C.J. had fallen asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. She had thought about the exchange she had shared with Matt before Roy had called him away on business. Not that she had been too upset at the interruption; in fact she had been a bit relieved. Things had been getting a little warm there.

Well not entirely relieved because she had just gotten to the part in their interplay that was interesting. Where she had been kissing him, the way he liked it. At least in a cyber fashion, which in its own way felt almost real…like she could imagine the tactile sensations of her mouth on his skin and the sensations that elicited in both of them. Wow…words were powerful stuff and she knew it hadn't come naturally to Matt who had always been an action type of guy but he had managed to do quite well at texting her back…well maybe he'd gotten some practice.

But what was this about wearing his favorite color…at work…like she'd do that. Then again…maybe there would be a way. That had been her last thought before drifting off into slumber which had been waiting because the day had tired her out. At least her face felt much better and the coloring, not so bad.

Her alarm woke her and she looked into the darkness of her room. Early enough in the morning where the sunrise was still several hours away. She got up and got ready to go to work, getting dressed quickly enough and grabbing some coffee before she went outside where a hint of sunrise turned the sky a pale pink near the horizon. After arriving at the racetrack, she parked her car and headed to the shed row. Gloria greeted her and they both waited for their first horses to be saddled up for their workouts.

"Flash got chewed out for being at the beer court," Gloria said, "but it's not going to the steward so he's still clear to ride."

"He wasn't really involved," C.J. said, "Some local had too much to drink and was trying to start a brawl. His fist met my face and it ended not long after that."

"Heard that Matt slammed that guy against the wall and threatened him."

"He did stop him in his tracks," C.J. said, "before the fight got totally out of hand."

Gloria smiled.

"He's quite the hero for doing that," she said, "It's all over the backstretch."

C.J. hadn't known the story had spread that far but then again, she and Matt had been too busy to really pay attention to the gossip mill.

"He's kind of modest about these things…I don't know if he'll want a lot of attention."

Gloria nodded.

"We'd be discreet of course but don't you think it's a great excuse to throw a party?"

No actually C.J. didn't think Matt would go for that. He viewed his actions as simply doing what needed to be done and nothing heroic.

"I don't know about that," she said, "It might embarrass him."

Gloria scrutinized C.J.

"Is anything the matter here," she said, "I think it's you who's having a problem with it."

"Me…I don't think so," C.J. said, "It's not like it hasn't happened before with him."

Gloria furrowed her forehead.

"Oh that's right…he's like a super hero right only without magic powers."

C.J. sighed, was the other woman having fun with her?

"No…what he's about is helping other people when they're in trouble," she said, "because he cares about them."

"That sounds sweet but you do know there's always an angle…"

C.J. heard the cynicism in the woman's voice but she didn't think it was warranted with Matt who risked his life to save others without a second thought. It came naturally to him and she knew if it weren't for him…she wouldn't be alive right now.

"You don't really know him Gloria," she said simply.

She walked to get aboard her first mount of the day.

"Do you?"

C.J. nodded without hesitation, because she had known him for longer than she hadn't after all. Sure she was learning things about him she hadn't known but that didn't change the fact that she didn't have a fundamental sense of who he was and what he stood for certainly when it came to those closest to him.

But when she responded to Gloria's question, she didn't blink.

"Yeah I do…"

And with that, she took the reins of her horse and rode off to the racetrack.

Matt watched her ride by him and she looked in control of what Red had told him could be a very spirited horse. She had always been an excellent rider; horses always went well for her. He figured she was having a blast exercising thoroughbreds, the fastest breed of horses in the mornings. After all, she had raced him across meadows and pastures and up mountain trails when they had gone riding together and he'd learned never to bet against her.

Not that he wanted to do that.

But then he frowned, because she had dressed up in her usual clothes, jeans and a sweater. And none of them were his favorite color, he noticed. She saw him looking at her and gave him a wave as she headed out to meet Gloria on her horse. The two of them trotted off to the clubhouse turn towards the chute where they would start their speed work. About three furlongs of free running speed, not all out but quick enough for them to evaluate what these horses were made of before they started serious training.

He watched them reach the chute and then walked over to Red, who was reading a daily racing form, which he slapped against the rail indignantly.

