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my body arched away from the straw and barn floor. "a-ash! what are you doing?" i asked as i felt her hand on my thigh, and then it moved up my shirt to splay against my abs. i actually worked pretty damn hard on those things. the hay rustled underneath me as i squirmed beneath her. man, if some one were to walk into here right now they would be taken aback at the scene that was unfolding before them. i doubt that they would stay to watch, though. me? i could stay here forever, though an impatient snort from the colt still in the cross-ties caught my attention. we were supposed to be working...

hello! her hand passed over sensitive areas that made me writhe under her touch. dear god, what was i going to do? the sound of some distant door opening and then closing met my ears, but i didn't think anything of it. i didn't think that they would come down to this end of the barn. maybe that was my more wishful side of my brain hoping, but i didn't know to be sure. all i knew is that right now in this moment, i wouldn't have it any other way. i may regret the way it went down, but not the moment. if it didn't happen now, it would have definitely happened some where down the line.

[{ squishy }]

My body raised with his as he arched his back away from the straw and stall floor. I distantly heard him call out my name and ask me what I was doing. I murmured against his neck, my eyes half-lidded. "Mm... Yes, Toby?" I didn't even answer his question, since my mind was thinking about only one thing. And that was the man lying beneath me writhing under my touch. I smirked softly, picking my head up only slightly, my lips pressing soft, butterfly-like kisses against his face. If someone walked in on us... Well, I'd take the blame. I did make the first move, after all. I heard a snort from the colt in the cross-ties just outside the stall door, but I ignored it, my attention focused directly on Toby.

The assistant trainer walked out of the barn office, the door slamming shut behind him in impatience. The head trainer was ten minutes late to their appointment to talk about the horses who needed to be raced in Kentucky Derby qualifying races if they were going to make the Run for the Roses. He paused in the middle of the aisle, his eyes narrowing at the sight of Gratis standing in the cross-ties, completely tacked, with no one standing around him. Yet, he heard straw crunching... He slowly strode up the aisle, curious and concerned about what he'd find. He peeked into the empty stall, shocked at what he found. Crossing his arms across his chest, he set his face in a stern look, anger seeping out of him. "Ashleigh Marie Reese. What the hell do you think you're doing?!" He hoped he had scared the duo, since what they were doing was completely against the rules. Oh, if Mr. Reese found out what they were doing... There'd be hell to pay.

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she completely ignored what i said, and just continued to do what she was doing to me. i heard the distinct foot falls of a some one coming, but my mind was too foggy to process it. i had pulled my head back to peer around her just as a male came into view, and barked something out. i very nearly shoved her off, but instead jack knifed to a sitting position while simultaneously moving her to the side to sit on her butt. 'oh god, please don't let him see my hard on...' i thought, thinking that right about now i was royally screwed. now i really fucking needed a cigarette. i ran a hand through my hair, and then began to move my feet below me.

i rocked back on my heels, and in one fluid motion i stood up so that i was standing at my full height. i didn't even know what to say to explain myself. i shoved my hands into my back pocket, and wondered what we should do. we could always kill him, and feed him to the pigs. then no one would ever find out about this little incident. i cleared my throat, and looked at the male in the eyes. "you must be jazz. i'm sorry i was late to our meeting but uh... well here i am."

to be honest, i am fully prepared to dodge a punch. or anything else he could throw at me. i turned slightly toward ash, and held out my hand to help her to her feet. the real thing on my mind right now was figuring out where the hell my cigarettes were.

[{ squishy }]

I heard footfalls, but I ignored it, my attention span just a bit distracted right now. I wanted him , all of him at once. I knew that we could be in some very serious trouble if we were caught, but I didn't care. I was always bold, always brave and determined. Everyone was afraid to get in my way when I had that look on my face and in my eyes. I had that look on my face as Toby bolted into a sitting position and he moved me to the side, my ass coming in contact with the stall floor and straw for the first time today. I glared at Jazz, my arms crossed against my chest. He had a lot of nerve, coming in here and asking me what I was doing. I could ask him the same thing, when he was interested in my cousin, who happened to be my best friend as well.

