CHAPTER 3

It was a hot, airless night with a brilliant moon illuminated against the star-laden sky. The room's windows were wide open; the room was quiet and still except for the sound of the vast air conditioner in the corner of the room, which hummed silently. Lisa was wearing only a bra and panties, half-naked on the bed, staring out at the moon, her ankles crossed, her hands behind her head. She was inside of the vast guest's room of Jake Courtland.

Lisa was like that for a long time, thinking, her mind reliving the events of the past few days. Inexplicably, everything had happened so fast. Her mind went back to the day, Jake had found her in the stable crying. She had been so shocked to see him there. And yet, surprisingly, she had felt elated, seeing him there that night. She did not know why she had been so happy at seeing him that night. She had been infuriated by this delight, and that was why she had been cold and rude to him that night. But how would she had known that they would have ended up kissing each other? she asked herself.

She remembered how he had driven them to the seafood restaurant and back to her ranch house. Unknown to him, as they had sat in the darkness of his car, talking, she had felt sexual desires for him coursing through her veins. Jake would never know how much she had wanted him to kiss her that night. And when he had asked her to tell him why she had been crying, and while she had been talking, she had wanted nothing more at that moment than to bury her face into his broad chest and release all the pent-up sorrow in her. She remembered how he had told her that if she was uncomfortable with the contract, he was ready to forget about the whole thing, and he won't want to be happy at the expense of another person's sadness or grief.

At that moment, he would never have known how glad she was to hear him say that. She had been so thrilled to hear those words, but she had managed to control herself. Saying all that, told her Jake really cared about her, or let's say he was thoughtful about her feelings concerning the whole agreement. A man who is selfish and unfeeling would never say those words to her. She remembered what Jake's lawyer had told her about Jake being a good man. She had a feeling the lawyer had been right along. Beneath that hard, tough exterior and don't give a damned attitude was a man with a good heart.

After she had given him that envelope that night, she had gone into the house, lay on her bed, and thought about Jake and everything she had written inside the envelope. The next day, she wasn't even surprised when a note had been delivered to her house by a mail boy that Jake wanted to see her as soon as possible. She had quickly dressed, slid into her Porsche, and drove down to Jake's ranch house. When she had got there, he had invited her into his study. Lisa could not forget how the conversation and went that day.

" I've gone through the note, and I'll say I am satisfied by everything you wrote there, "Jake had said to her, his face calm and gentle.

" You are? " she had asked him, her heart beating fast in her chest, but her face expressionless.

" Yes, I'm quite satisfied with everything there. In fact, I'm ready to adhere to everything you want from me, " He had assured her. " Everything there is so simple and easy for me to adhere to. " Then he had opened his drawers and brought out the envelope she had given her, flipped it opened, and took out the note in it. " Written here, you said you wanted me to give you some time to get used to me before we have sex, right? " He had paused looking up from the note when she had nodded her head, he had continued, " Good. Then you said, before we have sex, you will move in here with me, and you will be sleeping in one of my guest's rooms, but immediately we've had sex, you will be sleeping right beside me, on my bed. You want to be treated like a wife and not to be treated like a mistress or something along that line, right? " When she had nodded her head, he had continued. " And lastly, immediately you detect that you are pregnant, and after you've confirmed from the doctors that you are pregnant, you will leave my ranch house and return to your ranch. I must never come to see you there for any reason. But I'm only allowed to see you after the baby is born, and after that, each party will go their separate ways, and that would be the end of the whole contract. " he had finished heaving heavily, then he had said to her. " Lisa, I want things to work out alright between us, and for that reason, I will adhere to everything you've written here, alright, "he had said, a solemn expression on his face.

That had been the end of the conversation that day.

The next day, with the help of Sally, who had helped her pack the things she would need, she had moved into Jake's ranch house. Sally had wanted to come with her, but Lisa would not allow it. She had told the old maid to handle things back at her own ranch house. The old maid had been suspicious. Politely, she had probed Lisa, asking her why she was going to Jake's ranch house. Cleverly, Lisa had answered all the questions thrown at her, giving no room for the maid to doubt her words.

Amidst tears, the old maid had embraced Lisa and had promised to take care of the ranch before Lisa returned.

When she had gotten to the house, Jake had welcomed her affectionately, and he had told her if she wanted him to get a maid for her who would help her with things. But Lisa had refused, telling him she can handle things all by herself.

On the day she arrived, Jake led her to the guest room, which he told her was specially prepared for her. The room was well furnished and comfortable with a big double bed, vast glass, a big dresser on which lay numerous women's essentials and self-care utilities. A closet filled women's outfits and accessories. Even though Lisa had enough clothes, she was glad that Jake being thoughtful concerning her needs.. There was nothing she could have needed that was not in the room. The room was a room befitted for a queen. Jake's valet, Carl, had also been helpful too. He had told her when they had had a small conversation that he had been Jake's valet for as long as when George Courtland, Jake's father, was still alive, and she could see the reason why. He was hardworking, diligent, and thoroughly handy. He had prepared her the meal of her choice, assisted her with her laundries, and was always at her beck and call whenever she needs anything. It didn't take long before Lisa had warmed up to him. He was always reminding her of the caring and nice Sally. Lisa had wanted to pump Carl for more information about the happenings in the ranch horse and most especially about the activities of Jake, but she had controlled herself. She did not want to look like a kind of gossiper to the valet. She knew if she needed any info concerning the ranch or Jake, she would eventually get them with time.

Everything had worked out smoothly, Lisa thought, bringing her mind back to the present. For two weeks now, she had been staying in Jake's ranch; she had found out some things from the snatches of conversations she had overheard from Jake, his lawyer, Gableton, and the cowhands working on the ranch. Firstly, Jake did not care about any of the horses. He was only concerned about coming out first in the local town horse race. Horses scared him, and for a long time now, he had never stepped foot into the stables to check on any of the horses.

Secondly, there was a cold war between Jake and old Bill Roswell. Lisa knew old Bill. He had had dealings with her father when he was still alive. Her father had never spoken ill of old Bill, and she wondered why Jake hated the other man so much. Lastly, the English horse trainer Henry Winston was an excellent equestrian expert. He was nice and gentle with the horses, especially to Fiery, who he had selected among the rest of the thoroughbred horses to represent the Courtland family in the town's horse race event. She had heard Jake's lawyer speak highly of the horse trainer whenever Jake and he had any conversation concerning the horses' well-being.

Now, as she lay on the bed, she wondered what Jake was doing inside his bedroom. Since she had arrived at the house, she noticed Jake had been deliberately avoiding her. At first, she thought she only imagined things, but she knew she had been right after spending a few days in the house. But she had not being bothered by any of this realization. Even though there had been sparks of desire between them, but they had managed to conceal it from each other. But Jake had not been quite careful enough because sometimes, when they were having breakfast or dinner and when he thought she wasn't looking, she would find his eyes on her, boring into her, analyzing her, as if trying to get used to the idea that she was really in his house. Sometimes, she would turn red under his gaze, and when she was about to look his way, he would quickly take his eyes away. Dinner was always dull.

Though they usually talk of this and that, she knew Jake was only trying so hard to be polite and make her feel at ease with him. If he could have his way, he wouldn't have started any conversation with her in the first place. During the day, she never saw him; he was always in his study going through live stocks documents or talking with his ever-present real estate lawyer. Lisa was not bothered by all this. What she was worried about was the day she would be able to give herself up for him to take her finally. She was not even worried that she was a virgin.

Though she read in a women's magazine about things involved in having sex for the first time and how relatively difficult it could be, she knew she was not afraid of the pain that was to come. She was only bothered by the fact that she was about to give herself up to a man who was not in love with her. At first, when she had come up with the idea of having a child with Jake, the decision had seemed so easy to her then but looking at the situation now, it was quite complicated than she had ever imagined. She was sure Jake did not love her. Just like her, everything between them was simply business. Nothing more, nothing less. He will get his horses, and she will get her child. There's nothing more to it than that. She now realized why it was essential for him to have at least an ounce of feelings for her before they had sex. It would make things easier that way. She can just give herself away to a man like that when she knew he did not love her or like her. But you came up with the idea, her mind screamed at her. You signed the papers! Jake did not force you! You knew what was at stake, and you still went ahead, so why blame the poor man? She asked herself. It's not his fault that he doesn't love you or have feelings for you. It's all your fault so deal with it!

