Kentucky Groom (7 page)

“It’s easy, Mom,” Jesse spoke up.

Carrie turned an amused glance at her daughter who had just saved her from falling into an intimate situation, one she’d prefer to avoid at the moment. “Easy for you to say. You’re younger than I am.”

“Aw, c’mon. Don’t be afraid.”

Carrie knew she wasn’t actually afraid, just a bit nervous. She’d always wanted to ride Dr. Doolittle and try out his wonderful slow, four-beat gait. With Mary out of town, Jay had volunteered to teach her weekly riding lesson, so Carrie found herself standing next to this virile man and fighting to avoid what could become a compromising situation.

“You need to be a bit of a cowboy to ride a five-gaited horse.” Jay slid the stirrup iron down the leather with a sharp pop.

“Cowboy? I’ll disregard that politically incorrect remark.”

Jay rolled his eyes. “Okay, cowgirl. I’m ready for you to mount.”

“Yes, sir.” Carrie didn’t mind his good-natured ribbing.

Jay held the horse’s head. “You don’t need a leg-up do you?”

“No way!”

Doolittle, at just an inch short of full horse status, was able to compete as a pony in children’s classes. In all honesty, she could have used a leg-up, but Carrie was not sure she could survive the intimacy of one from Jay—not with her daughter watching. The thought of him touching her leg and tossing her into the saddle did crazy things to her insides. Carrie put her left foot into the stirrup and pulled herself into the saddle.

“Graceful,” Jay remarked under his breath.

“Oh, go shovel horse manure,” Carrie shot back.

He grinned up at her. Because she had made a conscious decision to let Jay into her life, Carrie felt a measure of control over the situation. Yet when he looked at her like that, she felt her hard-won control slipping. Allowing herself to fall in love was like learning to ride a horse—scary but exciting. Carrie experienced that excitement in the pit of her stomach, and it translated to her legs and hands. As if sensing her tension, Doolittle snorted. Gathering her reins, she nodded, and Jay released the bridle.

Carrie rode Doolittle into the indoor arena at an animated walk. Even the walk was hard for her to handle. After all these years, she was rusty. Doolittle was ready to go and curious, turning his head into the center of the arena like a nosey old maid. Carrie managed to straighten his head as she rode along the rail. She hadn’t ridden such a game horse since she quit showing as a kid. It didn’t take her long to gain a new respect for her daughter’s riding ability.

“Collect him up and ask him to trot,” Jay instructed.

Carrie glanced to where Jay stood in the center. Jesse was perched upon Mary’s teaching stool next to him. Somehow seeing them together touched her. Almost like it was meant to be. Not a replacement for Tate, surely. More like a big brother to love and guide her special child. Carrie swallowed her sentiment and with her legs, urged Doolittle into a trot. The pony sprang forward and all thought vanished as Carrie concentrated on posting and guiding.

As Carrie posted up and down and circled the indoor arena, Jay watched his new pupil with a fascination born of love. She retained her girlish figure and radiant beauty. He could hardly believe the trim woman, who pressed her knees into the saddle and stretched her heels down expertly, belonged in some small measure to him because they had agreed to date. His heart thudded like the beat of the trotting horse as he hastily ran a hand through his hair. What would it feel like to have those lanky legs straddle his body?

Jay was barely able to voice his next instructions because of the lack of air he found in his lungs. Fighting to regain his breath and fighting to quell his overactive imagination, he finally forced air back into his lungs. “Okay. You can walk now.”

“Thank goodness. Doolittle’s much harder to ride than I imagined.”

Jesse preened herself on the stool, smiling a knowing smile and puffing out her chest. Jay knew what she must be thinking. Jesse had won a blue ribbon on a horse that her mother found challenging. Horseback riding was proving a common denominator between mother and daughter.

He wished Carter would share his love of horses with his own daughter. Once, a long time ago, he and Carter had shared a passion for showing horses. It had never been enough because Jay had always felt the pressure to win, to be the best, to be Carter Preston’s son. But it had been something. Their relationship had changed after Carter had divorced Gloria’s mother. Jay had never forgiven him for that. Sure, he could accept his situation in his father’s life, but it was hard to stomach Carter’s disregard for the little girl.

But he didn’t want to think of that now.

