Sugar and Spice - Part One

All Rey Skywalker wants to do is ride jumping horses, but instead she works as a simple groom at a high class show jumping barn. Millionaire horse owner Poe Dameron, over twenty years her senior, recognizes her talent as well as her beauty and offers her a deal she can’t refuse. It’s all innocent in the beginning, but when feelings interfere with business, all bets are off.

Rated NC-17 for explicit sex. This is my 'Sugar Daddy AU,' which includes a large age gap and talk of prostitution/sex work. Despite the May/December aspect, you know these two are falling hard and will find their HEA.

Poe Dameron casually folded his arms along the top of the fence, watching as his trainer, Ben Kenobi, argued with his rider, Zorii Bliss, just inside the gate to the main arena.

It wasn’t the first time the two had butted heads through the years they had both been working for Poe, but this particular exchange was more aggressive than most. Ben had switched Teddy’s bit from an elevator gag to a simple double-jointed snaffle, and Zorii wasn’t about to get on the powerful stallion without the harsher bit. Ben was certain the horse didn’t need it.

Poe looked over at the horse in question. Tedarik, barn name Teddy, was a big bay Hanoverian stallion and one of Poe’s most recent purchases. At age eight, he was still a youngster and learning the ropes of being a Grand Prix Show Jumper. He was currently being led around in a large circle by Poe’s head groom, Rey Skywalker. She was watching the argument pensively, but when she glanced over at him and realized he was watching her and the horse, she gave him a little eye roll, making him grin. Poe knew Rey didn’t really like Zorii, but she was good at keeping her opinion to herself most of the time.

She continued leading the horse around at a walk, keeping him moving and relaxed, and Poe found himself observing her more than the quarrel between Ben and Zorii. Rey, a young Englishwoman, had been working for him for just over a year now. She had been recommended by one of Ben’s assistants, Finn Sargent, and had been working at a run-down boarding stable on the south side of Chino. She had hesitated when he had Finn offer her a job, but when he included the apartment above the main barn as part of the deal, she had agreed. Apparently, she had been living in her car at the time.

She had been so experienced and competent, when his head groom decided to move on, asking Rey to take over the position had been a no-brainer. Everyone at the barn loved her, especially the horses. Well, maybe not Zorii, Poe thought with a soft laugh, focusing once more on Rey. She was wearing jeans, tennis shoes, and a fuchsia tank top, her dark hair pulled back in a pony-tail. She wore no makeup, but he didn’t think she needed any. Her large uniquely colored eyes were distinct without any enhancement. She was absolutely perfect, the most beautiful woman he had ever known.

She was also young enough to be his daughter.

Poe had admitted to himself long ago that he was attracted to the woman, and while she was almost half his age, she wasn’t a child at age twenty-three, so he let himself fantasize about her. However, he did no more than that; not only was she his employee, but he was quite sure she had no interest in him. While she was always polite and respectful of him, she never let herself get too comfortable around him, always referring to him as ‘Mr. Dameron’ or ‘sir.’ He was pretty sure she wasn’t dating anyone, as he never saw any strange vehicles visit the barn where she lived and she herself rarely left the property, but he determined that she would have no trouble finding lovers if that was what she desired.

“Poe?”

He heard Zorii say his name and winced, turning his head to look at her. She was standing with her arms folded, her expression angry and stubborn. He glanced at Ben, who was also watching him with his eyebrows raised in question. While he hadn’t really been paying attention, he knew what Zorii wanted him to say.

“What Ben decides is appropriate for the horse is the final decision. If your ride proves the bit change isn’t working, we can go back to the other one.”

Zorii looked as if she was going to explode. He knew she had been hoping he would take her side. Once upon a time, she had shared his bed, and while their break-up had been mutual, he supposed she had hoped she still had some control over his decisions. She never had, even when they had been sleeping together, so he wasn’t sure why she thought so now.

“Fine,” she said sharply, her jaw tight. “Looks like I’m not riding today.” With that, she spun around on her two-thousand-dollar custom made boots and walked out of the arena.

The three people and one horse watched her go silently.

Poe cleared his throat and looked at Rey, who looked more than a little disgruntled. “Rey?”

She focused on him. “Yes, sir?”

“You’ve been taking jump lessons with Finn, haven’t you?” He knew she was. He watched them sometimes, as he could see the arena from his bedroom balcony.

She nodded.

“You want to ride Teddy in this lesson?”

Her shocked expression said it all. She looked at Ben for confirmation.

Ben sighed and leaned his shoulder on the fence. “She just started jumping three feet, Poe.”

Poe shrugged. “There’s no difference if you’re riding a horse that can jump bigger and have the confidence to do it.” He looked at Rey again. “Do these big fences scare you?”

She shook her head. “No, sir.”

“Does riding Teddy in a simple snaffle scare you?”

She laughed a bit. “No, sir.”

“So? Go get changed!”

She looked at Ben again, and he knew she was just seeking assurance from the trainer that Poe hadn’t gone mad. Ben nodded, then walked over to take Teddy’s reins from her. “Go.”

Rey rushed off toward her apartment at the main barn to change into riding clothes and Poe watched her, smiling at her obvious excitement.

“Watch it, Dameron,” Ben said softly as he began to lead Teddy around, keeping the horse’s muscles loose.

“She’s not a child, Kenobi,” he said defensively to the older man.

“No, she’s not,” Ben responded. “But she wants to ride horses more than anything. You gift her with this opportunity, she will feel even more indebted to you. Don’t abuse that.”

Poe nodded in acknowledgement.

