'I'm not sure if I should be angry with you, or grateful,' Jack muttered drily, but without shifting his eyes away from the binoculars.
'Grateful would be the more sensible option.'
'I presume Lois told you about Katrina.'
'Only the bare facts. I asked her if you were rich and she told me of your own recent money troubles, which led on to her mentioning Katrina's defection to George.'
'Ah... I see... Yes... That explains everything.'
He fell silent then, seemingly intent on the race. It was only a sprint and the runners were already approaching the turn into the straight, with three of them vying for the lead and another pair hot on their heels. It looked like being an exciting finish.
Yet, for the first time during the running of a horse race, Courtney found her mind wandering away from the action.
A couple of things had begun puzzling her. She could understand why Jack hadn't quite got over Katrina yet.
After all, he was the one who'd been dumped. And the woman was simply stunning to look at. Courtney i suspected she was hot stuff in bed as well. I i
But Katrina's jealousy on seeing Jack with another female seemed over the top. 'What on earth had she expected? That a man like him would never turn his eye elsewhere? Had she imagined for a moment that she was irreplaceable in Jack's life, that her betrayal would turn him into an embittered celibate?
The idea was laughable. The woman had to have a screw loose.
Unfortunately, it did seem as if Jack hadn't turned his eye elsewhere as yet. He'd come here today alone, hadn't he? She was just a pretend girlfriend,
'You're far better off without her, you know,' she announced with pragmatic logic just as the horses flashed past the post 'If she didn't love you poor, then she didn't love you at all, did she?'
Jack lowered his binoculars and gave her a long, hard look. 'I know you meant well in doing what you just did, Courtney. And in a way I'm grateful to you. But you really don't know what you're talking about where Katrina and I are concerned. Neither does Lois. She...oh, oh, talk of the devil. Lois is about to descend upon us. Now, for pity's sake, don't relay to her anything that just happened. And you can drop the besotted girlfriend bit Katrina and co have left the bar.'
Courtney pulled a face. 'Pity. I was rather enjoying myself. What about when Big Brutus wins? Shouldn't I revive the role, at least for the presentation?'
'Let's wait till the horse actually wins, shall we?' Jack stated drily. 'Hi, there, Lois. Time for a glass of champers?'
CHAPTER FOUR
'So WHAT do you think, Courtney?' Jack asked ten minutes before the main race. 'Will Big Brutus win, or not?'
They were standing by the parade ring, watching the grooms leading their charges around in circles. Lois was standing in the grassed centre, giving her hoop last-minute instructions and suddenly looking very much the professional horsetrainer she was.
'Come on,' Jack persisted. 'You're the horse expert here. Give me your expert advice.'
Courtney had to admit she was impressed by Big Brutus's appearance this time in. He was beginning to look like the classy thoroughbred his breeding indicated, most of his earlier ugly angles filled in with hard muscle.
And there was that superior look in his eye which often denoted a good racehorse. Her mother had always had faith in Big Brutus and her mother had been no mean judge of horseflesh.
'He certainly looks the goods today,' she said. 'Worth a bet at the odds.' He was twelve to one.
'Mmm.' Jack reached for his wallet. 'Each way?'
'Betting each way is for little old ladies,' she scorned. 'Better to put your money straight out on two horses than wimp out on one.'
'Heaven help any man who looked a wimp in front of you!' he returned, smiling wryly. 'Straight out it will be, then. Stay where you are. I'll be back shortly.'
Courtney watched him counting out a lot of notes as he hurried off. She hoped he wasn't going to put too much money on Big Brutus's nose. He probably couldn't afford it. Besides, her record of tipping winners wasn't all that great Too biased, most of the time.
Strangely, she wasn't much of a gambler herself. Her thrill whenever a Crosswinds-bred horse raced was just as great with or without a tbet on it. She didn't need any extra adrenaline charge. Her excitement level was already at its zenith, just watching one of their horses run around. To see it win was the ultimate joy.
Her heart contracted at this last thought. If only her mum could have been here today. She loved it when one of her horses won.
Though hi this instance it was a case of if, not when.
'If you're watching from up there, Mum,' she murmured under her breath with an upward glance into the clear blue sky, 'then ask the Lord for a little help. No, a lot of help. This is Big Brutus here. As you know, the best he's finished so far is second. In a maiden!'
The reality of Big Brutus's past form hit home and Courtney sighed Lois really shouldn't build people's hopes up.
By the time Jack returned to lead her up into the stand to watch the race, Big Brutus' price had tumbled to an alarming six to one.
'My God, how much money did you put on?' she questioned as they squeezed into a spot in the stands not too far from the winning post.
'Nothing I can't afford,' he returned calmly.
'Yeah, right And if Big Brutus doesn't win? I'll bet come Monday you'll be heading for the dole queue.'
'But you said he would win.'