Jay called out to Carrie, “When you set him up to slow gait, hold your reins apart, sit deep in your saddle, urge him with your legs, and cluck. Doolittle should do the rest.”

Carrie eyed him. “Okay.”

She seemed to gather up her nerve again and followed his instructions, the pony going forward with his four-beat gait, hooves striking the ground one at a time. Jay watched as surprise and then pleasure flitted across Carrie’s face. Then the intense concentration returned to her eyes as she bit her lip tensely, trying to keep her seat in the saddle.

“Now speed him up. Ask him to rack.”

Carrie glanced his way and then applied pressure with her legs, clucking loudly. Doolittle’s gentle amble increased into a full-fledged rack. Jay whistled and clapped his hands to make the pony go on faster.

“Ride `em, cowboy!” Jesse shouted and waved her hand as if she were swinging a lasso.

“Cowgirl,” Jay corrected, not hiding his grin.

Jesse stuck her tongue out at him. She could be as spunky as her mom, and Jay felt a surge of love for both of them. Surely, the thousands of dollars Jay had spent for Tate Mercer’s business was worth it.

Carrie rode up and stopped in front of him after the lesson. “Good ride.” Jay’s words of praise settled between them.

“Thanks.”

Their looks connected. She was slightly winded, but flushed with the excitement and effort of the ride. Jay perceived her excitement as if it transmitted to him along some mysterious connector. He shook off the tight feeling in his belly, stepping forward to play horse show judge.

“When you’re in the line-up, you must remember to press your knees into the saddle.” He touched her right knee to show her what to do. “And lower your heels.”

His mind and body revved with the contact. Carrie’s whole leg trembled at his touch. He deliberately ran both his hands down her calf to her ankle. Then he let his fingers linger on the heel of her boot. He gazed up at her, telling himself that seducing her wasn’t safe, not here and now.

She was staring at him with a transfixed look. “Are my hands okay?” Her voice was husky.

Her question came to him as if far away. He felt a strange tingle as if he were floating through another dimension. “No, they should be higher.” He touched her gloved hands in an intimate way. “Now look between the horse’s ears.”

Carrie complied, and he stepped back as much to relieve his tension as to play the horse show game. He made himself circle behind the horse, noticing Carrie’s erect posture and the heavy blond braid hanging down her back.

“And the winner is....Carrie Mercer, riding Dr. Doolittle,” he said coming to the left side of the horse.

“Class is rigged. Judge was bribed,” Jesse teased.

Taking a ragged breath, Jay glanced quickly at the child, but was drawn back to her mother. Carrie watched him. She also seemed to be having trouble breathing. He hoped he was having an effect on her, just as she was having on him.

“Let me help you down.” He took the horse’s reins in his left hand and stood to the side.

Carrie swung her leg over the saddle, balanced for a second, and then dropped to the sawdust. When she turned, she turned right into his arms. Jay battled the urge to kiss her, to run his fingers along the soft angle of her jaw, to sweep her off her feet and carry her to some secluded hideaway like an Arab sheik.

“Hey, don’t you two get goofy on me,” Jesse whined.

Carrie blushed and laughed, breaking apart. With Jay leading the pony, together they turned to walk out of the arena. “Goofy” was a good word to describe how he felt. Goofy and reckless. And a whole lot lucky.

* * * *

Carrie felt the thrill of the final night of the Lexington Junior League Horse Show. This prestigious show brought glamour and excitement and bright lights to the Bluegrass. It brought out the equine stars and the human ones. It attracted the rich and the not-so rich, even drawing an eighth grade school teacher and her date, a lowly stable groom.

The thought made Carrie smile to herself and grow warm with a glow of love. For some reason, the disparity in their background didn’t mean as much to her as it once did. Perhaps she was getting to know him too well for that kind of thing to matter.

They made a handsome couple, Carrie decided as she glanced sideways at Jay. With his shock of copper-colored hair and her honey blond braid, they had already caught the attention of several passers-by. But maybe it was more than that. Maybe it was his navy blazer, khaki trousers, pale blue Oxford cloth shirt and maroon patterned tie. Or maybe it was just the looks of love he showered on her as freely as a happy dog wags his tail. Carrie felt surrounded by Jay’s love, protected and warm, as if enveloped in a cushioned cocoon of his own making. She knew she responded to his show of love by a glow that seemed to well within her, transforming itself to the dreamy smile on her face.

