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feel that in his bones. And champions needed dependable, experienced riders. Not riders with canes and two years’ worth of pent-up fear, who refused to ride for him today.
    â€œAre you going to continue analyzing every aspect of this situation or are you going to answer me? It’s a simple question.”
    He almost laughed at how well she could read him. Maybe he hadn’t changed that much after all. Though she was wrong about one thing—this was anything but simple.
    â€œI have other horses,” Trip repeated.
    â€œ This is my horse.”
    Trip shook his head. “See, this is part of the problem. He isn’t your horse. He’s Sarah Anderson’s horse, and she expects him to win a title this year. That isn’t going to happen with an inexperienced rider. So, like I said, I have other horses.”
    Both Clark and Kate adjusted their stance, sensing the tension rising.
    Emery walked away from the colt, toward the edge of the fencing, gripping the side and staring over the pastures. “You don’t get to call me inexperienced. Not you. You’ve never seen me ride.”
    â€œI’ve seen you—”
    She whirled around. “You’ve watched a race. That isn’t the same thing and you know it. You have never been part of my winner’s circle. You don’t know how I ride or what I’m capable of. Besides, my résumé speaks for itself.”
    â€œTwo years ago it might have.”
    â€œMight?”
    Clark cleared his throat and mouthed the words your terms and Trip nodded. “On second thought, you’re right. The answer is simple. My farm, my rules.”
    She started to say more, and Trip readied himself for the argument that was sure to follow, but then her gaze went back to Craving Wind and her shoulders drooped. “Okay. Okay, I get it. And I know this is crazy to you. Trust me, I’ve heard it all before. But I can’t ride just any horse. I . . . I can’t.” She drew a rattled breath, and with one more stroke of Craving Wind’s mane, she walked out of the gate. “Thanks for your time. I’ll just . . . go.”
    Trip ground his teeth together and placed his hands on his hips, anger pulsating through him in waves. Anger at the horse. Anger at Emery. But mostly, anger at himself. He thought of the expression on Emery’s face when she said okay, like it was the most difficult word she’d ever uttered, and he knew he couldn’t allow her to just leave.
    He pushed through the gate and took off in a light run, rounding the corner of the stables just as the women reached their car.
    He bit his lip, searching for some way out of this—some way to keep her there on his terms, but Emery had never operated on anyone’s terms but her own. Frustrated, he opened his mouth and blurted the first thing that came to mind, “I’ll let you ride him on one condition.”
    Emery turned, her face lit up. “Anything.”
    â€œYou show me that you can.”
    â€œI—”
    â€œI know you say you’re ready to ride, and I believe you. Or I want to believe you. But this is a multimillion-dollar horse, owned by a close friend of my family. I need to trust that the jockey I put on his back is the best jockey there is for the job. And I don’t know that of you. Not yet. Prove to me you’re that rider and the mount’s yours.”
    They stared at each other, Emery’s face unreadable, and then she smiled triumphantly and said, “Thank you for the offer. I’ll let you know.” And then they were in their car, the taillights disappearing down the drive.
    Trip shook his head. What the hell just happened? Then he realized—she’d manipulated him. Completely and totally manipulated him.
    Clark walked up beside him, a smile playing on his lips.
    â€œShut up.”
    His friend laughed. “Not saying a word.”

CHAPTER FIVE
    Odds-on favorite
    E mery rode in