  He returned his attention to the road, but from the corner of his eye he could see that she was staring at him. “Are you fixated on my hat?”

  “A little. But I’m also thinking about what you said tonight at dinner, about not loving your job, although you do seem to like working with horses.”

  “Apparently I like it fine when the horses aren’t valuable thoroughbreds. I had fun supervising Dottie’s foaling.”

  “So did I.” Her voice rippled with amusement.

  “I wasn’t talking about the sex!”

  “I know. Sorry. Couldn’t resist. So you had fun supervising the foaling.”

  “I did. I was working with a beautiful, but essentially ordinary, horse. Dottie’s not going to run in the Derby. Neither is Sprinkles. I finally recognized that night that I do want horses in my life, just not under the conditions I had before. I also like the idea that we were there for Dottie when she had nowhere else to go.”

  “So you like the rescue angle?”

  “It’s brilliant. I hope the computer game Lily developed continues to pay those nice royalties so she can afford to keep Peaceful Kingdom goin’ forever.”

  “So do I, but even if the royalties dry up, she’ll find another way to pay for it. She’ll organize fund-raisers of some kind or look for wealthy investors. She’s committed to the horses. So’s Regan.”

  Drake nodded. “You’re right. She’ll move heaven and earth if she has to.”

  “You could do that, too.”

  He looked at her in confusion. “Help her raise money? I suppose I could.”

  “No, I mean raise money for your own rescue operation. You’re a charmer, Drake. You’d be great at running a horse-adoption facility. Fund-raising would be a snap for someone with your personality.”

  The suggestion caught him completely by surprise. “I don’t... Wow, I’d never thought about me doin’ it.”

  “Think about it. You’d be a natural.”

  Slowly the possibility took hold of his imagination. “I was planning to sell my share of the practice, anyway. I could use that as seed money, maybe a down payment on a location.”

  “There you go.”

  His brain clicked into high gear. “You know where something like that is needed?”

  “Everywhere.”

  “That’s true, but I was thinking of Virginia. Racehorses are worth a ton of money until they’re not. There may already be equine rescues for racing thoroughbreds, but it’s a big industry. They could probably use another one.”

  “And you already have the vet skills. You wouldn’t have to worry about getting a volunteer for that.”

  “No, and thanks to my practice, I have a network of wealthy people who might be looking for a tax credit or a write-off. Tracy, this might actually work.” Excitement fizzed in his veins until he realized the big drawback to his plan. She wouldn’t be part of it.

  Not that she couldn’t be, but he couldn’t ask her to leave this town and the people who had practically raised her. Shoshone already had an equine-adoption facility. The town was small and didn’t need another one. Nick and Regan had the vet situation covered, and all they might require in the future was a part-time employee, somebody like Jerry Rankin.

  “You’re quiet over there.”

  “Just thinkin’.”

  “If you don’t mind thinking out loud, I’d love hearing whatever plans you’re cooking up for this new place. It’ll be wonderful, Drake. You might even have time to do some writing on the side.”

  “I might.” He decided to test her reaction to an alternative. “I wonder if maybe I should consider a different location, something closer to this area.”

  “Why? All your connections are back there, and you know thoroughbreds so well. You’re uniquely qualified to set up a rescue and adoption facility for racehorses.”

  He knew he was on shaky ground, but he’d give it a shot. “You thought this up. It seems like you should be involved, somehow.”

  She was silent for quite a while.

  “Tracy? You okay over there?”

  “Yes.”

  “Look, I realize we haven’t known each other very long, but speaking strictly for myself, I’d like to see where this relationship might go. If I head off to Virginia, we won’t get that chance.”

  Her voice was soft, but filled with sincerity. “You shouldn’t base your decision on me.”

  “But—”

  “Seriously, Drake.” Her voice grew stronger. “You haven’t said it in so many words, but I get the impression you’ve been doing what other people want for a long time. You should do what’s best for you now.”

  “What if being with you is what’s best for me? You need to be here. I get it. So if I choose to work around your needs, what’s so terrible about that?”

  “I’m not sure I can explain, but it doesn’t feel right to me. It feels as if you’re contorting your plans to fit mine instead of going straight toward your goal.”

  “Hell, I wouldn’t even have a goal if you hadn’t suggested it!” The truth was, he wanted everything. He could envision the rescue operation in Virginia perfectly. She was right that it suited him right down to the ground. But he wanted to spend more time with her and find out if they had the kind of special something that would take them through the next fifty years. He thought they might.

  Yet she was the town sweetheart, rooted firmly in this community, watched over by the likes of Josie and Jack Chance. She’d told him how much she loved it here, so coaxing her to move back east would be extremely selfish.

  He might be able to do it because she liked him and she liked the sex. She might think that would make up for all she’d lose by leaving here. But it would be like yanking a beautiful wildflower out of the ground and then wondering why it wilted and died.

