MILLIONAIRE'S SHOT: Second Chance Romance Page 14
His masculine scent surrounded her, leaving every inch of her skin tingling. Her tender nipples jutted against her shirt. Her brain screamed warnings but her traitorous body arched toward him. Even her lips felt thick, full, parting in invitation…
“Dad!”
She jerked back.
“Dad,” Grace repeated. She rushed toward them, waving her mallet in one hand, the bucket of balls in the other. “I found every ball I hit. Some of them were hard to see because of those white flowers.”
Cassie sat up, her arms clutching her knees. Alex had already risen, his movements unusually stiff for such an athletic man.
“Good job,” he said. “And tomorrow Santiago can give you some pointers.”
“But what about my lessons here? I want Cassie.”
“Everyone wants her,” Alex said. His voice shifted as he glanced over his shoulder, his heated eyes locked on Cassie. “But she’s flying to West Virginia with me tomorrow. We need to look after some long-overdue…business affairs.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Cassie leaned closer to the curved window, peering down at the fields as the plane gained altitude. Thoroughbred farms had a distinctive appearance from the air with their white fences and oval training tracks. She hoped the pilot would circle to the east, over the vast Sutherland Estate. Then maybe she could pick out Gramps’ tiny farm. However, in seconds a wall of clouds blocked her view.
“Coffee? Fruit?” Alex asked, unclipping his seatbelt. “There are also fresh bagels and muffins.”
She gave an appreciative nod, rose and followed him down the plane’s short aisle. Her grandfather had still been sleeping when Alex picked her up, and she’d barely had time to grain and hay the horses. There certainly had been no time for breakfast.
“This is a beautiful plane.” She glanced around, absorbing the white leather sofa, the surprisingly wide aisle and the spacious food and drink galley. She’d been on chartered flights for her wrangler’s job and had flown into some remote locations, but Alex’s jet reached a different level of luxury. “Do you use it a lot?”
“Definitely.” He opened a gleaming stainless steel fridge and pulled out a tray of fruit. “I do a lot of business up here. A plane saves time and is the one place where privacy is guaranteed.”
His property was gated so she suspected he was talking about getting away from Rachel. Clearly his ex-wife took a keen interest in his activities. Maybe this was where Alex brought his girlfriends. It was obvious he didn’t want any permanent entanglements; his life was devoted to Grace.
But he must be getting sex somewhere. She knew for a fact he was extremely virile. Although maybe he continued to sleep with Rachel. That would explain why she still lived on the estate. And why she was so obsessed about keeping other women away.
Cassie spotted a bed tucked behind a privacy curtain and jerked her gaze away. She didn’t want to think about Alex’s ex-wife or how many other women he might have. And if he did use that back room to check out the talents of his female business associates, it was none of her business.
“A plane makes travel easier,” Alex said, his perceptive eyes on her face. “Less time in airports and a flexible schedule lets me come home every evening. Sometimes Grace flies with me. That bed was added for her,” he added. “It’s not a casting couch.”
“I didn’t think that.” She fumbled with a bagel. “Not really.”
“Yes, you did,” he said quietly. “Maybe you’ve been in the movie industry too long. Have you ever thought about training and teaching back here?”
“Gramps would like that.”
“So would I,” he said. He passed her a plate. “Do you still like mango? There’s some here. Kiwi as well.”
She took the serving spoon he pressed into her fingers, barely listening as he teased about how dubious she’d been the first time she’d tasted mango. But her mind was whirling. He wants me to move back! That was the first time he’d actually said it. And he certainly wasn’t the type to say things he didn’t mean.
Her chest swelled with an airy hope and she felt light enough to fly. Didn’t need this beautiful plane. She scooped some fruit on her plate, picked up some cream cheese for her bagel and even remembered to add a splash of milk to her coffee. But she was on auto pilot now, her mind whirling.
They’d always been good together, enjoying the same things and making each other feel whole. Already it seemed like they’d never been apart. Alex even looked younger, and the lines around his mouth had smoothed.
