Seducing the Professor Read online

  Brett and Samuel came skidding to a halt and quickly stepped out of the way when Alexandra dragged the screeching Gloria outside to her car.

  She opened the door and flung the screaming woman into the seat. Gloria hardly had time to get her legs inside when she slammed the door and leaned through the open window to snap into her face.

  “Now listen to me very carefully, glorious Gloria. Stay away from this farm!”

  She leaned closer and pushed her face into Gloria’s and rasped angrily.

  “And stay away from Paul! He is mine!”

  “Well, I never!”

  Gloria was trembling so much, she could not get the car started and Alexandra cursed.

  “Do you need more incentive, sticky legs?”

  Gloria sighed in relief when the car took with the next try and she took off with screeching tires. Alexandra stood watching the retreating car with her hands on her hips. She turned and noticed the three men still gaping at her with their mouths open. She flung her hair over her shoulder and strode towards the house with long steps, her hips swaying seductively.

  They watched her until she disappeared into the house. Samuel cleared his throat and chuckled.

  “Quite a feisty woman you’ve got yourself there, Boss. Never thought she had such a temper on her though.”

  “Or such a possessive streak. You should count yourself lucky, Shuttle. Not many woman would lay claim to a man so openly.”

  Paul heard what they said, but he still battled to wrap his mind around her unexpected possessiveness. Especially after she just made it clear she hated him and was still mad at him. He thought it prudent to stay out of her way for now and assisted Brett with the inoculations. He brought two of his partners and some students with and by six that evening all the horses were injected.

  He invited all of them to stay for dinner and instructed Ellie earlier to prepare salads and breads for a barbeque. He ran up the stairs for a quick shower. He went downstairs to check on Ellie and found Alexandra busy mixing ingredients for a corn bread she was baking. She wore an apron and had some flower on her cheek. She looked beautiful. He leaned against the doorframe and watched her and realized she was just as efficient and thorough in the kitchen as in the lab. She looked up and their eyes met. She dropped hers immediately to the bowl and finished the mixture. She transferred it to two bread baking tins and carried them to the oven.

  Paul stepped closer and opened the oven door. She popped the two tins inside and he closed the door. She set the alarm and went to the basin to wash her hands. He followed her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He leaned down and kissed her sensually in her neck. She leaned her head on his shoulder and he nibbled over her throat to the vein pulsing rapidly in her neck. He pulled the skin into his mouth and sucked sensually. Alexandra moaned and felt heat flowing through her veins. She knew Paul was marking her, but she did not care. She pressed harder back against him and he sucked harder.

  Someone cleared their throat behind them and he slowly pulled his mouth from her throbbing neck. He hugged her briefly and turned to find Slade in the doorway.

  “Why is it that my family is threading my doorway bare lately?”

  Slade chuckled and he cleared his throat again, glancing at Alexandra.

  “I am afraid I am here on official business this time, Cuz.”

  “Yeah? Do tell.”

  “I … ahum … received a complaint of deliberate malice against … Alexa.”

  “Hell no, she didn’t!”

  “I assume you know who I am talking about?”

  Alexandra crossed her arms over her chest and glowered at Paul. He raised his eyebrows and lifted his hands.

  “Don’t look at me! I am not the one that dragged her around by her hair!”

  “If you did not stare at her damn boobs, I wouldn’t have touched her!”

  “Now just a second, Angel. I did not stare at her boobs!”

  Slade chuckled and shook his head. Alexandra turned to him.

  “So now what?”

  “She insists on an apology.”

  “No.”

  “Angel, just say you’re sorry and …”

  “No! She got what she deserved.”

  “In that case I am afraid I have to take you in and book you. The complaint will then be dealt with formally in the court.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous, Slade! You are not locking her up.”

  “I agree. I was there and so was Samuel. We did not see any malice. Did we Samuel?”

  “Nope … none whatsoever.”

  Slade sighed and shook his head.

