TRAVIS RAN the soft brush over Raid

TRAVIS RAN the soft brush over Raider’s withers, back, and barrel with quick short strokes, erasing the slight mark left by the fleece saddle pad and making the gelding’s black coat gleam. As he brushed, his eye traveled over the horse. The two-year-old was filling out nicely. Thanks to the training ring’s sandy footing, he was already more muscled.
Their morning workout had gone well. Even though Raider had been feeling his oats, he’d settled down quickly enough. More important, as the workout progressed he’d continued to listen, responding to Travis’s aids willingly; considering he was little more than a baby developmentally, it proved how smart and special a horse he was. Too bad he was gelded, Travis thought. With Raider’s superb conformation and bloodlines, their search for a new stallion to stand at stud would be over.
Travis was no longer upset that Margot had outbid him at the Crestview auction. He was just happy she’d bought Raider. Despite having worked with him for only a few short weeks, he was convinced the gelding could develop into an equine star. He already had the next six months of training planned in his mind: the winter devoted to gymnastics in the indoor ring to improve flexion and balance. If all went well, by late spring Travis would start jumping him, crossbars mostly—nothing too intimidating that might shake the young horse’s confidence or cause injury. Come June, he and Margot would have selected a few shows to compete him in. By then Gulliver and Gypsy Queen, if they hadn’t already been sold, would be moving up in the hunter and preliminary jumper classes.
This is what he loved about his work, the challenge of bringing along a youngster from the ground up and continuing its training until, like Harvest Moon, it was ready to compete on the hunter or jumper circuit. Rosewood’s horses presented such a wide range in terms of developing their abilities that each day and every ride offered something new for him as a trainer and rider.
Exchanging the soft brush for a towel, he glanced at his watch before he began wiping Raider down. It was almost eleven o’clock. Margot must be nearly finished riding Ventura. She’d volunteered to help Ned and Andy exercise the broodmares, just as she’d come to the barn directly after dropping Jade off at school to lend a hand with the grooming. She’d brushed Gulliver’s bay coat until it shone like satin. Then she’d dressed his hooves and combed his tail and mane to picture-perfection.
Busy prepping the horses for Dan Stokes’s visit, Travis hadn’t been able to do more than offer Margot a cup of steaming coffee from the pot Ned had brewed and then press it into her hand with a quick smile before heading over to the stallion barn to tack Stoneleigh. He hoped the prospective buyer was a decent judge of horseflesh and had a good notion of what he or she was looking for. The sooner Dan Stokes and his client were gone—hopefully with a sales agreement signed—the sooner Travis could get Margot alone.
As physically beat as he’d been, he hadn’t slept much last night, the loft and his bed filled with memories of Margot. But he’d had enough of memories. He wanted the real thing: Margot warm and generous, her silken body wrapped about him. He needed to hear her voice, breathy and awed, calling out his name as he filled her. He wanted that amazing sense of completeness he felt when Margot lay in his arms.
As he was running the towel over the crest of Raider’s neck, Ned’s voice reached him. He looked down the aisle to see him and Dan Stokes, along with another man, dressed in breeches and field boots, making their way toward him. From the pride ringing in Ned’s voice it was clear he was giving them a tour of the barns.
Laying a hand on the gelding’s shoulder, Travis greeted them. “Good to see you, Dan.”
“How are you doing, Travis? Glad to hear you’re back at Rosewood. Everyone’s relieved to know that you and Ned will be here to carry on for RJ.”
“Thanks, Dan.”
“Travis, I’d like you to meet Paul Ormond. Paul, this is Travis Maher, Rosewood’s trainer. One of the best in the business.”
Travis tucked the towel under his arm and stretched out his hand. “Pleased to meet you, Paul.” Paul Ormond was about his age and about as well groomed as Raider. From the suede jacket he sported to his oversized steel watch, which Travis spotted on his wrist, he was clearly rich enough to indulge his vanity.
“A nice-looking horse you’ve got here, Travis.” Dan had stepped up to Raider and was looking at him appraisingly.
“Yeah, this is Night Raider. Miss Margot, RJ’s daughter, whom you’ll meet shortly, picked him up at the Crestview sale. He’s a two-year-old Thoroughbred, by Dark Promise out of Night Wing. Miss Margot bought Night Wing, too. She’s in foal, again bred to Dark Promise,” Ned told them.
“Raider and I are just getting to know each other,” Travis chimed in. “But I’ve got a really good feeling about him.”
“He for sale?”
Travis tensed, wishing he’d bit his tongue instead of boasting about how great Raider was.