He’d seated himself beside her on the sofa, his arm brushing against her while he ate. And it felt so right.
“We don’t have much time,” he said, almost apologetically. “The plane will be landing in twenty minutes so we need to eat fast.”
She was too happy to have much of an appetite so that wasn’t an issue. She nibbled at her fruit then took another sip of coffee. She needed to put his words away for now and focus on the real reason they were flying to South Virginia—to find Grace a horse. It needed to be a quick trip. She didn’t want Gramps doing any barn chores.
“The equine center is a half hour from the Three Brooks airport,” she said. “And the airport is small. So it would save time if we call ahead and book a taxi.”
“We’re landing at a private strip,” he said. “A driver will be waiting on the tarmac.”
She nodded, not really surprised that he had already made arrangements or that they were using a private strip. But even Derek Burke, owner of the Center, relied on public planes. When she was young, she’d been accustomed to Alex’s wealth—the expensive horses and fancy cars—but now he had even bigger toys.
“You’ve done well with Sutherland Holdings,” she said quietly. “Managing all those investments. I gather you didn’t wreck its net worth.”
“Doubled it,” he said.
She almost spilled her coffee. Then she gave his fingers a congratulatory squeeze. “That’s wonderful.” Her voice rang with pride. “Remember those reporters saying a playboy like you would fritter it all away? That the only thing you knew was polo. I wish your father could see what you’ve done.”
“So do I. Maybe he would have been happy about it but I don’t know. I’ve changed some strategies. Our management team is investing more in the Pacific Rim now, not so much in Europe. ”
“He would have been very proud,” she said.
Alex looked skeptical, his expression reminding her of all the times he’d tried to please his parents, only to be disappointed. They’d been so aloof, letting him grow up thinking he was undeserving, barely noticing his considerable accomplishments. Certainly never acknowledging them.
“You were always so good at sports, at school, everything,” she said, remembering how he’d tutored her in math when Gramps had thrown up his hands in despair. “I think they were always proud of you. They just weren’t good at showing it.”
His spontaneous chuckle made her grin, and they both smiled at each other, because the thought of Alex’s parents showing any kind of approval was frankly quite ludicrous. He reached up and cupped her face. “Damn, I missed you, Cass.”
His thumb skimmed her cheek, then caressed the top of her lip, his eyes holding hers. Her breath leaked out. She didn’t want to tell him to stop, even if she were capable of speech—which she wasn’t. Merely breathing was hard enough. Her entire body quivered with desire, his very closeness filling her with anticipation.
Then his mouth replaced the pad of his thumb and her lips automatically parted. Pleasure shot through her as his tongue linked with hers, and he kissed her with a hungry intensity. By the time he lifted his head, she clutched his shoulders with both hands, her breath reduced to gasps. A warning sounded on the intercom above her head, and she heard Alex’s regretful groan.
“We’re landing in ten minutes,” he said, his mouth pressed against the side of her neck. And it was obvious that his breathing was every bit as ragged as hers. “We need to move back to our seats and belt in.”
/>
He rose and scooped up the dishes, putting everything away with his usual economy of motion. Yet somehow he managed to keep his hand splayed around her hip.
And then she was back sitting in her seat by the window and he was clipping her belt, and his long arm was draped around her shoulders.
“Tell me more about the Center,” he said. “And the horse we’re going to see.”
His hand played with her hair, sending tingles of awareness skimming down her neck. “He’s a bay gelding,” she managed, trying to turn her thoughts to horses. “Eight years old, fourteen two hands high. Apparently very even minded.”
Alex linked his other hand through hers. “And what about the Center? How did you like it? Were you okay when you first arrived?”
When she first arrived. After he’d dumped her for a pregnant Rachel. And then she realized why he was holding her hand, why his arm remained wrapped around her. He was monitoring her reaction.