Rey didn’t take long, returning quickly to the arena wearing a worn pair of riding breeches and well-used boots. Her helmet and body protector, however, were new and in perfect condition. She immediately went up to Teddy and offered him a small treat, then moved to the saddle to check the girth. She lifted one leg and Ben grabbed it, using it to push her up as she used her arms to pull on the horse’s mane and the saddle. The well-practiced maneuver of boosting a rider into the saddle never failed to impress Poe. Once on the horse’s back, Rey reached down to change the length of the stirrups; she was taller than Zorii, with much longer legs. Once done, Ben stepped away, letting Rey take control of the stallion, who was mouthing the bit and tossing his head. He knew it was someone different, but familiar, on his back. Poe watched as Ben proceeded to give Rey commands, and horse and rider obeyed the dressage instructions flawlessly. The more they worked, the more relaxed Teddy became. After working on the ‘flat’ for about twenty minutes, Ben starting making routes through the jumps for Rey to take the horse through. Their first jump together, over a five foot, three-inch-tall vertical fence, was a bit of a nail biter for Poe, but when they got over it easily, he relaxed. They continued on, and over every jump Teddy got better and better. Normally he jumped with his ears back and his tail wringing, throwing his head often and giving a buck now and then. Today, he did not. Whether it was the new bit or Rey, Poe wasn’t sure. Maybe both? Either way, Poe was pleased and excited to see this talented young horse doing amazing with this talented young rider.

When they were done and Ben had Rey ride quietly around the arena to cool her mount down, he turned to Poe, then looked behind him with his eyebrows raised. Poe turned, realizing all the staff from his barn was watching, smiles on their faces. “Rose,” Ben told one of the grooms. “Why don’t you get Misu saddled and ready to go next?”

Rose’s grin got bigger. “Yes, sir!” She turned and headed back toward the barn.

Poe also grinned. His staff seemed more than pleased to see Rey riding one of the ‘big’ horses. He looked at Ben. “I’ll call Zorii tonight and let her know she’s fired,” Poe said softly. He knew the woman was not going to be happy, but they were all tired of her drama. “Get a contract printed out for Rey. Normal rider fee, plus thirty-three percent of any winnings.” While he paid his grooms well, Rey would earn a lot more riding his horses than grooming them. “Looks like I’m losing my best groom,” he sighed.

Ben snorted. “And you’re not at all upset about it.”

Poe grinned. “Not at all.”

******

Rey flopped down onto her back on the couch, making sure her dirty booted feet stayed on the floor, and stared at the copy of the contract in her hands. The contract she had just signed a short time ago after meeting with her boss in his office. She was now the official rider for Dameron Stables! Five Grand Prix level jumpers, including the horse that was on the short-list for the last Olympics, Rhapsody Noctis, were now her responsibility to ride and keep fit and compete with.

Not only was it a dream come true, to finally be riding horses of this caliber, but the money she would be making would help her situation so much. Not only was her weekly pay increasing, but she would be getting more than 30% of any winnings. The major competitions had prize money anywhere from seven thousand to half a million dollars! She could buy a house of her own with that kind of money, not to mention a decent car. And to think she had almost said ‘no’ to this job last year!

It had been daunting when she had first been told by her friend Finn that Poe Dameron was hiring a new groom for his barn and he wanted Rey thanks to Finn’s glowing recommendation. She hadn’t been making a lot of money at the other barn, but it was a good job and she liked most of the people she worked with. The idea of working with horses that cost tens of thousands of dollars versus horses that could be bought for less than a month’s wages kind of scared her. It wasn’t that she doubted her abilities or knowledge. It was that she knew the more expensive the horse the more likely the owner would be a prick.

Fortunately, Poe Dameron was far from that reputation. Never had she thought a man as rich as him could be as kind. Not that he couldn’t get ‘bossy’ from time to time, but it was usually in defense of one of his horses or one of his employees, so it didn’t bother her at all. He had never been anything but nice to her, but she had never thought he would give her an opportunity like this.

She jumped up, feeling the urge to tell someone the exciting news, but her joy deflated when she remembered that the only people she wanted to tell that didn’t already know couldn’t know. At least not right now. Maybe never. Her parents had no clue she was even in the United States working at a horse barn much less about to become a professional show jumping rider. Someday, if things continued to work out in her favor, she would confess to them all the secrets she had been keeping from them, but for now…

For now, she could start thinking about what she would finally be able to afford with this new job. She would have to get better boots and new breeches. And probably a new helmet fit for showing. Should she get an apartment of her own? She liked living here on the property, and the apartment above the main barn was roomy and comfortable. And safe. There was no doubt she felt safe living on this farm, with a gate that was locked at night and security cameras everywhere, and knowing her very affluent boss was living in the house not so far away. He had said nothing about her leaving, so she wouldn’t worry about it. Since the majority of her income had been going to the facility in Rancho Cucamonga, the extra money meant she would be able to buy things for herself for the first time since coming to the U.S., and not worrying about rent would allow her to actually start a savings account.

She felt tears well in her eyes. After almost two years of stressing about money, living in her car for several months, wearing second hand clothing, and even doing things she never could have imagined herself doing just to eat, she was finally looking forward to the future.

She took a deep breath. Maybe she couldn’t call her parents and tell them the news, but she could still get an account set up so that the facility could take their payment out of it automatically rather than her rushing to make sure it was on time every month. And she had to make sure she took care of herself better, eating and sleeping right. She had only ridden three of Poe’s five horses today, and she was exhausted! It wasn’t easy riding such powerful horses over such big jumps. She couldn’t just ‘point and shoot.’ She needed to keep them under control at all times to make sure their length of stride matched the distance to the jumps, putting them in the best possible spot to take off and clear the enormous fences. The rails came down easy if they were hit hard enough, and every rail down incurred penalties. Penalties were also added if they went over the time allowed through a course, so they needed to be careful but fast. Just one fence down could mean going from first place to out of the money.

Ben told her that their first show wouldn’t be for another month, so she would have plenty of time to sharpen her skills. She had been riding horses her whole life, and jumping them over things since she was old enough to realize it was possible, but she was self-taught. When she had started training with Finn on one of his horses, an off-the-track Thoroughbred named Goose, they had been her first real lessons. Now she was riding under the watchful eye of one of the greatest Show Jump riders in history! Ben Kenobi had won Olympic team gold for Great Britain twenty years ago, and had won two individual World Championships. He still rode regularly, but only for pleasure. However, he was more than willing to help another horse and rider to stardom. One of his former pupils, Leia Organa-Solo, was now a state senator, and Poe Dameron was the son of one of her best friends. Poe himself did not ride, but he had been a supporter of horse sports in the Southern California area for as long as he had been the creator and CEO of Worldmedia.

