Read Online Cassie's Hope (Riders Up) by Adriana Kraft - Free Book Online Page A

a long way from the Capitol Stakes.”
    “I know.” She
slumped onto the smooth boards of the worn porch swing. “It’s hard to wait.”
    “One thing you gotta
learn with horses is patience. You can’t rush ‘em. They seem to have minds of
their own. Like women, I think.” Tug began one of his coughing fits.
    Every time he
coughed, Cassie’s throat clamped down with worry; would this be his last
coughing bout?
    After some moments,
the wheezing stopped. “Cass, I really appreciate what you’re doing,” he rasped.
“Know it’s a hardship for you. Can’t do it myself.”
    “You rest. I’ll be
out at the barn. Ring the buzzer if you need me.” Covering his weathered hand
with hers, she said, “I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t also share your
dream—at least a wee bit. I love you.”
    His eyes fluttered
open in acknowledgment and then closed. When his breathing returned to its
normal shallow flow, she tiptoed down the steps. With sagging shoulders, she
made her way to the barn, seeking solace from the horses.
     
    - o -
     
    “Let her go,
Travers,” Clint muttered, tossing about in his bed at the ranch. The old solid
bed had never felt so large and superfluous. “Just let her go.”
    Sitting up, he
combed his unkempt hair with tired fingers. His three day beard scratched like
hell. His mouth tasted sour, like he hadn’t brushed his teeth for ages. Cupping
his hands over his eyes, he admitted reluctantly that he hadn’t been doing very
well in the self-care category. And it was that damn sassy redhead’s fault. Why
couldn’t he shake the woman from the cobwebs of his brain like he had all the
others? Because her scent clogged his nostrils. Her taste assaulted his lips. Her
laugh echoed in his ears. Her fiery temper brought a smile to his eyes.
    So what was he
going to do about her? Nothing. How could he let her slip away as if all they’d
shared was some earth shattering sex?
    Groggily, Clint
managed to get out of bed and shuffle to the bathroom. Looking in the mirror,
he was appalled by what he saw. No woman had ever done that to him. He looked
like he was a step or two away from being the skeleton in old man Granger’s
biology class.
    The problem was
clear; the solution was anything but. “No more sitting on your ass, Travers. Do
something.”
    He picked up the
phone and punched in the numbers on a piece of paper sitting on his night
stand.
    “Hello.”
    Clint smiled at her
throaty voice. She was sexy just saying hello. “Hi,” he said, “how did Hope do
in her race?”
    Her gasp was
audible. He decided he liked surprising her.
    “Clint. Oh, my
goodness. Hope. Hope won by two lengths.”
    “That’s great. So
the altitude factor may have helped.”
    “Don’t know for
sure, but she won. Clint, it was great.” She grew quiet. “I can’t believe you
called. I do owe you an apology for running off.”
    Clint sighed. “I
didn’t handle things well either, though I was back at the track Tuesday
evening.”
    “You were?”
    He swore she
purred.”I should’ve stayed with you, but I really had to go take care of some
things. Should’ve taken you with me.” There was silence. “Would you have come?”
    “Maybe.”
    “I guess that keeps
me guessing. So when are you coming out for the second leg of the Wyoming
Stakes?”
    “What?”
    “Didn’t your dad
tell you? Maybe he wants to skip it. The race you won was part of a series to
determine the best thoroughbred horse racing at the Downs for the season. It
may not matter to you. But it’s a big deal out here.”
    “Dad didn’t say
anything to me about a second leg.”
    “There are actually
three legs, but if you win two out of three you’ll win the series. I’ve checked
the dates of the Arlington Capitol Stakes you talked about—that’s the same
weekend as the third leg of the series here.”
    “When’s the second
leg?”
    “Two weeks, on June
fourteenth. It would be a good prep for the Capitol for Hope, and you’d