Lisa drew in a long slow breath and stifled a yawn. Her father would never have believed she could have made such a drastic decision. Even Sally would have been astonished if she had heard of the contract she had made with Jake. Yes, it was her fault, alright. She should have thought this through before going ahead with the agreement. But the thought of having her own child had gripped her so much. She had never anticipated things would turn out like this for her. And now, there was nothing she could do other than to go ahead with the plan. One way or the other, she knew she would get through this. Because Lisa was mentally resilient, she pushed the thought out of her mind, closed her eyes, and allowed the power of sleep to claim her.

*************

Lisa woke up the next morning, bright and gay. She quickly went into the bathroom, brushed her teeth, turned on the bathtub tap, added flower petals, lavender, Epsom salt, and olive oil into the water, and soaked herself in it. She was like that, inside the water for a long moment, her head rested on the bathtub edge, letting the warm water relax and soothe her body. After some time, she stood up, stepped out of the tub, dried herself thoroughly, and crossed the room to her closet. She struggled into a light lemon T-shirt, slid into tight-fitting beige-colored slacks, and wore black boots. She stood in front of the big mirror, applied a little lipstick on her lips, and did a little makeup. Standing there, she knew she looked ravishing, and the thought pleased her. She stepped out of the room, walked through the flight of stairs, down to the living room, and found Carl arranging the dining table. He looked up when he heard her come into the room. There was a look of admiration on his black face.

" Good morning, Miss Wolfe, "he beamed, flashing her his white teeth. " You looked wonderful this morning."

" Thank you, Carl, "Lisa replied affectionately. " I hope you had a good night's rest? " She inquired.

" Yes, I did. Thank you so much, ma'am," he replied. " Breakfast is ready, ma'am. Would you like me to serve you now? " He asked, his dark eyes peering at her quizzically.

" Yes, that would be nice," Lisa said. " Where is Jake? "

" You mean, Mr. Courtland? " He said politely.

" Yes," she replied.

" He went out early this morning, ma'am. " He said evenly.

Lisa looked at him, puzzled.

" This early? " She said. " Did he eat anything? "

Carl shook his head.

" Not at all, ma'am."

Lisa stared at him for a long moment. She had a feeling something was wrong.

" Is everything alright around the ranch, Carl? " she had purposely asked the question that way because she believed even though Carl was just a valet, she was sure nothing misses his eyes. And for her, he was like her eyes and ears around the ranch house.

" I'm afraid so, Miss Wolfe," he replied in a small tone. " You see, Mr. Courtland is on the ranch field with Mr. Gableton and that horse trainer fellow. I think they are talking about one of the horses, ma'am. The one named Fiery."

At the mention of Fiery's name, Lisa felt her heart give a little kick.

" Fiery? Is she alright? " she inquired. " Is she giving the trainer any trouble? " the words tumbled out of her mouth.

Carl shook his head.

" Yes, the mare is perfectly alright, and no, ma'am, she's not giving the trainer any trouble," Carl replied.

Lisa drew in long, easy breaths.

" So, what's the problem? " She asked.

" Ma'am, the mare as really being a good girl. " Carl continued. " Yesterday night, after you've gone to bed, I heard Mr. Courtland telling Mr. Gableton on the phone how the horse trainer had taken a great liking to her " He paused her and went on." But the only problem is that Fiery won't let anyone ride her. She won't let any of the cowhands on the ranch to ride her. We need a good jockey to represent Courland's family for the horse racing event. The mare won't let any of the wranglers ride her. And this is giving Mr. Courtland a great concern. " He finished a bemused expression on his face.

" Oh, I see," Lisa said breathlessly. No wonder Jake had gone out very early. She knew how much he was concerned about winning the horse race, and if Fiery was giving them a problem, Jake was sure to be in a sour mood. She stood like that for a long moment, thinking. Then she looked up and found Carl staring at her, a patient expression on his face.

" I would like to eat now, " she said. " Would you serve me, please? "

Carl nodded. Quickly, he moved towards one of the dining chairs and pushed it back for her to sit down. When she was finally settled in it, he scurried away, and a few minutes later, he came back to the room bearing a tray. On it was freshly made crepes, croissants, brown bread, mayonnaise, apple-flavored jam, coffee, and orange juice. Swiftly, he arranged the food on the table, served her, and asked her if she needed anything, and when she told him no, he vanished.

As she ate the food, Lisa was deliberating on how she could help Jake. One way or another, she knows she must prove her worth to him. If she were not living on his ranch, it would have been an entirely different story but living, sleeping, and eating in the same house with him, she knew she must one way, or another help him in any way she can. When she had finished her meal and washed the food down with the coffee, an idea of who they could use as a jockey for Fiery dropped into her mind.

Quickly, she pressed a button on a brass bell on the table, and it gave out a strident, small sound. Carl appeared at once. He cleared the plates away but not before he had asked her if she had enjoyed the food. Lisa went out into the hot morning sunshine. Ahead of her, in the far distance, she could see the Courtland's livestock, horses and cows, all grazing on the vast, green lands and the cowhands, dressed in their cowboy's outfits, all sitting astride a horse, joking and laughing as they watched the horses. Before stepping out, she had remembered to take a Stetson hat with her. The hat had come in handy. It had prevented the fierce sun from burning her face and also block out the rays of the sun from affecting her sight.

She stared at the vast land searchingly until her eyes rested on Jake. He was standing beside Gableton and the horse trainer. Jake's built and powerful shoulders made him stand out among the rest of the men.

Lisa drew in a long, slow breath. Slowly and purposely, she began to make her way towards them. Instinct must have told them someone was coming because they all stiffened and turned to look at her. Their eyes met. Jake's lawyer and the horse trainer smiled at her; only Jake's face was hard and expressionless. Gableton was the first to speak.

" Hey, Morning, miss Wolfe," he said, smiling brightly at her.

" Morning, Mr. Gableton," She replied with a smile. And she turned her attention to the horse trainer, Henry Winston, who was already beaming at her.

" Morning, Miss," he said in a faint British accent. He was a man in his late fifties. He was tall, thin, with an athletic body. He had a great shock of white hair, grey eyes, pert lips, and a friendly, aristocratic face.

" Morning, sir," she said, smiling at him. The smile on his face told her he was really impressed by what he had seen, and she was glad she had tried to look her best that morning. Finally, her eyes rested on Jake. He had an aloof expression on his face now, and his mouth was set tightly. It was his eyes that disturbed her. There was something in them she could not fathom. It was as if he resented seeing her there, and yet he was glad that she had come. It was all confusing, and at that moment, she could give anything just to know what he was thinking. The look on his face told her he was not going to utter a word if she did not talk to him first. She braced herself and said, "Morning, Jake." She was staring directly into his face.

He looked at her for a long moment as if thinking what he would say to her.

" What are you doing here? " He said finally, his eyes regarding her searchingly. " You should be inside the house, resting. What are you doing here? " His words were spiteful and harsh.

Lisa's body turned cold. To say that his reply did not piss her would be an understatement. Her face turned a dark shade, and an angry glint jumped into her eyes. What does he take her for, a goddamned kid? " She thought.

She was about to lash out at him, but Gableton, seeing the look in her eyes, quickly said, "Hey, Jake let her be." He winked at Jake, then turned his face to look at her. " You don't expect a beautiful woman like Miss Wolfe who loved horses to lay cooped up in the house like a hen when she's living in a place surrounded by horses, Jake " he was grinning sheepishly now.

If he was trying to ease the tension between them, he had done a really good job because Lisa felt the anger went out of a body like a snuffed-out candle. She sighed heavily and said, "I didn't mean to disturb you gentlemen, and I'm sorry if I had intruded on your privacy."

