It had started as a kiss goodnight and had turned into something else. He had driven her home and had meant to just walk her to the door to make sure she made it inside safely. He had never really answered her question she had asked him at the restaurant but had just cleared his throat and had ordered them both some gelato for dessert which was delicious. But he had certainly left what she asked hanging between them.
Or so she thought until they had reached her house and he had walked her up to her door. Was he going to ask her something, she wondered, and if he did what would she say.
But the kiss had started and then she had done something that surprised her, which was to wrap her arms around him and pull him closer. The tickle of his facial hair, the scent of his cologne…combined to make her headier than she had been when his mouth had met hers. Every time it just got even better…she wondered if it were just she that thought so.
But no, he ran his hands through her hair and then down her back.
"Houston…"
"Hmmmm….?"
"What are we doing," she asked, out of breath.
He looked at her, smoothing some hair out of her face before stroking her skin.
"Saying goodnight?"
She remembered then.
"Oh yeah, right…"
He returned his attention toward kissing her and she had been the one to touch skin first, slipping her hands beneath his shirt, marveling at the feel of his muscles beneath her fingers.
"Unless you want me to stay…"
She broke away then and looked at him, biting her lip again. Seeing that hopeful look that every man wore in his eyes when standing at the door of a woman's home while kissing her, she just sighed, trying to catch her own breath. She licked her lips, before noticing her hands were still resting on his hips.
"I…not tonight…"
She watched his face wondering how he would react to her refusal of his attempts to invite himself into spending the night in her house and her bed. But he just smiled and stroked her face again, cupping her cheek and she let him.
"Okay…then I'll see you tomorrow at work…"
"Houston…"
He looked at her thoughtfully.
"And no, I don't think I'd consider what's happening between us just a fling…but we'll just leave it at that for tonight, okay?"
She just looked at him and the earnestness in his voice then elicited a simple nod from her.
He kissed her again but this time his lips just brushed hers and she watched as he walked back to his car to head back to the Inn. Then she shook her head mostly at herself and unlocked the door before going inside.
She sat on the couch later with a cup of chamomile tea to help her sleep. Because how could she after kissing her best friend like that on the porch? Now while she had been growing up back in Texas, she had gone out with guys while still in high school and they had driven her home after dates, kissing her on the front step. But she had usually pulled herself away and said, goodbye before slipping inside before her uncle came out to check up on her.
For a couple of minutes there, she had felt that way with Matt, a guy that her uncle had never felt bothered by because their friendship had been just that. Her uncle had known Matt most of his life, since they lived on neighboring ranches and he had known Matt to be a diligent worker and a very conscientious man. One of the few people who C.J. associated with while she was growing up there that he respected as a young person worth his salt.
A part of her wanted to invite him inside to explore the feelings developing between them but her more cautious side prevailed. She had never been one to jump into a physical relationship with anyone and that had tried more than one man's patience with her but she figured that had proven to be a useful litmus test for sorting out the men who were interested in her. Plus, her early childhood loss of her own parents particularly her beloved father had made her wary of getting too attached to anyone…too soon. She knew how easily a person could be taken away from her…love hadn't been nearly enough to prevent that from happening.
Matt would never knowingly hurt her, she knew that and she really did trust him with her life…but her heart that was something entirely different. He had the skills to keep anyone safe and most of the time that had worked for her. But she still didn't know what his intentions were and where his real feelings lay…was this really something genuinely special to him or did he feel this way towards her because they were so far away from their normal lives?
She sipped her tea thoughtfully and it soon worked its magic on her and she didn't know what would happen during the next day to come. Only that it most definitely wouldn't be boring…
Matt woke up and after getting ready for work and grabbing some breakfast, he got into his car and headed to the racetrack while it was still dark. He didn't want to be around Rusty's barn when he got into it with Flash who had a difficult time staying out of jail. If it hadn't been for C.J…he's still be locked up on the disturbing the peace and disorderly conduct charges. He had thought about her when he had tried to fall asleep but it had been so difficult because her kiss still lingered on his mouth and his skin still felt where her fingers had touched it.
