MILLIONAIRE'S SHOT: Second Chance Romance (25 page)

And there were other details and other incidents and clearly they were etched in Alex’s mind, but she didn’t need to hear any more. He’d always looked out for her, always would. And she tapped down the little voice that warned she’d never be more than second on his list. Because as long as he never had to decide between her and Grace, that didn’t matter.

And she arched up in the seat, pressed her mouth against his and kissed him, wishing they hadn’t lost so much time. She heard his hiss of pleasure. Then he tilted her sideways, taking control, his mouth turning her dizzy with desire. And by the time he scooped her up and carried her to the bed, her only thought was that she hoped he’d made a long enough flight plan.

The sun poked over the horizon, bright, warm and full of promise. Cassie topped up the horses’ water buckets while they munched their morning hay. Freckles gave a friendly nicker, acting as if he’d lived in Gramps’ barn his entire life. She gave him an extra pat, then coiled the water hose and headed back to the house.

He’d been the perfect find. Quiet enough to take Grace on a relaxing trail ride but also trained and dependable on the polo field. He might not be the fastest horse but he was definitely the type to instill confidence in a rider. The fearless kind that did his job, no matter the circumstances.

Today Alex even planned to join them in hitting some balls. Ginger’s cuts had healed enough to carry a saddle, and she’d be a great mount for an advanced player. Cassie still found it unbelievable he’d quit playing. All their time apart she’d been picturing him with Rachel, working together and having fun with the horses.

She climbed the steps to the verandah, remembering his endearing grin after he gave the perfect pass. The affectionate way he’d tap her helmet at the end of a game, win or lose. He always played position number two, preferring to set up teammates to score but he was also like a brick wall on defense. Lightening quick with his stick but rattling off impossible no-look passes that always left her inspired and a tiny bit envious.

His skills would be rusty now, of course, but they’d come back. And he’d always been a generous player, never needing the limelight and quick to welcome new players and spectators to the game. Maybe some day both Gramps and Grace would wear the Sutherland colors. Then they’d have four players, enough for an amateur team. It had always been her hope to participate in the Club’s Family Day, instead of watching alone from the sidelines. But though Gramps liked to train, he wasn’t much one for playing games. She couldn’t imagine him racing after a ball if he thought it would be better for the horse to slow down and practice flexing.

She pushed open the screen door, still smiling at the thought of her grandfather. He stood by the kitchen counter, his gray hair rumpled from sleep.

“Good morning,” she called gaily.

He nodded but didn’t speak. She pulled off her boots, poured two cups of coffee and set them on the kitchen table. He still didn’t say a word. By this point he’d usually grilled her about the horses: how each one looked, if their legs were cold and tight and if they’d cleaned up their feed. But he remained silent. In fact, his face looked oddly flushed.

Maybe he’d been lifting something. She glanced around in concern. But nothing looked out of place and he appeared to have just risen. “Did you sleep okay?” she asked.

“Yup,” he said. But he shuffled his feet, preoccupied with the counter top. He didn’t ask about the horses, or who she was going to ride first or what time Grace was arriving. Didn’t say a word about Santiago or Rachel or Alex. It was almost as if he were embarrassed.

And then she realized. A flush of heat warmed her cheeks. After yesterday’s plane trip, Alex had driven her home. They’d remained outside on the porch, talking about the Kentucky properties and even though he’d been in a hurry to get back to Grace, he’d lingered a moment. Actually several moments. Long, passionate moments. His tongue had been deep in her throat, his knowing hands all over her, and she remembered she’d been moaning…

She guessed her face was now as pink as her grandfather’s.

She cleared her throat. “Alex and I are together again,” she said quietly. “Guess you know that.”

“Know it now,” Gramps muttered.

She picked up her coffee mug and pressed it to her mouth. It was too hot to drink but it gave her something to do with her hands. At least he’d only heard them. All the major action had happened on the plane. But whenever she and Alex were close the air sparked. Even now she was breathing a little faster, although that could also be related to her discomfort.

She could feel Gramps’ gaze. He was finally looking at her, not so embarrassed now. In fact, his expression was rather reproachful.