I huffed impatiently as Jazz just stood there, watching as he grabbed the reins that were attached to the bridle on Gratis' well-formed head. The colt snorted and bumped his muzzle against the trainer's arm, a soft nicker coming from his maw. It was strange, watching the usually high-strung colt act like a little puppy suddenly. Shrugging my shoulders, I watched Jazz, who took Toby's hand. "Nice to meet you, Toby. It's nice to finally put a face to the man I've heard mentioned around the farm." Jazz's eyes cut from Toby's face to Ash's, his gaze narrowing as he watched his ex-girlfriend, her stare piercing through his own gaze.

I looked up as Toby offered his hand out to me. Gratefully, I took it, pulling myself up from the ground below me. "Toby, if you could please give me a leg up..." I made a mental note to seek Toby out after the colt finished his gallop and cool out. I wanted to find out why we had that instant and undeniable connection.

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awkward.

this was awkward. i made a mental note to shoot myself tonight. ash sat on the ground with her arms across her chest, and glaring at jazz, jazz returned her hard glare while holding the reins to gratis, gratis gave jazz an affectionate nudge, and i stood there like an idiot in a stall covered in hay with a hard on still. jazz reached out, and took my hand in a shake, stating that it was nice to finally meet the me. apparently i've been news around the farm. i hoped this would not be broadcasted as well for the whole farm to talk about. i don't think i could ever live it down.

"nice to meet you as well. what was it you wanted to speak to me about?" i asked, acting as if he had not just walked in on us on the ground. when i leaned over to help ash up i offered her both my hands to pull her to her feet. when she was standing, and sturdy i released her, and watched to make sure she wouldn't fall over again. she asked if i could give her a step up, and i once again laced my fingers together to help her up into the saddle. when she was safely up, i nodded and looked at my watch.

"take him for a breeze first. don't let him lose on the first lap, hold him back." i told ash, and then glanced once more toward jazz.

[{ squishy }]

This wasn't the most awkward thing I've experienced.

Not even close. The most awkward thing I've experienced was being caught skinny-dipping with the man holding the horse I was supposed to be riding right now. It was so embarrassing and Jazz nearly got fired. I continued to glare at Jazz, my anger bubbling to the surface. He did me wrong, and he knew it. Staring at Jazz in anger... All I could see was our fights, our angry words, us throwing things at the walls. Things between us by then were irreparable, unable to be repaired. I didn't want them to be, anyway. Jazz took Toby's hand, and I thought the assistant squeezed his boss's hand a little too tight, but that was just my opinion. If I had anything to say about it, this would only stay between the three of us - technically four, but Gratis couldn't talk. If anyone said anything, they'd be on their asses faster than they could realize it.

Toby said it was nice to meet him, and Jazz nodded at his boss, dropping his hand as they finished shaking. "I wanted to ask you what you wanted to do with Wonder's Star and his sister, Wonder's Miracle. Both are ready to get back to work, to get ready to run." His eyes drifted over to the chestnut filly who had removed her head from her hay bag to look at the dark bay colt in the aisle. She snorted softly, shook her crown, and disappeared back inside her stall. Toby helped me to my feet, and I wobbled momentarily before I regained my composure. I pushed open the stall door and Toby boosted me into the saddle. I placed my feet into the stirrups, and I shifted my weight, tying the reins into a knot.

I looked at Toby and nodded as he spoke to me. "Absolutely. How far do you want me to breeze him for after he warms up?" Jazz started to lead us toward the track, the comforting sound of Gratis' hooves clopping against the concrete beneath us.

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to be honest, i was glad to be talking work again. i could push this little fiasco away, and perhaps this wouldn't all blow up in my face. a guy could hope, right? jazz shook my hand - boy, he had a firm hand shake - and then pulled away his hand. he spoke then, asking me what i wanted to do with wonder's star and wonder's miracle. my eyes shot over to the filly, and i paused for a moment before answering. what did i want to do with them? my thumb hooked into my pants pocket as i contemplated the question, and then turned to look at him.

