Teach Me To Ride (6 page)

Caroline panted and she begged. He was huge and thick inside her, relentless in taking his pleasure and giving her everything she so desperately needed. Her orgasm built and built, her breasts swung back and forth making her feel sexy and naughty and so alive.

She stiffened as the final wave crashed through her, sending pulses of fire through every inch to her body. Her toes curled as she held on to her pleasure, her mouth wide open and her eyes screwed shut in ecstasy.

“God, you are fucking beautiful.” Michael growled the words as his hands gripped her tighter and his thrusts went into overdrive. “Jesus, Caroline.”

Time stood still as he thrust to the hilt, emitted a guttural moan and froze, hips pulsing against her ass. A soft smile curved her lips as she released her held breath, reveling in the knowledge Michael had just come with the ferocity of a man like him should every damn time.

Chapter Seven

With her heart beating hard and her body humming in an all-too pleasant afterglow, Caroline lifted Michael’s arm from across her belly. “I’m just going to use the bathroom.”

He opened his eyes. “Are you okay?”

Am I okay? After that? I’m more than okay
… She smiled, feeling uncharacteristically coy beneath the soft study of his gaze. “Sure. I won’t be a minute. Could you point me in the right direction?”

His eyes never left hers. “Second door on the left.”

“Great. Thanks.”

She slid from the bed and wrapped herself in the silken throw from the end of his bed. Still feeling the intensity of his gaze on her back, she gathered her dress and panties from the floor and left the room.

Locating the bathroom, she went inside and shut the door, sliding the lock into place. Her body vibrated with satisfaction as she walked to the mirror on legs like rubber. She smiled. Her hair was all over the place, her lips swollen, her neck, chest, and breasts flushed pink with evidence of their lovemaking. It was certainly no longer a mystery how Michael Canton managed to get his horses to do his bidding. Once she was between his thighs, she’d been putty in his hands.

Moving away from the mirror, she took a washcloth from atop of stack of towels and ran it under the faucet. As she cleaned her tender pussy, her libido woke once more. The sensation of the soft cloth reignited her desire to have Michael touch her again.

God, she wanted him over and over. She loved sex. But this had been more than sex. It had been an agreement. She felt it and knew damn well he did, too. They had things to do. Ambitions to fulfill. They were alike. They were angry and hungry. The tension was palpable, and Caroline loved every delicious second of it.

Finishing with her toilet, she drew in a long, shaky breath, rinsed the cloth and put in the chrome laundry bin she found beneath the basin.

No more thoughts of bedding him. She had to get her story. Michael was the key to her way out of this small English town to London. She couldn’t afford to forget that after how hard she’d worked for it.

She stepped into her dress and folded her sodden panties into a ball in her hand. There was absolutely no use in putting them back on. She unlocked the door. Scraping and knocking of crockery filtered from the open-plan living space, so Caroline followed the sounds. A small part of her was relieved he wasn’t naked and waiting for her in bed, knowing a second round would be too hard to fight. The first time shouldn’t have happened—she had a job to do.

He stood by the small dining table situated in front of the huge picture window that looked out across the docks. She quickly walked to the apartment door to retrieve her bag and stuffed her panties inside. Releasing a breath, she approached him. As she neared and saw the view, Caroline understood why the cost of these apartments was so astronomical. Twilight had turned the river salmon pink. It was beautiful.

She turned to face him. “That’s some view.”

He smiled and held out a glass of champagne. “I could say the same about you.”

Rare heat warmed her cheeks. She didn’t want this. She didn’t want his kindness, his gentleness. It made him fifty times more dangerous than if he maintained the sexy anger he’d greeted her with. This made him softer, more human, more touchable. She didn’t want that. They needed to use the anger to their advantage and then go their separate ways.

“Caroline?”

She blinked. Goddamn it, she was staring. She forced a smile and lifted her glass in a toast. “Cheers.” She took a fortifying sip.

He smiled. “Let’s sit. The starters are ruined, but I managed to save the main course.”