" No offense taken, ma'am, " Gableton and Henry said simultaneously. Jake did not say anything. He was still staring at her, his face cold, his mouth set in a hard angle. She ignored him and went on.

" I'm only here to see how things are going. Most importantly, how Fiery is faring and gearing up for the horse racing event. "

" Fiery is doing alright! " Jake seethed. "She's a good gal, and she gave no trouble to the wranglers. You don't have to be worried about her."

Inwardly, knowing he was lying after everything she had heard from Carl, Lisa narrowed her eyes at him.

" Is that so, Mr. Courtland" she jeered at him. " Whoa, I'm glad she's giving none of you boys any trouble. What a good girl Fiery is " the way she had said those words told Jake she knew he was lying. He bit hard on his bottom lips but said nothing.

" Actually, Miss Wolfe," Gableton began. " Fiery had been stirring up quite some trouble lately. "

Lisa lifted her eyebrows.

" Really,? " She said. " But I thought Jake said………" But Gableton cuts in, not letting her to finish her words.

" Fiery won't let any of the wranglers ride her. Whenever they get on her back, she let them ride her for a few seconds and then throws them off. Last week, she threw one of the wranglers off, and the poor lad hit his head on a stone. He's still in the hospital now."

Lisa was appalled.

" What? Why wasn't I told any of this? " She said sharply, her eyes regarding the men accusingly.

" Why should you be told anything? " Jake said angrily. " What could you have done anyway? Begged her to be a good horse? Use your woman wiles on her? " His dark eyes staring directly into hers now.

Lisa had the feeling, for some reason, Jake was trying to provoke her intentionally, but she won't be goaded. Ignoring him, she turned her attention to Henry.

" I know you might not be aware of what I am about to say right now, but I'm going to tell you anyway. " She paused and went on. " Fiery was formerly my horse, alright. I've been taking care of her since the day she had been born. There's nothing about her that I don't know. She's a very good horse though sometimes she might be difficult when she meets new people, she is still a good horse. If she had been giving you any trouble, then I have the right to know. One way or the other, I might be able to help," she finished, heaving slightly from talking in a rush.

Henry Winston smiled at her.

" You were right, ma'am. I didn't know you had such a long intimate relationship with fiery. " He paused, seeing she was listening intently, he went on. " You see, like Mr. Gableton here earlier said, Fiery won't let any of the wranglers ride her. And this, I must say, is quite detrimental because the horse racing event is fast approaching. It's essential for the jockey and the horse to excellently get familiar with each other well before any race. Fiery does not have a jockey that will ride her. And we need to get one for her as soon as possible. So, you see, ma'am, since you are very familiar with Fiery, any suggestion or advice that you might want to offer for us to get around this problem will be taken into consideration," he finished, a pleading look in his grey eyes.

For some moment, Lisa pretended to think about what he had said; then, she looked up at him.

" I think there's a solution to all this," she said.

A gleam of hope came into Henry and Gableton's eyes. Even Jake's eyes also showed interest.

" Ma'am," Henry began. " Do you mean you've actually figured out a solution already? " There was a surprising undertone in his voice.

" Yeah," she answered. " You see, there are only two people who could ride fiery without getting thrown off. "

" Who are they? " Gableton cuts in.

" I and a man named Willy Shepherd," she said evenly.

At the mention of Willy Shepherd's name, Jake's face creased into a deep frown.

" Willie Shepherd? " He muttered. " Who the hell is that? Is he a folk around here? " He was staring hard at her now.

Lisa stared at him for a long moment. Then she inclined her head.

" Yes, he's from around here. " She said. "You and Mr. Gableton had actually met him when you came over to the ranch."

Jake stared at her, puzzled, then a sudden realization hits him.

" Wait a minute, are you talking about that wannabe tough guy that was with you that day Mike and I came by? " He asked.

Lisa nodded.

" Yes, he's the one."

A leering glint came into Jake's eyes.

" I'll be damned! " He said under his breath. " You mean Fiery will let that funny-looking fellow ride her? " His dark eyes were mocking her now.

" I don't understand what you mean by a funny-looking guy," Lisa said curtly. " But I will tell you this. Willie Shepherd is a wrangler and a very good one at that. Fiery respond to him very well. " She dragged her eyes from Jake to Henry and Gableton. " If y'all are looking for a jockey that will ride Fiery, Shepherd is the man for the job. As of now, Shepherd is out of a job. I paid him and the rest of the other wranglers off when I sold all my horses. " She paused and went on. " I'm pretty sure that Shepherd will need money, and I'm sure he would be ready to ride Fiery for the horse race if good money is tossed his way. So, what do you say? " she finished, looking at the faces of the men expectantly.

" I think that's a good idea, " Henry beamed. " If you can assure us, this fellow would deliver, then I'll say we should give him a shot."

" I think that's a good idea, " Gableton inclined. Then he turned to look at Jake. " What do you think? "

Jake sighed heavily. It was evident a lot was going through his mind at that moment.

" I dunno," he began. " There's something about that man I don't like. I wouldn't want him here on my ranch."

" But Jake, this could be the break we've been looking for in this whole thing. " Gableton protested. " If this Shepherd fellow could really handle Fiery just like Miss Wolfe had said, then I think we should give him a chance. "

" I'm on that table too, Mr. Courtland," Henry said, looking at Jake now. " I think we should try out that fellow. It's better than nothing. "

" If he performs to expectation, " Gableton continued. Then we've got ourselves a jockey. And if otherwise, then we can scout for another jockey. This has got to be a quick decision, Jake. We are running out of time."

While all this was going on, Lisa was watching Jake. She could see conflicting emotions on his face, and she wondered what he was going through his mind at that moment.

" Let's just say I don't trust this Shepherd fellow of a guy. " He said finally, after a long moment. " I don't trust him at all."

Lisa, feeling a fit of violent anger, surged through her, lashed out at him.

" Why don't you trust him? " She said.

" I don't know, " Jake said answered, staring back at her, his eyes unflinching. " He looks like someone that's up to no good "

Lisa scoffed.

" You should hear yourself talk, Mr. billionaire! " She said, unable to control the anger surging through her. " You met someone for the first time, and you've concluded that's he's up to no good? " She spat out. " You really should hear yourself talk! "

Jake shrugged indifferently.

" I've worked with many men, women. Believe me. That fellow is up to no good," he said evenly." He strikes me like a corny man or something."

Rage getting hold of her, Lisa brushed past Henry and Gableton and stood in Jake's front.

" Well, for your information, Mr. knows it all " she glared at him. " That man has been working for me for as long as I can remember. Willie Shepherd is a good man. He's one of the best wranglers that has ever worked for me. He's also got a family. And from what I have heard, he's a responsible husband and a good father and not some arrogant rich bastard who cares about nothing but winning the local town's goddamned horse race " Jake's face tightened, and Lisa knew her words had hurt him, but at that moment she did not give a damned about his feeling. She swung on Gableton. " Talk to your boss. Throw some sense into that his thick head and make him reasonable for once." and leaving the men all standing there, staring at her, a shocked expression on their faces, she turned on her heels, waving her solid hips at them deliberately, she sashayed into the house.

***********

The time was past nine. Lisa was sitting on the sofas, flipping idly through a fashion magazine, when Jake sauntered into the living room. Lisa looked up from the magazine, and they both stared at each other.

" Hi," She said, crossing her legs and adjusting herself comfortably on the chair.

Jake grunted back in response. He stood there, in the middle of the living room, looking around, his handsome, sweaty face expressionless. Just then, Carl appeared from the inner rooms, his hand clasped behind his back. Lisa wondered how he had known his boss was back. He must have some kind of inbuilt alert system in him, she told herself.

" Welcome back, Mr. Courtland," he said, in his ever-friendly voice.

" I'm hungry, Carl. Is dinner ready? " Jake asked in an even tone.

