by Linda Bridey
Joe handed Devin a piece of paper with an offer amount on it.
Devin said, “It’s more than fair, August.” He handed the paper to his client.
August was surprised by the amount and realized just how badly Joe wanted to be rid of him.
“You’ve got one day to think about it and then the offer gets lower each day thereafter. Also, I’ll be bringing Lacey home today and we’re moving into the guest house to have privacy and to keep her away from you. I don’t want you bothering her because if you do, that offer gets lowered again,” Joe said. He turned back to Devin. “Tell your client to take this deal because it’s the best one he’s going to get. One day, Daddy. Remember that. Randy, come with me, please.” He never called Randall by his right name.
“Yes, master,” Randall said. Inside he was cheering, but his face never registered his emotions.
He followed Joe down the main hallway to Joe’s room. Once inside, Joe shut the door and grabbed Randall in an impulsive hug. “I did it, Randy! We’re gonna be rid of him!”
Randall patted Joe’s back in a reserved manner. “Yes. Congratulations, both on your new marriage and your success.”
“Thanks. Now, about that. I need you to get someone to air out the guesthouse and make it pretty in there. Flowers and whatnot,” Joe said.
Randall did smile then. Knowing that Joe was a famous playboy, he was surprised at how excited Joe sounded about bringing home his new wife. He had a feeling it was mainly due to Joe’s victory over his father, but it was still nice to see.
“Yes, sir. I’ll see to it immediately,” Randall said.
“Good man,” Joe said, and stuck some money in Randall’s uniform pocket. He clapped the butler on the back and said, “And I want an extra lock on this door even before taking care of the guesthouse. There’s no way in hell I’m letting him get his hands on these breeding charts. Here’s the key to my room. You go out the door. I’m gonna lock it behind you and go out the window.”
“Very good, sir,” Randall said, and did as Joe directed. Once he heard Joe lock the door, he took the money Joe had given him out of his pocket. He smiled as he saw the fifty dollar bill. Joe was always giving him tips and Randall usually put that money into his retirement fund. He hurried off to do Joe’s bidding.
*****
Lacey wished that Joe would make the horses go faster. Not only would she enjoy the speed, but she was anxious to see her new home. Even though Joe kept the matched bay pair at a fast trot, it felt as though they were barely walking. Joe’s spread was on a relatively flat part of the county that got a lot of sun. Around the houses and barns were a good many trees that had been planted decades before Joe’s parents had bought the estate. They provided shade for both human and animal inhabitants.
Joe was getting a real kick out of Lacey’s questions and the way her eyes shone with eagerness to see everything. He had never come across a female who was so excited about horses and who had as much knowledge about them. At one point, she even bounced on the carriage seat, which greatly amused him. Close to home, Joe held the reins in front of her. Lacey was stunned.
“You want me to drive? You trust me?” Lacey asked.
Joe nodded. “You used to drive every day, right?”
“Yeah.”
“And I’m right here beside you if there’s any trouble, but I don’t anticipate any,” Joe said.
That was all it took for her to take the reins. She closed her eyes at the familiar sensation of holding them and feeling the tug the horses’ bobbing heads made on them. Joe had rarely seen such a look of bliss on someone’s face and he was mesmerized. Then she opened her eyes and Joe said, “Take us home, Mrs. Dwyer.”
Lacey made kissing noises to the bays and then increased their pace a little. Joe watched her deftly handle the horses and he admired her skill. She leaned forward and something clicked in Joe’s head. She liked to race. He recognized the signs.
“So, just how fast is your little mare?” he asked. “I mean, it seems like you know what you’re doing. How much did you race her?”
Lacey felt a jolt of shock and looked into his eyes. “How did you know?”
“It’s the way you’re sitting,” Joe said. “I’ve done my share of racing. How fast is she?”
“Well, she’s slowed down a little the last couple of years, but her best time was two-ten and an eighth,” Lacey said.
Joe’s eyebrows rose. “Not bad at all.”
