by K. C. Crowne
“You’re officially the first non-Walker who’s managed to get on her back,” he revealed, looking down at me. “Like I said, impressive.”
His hands lingered on my body for a few beats. Interview or not, the man was making me wet as hell, and my mind wandered to a seriously naughty place before I whipped it back to where it needed to be.
After a moment, as if he knew I liked it and didn’t want him to let me go, he released me and stepped back. “Anyway, you’re more than qualified, and if you can handle the rest of the horses the way you handled Mabel, I think you might be a good fit for the ranch. Come on back inside.”
We headed back into the cabin, taking our seats where we’d been before.
“Now,” he said. “Got a few more ques—” Before he could finish, Travis’s phone buzzed on the coffee table. He picked it up and checked the screen. “Aw, hell. Give me a sec.”
“Sure.”
Travis took the call and got up, heading to the other side of the room. I wasn’t really the nosy sort, but I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation.
“That’s what you called for, to see if I was still goin’ out tonight?” He chuckled as he listened. “I mean, sure, but I’m in the middle of an interview…alright, fine, drinks at Sharpe’s…you think of a better place, let me know. I’m all ears, Adam.”
Adam, I mused internally. I didn’t know the Walker family all that well, but I was pretty sure none of the members of the Walker clan were named Adam.
He hung up and returned to his seat. “Apologies,” he said. “Meetin’ up with a buddy of mine for some drinks later.”
“And you’re goin’ to Sharpe’s?”
He nodded, sitting back in his chair. “Yup. Only bar in Patterson. Same place we go every weekend.”
“You ever been to the Raw Heart Saloon?”
He cocked his head to the side in curiosity. “Name sounds familiar. Where’s that?”
“It’s in Sheppard, where I’m from. Nice place – cheap beer, good dancin’. Hell, there’s even a mechanical bull if you’re into that kinda thing.” I laughed and shook my head. “It’s a lot of fun to ride.”
He lifted his eyebrows. “You’ve ridden it?”
I wrinkled my nose at him. “Just a couple times. Very Sissy from Urban Cowboy style.”
“I bet.” The first hint of a smile I’d seen formed on his lips. “That sounds about right. Sheppard’s about a half-hour from here, right?”
“Yessir,” I responded.
“That could be a nice change of pace,” he mused. “Anyway, if I didn’t make it clear, you’ve got the job. You can start Monday mornin’. Thinkin’ around six.”
I couldn’t believe it. I got the freaking job. “Sounds great!” I exclaimed. “You’re not gonna regret this, not even a little.”
He rose, and we shook hands again. “Hopin’ that’s the case,” he said. “See you then.”
He flashed me a genuine smile, and as I gathered my stuff and headed out, I just about died from overheating.
Travis
Skye’s pretty face was burned into my mind just as surely as the brand on a steer’s backside. Holy hell, I hadn’t been prepared for how smoking hot she’d been. But the moment she’d driven off, her beat-up old truck disappearing over the horizon of the property, I knew I needed to keep my damn mind right about the situation.
She’s not some broad from the bar, Travis. She’s your new fuckin’ employee.
In the smart part of my brain, I knew it was the right call. Sure, she was fine as hell – strawberry-blonde hair, curvy in all the right places, and a face to die for – but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t be professional about the whole thing.
I spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening going over paperwork in the office of my cabin. Personnel was my thing, and the ranch depended on me to keep the staff straight and make sure paychecks went out on time. But as I worked my way through the day’s paperwork, my mind kept going back to her.
At around seven, the sun was setting low and filling my office with dreamy, late-evening light. I leaned and cracked my back against my chair, my phone going off as I did. Another call from Adam.
Adam Carter was my best bud. We’d known each other from all the way back in grade school and had stayed close over our lives, save for the handful of years when he signed up with the Marine infantry and shipped off to Afghanistan. He was my go-to drinking bud, a little more reserved than me, but still a good guy to split a pitcher with.
“What’s up?” I asked, holding the phone to my ear.
“Still on for drinks tonight?”