" As always, sir," Carl said brightly. " Would you like to eat now? "

" I need a bath first! " Jake said. " Fixed me a hot bath. I would eat right after I've taken my bath."

" Alright, sir," Carl said before walking out of the room. Jake followed suit. Lisa sat there, her mind darting here and there like a mouse in a trapped cage. She wondered if he was still angry about what he had said to him earlier that day. She shrugged. Suppose he was going to be angry with her, then to hell with him. She said what she said, and he could as well deal with it.

A few minutes later, Jake came downstairs. Lisa looked up at him. He was looking fresh and clean in casual open-neck shirts and pants. The musky smell of his cologne wafted into her nose from where she sat. Seeing him standing there, looking ruggedly handsome, made her heart slammed wildly against her chest, and she felt a rush of blood through her, and she cursed herself for feeling this way about him. Why must he always be so goddamned attractive? She asked herself. She watched him strolled easily to the dining table, and half midway, he swung around to look at her.

" Have you eaten? Or would you like to join me at the table? " His voice was low and yet pleasant. Gone was the gruff tone.

His question hit her across the face like a violent slap. Never would she had expected him to ask him that after everything she had said to him.

" I……I'm not hungry," she stuttered. She was startled by the shakiness of her voice.

He raised his eyebrows.

" Are you sure about that? " There was concern in his voice.

Lisa bobbled her head.

" Yeah, I actually ate an early dinner. I'm okay " her throat was felt so dry she wondered how she had managed to say the words.

He stared at her for a long moment.

" Alright. If you say so," he said finally. He turned around, walked towards the dining table, and dropped into one of the chairs. Carl appeared at once. He served Jake and disappeared into the inner rooms again.

While he ate, Lisa busied herself with the magazine. But after some time, when she got tired of reading, she tosses the book aside, and her eyes rested on Jake, who was still eating. She could see he was taking his time with the food. She had been astonished when he had asked her if she was hungry. She could never imagine he could have asked her that question. Not after everything she had said to him. But why had he asked her the question? Wasn't he angry with her for everything she had said to him? Or was he just trying to show the good side of him? She shook her head. No! Jake was not a man like that. Jake Courtland was a man with direct feelings. She was certain of that. If he hates you, he hates you. If he likes you, he likes you. If he was angry, he was angry, and if he was not, he was not.

He was not a man to hide how he feels about someone or something. She sighed heavily. Then she remembered what Gableton had said about Jake that day they had come to her ranch. Everything was falling into place now. Though he was very good at hiding his feelings for her, but it was the little things that he did that count. Little things like asking her if she needed a maid when she had come to his house, adhering to the demands she had written in the note, making sure she never lacked anything, and now, asking her if she was hungry even when she had talked bad at him.

The only reason why a man like Jake could have asked her if she was hungry was actually that he cared and not because of any other reason, and at that moment, she felt an exhilarating excitement surged through her. Jake really cared about her. He might be able to hide his feelings from her but not for long. She looked up when she heard a loud strident sound from the dining table.

Jake was done with his meal. Carl appeared, cleared the plates away, and vanished into the kitchen. Lisa watched Jake as he moved away from the dining table and walked into the living room.

" I'll soon be turning in," he said to her. " Is there anything you might need? "

Lisa was about to say no; then she remembered something.

" I've you finally decided on what I told you about Willie Shepherd? " She asked breathlessly.

As Jake was about to talk, the front doorbell rang. They both stiffened as they looked towards the door.

" Are you expecting anyone this late? " Lisa whispered.

Jake shook his head.

" Not at all " there was a deep frown on his face.

" Maybe it's one of the cowhands? " She suggested.

" Nope! They've all gone home. " Jake replied.

Carl, who must have heard the doorbell rang, appeared at once. Jake turned to him.

" Check who is at the door, Carl," he said.

Carl scurried to the door. He opened the door and spoke briefly with the visitor. Jake and Lisa watched him, an expectant expression on their faces. Carl closed the door and turned to them.

" Old Bill Roswell is here to see you, sir," he announced in a grave tone.

At the mention of the name, Lisa saw Jake's face turned cold and hard. The expression on his face could have frozen an ice cube, and she sat rigid on the chair, wondering how someone could look calm and gentle in one moment and menacing and sinister in another.

" What the hell is that old sod doing here? " Jake snarled. " What does he want from me now? "

" Jake, please, " Lisa said in a small voice. " At least try to hear him out first."

Jake turned on her, his eyes alight with fury.

" I don't want that old timer in here! " He growled. " I don't even want to see him in here."

" Please, Jake," she whispered, her eyes pleading with him. " Hear him out first. He might be here for some important reasons. "

She saw him a bit hard on his bottom lips, and she knew how hard it was for him to control his rage. He drew in a long, shuddering breath and turned to Carl.

" Let him in," he said in a cold tone.

Carl nodded, and he opened the door and stepped aside. Old Bill Roswell walked into the room. He was a man in his late seventies. He was of medium height, with an old leathery face, startling blue eyes that had sunk into its sockets, and a small mouth. He was wearing a checkered shirt, faded jeans, and brown cowboy boots. On his head was a big hat that had a silver-plated horn-shaped logo encrusted on it. He looked around the big room as if pretending not to see Jake. He saw Lisa, winked at her, then tilted his hat, then looked away until finally, his eyes rested on Jake, and he grinned, showing discolored, nicotine-stained teeth.

" Hello, Jake! I'm pretty sure you ain't happy to see Old Bill," he croaked.

" What the hell are you doing here? " Jake said tightly. " State your business or get the hell out. "

Old Bill laughed and shook his grey head.

" Impatient! Stubborn! Headstrong! Like a bull," He croaked, his voice trembling. " Just like his father! "

Jake's eyes were like chips of ice. He pointed a finger at Old Bill.

" Keep my father out of this, you old timer or God, so help me, I won't hesitate to rip your head off your neck," he said angrily. " State your business, or I'll throw you out myself."

Old Bill sighed heavily. He stared at Jake for a long moment, then shrugged.

" If that's the way it's gonna be, then I might as well state the reason I'm here " he paused and went on. " I heard you were gunning for the town's racing events. Just here to say my congratulations as my horse and yours will both be meeting on the racecourse. " his blue eyes were staring hard at Jake now.

Jake shrugged.

" Is that all you wanna say? " He asked in an indifferent tone.

Old Bill shook his head.

" That's not all. " He said. He drew in a long, slow breath and grimaced.

Lisa could see he wanted to say something, but he found it really hard to say it.

" Please, if you don't know what to say, just get the hell out, alright, " Jake said impatiently.

" Alright, alright, " Old Bill croaked. " I don't know how to say this, Jake. But I'm gonna say it all the same. " He paused and went on. " I'm sorry about everything that had happened between your father and me. I want us to bury the hatchet, Jake. See my coming here as a kind of truce. "

Jake shook his head.

" You shouldn't have come here, old man! That was a terrible mistake you made. I'm not interested in burying any hatchet with a man like you. " He pointed towards the door. " Now get the hell out! "

" I'm sorry, Jake. " Old Bill said, his eyes filled with tears. " I was really ambitious then and a fool too, I might say. I shouldn't have dragged things with your old man. But now, I'm a sober man. I've learned from my mistakes. " He raised his hands helplessly. " I'm a good man now. I really want to make right all my wrongs."

Jake's face twisted with anger.

" You should have thought of that before giving my old man a lot of problems. " He pointed a finger at him. " You greedy old sod! You never cared about anyone but your stupid self! " His voice was trembling with rage now. " With all you put my old man through, you want me to forgive you? " There was an incredulous expression on his face now. " You must be a joker, waltzing in here, dressed like Jesse James and telling me to forgive your sorry ass! " He turned his attention to Carl. " Throw this old fool out! "

Carl came alive at once. As he moved to grabbed old Bill, Lisa shot up from the sofa.

" Leave him, Carl! ". She yelled.

Carl's hands hung in the air.

She turned to Jake. " He's an old man, Jake. Please go easy on him. Please," she said, her eyes imploring him.

