Ride a Dark Horse

by Laura Moore

  Meanwhile Tod, having snuck upstairs, spent the evening much more pleasantly entertained: wrapped in the delicious body of Miss Delia Baxter. Luckily for Tod, Caleb had managed to drink Dean Baxter under the table, so the gently snoring man never witnessed one of his best third-year students sneaking down the stairs of the Baxter home at four-thirty the following morning.

  A good thing, too, or Tod wouldn’t have had a snowball’s chance in hell when three months later he asked for the entrancing Delia’s hand in marriage. Caleb was best man at their wedding. Ten months later, Tod and Delia asked Caleb to be the godfather for their first child. They were expecting their third this August.

  From across the table Melissa watched Caleb and Cassie talking. A satisfied smile lit her features as she studied them. What a gorgeous couple they made: Caleb’s dark coloring complementing Cassie’s riotous blond hair and bright blue eyes as night complements day.

  She sat back, pleased with her effort and oh so grateful that she was no longer in her twenties, struggling with the tempestuous emotions of love. Not that she still didn’t love Hank desperately. Completely. She did. But they had something more—they had trust, and they had a true friendship that made the rough spots in a marriage that much easier to weather. She hoped Cassie and Caleb would be able to find that together.

  15

  S he never realized how much it would hurt. How her heart would feel as if it were being torn into tiny pieces. With a cry, she threw her arms around her brother’s neck. “Alex, it’s killing me to say good-bye. What will we do without you?”

  Alex enveloped his sister in a fierce hug, squeezing her hard. His own voice was tight, trying to mask his own pain. “Remember, there’s still that position with Sam Waters if you want to change your mind. You know how happy I’d be if you wanted to come back to New York.”

  “Oh, Alex. Thank you, but you know I can’t. I’ve said yes to Caleb and Hank’s offer, and I’ll see it through. For however long it lasts,” she finished with a small smile.

  “However long it lasts?” Alex repeated, zeroing in on the qualifier. “What’s up, Cass? You signed a contract, didn’t you? They’re not jerking you around . . .”

  “No, no, it’s not that at all.” Cassie shook her head reas-suringly. “It’s just that I found out last week Orion legally belongs to Caleb’s ex-wife, who is definitely not all sweetness and light. Caleb’s buying him back on a monthly payment plan, and you know how much a horse like Orion goes for. But until then, Orion’s not actually Caleb’s horse.”

  Alex digested this startling piece of information without commenting, his mind shifting into high gear. Yeah, he knew exactly what a horse of Orion’s quality would go for—about the equivalent of a luxury apartment on Park Avenue. So Wells was locked into a payment schedule for the stallion. Interesting.

  “The ex-wife owns Orion? What did you say her name was?”

  “Pamela something. I didn’t catch her last name.”

  “Doesn’t matter.” It would be easy to track down. “But Cass, that places you in a really tenuous position, right?”

  “Yeah, a bit. But that’s how it is in the horse world, easy come, easy go . . .”

  “Cassie, listen,” Alex interrupted urgently. “Think about this carefully.” His arms reached out to clasp her shoulders as blue eyes akin, yet markedly different, met. “Look, you know I’ve got enough money just from interest on my investments to back you if you want to buy a farm of your own. I’d like to give it to you. Sure, I might have to commit the cardinal sin and dip into capital to get you some of the horses you’d need, but you could start out small and you’d be the boss. Complete control, Cassie. And I’d have the fun of earning the money back. It’d be great. You don’t need to stay here.” And then I wouldn’t feel like I’m losing you and the twins, and losing my sense of self when I go.

  With a shaky smile, Cassie stepped forward, slipping her arms about her brother’s waist, hugging him convulsively. Cassie knew Alex would do anything for her, whatever the cost personally or financially. He was the best brother, the best friend she could have. But no matter how tempting his offer was, she couldn’t accept it.

  With a small shake of her head, Cassie stepped back, breaking the link of his arms. Alex dropped his hands to his sides, his handsome face registering defeat.

  Cassie bit her lip. “I’m sorry, Alex, but I just can’t accept your offer. I’ll ride at Five Oaks for however long it lasts. You’ve done so much already for me and the twins. But I’ve got to prove to myself that I can succeed on my own. I need to stand on my own two feet.”

