Chapter 21
Louisiana
When we arrived at the racing complex, I was completely overwhelmed. There were more people than I ever imagined, and I felt so out of place. I’ve gone with my dad in the past to auctions for farm equipment or animals, but there have never been crowds like this.
“It’s something, isn’t it?” Issac stretched as he climbed out of the truck.
“Can we go to the barns?” Hallie bounced on her toes.
“You can go to the barns. I need to make sure we’re all checked in. Stay with Craig when you get there, and I’ll come and get you.” He wagged his finger. “I mean it.”
“Yes, Daddy.” She gave a quick nod, then grabbed Amy’s hand and took off running, pulling Amy behind her.
“Will they be ok?” I watched as they weaved through people milling around and then disappeared.
“Yeah, there’s only one barn here. It’s a smaller complex and Hallie’s been doing this most of her life.” Issac chuckled. “She probably knows her way around better than I do.”
“Ok.” I continued to stare in the direction they went.
“I can show you where the barn is if you want to go with them, or you can come with me while I pick up our passes. We’re going to head over there in a bit.
” He came around the truck and stopped in front of me.
“I promise they’re ok, though.” He leaned in and pecked my lips before reaching for my hand.
“It’s ok. I trust you.” I let him lead me inside where owners were turning in all sorts of paperwork. There were multiple lines of people, all for different reasons.
Issac chose a line off to the left. When we reached the front, he handed over a folder full of papers. The gentleman sitting behind the table handed him a manilla envelope. Issac thanked him, and we walked away.
“That was it?” I was confused.
“I did most of the work ahead of time online. I just had to turn in a few hard copies. These are our passes to get into the owner’s box. You get the good seats with these.” He grinned as he held up the envelope.
We made our way over to the barn and just as we were rounding the corner, the girls came rushing out.
“Daddy! Maverick got the end stall. That’s the lucky one, remember?
” She turned toward me. “The last time we raced Lucky Star here, she won. She was in the end stall. Daddy said it must be lucky. Can I brush him?” The excitement was pouring off her in waves.
“Just be careful around his withers. You know he’s a bit ticklish there.” She was skipping away through the barn before Issac could finish.
“She’s a little excited today.” I laughed.
“Just a tad.” He held his fingers up, showing a small space between them.
“We didn’t race last year. She’s just misses it is all.
” He led us down to where Hallie was showing Amy how to run the brush down Maverick’s side and avoid his feet so as not to get kicked.
Craig was supervising and a vet was making his way through the barn, checking all the horses out.
“Once everyone gets a clean bill of health, it’s just a waiting game.
” He sighed. “How about we get settled into the hotel, and then we get some dinner?”
Ooooooooo
Issac
“Daddy?” Hallie came over, her hands clasped together. I knew she wanted something, and she was hoping I wouldn’t say no.
“Yes, sweetie.” I leaned down and granted her all of my attention.
“Do you think Amy and I could stay here with Craig tonight? Please?”
“I booked us a suite, and you want to sleep on a cot?” I shook my head and laughed.
“Just for tonight. We can stay at the hotel tomorrow. I wanna help Craig.” She gave a quick nod.
“And this is what you want, too? You can come with us, ya know?” I turned toward Amy. I know Hallie can be bossy at times and I didn’t want Amy to think that she had to sleep in the barn if she didn’t want to.
“I think this is cool. I wanna stay.” She moved over next to Hallie and wrapped her arm around her shoulders. “It’ll be like a camp out.” She grinned.
“I’m fine with it, sir.” Craig motioned to the row of cots lining the aisles outside the stalls.
“If you’re sure. Are you going to eat with the stable hands, too?” I chuckled.
“Sure. It’ll be fun. I need to know how to do all this if I’m going to take over someday.” She crossed her arms over her chest and in that moment, I saw a little bit of her mother.
“Well, ok then.” I tipped my hat and turned to face Lou. “Looks like you and I get a nice quiet dinner together and a huge luxury suite to ourselves. Whatever will we do?” I winked and I thought I saw her blush a little.
“Ew, Daddy. No kissing.” Hallie made a gagging noise.
“You got it. No kissing.” I saluted her before offering my arm to Lou. When she linked hers through it, I led her out of the barn.
We walked over to my truck, and stopped at the passenger side.
Before I opened the door, I wrapped my arms around her and planted a deep kiss to her lips.
“There will definitely be kissing tonight,” I growled before I opened the door.
Lou climbed in and I muttered to myself to behave as I jogged around to the driver’s side.
Maybe I would just get room service, since it was just us.
I hopped in and cranked the engine. “How do you feel about room service?” I took a quick glance at her before pulling out onto the highway.
“I’ve never had it.” She giggled with a shrug.
“We’ll have to remedy that, then.” I sped up as I made the five-mile drive to our hotel.
Ooooooooo
I had done an early check-in on my phone and set up the room key electronically, so we were able to go right to our room. After parking, I grabbed our luggage and led Lou inside.
The hotel had an open courtyard like lobby with a lot of plants and trees. There was a large fountain in the center and then elevators that formed a triangular shape around it. The hotel’s restaurant was on the far end, and then there was also a bar.
“I bet the girls will want to check out the pool tomorrow.” Lou laughed as she pointed to where a sign was announcing an indoor pool.
“I’m sure they didn’t think about missing out on that when they wanted to stay at the track,” I agreed.
I led her into the elevator and pushed the button for the penthouse.