It was a full circle of rich and famous horse people. And Rey was now a part of it.

She finally decided to shower and change. She should celebrate somehow. Introvert that she was, she didn’t have a lot of friends, but she knew Finn and his girlfriend Rose were excited for her, as were all the rest of the grooms here at the farm. There were twenty-five horses on the property, with Poe leasing out his facilities to other trainers, and this meant a staff of a dozen people to feed, clean, exercise, and care for the horses. Every one of them was a pleasure to work with, and Rey knew a lot of it was because Poe didn’t take kindly to negativity or ego in his staff. Which was why Rey was actually surprised that Zorii had lasted as long as she had. Rose said that she and Poe had been lovers once upon a time, and that was probably why Poe gave her so many outs. Not to mention she was a damn good show jump rider. But her attitude had finally gotten the best of her, and Rey was benefitting from it. Rey was determined to not only be the best rider she could be for the Dameron stable, but ensure her temper was kept in check. She knew she had one, and while she never took it out on the horses, people did sometimes get on her nerves.

Rey showered, then put on one of her few non-work outfits, a cute little sundress, white with large pink flowers. A knock sounded on her door as she finished brushing her damp hair and she quickly moved barefoot through the large front room to the door, which sat at the top of an outside stairwell on the side of the barn; there was another door that led downstairs inside the barn, which allowed Rey to check on the horses at any hour of the day without having to go outside, but this door was her ‘public’ entrance. She smiled when she opened it to Finn and Rose. He was holding a couple of pizza boxes and she was holding a bottle of wine.

“We know you’re not big on going out, but we thought a celebration was in order anyway,” Finn grinned.

Rey laughed. “I was just thinking I should do something special! Come in!” She stepped aside and let her best friends enter.

Minutes later, they were sitting at Rey’s small kitchen table, pizza distributed and wine poured. “A toast?” Rose asked.

They lifted their glasses. “To Rey, for being in the right place at the right time,” Rose said. “Let your future be as brilliant as your riding!”

“And to Poe Dameron,” Finn interjected. “For finally opening his eyes to the amazing talent waiting so patiently for him to notice her!” He clinked his glass against Rose and Rey’s as Rey laughed.

“Oh, I think he always noticed her,” Rose said with a smirk. “He just needed a reason to dump Bliss. You’re on his radar, now, Rey!”

Rey felt her face heat, shaking her head at Rose’s insinuation. As if a rich, handsome man like Poe Dameron could see her as anything but an employee. “Rose, he’s my boss and way too old for me.”

Rose snorted. “Age doesn’t matter. He’s hot. I’d be thrilled if he wanted to be my sugar daddy.”

“Hey!” Finn looked aghast.

Rose hugged his arm. “I wouldn’t say ‘yes,’ Sweetie.” She looked back at Rey. “But I’d be thrilled.”

Rey laughed.

Not admitting out loud that she would be thrilled, too.

******

Rey settled in quickly as the Dameron Stables new rider, and Ben was happy to admit that she was far easier to work with than Zorii had been. In fact, Poe had never seen Ben happier. Rey was a breath of fresh air for the old trainer, her attitude always positive. She loved on the horses constantly and her riding was so subtle that she almost appeared to be doing nothing on their backs. Even Lulu, the Thoroughbred mare that Poe had just purchased a few months ago and who Zorii had very vocally hated due to the horse’s unpredictable nature, jumped everything for Rey. And for the first time, Poe felt that the purchase of the dark bay mare hadn’t been a mistake. Raven, the black Dutch Warmblood Zorii almost took to the Olympics, was the only horse Rey had any trouble with, but her patience was slowly winning the mare over.

For the first three weeks after Rey’s promotion, the whole barn seemed a much happier place. There was no tension between the grooms and the rider now, and Poe often saw Ben joking with the staff in between Rey’s rides, something he had always seemed too moody to do before.

But then something changed.

Poe went away for a few days to an IT conference in Atlanta, and when he came back, he noticed right away that something was off with his new star rider.

She was still riding brilliantly, and the horses were still responding to her positively, but she seemed much more anxious when she was on the ground. Her smiles seemed forced and she rarely made eye contact with him. She looked exhausted, so he wondered if she had been sick, but when he asked Ben, the other man had shrugged.

“I don’t know what’s going on. Finn thinks it’s a family problem.”

“Family?” Poe responded, surprised. “Does she have family here in the U.S.?” When Poe had hired Rey, he had asked about her work visa. She had assured him that she was a citizen, that her father was from the U.S. and had made sure Rey had dual citizenship in both the U.S. and Great Britain.

“I didn’t think so,” Ben answered. “But maybe?”

Rey’s first show was coming up this weekend, and Poe hoped that whatever was bothering her didn’t hinder her ability to focus; he wanted her first Grand Prix experience to be a good one. She was riding three of his horses, one in the maiden jumper class, and two in the Grand Prix. Unfortunately, everything that could go wrong for that show did.

Lulu, in typical Thoroughbred fashion, developed a hoof abscess just two days before the show. It would have been the young mare’s first jumping competition, but though the abscess ruptured quickly, she would not be well enough to jump in time. Then the night before the show, Ella colicked. The Westphalian mare had always been a nervous-nelly, and tended to not drink as much as she should when there were changes going on. Her not drinking enough had caused an impaction, which fortunately was not severe and passed with a veterinarian’s intervention, but she was not fit for competition so soon afterwards. So, instead of taking three horses to the show grounds on Friday night, they just took Teddy.

Rey showed no signs of nerves the next day as she rode the big bay stallion into the grass arena, her brand-new black hunt coat fitting her sleek form perfectly, her breeches bright white, her black boots almost as shiny as the horse she was riding. She jumped every jump clear, and the crowd applauded loudly, approving of this new young rider in their midst. But show jumping is an unpredictable sport, and no horse can be perfect all the time. Rey and Teddy were the first of four riders to go in the jump-off, where speed was just as important as accuracy in jumping. Teddy tried to do as Rey asked, turning sharply when needed, racing as fast as he could between jumps, but then slowing enough to hit the right take off point for every hurdle. He cleared the first three jumps easily, but he clipped the fourth just hard enough to knock the top rail down. Four penalties. It was almost as if that one rail, their only one so far that day, confused both horse and rider, and they lost their focus. Three more fences came down before they completed the course. The three following riders all did much better, leaving Rey and Teddy in fourth place. It truly wasn’t bad for Rey’s first Grand Prix ride, but she seemed more than a little disappointed.