“Thanks. I worked hard with her,” Lacey said. His admiration made Lacey feel good about herself.
“I’d say you did,” Joe said.
Lacey guided the team down the drive and slowed them. She gaped at the estate. She’d never seen anything like it. All of the buildings were white with red shutters. The mansion was all on one floor, with a main body and two wings. There was another, smaller house off to the right of the main house. Joe told her that it was the guest house and that’s where they would be living. He had her take the carriage to the guest house.
She stopped the carriage and got out. Joe came around and said, “Now, just wait there a second.”
He ran to the front door and opened it. Then he ran back to her and scooped her up.
“Joe! Stop!” she said, and laughed.
“Oh, no. We’re gonna do this the right way,” he said, and took her through the door. “No way we’re going to have any bad luck.” He sat her down and looked around.
Lacey did the same. She walked through the marble-floored foyer to a parlor the likes of which she’d never seen. It was a bright, airy room with large windows. Flowers of several different varieties stood in tall vases on tables. All of the walls were a beautiful cream shade and white, gold and green drapes fluttered in the breeze from the open windows.
Everything about the house spoke of money and Lacey felt like she was in a dream as Joe showed her through it. They got to the master bedroom and Lacey became bashful when Joe said, “This is our room.”
“It’s very pretty. This whole house is marvelous,” Lacey said as a houseboy came into the room, bringing her suitcases.
He laid them on the bed and Joe said, “Thanks, Tom.”
“You’re welcome, Master Joe,” Tom said, and left.
Lacey gaped at him. “They call you ‘master’?”
Joe shrugged. “Yeah. I’ve tried to get them to stop doing it, but they won’t. I just let it go.”
“How much money do you have? I mean, with how big and beautiful this place is and people who call you ‘master’, it must be a huge amount,” Lacey said.
Joe laughed. “It is a huge amount and I don’t have an exact figure because we have liquid assets and fixed ones, too. But I intend to take my inheritance and make us enough money that our great grandchildren won’t be able to spend it all.” Then he stood still as he realized what he’d just said.
Lacey started laughing at the look on his face. “I thought children weren’t exactly in your plan.”
“Well, I just realized that I need to leave it to someone, otherwise what’s the point of amassing a fortune? I hadn’t thought of it like that before.”
“That’s one reason for having a family. The other is just because you want children to love,” Lacey said.
Joe grew a little uncomfortable with the subject and changed it. “So are you ready to go see the horses?”
“Yes!” She knew he was just distracting her, but she was happy to let him if it meant she’d be able to finally see the horses.
Joe took her hand and said, “Come with me then, darlin’.”
*****
Two hours later, Lacey felt like she was in heaven. Joe’s horses were outstanding specimens and she was looking forward to riding and driving them. There were only two horses that he was not going to let her ride or drive; Lancelot and Romeo. They were his two most prized horses and highly insured.
“Their stud fees make us a lot of money and I don’t want to risk anything happening to them,” Joe said.
“I
completely understand,” Lacey said. She would have been very nervous riding Lancelot or Romeo anyway since they were such valuable horses.
“Any other horse is fair game,” Joe said. He enjoyed the happy light in her eyes. Joe didn’t want to see that haunted look on her face anymore. “Let’s go back to the house and get you unpacked. As a matter of fact, I have to bring my stuff over. You wanna see my room at the main house?”
“Yes! I have to confess that I’ve been curious about it,” Lacey said.
“All right. Let’s go then,” Joe said.
It made Joe feel proud that Lacey liked the horses and the property so much. He hadn’t expected to have such a good time showing her around. Joe didn’t examine it too closely, though.
They entered the front foyer of the main house and Lacey stopped and gaped again. The guest house was beautiful, but the main house was magnificent. High vaulted ceilings, marble floors, and expensive drapes made it look like something out of a fairytale. Joe had to put an arm around her shoulders and pull her along to get her to move forward. She was amazed at everything about the house. As they moved through the dining room, they encountered Joe’s father.