“You’ll have to ask Margot about that—” Abruptly he turned his head. “Here she is now.”
“Sorry I’m late,” she said to him. “I stopped to ask Andy and Tito to rake the outside ring.”
“Thanks,” he said. “I forgot to remind the guys. And Dan and Paul have only just arrived.”
Turning to the men, she greeted them with an easy smile. “Hi, I’m Margot Radcliffe,” she said, extending her hand.
While the pleasantries were exchanged, Travis tossed a Baker blanket over Raider, buckled it, and walked the gelding into his box stall, away from Dan Stokes’s acquisitive gaze.
Closing the stall door he turned around and caught the dazzled expression on Dan’s and Paul’s faces. For Christ’s sake, hadn’t they ever seen a beautiful woman before?
He hung Raider’s leather halter on the stall door’s hook and wondered how this thing was going to play out. If the smitten look on Ormond’s face was any kind of indicator, he’d clean forgotten he was there to shop for a horse.
A little prodding was in order. Travis wanted to get the show on the road so he could have some time alone with Margot. And he really wanted Ormond to stop drooling over her. “So Paul, we have a barnful of talented horses. What are you looking for in particular?”
Tearing his gaze away from Margot, he replied, “I’ve been showing in the hunter division for the past six years but I’m interested in branching out. I’m hoping to find a horse with enough scope to carry me in the jumper classes.”
“Why don’t we show Harvest Moon first, then?” Margot suggested. “Harvest is great, Paul.” She began walking down the aisle with Dan and Paul Ormond on either side, Travis and Ned taking up the rear. “He’s big. At seventeen hands, he can carry a tall man like you with ease. What are you, six foot one?” He nodded. “That’s what I thought. Well, Harvest has been doing terrifically in the hunter division,” she continued without skipping a beat. “The judges love him for his looks and because he jumps so neatly and is a beautiful mover over the flat. But he’s also a great jumper. Brave, honest, with lots of scope …”
She was good, Travis thought, listening to her with pride. He hadn’t known exactly what tack Margot would take during her first foray as a horse seller. Had she opted to remain silent after shaking hands with the two men, he and Ned would have stepped in and provided them with a rundown of the most suitable horses. But Margot was doing just fine on her own. Her approach was different from RJ’s—he’d always talked bloodlines and conformation and scores, which could intimidate the hell out of certain buyers. Margot’s seemingly effortless chatter disarmed. Ormond was probably already imagining that champion ribbon fluttering against Harvest’s cheekpiece and him clutching a shiny trophy.
Just as long as his fantasies stopped there.
What Travis didn’t care for was the bright gleam in Ormond’s eye when he looked at Margot or that his questions had moved away from horses to far more personal territory. He’d gotten her to admit that, yes, she was a professional model. And then Paul told her that he worked as a consultant for some big-name corporations in New York and had a penthouse in the city. His pied-à-terre. Travis marveled that a self-respecting man would actually use the word pied-à-terre, but his contempt morphed into seething antagonism as he heard Paul suggest that they should get together in town … and Margot neglect to tell him to take a hike.
Could she actually see something in this guy?
The thought that lurked at the edge of his mind uncoiled itself and struck. How many other men—in addition to her “good friend” Charlie Ayer—did she have following her around, tongues hanging to the ground? He hated that there were eight long years unaccounted for, during which scores of men had doubtless hit on her. Made love to her. Jealousy, sharp-toothed and poisonous, sank its fangs deep as he imagined his rivals. The poison spread and he wondered if Margot could truly care for him when she had countless others vying for her favor. Men with New York penthouse apartments and God knows what else to offer her. Margot wasn’t a snob, but wouldn’t she ultimately want to be with a man whose background and upbringing were as fancy as hers?
Was she just passing time with him until a better man came along?
“Is that all right with you, Travis?”
“No,” he snarled, only to realize that he had no idea what Margot had just asked. “Sorry. I was thinking of something else. What was that you said?”
A frown line appeared between her brows. “Can you get on Harvest first so Paul and Dan can have a chance to see how nicely he moves?”
“Sure.” It galled him that while he was on Harvest, Ormond would be standing next to her, feeding her more of his smooth lines.

