Getting Ahead Read Free

Allowing her gaze to wander down his body, she discovered that her original impression had been wrong. He was still a bit of twig, but there was a decent amount of muscle covering him as well. Her eyes stuck on his chest, his strong pectorals straining against his blue plaid shirt.
    “Well, I watch a lot of TV. So, you going to ride?” He motioned toward Black Lightning.
    She’d almost forgotten her horse was even there. “My training schedule is none of your business.” Her mind raced. He’d been watching her? All day? She couldn’t help but imagine his eyes on her back.
    “No need to get pushy. I’m simply trying to be helpful.” He leaned in closer to her again.
    She squirmed as she allowed him to focus his eyes on her face. No one ever looked at her that way. She wouldn’t describe herself as ugly, but she certainly wasn’t beautiful. More of the plain type. The only thing that really set her apart was her riding. Now she didn’t even have that. “The word you’re looking for is nosey, and I don’t really appreciate it.” She took a deep breath. “What exactly would you do for me anyway?”
    “I think we got off on the wrong foot. I’m Colt.” He stretched his hand out.
    “Amber.”
    “Now, why don’t you tell me what I can do to help you?” He grinned, his wide smile drawing her in.
    “A quiet place to practice.” She wasn’t that easy. A flash of his white teeth was enough to make her shiver but not enough to convince her he wasn’t like every guy she’d met before.
    “You’ve had one of those all day and haven’t managed to do a damn thing. Perhaps I can interest you in a drink instead?”
    The thought was tempting. She needed an opportunity to relax, get her mind in the right place. Maybe then she’d be able to focus. Of course, drinks with the handsome stranger who’d been propositioning her all day probably wasn’t the best way to pull herself together. “No. I still have work to do.”
    “You’re going to keep training? In the dark?” He looked up at the sky. Streaks of orange and red painted the sky as the sun made its way toward the horizon.
    “It won’t be a problem. I’ll turn some lights on.” The more excuses he came up with, the more determined she was to push him away.
    “This isn’t some fancy coliseum. The only lights we have here are solar-powered.”
    She looked around, confused. Now that he mentioned it, she couldn’t see any lights around the pen.
    “The sun.” He pointed up, rolling his eyes.
    “No flood lights?”
    “My, you’re even more spoiled than I thought.”
    She pressed her hand against her chest, trying to fake being appalled. His words stung. More than once, someone had accused her of being a bit accustomed to her ways, but no, usually they didn’t say it to her face. She’d always known what she wanted and was willing to do anything in her power to get it. “You really know how to win a girl over, don’t you?”
    “Why don’t you let me show you? Come back to my place for a drink?”
    “So you can continue to mock me? No thanks.”
    “I promise this will be an evening free of teasing. Simply an offer for a little relaxation.”
    She chewed on the inside of her lip. The offer was tempting. Obviously, she wasn’t getting very far standing out here, and she’d wind up back in her room, sitting on her bed alone for the rest of the night if she didn’t take him up on his proposition. It was also a dangerous idea. If she followed him back to his room for a drink, there was no telling what else might happen. He certainly wasn’t bad to look at, and he’d made it clear he was interested in getting to know her better. Add a little alcohol to the equation and, well, the situation could turn interesting. She promised herself she’d be on her very best behavior. If she was going to compete in a few weeks, she needed all her time and attention focused on riding. She glanced at her horse. Lot of good those rules did her today. She