Teach Me To Ride by Rachel Leigh

you is telling me how to deal with my father. I’ll see you later.” With a click of his tongue, he threw her a final look of determination and reined Marshall May across the yard and out the gate.
    Caroline sucked in a breath as he disappeared, a painful slash crossing her heart. “Damn it.”
    “He’ll come around.”
    Caroline snapped her head to the side. Lewis Canton stood across the yard. For a moment, she couldn’t move. He stared at her, an annoying half-smile pulling at his mouth, his stance relaxed and nonchalant as he strolled slowly toward her.
    She tilted her chin. Lewis Canton was nothing more than a geriatric has been who wanted to live life through a son he hadn’t given a shit about for years. The man might think he was still the ladies’ man he was in nineteen eighty-four, but he would soon learn that it was time to put his gigantic ego and withered dick into retirement.
    She stepped forward and they stopped inches away from each other. Her eyes locked with his. “Good morning, Mr. Canton. Any reason you’re hiding out in the stables rather than enjoying the attention of the world’s media?”
    “I came here hoping to talk to my son.”
    “Michael’s a little busy, as you can imagine.”
    “If he wins today, it will be because of me. You do know that?”
    Caroline huffed out a laugh and dragged her gaze from his to look around the yard. “What Michael achieves today is down to him and him alone.” She turned back. “You have nothing to do with what he is now…or in the future.”
    He smile was that of a wolverine, only without the warm and fuzzy. “We’ll have to see about that, won’t we?”
    She glared, nerves leaping and jumping in her stomach. The man’s eyes were steel gray and as cold as metal. “What do you want?” She hitched her bag on her shoulder. “I’ve got work to do.”
    “I think my son wants you, Miss James.”
    Caroline snapped her gaze to his. Maybe he didn’t know she and Michael had made love after all. “Whether he does or not is none of your damn business.”
    His smile stretched as his gaze fell to her breasts. “Or has already had you.”
    Shit. “I think we’re done here, Mr. Canton.” She moved to walk away.
    He cleared his throat. “Miss James?”
    Caroline halted and squeezed her eyes shut for a second before turning around. “What?”
    “Is Michael going to ride for me? Is he going to train for the Olympics? He could achieve everything if he wanted it badly enough.” He stalked toward her.
    She pulled back her shoulders. “He’s riding today, that’s all I know.”
    “Oh, I think you know more than that.” He tightened his jaw. “He hates me, doesn’t he?”
    Caroline stared. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of answering. The man was digging for information and she would give him nothing.
    He lifted an eyebrow at her silence. “So it’s more than the job that has you sniffing around my son? Interesting.” He drew his gaze down the length of her. “Don’t go there, Miss James. My son is ambitious whether he realizes it or not.”
    “So am I.”
    “You have no personal interest in Michael?”
    Caroline swallowed before answering. The man’s eyes shone with malice and intent. “Again, none of your damn business.”
    He stepped closer and touched his fingers to her elbow, running them along her forearm. “Why don’t you and I go for a walk? I think it’s only fair that you hear my side of the story. After all, I suspect it’s Michael’s personal story you’re after, not his show jumping.” His gaze bored into hers. “Am I right?”
    Caroline opened her mouth to respond when he gripped her arms and yanked her against him. Her heart slammed against her ribcage in panic when his lips came down hard on hers. Hard and unyielding. Shock reverberated through her. She struggled against him, desperately trying to pull her arms from his unyielding grip as his tongue wrestled to gain entrance into her mouth. His fingers dug