She knew she’d stiffened but he continued stroking her hair, and she didn’t really want to move. Besides, it was easier to be honest, to talk freely when she was pressed against him like this. And he knew it. She could feel his concern, along with the heightened pounding of his heart, and it no longer seemed important to maintain her pride. To hide the depth of her anguish.
“I was devastated,” she admitted.
She felt the warmth of his mouth against her hair, the press of his lips. “I was too, Cass.”
She left her head resting against his chest, her fingers entwined in his hand. “It was probably good for me to leave though,” she said. “And make my own way. I might have stayed working with Gramps my whole life.”
“So they treated you well? At the Center?”
“The first month was challenging. All the best positions went to locals and in the beginning I was limited to mucking out stalls and galloping headstrong horses that nobody else wanted to ride. But I worked my way into a full-time riding job. I even galloped a Derby winner once.” She couldn’t keep the note of pride from her voice. The equine center was an elite spa that catered to racehorses and the company was extremely selective about their exercise riders. She’d been the only one who had never been licensed at a racetrack.
“I can’t wait to see the place again,” she said, feeling a change in the engines as the plane began its descent. “The staff is probably the same. They don’t have much turnover.” No doubt she’d still be working there if Dan Barrett hadn’t noticed her galloping on the oval.
“And I hope the horse is nice,” she added, “and will suit Grace. So this plane trip isn’t a waste.”
“This trip is definitely not a waste,” Alex said.
His mouth brushed her lips. The kiss, though quick and light, was full of such promise it left her charged with hope. And the knowledge that they had a full day ahead, a rare day to enjoy together, away from Rachel, Gramps and even Grace.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
The entrance to the Three Brooks Equine Center was just as impressive as Cassie remembered, the elaborate cobblestones and landscaping reassuringly unchanged. She’d been numb with homesickness and heartache when she first arrived. But the people and animals had been welcoming and it was an unexpected gift to be able to come back and renew old acquaintances.
A stocky receptionist sat behind the desk in the lobby, her head bent over what Cassie guessed was a crossword puzzle.
“Hi, Frances,” she called.
Frances looked up, her jaw dropping. “You’re back? I thought you were in Hollywood, acting or something.” She thrust aside her pen with a clatter, rushed around the gleaming oak desk and gave Cassie a clumsy but exuberant hug.
“Not acting,” Cassie said. “Working with horses. We’re here to look at a gelding that Dan Barrett dropped off. This is Alex.” She gestured behind her.
“Hello,” Frances mumbled. She scooted back behind the safety of her desk. “I’ll call Wally for you,” she said, fumbling with the phone.
Cassie glanced over her shoulder. Frances had always been intimidated by attractive and powerful men. Alex was definitely both, even though Cassie had deliberately refrained from mentioned his last name. But his power was ingrained, cultivated from birth. It showed in the way he looked and talked, even the way he moved. Cassie was used to it. She was also accustomed to his perception.
He remained several feet back, as if sensing the woman’s discomfort and content with Cassie taking the lead.
“He’s gorgeous,” Frances whispered, slanting her gaze toward Alex. “Is he a movie star?”
“No. Just a dad looking for a quiet horse for his daughter. Dan Barrett has a gelding here that he can’t use. He thought Alex might like him.”
Frances visibly relaxed. “Must be a horse in Peanut’s barn. All the animals in the Center are racehorses booked for therapy.” She paused to speak on the phone then replaced the receiver. “Wally’s at the vet clinic but he’ll be back soon. Said Dan’s horse is in the stall next to Peanut and to make yourself at home.”
Cassie gave an appreciative nod, welcoming the chance to wander around and give Alex a quick tour. The Center offered the most advanced equine therapy and had a range of rehab, including an oxygen chamber, vibration plates and a swimming pool. Most of the clients were blue-blooded Thoroughbreds, and it was gratifying how well they performed after leaving the spa.
But she sensed Alex was eager to see the horse first.
“We can go to Peanut’s barn now,” she said. “And check out the horse. The little barn is on the other side of the parking lot.”