Jake ignored her. His eyes black with hatred, he moved towards Old Bill, grabbed him by his arms, moved towards the door, forced it open, and pushed the old man out. Then he slammed the door shut; his breath came whistling between his clenched teeth. He turned his head slowly to look at his valet, who was staring at him, waiting for instructions.

" That will be all, Carl," he said calmly. " You can go now."

Carl nodded his head and scurried away. Lisa and Jake stared at each other. The room was dead quiet except for the sounds of their breathing. He moved away from the door and stood in her front.

" Always keep your mouth shut about things you know nothing about," he said tightly.

" Things I know nothing about? " Lisa said, her eyes staring hard at him, unflinching. " Old Bill is an old man. The least you could've done is to ask him to leave nicely, not throw him out like a thief! "

" This is my house, and I can do whatever I desire. Can't you understand that?"

" To hell with you and your house! " Lisa fired back at him, hating him for his arrogance. Smoldering with anger, she turned on her heels and stomped up through the flight of stairs. She reached her room door, she opened it, and as she was about to go in, she had a feeling someone was behind her. Instinctively, she turned. She caught her breath when she saw Jake standing behind her. He had a stony expression on his dark face. He must have slinked behind her and followed her up quietly without her noticing.

" What is the meaning of this? " She said in a voice scarcely above a whisper. " What do you want? "

He did not answer her. He raised his feet and kicked the door opened. Then riding her back into the room, he slammed the door shut with his heel. The hinges shook violently. Lisa moved further into the room, frightened.

" What the hell are you doing? " What's all these? " She said raspy, her heart was beating fast against her chest, and she could feel cold sweats rolling off her. The expression on his face made her body white with fear.

Jake did not say anything. There was an indifferent expression on his face as he moved up to her. It was as if he was aware of how much he had frightened her, yet he did not care. He stretched his hands and grabbed her arms. Thinking he wanted to hurt, Lisa opened her mouth to scream. Swiftly, a big palm clamped hard on her open mouth, cutting her off.

" Shut up, kitty, " Jake growled. " I'm not going to hurt you. I just want a taste of you, that's all," and he took off his hands, slid his arms around her, pulled her into a tight embrace, and crushed his mouth against hers.

The instant Lisa felt his lips on her mouth, the fear went out of her, and she felt her body sagged with relief. She stood like that, her hands hanging limply by her side as he feasted his lips on her mouth. After a while, he pulled away and looked into her eyes.

" You are so fucking beautiful! " He said, his eyes filled with admiration. " You don't know how excited you got me when I see you are pissed? Like this morning, on the field. It's got me high! " his big hands slid down to her backside and cupped her buttocks.

" You like it when I get angry? " She said breathlessly.

" Yep, I love it," he answered. Then he hands slid up to cup her breasts. " You are one hell of a spec! " He said huskily, " A great work of art! " his hands were moving all over his body now, sending tingling of sexual sensations through her.

" Really? " Lisa whispered, thrilled to hear him talk about her that way. " I don't believe you..….. Maybe you are just.….. teasing me," she stuttered, her voice trembling.

But Jake did not answer her. He bent his head and claimed her lips again. This time gently and slowly. A few seconds later, they were straining against each other, moaning into each other's mouth. Lisa could feel his penis pressed against the inners of her thighs as they stood together, and she gasped at the enormous size of it.

After a while, Jake pulled away from her. The look in his eyes sent blood hammering in her temples. He bent his head and kissed the nape of her neck. She shuddered, gripping his arms, her hand shaking and her heart fluttering.

Then he did something which shocked her. He pulled away from her, grabbed the front of her shirts, and ripped it open. She gasped as the buttons dropped to the floors, making tiny sounds. His eyes went dark with desire as his eyes feasted on her white, big breasts. Still looking at her, he ripped off her bra, and her breasts, freed of its constraints, spilled out. Lisa was trembling violently now, and she held on to his body for support. Her nipples were pointing hard at him as if begging him to take him in his mouth.

Jake bent his head and took one rosy bud nipple into his mouth. A feeling of indescribable pleasure shot through her body, making her giddy. She gripped his head, her fingers sinking into his thick mane of hair, as he suckled on her nipple. His hand went to the other free breasts and began to knead the nipple between his thick fingers. She began to moan, her breath coming in a rush, and she could feel the wetness between her thighs.

He took his mouth off the nipple and feasted his mouth on her second nipple, sucking hard on it for a long moment, making her moan in ecstasy. Then he took his mouth off her nipple and kissed her on the lips again. She felt his tongue exploring her mouth, and his kiss made something explode inside her. After a while, he pushed away from her and went down on his knees. Slowly and deftly, he unbuckled her belt, took it off, and slid down her slacks. As he was doing all these, he stared into her eyes as if daring her to stop him. Expertly, he took off her slacks and tossed them to a corner of the room. She stood there, naked, except for her panties. The cold air of the air conditioner washed over her, and she shivered violently.

As he reached for her panties, she grabbed his hands " No, Jake! " She said breathlessly. " Not yet, please " her voice was so dry.

Jake moistened his lips with his tongue.

" What do you mean not yet,? " He whispered. " I want you now, Lisa. "

" I'm…..I'm not ready," she said huskily, afraid of seeing the glint that usually comes into his eyes whenever he was angry.

His face tightened.

" What's actually the problem? " He was staring at her quizzically now. " Don't you want me as a man? "

Lisa shook her head.

" No, it's not that," she said weakly. " It's something that has to do with me. Not you! " she cried. How could she explain her fears to him,? She wanted him as a man. Yes, but does he want her as a woman? What if he was only doing all these because of the agreement between them. What if she meant nothing to him other than just a signature on a paper? And she could ever bring herself to ask him how he feels about her.

Jake was staring hard at her now, his face expressionless. After a long, uncomfortable moment, he slowly got to his feet and straightened.

" if not now, when it's gonna be? " He asked in a small voice. " When is it gonna be, Lisa? " the look on his face told her he was displeased with her.

Unable to answer him, Lisa kept mute, looking at him like a hypnotized rabbit. When he noticed she would not say anything, he moved away from her and strolled easily towards the door. When he got there, he turned around.

" Give Wille Shepherd a call, alright. Tell him to come see me. It's the least you can do," and with that, he opened the door, slid out of the room, and violently slammed the door shut.

Lisa watched him go, and she stood there, bit hard on her bottom lips, and fought back the tears that threatened to spill out of her eyes.

****************

The time was twenty minutes past seven. This morning, Jake had woken up very early. Today was the inception of the town's horse race event, and Jake was ready to get on with the business of the day. He swung his legs off his bed, walked into the bathroom, shaved, and showered hastily. Then he stepped out of the bath, dried himself thoroughly, and crossed the room to his closet. He selected a tailored suit, tie, and a pair of loafers. He wore all these swiftly. Then he crossed the room to his dresser, selected a gold Rolex wristwatch, sprayed some cologne, selected a ray ban sunglasses, which he shoved into his suit breast pocket, and walked out of the room. He strolled into his study, walked around the desk, and dropped into his chair. He flipped open his laptop and clicked on the town's local website to read some vital information about the horse race event day. When he was done, he closed his laptop, took out his phone, and dialed Gableton's number. He waited for some moments; then, he heard his voice.

" Morning, Jake! " He said brightly.

" Morning, Mike. How are ya doing this morning? " Jake said, leaning back into his armchair comfortably.

" Pretty good. You up already? "

" Yeah! " Jake said. " What about you? "

" I'm still rolling on the bed, " Gableton replied.

" What? " Jake growled. His face had creased into a frown. " You should be ready by now, Mike. You know fiery will be among the horses competing today. We can't get there late."

" Relax, Jake " Gableton, said casually. " This race doesn't start until ten. I'm coming over to your place between 8 or 9. We still have enough time. Just don't work yourself up, alright? "

Jake drew in a long, slow breath.

" Alright, alright," he muttered. " Just don't come here late, okay? "

" Okay! Is Lisa coming with us? " Gableton asked.