Part of her knew she needed to nip this congeniality in the bud before she was drawn to its unexpected comfort. They were here to talk about Lewis and what Michael was going to do about his father’s pursuit of him—not them or this ridiculous sexual tension between them. Caroline swallowed as she sat.

Bit late for sensibility now…he’s seen your bare ass in the air.

The fun had been had and now came the trouble. He would not make her feel like an ice-queen for steering the subject back to business. Emotions were running high—for both of them.

Not that she’d let him know the effect he was having on her. It was better this way. Great sex was still just sex. Break the tie—no strings attached.

She put her glass next to a plate of wild rice, salmon, and green beans. “This looks fabulous.”

He sat before responding. “Thank you.”

She met his eyes. “Where did you learn to cook?”

“I taught myself. It’s a necessity when you’re estranged from your family.” He huffed out a dry laugh. “Cozy Sunday lunches were not on the Canton agenda.”

The atmosphere pulsed with tension. His gaze, dark and brooding, bored into hers. Caroline turned her attention to the table and flicked out her napkin, draping it across her lap. She took a deep breath. “Why don’t we talk about the reason you invited me over?”

“The story, right?” He rolled his eyes and took a gulp of his drink.

The way he said it, pushed Caroline’s irritation higher. He wouldn’t make her out to be the villain of the piece. This was just as much his doing as hers. “Yes, Michael, the story. That’s why I’m really here and why you want me here. I’m listening. Why don’t you start at the beginning?”

He put his glass on the table, his jaw tight. “I know that.” He nodded to her plate. “But let’s eat first.”

“Fine.” She picked up her cutlery and cut into the salmon. It fell apart. She scooped up some rice and piled it with the salmon on her fork. It melted on her tongue. Couldn’t the man do anything wrong? Apart from possessing the mood swings of a petulant child, of course.

“Okay, so is there anything you don’t do to a ridiculously high level?” she asked.

The crease between his brows smoothed and he winked. “I aim to please.”

Caroline breathed deep as the erotic memory of their sex shivered through her.
God damn, the man was so bloody sexy
. A smile pulled at her lips. “You certainly do.”

Their eyes locked before they again looked to their food. The next few minutes passed in silence before he cleared his throat. “This isn’t about destroying my father, you know.”

Her smile vanished, time for business. “Oh?”

Michael put down his fork and picked up his glass, studying her over its rim. “Why did you think it was?”

“You said he wants you to ride. You want to train.” She frowned. “But with the amount of barely controlled anger you’ve got going on, I figured you wanted to reveal something about your father that would knock him firmly from his sporting pedestal. Am I wrong?”

“Not entirely. I don’t like the man. Moreover, I don’t owe him anything, but that doesn’t mean I want to waste my energy ripping him down to size either.”

“Then what?” Frustration furled in her stomach. What the hell
did
he want?

“I really wish you hadn’t spoken to him without my say so. You’ve no idea what he’s capable of.”

“Why would I need your permission? I can look after myself.”

He put down his glass with such force, the wine within it quivered. Caroline tensed when he curled his fingers into a fist on the table. “You can’t. Not as far as he’s concerned.”

Nerves and annoyance wound into a tight ball in her stomach. “I’m here, aren’t I? I’ve spoken to him and I survived. What do you think the guy is going to do to me over the telephone? I was in control the entire time. Nobody makes me do something I don’t want to.”

“This is serious, Caroline. He’ll want you on his side…” He blew out a breath as though trying to get a grip on his temper. “And when he realizes we’ve slept together, he’ll want you in his bed.”

Inexplicable trepidation skittered down her spine and she resisted the urge to shiver. Who was she to question what he was trying to tell her? Lewis Canton’s malice had filtered all too clearly through the phone last night. She nodded and slumped her shoulders in defeat. “He’s already insinuated as much, Michael, but it’s not worth losing any sleep over what might happen to me. I’m made of stronger stuff than either you or your father realize.”

“And that means I’m not? I don’t want him near you. The man is insane with ambition. He doesn’t care who or what he destroys to get what he wants. The sooner you get that, the safer you’ll be.” His voice shook with anger, or frustration—maybe even pain.