'I said no such thing!' she protested. 'I said he looked well. If you want to lose the rest of your savings on a stupid horse race, then that's your problem. I didn't twist your arm.'
True,' he said with a smile.
He wouldn't be looking so cool when Big Brutus ran down the track, Courtney thought angrily. Men! Egotistical fools, the lot of them!
Despite her dismissal of any personal responsibility for Jack's bet, Courtney's stomach began churning and chundering like an old washing machine stuck on the spin cycle.
"They're off!' she shouted simultaneously with the course commentator, every muscle in her body tightening.
It wasn't a big field. Only ten starters. But when Big Brutus settled down at the tail soon after the start, Courtney had to stifle a groan of dismay. As much as she kept telling herself this was Randwick, where horses could come from behind once they topped the rise into the straight, Big Brutus's record in races up till now didn't help. He was a good stayer, all right. He usually stayed at the back of the field.
By the time they reached the back straight, with half the race already over, Big Brutus was still running last. Admittedly, the front runners were setting a brisk pace, which meant they might tire, and Big Brutus did look as if he was just jogging.
'Get a move on, you ugly old brute!' she burst out at long last.
'You talking about the horse or the jockey?' Jack quipped drily out of the side of his mouth.
She threw him a vicious glance, warning him that any smart-alec chitchat was not a good idea at this stage of proceedings. But he wasn't looking at her. His eyes were glued to his binoculars.
'Move him up closer,' Courtney urged loudly from the stand, cupping her hands around her mouth as though by some miracle this action would funnel the advice half a mile away.
'Now, that's definitely advice for the jockey,' Jack muttered, bringing an exasperated sigh from Courtney.
'It's your money going down the gurgler,' she pointed out tartly, whereupon Jack dropped his binoculars and started shouting advice as well.
They both fell deathly silent, however, when the field swung into the straight and a still trailing Big Brutus was pulled out into the centre of the track to make his run. His long legs lengthened stride and he began to gobble up his opposition. With a furlong to go he swept past the tiring front runners.
"The ugly old brute is going to win,' Jack said with awe in his voice. 'Lois was right!'
The reality of his words snapped Courtney out of her own frozen state of shock, and she started jump
ing up and down. 'Go, boy, go!' she chanted like a demented rock groupie. 'Go! Go! Go!'
Big Brutus went all right, leading the field by ten lengths, stretching out his neck at the winning post as all really good racehorses do. An ecstatic Courtney threw her arms around Jack. 'He won!' she cried. 'He won!'
'He sure did,' Jack said, grinning and making no attempt to disengage her.
'You must have won a good bit,' she said, so pleased for him.,
'More than a good bit. The bookie is going to be the one heading for the dole queue after he pays me out, I can assure you.'
'Fantastic! Lois, did you hear that? Jack won a stack on Big Brutus.'
Lois didn't hear a thing. She was too busy hugging everyone within hugging distance. It suddenly crossed Courtney's mind that Katrina was probably watching all this hooha from somewhere in the crowded stand. With that thought in mind, she launched herself up on tiptoe and kissed Jack full on the mouth.
For a second or two, she thought he was going to spoil everything and push her way.
But he didn't do any such thing. He did just the opposite. He yanked her hard against him and kissed her back, kissed her with an incredibly explosive passion, kissed her till everything in her head was scattered to the four winds and there was nothing but his lips grinding against hers, his tongue deep in her mouth, and his hands burning hot through her clothes.
And then...then he pushed her away.
She gasped and stared up at him with startled eyes. He laughed softly, gathering her close again. She didn't resist. She couldn't resist
Amazing...
'Be careful what you start wanting, Courtney Cross,' he whispered into her ear. 'Or you just might get it'
Lois's tapping Jack on the shoulder had him drawing back once more.
'Hate to interrupt, folks,' she said, giving a flushed Courtney a raised-eye glance. 'But it's time to go lead Big Brutus in. Would you like to do the honours, Courtney?'
Courtney snapped out of her highly uncharacteristic fluster to congratulate Lois on her brilliant training of Big Brutus, grateful for the opportunity to turn her mind from Jack's kiss. She'd been dangerously turned on there for a while. And he'd known it.
Courtney never liked a man to think he had her at a disadvantage. She liked to call the shots in every aspect of her life. And that included her sex life.
'You do realise you're leading in a Melbourne Cup contender,' Lois remarked happily as the three of them made their way downstairs.
The Melbourne Cup! Courtney had to admire Lois's optimism. Admittedly, after today, she respected the woman's judgement a good deal more. But Australia's premier staying race over two miles was a big step up from today's mediocre-class handicap.
'You've actually entered him?' Courtney asked, knowing that was not a cheap exercise in itself.
'Your mother did.'
'My God, wasn't that just like her?'
'Your mother knew what she was doing, Courtney. The horse has got a good chance. It's a handicap race, remember? Big Brutus will get in with a very light weight. Of course, he'll have to win one of the qualifying lead-up races to ensure him of a start. But he'll do that easily, after today.'