At the mention of Lisa's name, Jake shifted uncomfortably on his chair.

" I don't know….I guess she might want to come, " he babbled. " But if you ask me, I don't want her there. Women sometimes can be hell."

" C'mon, Jake. She should also be there with us. It won't be good if she's left out. This is the first time fiery will be participating in a horse race. Lisa would definitely want to watch her perform "

Jake thought about this for a moment.

" Okay, Okay. I see your point. She can come along. " Jake said impatiently." You are always defending her, Mike. It's like she's used some spell on you or something."

Gableton laughed.

" Nope! I'm just a man that loves things to be done fairly and squarely. "

Jake grunted.

" Anyways, get your fair and square ass here, alright. I'll be waiting."

" Alright! Well, see you," and the line went dead.

Jake took the phone off his ear and placed it on the table. He picked up the cigar case, took out one, lit it, and hung it between his lips. As he smoked, his thought went to Lisa and the past few weeks, and he grimaced. She had been right along when she had told them Willie Shepherd was the man to ride fiery. The horse had responded well to Willie when the man had ridden her, and she ( fiery ) had given him no problem at all. Under the tutelage of Henry, Willie had ridden her, practicing and training vigorously. Also, Henry and Willie had gotten along pretty well, and Jake has been impressed by the bond the two men had formed despite himself.

After some few days of heavy training, Henry had reported back to Jake that finally, Fiery could compete with the other horses on the racetrack without the fear of losing. Jake was overwhelmed. Willie had been hired immediately as a jockey to represent the Courtland's family.

Gableton had wanted them to celebrate this little victory. But Jake had refused, saying the time for celebration was when Fiery perform on the racetrack and, if luck was on their side, win the race. So far, so good, everything had been going on smoothly on the ranch. Everything except his relationship with Lisa. After that night, when he had entered her room and had attempted to make love to her, and she had refused him, they had both spoken little to each other ever since then.

Jake leaned comfortably into his chair and dragged hard on the cigar. He exhaled deeply, thick smoke rolling out of his mouth and vanishing into the ceilings. Lisa was more difficult than he would have anticipated.

That night, when he had kissed her, he could remember how well she had responded to him. When it comes to women and their feelings, Jake knew he was not a novice. He knew when a woman wanted a man, and he had been sure Lisa wanted him that night. So, what the hell was stopping her? He asked himself. Why was she refusing his advances? Doesn't she want all this gotten over with as soon as possible? He drew in a long, slow breath and grimaced. Something was definitely wrong. He had the feeling she was scared of something, but he had no idea what it was. Sometimes, when he and Gableton talked, the man had tried to ask him if he had eventually had sex with Lisa, but Jake had conspicuously dodged the question. Not that he couldn't have told his lawyer what was going on, but sometimes he felt there are some things that are better left unsaid. But with the way things are going, he had a feeling he would have to explain to Mike what the hell was going on. He needed someone to talk to—someone to advise him on what to do.

Jake took out a cigar and stubbed it out inside an ashtray on his table. He checked his time. It was eight on the dot. Mike should be here any moment from now, he thought. He reached for the brass doorbell on his table and thumbed it. Few seconds, the door opened, and Carl strolled into the room. He was immaculately dressed in his valet outfit this morning. There was a pleasant, warm smile on his face.

" Good morning, sir," he said.

" Morning, Carl, " Jake replied. " How are you doing this morning? "

" Pretty good, sir."

" Good! " Jake continued. " I'll be going out to horse track today, Carl. I want you to clean up the G-wagon. "

"It shall be done, sir," Carl replied.

" Alright. Is breakfast ready? " Jake asked.

" In about five minutes, sir," Carl said.

" That's excellent. I will love to eat immediately it's ready " he thought about something for a moment. " Is Miss Wolfe in her room? "

Carl shook his head.

" No, sir."

Jake narrowed his eyes at him.

" Where is she? " He asked.

" I believe she's in the stable, sir. " He answered.

Jake looked shocked.

" Stable? What the hell is she doing there by this time? " He gasped.

" She told me she wanted to see how fiery is doing this morning, and also she wanted to talk to the jockey. "

Jake thought about this for a long moment.

" You are sure she's not in her room? " He said finally.

" I'm absolutely positive, sir," Carl replied.

Jake drew in a long, slow breath.

" You can go, Carl. If I need you, I'll send for you. "

Carl left the room.

Jake drew in a long, slow breath and grimaced. The stables? To talk with the jockey? He asked himself. About what exactly? He sat there for a long moment, his mind busy with thoughts. He had a feeling something was going on between Lisa and Willie. Maybe she was having an affair with Willie, a part of him said. A dark looked settled on his face. He remembered how Lisa had sung all the praises of Willie to his ears. How she had managed to convince him, Mike, and Henry to settle for Willie. Of course, Willie had turned to be alright, but there must be a reason for all this. Lisa must have had feelings for that damned Willie, he thought. When Willie had joined them on the ranch, Jake had had the hunch that something was going on between Lisa and Willie. Maybe that was probably why she had refused his advances and had fought so hard to bring Willie over to the ranch. What if nothing is going on between them? What if I am wrong? he asked himself. For the past few weeks now, he had seen Lisa spoke only a few words with him. He had never seen them together for a long time, discussing or chatting away, and so why was he suddenly feeling jealous now? You could be right, Jake, a part of him said. What if they usually meet after dark? He asked himself. What if they usually meet in a dark, secluded place while he was already in his room sleeping? What if Willie was already making love to Lisa? Jake shifted uneasily on his chair. He thought about the body of Willie and Lisa coupling and writhing like animals inside the stable, and a violent rage of jealousy and fury surged through his body.

The stable! Yes, she was already there again this morning! He thought savagely. They are probably making love by now! Yes, that goddamned stable! Jake swore under his breath. His face dark with rage, he got up from his chair and swung open the study door and went out of the room. He walked down the flight of stairs, his mind busy with different wild thoughts, rage seeping through him. He got to the front door and stopped suddenly as if he had banged his head against a wall. Stable! He thought. What the hell was he going there for? It had been long since he been to the stables! He could never go there.

He muttered a curse under his breath, sighed, and slowly, he walked to the dining section and dropped into chairs. He reached for the brass bell and thumbed it. A few seconds later, Carl appeared at his side.

" I'll like to eat now, Carl, " Jake said in a small voice.

" Alright, sir," Carl said eagerly and disappeared into the kitchen. A few seconds later, he appeared bearing a tray filled with steaks, ham, bacon, fried eggs, and a steaming pot of coffee. Efficiently, he laid the plates of food on the table and left the room. Jake picked up the fork and began to eat. To his displeasure, he found out that he had suddenly lost his appetite. It wasn't that the food didn't taste good. But the thought of Lisa and Willie had ruined his appetite that morning. He swore under his breath, pushed his chair back, dug his hands into his pockets, and brought out a pack of cigarettes. He only smoked cigarettes when he was in a fit of rage or wanted to do some hard thinking. He lit the cigarettes and dragged in a lungful of smoke.

Just then, the front door opened, and Lisa walked into the living room. Jake looked up, and they both stared at each other. She was dressed in a green striped shirt, grey tight-fitting pants, and black boots. This morning, she looked far more beautiful and desirable, and he cursed himself as a hot feeling of sexual desire for her surged through him.

" Hey, are you alright? " She said, noticing the dark look on his face. She came over to the table and sat down on the chair. " You don't look so hot this morning."

" I'm perfectly fine! " Jake seethed. Look at her, pretending to care, he thought savagely.

Lisa's face creased up into a frown.

" Are you sure? " Her eyes were looking at him searchingly now. " What's the matter, Jake? "

Jake shifted uncomfortably on the chair.

" Just cut it out, alright," he growled. " You don't have to be worried about me. " He knew he was being unbearable, but at that moment, he just didn't care.

Lisa regarded him for a long moment. Then she shrugged.

" Okay, if you say so," she touched the bell on the table. Carl appeared at once.