I laughed. “That why you called? Wanted to make sure I wasn’t standin’ you up? I’m a little hurt you’d think me the type.”
He laughed at my theatrics. “Aw hell, you got me. I got so excited to have a date with the Travis Walker himself that I ‘spose I’m gettin’ a touch nervous about it.” The shit we gave each other was epic. “Nah,” he went on. “Just wanted to see what time you were comin’ to pick my ass up. Been a long day, and I’m thirsty as hell.”
I checked the time on my phone. “Man, I’m right there with you. Truck still givin’ you shit?”
“You bet your ass it is. Got the engine sorted out, but I’m not takin’ her out until I get the new tires on tomorrow.”
“Alright then, I’ll be a gentleman and come scoop you up. Give me about twenty, and I’ll be there.”
“Sounds like a damn fine plan.”
Something occurred to me before I hung up. “One more thing – you mind if we go to someplace other than Sharpe’s?”
“What’re you thinkin’?”
“Place called Raw Heart Saloon over in Sheppard. Kind of a drive, but I’m thinkin’ a change of scenery might be nice.”
“As long as there’s cheap beer, I’m there.”
“Right on. See you in a few.”
I hung up. Of course, I hadn’t mentioned that part of the reason I wanted to check out Raw Heart was that Skye had mentioned she hung out there. Fuckin’ bad idea. Booze and dancing and a girl I wanted to get naked and up against the wall. Not a combination if I wanted to be a professional boss. But what the hell was I supposed to do, ignore the fact that she was so fuckin’ fine just the thought of her was enough to make me rock-hard?
Maybe so. But the plan was set. I finished the lukewarm dredges of my coffee, put away my notes, and grabbed my keys to head out.
The sun was well into setting as I drove off the property, the sky wild with oranges and blues and purples, wispy clouds swirling among the colors. I loved nights like that, nights that made me realize how damned lucky I was to live the life I did.
It took about twenty minutes to get to Adam’s place, a modest ranch home where he lived by himself. I pulled out front and laid on the horn, our usual way to get the other’s attention when we pulled up.
The door opened, and Adam stepped out. People always made the mistake of thinking he was one of the Walker boys, and it was easy to see why. He was tall and broad-shouldered, built strong like my brothers and me. But while we were all bright-eyed and rugged, Adam was a little more clean-cut. His face was clean-shaven, his eyes dark as his slicked-back hair.
“’ Bout time your ass showed up,” he said with a slight grin as he poured into the passenger’s seat and shut the door behind him.
“Is that right?” I asked, pulling my vehicle away from the house. “You know, I’m pretty damn surprised to be gettin’ you out of the house without any fuss. Thought I might have to talk you out of spendin’ the night by yourself with a sixer and some Sports Center reruns.”
He shrugged. “Figured I’d save you the usual hassle and go along with it. ‘Sides, can’t be a shut-in every night.”
Another difference between the two of us – Adam liked his privacy. Sure, I kept to myself when I felt it, but sometimes I got the impression he was too damned reserved for his own good.
“Alright,” he said as we drove. “So we’re goin’ so
meplace new.”
“That’s the plan. Got the suggestion from the girl I hired today.”
His eyes flashed at the mention. “You know you’re gonna tell me about her, right?”
I shrugged. “What’s there to say? She’s credentialed out the ass, knows her way around a horse, and she’s ready to learn. Good hire as far as I’m concerned. But we’ll see how she works out.”
“That’s all you got to say?”
“What else is there to say?”
“I mean, this girl invited you out for drinks, and you’re actin’ like she’s any other hire.”
“Invited me out? Nah, she said she sometimes hangs out there, but it ain’t like we planned a date or some shit. I’m her damn boss.”
He laughed. “Yeah, and girls gettin’ all starry-eyed about their bosses is some shit that never happens.”
“Think you’re jumpin’ the gun here, bud. Last thing I need is a complication like that.”
“Whatever you say, Trav.”
