Blackmailing the Billionaire(4)

For the next two hours she fed the chickens, pigs and two cows which remained. Happily, she collected the eggs and milked the docile cows, knowing that Mrs Peters would enjoy the fresh milk for her cheese-making. Grimacing, she knew that soon she would have to find homes for all of them, fighting the sudden wave of loss before shaking herself, her lips lifting... But not today. With the chores done, she moved to the closest field, a bucket of oats in one hand, a bridle in the other, a hard-hat on her head.

Chuckling, she watched as Blaze, her horse for the past five years turned and trotted towards her, his tail held proudly behind him. Reaching her, his head pushed into the bucket, Joy laughing loudly as she fastened the lanyard around his neck. “You are so greedy Blaze... One day you are going to push that nose of yours right through the bottom... And then what?... No more oats for you” As though in answer, the large handsome horse blew through his nose, dislodging oats at the bottom which flew out like dust around her, Joy laughing even harder, her worries gone for that small time.

Carig Calle drove his sports car down the dirt track, his teeth gritting as the wheels jolted once again into a pothole. Looking around, he allowed himself a small smile, checking his watch. At seven he wondered if she would be up, not everybody the early riser he was, the thought of catching her off-guard making his lips curl with satisfaction.

Parking, he frowned when there was no answer to the door, Carig letting his look scan the area. Movement in one of the fields drew his attention, he carefully picking his way across the courtyard to the field, his decision to wear thousand dollar Italian shoes now not seeming to have been his best.

Reaching the field, his mouth gaped open at the sight that met him. There on top of a huge hunter, Joy sat majestically, the two moving fluidly, almost as one, as she pushed the horse to canter towards a series of jumps. Frozen, all he could do was stare as the horse took off, the woman on his back bending forward before snapping back as the graceful animal landed, the motion seamless and effortless for the two.

Mesmerized, he watched as horse and rider moved around the course before she pulled up, her hand slapping the horse’s neck, her body folding to wrap her arms around it, her soft voice wafting towards him, “Good boy Blaze... Good boy”, contentment and happiness in her tone, the sound making him wish he was the horse, her praise aimed at him. With a frown, he quashed the feelings, lifting his hands and clapping.

Instantly, she sat bolt upright, her startled eyes flying to where he stood, her shock at his being there evident on her flushed cheeks. With a visible effort to pull herself together, she twitched the reins, the horse moving in his direction.

“Mr Calle... I was not expecting you. I thought you would phone”, her voice cool, look wary as he grinned up at her, a small shrug of his shoulders his only answer. “You ride very well Joy... Oh and as my ‘girlfriend’, perhaps you should get used to calling me Carig”

Joy regarded him somberly for a few moments before nodding. “OK Carig... So what brings you here this early?... Or have you not been to bed yet?”, her telling look flicking down his suit, a playful smile flitting across her lips. “Were you grabbing that last night of fun before saddling yourself with some ugly duckling for the next couple of months?”

Her words made him flinch. “Ah... OK I deserved that. And... I’m sorry. I was out of line and I did not mean it”, a rueful smile on his lips. “I was... put out yesterday” With a loud chuckle, she inclined her head, a wicked gleam in the soft brown depths of her eyes. “Forgiven... And I guess that you could have said worse”, her lips once more breaking into the large smile which had so entranced him the previous day, “So very, very much worse”

With another flick of her wrist she walked the horse to the gate, Carig opening it for her as the large animal clip-clopped onto the cobbles of the courtyard. Letting the reins fall, Blaze dropped his head, searching for any wayward oats which might be found, her leg swinging around until she was sat sideways onto the tall creature. Moving forward he held his hands up, as one would to catch a jumping child. “Need help?”#p#分页标题#e#

Joy shook her head as she slid gracefully to the ground. “Thanks, but I have been doing this by myself for a long time”, suddenly wishing that she was again on top of Blaze as the man towered over her. She could not tell what he was thinking, his eyes hidden behind designer sunglasses, the handsome Spaniard so out of place on the farm. Everything about him was slick, clean, expensive, her hands rubbing down her jodhpurs, her hair clinging sweatily to her head when she removed the riding hat. Giving a half-laugh, her nose crinkled, “Sorry. If you had called I would have made sure I was showered... You are probably better being upwind of me right now... Horses have a very distinctive smell”