Page 8 of Dangerous Stakes

“Not true. I watched you ride at the Olympics. You were magnificent and you were robbed.”

A dark cloud passed over Rory’s face. “That’s not what the Committee said. They said even if I didn’t drug Poseidon or hadn’t known it was done, I should have and, therefore, I was just as guilty.”

Susan made an unladylike snort. “They were fools. It was obvious to anyone watching that you would never have harmed that horse or your shot at Olympic Gold.”

He shook his head. “I should have known. It was a long time ago.”

“Wouldn’t you like to have another shot?”

“Did you forget? I was banned.”

“Only for ten years. That suspension ends later this year.”

“Yes, but no one is going to give me an Olympic horse to ride.”

“Maybe not to ride, but what about as a coach? I’ve watched you with those kids. You’re wonderful and your horses perform far above their capabilities. Just think what you could do with Tank and me.”

He laughed again. “Thank you, but no. Why come to me? Any of the top coaches would kill to have you ride for them. With the right coaching, the two of you could compete and win at the Olympics.”

Shaking her head, she said, “No. They don’t get Tank and me. They’re all about rules and protocol. Tank and I are about having a good time … some say far too good a time.”

He nodded and smiled. “Yes, you two do have a tendency to thumb your nose at those who think they’re your betters.”

Susan pressed her point. “But you and I know, they aren’t. They can’t hold a candle to Tank and me. I’m certain that with you as our coach, we could take Olympic Gold.”

He shook his head. He kept shaking his head and saying no, but Susan sensed she had him thinking about it. Taking them on might be a risk. He was slowly starting to claw his way back into the dressage scene. Being the coach to the sport’s wild child was not necessarily going to endear him to those who wanted their asses kissed.

“Find someone else. You two have talent. There are plenty who would love to take you on as a client.”

“But you’re not one of them?”

“Afraid not.” He chuckled. “Besides, you wouldn’t want to ride with me. From what I can tell, you don’t like to take orders. I tend to do nothing but issue them and expect to have them followed. I’m always in charge and expect my clients to abide by that.”

She smiled slyly. “Depends on who’s doing the telling and what he’s telling me to do.”

God, he was infuriating. She wheeled Tank off and galloped to the other end of the arena before exiting through the far gate and could hear him laughing as she did so.

CHAPTER 5

Watching her go, he could actually feel his palm itching. It had been a long time since he’d itched to put a woman over his knee and spank her until she promised to behave. He shook his head. Best not to indulge those kinds of thoughts … especially in a pair of tight breeches. While his palm might have itched at the thought of applying his hand to the fair Ms. Rogers’s backside, his dick twitched at the thought of settling himself between her legs and plowing the sheath she kept between them.

Over the next few months, Rory kept finding himself alone in the early mornings riding with Susan. At first, he had studiously ignored them, focusing solely on the horses and students entrusted to him. Doing so became more and more difficult as he began to dream not only of coaching and training them for the Olympics, but of having Susan in his bed.

The first time he entered the ring in the early morning before the rest of the exhibitors was awake to find a coffee cup with his name on it, he’d been intrigued. It contained his morning brew just the way he liked it—two thirds dark roast, one third cream. He realized Susan was at the far end of the ring doing not much of anything. He had to give it to her, she’d done her homework and taken the time to get it right.

“The coffee is from you?” he called.

She nodded. “Did I get it right?”

“That you did, and I thank you for it, as will my crew. I’m rather a beast until I’ve had at least one cup.”

“I’ll remember that.”

From that point forward, Rory never went up to the schooling ring without being able to find his cup of coffee waiting. After studying how she rode, he began to make suggestions about the way she handled her transitions between gaits. Susan incorporated those suggestions and her scores improved.

Rory found Susan to be provocative, beguiling, and relentless. She had convinced herself that Rory was the one to get her and Tank to the medal stand. That conviction made her determined to get Rory to change his mind about coaching her.

Soon there was a chocolate croissant sitting atop his cup of coffee. He laughed when he discovered it. She was a seductive minx, and his resistance was beginning to crumble.

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