Riding Hard. Vicki Thompson Lewis

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      3

      DRAKE WAS PROUD of himself. He’d examined the mare and interacted with Tracy as if he had no interest in her whatsoever. Then he’d left after promising to order the supplements online the minute he got back to his cabin and his computer.

      Driving home, he congratulated himself on being a perfect gentleman the whole time. Not once had he given in to the temptation to flirt with her. For him that was a major victory. Regan clearly thought that he would hit on Tracy if given the chance, and he was determined to prove that he could resist that urge.

      It hadn’t been easy. Before today, they’d always been separated by a massive wooden bar and surrounded by other people. This had been a far more intimate encounter, and she’d looked quite accessible in her T-shirt and jeans, no makeup, and her hair held by a little elastic thing that could be pulled off in no time.

      At the bar he’d experienced a jolt of desire whenever he looked at her lipstick-covered mouth. She liked to wear red, and those lips had beckoned him, even when he’d known her smile meant nothing. Logically he shouldn’t have been even more turned on by the soft pink of her bare mouth, but he had been. Seeing her like that made him think of how she’d look first thing in the morning. He yearned for the privilege of waking up next to Tracy Gibbons.

      He yearned for what would precede that moment, too. He was a fair judge of women. Make that an excellent judge of women. Tracy had a lot of passion buried in her.

      And here was the kicker. She was as hot for him as he was for her. During his visits to the Spirits and Spurs, she’d fooled him with her remote attitude and obvious disapproval. He thought she still disapproved of him. But underneath, lust burned.

      He’d felt that energy the second he’d walked into the stall. He’d heard it in the pattern of her breathing. A week ago he would have attributed the undercurrent of tension to anger. Today, in the quiet confines of Dottie’s stall, he’d recognized it for what it was—suppressed desire. She wanted him, and she was fighting it for all she was worth.

      The man he used to be would have capitalized on the situation. He could have made love to her today. She was ripe for it. One touch would have tipped the balance in his favor, and the sex would have been glorious. She would have temporarily reveled in the unexpected encounter, the thrill of tasting forbidden fruit.

      But afterward...ah, that was the problem. She would be ashamed of herself for surrendering to urges that violated her principles. Pleasure would quickly become tainted. And then, if the sex had been so good that she still wanted him, despite everything, she’d begin to hate herself and him. He knew all about that downward spiral. He’d put Jeannette through it. He’d put himself through it.

      As he pulled up in front of the little cabin he temporarily called home, he vowed that he would not subject Tracy to the same fate as Jeannette. If that meant they’d never explore the possibilities presented by their strong chemistry...oh, well.

      He’d been celibate for months, and he was almost getting used to it. He and Jeannette had tried to create a relationship after Regan had left, tried to convince each other that their betrayal of Regan had been motivated by a grand passion they couldn’t deny. The fantasy hadn’t held up for very long, and since breaking off with Jeannette, he hadn’t felt like getting involved with anyone.

      Parking his dusty black SUV, he went inside the cabin and turned on his laptop. He ordered the supplements to be shipped to the rescue facility and texted instructions to Tracy’s cell so she’d know how and when to administer them. And that, he thought, should be the end of that.

      He could have done more. A rectal and vaginal exam would have been normal procedure, but the mare appeared healthy and Regan would be back in charge in a week. Drake had enjoyed the chance to be a vet again, even briefly, and that surprised him. Lately he’d wondered if he needed to change careers as well as his place of residence, but maybe not.

      Considering the delicate situation with Tracy, though, he would perform only basic care unless a problem cropped up. Tracy was a smart lady. If she needed help, she’d call. If she didn’t, then they could avoid contact with each other, contact that might lead to actions they’d both regret.

      As he decided whether to go on a hike or read a book, neither of which appealed to him, someone knocked on his front door. Although he was glad for an interruption in what promised to be a boring afternoon, he couldn’t imagine who had come to visit. No one sought him out besides Regan, and he was in Washington.

      Drake opened the door and discovered Josie Chance there. He tried not to look as astonished as he felt. Thanks to Regan making a few introductions after he and Drake had rescued their friendship, Drake recognized the attractive woman wearing her long blond hair in a braid down her back.

      A few years ago she’d married Jack Chance, the oldest of the Chance brothers and their avowed leader. But that wasn’t the most significant fact about Josie Chance. She happened to own the Spirits and Spurs, which made her Tracy’s boss. Drake suspected that Tracy was the reason behind Josie’s visit.

      Josie didn’t disappoint him. “This isn’t exactly a social call, Drake. I’m here to talk about Tracy.”

      “Be glad to.” He wasn’t, but he’d been raised to say the polite thing. “Come on in.”

      She walked through the door and glanced around the small space furnished with a sturdy sofa and chair covered in green plaid. “Very nice.”

      “Yes, ma’am.” He wasn’t sure what she meant, but agreeing with her seemed like a good strategy.

      She gave him a small, almost reluctant smile. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be a typical bachelor living in chaos.”

      “Because that’s what scoundrels СКАЧАТЬ