It was after they had gotten Teddy home and settled in his stall for the evening that Poe found himself hanging around the stairs that led up to Rey’s apartment. As he hoped, she came down, showered and wearing a tank top and shorts. She seemed startled to see him, then abashed as she once more refused to look him in the eye. She had never been shy around him before, and he didn’t think that was what was causing her to be so subversive now.

“Hey,” he said softly, looking down the barn aisle to make sure none of the grooms were close. “What’s been going on with you lately?”

She looked up, surprised, then shook her head. “Nothing. I just…” she paused. “I was wondering if it would go against my contract to start giving beginning riding lessons at Oakwood?” Oakwood Stables was the barn in Chino that she had been at before coming to work for him.

He cocked his head. “No, it wouldn’t,” he told her. “As long as you’re not training anyone that will be competing against my horses anytime soon, you can teach elsewhere.” She looked relieved. “But if you working a second job makes you fatigued and unable to ride at your best for me, then that would be going against your contract.”

“I’ll be fine,” she defended, folding her arms over her chest.

“Can I ask why you want to teach?”

She was silent for a while, then she lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug. “I need some extra cash. Personal reasons.”

“So, it’s not some big ambition to teach kids?”

She laughed softly. “No. Not really.”

A sudden thought hit him. “I have a better idea, if you’re needing money. There’s a big gala at the Beverly Hilton on Friday night. For the past couple of years, I’ve been going to these things alone, and I feel like I’m some prize stag being stalked and hunted all night by the majority of the female, and some of the male, guests. I’d really love to have a beautiful, confident woman on my arm to hold them off, and I’d compensate you generously. Are you interested?”

He saw the panic in her eyes the minute he asked the question. Her breathing quickened and her face turned pale. Not sure what he had said wrong, he quickly assured her. “Just for the event. Nothing more than that.” He shrugged as she seemed to calm herself. “It might be fun. You might get to meet some celebrities.”

She licked her lips. “Just for the event? Nothing… afterward?”

He suddenly realized what she had most likely been thinking. Why she had panicked. “No! Nothing like that.” He took a deep breath. “Just because I had a relationship with Zorii doesn’t mean I expect all my riders to share my bed, Rey.” Not that the idea didn’t appeal to him, but it was obvious it scared the hell out of her.

“Of course not,” she said softly, laughing almost self-consciously.

“One-thousand dollars for the honor of escorting me and being my protector,” he told her, hoping to ease her nerves with humor.

Her eyes widened. “One-thousand for one date?”

“Not enough?” He quirked an eyebrow at her.

“Funny,” she scoffed. “I… I guess I could do that.” But then fear filled her eyes once more. “But I have nothing to wear to something like that!”

“Easy fix,” Poe told her, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out his wallet. He unfolded the soft, worn leather, then pulled out a credit card. He offered it to Rey. “It’s got a limit,” he told her as she took the card carefully, almost as if she was afraid it was going to bite her.

“But you’ll never reach it.”

******

“Oh, my God, Rey! It’s beautiful!” Rose gushed. “It looks expensive!”

Rey was holding up the dress she had just purchased this morning from Pamela Barish. “Almost one grand,” she answered. “I’ve never in my life spent that much money on clothing.” She shook her head, folding the silky green dress over her arm. “I felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman.”

“They didn’t treat you bad like in that movie, did they?” Rose was aghast.

“No!” Rey denied. “Actually, the lady that helped me was super sweet. I told her I knew nothing about fashion. I told her what event I was going to and that I didn’t want anything too flashy. We looked at little black dresses first. I didn’t want to stand out. But she convinced me the green looked better with my eyes and skin tone.” She cocked her head. “I think she was flirting with me, too.”

Rose laughed. “Well, why not? You are one sexy lady!”

Rey rolled her eyes, then moved to put the dress and hanger in her closet.

“I’m so happy he finally asked you out,” Rose continued.

“Ah!” Rey said sharply. “It’s not a real date. Don’t say that!”

This time, Rose rolled her eyes. “If you think that, you are so blind! He’s just using it as an excuse. He probably knows you would never say yes if you thought it was a real date.”

“Rose, you’re imagining things!” Rey put the silver heeled sandals she had bought with the halter dress back in the box, wondering if she could walk in such high heels. It had been a couple of years since she had really had the opportunity to dress up, and she had to admit she was looking forward to Friday night, even if she was nervous about intermingling with such an elite crowd. “He knew I needed money and he didn’t want me working for another barn, even if they aren’t competition.”

“He’s your sugar daddy now,” Rose sang out, giddy.

Rey turned on her. “No!”

“He gave you money to buy expensive clothing and is taking you out to show you off to his friends and colleagues at an important event.”

“And nothing more than that!” Rey finished. “It’s just one night in public. I’m giving him his card back tomorrow.”

“Somehow, I don’t think one night is all he’s looking for. He’s just taking it slow so he doesn’t spook you.”

Rey shook her head in denial, but didn’t say anything.

Rose was silent for a moment. “What do you need the money for, anyway?” she asked softly. Seriously. “You’re getting paid more now than when you were just grooming, aren’t you?”

“It’s personal.” Rey prayed Rose would leave it at that.

She didn’t. “Finn thinks it’s something to do with your family?”

“Finn should keep his nose out of it,” Rey grumbled. “And while we’re on the subject, please don’t tell him about this thing with Mr. Dameron. At least until after I’ve left Friday night. I don’t want him pestering me about it beforehand.”

“I won’t tell anyone until it’s a done deal and you're Mr. Dameron’s official sugar baby.”

“Rose!”

Her friend just giggled in response.

Friday night finally came. Rey had seen Poe briefly that morning when she had been preparing for her first ride of the day, but he had said something about a Zoom meeting and had been MIA the rest of the day. Before he left the barn, though, he had leaned over and whispered in her ear. “I’ll meet you in the driveway around 7:30.” She had nodded and given him a small smile. He had winked and walked away.