  “Aw Cass, anyone who knows you recognizes how competent you are. You don’t need to prove anything.”

  “But I do,” she replied urgently. “Since the accident, since Brad and I broke up, you’ve been taking care of us, protecting us, keeping us safe. But now I’ve got to take some chances, show myself I’ve got what it takes to succeed. I’ve got to grow up.”

  It pained him that Cassie couldn’t see just how much she had grown since Tom and Lisa’s deaths. Sure, he’d arranged things financially. But it was Cassie who’d had the courage to become a mother, to put her life on hold when the twins were still babies. He knew few people who would have surrendered their independence so graciously without complaint. For that reason alone he would let her try her wings at Five Oaks.

  But as he looked at his sister standing before him and heard the animated shrieks of the twins playing noisily in the backyard, despair rocked him. How in the world will I survive without the twins and you? he thought to himself. He wasn’t certain he could, but for his sister’s sake, he wouldn’t reveal just how lost, how empty he felt at the prospect of returning to New York without them.

  “Cass, promise me something. If this job here doesn’t work out for any reason whatsoever, come back. I don’t want to torture myself worrying that you and the twins are unhappy.”

  Cassie nodded tremulously, her eyes bright with unshed tears.

  “And you’ll send the kids back with Thompson for visits often, like for Memorial Day and for part of their summer vacation?”

  Again, Cassie nodded her head. “Of course, you silly ” she teased, a catch in her voice. She wanted the conversation to end on a cheerful note. “You don’t imagine that Sophie and Jamie aren’t going to need frequent visits with their Uncle Alex? My guess is you’ll be making so many trips back here that your latest flame . . .” She paused, pretending to search for an elusive detail. “Uh, Diana, right?”

  At Alex’s amused nod, she continued. “Diana will doubtless think you’ve got another woman tucked away down in Virginia.” She gave a mock shudder. “Boy I’d hate to see her jealous. ‘Hell hath no fury’ and all that.”

  Alex laughed, drawing her head back to rest against his collarbone. “Can it, Sis. I can handle Diana. Just make sure I get lots of avuncular time.”

  “Is that like quality time?”

  “No, a whole lot more fun. Pizzas by the carton, daily pilgrimages to FAO’s, movies, you name it. Serious spoiling sessions.”

  “Lord help us.”

  Alex checked the time on his steel-linked Swiss watch. The taxi he’d arranged to pick him up was due any minute. He’d refused Cassie’s offer to drive him herself, unwilling to have his sister make the long return trip alone. He also needed time to himself, time to accustom himself to the icy numbness that was invading his heart. The impersonal anonymity of a taxi ride suited him perfectly.

  The sound of car tires rolling over the gravel momentarily disrupted the chickadees’ song as they flitted from branch to branch in the bushes next to the house. Cassie and Alex watched from the porch as a blue and silver sedan marked Dan’s Taxi pulled alongside them. The driver leaned out his car window.

  “You called for a cab?”

  “Yes. Be with you in five minutes.” The cabdriver folded himself back into the front seat of his car and cut the engine while Alex turned back to face his sister.

  So little time lef
t and now he had to bring up the thing that had been weighing on his mind since he’d first arrived. “Cass, there’s one last thing I wanted to say. Be careful with Caleb Wells.”

  “What do you mean?” Her tone was cautious.

  “Cass, there’s not enough time now to be subtle. I should have talked to you about this earlier, but the weekend flew by faster than I expected. Look, it’s clear the guy has the hots for you. Real bad. A blind man could see it. I don’t want you to end up getting hurt.”

  Cassie stiffened. “I guess you think I’m pretty hopeless where men are concerned. I know I’m not as sophisticated as you, but I think I can tell when a man just wants sex with no strings. After all, I spent so many years watching you go through girls like you were sampling the flavor of the week.”

  Ouch. He’d deserved that one. “That’s not what I mean. It’s just that after Brad . . .”

  “I’m over Brad,” Cassie interrupted firmly. Determined to avoid a fight with her brother, Cassie summoned a smile. “Come on, Alex, you know how busy we’re going to be with the show season around the corner. I don’t think you have to worry about Caleb trying to hustle me into his bed.”