  “Well, Paul could always go and kiss her sore ego better! I mean that is what she is after, after all. After drooling over her boobs she surely believes you want her too!”

  “I did not drool over her boo … for goodness sake! Very well. I’ll go and talk to her.”

  Paul grunted and turned towards the door.

  “You take one more step, Shuttle and I will castrate you!”

  He stopped and spun around, his hands on his hips. He glared at her.

  “If you for one second think I will let you go to her this time of night on your own, you are truly demented! See what your … overactive testosterone brought us!”

  “My testost … I give up!”

  Slade laughed openly until he caught Alexandra’s glare and he swallowed his laugh. He looked at Brett and Samuel.

  “You two are adamant that there were no malicious intent towards Gloria made by Alexa?”

  “One hundred percent.”

  “Yip, no malice.”

  “Very well. I will convey the message.”

  “Slade. Your message better convey that she heed my warning!”

  She turned towards the oven to check the corn bread. She scorched Paul with a blue flame.

  “And you can wipe that damn smile from your mouth! Slade, why don’t you fetch Mandy and join us for dinner?”

  “She would enjoy that. We’ll see you in a bit then.”

  Everyone disappeared and Paul leaned against the island in the middle of the kitchen.

  “So, Blondie, I’m yours, am I?”

  She walked into him and pulled his head down and slammed her mouth over his, kissing him so sensually and wildly his shaft jerked to full attention within a heartbeat. She ended the kiss and walked away, swaying her hips seductively.

  “And don’t you forget that, Shuttle.”

  “Who the hell is thwarting all our efforts at Silver Star, Emilio? Every damn time we take a step forward we end up taking two steps back?”

  “He’s got this professor from ADC here. She identified the DNA defects within a week. The larvae infestation almost immediately.”

  “But that would still take them back substantially! With the amount of goddamned larvae I had to pay for, all those damn horses should be bleeding already!”

  “Sorry, Boss. Apparently she developed an emulsion antibody a year ago that destroys internal larvae. They have all been cleared. There has not been one death.”

  “Are you telling me I paid nearly a half a million dollars for those damn things for NOTHING!”

  “I’m sorry, Boss! There’s nothing I could do!”

  “What about the DNA? Is that still in play?”

  “Yes, but they are starting to implant some kind of chip in all of the horses, which will identify all strains. So, once they have that information, she seems to think she will be able to develop some kind of antibody to eliminate it. She … managed to save a colt that was born with the defect.”

  “And the mare?”

  “Also. This professor is good, Boss. She’s apparently one of the best Equine experts in the World.”

  “Who is she?”

  “Professor Alexandra Simpson.”

  “I’ve read about her. I have some contacts at the ADC. As a matter of fact, I was at Varsity with Wade Hunter, the Operations Director. Maybe it is time to rekindle our friendship. Get him to pull her from the project. All we n
eed is one gap. I want him gone! He has been on the top for far too long!”

  He slammed the phone down. He fumed. This whole operation has already cost him close to five million dollars and he still had to reap the awards! Paul Shuttle had to be dethroned! Every damn women in Kentucky was chasing after him and he had the esteemed recognition as the power behind thoroughbred racehorse breeding.

  He has hated Paul Shuttle from the day the woman he loved and wanted to marry fell prey to his charms. And then he almost immediately dropped her, as if she was nothing more than a passing fling! To this day she still chased after him! Like a puppy begging for scraps! It was sickening!

  No, he had to feel what it felt like to lose something you would give your life for. He would take his precious horses and power from him. Even if he had to go and shoot every single one of them as a last resort!

  Paul leaned on the balustrade of the patio balcony staring out into the dark, a frown between his eyes. Slade joined him and puffed on his pipe. Paul twitched his nose.

  “You know you are way too young to be puffing on one of those?”

  Slade just grunted and copied Paul’s lazy posture.

  “More than that, you do know how unhealthy those puffing and the smell it leaves on you will be for your son?”