But she had been right to send him packing, even though he knew it had been difficult for her to do so. Because he didn't want to be there unless she felt entirely comfortable with it and that might take some doing.
He reached the racetrack and parked his car. C.J. had already arrived and must be getting ready to do some riding on the track. He walked through the backstretch past the jockey's room which remained dark until later in the day when the first races would be run and to the grandstand which would then be packed with people to watch the races.
There he saw her riding a chestnut gelding that looked asleep while Gloria had her hands filled with a grey colt whose eyes were rolling back into its head. Acting studdish, Matt guessed, he knew the feeling. But C.J. started to take the veteran campaigner out onto the track to begin loosening him up for a race at the end of the week. He had been a successful campaigner in claiming races up and down the California fair circuit and would be dropping a couple levels in the ranks in his first start here. He set off down the track not looking like he wanted to pick it up very much and C.J. didn't push him on that issue. Gloria finally got the colt jogging out to where he's blow out a couple furlongs mostly to take the edge off. Matt hadn't been too familiar with his background…only that Red had tried to buy him at an auction once back when he'd been a yearling.
Red walked on over and told him there were figures that needed to be adjusted in the budget sheets before post time. He had entered in a couple of horses and asked Matt if he would be willing to ride them out as an out rider and Matt said yes, if he had a horse to ride and so Red introduced him to El Senor, a gray dappled gelding of indeterminate age who gazed at Matt with some interest until he realized he had come empty handed.
C.J. got off of her gelding and walked over to where Rusty stood. He looked at her critically.
"Anything wrong," she asked.
He shook his head and then returned to his roster.
"Flash is hung over…went out drinking with the other jocks last night."
C.J. just rolled her eyes.
"I'm amazed he ever became a success," she said, "if he spends half of his time in the drunk tank."
"He's won a dozen riding titles including two at this meet," Rusty said, "When he concentrates on his riding, he's among the best."
C.J. didn't feel all that impressed. Maybe if the guy chose his riding career over his carousing then he would have made an even greater name for himself. But maybe he had merely fallen into the occupational hazard that other jockeys faced, after all he hadn't been partying alone.
Rusty just continued walking back to check on the other horses including the two that would be racing later on…hopefully responding to their training regimens. She watched him go and then she looked up and saw Matt standing there.
"What are you doing here?"
He stuck his hands in his pockets and didn't move.
"I could be asking you the same thing counselor."
She tilted her head and just looked nonplussed.
"Houston…you're supposed to be busy doing…something aren't you?"
"I'm taking five minutes…before I go into talk Red into how to save some more money."
She chuckled.
"I don't envy you that," she said, "I'm glad my job here is more physical."
Matt smiled.
"Well, I'll be doing some out riding on some gelding that looked like he might just roll over and fall asleep in the post parade."
She smiled at him back.
"Me too…I'm riding the buckskin mare so maybe our paths will cross…"
He walked the several feet left towards her and before she knew it, he placed his hands on her shoulder and kissed her thoroughly on the mouth. She didn't know if anyone was watching and for a second or two she didn't care…her focus had been on him…but then she remembered where they both were right now.
She breathed a bit ragged when she looked around her after he had released her.
"Houston…we're at work."
"I know…but I was going to ask you something…and I forgot what so that helped remind me."
"Oh it did, did it?"
He nodded.
"I've got two tickets to the carnival tonight, would you like to join me?"
She folded her arms.
"This is where we play a few games, go on some rides and eat all kinds of crazy food?"
"Exactly…come on C.J. it's been a while since we last went to one," he cajoled, "Wasn't it back a while?"
"Houston, the last time we went was when that social columnist blew herself up sky high, remember?"
Oh yeah, that had been one of the many cases they had solved together but not the easiest one if he recalled correctly. But they had gotten to the bottom of who had killed who and why just as they usually did.
"I do remember…but this one will be all about having fun," he said, "and there's even a fun house."