“Well, well. This is the little lady that finally roped you, huh?” August said as he looked Lacey over. He thought that she was very pretty, but not exactly Joe’s type.
“Lacey, this is my father, August. Daddy, this is my wife, Lacey,” Joe said. He was ready to protect Lacey if August got out of hand.
August rose from his chair and walked to Lacey. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lacey. Welcome to the family.” He held out his hand to her.
Lacey cautiously took it and gave him a small smile. “Thank you very much. It’s nice to meet you, too,” she said politely. Jamie’s warning about August played through her mind.
“Shall we continue our tour, darlin’?” Joe asked.
“I would like that very much,” Lacey said.
“We’ll see you later, Daddy,” Joe said. He led Lacey through a dining room and down a wide hallway. When he saw Randall crossing the hallway, he called to him. “Randy, come here, please.”
Randall did so and asked, “How can I assist you?”
“Randy, I’d like you to meet my wife, Lacey. Lacey, this is Randall, our butler and my good friend. I call him Randy and he doesn’t seem to mind,” Joe said.
“Hello, Randall,” Lacey said. “It’s very nice to meet you.”
Randall bowed a little. “Likewise, madam. I am here to serve you. If there is anything you require, do not hesitate to ask.”
Lacey said, “Thank you so much,” as she looked into Randall’s brown eyes. “I love your accent.”
Randall smiled. “Thank you.”
“Randy, do you have those keys for me?” Joe asked.
“Yes, sir.” Randy brought them out of his jacket pocket and gave them to Joe. “Your orders were carried out as you wanted.”
Joe patted Randall’s shoulder and said, “Good man. I can always count on you. When the old man’s gone, you’re gonna get a raise.”
Randall’s eyes lit up. “Thank you, sir. You’re most kind.”
Joe said, “Don’t mention it. Well, let’s go see that room.”
Lacey followed Joe and waited while he unlocked the door to his room. He opened it and had her go in first. Lacey instantly fell in love with the room. She saw all the papers on Joe’s huge desk and began looking them over. She made sure to put them back exactly where they were so she didn’t mess up his system. Then she looked at all of the books on his shelves. They covered all sorts of horse related subjects. Even the bed was covered with papers and books.
Joe watched her closely. He was surprised at how much her opinion mattered to him. Lacey looked in fascination at all of the paintings that depicted horses in various activities such as racing and jumping. She could tell that they were expensive.
She turned to Joe and said, “Joe, this is a beautiful room.”
He laughed. “You don’t mind the mess?”
“Oh no. Not at all. I can see how much work you put into your business and it’s obvious how much you love the horses,” Lacey said. “I completely understand that. I know that this is a business arrangement, but I can’t help but feel so lucky that I married you.”
Her words deeply touched Joe in a way he had never felt before. Quickly he covered the distance between them and took her in his arms. Lacey put her hands on his chest and smiled up at him. Joe brushed his mouth against hers and when there was no resistance, he deepened the kiss. Lacey let her inhibitions go and responded strongly to him. He felt so good under her hands. She explored his shoulders and put her arms around his neck.
Joe was encouraged by her actions and tightened his hold on her. She sighed against his mouth and suddenly Joe was on fire for her. He backed her up to the bed and laid her down on it. He got rid of his jacket and vest as she watched him. Lacey wasn’t afraid or bashful as she looked at Joe. He smiled and unbuttoned one of the buttons on his shirt. Lacey smiled at him and he arched an eyebrow in a questioning manner.
Lacey nodded. She wanted to see more of Joe. Joe kept going and soon he shed his shirt. Then he laid down on the bed with her and pulled her to him. Lacey ran her hands over his bare skin, reveling in his warmth and powerful muscles. She’d never touched a man in that way and she was thoroughly enjoying the experience. Joe made her feel safe and special.
Joe kissed her again and ran his hands over her back. Lacey moved closer to him. Suddenly she couldn’t get close enough and then she felt Joe’s fingers at the top of the zipper of her dress. He kissed her neck and lightly bit her. Lacey shuddered against him.
