Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 128313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Huffing a laugh, I said, “Maybe? No? I don’t know.” I sighed. I played with the tie around my throat. Had I always found these things so stifling?
“You need this,” Leon continued. “Even if you’re not riding competitively anymore, you are Golden Oaks and you are Knighton Equestrian. You should have a place at this table after all you’ve done for the community.”
I smiled at Leon. “I’m starting to think I need to add ‘hype man’ to your job description.”
Leon laughed. “Nah, that’s a freebie.” It was true, though—whenever I lost faith in myself, it was Leon and Forrest who built me back up. Both quieter in personality, but tenacious and protective to a fault.
“Be honest,” I said. “How many job offers have you gotten tonight?”
Leon winced. “I’ve lost count, Jas. But I think about twelve so far?” Leon stepped closer. “Including one to join Team USA.”
“Fuck off,” I said and shook my head. “The nerve.”
Leon smirked and put his hand over his heart. “Don’t worry, my everlasting loyalty is still to Golden Oaks.” Heat rose a little on his cheeks. “It’s home, you know?” Leon was about as good at expressing his feelings as I was. So his declaration was practically a signed contract for life.
“We’d be lost without you,” I said, putting my hand on his shoulder, “and not just as our trainer. You’re family.”
Leon nudged my arm and flicked his chin toward the bar. “Right, enough with that mushy shit; let’s get a drink.” I cast my eyes to Hallie again. She was already watching me, and I fought the need to march right over there and slam my lips to hers to show every horny fucker in this room that she was taken. Even if she technically wasn’t.
“A drink would be good,” I said to Leon, and joined him at the bar.
As I waited for my scotch, a hand rubbed up my back. And it was not a friendly touch, but one that spoke of intimacy. For a moment, I entertained it was Hallie, only to realize that was daft. I immediately turned around, only for annoyance to fill my every cell as Camille Dubois from Team France stood there.
“Camille,” I said, pulling away from her. But Camille wouldn’t be deterred. One thing I’d say for her, she was as tenacious off a horse as she was in the saddle.
“Jasper,” she said, her tone all breathless seduction. Camille was a highly attractive woman. Red hair, green eyes, tall and slender. But she was also a man-eater. Foolishly, in my early twenties, I’d fucked her. To me, it was a one-night thing. It was for her too, until I made it clear I didn’t want anything further, and that sparked some kind of internal competition within her. When she befriended Alexis, it was like they made a game of who could wear me down first.
Almost as though I’d conjured her to my side, Alexis sidled up next to me too. Fucking great. I peeled Camille’s hand from my chest, keeping her away from me by her wrist. “Hands to yourself, Camille,” I said forcefully, but not raising my voice. The last thing I wanted was to make more of a scene. Alexis smoothed her hand down my back.
“Jasper. I had it on good authority you weren’t attending the tour.” I caught Alexis flicking her glance in Hallie’s direction. “I wonder what caused this sudden change of heart?”
I pushed Alexis’s hand off me too and stepped out of both their grips. “Business, Alexis,” I said coldly. “Nothing more. You should know about that. You seem to be trying to acquire as many of them as you can.” I stopped myself from saying more. Excitement lit Alexis’s eyes, loving the fact that she seemed to have an opponent.
“You were fun once,” Camille said, interrupting Alexis and me from a stare-off, holding her glass of champagne out to the side. There was a pissed-off edge to her fake smile—strained and determined.
“You’re right. I was once,” I said in agreement. “Unfortunately for you, now I’m a miserable fucker.”
Camille came closer again just as Leon handed me my scotch, reaching between me and Camille and blocking off Alexis completely. I wanted to fucking kiss him in that moment. Alexis stormed away, but Camille brushed Leon’s arm aside and wrapped hers around my neck. I tried to push her away, but her lips met my ear, and she said, “I’m staying in the Regent. Room two hundred and four.”
“I don’t fucking care,” I said through gritted teeth. I looked up and saw Hallie on the dance floor with Sage. I was momentarily dumbstruck to see her body moving so perfectly to the beat. But when she turned in my direction and saw Camille wrapped around me, pain and hurt immediately radiated from her shocked expression.