Now it was almost 7:30 and she was surveying herself in the mirror. The dress was modest in design, with a neckline that was just below her collarbone and a back that left only her shoulder blades exposed, and a skirt that came down to just past her knees. However, it fit like a second skin, hugging her curves and leaving little to the imagination. Rey was not big breasted, but working with horses had made her physically fit, and the riding she had been doing the past several weeks had only increased that fitness, leaving her with tight abs and ass. Her legs, which she considered her best feature, looked fabulous in the heeled sandals. She had decided at the last minute to wear her hair down around her shoulders, since she almost always had it in a tight braid or a ponytail when she was working. Her makeup was subtle, with just enough eyeliner and mascara to highlight her hazel eyes, and she had chosen a neutral shade of lipstick. She wore no jewelry, knowing that nothing she had was even close to the caliber of the clothing she was wearing or the event she was going to.

She looked good and she hoped Poe thought it was worth the money he was paying her for this excursion. She grabbed a small handbag that she had grabbed up last minute the day she had bought the dress, making sure her ID, cell phone, and keys were in it. She chose not to take a covering; it had been close to 90 degrees today, and again, she didn’t have anything that would correspond to her outfit. She left the apartment, quickly locking up and stepping carefully down the stairs. She walked quickly toward the main house, grateful the roads around the property were paved and not just gravel, then worried the sandals would give her blisters if she walked too much in them.

She came around the corner just as Poe was exiting the front door of the house. He was wearing a tuxedo, his softly curling hair styled to perfection, his salt-and-pepper beard full but neat. He looked delicious. He glanced up from the keys in his hand and saw her, then stopped short, his mouth open in astonishment.

Rey froze. “What?” She brought her hand up to smooth over her hair.

“You look fucking amazing,” he breathed.

Rey licked her lips, feeling her face heat. Yeah, she had known she looked good, but to have this man acknowledge that with such intensity…

“Thank you,” she said softly.

He moved quickly to the passenger side of his orange Cadillac Blackwing and opened the door for her. She smiled at him and slid inside. Nobody had opened a car door for her since she had come to America two years ago. He hopped in the driver’s seat and started the car. As he drove down the long drive to the gate, he glanced at her, one eyebrow raised. “I am going to be the envy of everyone there, Rey.”

The drive to downtown L.A. took about forty-five minutes thanks to the Friday night traffic, but Poe handled it with ease. Rey was never comfortable driving on the freeways, especially in the old Sonic she had gotten cheap shortly after settling here, and in fact didn’t even like being a passenger on these roads. But she was relaxed while Poe drove, which told her how much she trusted him. When they arrived at the Beverly Hilton, Poe pulled right up to the front and a concierge opened her door to help her out while a valet ran around to take the car from Poe. Rey stood on the walk and waited for him to come around the vehicle to join her. He proffered his right arm and she took it gratefully, her nerves kicking in again. He brought his left hand up to squeeze hers gently in reassurance, then he led her into the hotel.

The rest of the night was a blur of chatter, alcohol, unfamiliar faces interspersed by a few familiar celebrities, small bits of rather tasteless hors d’oeuvres, constant smiling, and aching feet. Rey recognized speculation, anger, jealousy, envy, and attraction on the faces of the people she met. Poe never left her side except for her one visit to the restroom, where she once more dealt with the stares of several women as they silently judged her. They assumed she was Poe’s lover, and truthfully, she was okay with that.

She wasn’t sure what time it was when Poe finally nudged her and told her, “Let’s get out of here,” but she knew she was exhausted. They left the air-conditioned lobby and entered the still hot night air of Beverly Hills, and Rey was grateful for the warmth as she was chilled. As they waited for the valet to retrieve Poe’s car, he looked at her, his expression pleased.

“Thank you, Rey,” he told her, his voice deep. “That was much more pleasant an evening than any I’ve had for a long while. I hope you weren’t too bored?”

While it had been far from exciting, Rey had found the evening interesting. “People watching at its finest,” she said with a smile.

He nodded. “Yeah, I guess.” He cocked his head. “Now that it’s over, I’m wondering…”

Rey glanced out toward the street, then back at Poe. “What?”

“Would you like to make this arrangement permanent?”

******

Poe knew the moment he asked the question that he was crossing a line he never imagined crossing. He had never had trouble finding romantic companionship in his younger years, but he had quickly learned that his heart was far too soft. Every relationship he had between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five had ended with a broken heart. His.

Poe hadn’t grown up as wealthy as he was now, but he had been far from poor. His parents had immigrated to the U.S. from Guatemala when he had still been a baby. His father had been an IT specialist and his mother had been a pilot. They had both started their own businesses from the ground up while raising him, and he had learned from both of them. He had followed his father’s path professionally, and by the time he had graduated from UCLA with degrees in both computer science and business, he had already started his own company. But instead of working on other people’s computers like his father did, he directed his attention to social media. His networking site Worldmedia had exploded, and within a year Poe had already made more money than his college tuition had cost.

Wealth and fame had its downsides, of course, and the one that bothered him the most was how it affected his personal relationships. More than once in his life Poe had hoped he had found ‘the one,’ only to learn the person he thought he loved was more in love with his money than him. Fortunately, those realizations happened long before he ever seriously considered marriage or children. His relationship with Zorii had been more for convenience than anything else. She was attractive, she was smart, she didn’t love him and he didn’t love her. Breaking things off with her hadn’t been hard to do, but it also meant he had spent the last couple of years living a celibate life, because he refused to let his heart be broken again.

More than once his friends had suggested he find himself a ‘sugar baby,’ but everything in him cringed at the notion. “Just find a woman who looks good on your arm, is great in bed, and whom you know loves your money more than you so you don’t get attached,” he was told by his friend Snap. “Spoil her rotten for a year or two, then both of you can move on.” Poe had given his friend a dirty look and a firm ‘no.’