'Lord, don't say 'things like that in front of Jack!' Courtney exclaimed. 'Or he'll make Big Brutus favourite next time! He might even be tempted to take some of those ridiculous odds they give Melbourne Cup entries months in advance.'
It was three months till the big race itself took place, on the first Tuesday in November. A veritable lifetime in horse racing. A million things could happen to stop them even taking their place at the start!
And then there was the race itself. Twenty top stayers from all over the world vying for the biggest prize money on the Australian racing calendar, every owner trying, every jockey riding more recklessly and ruthlessly than usual.
'Tell Jack not to waste his winnings, Lois,' Courtney advised firmly. 'Tell him to wait and see how things pan out.'
'As long as Jack's paying Big Brutus's training fees,' Lois said, I'll be telling him the truth as I see it. Big Brutus has a good chance in the Cup, Jack. Make no mistake about that. And I'll get him to the post. Make no mistake about that, either. Your money could do worse than to ride round on such a noble animal's back.'
Courtney rolled her eyes at Jack, who tactfully smothered his laughter.
They'd barely made it downstairs and out onto the grass when a tall, balding chap with a microphone grabbed Lois for an on-the-spot television interview.
Courtney hurried over to lead Big Brutus back into the number one gate, patting his sweaty neck and telling him what a good horse.he was before remembering to congratulate the jockey on his brilliantly patient ride.
'Just followed instructions,' the jockey said. 'Frankly, you could have knocked me over with a feather when he took off like he did. Never done that before. Still, now that he's hit his straps, I think the big boy will go on to better things. I'd be very happy to have the ride on him again, no matter what race he starts in.'
'What was the jockey saying to you?' Jack asked on her eventually returning to his side.
'He wants to ride Big Brutus, no matter what race he's entered in.'
'And what do you think?'
'I think you kiss very well.' Couldn't leave him thinking he'd really rattled her.
He shook his head, laughing. 'You're incorrigible, do you know that?'
'Agnes tells me as much, practically every day.'
'Who's Agnes?'
'She's the housekeeper at Crosswinds. She's also the woman who delivered me. Mum hired her when she was pregnant because of Agnes's midwifery skills. She didn't want any man attending to her, you see. Agnes helped raise me, too. But she gave up when I was around seven. They say that's the age of reason. Agnes claims seven was the age of my becoming wzreasonable.'
'Perceptive woman, this Agnes.'
'Really!'
'Well, you do suffer from a serious lack of discipline and self-control. One day someone is going to have to take you in hand.'
'Mmm. Sounds kinky. Would you like to volunteer?"
'I thought I already warned you about being provocative.'
'Hey, it was your tongue halfway down my throat,' she tossed at him, 'not the other way around.'
'And weren't you loving it?'
'Is that a crime?'
'No. It's a bloody temptation,' he growled.
'Stop scowling,' she ordered. 'Superbitch is making her way out for the presentation.'
'Superbitch' He practically choked.
'Yeah.' Courtney grinned up at him. 'Good name for her, isn't it?'
He chuckled darkly. 'You could say that. But you could also say that a certain Ms Courtney Cross runs a close second in the Superbitch stakes.'
Courtney fluttered her eyelashes up at him in mock coyness. 'Who? Li'l ole me? I'm just a poor country girl, trying to keep my head in the company of one very handsome city slicker.'
'Who do you think you're kidding, sweetheart? You could eat this city slicker for breakfast, then spit me out by lunch-time before getting on your horse and riding out of town without a backward glance.'
'You think so?'
'Honey, I know so. I've always been attracted to strong-willed, independent women with more hide than an elephant, so don't come any of that soft-soap rubbish with me. It won't wash. Now, put on your best Supersiren smile, if you must, and we'll go face Superbitch together.'
So saying, Jack slid an uncompromisingly steely arm around her waist and steered her over to where preparations for the presentation had been carried out on the lawn in front of the members' stand. There was a table which held three magnificent silver and crystal trophies, one large one for the owners, and two smaller replicas for the trainer and jockey, plus a microphone on a stand waiting to service the various speakers.
Oddly, acting the part of Jack's girlfriend during the ceremony didn't amuse Courtney as much this time. She was far too aware of that firm arm around her waist, and the way it
kept her glued to his side. It was one thing to admire Jack's macho body from a distance, quite another to feel various muscular parts of it hard up against her, and around her.
There was his long, strong thigh for starters. And the long, strong side of his chest. But mostly that long, strong arm, with its long, strong fingers, whose fingertips began tapping on her hip halfway through the sponsor's speech.
Each tap sent tiny sparks of electricity dancing all through her body, heating her blood and heightening her concern over the ease with which Jack could turn her on. He wasn't even kissing her this time. Just touching her.
Miranda Lee - Marriage At A Price Page 4