  Slade growled and send a quick swipe in his wife’s direction where she was chatting away with Alexandra.

  “Now you sound just like, Mandy. I am smoking a lot less. By the time little Paul is born, I would have stopped completely.”

  “Little Paul?”

  “I hope you don’t mind. We decided, seeing as you will be his Godfather, Paul is a strong name for him.”

  Paul swallowed and nodded. “Of course not. I’d be honored.”

  They stared into the dark for a while. Slade grunted and straightened.

  “We don’t seem to be making headway in finding the person behind all your problems. Cuz. Any further suggestions?”

  “Alexandra suggested we should investigate all new staff appointed over the past eighteen months. I have already sent all the information to William. They are already halfway through the list, but have not found anything yet. In the meantime, I decided to go and pay a visit to Black Hawk Ranch. Howard Freeman has always been my biggest competitor and it was his kids that headed up the investigation seven months ago.”

  “Do you really believe he would have something to do with this?”

  “Not really. He is and has always been a very honorable man. He believes in hard work and fair winnings. It would do no harm just to make sure. Maybe he would be able to assist us to find something we are missing. It can’t carry on like this, Slade. Every time we find something, a new problem pops up. More vicious and aimed at destruction.”

  “Are you saying someone is out to destroy you?”

  “Yes. If the idea was just to give me a setback, it would have stopped at the defective DNA. We had substantial losses of horses and financially I took an even bigger knock. No Cuz, whoever is doing this, wants to break me.”

  “Whoever it is, must really hate you then.”

  “Yeah, I guess so. I just have no bloody clue who or why.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Implanting the chips was a tedious process and Alexandra was dead on her feet when she fell into bed at night. Paul was becoming irritated because the majority of her days were spent in Brett’s presence.

  He has walked in on them many a time when they were standing nearly on top of each other. The fact that she was dead tired and fell asleep almost the moment her head touched the pillow aggravated him even more. Sleeping with her naked body against his had him in a constant state of need. A need he has been unable to fulfill for over two weeks.

  When she came to bed the night before he snapped at her and turned his back on her. She returned the favor and for the first time since he moved her into his bed, each slept on their side of the bed with a wide span open between them. He left the house before sunrise already. He went to wake Samuel and told him they needed to finish the preparation process of the untamed Stallions. He wanted to start breeding with them.

  Samuel muttered because of the hour of the morning and that he has not received prior warning, but also knew better than to object. Paul has been in a mood for more than a week and it was clear he needed to get away from the house.

  They rode off and was already at the furthest pasture before the sun peeked over the horizon. There were comfortable two bedroom log cabins built at all the far off pastures and they tethered their horses outside to drop their bags inside. Paul indicated he was going to prepare breakfast first and Samuel shook his head.

  He dragged him out of bed nearly in the middle of the night and now he wanted to laze around. The log cabin consisted of two bedrooms, a bathroom and an open area that included the kitchen and a small den. The cabins were gas operated and very comfortable with only the best appliances, matrasses and linen.

  They had breakfast on the small porch and Samuel glanced at Paul sipping on his coffee.

  “So, why are we really here? We usually don’t drill these Stallions so closely together.”

  Paul just grunted and sat brooding. It was close to ten before he rose and they started herding the Stallions. There were about twenty in total and it went relatively smoothly. They developed a sense of belonging already and accepted Samuel and Paul easily the first time around.

  Paul was chasing down a hard headed white Stallion that just refused to enter the encampment. Eventually he yelled at Samuel to bring him some rope. He was going to rope him in and not waste any further time.

  He tied the loop efficiently and Samuel stood back to watch. Paul was an expert at roping horses and it was quite an enjoyable sight. Paul kicked Lancelot and started chasing the White. He held the loop in front of him and a little to his left in preparation. When he was close enough he brought the rope across in front of him, swung it up over his head and threw it, all in one motion. The loop flattened out as it sailed through the air and then dropped dead center over the White’s head.