Now, here he was, essentially asking Rey to be his sugar baby. She was beautiful and smart. She had fit in at the gala tonight without any problem, totally ignoring the few who obviously looked down on her and charming everyone else. And she had already told him she needed money. He wasn’t expecting sex out of this deal, though he wasn’t opposed to it, and the fact that she had already established herself as the new rider for his barn would only help people believe that it was a legit relationship. It was the perfect arrangement.

Rey’s expression at Poe’s question went from startled to panicked to contemplative.

“I… I don’t know what to say,” she finally replied, her voice soft and shaky.

“Here’s my offer,” Poe continued, keeping his voice businesslike. “You keep that credit card I gave you. I’ll also add an extra thousand onto your weekly check. Any gifts I give you are yours to keep. In return, you come with me to all the local events I’m invited to attend, and any out-of-town ones as long as they don’t interfere with your riding and competing.”

“So, I’d still ride?” Rey’s expression was hopeful now.

“Of course,” Poe nodded. “You were absolutely perfect tonight, Rey. For the first time in a long time, I enjoyed myself at one of these gatherings. And you…” he paused, waiting for her to make eye contact with him. “You deserve to be taken care of. To not have to worry about money. To be able to wear the finest clothing.” He cocked his head. “We’re going to have to get you some jewelry worthy of your beauty.”

Rey looked down, a deep blush appearing on her cheeks, as Poe’s car pulled up to the curb. He accepted the keys and tipped the valet, then looked at Rey expectantly. “Well?”

“I don’t know…” Rey whispered, her expression confused.

He leaned in closer to her. “I don’t expect sex out of this deal, Rey,” he said softly. She looked up, surprised. “I’m just looking for companionship in public.” He couldn’t help the twinge of sorrow that shot through him at her relieved expression. He should be happy she wasn’t the kind of woman willing to sleep with a man to get ahead, he thought. But damn if he didn’t want her.

But only if she wanted him, too.

The valet was holding the passenger door open for her, waiting. Poe stepped back and motioned toward the car. Rey swallowed and moved to get in while Poe went around to the driver’s side. He slid in as she was clipping the seat belt. He looked over at her as he buckled up and she looked back, her eyes huge. There was a bit of fear in them, but determination as well.

“Okay,” she said. “I’ll do it.”

Poe smiled, then put the car in gear and pulled out onto the fairly quiet street. It was well past midnight, but Los Angeles never truly went to sleep. “You really do need the money, huh?” He interjected some humor into his tone, hoping she didn’t recognize the curiosity in his voice.

She shifted a bit in her seat, glancing at him apprehensively. “It’s personal.”

He nodded. “As long as it’s not because you owe some gangster and he’s going to be sending hit men after the both of us.”

She laughed softly, her body relaxing. “No. Nothing like that.”

“Okay.” They were both silent for a while. It had been a long evening, and Poe was tired. He usually didn’t stay too late at these things, but he had been having fun showing Rey off tonight. He looked at her, noticing her eyelids were drooping, too. “Did you want to grab some fast food on the way home?”

Her eyes opened completely and she looked at him. “Actually, that sounds really good.”

“In-N-Out or Jack in the Box?”

“In-N-Out sounds divine,” she smiled. “Cheeseburger and fries…”

“Animal style!” Poe finished, and they both laughed.

“I never understood the fascination with cheeseburgers until I came to the U.S.,” Rey told him. “They just don’t taste the same in England.”

“Yeah, well, I have yet to see a decent Shepherd’s Pie here in California, so…”

“You’ve been to England?”

He nodded, but didn’t look at her as he pulled onto the Freeway, merging easily with the flow of traffic, which was still high on this Friday night/Saturday morning. “Many times. I have a few investors that live there and we’ve become good friends through the years.” He was silent for a while, then decided to push for a little bit more information from her. “Do you still have family in England?”

She took in a sharp breath. “Uhm… my parents.”

Poe was a little surprised to hear that. For some reason, he had assumed she had no close living relatives. The fact that she was working as a horse groom here in the U.S. and was always careful with money led him to believe she was here to ‘start over.’ “Are you close with them?”

“Yes,” she nodded, but her expression was sad. “Very.” She didn’t offer anything more than that, so Poe didn’t press, but his curiosity remained.

He changed the subject, anxious to get her smile back. “So, what did you think of Mr. Stribling?”

As he had hoped, her smile reappeared and she began to talk about the eccentric old man she had met tonight. That led to Poe telling her rumors and confirmed stories about others they had talked to at the gala. Before they knew it, they had reached their final exit, entering the horse-centered neighborhoods of Norco. They stopped at the In-N-Out, then drove home. Poe punched in the code at the gate, which was closed and locked at night, then drove Rey directly to the barn.

“I’m assuming you’re going to want to change out of that dress before you eat,” he said with a wink. “Don’t want to get ketchup on it.”

“I would, too,” Rey confirmed. “I… thank you?”

He grinned. “Why the question?”

She shrugged. “Well, it’s not like it was a real date,” she said, her brows furrowed. “But I still enjoyed myself. So…”

“You’re welcome,” Poe said softly. “I’ll email you my social schedule tomorrow, so you know what to expect. Chillax this weekend.”

She nodded. “Goodnight, Mr. Dameron.”

“Poe.”

“Poe.” She smiled softly, then quickly exited the car. He watched as she skipped up the stairs, balanced perfectly on those heels. He pulled the car away, ready to turn around and head back to the house, then glanced up in time to see her looking back down at him, her door open, a wistful look on her face, In-N-Out bag in her hand. Suddenly, he realized how much trouble he was in.

Because he was already head-over-heels in love with Rey Skywalker.

******

Four Weeks Later

Rey pulled into the parking lot of Atria Del Rey, looking up at the beautiful colonial Spanish style buildings and colorful gardens surrounding them. It was Monday, and her day off from both of her ‘jobs.’ Friday night she had gone to the competitors party for the Hawkin Hill Horse Show, dressed in a simple but expensive little black dress, and on the arm of her boss/sugar daddy. It had been their fourth outing together, but it was the first one where Rey knew a significant number of the other guests, including Zorii Bliss. The older woman had purposefully ignored them both, and for that Rey was glad.

