Winning Ways by Toni Leland Read Free Book Online Page A

couldn't hide her surprise. "I'm impressed. He usually stays in the farthest corner of his stall and has to be trapped before I can get a halter on him. It's one of his little-boy games."
     
    A few minutes later, Kurt moved away from the stall, trying to keep his expression neutral.
    "He's an outstanding colt. What are your plans for him?"
    His casual tone belied his churning thoughts. The horse could give Ebony a run for the money. My money, dammit! He hadn't shown Ebony at Sacramento, so he hadn't paid attention to that class - a poor move on his part. He didn't like surprises.
     He listened politely while Liz told him of her plans to use Karma as the herd sire when he matured. As she talked about her national show goals, a knot grew in his stomach. This is not good news.
    He switched off the negative thoughts and smiled. "So, was that the full barn tour?"
    She was openly pleased by his interest. "Well, I do have a unique feeding system, one of the main reasons I bought this place." She nodded her head toward the far end of the barn. "C'mon, I'll show you."
    The ingenuity of the barn builder showed in the carefully planned and well-organized feed room. Built-in grain bins with tight-fitting, hinged lids were situated against two walls.
    Liz lifted a cover, and pointed inside. "Each one is lined with tin to keep rodents out." She pointed toward the baseboards. "The builder even put a metal liner around the bottom of the walls. Pretty neat, huh?"
    Kurt watched her mouth as she talked. His recent erotic thoughts lurked just beneath his consciousness, and the earlier accidental touch of her breast had stirred them up again. It required tremendous will power to keep himself from hauling her into his arms. Even in work-stained barn clothes, she was attractive. Her full lips were pink without the benefit of lipstick, and her blue eyes sparkled as she showed off the special features of the room. Another strong stir ran through his gut and, as she turned away, his gaze drifted to the front of her shirt. A second later, she turned back to say something, and he caught a tiny glimpse of pale skin above white lace, sending him over the edge. The woman has no idea how sexy she is.
    Her foot rested on the bottom tread of a steep staircase that rose through a dark hole in the ceiling.
    "The best part is up here."
    As he followed her into the dim hayloft, he couldn't tear his attention from her tight butt. His breath quickened and his jeans strained against his arousal.
     
     Liz pointed to the evenly spaced trap doors in the floor. "There's a hatch over every stall. Takes me five minutes to throw hay into twelve stalls."
    She searched his face to see what he thought of the innovation. The desire in his eyes sent a jolt through her stomach, and her head suddenly swam with the erotic daydreams she'd enjoyed in that very hayloft, in the pile of straw directly behind her. She stared into Kurt's eyes as he moved toward her. Anticipating what might happen next, her breath stilled. Lightning flared again through the window, sharpening every angle of his strong face and accentuating the electricity crackling between them.
    In one swift move, he wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her close. She closed her eyes, feeling his heat, inhaling his unique scent. In all her fantasies, she'd fallen short of how wonderful he actually felt. She slipped her arms around his back, her fingers traveling over the firm muscles beneath his shirt. She tipped her head back and shivered as his bristly moustache brushed against her skin and his lips caressed her neck. His arms vised her body, forcing her belly against his hardness.
    His urgency jolted her from the euphoric state. My God! What am I thinking? She wrenched free, and stepped back. Her face burned and her breath came in short gasps.
    Kurt lifted her hand to his mouth, and caressed her fingers with soft kisses that threatened to invade her resolve. A bold smile sharpened his handsome features.
    "Come