Sometimes I forgot that Adam had known me long enough to see right through me. No doubt he could tell that playing it cool about the subject was my way of avoiding the topic of whether I was into her. Another avoidance tactic: Hank Williams played on the stereo, and I turned it up.
“What’s her name?” Adam asked over the loud song.
“Skye Phillips.”
He thought the matter over like there was some puzzle to figure out. “Doesn’t sound familiar. She from around here?”
“Nope. From Sheppard. How she knows about the bar.”
“And what bar we goin’ to?”
“Raw Heart Saloon,” I said. “Comes highly endorsed by the lady in question. We’ll see if it lives up to the hype.”
The music filled the air as the conversation died out. As soon as it did, Skye appeared in my thoughts like an invader. I pictured her on Mabel, her legs spread on top of the horse, her hips rocking as she coaxed the animal.
I thought about the interview, how I’d kept my cool. Maybe too cool. But shit, what the hell was I supposed to do? As soon as I’d laid eyes on her, I’d known I wanted her like crazy. Playing it close to the chest was my way of not letting my attraction get the best of me.
We drove at an easy pace to Sheppard. The town itself wasn’t all that different from Patterson. A small place of around a few thousand people, the downtown a collection of diners and general stores and government buildings. Eventually, after the sun had long set and the night sky had gone all glittery with stars, we reached the Raw Heart Saloon. It was a big place that looked like an old barn but with a big ass neon sign with the name of the bar and a flashing red heart underneath. A few dozen cars were parked out front, trucks for the most part.
I pulled into a spot and killed the engine, and we climbed out and headed inside. Country music blared, muffled in the parking lot, and growing louder with each step we took.
“Fuckin’ hell,” I said as we approached. “I need a damn drink.”
“Right there with ya.”
I pulled the door opened, and we stepped inside. The place was a ruckus, that was for damn sure. It was a big, open space, looking as much like a barn on the inside as it did on the out. Straw covered the floor, and a big U-shaped bar cut through the middle. A dancefloor was toward the back, plenty of cowboy and cowgirl types two-stepping their hearts out. The music was loud, just right for a night of drinking and getting crazy.
“Looks like Sharpe’s,” Adam said as we made our way into the bar.
“But it ain’t. Consider it broadenin’ your horizons.”
Adam offered a weak smile, but I could tell he wasn’t crazy about the crowd. Sharpe’s was a dive like this place, sure, but it tended to be more low-key, mostly ranch hands and other townsfolk unwinding with a few drinks. This was more like a party – my sort of place, but not Adam’s.
“Grab a table,” I said. “I’ll get the first pitcher.”
Adam nodded, and we split up. I melted into the crowd gathered around the bar, trying to get close without causing a problem. By the time I reached the front, I could see the crowd on the other side. And there she was. Skye. And sweet Lord, did she look good. At the interview, she’d been wearing her professional best – a pantsuit and her hair done up. But here she was dressed for something else entirely. Her killer body was packed into a pair of skin-tight jeans, a small silver belt buckle in the middle. She wore a checkered cowboy shirt, and her strawberry-blonde hair hung loose on her shoulders.
However much I wanted her before, it doubled as I stared at her. I wanted her every which way – on top, underneath, and from behind. I wanted to pounce on her, get between those legs, and make her come again and again. It was fucking crazy how wound up I was for her.
From across the bar, we made eye contact, and her green gaze flashed, and a coy grin formed on her lips. Skye was happy to see me, and the feeling was more than mutual. My cock shifted in my jeans, and it took all the self-control I had to get it to calm the fuck down.
“My man!” the bartender said in an impatient tone. “What you need?”
I snapped back into the moment. “Uh, gimme a pitcher of Bud. Two glasses.”
He nodded and went to it, and moments later, I had the beer in hand and was on my way back to the table. I glanced over my shoulder on the way there but couldn’t spot Skye among the crowd.
“’Bout damn time,” Adam said with a joking, ball-busting tone. “Dyin’ of thirst over here.”
“When it’s your turn, see how fast you can get through that mess.”
“Just storm on through,” he hollered. “How we learned to do things in the desert.”
