Page 10 of Dangerous Stakes

But then he’d never known his mother to shift and run once she returned to Ireland. Rory’s stepfather had never known that the woman he loved and the little boy he thought of as his own son were anything other than human. His mother had forbidden him to shift, and it wasn’t until he was out on his own that he had indulged the large cat that resided within him to come out to play—and then only occasionally.

Maybe that was why he hadn’t recognized his fated mate from the moment he met her. He had denied that part of himself for so long that the primal link between fated mates must have been shut down until it couldn’t be denied.

He looked at her in the soft morning sunlight. As it often was just after dawn, the whole world seemed to be in soft focus. The filtered light and the luminosity of her skin proved to be his undoing. It was in that moment he made his decision.

He shook his head. “No. I’m not a fool. Any woman of mine had best learn her place.”

“Oh? And where might that be?” she asked provocatively.

“Underneath me when she’s being a good girl.”

“And what if she’s being a bad girl?” she asked with a sly smile.

“Ah, then that’s when you’ll find yourself face down over my knee getting your bottom spanked until you decide to be a good girl.”

Susan’s eyes widened, her pupils dilated, and he could scent an increase in her arousal. She tried to recover, but he’d seen her interest, and even a bit of acknowledgement that somewhere deep inside her, she knew she was his.

“I think you might find that last part a bit more difficult to accomplish than you think,” she quipped.

He approached her as she sat atop Tank. He reached up to cover her hands on the reins, with one of his own.

“Not all that difficult. And you let me catch you doing the Airs Above the Ground again in the saddle, and you’ll find it difficult to sit in one at all.”

He tugged on the long braid that was draped over her shoulder in order to get her to lean down. Keeping hold of her braid, his other hand cupped her head as his mouth captured hers in a kiss that was incendiary. He wasn’t sure what he expected but her lips parted as he deepened the kiss, sending his tongue to explore and taste her. She moaned and relaxed her body. When he retreated with his tongue, she followed with hers to taste and explore him.

Rory reluctantly relinquished her mouth. “I’ll tell Gina that Tank’s coming home with me, shall I?”

She nodded. “Um, Rory. Maybe we should keep this strictly professional.”

He chuckled. “Nay, that isn’t what you want.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Ah, love, but I do. You enjoyed that kiss and I’ll bet if I ran my hands up under that sweater, your nipples would be hard and ready for some attention of their own. Tell me, sweetheart,” he whispered, the brogue having thickened considerably, “Is your pussy as wet for me as my cock is hard for you?”

She tried to rein Tank away. “Jesus, you’re an arrogant bastard. Maybe this was a bad idea.”

He reached out, gently taking the rein and preventing her from moving away from him. “No. It was always the right idea, and you know it. I’ll take Tank home with me after the show. You go home, get cleaned up, and we’ll go out for dinner.”

“If you think you’re just going to order me around…”

Rory grinned, “I warned you that’s what I’d do. It’s what any good coach would do. You’d best get used to it, as I’ll have no problem enforcing my orders.”

“That’s fine when I’m riding, but…”

He chuckled again, enjoying her bit of insecurity. He dropped his voice again. “It’ll be fine when I have you on your back or over my knee. Now be a good girl. I’ll get everyone at my barn squared away and come watch you ride.” He kissed her again before she could protest further. “Yes?” he asked.

She nodded. “Yes.”

“That’s yes to all of it?”

“I don’t know about that whole spanking thing. I don’t think I’d like that.”

He laughed. “Oh, you won’t. I guarantee you if you’re being disciplined, it’ll hurt like hell. But it’ll make you more aroused than you can imagine… and I’ll see to that as well. Now, get Tank back to Gina’s barn and let them get him ready while you go get dressed. I’ll see you at the main arena this afternoon.”

“Rory? Can I have a kiss for luck?” she asked with a smile.

“Nay, love, you don’t need luck. You have Tank and me. But I’ll kiss you because I want to and because you asked so nicely.” He kissed her tenderly and with a restrained passion.

---