Hasil (Bahasa Indonesia) 1:

TRAVIS RAN sikat lembut atas withers Raider's, kembali, dan laras dengan cepat stroke pendek, menghapus tanda sedikit pergi oleh pad pelana bulu dan membuat gelding mantel hitam kilauan. Seperti dia brushed, matanya pergi atas kuda. Dua-tahun-tua adalah mengisi dengan baik. Berkat pelatihan cincin berpasir pijakan, ia adalah sudah lebih berotot.Latihan pagi mereka pergi juga. Meskipun Raider telah merasa oat nya, dia telah menetap cukup cepat. Lebih penting, berjalannya latihan ia terus mendengarkan, menanggapi Travis aids rela; mengingat Dia adalah lebih dari seorang bayi perkembangannya, itu membuktikan bagaimana cerdas dan khusus kuda dia. Sayang sekali dia gelded, Travis berpikir. Dengan Raider's luar biasa konformasi dan garis keturunan, mereka mencari stallion baru untuk berdiri di stud akan lebih dari.Travis tidak lagi marah bahwa Margot telah dlm dia di Crestview lelang. Ia merasa bahagia hanya dia telah membeli Raider. Meskipun setelah bekerja dengan dia untuk hanya beberapa minggu, dia yakin gelding bisa berkembang menjadi bintang kuda. Dia sudah enam bulan pelatihan berencana dalam pikirannya: musim dingin yang ditujukan untuk senam di ring indoor untuk meningkatkan fleksi dan keseimbangan. Jika semua berjalan baik, oleh akhir musim semi Travis akan mulai melompat dia, crossbars sebagian besar — tidak ada yang terlalu menakutkan yang mungkin goyang kuda muda keyakinan atau menyebabkan cedera. Datang Juni, dia dan Margot akan memilih beberapa menunjukkan untuk bersaing nya. Kemudian Gulliver dan Ratu Gipsi, jika mereka tidak sudah terjual, akan bergerak naik di Hunter Valley dan kelas awal jumper.Ini adalah apa yang ia cintai tentang pekerjaannya, tantangan untuk membawa sepanjang anak dari tanah dan melanjutkan pelatihan yang sampai, seperti Harvest Moon, itu adalah siap untuk bersaing di sirkuit pemburu atau jumper. Rosewood's kuda disajikan seperti berbagai dalam hal mengembangkan kemampuan mereka yang setiap hari dan naik setiap menawarkan sesuatu yang baru untuk dia sebagai seorang pelatih dan pengendara.Exchanging the soft brush for a towel, he glanced at his watch before he began wiping Raider down. It was almost eleven o’clock. Margot must be nearly finished riding Ventura. She’d volunteered to help Ned and Andy exercise the broodmares, just as she’d come to the barn directly after dropping Jade off at school to lend a hand with the grooming. She’d brushed Gulliver’s bay coat until it shone like satin. Then she’d dressed his hooves and combed his tail and mane to picture-perfection.Busy prepping the horses for Dan Stokes’s visit, Travis hadn’t been able to do more than offer Margot a cup of steaming coffee from the pot Ned had brewed and then press it into her hand with a quick smile before heading over to the stallion barn to tack Stoneleigh. He hoped the prospective buyer was a decent judge of horseflesh and had a good notion of what he or she was looking for. The sooner Dan Stokes and his client were gone—hopefully with a sales agreement signed—the sooner Travis could get Margot alone.As physically beat as he’d been, he hadn’t slept much last night, the loft and his bed filled with memories of Margot. But he’d had enough of memories. He wanted the real thing: Margot warm and generous, her silken body wrapped about him. He needed to hear her voice, breathy and awed, calling out his name as he filled her. He wanted that amazing sense of completeness he felt when Margot lay in his arms.As he was running the towel over the crest of Raider’s neck, Ned’s voice reached him. He looked down the aisle to see him and Dan Stokes, along with another man, dressed in breeches and field boots, making their way toward him. From the pride ringing in Ned’s voice it was clear he was giving them a tour of the barns.Laying a hand on the gelding’s shoulder, Travis greeted them. “Good to see you, Dan.”“How are you doing, Travis? Glad to hear you’re back at Rosewood. Everyone’s relieved to know that you and Ned will be here to carry on for RJ.”“Thanks, Dan.”“Travis, I’d like you to meet Paul Ormond. Paul, this is Travis Maher, Rosewood’s trainer. One of the best in the business.”Travis tucked the towel under his arm and stretched out his hand. “Pleased to meet you, Paul.” Paul Ormond was about his age and about as well groomed as Raider. From the suede jacket he sported to his oversized steel watch, which Travis spotted on his wrist, he was clearly rich enough to indulge his vanity.“A nice-looking horse you’ve got here, Travis.” Dan had stepped up to Raider and was looking at him appraisingly.“Yeah, this is Night Raider. Miss Margot, RJ’s daughter, whom you’ll meet shortly, picked him up at the Crestview sale. He’s a two-year-old Thoroughbred, by Dark Promise out of Night Wing. Miss Margot bought Night Wing, too. She’s in foal, again bred to Dark Promise,” Ned told them.