The next two days, she had been on the back of one of Poe’s horses most of the time, as she competed four of the five over the weekend. Lulu and Teddy both did well in the intermediate class, getting 4th and 2nd respectively, and Ella and Poe’s International veteran Raven were outstanding in the Advanced. Surprisingly, Ella did better than Raven, who was the only horse that Rey had any difficulty with; the mare had developed an amazing relationship with Zorii, but Rey was starting to figure her out. They still managed 3rd place, with Ella giving Rey her first win.

Rey was exhausted after the long weekend, but she had to take advantage of the time off given to her today, so she had driven up to Rancho Cucamonga early this morning. She entered the main office of the posh retirement facility and was happy to see one of the staff members who knew her at the desk, a young woman named Lorilea. They chatted for a bit before Rey headed out the door that led to the center courtyard. She walked across the beautifully manicured area to the door to an apartment on the far side. She knocked, calling out a greeting, then entered.

Her father smiled from where he was sitting in his favorite chair in the living area. “Hello, Rey!” Luke Skywalker said, his blue eyes bright, a startling contrast to his pale, too-thin face.

“Hi, papa,” Rey said softly as she moved next to the chair, leaning over to kiss his cheek. “How are you feeling?”

He shrugged. “Tired,” he admitted. “Like always lately.” Luke had grown up here in Southern California, and he had been determined to retire here, talking Rey’s mother into doing so when Rey was still in primary school. They had made plans to move away from England, where Luke had met Mara, and settle in the L.A. area as soon as Rey headed to university. They had followed through with their plans, but only two years after they had moved into a lovely apartment complex in Pomona, Mara had suffered a stroke. The Skywalkers had never been wealthy, and all their savings had gone into the education of their late-in-life miracle child Rey and in their move to California. Relocating to an expensive assisted living facility that would allow Mara to live as comfortably as possible had not been in their plans or their budget.

Or so they thought.

The grant that they had received that allowed them to move to Atria Del Rey had actually been their own Rey, who had left school to follow them to the U.S., finding a job that she excelled at, and making sure almost everything she earned was used to pay for her parents living arrangements, all without them knowing the truth. It wasn’t until Luke had been diagnosed with prostate cancer two months ago that Rey’s secret had finally come out, and only because she couldn’t stand the thought of not seeing her father again and knew she would never be able to lie to his face. She didn’t, however, tell him everything, especially about where she was getting the money for Luke’s treatments. All they knew was that she was riding horses competitively for Poe Dameron, the wealthy internet entrepreneur.

“Well, you have more color than the last time I visited,” she told Luke with a soft smile. Now that her secret was out, she came to see her parents as often as she could. She had missed them horribly when she had been pretending to still be at school in England, knowing that in reality they were a short drive away from her.

“Is that Rey I hear?” Mara Skywalker’s voice could be heard from the bedroom. Rey jumped up and headed for the door, but Mara appeared before she got there, leaning heavily on a cane in her right hand, her left side essentially useless. She smiled when she saw Rey, her hazel eyes bright. “What are you doing here on a Monday?”

Rey smiled and gave her mother a careful hug, kissing her on the cheek, then assisted her to her favorite seat on the couch.

“I had a show this weekend, mum,” Rey told her, glancing at Luke to include him in her explanation. “We didn’t get all the horses back to the farm until after dark last night.”

“Did you win?” Luke asked.

Rey laughed. “I won one class, yes,” she said. “I rode four horses in two classes and they all did wonderful.”

“Well, of course they did,” Luke grinned. “You are a horse whisperer. They’ll do anything for you.”

“And how about human connection?” Mara pressed. “Are you dating anyone, yet? Another show jump rider perhaps?”

Rey had to work hard to not roll her eyes. Her mother was always pestering her about finding someone to love romantically, but Rey had never given her the answer she hoped for. Rey’s only real relationship had ended badly. Extremely badly. There was no way she would ever tell either of her parents about her relationship with Kyle; not in this lifetime. “Mother,” she groaned.

“Oh, please don’t ‘mother’ me,” Mara grimaced. “I just want to see you find that romance you always used to dream about when you were little.”

Ah, yes, Rey thought. The knight on the white horse, riding in to take her away from all her worries and fears. She was about to deny there was anyone special, as usual, when she remembered the photographers taking pictures of everyone at the party Friday night. In fact, it was surprising she hadn’t already appeared in a photo with Poe on some on-line gossip site. He was one of the most eligible bachelors in L.A., after all.

Knowing her parents were not isolated from current events, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea for them to see a picture of her and Poe without telling them she was dating him first. “Actually, I am seeing someone,” she said carefully.

Mara leaned forward, her half-grin showing her excitement. “Tell me!”

Rey took a deep breath. “My boss.”

Mara sat back, her expression surprised, while Luke frowned. “Isn’t he… well… a bit old for you?”

“He is much older than me, yes,” Rey agreed. “But it doesn’t bother me and it doesn’t bother him.” She shrugged. “Besides, it’s new. We’re still getting to know each other. It’s not serious. Yet.”

“From everything I’ve read about him on-line, and I read a lot about him when I found out you were working for him, he seems like a genuinely good man.” Mara was sitting back on the couch now, her eyebrow raised as she looked at her husband. “If Rey’s caught the big fish, I think we should be happy for her.”

Luke snorted. “Just because he donates to charities and treats his employees well doesn’t mean he’s the right man for our daughter.” It was obvious he had read up on Poe, too. He looked at Rey. “I guess what I want to know is, do you care about him? Do you see things getting serious between you two? Or are you just a temporary toy for him?”

Rey shifted uncomfortably. “I can’t answer that last question. All I know is that he treats me wonderfully and he’s fun and exciting to be around. I have no idea how serious he wants to get.” She paused. “And as for me caring about him… yes. I care about him a great deal.”

Luke cocked his head at her. “Then please be careful, Rey. I don’t want to see you get your heart broken.”

Rey scoffed, but she felt her heart squeeze at the same time. “I know what I’m doing, Papa.”

She really hoped she was right.

******

It was supposed to be a fun night.