She laughed at him then, waving her hand.
"I think I'll pass on that," she said, "I think I'll have my hands full with you enough without living too dangerously."
"Oh you will indeed," he said, "and then we'll move on from there."
She rolled her eyes.
"I thought we were going to the carnival to have fun Houston."
He gazed at her, all innocence.
"Oh absolutely…"
She knew he was up to something then, as if the mischievous look in his eyes didn't tell her that already.
"Okay…Houston you have a deal," she said, "I'll go with you tonight…but you have to promise to behave yourself."
"C.J…"
"At least a little bit okay?"
He looked at her carefully and then nodded.
"I'll be good…I promise."
She raised her brows at him before turning back to work.
"Just promise not to be too good…okay?"
He watched her go before he could think of any way to respond.
Rusty sat while Flash paced inside the office and C.J. walked inside to see how the two men were getting along because Flash had to ride his first horse pretty soon. Since post time started at 1pm, she hadn't been able to leave the track for lunch and Matt had been very busy himself with Red's operation. Neither had a horse in the first race but they would later on and both Matt and C.J. would be riding out with racehorses in the same race.
They heard the noise of cars driving into the parking lot and excited sounds as people lined up to bet on the first race. C.J. had watched as Flash walked to the jockey's room after running into a couple other jocks on their way there. She hoped there wouldn't be any liquor stashed inside the building but once the jocks were inside there, they were closely guarded. She just shook her head at him and headed to talk to Rusty before she headed back to get her mare ready for her pre-race duties. She snapped the lead shank on the mare and took her outside of her stall to get ready, noticing that Matt had done the same with the bored looking gelding.
"He's gone to toss you if you're not watching…"
He tied up the gelding and reached for the brush to give him a good grooming.
"Why do you say that," he said, "The old guy and I have an understanding."
"Oh you do…do you?"
Matt nodded.
"You see he being a gelding, he doesn't see much action as well but he loves to trot out in front of the stands and receive his share of the applause…oh they might be cheering for the racehorses but he might not know the difference."
She ran the curry comb through the mare's mane.
"Sounds like someone I know actually."
He glanced over at her.
"What are you saying C.J…that I'm like the gelding?"
She grinned, while trying to remain serious. But to do so was such a losing effort when he started acting like this with her.
"No…not in some very important ways…but you like attention…even when they did that sexiest millionaire cowboy deal…you acted like you hated it but come on…part of it had to be fun."
He considered it, and she almost chuckled at the expression on his face as he did so.
"I've got a fan who keeps a photo of me in her office…and I have to ask why…"
Her skin flushed as she worked the brush over the mare's neck, before moving on to her withers and belly.
"Come on Houston…that was just for fun…Slim took the photo after all."
"Well you kept a copy of it…and it had to be because you liked the fact that I had hardly a stitch on."
Okay he had her there…there had been that but the photo had been damn funny too because of his reaction.
"Well there's that…and besides we women have liked it…given that you have this…habit of not wearing anything in the Jacuzzi except your hat."
"No one's ever complained about it."
She shrugged.
"Why would we…we all appreciate eye candy as much as any other women do."
He frowned for a moment, forgetting the gelding for a moment.
"Is that how you all view me," he said, "as some object?"
She knew he wasn't being serious, at least she didn't think so. And the gelding didn't much like being ignored.
"Watch out Houston," she warned.
He acted quickly nudging the gelding's mouth away from grabbing hold of his shirt.
"Thanks C.J…I like this shirt."
She finished brushing her horse and went to go saddle her up.
"I'll see you in the post parade," she said, "and I placed a little wager that Rusty's horse will beat Red's."
Matt rubbed his gelding's neck after he finished brushing it.
"Is that so…well I think you're going to lose your shirt…"
She just shook her head at him.
"Oh it's typical for you to say something like that…when you could very well lose yours…in more ways than one."
His eyes blinked, did she just?
But she had already started walking away leaving him while she headed back to the shed row.
