Read Online Wild for the Girl by Starr Ambrose - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Starr Ambrose
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Beth’s face, replaced by a stony disdain. “I would, but for some unfathomable reason, he wants you .”
“Tad doesn’t have to get everything he wants.”
Beth’s answer was flat and decisive. “Yes, he does.”
T.J. hardened her expression. Maybe she should placate Beth and pretend to waver, but treating men like gods wasn’t in her DNA. “Not this time.”
The side of Beth’s mouth curled into a sneer. “Because you’d rather suck up to your boss.”
Caution prickled T.J.’s scalp and warned her to choose her words carefully. In some twisted way, Beth was jealous on Tad’s behalf, and that was weird enough to make T.J. want to keep her distance. “I don’t suck up to anyone.”
Beth barked out a derisive laugh. “I’ve seen the way you and Reese look at each other. If you aren’t doing him yet, you will be soon.”
The crude language pushed the limits of her tolerance. Through gritted teeth, she said, “First, Reese Barringer isn’t my boss. And second, my private life is none of your business.”
Beth’s gaze was distant and calculating, as if T.J.’s words hadn’t even registered with her. Tad’s happy whistle did though, as he walked up the aisle toward them, and the girl lowered her voice to a harsh whisper. “You don’t even care about people, do you? It’s all about your job. Do you actually think you’ll get a raise if you spread your legs for him? He’ll drop you like the little whore you are, and never think twice about it.”
T.J. recoiled at the language, and at the transformation from unassuming assistant to full-blown nutjob. Beth’s laugh was low and bitter, sending goose bumps over T.J.’s arms. “You’re just a stable hand, T.J., and that’s all you’ll ever be. A stable whore.”
T.J. narrowed her eyes, giving Beth the same look she would have given a scorpion had one suddenly materialized in front of her. You didn’t try to reason with something that poisonous, you just got rid of it.
“Get out,” she hissed between clenched teeth. “Get out of this barn and don’t ever come back.”
The last of her words was drowned out by Tad’s enthusiastic call. “Hey, Bethy! Did you see me do that flat-out run-and-sliding stop in the arena?”
Beth’s face morphed instantly into an expression of pride. “I did! You were fantastic!”
“I know! Who’d have guessed, huh? A couple of weeks of lessons, and I’m a goddamned cowboy!”
“You’re a natural,” Beth agreed. “You were amazing!”
T.J. battled a numb sensation, trying to get a grip on reality. Beth’s evil persona had disappeared so fast, and so thoroughly, that she knew Tad would never believe what she’d said. She doubted he’d ever seen a hint of it.
Tad picked up a curry comb and started rubbing Misty’s withers, then caught T.J.’s eye with a grin. “Hey, teach, when do I graduate? I’m pretty damn good at this, if I do say so myself. What’s left to learn?”
“Not much,” she answered, unable to take her eyes off Beth. But the girl acted like she wasn’t there, her worshipful gaze fastened on Tad. T.J. didn’t trust her for a second. Taking the curry from Tad’s hands, she said, “I changed my mind, Tad. You can take off. I’ll finish up with Misty.”
He blinked, then handed her the brush. “You’re the teacher.”
“That’s right, and you did enough. Just go.” The faster the better. Chills spread across her shoulders as she turned her back on Beth to face him. She could almost feel a blade slipping between them. “It’s lunchtime. Go. Some poor misguided girl is probably hoping you’ll show up.”
“True, true. So many girls, so little time. And I have to keep in practice for when you say yes, don’t I?” He winked and clicked his tongue flirtatiously. “Come on, Bethy, let’s get lunch.”
Beth rushed to his side. As they walked off, T.J. saw him put a friendly hand on Beth’s shoulder and ask, “Did you get that girl’s number? You know, from the
“Tad doesn’t have to get everything he wants.”
Beth’s answer was flat and decisive. “Yes, he does.”
T.J. hardened her expression. Maybe she should placate Beth and pretend to waver, but treating men like gods wasn’t in her DNA. “Not this time.”
The side of Beth’s mouth curled into a sneer. “Because you’d rather suck up to your boss.”
Caution prickled T.J.’s scalp and warned her to choose her words carefully. In some twisted way, Beth was jealous on Tad’s behalf, and that was weird enough to make T.J. want to keep her distance. “I don’t suck up to anyone.”
Beth barked out a derisive laugh. “I’ve seen the way you and Reese look at each other. If you aren’t doing him yet, you will be soon.”
The crude language pushed the limits of her tolerance. Through gritted teeth, she said, “First, Reese Barringer isn’t my boss. And second, my private life is none of your business.”
Beth’s gaze was distant and calculating, as if T.J.’s words hadn’t even registered with her. Tad’s happy whistle did though, as he walked up the aisle toward them, and the girl lowered her voice to a harsh whisper. “You don’t even care about people, do you? It’s all about your job. Do you actually think you’ll get a raise if you spread your legs for him? He’ll drop you like the little whore you are, and never think twice about it.”
T.J. recoiled at the language, and at the transformation from unassuming assistant to full-blown nutjob. Beth’s laugh was low and bitter, sending goose bumps over T.J.’s arms. “You’re just a stable hand, T.J., and that’s all you’ll ever be. A stable whore.”
T.J. narrowed her eyes, giving Beth the same look she would have given a scorpion had one suddenly materialized in front of her. You didn’t try to reason with something that poisonous, you just got rid of it.
“Get out,” she hissed between clenched teeth. “Get out of this barn and don’t ever come back.”
The last of her words was drowned out by Tad’s enthusiastic call. “Hey, Bethy! Did you see me do that flat-out run-and-sliding stop in the arena?”
Beth’s face morphed instantly into an expression of pride. “I did! You were fantastic!”
“I know! Who’d have guessed, huh? A couple of weeks of lessons, and I’m a goddamned cowboy!”
“You’re a natural,” Beth agreed. “You were amazing!”
T.J. battled a numb sensation, trying to get a grip on reality. Beth’s evil persona had disappeared so fast, and so thoroughly, that she knew Tad would never believe what she’d said. She doubted he’d ever seen a hint of it.
Tad picked up a curry comb and started rubbing Misty’s withers, then caught T.J.’s eye with a grin. “Hey, teach, when do I graduate? I’m pretty damn good at this, if I do say so myself. What’s left to learn?”
“Not much,” she answered, unable to take her eyes off Beth. But the girl acted like she wasn’t there, her worshipful gaze fastened on Tad. T.J. didn’t trust her for a second. Taking the curry from Tad’s hands, she said, “I changed my mind, Tad. You can take off. I’ll finish up with Misty.”
He blinked, then handed her the brush. “You’re the teacher.”
“That’s right, and you did enough. Just go.” The faster the better. Chills spread across her shoulders as she turned her back on Beth to face him. She could almost feel a blade slipping between them. “It’s lunchtime. Go. Some poor misguided girl is probably hoping you’ll show up.”
“True, true. So many girls, so little time. And I have to keep in practice for when you say yes, don’t I?” He winked and clicked his tongue flirtatiously. “Come on, Bethy, let’s get lunch.”
Beth rushed to his side. As they walked off, T.J. saw him put a friendly hand on Beth’s shoulder and ask, “Did you get that girl’s number? You know, from the
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