  Yeah, right. But Alex realized it was useless to continue. He’d keep as close tabs as possible on the situation. If he found out Wells had caused even one tear to fall from Cassie’s eyes, he’d destroy him. Thanks to Cassie, she’d provided him with a way of doing that quite neatly.

  “All right, Cass, I won’t pester you. But remember what I said. I’ve got to grab my bag. Can you tell Thompson and the twins I’m leaving?”

  They were all assembled and waiting when he came down the staircase, the broad strap of his leather-trimmed weekend bag resting on his shoulder, his hand gripping the small, black case with his laptop. Setting both down, he knelt, his arms spread open wide. Jamie and Sophie flew into their uncle’s arms. He clasped them to him and breathed in the sweet, distinctly childlike fragrance of their hair.

  He swallowed hard, struggling to find his voice. “You two be good, okay? Don’t give your mom and Thompson too much trouble.”

  “We won’t, Uncle Alex ” they promised solemnly.

  “I’ll be seeing you very soon. At the end of May you’ll have a holiday. Thompson and you can come visit me in New York.”

  “Goody. When’s May?” Sophie asked.

  “In just two months.”

  “Oh. Okay.”

  Alex smiled, an uncomfortable ache lodged in his chest. The five-year-olds hadn’t a clue as to how long a month was, let alone a week. He envied them. He wished his conception of time were as fluid. For him, the months stretched ahead interminably. “Take care, Thompson.”

  Thompson nodded. “We’ll take good care of them, don’t you worry, Alex. And you remember not to work so hard. We expect a visit from you before Memorial Day.”

  “Sure thing. Cassie, let me know how things are going with the kids and school. . . . I love you.”

  “We love you, Alex. Have a safe trip back. And don’t forget what Thompson said. We want you back here soon.” Cassie kissed Alex’s cheeks, willing herself once more not to cry. Especially not in front of the twins.

  Alex turned and hurried down the steps. Pausing briefly he lifted his hand in a final farewell to Jamie and Sophie before disappearing into the taxi. His family stood watching until the taxi was lost from sight.

  He heard the sniffle and the muffled hiccup in that brief millisecond of dead air on the radio, as one song fades and another has yet to begin. Following the noise, he found her in one of the pony’s stalls. Topper, he remembered. She was standing with her back to the stall door, her arms wrapped around the old grey pony’s neck, her head bowed, resting on the crest of its mane.

  Sobbing her heart out.

  He was at a complete loss. What should he do, slip quietly away leaving her to cry until no more tears could fall? Or risk embarrassing her by intruding and forcing her to share this overwhelming sorrow?

  It was the second hiccup combined with her anguished cry of “Oh, God, help me!” that decided him. Moving swiftly to her side, laying his broad hand gently on her rounded shoulder so as not to startle her. Surprised nonetheless, she jumped and turned to face him—her breath whooshing out in a shaky “oh”—to find him standing so close, his face etched with concern as he looked down at her.

  Cassie’s blue eyes, normally so clear and bright, like sapphires set against a snow-white satin, now swam in a red, salty sea. Red blotches stood in isolated patches across her forehead and cheeks. Her nose was raw from blowing and sniffling.

  She had been crying long and hard. Not the pretty barely-run-your-mascara kind of crying some women excelled at, but a gut-twisting crying that tore one apart with its intensity.

  He looked into her shiny, tear-soaked face and was lost. Gently, he gathered her into his arms. His hands rubbed up and down the length of her slim back in long, slow soothing strokes as he murmured, his voice low and quiet, “Come on, Slim, don’t cry. Please don’t cry. It will be all right. Shhh, everything’s going to be fine.”

  Cassie’s arms were folded tightly at the elbows, both hands clutching fistfuls of Caleb’s shirt front in much the same way she had grabbed the pony’s mane earlier for comfort. Her sobs were now mixed with broken, jumbled words of explanation. Caleb, his head bent, strained to catch them.