“He’s not married, Gramps,” she said, sighing and setting down her mug. “Hasn’t been for years. And I’ve never stopped loving him.”

“I figured that. But sneaking around, hiding a state away. That’s no way to live. Not for my girl.” His voice strengthened. “You deserve better.”

She pulled in a careful breath and leaned back in the chair. So he’d overheard her and Alex talking. But obviously he hadn’t heard the full story.

“Alex is moving with me,” she said. “And we’re not certain if it will be Kentucky. So far he hasn’t seen any properties he likes.”

“He’s moving?” Gramps gave an incredulous snort. “I don’t believe it. He’ll never leave Grace.”

“But he’s not leaving her. She’s coming too.”

“Rachel will never let that happen.” Her grandfather rubbed a hand through his hair, messing it even more. “That kid is her golden ticket. The reason she can live on the estate. And a social climber like her is never happy unless she’s lording it over everyone.”

“Yes, Alex knows that. That’s why he’s giving her the estate.”

Gramps’ eyes widened. He flattened his scarred hands over the table and slowly dropped into a chair. “But Alex can’t give up his home. His father would roll over in the grave. That was the only thing Alex’s parents cared about, even more than that big Thoroughbred stud. That horse was really something...”

He paused, as if puzzled that anyone would care more about land than a horse.

“But he is giving it up,” she said. “And Alex and I both want you to move with us.”

Her grandfather just stared across the table. He didn’t look comforted. If anything, he looked wary.

“Don’t you want to live with us?” She tilted her head, dismayed by his reaction.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I like it here. My house, my bed, my barn.”

“Don’t worry,” she said. “There will be lots of space. And Grace just found Freckles. She’ll want a place that’s good for horses.”

Her grandfather gave a reluctant smile. “I’m sure any place Alex buys will have top notch horse facilities. But I really don’t see this working out.” He sobered. “After all this time, I assumed you were over him. And I don’t want you to get hurt. Not again.”

“This time is different.” She folded her arms, rather hurt by his lack of enthusiasm. “Alex already met with his lawyers. He’s quite prepared to walk away.”

“It’s not that,” Gramps said. “We both know once he makes up his mind, there’s no changing it. But right now Rachel has everything she wants. The land, the money, the man. She won’t give it up.”

“But she doesn’t have Alex. They barely talk.”

Gramps waved a dismissive hand. “She doesn’t have his love. But she can still trot him out to social functions by using Grace’s presence. So she has the status that he brings. And that’s what she really wants.” His expression darkened. “I bet she’d rather him dead than give him up to you.”

“Gramps!” Cassie jerked forward, then pressed back against the chair, struggling to stay calm. She never raised her voice to her grandfather. But the thought of something happening to Alex was too horrible to contemplate. And she couldn’t forget that white scar on his lower ribs.

“I’m just pointing out that Grace would be a rich little girl,” Gramps said. “And Rachel is her mother. It’d be the perfect solution.”

“Rachel can’t do anything,” she heard herself saying while at the same time her mind whirled. Alex was bigger, stronger, smarter. And extremely wary. Rachel would never get close to him with a knife again, and it was doubtful the woman knew enough about cars or planes to resort to sabotage. Though it might be possible to sneak some poison into the poolhouse. But then Rachel would be putting Grace at risk as well. And most likely she’d be caught and a lengthy prison sentence wouldn’t do much to enhance her precious status.

“She couldn’t hurt Alex,” Cassie repeated, more firmly now. “She can’t. He knows her too well.”

“Maybe,” Gramps said, his voice solemn. “But once she learns his intentions, I bet she’ll feel like hurting someone.”

“When are we going to Cassie’s, Dad?” Grace asked. She scooped up a scampering kitten, giggling as it tried to escape. “It’s almost eight o’clock and I don’t want to be late.”

“I need to talk to your mother first,” Alex said. He paced back to the front of the barn and checked the ring. Several horses were trotting circles, kicking up tiny plumes of dust, but none of the riders were Rachel. And there were no horses in the field or on the gallop track.

“Mom’s not here,” Grace said, her words muffled by the kiss she was planting on the kitten’s nose. “She and Santiago went somewhere.”

“In a car or on a horse?”

“In a car.” Grace placed the kitten back in the stall and carefully bolted the door.