"Can you believe that, they have Fairy Dust at 10 to 1 odds…despite that work she did two weeks ago…"

Matt didn't respond, not knowing what to say to that. He supposed the clocker who made the morning line odds had his reason for his assignments.

"So Matt…would you bet on her or against her?"

Uh oh, that sounded like a dangerous question and he hedged on his answer trying to find safe ground.

Red smiled.

"Or are you that hung up on Rusty's newest exercise rider?"

Matt blinked looking at his boss.

"Your affair with her is only the second biggest news going around after that fight in the beer court," Red said, "As long as it doesn't interfere with your work, I don't care what you do or who you do it with."

Matt looked directly at him.

"My relationships and who they're with are my business and I can keep my private life separate."

Red chuckled.

"I used to say the same thing when I was running around with an exercise girl or two…when I was just starting out…busted up one of my marriages that way…so be careful, that's all I'm saying."

"I'm not married…"

"But you've been close to it haven't you," Red said, "I can tell…it'd be difficult to believe if you hadn't at this point."

"A time or two…but it didn't work out."

Red shrugged.

"You've got plenty of time if that's what you want."

Matt didn't feel he needed any counseling on his personal life from someone who had been married as many times as Red had been, he'd figure out what he wanted in his own due time. And in the meanwhile, he had his life to live and one particular woman in his sights.

"She's a fine rider," Red said, "if I'd known, I'd have hired her."

Matt smiled.

"She learned how to ride when she started walking…just like me."

Red nodded.

"Just like most of the worthwhile people in this world."

Matt watched as one of Red's riders took one of the horses out onto the racetrack to start its workout as the trainer readied his timer. C.J. and Gloria's horses rounded the far turn with C.J.'s horse within a body length of Gloria's. Matt knew that C.J. had been instructed by Rusty to ride this way, to wait until about mid-stretch to make an accelerative move. If the horse was really responsive, all it would take would be a nudge.

"Rusty's got a nice looking runner there…"

Red laughed.

"I'm surprised you noticed…but yeah you're right…our owners both wanted it but his bid higher that time."

Matt noticed that Red didn't seem too heartbroken about it and figured he understood that this was how the game worked sometimes. You win some, you lose some…and you realize that while the former might be more elusive, when it happened, most definitely sweet.

Speaking of which, he would be meeting C.J. later on for lunch and he had found out from the owner of the Inn of a cape that provided a scenic view of the ocean. He figured that would be a nice spot for them to eat some takeout and enjoy being out in such beautiful natural surroundings.

C.J. looked out at the ocean and agreed that it provided a breath taking view while the two of them sat in Matt's sport car over looking where the waves crashed gently on the empty beach. Occasionally surfers wearing wet suits might be brave to try the waves, because the water was fairly cold year round and there were some wicked rip tides that would crop up unexpectantly.

But after looking at the view, the two of them focused on what was closer, and that was each other. Matt had pulled her closer to him after adjusting his seat back and got to the kissing part. That proved to be a challenge inside the confines of the car but Matt had been a pro at so-called parking when he had been a teen and that was a skill never forgotten as they both found out.

"You comfortable…?"

She sighed.

"Yeah…but I forgot how awkward this was…it's been a while."

He chuckled, caressing her hair off of her face.

"Come on…where's your spirit of adventure?"

She studied him, thinking that he looked awfully pleased with himself after that last kiss.

"Houston…I love parking as much as the next woman…especially with such a hot guy but if the police show up…"

"They won't…they've only got one deputy for the entire area…what are the odds they'll be patrolling anywhere near here?"

She considered that and thought okay, maybe they wouldn't get caught and have their mug shots published in some society column back in L.A. for indecent exposure…which well, that didn't apply here because they still had their clothes on after all.

Except…

"C.J…I seemed to remember that I had asked you to wear my favorite color today…but I looked and I don't see it."

She smiled knowingly at him, in a way that made his pulse race.

"That's because you didn't look carefully enough Houston."

Comprehension hit him suddenly and he nodded.

"Oh I see…so where should I start looking then?"

She tilted her head and adjusted herself so she could kind of sit on his lap and look at him, but damn the confines of the car…well that made it difficult but she managed anyway…somehow.

"I'll give you some help…"

And that's when she started casually removing her sweater.

"C.J…"

She furrowed her brows at him and put a finger to her lips.