  “I’m sorry. I was doing fine. I was not crying. I didn’t cry when he left. I didn’t even cry when he kissed Jamie and Sophie good-bye. I came here to let Topper and Pip out in the pasture before the twins come to ride this afternoon.” Her voice rose on a soft wail of despair. “But then that song by Eric Clapton came on, ‘Tears in Heaven.’ I can’t bear that song. I always think of Tom and Lisa, of how much Sophie and Jamie have lost . . . and now Alex is gone. What am I going to do?” she wailed, her head rubbing from side to side against Caleb’s damp shirt front as a new wave of tears spilled forth.

  He absorbed the spasms racking her shoulders and back. His arms tightened, offering his strength and silent comfort, for words failed him. Hoping that his physical presence would suffice, he began to rock slowly back and forth, bringing her body with him, an unconscious gesture to soothe, as one might a small infant.

  Long aching minutes passed.

  Slowly, slowly she began to settle.

  With some semblance of calm came complete and utter embarrassment. Cassie’s immediate reaction was to step out of the circle of his arms, but Caleb simply drew her right back against the solid frame of his body, his hand cupping the back of her head to cradle it near his heart.

  Yielding to his strength, she stood quietly in his arms, listening to the steady thud of his heart against the shell of her ear. A small, but audible sigh escaped her.

  “What? What are you thinking?” Caleb’s deep voice whispered above her.

  She gave a tiny broken laugh, her voice small when she spoke. “Well, I was thinking that I certainly won’t have to worry now about embarrassing myself in front of you. This episode should hold me for quite some time.”

  “Nonsense, Cassie, you didn’t embarrass yourself at all. You . . . you’re . . .”

  Cassie raised her head, lifting her eyes as she waited for him to finish his sentence. Caleb’s gaze traveled slowly over her tear stained features.

  His insides churned with an unnamed emotion as his eyes caught and held hers. Her eyes still reddened from crying, her lashes still damp from tears. His head dipped, coming closer until his lips were a whisper away.

  “You’re wonderful,” his lips breathed as his mouth finally claimed hers.

  The kiss started slow. Lips tentative, brushing, caressing with the delicacy of a butterfly alighting on a rosebud. Their mouths shifted, retreated, and came together again lingeringly, each time tarrying longer.

  Caleb tasted the salty remains of Cassie’s tears on her upper lip as his tongue traced its lush outline. Feeling the breathy sigh of pleasure at his sensuous exploration, his tongue slipped inside, slowl
y savoring the honeyed sweetness he found there.

  This kiss was different, thought Cassie dreamily. Before, Caleb’s clever, devastating kisses had seduced, delighted, and overwhelmed, Caleb making his hunger for her thrillingly apparent. But this time, Cassie detected something new. Caleb was giving more than he was taking. Though she was still raw and bruised from anguish, from the force of her tears, Caleb’s kisses were like a salve, gently easing Cassie’s hurt.

  She never wanted him to stop.

  She molded her body closer to his, pressing the fullness of her breasts against the muscular wall of his chest. She felt the intense heat of his body through the cotton fabric of her blouse. She wanted to be closer. Stepping forward, her legs aligned themselves, toe to toe, hip to hip, with Caleb’s. She gloried in the rush of sheer feminine power as she felt Caleb’s arms slide from the top of her shoulders to her waist, drawing her convulsively against his lean length. Hard against her belly, the rigid length of his erection strained the fabric of his jeans. Just the feel of his arousal turned her limbs to liquid, as a fiery heat pooled at her core.

  She wanted him.

  She returned his kiss, her mouth hungry frantic with passion. With increasing desperation his lips responded, giving, taking, and then giving some more. His usually clever fingers moved to the front of her blouse to fumble awkwardly with the buttons. Inch by inch, he spread the edges of her shirt wide, revealing skin that rivaled the silky smoothness of her peach colored satin bra.

  Panting, he tore his mouth from hers. His voice rough with desire. “Wait. I have to see you.” Head bent so that his forehead could rest lightly against hers, Caleb opened his fingers, slowly pushing the fabric up and off Cassie’s shoulders, until the material hung loosely off her elbows, draped at the small of her back. Reverently, his hands cupped the gentle swell of her breasts. Cassie’s nipples tightened into sensitive buds, small pebbles hard against the palms of his hands. Her knees buckled as Caleb’s beautiful mouth blazed a fiery trail down to the lace-trimmed edge of her bra.