  He had to think about this some more. He didn’t want to ruin the time they had together at Peaceful Kingdom by arguing about it, either. “It’s a great idea,” he said at last. “I want to mull it over for a while before making any firm decisions.”

  “Would you care to translate that? It sounds like doublespeak.”

  He chuckled. She wouldn’t let him get away with anything, which was one of her traits he cherished the most. “Okay. I love havin’ sex with you and we have the house to ourselves for at least another five nights. Let’s not mess that up with deep, philosophical discussions about the future. Let’s live for the present.”

  She didn’t answer right away, but eventually she did. “Okay.”

  “Excellent.”

  “I want you to leave your hat on.”

  “I am leaving it on. I have it on right this minute per your specific request.”

  “I mean leave it on after you’ve taken everything else off.”

  He laughed. “So when we get home, you want me naked except for my hat?”

  “That’s what I’m saying. You were turned on by my boots. I’m turned on by your hat.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “So you’ll do it?”

  “I’ll do it, although I can’t picture how it will work.”

  “That’s okay. I can.”

  * * *

  TRACY HAD A very clear picture of what she wanted, and she kep
t it firmly in mind as they drove the rest of the way home. They talked about Dottie and Sprinkles. She told him that Josie had suggested Jack could take over from this point, but she was prepared to tell Josie that wouldn’t be necessary. She’d call her boss in the morning.

  But even as she said that, she knew Josie wouldn’t need a call. She had Morgan, who might have already spread the word that Tracy was sleeping with none other than the evil Drake Brewster. Josie might not like hearing the news, but at least she wouldn’t have the kind of fit Morgan might have expected.

  They talked about Dottie and Sprinkles for the rest of the trip. Drake wanted to let both of them out into the pasture tomorrow with some supervision, and he expected the new foal’s first outing to go fine. Tracy wished she had a proper video camera instead of just her phone, but she’d make do.

  While she kept up her end of the conversation, she hadn’t stopped thinking about Drake’s equine rescue in Virginia. Establishing it there had been his instinctive response, and it was the right one. That first poem of his told her how much he loved his native state, even if he hadn’t loved his life there.

  He needed to go back and create a different life, maybe even with Jeannette. Accepting that he would not stay here wasn’t easy. It hurt like hell. But she wouldn’t let his infatuation with her ruin what could be an exciting future.

  She was convinced it was only infatuation, or perhaps even transference, a term she’d learned today while she caught up on her psych coursework during breaks at Spirits and Spurs. He wasn’t a client by any stretch. If he had been, then having sex with him would have been highly unprofessional.

  But she had urged him to talk about his problems, and he’d gained insight into his issues. That kind of intimate discussion, she’d learned, could cause people to imagine they’d fallen for the therapist. That might explain why Drake couldn’t imagine going to Virginia without her.

  She, on the other hand, had no such excuse. She was head over heels for the guy. Though it had happened quickly, she’d talked with enough women in this town to know that when lightning struck, time was irrelevant.

  She was in love, but she’d never tell him. Instead she’d do everything in her power to guarantee his future happiness. Unfortunately for her, that meant encouraging him to leave.

  Knowing the likely outcome of this brief affair made every minute bittersweet, but she didn’t want him to know that, either. She’d keep it light and fun. That was the gift they would give to each other, and she wanted him to have good memories. As would she. The best memories ever.

  After they pulled into the front yard, she let Drake help her out of the SUV because the poor guy felt guilty if he didn’t perform those courtesies for a woman. They walked hand in hand down to the barn so they could assure themselves that Dottie and Sprinkles were fine.

  They were. Once again they were curled up together fast asleep.

  Drake put his arm around Tracy’s shoulders as they watched the mare and foal. “Is it just me, or is this like when the parents come home from a night out and go check on the kids?”

  “It does feel like that, doesn’t it?” Her heart ached a little knowing that wasn’t in the cards for them, but then, she’d never really thought it would be.

  “Well, the kids are fine. Let’s go.” Squeezing her shoulder, he released her and held her hand as they walked out of the barn and latched the door behind them.

  As they started back to the house, Tracy glanced up at the moon, which was a smidgen fuller tonight. “It was about this same time when I walked down here in my silk robe and boots.”

  “Are you saying it’s only been twenty-four hours since then?”

  “Yep.” Their boots crunched on the bare dirt.

  “Hard to believe. I feel as if I’ve known you forever.”

  “I know what you mean.” In her case, she’d been waiting for him forever. He was the man destined to set her free from her mother’s rigid rules. Whatever happened, she’d have that to remember him by. Maybe another lover as exciting as Drake would come along. She doubted it, but a miracle might happen.

  “I’ll never forget how you looked clutching that blanket.”

  “I was grateful for something to hold on to. I was shaking like a leaf.”

  “I wasn’t all that steady, myself.”