Poe had looked forward to the charity event at the Crown Theater in Pasadena for weeks. A lot of his old college buddies would be there, supporting the firefighters that worked so hard to protect the fire prone areas around Los Angeles, and he was excited to show off Rey. When he picked her up that night, his excitement had only increased when he saw what she was wearing. She always looked fucking amazing, but he had requested she wear something particularly sexy tonight. “But only whatever you’re comfortable with,” he had amended when she arched an eyebrow at him.

The dress she had chosen blew him away.  

“It’s not too much, is it?” she had asked, her expression worried.

Poe couldn’t keep his eyes from drifting over the sleek black silvery dress that fit her like a glove. Her right shoulder was bare, and her waist on the left side was tantalizingly exposed. The slit up the right side of the dress went almost all the way to her hip, and her four-inch heels only emphasized her gorgeous long legs. Whereas two hours earlier, when he had seen her at the barn, she had been free of makeup and had her hair pulled tightly back in a ponytail, now she was made up in a subtle and seductive way, her hazel eyes accentuated by a smoky eyeliner, and her hair loose around her shoulders.

She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen in his life.

“Poe?”

He shook himself. “You look perfect. Everyone there is going to be jealous.”

But while they both got their fair share of envious looks from the other party-goers, the event itself was a major let-down. The music was inconsistent, the food was bland, and the conversation was boring. It wasn’t even ten o’clock yet when Poe took Rey’s hand in his, lacing his fingers with hers. “How ‘bout we get the hell out of here and I take you someplace with real food?”

Relief filled her eyes as she looked at him. “Please.”   

They had ended up at Lucky Boy, where Poe watched Rey, his tuxedo jacket over her shoulders because the air conditioning was on high, bite into a giant bacon cheeseburger as if she hadn’t eaten in days. After they had both eaten for a couple of minutes, settling the hunger pains, they began talking. About how boring the event was. About how the weather looked for the show next weekend. About the clinic Ben was sending Rey and Teddy to with Anne Kursinski at the Lost Angeles Equestrian Center next month. About the seminar Poe was giving that same weekend in Copenhagen.

“I wish you were coming with me,” Poe told her. “But I don’t want you to miss out on the clinic, either.”

They had finished their meal (with Poe of course leaving a generous tip) and were comfortably talking over their sodas when someone entered the restaurant. It had been very quiet since they had gotten here, so Poe glanced over briefly, but it wasn’t until the man spoke that he really paid attention.

“Rey?”

He watched as Rey jumped, startled by the deep voice saying her name. Then he saw absolute fear fill her eyes as she looked in the direction of the man walking toward their booth, her face suddenly turning pale.

He was tall, well over six feet, with longish black hair pulled back into a ponytail and rather distinguished, almost aristocratic, features. His dark eyes were focused on Rey, and a wry smile was on his lips. “Well, look at you!” he said, his voice sarcastic. He glanced at Poe, then looked back at Rey. “Working in the big leagues now, huh?”

Rey didn’t answer, but Poe was relieved to see anger replacing the fear in her eyes.

“And who are you?” Poe asked

The man looked at him, still smirking. “Kyle Ren.” He glanced at Rey. “Rey and I used to live together.”

Poe couldn’t help but be a bit disturbed by that fact. He knew there was a lot from Rey’s past that he didn’t know, and that wasn’t a problem for him; he had plenty of time to learn more about her. However, the fear and discomfort he felt from the woman across from him upset him. Whatever this man had done to her had not been kind.

“I’m glad to see she’s moving up in the world,” Ren continued. “Not still shoveling horse shit and getting drilled by junkies.”

He heard Rey huff and glanced over to see her eyes on the table in front of her and her cheeks turning red.

“Mr. Dameron?” Tyrone Janady, the manager of the restaurant, came up to stand next to Ren. “Is this guy bothering you?” The big man looked almost excited at the prospect of kicking someone out.

“Dameron?” Ren exclaimed, folding his arms over his chest. He looked back at Rey, his eyes wide. “Damn, girl. You did do good. Got yourself a real rich sugar daddy, didn’t you?”

Poe stood, mad enough that he didn’t care if Ren towered over him. “Yes, Tyrone. I think I am bothered.”

“Sir,” Tyrone immediately turned to Ren. “I’ll have to ask you to leave.”

Ren snorted, unconcerned. “Yeah, I’ll leave.” He lifted an eyebrow at Poe. “Just make sure you get tested, huh? I’m sure you don’t know where all she’s been.” He laughed and turned away. Poe noticed two other men standing at the door, waiting. They were also looking at Rey with lewd smirks on their faces.

The three men left and Poe sat back down, nodding at Tyrone in thanks. As the man walked away, Poe focused on Rey, who was still looking fixedly at the table in front of her.

“You okay?” he asked softly.

She swallowed and nodded, not looking up.

“You want to go home?”

Another nod.

“Let’s go.”

They both stood and walked toward the door. Poe thanked Tyrone and the woman who had been their server, then opened the door for Rey to exit. As they walked toward his car, he reached to place his hand on the small of her back, something he had done frequently since they had started this relationship. Rey flinched away from him, however, and he dropped his hand. She still wouldn’t look at him. He opened the car door for her and she slid in, letting his jacket slip off of her shoulders and folding it in her lap when she sat down. He walked around to the driver’s side and got in. Soon, they were on the road.

It was almost an hour drive back to the farm, and Rey was silent through the whole journey. Poe was okay with that. Driving on the L.A. freeways wasn’t really a great time for a heavy discussion. But there would be a discussion. It was nearing midnight when they arrived home, and as per usual Poe drove right up to the steps that led up to Rey’s apartment over the barn. Only this time, instead of letting the car idle while she said goodnight and got out, he parked and turned it off.

She looked at him, startled, then she grimaced and her expression became resigned. She exited the car and headed for the stairs without a word while he followed. Once in her tidy little apartment, he watched as she lay his jacket over one of the stools next to the kitchen island. She walked around it, almost as if she wanted it as a barrier between them, then finally she looked at him.

He stepped up and put his hands on the edge of the island, leaning forward a bit. “So,” he said, keeping his voice steady. “Want to tell me the real story?”

She shrugged and shook her head. “That was the real story,” she blinked. “Everything he said was true.”

******

End of Part One

Part Two