"Shhh….we wouldn't want to attract a crowd would we?"

"No….I guess we wouldn't…"

His eyes widened after the sweater came off.

"Wow…you did wear my favorite…"

She nodded, before she silenced him with a kiss…which didn't give him much time to admire her lacy top but he played with the straps, lowering them slowly.

"You like?"

Silly question, he thought as he touched her bare skin and she rewarded him by intensifying her kiss. She released it finally, leaving them both out of breath.

"Hmmmm…I think this is what they call second base?"

"I'd say so…."

The sensations he elicited from her when he touched her…she felt like closing her eyes and shutting everything else out but…her eye caught something suddenly…wait…

She saw the squad car pull up some yards away and what looked like a sheriff deputy get out.

"Houston…."

"What….," he asked, still enjoying himself.

She reached to find her sweater …where had it gone…damn… He looked at her puzzled.

"What's going on…?"

"I need to find my sweater…"

"Now…you look much better without it," he said, "You're a very beautiful woman…"

Something caught in her throat when he said that, the emotion in those simple words but they weren't alone.

"Houston…do you see the deputy out there?"

He looked and yes he did see the tall guy in the uniform looking out over the cape.

"I think he's just here for the scenery C.J."

She sighed, still wondering where her sweater had wandered off to…it had just been next to her.

"Well, if I don't find my sweater…he's definitely going to see some scenery."

Comprehension hit Matt again.

"Oh…maybe it's on the floor…after all the way you whipped it off…really something…"

"Yeah…well it's going to be really something if we wind up locked up in jail for indecent exposure and our bosses have to bail us out."

He stroked her face.

"Not going to happen…now maybe…"

He shifted a bit and pulled it out from beneath where she had been sitting on his lap.

"I believe this is yours counselor…"

She just grabbed it from him and put it on…but something…

"C.J. I think it's inside out…"

She looked and yeah, he read that right and before they knew it they saw the deputy walking casually towards them.

"We are so busted…"

Matt smiled at the concern lacing her voice. Maybe a few words to the deputy man to man and he'd understand…then again maybe not.

She moved away from him towards her own seat but that came awkwardly.

"I forgot what it was like to do this Houston…."

She finally made it to her seat and fluffed back her hair with her hands when the deputy peered into their window.

"Hi folks…enjoying the scenery?"

Matt nodded, because that had been the truth though nothing outside had rivaled what he had been looking at inside.

"You know…this cape is famous for its breathtaking view…the ocean is so beautiful and majestic, how it laps the beach with each wave…and the sky, so crystal blue…the sunsets also majestic…"

"I see…."

The deputy then frowned.

"I'm glad that you do…it's also famous for some…other reasons…the high school kids and some older folks call this "look out point"…you do understand what that means don't you?"

Matt nodded.

"I think I do…We had a place like that where I grew up."

"Well, I understand the appeal of such places…hell I was a teenaged buck once but indecent exposure is still against the law and I can lock couples up for it…so some advice…keep the friskiness to a minimum okay…there's a convent up the road and it wouldn't do good to shock the sisters."

Matt agreed.

"We had no intention…"

The deputy smiled.

"Good…then we're on the same page here…enjoy the view and have a great day…"

He walked back to his car and the two of them watched him drive away. C.J. just sighed, as if she had been holding her breath the entire time.

"That was close…"

Matt grinned.

"Wasn't it though…damn, it's been a while…since I was asked to tone it down so to speak."

She smiled at him.

"We did get a little bit…involved."

He nodded.

"Yeah we did…and it was really nice…you're beautiful with your clothes on but…"

She put a couple of fingers over his mouth.

"Houston…we'd better get back to the racetrack."

He started the car and they pulled out of the cape and began heading back down the highway.

"Did you really like what you saw?"

He gazed at her then, answering her question in a way that pleased her.

"Yeah C.J. I did," he said, "You're really something…you know that?"

She looked back out the window, thinking about that, how it felt to have his eyes on her, and his hands stroking her skin. Too damn good…she really had to do some thinking about all this, it seemed to be happening so fast sometimes…but her feelings, they were the fastest of all and she couldn't begin to rein them in…not that she really wanted that.

But her heart still gave her pause…still made her hesitate and she didn't know how to change that…no matter how much the rest of her wanted to.