  Samuel whooped and swung his hat in the air. Paul just laughed. He pulled the rope tight and spoke in a gentle voice to the annoyed White. He was clearly a leader and did not appreciate being herded. With the rope around his neck, he meekly followed Lancelot and within minutes was inside the pen with the rest of the wilds.

  “You could be a hit on the rodeo circuit, Shuttle. Have you ever considered it?”

  He froze and nearly unseated himself; he swung around in the saddle so fast. Alexandra sat straight and comfortably on Samsonite, a black Stallion that was classified as still half wild. He nearly had a cadenza.

  “What the hell are you doing on that devil? Get off him, right now!”

  Samsonite snorted and threw his head high up and down in response to Paul’s growl. Paul glared at him. He has tasted dust more than a few times taming that damn devil.

  “This sweet little devil? Don’t be silly, Shuttle. Sammy and I have a good understanding.”

  “Samm … you named a sixty million dollar Stallion, Sammy?”

  “Sixty mil … you paid sixty mi … oh my lord! You should put a warning sign on his stall! Leave off! This Stallion is cast in gold! Who pays sixty million dollars for a horse?”

  Her voice was thin with agitation. She never would have taken him if she knew what he was worth! Paul’s eyebrows rose and he asked sardonically.

  “Do you need me to answer that question, Professor?”

  She glowered at him and pointed a finger at him.

  “You did it again! I will not stand for it, Shuttle! I am not …”

  “Ahem … if you two would excuse me, I think I will go and bond with the White.”

  Samuel chuckled and rode towards the pen, where he tethered his horse and climbed on the pen bars.

  “Some … some piece of furniture you can just forget about and ride off into the sunset! This is the second time you have done it and I am warning you, Shuttle. The next time I won�
�t be waiting when you return!”

  She spun Samsonite around and with a kick in his side set him off in a dead run with a loud, “Iyaah!”

  He sat gaping after her for a full thirty seconds. He realized she was disappearing over the ridge and he kicked Lancelot and sprinted after her. Lancelot was a much bigger horse and made for long distance running. He pushed him hard and the distance between the horses narrowed quickly. Alexandra did not expect him to follow her and pulled back on the reins as soon as they went over the ridge.

  The next moment she flew through the air and screamed when Paul’s hard arm around her waist yanked her from Samsonite. He held her against him and brought Lancelot to a halt. He pulled her in front of him and before she could shout at him, his mouth captured hers in a wild, hungry kiss.

  Alexandra moaned into his mouth and opened wider to offer him more. He crushed his lips to hers with such intensity that she could hardly stifle the gasp of pleasure rushing through her. She was caught up in the electric current running through her body, wanting to feel his body over hers, his bare chest pressed against hers.

  She wrapped her legs around his waist and ground her core against his stomach. He growled into her mouth, his tongue mating with hers wildly. Then slid out of her mouth to trail a sensual path down her neck to suck the skin between his lips over the vein throbbing erratically there.

  “I am … mad … at you … Shuttle.”

  “Hmmm.”

  “It’s … hmm … gonna take … a lot … more than … a few … kisses … hmm … Paul!”

  She gasped when his lips closed over her nipple and he suckled greedily, loudly and her panties flushed with the wet heat that poured from her sheath. She did not even notice him pushing her top and bra off her shoulders. She gasped louder when he moved to the other nipple and suckled even greedier, louder. His suckling noises mingling with their harsh breathing. His fingers closed over the other nipple and she moaned huskily when he rolled and tweaked it.

  The sensuous feeling of his tongue swirling around her nipples as he suckled, caused her body to tremble from sheer pleasure. There was a constant flow of pleasure from her nipples to her clit that throbbed with need. She rubbed her apex hard against him and he lifted his hips against her to grind his hard arousal into her. She mewled. Lancelot stood as still as a statue beneath them.