“Great,” he said. “Is Peanut their flagstone stallion?”
“No.” She smiled at the thought. “He’s an old pony who belongs to the owners. I don’t know his exact age but he’s a testament to the health benefits here. He gets regular oxygen and infrared treatment, and has complete run of the property. He’s totally spoiled but a darling. Jenna and Emily owned him since they were kids. He’s part of their family.”
Alex’s brow raised. “The Center has more than one owner?”
“Actually Jenna’s husband, Burke, owns the Center and her sister, Emily, works in the movie industry with me. She’s married to Dan Barrett.” She paused, remembering that only a few days ago she’d deliberately let Alex think Dan was single. But she was feeling much more confident now. Impossible not to, considering the way he’d kissed her.
Her eyes lingered on his mouth, causing her belly to give a little quiver. “Dan Barrett is the reason I ended up working in the film industry,” she said. “One of the Thoroughbreds was a known renegade and he saw me galloping him. But that horse was child’s play compared to riding some of the animals Gramps had in for training.”
Alex winced at the memory so she changed the subject, talking instead about how most of the Thoroughbreds had been perfectly behaved, and how she’d loved conditioning them for their return to the track. He was interested in all the available therapies too, listening intently as she spoke about the great results here.
“I was just fortunate the Center was hiring,” she added. “Otherwise I would have had to stay home. And it would have been horrible being around you and Rachel.” Her voice trailed off and she realized she was revealing far more than she’d intended.
But he just nodded, his mouth tight. “I agree,” he said. “It would have been hell having you close. Wanting to see you, knowing we couldn’t.”
His fingers splayed around her waist and she realized he’d been finding excuses to touch her since they stepped off the plane. It was as if he’d left his responsibilities back in Virginia, along with his reserve. He was so open now, like the man she’d known, even saying he wanted her to stay. She rose on the tips of her toes and impulsively kissed his cheek.
His arms banded around her. “Let’s check out this horse quickly,” he said, his voice gruff. “Then hurry back to the plane. Tomorrow we can fly somewhere else and look at another horse. And another and another.”
She laughed but
his mouth was against her neck and it didn’t feel like he was joking. “Or maybe we can just grab that little pony,” he said. “And squeeze him on the plane. That would keep Grace happy for a while.”
“Even you don’t have enough money to buy Peanut,” Cassie said, fighting the temptation to hurry back to the privacy of the plane. After all, they had the entire day. And horse buying should never be rushed.
She grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the outlying barn. A woman stood in the doorway, watching them with prim disapproval.
“Hello,” Cassie called. “We’re here to look at Dan Barrett’s bay gelding. Wally is meeting us.”
The lady’s name was Judith and her face visibly softened when she realized Wally had authorized their visit.
“The horse is back here,” Judith said. “We call him Freckles. I’m not sure of his registered name or his breeding, but he’s a lovely horse to be around. I have a sheet somewhere that lists his commands. He’s been in quite a few movies.”
Cassie gave a subdued nod. Dan thought the horse might be suitable, but Grace would never be able to handle an animal trained to rear or bite, no matter how quiet. It was much too dangerous. Even a pawing horse could mistakenly hit a handler’s leg. And it was irresistible for a kid to want to show off a horse’s tricks.
Judith jabbed her thumb at a box stall on the right. “That’s Freckles,” she said. “I’ll just check the office for his file.”
She strode down the aisle, her steps crisp with purpose.
“A trick horse is probably too dangerous,” Alex said, picking up on her reservations. “Guess we’ll have more time on the plane. We won’t even have to ride him.” He didn’t sound entirely disappointed that their horse-buying trip was a bust, and he was already glancing toward the exit.
Straw shuffled and a horse poked his head over the top of the stall door, curious about the voices in the aisle. It was easy to see why he was called Freckles. Blotches of brown speckled a blazed face. His eyes were soft and intelligent, and he eyed them respectfully, not shoving at their hands but clearly pleased to have visitors.