Winner Takes All (A Full Length Erotic Romance Novel) (21 page)

A sigh left Sasha’s lips. “I’m worried about
this entire investigation. It’s scary.” She was embarrassed that her voice
shook. This was the first time she’d talked to anyone else aside from Damien
about the investigation. And although Michelle had brought word of the doping
discovery to Damien that evening while he and Sasha were in his study, she
hadn’t had the chance to talk with the vet alone.

As the week wore on, she’d simply become
convinced that Michelle was no longer a friend anymore and believed, like
everyone obviously did, that she had something to do with what the
investigators

suspected.

The thought had shattered her. One of the
good friends she could finally claim after being at Taylor Stables for so long
was no longer hers anymore. So far, Linc had been the only person to come
forward with words of encouragement and unconditional support. All the other
jockeys acted no differently with her. They treated her the same and did not
seem to hold the same suspicion in their faces that the office staff had. But
even that small thing, she was grateful for.

“The investigation is a frightening thing.
You’d be made of stone if you weren’t worried.” Michelle squeezed her shoulder.
“I know things have been hard for you, I just wanted to let you know that I’m
behind you a hundred percent. I don’t believe you did any of what they’re
saying.”

Damien and Linc had tried to keep the details
of the investigation a secret, but with the pointed questions that the
detectives had asked and perhaps even documents the staff had been shown,
barely a day had passed before the entire stables knew what the investigators
were looking for. And at whom.

“Thank you for believing in me,” Sasha said
as the tears threatened again. “I know I haven’t done anything to deserve your
trust but—”

“You’re done everything,” Michelle interrupted.
“You’ve shown us all what a giving, kind, and honest person you are. It’s only
a matter of time before the investigators see that too and move on to another
suspect.”

Sasha drew in a breath of surprise. Although
Michelle was a friend and had done nothing but show support and kindness since
Sasha’s first day they met, to hear her say the words were such a surprise.
Michelle didn’t know the truth about her, about her family and her background.
And from the way the other woman spoke, maybe she wouldn’t even care if she
did. The thought took Sasha aback. She’d never had people support her before.
The feeling was going to take some getting used to.

“You’re...you’re so nice to me!” She cleared
her throat, wanting to make light of her vulnerability. “What’s the catch?”
Sasha forced her teasing lilt into her voice.

Michelle smiled. “I wouldn’t say I’m nice.
Wait until I stick you with washing the dishes the next time you come over for
dinner.”

She took Sasha’s hand in hers. “Which reminds
me, you’re invited over to our place tonight if you feel like having company.
Gracie is making her famous chicken and waffles from scratch. She’s spoiling me
because it’s close to our anniversary but you can enjoy at least
one
of
the benefits of our long-lived relationship, too.” A dimple poked her cheek.

Unexpected laughter burst from Sasha.
“Thanks, but you can savor all those benefits for yourself.” Her smile faded.
“You’re both so sweet for inviting me, but I don’t feel much like company these
days. Maybe one day soon, okay?”

Michelle looked disappointed, but she only
squeezed Sasha’s hand. “Okay.”

After another long hug, Michelle turned back
around in the hallway and went the way she had come. Sasha continued on toward
the showers, the burden on her shoulders lighter, the warmth from her friend’s
hug still lingering on her skin.

When she came out of the shower, ready to
face the world in her purple sundress, sandals, and brighter attitude in the
wake of Michelle’s visit, her cell phone rang.

“Have dinner with me tonight,” Damien said
over the line. He sounded exhausted.

She folded her dirty clothes and put them in
her overnight bag, the phone tucked between her cheek and shoulder as she
talked. “Are you sure? You sound like you’re ready for bed.”

He chuckled without humor. “I’m probably too
tired to make it to the bed, but I want to see you.”

It had been days since they’d gotten the
chance to do more than kiss each other goodnight or good morning before getting
on with their respective days. Sasha missed him. Even in the midst of her worry
about the doping charges, she missed him so much.

“I’m leaving the showers right now. I can be
in your office in about fifteen minutes.”

He made a negating sound. “No. I have a
better idea. Meet me in the stable parking lot. I’ll pick you up in five.” He
sounded suddenly energized, papers rustling in the background, then the noise
of keys jingling.

“Okay.”

After she hung up, the gabbed the rest of her
things, put them in her car except for her purse and walked to the edge of the
parking lot to wait for Damien. It was nearly seven o’ clock. About an hour
from sunset and the sky a brilliant blue overhead. Sasha leaned back against
one of the two concrete pillars that marked the entrance to the lot. With her
purse held in front of her with both hands and her eyes closed, she breathed in
quietly. Enjoying the relative silence of the stables, the sound of the wind
through the trees, the far off chirp of birds, closer, the sound of a powerful
car engine.

“Hey, beautiful. Going my way?”

She opened her eyes to see Damien smiling
tiredly at her from the driver’s side of his black Mercedes. His hair was more
untidy than she’d ever seen it, as if he’d been constantly running his hands
through it. She wanted to kiss his cheeks and put him to bed. Sasha shoved away
from the pillar and approached the car window.

“Depends on where you’re going, lover,” she
murmured, playing along. As she watched, it seemed that some of the tiredness
drained away from him, leaving his eyes brighter, his smile wider.

“Why don’t you hop in and find out?” He
draped one hand over the car window, the other over the steering wheel.

She grinned and got into the car. The
Mercedes smelled like sun-warmed leather and his woodsy cologne. Sasha leaned
across the car to kiss him, breathe him in before settling back into the
comfortable seat with a sigh and stretching out her legs.