Joe’s voice was pleasantly raspy as he said, “Darlin’, I won’t do anything you don’t want me to. You just say the word and we’ll stop, ok?”
Lacey looked into his eyes and said, “Don’t stop.”
That was all Joe needed to hear. Soon they were caught up in a powerful sensual storm and nothing else mattered but each other.
Chapter Seven
Lacey lay against Joe in a state of wonder and bliss. She now understood why physical intimacy was so sought after. Never did she imagine that it would give her such pleasure. Many of the things that Jamie and Sammi had told her about the subject entered her mind as she lay there. She moved a little and papers crinkled under her.
Joe’s mind was racing. He always enjoyed sex to the fullest, but being with Lacey felt so different, more meaningful, and he was trying to figure out why. He’d been gentle with her and yet it had been incredibly passionate at the same time. Joe rolled so he could look at her and more papers crinkled.
Lacey laughed and it made Joe laugh, too.
“I’ll bet you didn’t picture your first time being on a bed loaded with breeding charts and all kinds of notes and books, huh?” he said.
She ran a hand down his cheek. “It was perfect. You were perfect,” she said, and kissed him.
Joe kissed her back and then said, “You look so beautiful in the sunlight.”
Lacey blushed. “Thank you.”
“Don’t be shy, darlin’,” Joe said, “You’re a very desirable woman.”
“Me?” Lacey said, “That’s the first time anyone’s told me that.”
“Well, it’s true,” Joe said.
A knock on his door made them jump.
“Master Joe, you have company,” Randall said.
“All right. We’ll be right there,” Joe said.
Lacey started laughing. “He scared me to death.”
“I know,” Joe said, and got off the bed. “I’m glad I locked the door.”
They quickly pulled on their clothes and Lacey asked Joe if he had a brush. All he had was a comb. Lacey decided to just comb out her hair and let it flow freely. There was no way she was going to get it back into the style in which she’d had it. She was glad that Joe had a private wash room in which she was able to freshen up.
Joe chuckled as she came out. “I’m sorry I don’t hav
e any dresses in here for you to put on, but yours isn’t really wrinkled or anything. I like your hair down.”
“Thank you,” Lacey said. She noticed that he’d changed into a fresh shirt and vest. He didn’t bother with a jacket, though.
“Ready?” Joe said with a smile.
“Yes.”
As they left the room, Lacey felt different, more womanly. She looked at the bed and smiled. Joe followed her gaze and laughed.
“I’ll never forget it,” Lacey said as she looked up at Joe.
As Joe locked the door again, he said, “Me either.” He kissed her quickly and then they walked down the hall. They entered the parlor and Luke and Jamie greeted them.
Jamie said, “We had to come and see your house. We’ve seen this one, but not the guest house.”
Joe said, “Well, come on, then. Let’s take a tour.”
As they walked to the guest house, Jamie kept looking at Lacey. There was something different about her. She seemed to have a new confidence about her. Joe kept smiling at Lacey as they walked and Jamie noticed the way that they held hands. Luke had also noticed it and he smiled at Jamie.
They entered the guest house and Jamie and Luke admired it. Jamie liked the open design and all of the natural light.
“That’s why Luke and I made sure there were plenty of windows in our new house. We didn’t want it to be dark and closed it up,” Jamie said. She was very proud of the house they were building. Maybe it wasn’t as grand as Joe’s houses, but it was a very nice house and she was happy with it.
Luke couldn’t wait to move in. Then he and Jaime could start their family. He watched his wife as she looked around at everything and was thankful that he hadn’t lost her when she’d been shot. It had been such a scary time and he sometimes still thanked Marcus for helping heal Jamie.
Jamie caught his eye and she saw the love in his eyes for her. She went to him and hugged him. He hugged her back and put his cheek on the top of her head for a moment. Then they broke apart and followed Joe and Lacey as they showed them the rest of the place.
When the tour was over, Joe said, “Hey, how about we go out for dinner and then go to the Watering Hole? Lacey wants to hear Jamie and me sing. My treat.”