" Carl, will you serve me breakfast? " She said.

" Right away, ma'am," Carl said.

He went into the kitchen and returned, bearing a tray. He dished out the food and left. Lisa picked up her fork and began to eat. All this while, Jake watched her, dragging hard on his cigarettes, his face smoldering with anger. His eyes scrutinized her, wondering if really she had had a quick tumble with Willie in the stable before coming back into the house. He watched as she eats the food, her face expressionless, and he could give anything at that moment to know what was going on in her mind. After she had finished, she rang for Carl, who cleared the plates away and vanished into the kitchen. She picked up the cup of coffee, looked up, and found Jake's eyes staring hard at her.

" If anything is bothering you, you had better spill it out. " She said calmly.

"Nothing is bothering me! " He fired back.

She lifted her eyebrows.

" Are you sure? " She said. " Because that look on your face says otherwise. I've seen you in a bad mood before but never one like this, and I'll like to know what got you keyed up! "She paused and went on. " Remember, today is the first time I'll watch Fiery perform in a competition. I don't want anything to spoil my mood. " she sipped coffee, her eyes unflinching.

Her words stung Jake, and he stared at her with painful intensity.

" Where were you this morning? " He seethed.

" The stable, of course," she said naturally.

" What were you doing there? " He fired back at her.

" To check on Fiery. To talk to her about today. " She answered simply. " Fiery is not used to seeing a crowd. I don't want her to fidget when she sees a lot of people today. So, I had to do some kind of talk therapy for her. "

Jake thought about this for a moment. Her reasons were reasonable enough. But there was still want thing he wanted to be sure of. He had a feeling she was going to deny it. If she denies it, he won't hesitate to throw Willie out and call off the agreement between Lisa and him.

" Lisa," he began. " Were you all alone with fiery? " He said, his eyes staring hard at her now. " Or was there anyone there with you? "

Lisa regarded him for a long moment.

" Nope! Willie Shepherd was also there with me," she said evenly.

Her answer hit Jake across the face like a sledgehammer. The sudden sharp pain he felt in the pit of his stomach made him realize how much he had wanted her to deny it.

" For God's sake, Jake," she said. " What the hell have you been thinking? " she was looking hard at his face now.

Jake started to speak, and his voice trembled with anger.

" I….I " he stuttered.

But Lisa shook her head.

" You have a rotten mind, Jake. How could you think low of me that way " her blue eyes were glittering at him.

" What the hell are you talking about? " He said, finding his voice.

" Don't play around with me, Jake. Did you take me for a fool? " She pointed a finger at him. "You thought I was sleeping with Willie, right? " then understanding crept up her face. " You bastard! No wonder you hated Willie so much, and you didn't want him on your ranch. You thought that poor man and I were having affairs, right? "

" I still don't know what you are talking about, " Jake said, but his voice lacked conviction.

" You are such a terrible liar," she said. " You thought I was having an affair with him! I guess that is what you've been thinking for the past few weeks! " When he could not say anything, she went on. " How could you think that way of me, Jake? " Her eyes were filled with tears of anger. " Willie Shepherd is a nice-looking man, but do you really think with my status I would settle for a man like that? he's a family man, for crying out loud! " Her voice was loud and harsh. When he still did not say anything, Lisa pushed back her chair and got to her feet. " You should be ashamed of yourself, Jake Courtland! I never figured you for a fool! "

" I'm…….I'm sorry, " Jake babbled, a stupefied expression on his face. Seeing her standing there, her eyes filled with tears, he felt a tightness across his chest, and he hated himself at that moment. " I'm so sorry," he muttered.

" Take that sorry and shoved it up to your ass," she said hotly. " You've just ruined my day, Jake! Thanks for that. And for your information, I'm not going with you to that horse race today. Not even you or anyone can change my mind on that. You and the horse race can go to hell! " and with that, she swung around and went up the stairs in a fit of anger.

Jake watched her go, and he swore under his breath. He had definitely spoiled her mood that morning. He slammed his fist into his palm and swore under his breath again. He should have been more careful in carrying out his findings. But he had allowed his feelings to get in his way. Then a sudden realization hits him. Feelings? he thought. Why had he allowed his feelings to get in his way? What is it with this woman that made his blood boil over? He crushed out the cigarette and lit another one. Just then, the front door swung opened, and Gableton sauntered in. In his hands were two pairs of binoculars. There was an anxious expression on his face.

" Morning, Jake. I just spoke to Henry and Willie. They are on their way to the horse racetrack. I've brought some binoculars too. " He waved binoculars in his hand It's time for us to go. I can't wait to get there " there was a definable excitement in his voice.

Jake dragged himself up from the chair.

" Okay, okay! " He growled. " I'm coming."

Gableton studied his face and noticed the deadpan expression there.

" You alright, Jake? " He asked.

" I'm not, Mike. " Jake answered weakly. " We'll talk in the car, alright. Let's go. We are running out of time."

" What about Miss Wolfe? " Gableton asked.

" She's not coming with us," Jake said tightly. " I'll explain, alright."

Gableton, already familiar with Jake's mood, did not say anything. Together, they went out of the room and walked into the garage. Jake led Gableton through the line of cars to where the G- wagon was parked. They both slid into the car. He fired the engine, maneuvered the car out of the garage, swung the car onto the ranch driveway, and a few minutes later, he was driving hard and fast on the broad highway that led to the horse track. As he drove, he gave Gableton a blow-by-blow account of everything that had been happening between him and Lisa and, most importantly, the argument they had had that morning. When he was done, he could see that Gableton was displeased by how things had turned out.

" You shouldn't have talked to her that way, Jake. No way you could have hinted that kind of thing to a woman, especially one like Lisa Wolfe, and expect her to be happy with you. " Gableton admonished.

" Are you saying all these are my fault? " Jake gritted out, griping the steering hard, his knuckles white.

" Nope! I'm not saying that. But you should have handled the whole thing carefully considering the agreement between you two, " Gableton went on. " What you suggested to her is quite unhealthy. I mean, think about it, Jake. How could you have suggested to Lisa Wolfe that she was having an affair with a common wrangler? A family man at that? It's absurd! "

" But it ain't my fault if I think that way. For Christ's sake, for the past four or five weeks now. We've not had sex—just some kisses and a few touching here and there and but nothing more. " Jake said harshly. " It's so tiring, Mike. I mean, for how long will all this keep going on? "

Gableton sighed heavily.

" You know what, Jake. I understand what you are going through, but there's something I would like you to know. I have the feeling that Lisa realized too late how tricky this thing could be between you two. " He paused and went on. " In fact, I won't be surprised if she now wants something more than what both of you, agreed on. And I'm not saying that is really what she wants to do," he hastily added when he saw a dark gleam appeared on Jake's face. " Think about this, Jake. A woman, most importantly a virgin making this kind of deal with a man like you. It won't have been an easy decision, and yet she made it all the same. So, put yourself in her shoes, Jake. How would you feel when you made that kind of deal and later on find out things were not as easy as you thought they would be. It would be disheartening. And quite devastating, I might add. Her emotions would always be jittery—That’s why you've got to go easy on her, alright. Just be patient with her. I'm pretty sure things will work out fine with you," he finished.

Jake sighed heavily, his mind deliberating on what Gableton had told him. He thought about it for a long moment and decided his lawyer had was right. Well, I guess I just have to be patient after all, he told himself. But inwardly he knew he was running out of patience. With that thought in mind, he stepped hard on the pedal, and the car surged forward.

**************

After few minutes of driving, they arrived at the horse track. Jake found a vacant parking space and swung the car into it. He cut the engine, and they both slid out of the car. They regarded the racetrack which stretched out ahead of them. It was vast and oval-shaped. Wrapped around the field was a massive bleacher filled with rows of benches with backrests. The horse track was crammed with three thousand spectators. Some of them lived in the town, and some had come from the neighboring towns and cities to watch the horse racing event.