“Do you want a corn dog?” he asked somberly.

“You’ve got to be kidding. Ruin our image?” She glanced down at her own elegant, black cocktail dress and spiky heels.

Jay shrugged. “Just a suggestion.”

“I’m sorry. You’re hungry.” She was being selfish because of her enthusiasm about seeing the show.

“You know us growing boys,” he tossed back.

“Growing boys, my foot.” Carrie poked him in the arm with her fingertip.

“Hey, what can I say?” The twinkle in his eye was infectious.

Carrie sighed. “Okay. I’m not interested in the fine harness horses. Let’s go find something to eat, but not corn dogs.”

“And this time, I
do
have money.”

That grin again. Carrie shook her head pretending to be put out with him. She rose to her feet. What a charmer.

They excused themselves and left the box seats Mary had given them. Wildwood Stables didn’t have any riders competing at the Lexington show, so not having to work, Jay had surprised Carrie with Mary’s unused tickets. It was a special date. Not only because Carrie had never seen this fine horse show, but because she was alone, once again, with Jay. Jesse was back in Louisville with a babysitter.

They picked their way up the stairs. Held at the Red Mile, a harness horse track, the area behind the stands was covered with booths displaying every conceivable item guaranteed to attract the attention of wealthy horse lovers. A counter of gold jewelry caught Carrie’s eye, and she glanced up at Jay.

“Go ahead. I’ll see how long the wait is at the restaurant.”

Carrie wandered from the cases of earrings to the table full of sweaters and other riding apparel. She lost herself in looking, a pastime she rarely allowed herself, and reflected about how comfortable her relationship with Jay had become. Sometimes she thought it was too good to be true. Sometimes she thought she would wake up and all of the happiness she felt would be a mere dream.

After fifteen minutes, when Jay didn’t return, she grew anxious. Searching the crowded area for him was like looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack. With a sigh, she strolled toward the restaurant.

She saw him from a distance. Who could miss his striking hair? But as she sped up to cross the room to him, she also noticed the woman by his side—a striking blond with a puff of hair the color of champagne. Her heart took a dive. The woman clutched Jay’s arm like a magnet and stared up at him with calf-like eyes. Even from the distance, she recognized the smugness on the woman’s face.

Stopping, Carrie caught her breath. The woman’s flashy designer dress put her own out-of-date sheathe to shame. With her plain braid and unpolished nails, Carrie suddenly felt dowdy and a bit like the widow she was. Who had she been kidding anyway? Jay was young and single after all. What had made her think he would care about a woman tied down with a child?

Just as her heart began to rip, the woman turned from Jay toward a balding man old enough to be her father. As Carrie saw the woman clutch this man’s arm possessively, she felt relief. Now she saw it. The massive diamond on the other woman’s finger shouted “married” as clearly as the look in her eyes.

With another sigh, Carrie focused on the older man. There was something familiar about him. She had seen him somewhere. Curious, she walked nearer, realizing she’d seen his picture several times in Saddlebred magazines. He was a millionaire who had owned a stable of expensive champions, the kind that won the biggest and best shows. He was from California. But that’s all she could remember. She couldn’t think of his name.

Dismissing him, she turned her attention back to Jay and for the first time noticed the strained look in his eyes and the tense line of his lips. Something was wrong. Her natural instinct to defend her own kicked in.

“Jay.” She approached the trio.

Jay looked uncomfortable but held out his hand to her. A few steps away, she took his hand and moved possessively to stand by his side. His fingers felt damp.

“Jay, is this your lovely date?” The old man’s eyes seemed to show appreciation.

“Yes, this is Carrie.”

Carrie thought his tone sounded constrained. She glanced at him.

“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” the other woman purred.

Jay cleared his throat. “Carrie, this is my stepmother Lori, and this is my father Carter Preston.”

Chapter Seven

Carrie was dumbfounded. She stood still, her gaze flicking back and forth between Jay and his father. The silence among them was eerie. She couldn’t speak herself, couldn’t move. She felt the steel grip of Jay’s fingers and heard his raspy breathing.