"we could start them in the training oval, have ash or another jockey ride one, and ash the other. get their muscles built up once again, and we can take it from there. make sure both are getting a nutritional diet that will support training. we began walking, and ash asked me how long she should breeze him for. i held my breath for a moment as i tried to remember what gratis was like. he was a spitfire if i remember correctly. hard to handle, stubborn, but the boy could run.

"hold him back for six furlongs. make him work for it. do not give him his head until there. i want to see how he does saving his energy for the last stretch of the race."

[{ squishy }]

I was still beyond livid about what Jazz had witnessed. Everything was going perfectly until his ass showed up. I mentally facepalmed as I saw Jazz tighten his grip. Always with his macho exterior. He was as scary as a fuzzy kitten. I rolled my eyes as Jazz started asking Toby about what to do with Wonder's Star and Wonder's Miracle. I thought he was being too much of a suck-up, but I guess that's what an assistant trainer would do. Actually, now that I thought about it, it was Jazz's favorite thing to do.

Jazz listened to Toby give his thoughts about what they needed to do with the brother-sister duo. Slowly, he nodded, and looked at the chestnut filly. ["We could work them once a week, every week. Gallop them two days in a row twice a week, with walks around the farm the other three days. We did that with Wonder's Champion, and he was our Triple Crown champion. I'll get with the grooms and Ash's father about what we need to feed them to increase their muscle mass and their fitness." Gratis started dancing under Ash and he snorted, shaking his crown as the four of them stepped into the sunlight.

I grinned down at Toby from my vantage point in the saddle. "Oh, that'll be easier said than done, but I'll work my magic with him. I'll see you guys soon." I winked at Toby and buckled my riding helmet, pulling my goggles down over my eyes. I grabbed my whip from my back pockets of my jeans and set Gratis into a slow gallop for the first lap around the track, just to get him warmed up. The colt was tense, moving stiffly as he started moving through his naughty antics.

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jazz told me a game plan, and i listened to all he had to say before nodding in understanding. that sounded like something that just might work. i wanted to ease the horses back into working out before they got into anything too full blown, and right out rigorous. "sounds like a plan. i'd like us to keep a close eye on them so that we know what progress they are making each week. there's nothing like being too careful." i saw ash out of the corner of my eye, and turned slightly to meet her gaze.

she was grinning at me, and told me that it was easier said than done, but that she would work her magic. right before she left she winked at me, and i watched as she rode gratis out onto the track. i sighed to myself, and moved to lean against the rail as i watched her warm up the horse. "is she always this...bold?" I asked, wondering if he would know any thing about her.

[{ squishy }]

Jazz followed Gratis and Ash to the gap in the railing for the track, and he watched the colt intently as he started bucking, wheeling around in circles as the girl tried to rein him in, to get him to calm down. The colt let a whistle pierce the quiet air, and Jazz sighed, shaking his head. He looked over at Toby and nodded, running a hand through his dark hair. "Absolutely. We can write down their progress down in the office and stable the two of them next to each other. Obviously, it won't happen for a bit, since Star is still recovering from his last couple races."

Jazz watched Ash silently, smirking as she finally got the colt calm down enough to gallop slowly in a somewhat... straight line. The colt was especially wild today, given the fact that he's been off for a month and a half, following a minor, minor injury. Jazz leaned against the railing and looked at Toby, chuckling. "Uh, yeah. Sometimes. Usually more so with certain things than others, but it depends." He couldn't remember if he'd made her that way or not.

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i was watching gratis's movement as he fought ash for a bit down the track until she finally got him into a canter. my brow furrowed as i watched him. something...something wasn't right. my gut was telling me to pull him now, but i couldn't really tell why i was getting a bad feeling about him. i didn't comment on the placement of the other two horses because i completely agreed, and because i was too focused on watching gratis running. "Say...what kind of injury did gratis have before? is he completely healed? was he cleared by a vet?"i asked jazz, my concern for the colt evident. i didn't want to be training him if his injuries weren't cleared yet.

it was jazz's chuckle that caught a side way's glance from toby. he looked toward him, and arched an eyebrow at him. "i am very adamant about not kissing my bosses daughters. i just want you to know that." i wasn't going to pin all the blame on her because she didn't make me kiss her back, and she wasn't stronger than me so i could have easily gotten up. still. it would have never happened if she hadn't initiated it first. right?

