clad in snug Wranglers and a tan tee-shirt. He lifted his hand and
caressed her cheek slowly.
She smiled at him and hoped he couldn’t see how his touch
made her heart go crazy, but then his hand dropped down to her neck and the
back of one finger traced the pulse point in her throat knowingly.
They had lunch with a celebrated country music singer who
was interested in sending a horse to Slade for some training. He’d raised the
gelding from a foal with the hope of someday roping off him, but the trainer
who’d started the colt for him had run into a problem getting the horse accustomed
to a rope. The problem had grown until now, anyone moving a rope around the
colt could set him off and he transformed into a bucking machine.
Briann was impressed with the singer’s knowledge of horse
handling and his determination to give his horse every chance to be a better
animal.
“I heard you’d worked with Cooper Harding and everyone knows
he’s the best,” the singer said.
“He is the best,” Slade agreed, “so why didn’t you
take the horse to him?”
The singer chuckled. “Actually, I did talk to him and he
suggested you. He’s not taking in anymore outside horses. Just those he
raises himself.”
Slade nodded. “He said that was what he was gonna do. I
guarantee he’ll get mega money for those horses and won’t have to deal with
problems created by other people.”
After more discussion, the singer gave Slade his card and
promised that his horse would be shipped to Butler Farm as soon as possible.
Slade was right; Briann did enjoy having lunch with them.
As they left the restaurant where they had eaten in a reserved back room away
from adoring country music fans, she couldn’t help thinking that in spite of
his wealth and fame, the man was very down to earth and only wanted to live a
normal life, doing the things he liked, being with people who enjoyed the same
things he enjoyed.
The filly won her class that afternoon and the colt again
took a second place. Briann was proud of them both.
Back at the barn, she began the chore of getting her stuff
together so it wouldn’t take her long to get loaded. Luckily her classes had
finished fairly early so if she pushed it and drove steady, she could be home
before Uncle Mike and Aunt Poog went to bed. That was what she planned to do.
As she moved around, gathering up her brushes and buckets,
Slade just watched for a while, and then he stepped in front of her, bringing a
halt to her packing.
“Are you goin’ home tonight?”
Looking up at him, she hesitated. “Aunt Poog and Uncle Mike
are expecting me.”
He gently stroked the back of one hand against one of her
cheeks. When he spoke, he voice was coarse and low. “I’ll call them for
you.” He caressed her lips with his thumb. “Stay with me.”
“You aren’t going home?” she asked, nipping the thumb that
toyed at her lips.
“I’m flexible. Are you?” His voice was beginning to sound
rough and deep.
Briann knew that staying would change every plan she’d made
for her future. No big wedding to Jeffery next year, no comfortable life
moving in circles of super respectability. If she stayed, all that would
disappear. If she stayed, she’d spend the night in Slade Butler arms and she
couldn’t think of anything she wanted more.
His eyes watched as she considered what he was asking of
her. He knew it was a big decision. He knew he was asking her to break every
moral rule she’d lived her life by. He stroked her cheek gently.
“How will we explain this to the people back home?” She
finally asked.
He shrugged. “We’ll be honest. I’ve never been much for
sneakin’ around.”
“What will Aunt Poog, Uncle Mike, and your father think of
us?” She feared disappointing them.
Slade was glad she hadn’t mentioned Jeffery or Tanya.
“They’ve all made hard choices in their lives. They might
not like it, but they aren’t us,
caressed her cheek slowly.
She smiled at him and hoped he couldn’t see how his touch
made her heart go crazy, but then his hand dropped down to her neck and the
back of one finger traced the pulse point in her throat knowingly.
They had lunch with a celebrated country music singer who
was interested in sending a horse to Slade for some training. He’d raised the
gelding from a foal with the hope of someday roping off him, but the trainer
who’d started the colt for him had run into a problem getting the horse accustomed
to a rope. The problem had grown until now, anyone moving a rope around the
colt could set him off and he transformed into a bucking machine.
Briann was impressed with the singer’s knowledge of horse
handling and his determination to give his horse every chance to be a better
animal.
“I heard you’d worked with Cooper Harding and everyone knows
he’s the best,” the singer said.
“He is the best,” Slade agreed, “so why didn’t you
take the horse to him?”
The singer chuckled. “Actually, I did talk to him and he
suggested you. He’s not taking in anymore outside horses. Just those he
raises himself.”
Slade nodded. “He said that was what he was gonna do. I
guarantee he’ll get mega money for those horses and won’t have to deal with
problems created by other people.”
After more discussion, the singer gave Slade his card and
promised that his horse would be shipped to Butler Farm as soon as possible.
Slade was right; Briann did enjoy having lunch with them.
As they left the restaurant where they had eaten in a reserved back room away
from adoring country music fans, she couldn’t help thinking that in spite of
his wealth and fame, the man was very down to earth and only wanted to live a
normal life, doing the things he liked, being with people who enjoyed the same
things he enjoyed.
The filly won her class that afternoon and the colt again
took a second place. Briann was proud of them both.
Back at the barn, she began the chore of getting her stuff
together so it wouldn’t take her long to get loaded. Luckily her classes had
finished fairly early so if she pushed it and drove steady, she could be home
before Uncle Mike and Aunt Poog went to bed. That was what she planned to do.
As she moved around, gathering up her brushes and buckets,
Slade just watched for a while, and then he stepped in front of her, bringing a
halt to her packing.
“Are you goin’ home tonight?”
Looking up at him, she hesitated. “Aunt Poog and Uncle Mike
are expecting me.”
He gently stroked the back of one hand against one of her
cheeks. When he spoke, he voice was coarse and low. “I’ll call them for
you.” He caressed her lips with his thumb. “Stay with me.”
“You aren’t going home?” she asked, nipping the thumb that
toyed at her lips.
“I’m flexible. Are you?” His voice was beginning to sound
rough and deep.
Briann knew that staying would change every plan she’d made
for her future. No big wedding to Jeffery next year, no comfortable life
moving in circles of super respectability. If she stayed, all that would
disappear. If she stayed, she’d spend the night in Slade Butler arms and she
couldn’t think of anything she wanted more.
His eyes watched as she considered what he was asking of
her. He knew it was a big decision. He knew he was asking her to break every
moral rule she’d lived her life by. He stroked her cheek gently.
“How will we explain this to the people back home?” She
finally asked.
He shrugged. “We’ll be honest. I’ve never been much for
sneakin’ around.”
“What will Aunt Poog, Uncle Mike, and your father think of
us?” She feared disappointing them.
Slade was glad she hadn’t mentioned Jeffery or Tanya.
“They’ve all made hard choices in their lives. They might
not like it, but they aren’t us,
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