We climbed all the way to the top, and when the doors opened, plush white carpet greeted us.
“Our home for the next three days.” I stepped inside and set the suitcases down.
“This is too much.” She looked around, taking it all in.
Ooooooooo
Louisiana
I knew just by the outside of the building that this was a nice hotel, but when the elevator opened displaying the room, I was in complete awe.
It was nothing I’d ever experienced before.
Plush white carpet filled the rooms. The main room had a fireplace in one corner with a large flat screen TV over it.
There were two wingback chairs facing it.
Directly across the room was a wall of mirrors and then in front of them was a hot tub with a waterfall feature against the mirrors.
A fully stocked wet bar was in another corner.
There was a wall of windows and when you looked out, you could see the racetrack.
“This is beautiful,” I whispered as I let fingers touch the glass.
“The girls are going to wish they came with us when they see this tomorrow.” I turned to face him as I giggled.
“Maybe, but Hallie likes being at the barn. She spends a lot of her time there at home. I don’t usually get something this big, but there’s four of us this trip.
” He shrugged as he came over and wrapped his arms around my waist. “I wanted to spoil you.” He leaned in and placed a light kiss to my lips. “Come see the rest.”
He led me through one set of double doors.
Inside were two queen four-poster beds. They were made up with fluffy white linens.
There was a door in the corner of the room that led to a bathroom.
On the other side of the suite, there was another set of double doors.
Those led to a room much like the other, but there was a king-sized bed in the center.
“I can get a roll away bed if you are uncomfortable with this,” he murmured as he kissed my neck. “I don’t want to be presumptuous.”
I closed my eyes for just a moment before turning to face him.
I swallowed and mustered up the courage to look him in the eyes.
“Maybe I want you to be presumptuous.” I felt my cheeks heat but forced myself not to look away.
His eyes flashed, before he leaned down, his mouth right in front of mine, “I was hoping you’d feel that way.
” His breath feathered across my face as his lips brushed mine, and I trembled in his embrace.
This was the moment, the moment I decided that I deserved this.
All the doubts Charlie had put in my head year after year fell to the wayside as I put me first for the first time in years.
Here was a generous man who thought I was pretty and wanted me.
He wasn’t bad to look at, either. Who was I to deny what I wanted?
“How do you feel about eating later?” He ran his finger under the strap of my tank top.
His hands were calloused, probably from helping with the horses; Issac didn’t seem like the type to not be hands on with his business.
I shivered against the touch. “I’ll take that as a yes.
” He chuckled as his palms slid down my sides, stopping at my waist. It was late afternoon, and the sun was setting, casting an amber glow in the room.
I mimicked his pose and tugged at the bottom of his dress shirt.
“I’ve been telling myself no for twelve years.
Any time I wanted something for myself, I denied it because I thought I had to.
I’m not doing that anymore. From now on, it’s what I want and what will be best for Amy and me.
” As the words fell from my lips, I carefully unbuttoned each tiny button until his shirt hung open.
“I want to give you and Amy the world, if you’ll let me.
” He lifted my tank up and off, tossing it to the side.
I pushed his shirt from his shoulders, letting it flutter to the floor.
We stood there for a moment, just taking everything in, and then it was as if a switch flipped inside of both of us.
We both reached for each other’s waistbands and began tugging, him at my shorts, me at his jeans.
As clothes began to drop to the floor, frantic hands searched for bare skin.
When he removed my bra and my breasts pressed against his bare chest, I almost moaned.
Charlie and I had been young and inexperienced, and by the time we knew what we were doing, it was more mechanical. This was unadulterated lust.
Issac moved us toward the bed, kissing down my neck and over my shoulder.
He laced his fingers with mine, and as I fell back onto the soft mattress, he climbed over me.
When the length of his body pressed against mine, we shivered together.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered. Hands moved over my hips and thighs as he cradled himself against me, and then with a few quick movements, he joined us.
My head dropped back as he moved like a well-oiled machine, his thighs flexing, arms holding him over me. His hair was tousled and when he leaned down to kiss my breast, it tickled my face.
It didn’t take us long and then he collapsed beside me.
We laid there, the cool air from the AC cooling our sweaty bodies.
“I love you.” He rolled onto his side. “I thought I did before, but I know now… I love you.” His eyes started to water, but he brushed it away.
“I’m sorry. I’m really not like this. It’s just…
since June… there hasn’t been anyone. God, I sound like such a… ”
“Human?” I placed my hand on his chest. His heart was racing.
“You don’t have to explain that.” I stared at the ceiling, gathering my thoughts and then just blurted out, “There hasn’t been anyone other than Charlie.
” I figured if we were being honest, I needed to throw my baggage out, too. Might as well put everything out.
He turned to face me again. “I meant what I said. I do love you. I wasn’t sure I could feel this way again, but I do.
” He cupped my cheek before leaning in to place a deep kiss on my lips.
“Why don’t we refuel, and then maybe get in the hot tub?
You know the girls are going to take that over when they get here tomorrow. ” He chuckled.
“Sounds like a great idea.” I stood up and went into the bathroom. On the back of the door were two plush white terry robes. I grabbed them before coming back out. “I say we use these for the night.” I smiled as I held one out to him.
“I like that idea.” He slipped into it and tied the sash. “Let’s look at the dinner menu.” He led me out to the living room and settled in one of the chairs. Before I could sit in the other, he pulled me into his lap and held the menu in front of us. “What looks good?”
I turned, and leaned in next to his ear, “You.”