1001 Dark Nights Read Free Page B

time she’d seen them up close she’d wanted to spit in them. “Sutton Grant.”
    “I reckon a once-over like that is better than the fiery look of hatred I expected.” He grinned.
    That grin? With the damn dimples in his cheeks and in his chin? Not fair. She was such a sucker for a devil’s smile boosted by pearly whites. But she’d considered him devil’s spawn after his dealings with her family. In her mind she’d attributed cloven hooves, demon horns, and a forked tongue and tail to him.
    Which pissed her off because the man was a piece of art. A real piece of work, too, if he thought she’d let bygones be bygones just so she could stare slack-jawed at his perfect face, spellbinding eyes, and banging body.
    “You lied to get a meeting with me?” She snorted. “I see you’re still the same manipulative bastard who follows his own agenda.”
    He took another step closer. “I see you’re still the same brat who jumps to conclusions.”
    “Yeah? I’m not the one in a piss-poor disguise, douche-nozzle.”
    “Douche-nozzle...I don’t even know what that is.”
    “Look in the mirror, pal.” Her gaze flicked over him. “A ball cap, a polo shirt, and...no freakin’ way. Are you wearing Mom jeans, Sutton Grant?”
    He shot a quick look around and said, “Keep your voice down. No one has recognized me and I’d like to keep it that way.”
    “I’ll bet your girlfriend picked this outfit because it is guaranteed to keep you from getting laid. Like ever.”
    He scowled. “I don’t have a girlfriend. Now can we skip the insults and cut to the chase? Because I really need to talk to you.”
    “You scheduled the time and it ain’t free.” London held out her hand. “Fifty bucks for thirty minutes. The clock starts ticking as soon as you pay up.”
    Sutton dug in his front pocket and pulled out a crumpled fifty. “Here.”
    “Shoot.”
    “It’s about Dial.”
    “What did you do to him?”
    “It’s more a problem of what I’m not doin’ with him. Due to my injury, he’s been benched the last eight months.”
    Now she remembered. Sutton had gotten badly hurt late last fall during his circuit’s last qualifying event for the CRA Finals and ended up with life-threatening internal injuries. “What do you want from me?”
    “I’ll hire you to work with Dial, get him back up to speed, since I’m still sidelined.”
    “So he’ll be in top condition when you’re back on the circuit?”
    A funny look flitted through his eyes and he looked away. “Something like that.”
    “Why me?”
    “Because we both know the only people who’ve been able to work with him have been you and me.”
    She sucked in a few breaths and forced herself to loosen her fists. “This wouldn’t be an issue if you hadn’t browbeaten my folks into selling Dial to you outright. When the breeder owns the horse and a rider goes down, other people are in place to keep the horse conditioned. That responsibility isn’t pushed aside.”
    “You think I don’t know that? You think I’m feelin’ good about any of this? Fuck. I hired people to work with him and the stubborn bastard chased them all off. A couple of them literally.”
    London smirked. “That’s my boy.”
    “Your boy is getting fatter and meaner by the day,” Sutton retorted. “I’m afraid if I let him go too much longer it’ll be too late and he’ll be as worthless as me.”
    Worthless? Dude. Look in the mirror much? How could Sutton be out of commission and still look like he’d stepped off the pages of Buff and Beautiful Bulldogger magazine?
    “I hope the reason you’re so quiet is because you’re considering my offer.”
    London’s gaze zoomed to his. “How do you know you can afford me?”
    “I don’t. I get that you’re an expert on this particular horse and I’m willing to pay you for that expertise.” Sutton sidestepped her and rested his big body next to hers—close to hers—against the fence. “I know it’ll sound stupid, but every