Jake and Gableton moved through the crowd and up the stairways that led to the bleachers. The crowds jostled, yelled, screamed, and pushed to get a comfortable viewing seat. Because Jake's family participated in the horse race and was well known in the town, he and Gableton were ushered to the VIP section, which was presumably the front row. Jake shook hands with some of the folks in the town who had recognized him and had come over to say hello. Then he collected one of the binoculars from Gableton and scanned the horse track. The lenses settled on a group of horses. Astride them were the jockeys dressed in their different colorful outfits.

He took the binoculars off his face and asked Gableton what Willie was putting on. The lawyer told him. Jake placed the binoculars on his face again and let the lens settle on the jockeys. He could see Willie now. His sweaty face was glistening under his black jockey helmet. Right beside him was Henry Winston. They were both discussing. Jake took the binoculars off his face and checked his watch. It was ten on the dot. He had learned from Gableton that Fiery would be among the second set of horses to participate that day. There was still time to get relaxed.

He drew in a long slow breath. Dad, this is for you, he thought. I'm going to make you proud, Dad. Just watch me! Just then, someone touched his arm. He took his mind off his thoughts and swung around. Anger jumped into his eyes when he saw Old Bill Roswell staring at him. He was wearing his usual checkered shirts, faded jeans, a Stetson hat, and boots.

" Howdy Jake, " Old Bill croaked. " I knew I would find you here. " His grey eyes were slightly amused. He turned to Jake's lawyer. " Hello, Mike! Been long I see you, son."

" Yeah, it's been a while, Old Bill," Gableton replied solemnly. " How are you holding up? "

" Pretty good, Mike, " Old Bill said, flashing his discolored teeth at them. " Old Bill is fit as a fiddle."

Jake snorted.

" What are you doing here, old-timer? " He seethed, " You following me around? "

Old Bill grinned.

" Not on your life! " He replied. " Actually, my former mare ' The Outrunner ' is going to be racing today. I've only come to watch her and cheer her on," he said proudly. " More so, I'm a VIP just like you; the thought of not coming here today can never enter my head. " He paused and went on. " She's going to win today, I know for sure. The man that bought her form me assured of that."

"That's your problem! You can do whatever you like with your horse, and I don't give a damn, " Jake growled. " I don't want you around me, man. Piss off, alright."

Old Bill grinned, tilted his hat, and went to sit on the other side of the VIP section. Jake watched him go, swore under his breath, and turned his attention back to the racetrack.

The announcer announced that the race was about to start, and all the punters should be prepared to leave the betting kiosks. Jake focused the binocular's lenses on the ancient Puett's starting gate. There were fourteen stalls aligned in rows. The starter, satisfied that the horses were in place, pressed a button. A loud sound like the bang of a gun rolled around the horse track. Suddenly, the stall doors jerked opened, and the jockeys astride their horses all tumbled out. The crowd roared. The horses made stomping sounds as their hooves stamped hard on the dusty racetrack. The horses heaving and grunting tried to outpace one another as their jockeys, their back bent, grabbed their reins tightly. Both the jockeys and the horses were heaving and sweating violently as they all raced towards the finish line.

The announcer called out the horses' names on the tracks, making funny remarks and amusing horse anecdotes. Jake heard the commentator mention the name, The Outrunner, as the horse in the forefront among the other racing horses, and he felt rage surged through him. Damned, that old Bill and his horse! He thought angrily. He took a glance at Old Bill. The old-timer was on his feet, yelling and screaming, just like any normal person among the crowd. Jake dragged his eyes away to look at the racetrack. All horses had reached the finishing line and had even crossed it. The commentator announced The Outrunner as the winner of the first lap of the horse race.

The crowd was agog. The punters who had won the bets screamed like madmen. The losers swore loudly. There was a downcast expression on their faces as they tore up the useless bookie slips in their hands. Jake took a quick glance at Old Bill.

Old Bill, his raised hands clenched, his white face congested with wild happiness, was screaming like a kid whose lollipop had been snatched out of his hands. The way he was yelling, you'd definitely know he would need a new set of lungs when he reached his house that day.

" It's now fiery turn, Jake, " Gableton nudged him. " The moment we've been waiting for."

Jake dragged his eyes away to look at Gableton.

" Yes! The moment we've been waiting for, Mike," he said breathlessly. " Make me proud, Fiery baby! " he said, looking into the lenses of the binoculars, his eyes on the starting gate. At that moment, his heart was thumping hard against his side, and under his suits, he felt cold sweats rolling off him.

A few seconds later, he heard a cracking sound and the gates stall spilled open, and the horses all tumbled out. Jake's heart was beating faster now. The horses seemed clustered together, heaving heavily, all gunning for the finishing line. Fiery was in between six other horses.

Jake could see Willie Shepherd, his sweat-streaked face tight and determined, holding hard onto the reins of the mare as she jostled hard with her other counterparts, their hooves sputtering up dust and sands

" Come on, fiery! " Jake yelled, gripping his binoculars tightly, his knuckles white. " You can do it! "

Fiery and three another horse was in the lead now, each one gunning for the first position. The rest of the horses trudged hard behind them. The crowd cheered them on madly. Just then, two of the horses slacked back. Only Fiery and one other horse were gunning for the first place now. The finishing line was drawing closer. The crowd was in a frenzy.

Jake was yelling now, his handsome face glistening with sweats and anxiety. The finishing line was almost near now. Still, Fiery and the other horse were locked head-to-head. It was beginning to look like it would be a tie between Fiery and the other horse. Jake, despite himself, was trembling violently with fear now.

There were wild screams from the spectators. Just as they were about to get to the finish line, the other horse slacked a little behind. Fiery, using that chance, surged forward and crossed the finish line. The announcer announced Fiery's name as the winner.

The crowd roared its approval.

Jake dropped to his seat, drained, his clothes wet with sweats. His body was trembling, not from exhaustion but excitement. He dragged his eyes to Gableton. His lawyer was screaming now, along with the crowd, his face contracted with happiness. This is the beginning! He thought to himself. This is the beginning, father! He looked towards Old Bill's direction and found the old man smiling broadly at him.

" You lucked out, son! " Old Bill croaked loudly, his voice faintly rising above the loud cacophony on the horse track.

Jake gave him a long, cold stare and looked away. But inside of him, he was bursting with an undefinable joy. At that moment, he wished Lisa was with him. It would have made a lot of sense. Well, I'll make it up to her, he told himself.

" Let's go celebrate, Jake," Gableton said, grinning sheepishly and slapping Jake playfully on his back.

" Yes, Mike! Celebration it is! " Jake said evenly.

***************

It was in the night when Jake sauntered into his living room. His eyes were heavy and bloodshot, and his suits a little askew. After they had left the racetrack, he and Gableton had driven to one of the town's expensive bars and slugged it out with some few bottles. Now, he stood, looking around the living room, his dark eyes a little dazed and alight. Carl appeared from the inner rooms. One look at Jake told him his boss was drunk.

" Welcome back, Mr. Courtland," he said.

" Evening, Carl! " Everything alright around here? " Jake growled.

" Everything is fine, sir. I trust you had a good day at the horse track today? "

Jake grinned ruefully. Carl knowing his boss does not smile often, could tell the drink was taking its effects.

" I had a swell day at the horse track. My horse won! Can you believe that? " He was grinning sheepishly now. " She won! " Then he seemed to be lost in thought for some moments and said, " Where's Lisa? "

" She's right upstairs, sir. She said she doesn't want to be disturbed."

" Hmmm," Jake growled. " Well, I've got to tell her about the success of Fiery! She would love to hear it," and with that, he walked past Carl, who stood there staring at his boss, nonplussed. His legs heavy as lead, Jake walks up the flight of stairs, through the well-lit passage, and stood in front of Lisa's room. He stood there for a long moment as if deliberating within himself. Then he drew in a long, slow breath and rapped on the door. He waited for some moments. But the door did not open. He swore under his breath, and as he raised his hand again, the door jerked opened, and he stood there, staring hard into Lisa's face.