Alex nodded, resisting the urge to ask Grace about her mother’s mood. It was unusual for Rachel to leave the barn so early but she’d probably received his offer. No doubt she’d whipped into town to meet with her lawyers. He wished he’d seen her first though, so he could gauge her reaction. She’d either be ecstatic…or hateful.

“Did your mother have her riding clothes on?” he asked, deciding that was a permissible question. And not one that would unfairly test Grace’s loyalties.

“I don’t remember,” Grace said. “She and Santiago were in the office. She doesn’t like me bothering her there.”

Rachel didn’t like Grace bothering her anywhere, Alex thought. And that only reaffirmed that he’d made the right decision.

“Wait one moment.” He turned and strode back down the aisle and around the corner to the office.

Two coffee cups sat on the desk. He picked up the cup with red lipstick on the rim. Only half finished and still lukewarm. Obviously she’d left in a hurry.
Maybe eager to sign the deal?

He pulled out his phone and called his lawyer. “Any news yet?”

“No. But we couriered the document. Haven’t heard anything so there’s still time to withdraw. It’s really far too generous—”

“Let me know as soon as you hear anything,” Alex said. He palmed his phone. Yesterday he’d been positive Rachel would leap at the offer, but today he wasn’t so certain. If she didn’t go for this, he had nothing left to give. He’d never imagined a day when he’d even consider walking away from his ancestral home but he could almost feel the shackles lifting. And he wanted it finalized.

However, his sense of unease was growing, and it was a feeling he’d learned not to ignore. Especially when dealing with a conscienceless person like Rachel. He wished she’d come after him but Grace was an easier target. And they both knew their child was his biggest vulnerability.

He strode back to Grace. “Do you have a favorite horse here?” he asked, keeping his voice casual.

“They’re all my favorites,” she said, wrinkling her nose at the absurdity of his question. “You know that.”

“But have you bandaged or brushed one lately?”

“Just Ginger for the last month. And my special medicine really worked. Cassie said she can be ridden with a saddle again.”

“That’s great,” Alex said, the tightness in his shoulders easing. Both Ginger and Freckles were safe at Cassie’s. So that left only the kittens. “I wonder if your new horse likes cats,” he said. “Want to find out?”

“Definitely!”

Just as he hoped, Grace grabbed the idea with gusto.

“We should take over a kitten today,” she added. “Cassie said her grandfather’s old cat died this spring. And he really likes cats, almost as much as horses. Maybe he’ll even want one.”

“So you’re saying we should take over all the kittens?”

Grace’s eyes widened. This was clearly going better than she expected. “Yes, we should take all of them. And Smokey too, of course.” She bounced up and down in the aisle. “I’ll get their cage. You get their food. This will be so much fun.”

She bolted toward the tack room, talking excitedly about how she wanted to put a kitten on Freckles’ back. Alex didn’t much care where she put them, as long as the kittens were safe. And out of Rachel’s reach.

*

“This old stud stall is the safest spot,” Cassie said, staring in bemusement at the eight kittens scampering around Grace’s feet. “I just cleaned it. And the mesh wire goes all the way up so even the mom can’t climb out.”

“Great,” Grace said. “But I’ll sit with them for a minute and make sure they’re not scared. You can hold Oreo. He’d be the perfect cat for your grandfather.”

She plunked a black and white kitten into Cassie’s hands then squeezed back into the stall and shut the door before any other kittens could escape. The little kitten in Cassie’s arms blinked then closed his eyes, seeming happy to curl against a warm chest and grab a nap.

“Looks like the car ride tired him out,” Alex said, stroking the kitten’s head with a gentle finger. “We had the roof down. Grace thought they’d like the fresh air.” He leaned closer, his voice lowering. “Sorry, but I was afraid to leave them. I think Rachel is with her lawyers now. Hopefully she’ll sign and this will be over.”

Cassie traced the white in the middle of the kitten’s face, her finger linking with Alex’s. She wanted to ask all sorts of questions but not where Grace might hear. However, like Gramps, it was obvious he was wary of Rachel’s reaction. And the fact that he feared for the safety of Grace’s kittens was heartbreaking. And troubling.