The Rider's Dangerous Embrace (An Interracial Bad Boy Romance Story) by Nicole Jordan Read Free Book Online

lips and then off again before she even had the chance to glare at him.
    “You know what real work is?” he asked, no sarcasm or snark in his tone.
    “I’ve been working my whole life. I didn’t get anything handed to me, Luke. I think, if you knew my father, you would know that for certain.”
    “It’s true, one of the things I most valued about him. He was a good man. And he ran a good company.”
    “Why didn’t you sign with him when he asked?”
    “Because I thought I could do better, myself. For a long time. I thought more offers, better offers, would come to me. And they didn’t, not at first. After a while, a few did, but their terms weren’t fair. Your dad’s was, but I still want to be my own person.”
    “And now?”
    “I’ll be honest, Ms. Rivers. I’m not sure how I feel about your operation.” Luke pulled down the bill of his cap giving her a dark, challenging stare. Any emotion was gone, she wasn’t Jayda anymore, she was Ms. Rivers.
    But that was lost on her, what she heard was his insult, the one to her father’s legacy.
    He had no right.
    “This company is flawless! My father…” The air left her lungs. This was not the beginning of the business relationship she had expected. Jayda worked so hard to show that she was a business woman, she played the part just right, and he saw right through her.
    He saw a scared little girl. She was sure of it.
    “Your father ran a great center. Men were lucky to have his coaching expertise, his support. Since you took over, folks aren’t sure what to make of your company. You aren’t decisive enough. You like to hand the reins over to Thomas so that he can make the decisions for you. Let him choose your candidates. It lacks soul. Confidence.” A crooked smile appeared slowly as he stared at her.
    She could feel her blood pumping, her shoulders shaking. Her nostrils flaring. She wanted to scream at him. How dare he question her father’s company? Her intentions?
    But he was right.
    She stopped mid-argument and righted herself. She turned to leave but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
    What the hell? ! She fought the urge to punch him in his self-righteous face.
    “If you, and I do mean you , decide to take a chance on me, I might just let you. But it ain’t gonna be so easy. You need to become involved in the everyday operations ‘round here, Jayda.” His eyes softened a little with his grip on her arm. “I know you wanna snag me. Your dad did too, but I didn’t make it easy on him, and I sure as hell ain’t gonna make it easy on you.”
    He used her first name and it caught her off guard. Just a little.
    “What do you propose?” She asked, clearing her throat and trying not to notice that his touch was warm on her skin. “What do you need me to do for my business?”
    Breathe. Just breathe.
    “What I propose is that you come to your own training center. At dawn. Tomorrow. Work with the riders already under your control. Work with me. Get your hands dirty the way your father did.”
    “But I’m not a rider, Luke.” She was out of her depths and she knew it. She loved the rodeo, but her daddy kept her away from it. Kept her safe. She was just a young woman fresh out of college. She didn’t know anything about this world. “
    “No but you probably know it just as well as any rider. Think about it. You have been knee deep in the rodeo since you were a kid. You know the ins and outs. You know the business.”
    Luke had a point. She wasn’t that little girl anymore, but she still knew the rodeo. It was her home away from home. Jayda looked up when she realized he was right, staggered by the proximity of him. His body was closer than she thought, she could feel the heat radiating off of him as he looked down at her. His lips were so close and so full.
    “I, uh, yeah. That sounds good.” She could have said anything to get away from him and out of there. She just wanted to be let go so she could run as far as possible.
    But he