[{ squishy }]

I ground my teeth together as Gratis gave me problems, his hooves skittering underneath him as he fought me. his muscles bunched and released their energy as he began striding up. He didn't feel exactly comfortable underneath me, but i couldn't just pull him up. I thought that it was maybe just early morning stiffness after being in his stall for over twelve hours. His snorts filled the air as he inhaled and exhaled air, his nostrils flaring as his neck arched and his chin tucked into his chest, his right shoulder shifting out toward the outside railing. I frowned, shaking my head as I continued to fight the colt beneath me. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Groaning, I just let the colt go into a slow gallop, standing in the irons, hands balled in fists on his withers.

Jazz looked over at Toby as he asked his assistant what kind of injury the colt had. "I think just a minor ankle sprain. Uh... Left foreleg, if I'm correct." Following his chuckle regarding his question about Ash, Jazz paled a little, looking slightly embarrassed. "I never said you weren't adamant about kissing Mr. Reese's daughter. She's just... A rule breaker. She's a spitfire, that one." Jazz knew that Ash would instigate the kiss, since she was so totally bold.

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my frown deepened as gratis skittered beneath ash, and fought her every step of the way. i listened to what jazz was saying, and i shook my head. "i don't think it healed. look, he refusing to change his lead for ash, and he doesn't want to put any weight down on that leg. it's more a fleeting moment that his hoof touches the ground. something is up." i pushed away from the rail, and began to move toward the gap that would lead me onto the track. just before i did i heard jazz's reply. relief was definitely the first thing that swam through my veins. at least he believed me. i didn't comment on that though as i flagged ash down, and waited for her to bring gratis back.

"hop down. there's something wrong with him." i said with a frown, and waited for her to dismount before running my hands over the colts injured leg. as i ran my hands over his canon bone, fetlock, and pastern i couldn't ignore the undeniable heat there. i shook my crown, and looked to ash, and jazz. "there's a lot of heat in his pastern and fetlock. jazz, call the vet would you please? and ash, will you help me ice down his leg, and try to get it under control?"

[{ squishy }]

Jazz looked out at the colt as he continued to fight his rider, his dark bay colt slicked with sweat and foam already, his stride still stiff and undeniably sore. The man frowned, trying to see if the colt ever stumbled when moving the left front ankle, but he was unable to see anything. He heard what Toby had said just before the trainer pushed himself up and over the railing, his arms waving as he motioned to Ashleigh to bring Gratis to a halt at the gap in the rail. Jazz frowned as he walked to the gap, his arms crossed over his chest as he waited too, his heart in his throat. If he had bought an unsound horse... He was at fault, and there was a good chance he could be fired. Right?

I saw Toby waving his hands like crazy, and Gratis spooked slightly, side-stepping to his right, a loud and irritated snort coming from him as I was finally able to pull him to a stop in front of Toby. I heard his lyrics and I immediately kicked my feet out of the stirrups and I slid off the colt's back, my feet bringing clouds of dirt spinning in the air. I brought the reins over Gratis' head and I frowned, cursing as Toby told me what he thought was wrong. I watched his hands feel the colt's left foreleg, and I knew something was wrong. He told me there was heat, and I was pissed. "Are you kidding me? Goddamn it! No wonder he was acting up! I thought he was just stiff." I took off my helmet and dropped it, along with my whip as I nodded, and started running for the barn, handing Jazz my cell phone before I got to the barn. Once there, I got a bucket, ice packs, bandages, vet wrap, and a bag of ice from the freezer before running back out, passing Jazz on the phone with the vet. I reached Toby and dropped to my knees, dumping the ice in the bucket before lifting the colt's leg and plunking it in the ice. "Jazz said the vet's on his way."