  “Really?” He was so completely male and self-assured, especially wearing his new hat. “After all the experience you’ve had?”

  “I wish you’d quit referring to that. It’s not important.”

  “Of course it is! Practice makes perfect.”

  With a soft growl of frustration, he grabbed her and swung her around to face him. “Then how do you explain that when you make love with me, you are absolutely perfect? No one’s ever satisfied me more than you do.”

  She was gratified to hear it, although she couldn’t quite believe it was true. “Maybe you’re easily satisfied.”

  He blew out an impatient breath. “It’s the exact opposite. That’s why my relationships usually last a few months, at most. I’ve never been engaged. Never seriously thought about it.”

  “There could be a lot of reasons for that.” Her textbooks would probably list at least ten.

  “Or maybe there’s only one reason. Maybe nobody’s ever been right for me and I’m not right for them. Maybe when two people are right for each other, it doesn’t matter a damn bit whether they’re experienced or not. They’re operating from an instinct older than history, and when they come together, it’s magic.”

  She gazed up at him. She wanted to memorize this moment when a gorgeous cowboy with the soul of a poet spoke to her of magic while stars sparkled in the sky above him and a crescent moon hung golden with promise.

  He could be trying to convince himself that she was special because he needed that right now. She’d learned enough about psychology to understand that and not get her hopes up. But if she thought she’d find another man like this, she was kidding herself.

  “You’re magic,” she murmured. “I love being with you, Drake Brewster.”

  “Good.” He tipped back his hat as if he’d been doing it all his life. “Then let’s keep it that way.” This time his kiss wasn’t quite so sweet or quite so restrained.

  14

  DRAKE KISSED TRACY until she melted like butter and they very nearly had sex in the yard. But he wasn’t willing to lie in the dirt no matter how much he wanted her—and he didn’t have condoms with him, either.

  Getting into the house and down the hall to his bedroom was a challenge because they couldn’t stop kissing and working each other out of their clothes. Well, except for his hat. It fell off three times, and Tracy always retrieved it and placed it back on his head.

  They left a trail of clothes through the house and flung away the last of them as they stumbled through the door into his room. Thank God he’d left a light on, which kept them from running into the furniture. Drake grabbed a condom from the open box because he expected they’d dive straight into bed, but Tracy had other ideas.

  She whirled out of his arms and stood there panting. “Hold still for a minute.”

  “Why?” He already had the packet and the condom in his hand, ready for action.

  She gulped in air. “I want to...look at...my naked cowboy.”

  He was having trouble breathing, too, and he didn’t want to stand around when they could be doing something more interesting. “You’ve seen me naked before.”

  “Not when you’re wearing a hat.” She edged toward the bed. “Stay right there. Let me get in first.”

  He groaned. “Tracy...”

  “Humor me.”

  Of course he would. She could ask him to stand on his head and twirl that hat with his toes and he’d do it, or try his damnedest, because...well, because he was in love with her. Might as well face t
he fact.

  He’d imagined himself to be in love a few times, but those relationships hadn’t been anything like this—a mixture of tenderness, deep connection, wild sex and hilarity. He never wanted it to end. Impossible though it seemed, it appeared that Tracy was his first love.

  But right now she was frustrating the hell out of him. His pride and joy ached something fierce, but she had a fantasy in her head that meant delaying the action. He should be rejoicing that he was part of her fantasy, but right now, all he wanted was to—

  “Okay.” She stretched out on the bed and propped up her head with a couple of pillows. “Pull your hat down a little lower. Perfect. You look like one badass cowboy.”

  “One very aroused cowboy.”

  “I can see that.” Her gaze flicked to his johnson. “Nice.”

  “I could hang my hat on it.”

  Her lips twitched. “Don’t do that. Leave your hat on and crawl toward me from the foot of the bed.”

  “Do you want to give me dialogue to go along with this performance, or should I make something up?”

  “Make it up. Just don’t call me little lady.”

  He had no idea what a badass cowboy would say in a situation like this. In the movies he’d loved as a kid, the cowboys never even kissed the women they loved, let alone talked sexy while naked except for a hat. But he’d give it his best shot.

  He looked into her eyes. Telling her he loved her would probably freak her out. So instead he’d concentrate on bringing the heat.

  Keeping a firm hold on the condom, he braced his other hand on the bottom edge of the mattress. Then he let his gaze travel over her body with deliberate intent. She was already trembling and flushed with anticipation, but his intimate survey stepped up the pace of her breathing. Good. It certainly stepped up the pace of his.

  He pitched his voice low. “You’re right accommodatin’, sweetheart.” He rolled the condom on one-handed. Experience counted for something, after all. “It’s not every day a man finds a juicy woman without a stitch on lyin’ in his bed just waitin’ for it.” Sliding forward, he rested one knee on the bed. “And I’m here to give you what you want, darlin’.”