“So, where are you taking me?”

“Someplace you want to go.” He flashed her
another smile and put the car in gear.

“Mind if I put on some music?” she asked.

“I’d mind if you don’t.”

Under his skilled direction, the big car
glided down the winding drive, past the rich green fields, the beautiful modern
buildings, the burned out old stable looking down at them from the top of the
hill.

Sasha flipped through the satellite radio
listings until she found one of her favorite classic country music stations.
Damien glanced briefly at her in approval as the sounds of Kenny Rogers filled
the luxurious space and she sat back in her chair, prepared to enjoy the
passing scenery, his solid presence, and the lulling music until the car
stopped at its final destination. After stopping for gas and a mysterious
something from a gourmet grocer, the Mercedes took to the open road. The drive
ended just before sunset at a park.

Damien parked the car and opened the
passenger side door for her, helped her out. It smelled like they were in the
country. Pastures. The sweet scent of nearby flowers. Freshly cut grass. The
sound of nearby water. Around them, the sun was setting fire to the sky as it
lowered toward the horizon. The gold and amber shades of light kissed her
lover’s golden hair, rested like a blessing on his features, the lush lower
lip, his strong jaw, and high cheekbones. He watched her as if she was the one
offered up in shades of gold, adoration bright in his eyes.

Sasha smiled through the blush climbing in
her cheeks. “I thought you were inviting me out to dinner.”

“I am.” His smile was mischievous. Sweet.

Damien opened the trunk and pulled out a
picnic basket, a striped blue blanket, and the paper bag from the grocery
store. Then he locked up the car, offered Sasha his arm. They didn’t walk far.
Only down a grassy hill and toward a small garden that seemed to have sprung
out of nowhere. A latched gate guarded the oasis of roses while the sunset lit
their way. Red roses. Pink. Lavender. White. Yellow. Every conceivable color of
the flowers with their rich and intoxicating scent permeated the small space.

“This is beautiful,” Sasha said. She drew a
deep breath and sighed as the sweetness of the flowers seemed to bloom inside
her. “Thank you.”

“This is just the beginning,” Damien said
with a gentle smile.

He guided her to a wide area of grass at the
center of the garden, spread out the blanket and settled the basket near it.

“Your dinner awaits,” he said, grinning.

Once she sat down on the blanket, he pulled a
feast from the basket. Fried chicken, dinner rolls, mashed potatoes, collard
greens, and a cherry pie. Sasha laughed when he pulled out the pie.

“Am I going to even get to taste that?” He
loved pie with an unnatural lust she could only attribute to him being an only
child.

“If you behave yourself, maybe.” They shared
a smile.

As the sun fully set around them, he put
portions of dinner on both their plates before giving her a fork and a glass of
white wine. They shared the food and low conversation, enjoying the last of the
setting sun, the intoxicating smell of the roses around them. As the sun fell
lower in the sky, Damien pulled a set of four candles from the picnic basket;
he lit them to chase the darkness away.

“I’m happy you’re here with me tonight,
Sasha,” Damien said between bites of his fried chicken. “I haven’t had time to
sleep these last few days, but I want to be sure I have time with you.” A smear
of grease glistened on his upper lip.

Sasha leaned close and wiped his mouth with
her thumb. She smiled, licked away the grease from her own finger. “I’m glad
you suggested this. I’ve been going crazy the last couple of days. The
investigation. My brother.” Her voice trailed off as she remembered the latest
batch of cash she’d put in James’s hand. His smirk as she’d given him what he
wanted without even a word. He thought he was winning, that he’d already won.
Right now, she couldn’t dispute that. Not one little bit.

“Don’t worry about that,” Damien said
dismissively. “We’ll take care of that little problem in no time once the
situation with the doping is settled. Very soon.”

Sasha nodded, forked a bite of the collared
greens into her mouth. She chewed the warm but deliciously flavored greens,
savoring their taste and forcing her mind away from the unpleasantness plaguing
her life. She was in a fragrant garden with a man she loved, a man who at the
very least, cared very much for her.

They finished their meal with quiet
conversation, talking about anything but the problem they had. About the
glimmering constellations of stars above, about Damien’s mother who had seen
the news about the doping scandal on television one night and wanted to come to
Taylor Stables right away to do what she could to help despite her fragile
health.

“She loves me,” Damien said with a fond
smile. “Even though she’d never really been involved in the business, it made
me feel good that she wanted to rush down and help.” He drank from his glass of
wine. “She’s a good woman.”

“And she raised a good son,” Sasha said.

“I wish I was better,” Damien put down his
glass, stared off into the distance. “If I was, I would have found out who is
trying to do this damage to the stables. I’m not even convinced there was any
doping at all.”

Sasha made a soothing noise. “Did you find
out anything this week?”

He refocused his attention on her, grabbed a
piece of chicken. “A few things, but nothing concrete since the investigators
are trying to shut me out as much as possible. They don’t want me tampering
with evidence and making their job harder.” He bit into the chicken, chewed it.

“But you’re only doing your job.”

“I am. And I’ll continue to do it. I’ll
figure this entire fiasco out.” Damien nodded decisively, then tossed aside the
chicken bone as if discarding the subject of the investigation itself.

Sasha didn’t want to talk about it anymore
either. She put aside her plate and fork, wiped her hands on her napkin. She
took a few sips of her wine and sighed, looked up at the stars. “I’m scared,
Damien.”