She put down her fork, moved to take his hand, and then pulled back. “You’re emotionally involved. I’m not. He can’t touch me. You have something to lose by his being there tomorrow. I don’t. But I can help you. I want to help.”

He shook his head. “You want a story, Caroline. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Unexpected shame slashed across her heart. A sensation she didn’t relish but had to deal with. She’d slept with him. Fucked him. Let him see her at her most vulnerable. “Please tell me you don’t think I had sex with you for a story?”

Color rushed to his face, but his dark gaze never left hers. “Didn’t you?”

“I could say the same about you,” she whispered. “That you fucked me to get good press.”

The seconds ticked by in silence. Caroline’s heart picked up speed and she cursed the rare burn of tears. She’d never slept with anyone as quickly as she had Michael and now maybe she was getting the derision she deserved. But damn, he was there, too.

His exhalation sounded loud in the room. “Fuck. See what he does to me?” He closed his eyes. “Maybe you’re right. I’m equally as guilty here.”

Maybe you’re right?
The hurt bumped up her shame and cut all the deeper. He shook his head and opened his eyes. “This is who he makes me.” His eyes darkened with anger. “I can’t stand the man. I’m sorry if I sounded disrespectful. God, if he wasn’t my father…”

Caroline stared. She hadn’t expected an apology, and now she felt more afraid than ever of her sudden and unwanted emotional pull to this man. This hurting, complicated man was slipping under her skin and making her feel. It scared the life out of her. She cleared her throat and forced another bite of food. She chewed and eventually swallowed.

“So what do you want to do?”

His gaze lingered at her lips. “I want to prove to myself and him that I can ride with the best of them. That I am just as good. This isn’t about one-upping him.” He took a drink. “I’ve wanted to prove my ability for a while. I don’t need to be in the Olympics to do that. His public challenge to ride in 2016 has given me the final nudge I needed.” His eyes flashed with fervor. “I’ll ride at these trials and the entire country will sit up and take notice, not just my father. Then what I do after that will be entirely up to me…not him.”

Excitement churned in her belly. She’d been so afraid he was going to stay in the background and not beat his father at his own game. She met his smile. “I’m glad to hear it.”

“I’m going to ride harder and better than I ever have.” He met her smile. “I’ll show my father, my family, and the entire world that I
choose
not to compete. Not because of what my father has implied for the last five years.”

“Which is?”

“That I train because I’m not good enough to do anything else.” He stared, his shoulders high, hovering near his earlobes. “Nothing could be further from the truth.”

“Then I can’t wait to see you ride…but won’t a man with an ego the size of the planet say you did it because of him anyway?”

He tightened his jaw. “Maybe. But I should have done this years ago, I just hadn’t met the right person to support me. To stand beside me. I needed someone to help me show that there is more to this story than family feuds and the great Canton fortune. I wanted someone who could show it’s about the horses I love. The feel of them, the power of them. The showmanship, the glory, the damn trophies and cash mean nothing.” He stared. “You’re the person I’ve been waiting for.”

Her smile dissolved as her heart beat hard and her hands turned clammy. His eyes were alive, challenging and drawing her in with his need. “So what is it you think I’ll write?”

He pushed to his feet and held out his hand. Having no other choice and not to make herself look afraid of him, Caroline slowly rose from her chair and slid her palm against his. “What?”

He tugged her closer and slipped his hand onto her waist. “I want the people to know what that man did to me and my mother. He didn’t win all those medals on his own. An entire team he’s never acknowledged helped him. I want my father to apologize. Not to me, but to my mother and the millions of British fans he took for granted.”

Caroline smiled, tension melting from her shoulders. “I can do that.”

He brushed his lips across hers. “Good.”

Her stomach knotted. God, he was far, far too much the whole package. Testosterone and muscle, sex and passion…

He pulled back. “You made me want to do this now. I like you. I like you a lot.” His eyes flashed fire as his gaze roamed over her body. “I’d like to think maybe we could see each other after this is done. You’re the first woman in a long time that has distracted me from my career. The question is, can I distract you from yours?”