Page 68 of Irish Rebel
“That was for love, not for reality. I never thought he’d win.”
“He did.” Brian gave her a last spin before setting her on her feet. “That’s what counts.”
“We’re going to celebrate. Big-time.”
While Betty’s win had left him shaken to the soul by that heady taste of destiny, this was sheer, stupefied delight. He snatched Keeley again and spun her into a quick waltz through the crowd.
“I’ll buy you a bottle of champagne.”
“Two,” she corrected. “One for each of us. We have to get down to the winner’s circle.”
“You have to. I don’t go to winner’s circles.”
He might behave like a mule, she mused, but he was a man. And she knew which button to push. “You don’t have to go for me, or even for yourself. But you have to go for him.” She held out a hand.
He wanted to swear but figured it a waste of breath. “I’ll go, as his trainer. He’s your horse. I don’t own any part of him.”
“Half,” she corrected, trotting to keep up as Brian tugged her along. “But we can discuss which half.”
Chapter Twelve
“Of course I’m seeing to him.” Keeley bent to unwrap Finnegan’s right foreleg.
“You should be up celebrating.”
“This is part of it.” She ran her hands carefully up the gelding’s leg before pinning the wrapping to the line. “Finnegan and I are going to congratulate each other while I clean him up. But you could do me a favor.” She pulled her ticket out of her pocket. “Cash in my winnings.”
Brian shook his head. “At the moment I’m too pleased to be annoyed with you for betting my money.” With one hand on the horse he leaned over to kiss her. “But I’m not taking half the horse.”
Keeley hooked an arm around Finnegan’s neck. “You hear that? He doesn’t want you.”
“Don’t say things like that to him.”
She laid her cheek against the gelding’s. “You’re the one hurting his feelings.”
As two pairs of eyes studied him, Brian hissed out a breath. “We’ll discuss this privately at some other time.”
“He needs you. We both do.”
The muscles in his belly twisted. “That’s unfair.”
“That’s fact.”
He looked so uncomfortable, she sighed. She wanted to throw up her hands, give the man a good thump. But it wasn’t the time to rage or demand he take a good look at a woman who loved him.
“We will talk about it.” They were going to talk about a great many things, she decided. Very soon. “But for now, we’ll just be happy.”
He hesitated while she went back to unwrapping Finnegan’s legs. “I’ve been happier in the last few months than I’ve ever been.”
“That doesn’t have to change.” She finished hanging the wrappings, picked up a dandy brush. “We’re a good team, Brian. There’s a lot we could do together.”
Brian ran a hand down Finnegan’s throat. “We’ve made quite a start here. Would you want to go out after a bit and have some fancy dinner and wine?”
Keeley slanted him a look. “Are you finally asking me for a date?”
“It seems appropriate under the circumstances.” Grinning he fingered the betting ticket. “And it seems I’ve come in to some extra cash.”
“Then I’d love to.”