“Yeah,” I said with a grin. “Pile in your Humvee and drive to the bar.”
He laughed. “Somethin’ like that.”
I was happy to bullshit with Adam, but I’d have been lying if I’d said I weren’t distracted as all hell by the idea of seeing Skye again. My eyes stayed on the crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. Before too long, she stepped out of the masses of people, her eyes locked on me as she strode toward our table. I was only halfway through my first beer, but I could already feel what little inhibitions I had melting away. I wanted her, regardless of her employment status.
“Hey, Travis,” she said once she reached our table.
“Evenin’, Skye.” The words came out easy. I wasn’t feeling the tension I had during the interview.
She turned her attention to Adam. “And let me guess, this must be one of the other Walker boys. I can tell ‘cause you look just like him.”
Adam’s eyebrows rose slightly. “Wrong on both counts,” he said. “I’m not one of the Walkers. And I’m way better looking than this ugly cuss.”
I laughed, giving Adam a friendly jab on the arm. “This is Adam Carter,” I introduced. “Good friend of mine from back in the day.”
“Skye Phillips,” she introduced. “A pleasure.”
They shook hands, Adam taking hers all polite-like. There was a flash of something in his eyes, a look that reminded me of what I must’ve looked like when I’d first clapped eyes on the girl.
“Likewise,” he said, grinning at her.
I put my boot on the bottom rail of the open stool and pushed it toward Skye. “Come on, have a seat.”
She smiled sweetly before sitting down. “So,” she began, glancing between us. “You boys enjoying the Raw Heart?”
“Not what we’re used to,” Adam told her. “Or not what I’m used to, at least.”
“You’re gonna have to forgive him,” I said. “Any crowd more than a handful, and he starts eyeing the exits.”
“Is that right?” Skye asked. “Not big on parties?”
“Gotta be in the right mood,” Adam replied.
“And he’s never in the right mood,” I said with a grin.
“Too bad,” she said. “You look like you’d be fun to dance with.”
Now, I wasn’t entirely positive, but it sure as shit looked like Skye was flirting wi
th Adam. That was fine, not like I had claim on the girl, but I didn’t like it. Though I knew nothing could happen between her and me, the thought of her hooking up with Adam left a bad taste in my mouth.
As I gazed at her, a sliver of jealousy in my mind, she wrapped her lips around her straw, her gaze flicking from me to Adam and back again. And as she did, I couldn’t help but imagine what else I’d like to see those lips around. My cock throbbed in my jeans as I wondered if she knew what she was doing.
You’re her boss, damnit. You’re her fuckin’ boss.
She glanced at me after setting her drink down. “I believe I mentioned the mechanical bull,” she announced without preamble.
“That’s right,” I said, nodding. “You thinkin’ about climbin’ on?”
She laughed, tossing her hair back so I could see the column of her throat. Yeah, I decided, she knows what she’s doin’.
“I don’t think so,” she said, shaking her head. “But I do like to watch others,” she hinted, her eyes on mine.
“Wouldn’t mind takin’ that thing for a spin before I get too shit-faced.”
“What I’m interested in,” Skye said, “is which one of you is better at riding that thing.”
“Me.” Adam and I both said at the same time.
Skye raised her eyebrows and laughed. “A couple of competitive types. I like that.”
The girl was young, barely out of college, but she was savvy beyond her years. A few minutes with the two of us, and she was clearly getting a sense of the type of relationship between Adam and me. And yeah, it was a competitive one.
“You could say that,” I agreed. “Not sure how much ‘competition’ there is when I beat his ass at everything we do, though.”
I grinned, and Adam laughed. “Pretty sure it’s the other way around, bud.”
Skye glanced back at the bull, drawing our attention to it just in time to watch it whip off the cowboy who happened to be on it at that moment. He landed in the straw around him with a thud, and a chorus of “ohhs” from the crowd around him could be heard over the music.
“Well.” Skye fixed us with a challenging glance. “There’s only one way to find out. Why don’t you boys give it a shot?”