“Raider and I are just getting to know each other,” Travis chimed in. “But I’ve got a really good feeling about him.”“He for sale?”Travis tensed, wishing he’d bit his tongue instead of boasting about how great Raider was.“You’ll have to ask Margot about that—” Abruptly he turned his head. “Here she is now.”“Sorry I’m late,” she said to him. “I stopped to ask Andy and Tito to rake the outside ring.”“Thanks,” he said. “I forgot to remind the guys. And Dan and Paul have only just arrived.”Turning to the men, she greeted them with an easy smile. “Hi, I’m Margot Radcliffe,” she said, extending her hand.While the pleasantries were exchanged, Travis tossed a Baker blanket over Raider, buckled it, and walked the gelding into his box stall, away from Dan Stokes’s acquisitive gaze.Closing the stall door he turned around and caught the dazzled expression on Dan’s and Paul’s faces. For Christ’s sake, hadn’t they ever seen a beautiful woman before?He hung Raider’s leather halter on the stall door’s hook and wondered how this thing was going to play out. If the smitten look on Ormond’s face was any kind of indicator, he’d clean forgotten he was there to shop for a horse.A little prodding was in order. Travis wanted to get the show on the road so he could have some time alone with Margot. And he really wanted Ormond to stop drooling over her. “So Paul, we have a barnful of talented horses. What are you looking for in particular?”Tearing his gaze away from Margot, he replied, “I’ve been showing in the hunter division for the past six years but I’m interested in branching out. I’m hoping to find a horse with enough scope to carry me in the jumper classes.”“Why don’t we show Harvest Moon first, then?” Margot suggested. “Harvest is great, Paul.” She began walking down the aisle with Dan and Paul Ormond on either side, Travis and Ned taking up the rear. “He’s big. At seventeen hands, he can carry a tall man like you with ease. What are you, six foot one?” He nodded. “That’s what I thought. Well, Harvest has been doing terrifically in the hunter division,” she continued without skipping a beat. “The judges love him for his looks and because he jumps so neatly and is a beautiful mover over the flat. But he’s also a great jumper. Brave, honest, with lots of scope …”She was good, Travis thought, listening to her with pride. He hadn’t known exactly what tack Margot would take during her first foray as a horse seller. Had she opted to remain silent after shaking hands with the two men, he and Ned would have stepped in and provided them with a rundown of the most suitable horses. But Margot was doing just fine on her own. Her approach was different from RJ’s—he’d always talked bloodlines and conformation and scores, which could intimidate the hell out of certain buyers. Margot’s seemingly effortless chatter disarmed. Ormond was probably already imagining that champion ribbon fluttering against Harvest’s cheekpiece and him clutching a shiny trophy.Just as long as his fantasies stopped there.What Travis didn’t care for was the bright gleam in Ormond’s eye when he looked at Margot or that his questions had moved away from horses to far more personal territory. He’d gotten her to admit that, yes, she was a professional model. And then Paul told her that he worked as a consultant for some big-name corporations in New York and had a penthouse in the city. His pied-à-terre. Travis marveled that a self-respecting man would actually use the word pied-à-terre, but his contempt morphed into seething antagonism as he heard Paul suggest that they should get together in town … and Margot neglect to tell him to take a hike.Could she actually see something in this guy?The thought that lurked at the edge of his mind uncoiled itself and struck. How many other men—in addition to her “good friend” Charlie Ayer—did she have following her around, tongues hanging to the ground? He hated that there were eight long years unaccounted for, during which scores of men had doubtless hit on her. Made love to her. Jealousy, sharp-toothed and poisonous, sank its fangs deep as he imagined his rivals. The poison spread and he wondered if Margot could truly care for him when she had countless others vying for her favor. Men with New York penthouse apartments and God knows what else to offer her. Margot wasn’t a snob, but wouldn’t she ultimately want to be with a man whose background and upbringing were as fancy as hers?Was she just passing time with him until a better man came along?
“Is that all right with you, Travis?”
“No,” he snarled, only to realize that he had no idea what Margot had just asked. “Sorry. I was thinking of something else. What was that you said?”
A frown line appeared between her brows. “Can you get on Harvest first so Paul and Dan can have a chance to see how nicely he moves?”
“Sure.” It galled him that while he was on Harvest, Ormond would be standing next to her, feeding her more of his smooth lines.