by Desiree Holt
On top of everything, the intrusion of her memory of Ron had effectively destroyed any attempts to take the edge off her sexual need. She’d just have to spend the rest of the afternoon with an itch she couldn’t scratch. She did, however, decide to put some soothing lotion on her ass, which by now felt as if she’d fallen into a bed of stinging nettles. There was a big difference between reminding herself of pleasure and punishing herself for enjoying it.
Sliding into clean clothes, she pulled her still damp hair into a ponytail, tugged on her boots and headed out of her cabin. She hoped she and Hondo would be working in different areas again this afternoon. She was afraid one glance at him and she might beg him to meet her at the club again tonight. And she wasn’t that person anymore.
Chapter Five
Six days.
Who knew six days could be that long? Hondo had counted off each one, doing his best to bide his time where Bailey was concerned. He knew the key here was to let her call the shots. Until, that is, they got to Rawhide. Unfortunately, his patience was wearing thin. He was hungry for another night with her, another session to test the strength of what he’d sensed between them. How long was he supposed to wait for her to give him a signal of some kind?
He lifted his battered Stetson, wiped the sweat from his brow with his forearm, and clapped the hat back on his head. The sun beat down with unrelenting heat, and the thick air of the day was filled with the lowing sounds of cattle and the whinnying of horses. The morning had been taken up with the arrival of a new stallion Liz had bought, unloading him and getting him settled in his new stall.
The whole process had been a little tricky. The spirited stallion hadn’t wanted anything to do with the barn and made it known with his prancing and rearing. Hondo had hung onto the leader rope on the bridle with every bit of his strength while Liz, the woman with the magic voice, soothed the horse, cajoled him, eased him. Finally, with her on one side and Hondo on the other, they’d managed to get Rolling Thunder settled in the stall at the far end of the barn.
Hondo loved the Appaloosa. His own horse was one of the spotted breed, a horse that achieved legendary status in the retelling of the Nez Perce War of 1775. Appaloosas were characterized by agility, quickness, and powerful hindquarters.
Strong and fast, they were so intricate in their footwork it was said they could tap dance on the head of a pin. They were also noted for their intelligence and “cow sense”—an instinctive understanding of how to respond to the movement of cattle. These characteristics made them excellent for use as cutting horses and also in rodeo competition.
Liz had announced at lunch a couple of weeks ago that the Lucky L was going to bid on a stallion and begin an Appaloosa breeding program. She wanted to be able to breed many of the horses she trained. So now, Rolling Thunder had come to live at the Lucky L. What Hondo wouldn’t give for a chance to ride the magnificent animal.
He was leaning on the closed stall door, talking gently to the horse, when Liz came back up beside him.
“I’d like to ride that one myself.” She grinned. “I can hardly believe I won the auction on him.”
“You could get a fortune in stud fees, you know,” he pointed out.
She nodded. “And maybe eventually I will. But right now, I want him to stand at stud for me. I want to start a new generation of Lucky L foals.”
“That,” he told her, “would be great to see.”
“So pardon me for sticking my nose in your business, but is there some reason you and Bailey are dancing around each other like there’s a rattlesnake between you?”
Hondo chuckled and pushed away from the stall.
“For all I know one might be.” He sobered. “I don’t want to feel like I’m telling tales out of school, but you know there’s hardly anyone I can talk to about, well, stuff like this.”
“I understand.” She glanced down the wide center aisle. “We seem to be alone at the moment so why don’t you tell me what’s going on?”
He shoved his hands into his pockets and chuffed out a breath. “I’m wondering if Bailey and I jumped into this thing too soon. You know. Last week at Rawhide. Together.”
Liz lifted an eyebrow. “Has she said that to you in so many words?”
“Well, no, except for a couple of times she managed to keep us from being alone together.” He took one hand from a pocket and scratched the back of his neck. “I know it was good. For both of us. A hell of a lot better than I was prepared for and maybe she felt the same way. But hell, there’s some strong chemistry between us that goes way beyond that. And I can tell she feels it, too. I just can’t get her to commit to another session.” He frowned. “I’ve analyzed that session from every angle, and I still believe it was really good for both of us. So what do you think is the problem?”
“She’s definitely still interested.” Liz grinned. “I can tell by her body posture when she’s around you.”
“Yeah? Then how do I get her to set up another time for us to be together?”
“She will.” Liz sighed. “I worry about her because she’s so skittish. I’ve been so relieved because it was you she hooked up with. I have good instincts about people, Hondo. At least, my husband tells me I do. She’s just dealing with whatever baggage she’s carrying around. Have patience.”
“So you don’t think she’s trying to shut me down?”
Liz laughed again. “No, I’d be able to tell if she was. Give it a little time.”
“I will.” He blew out a breath. “She’s worth waiting for. I don’t want you to think I’m spilling my guts to the boss here—”
Liz made a cutting motion with her hand. “If I didn’t want to talk to you, Hondo, or hear what you had to say, I’d be the one shutting you down. And I’m well aware that those of us with what I call special interests can’t exactly chat it up with the guys. I’m always available if you need me.” She touched his arm. “She’s dealing with some issues. Just be there for her and it will happen. Believe me.”
He wanted to. But the past six days had been among the longest he’d ever spent, waiting for some sign from Bailey that she wanted to be with him again. It seemed that, since that impulsive kiss in the tack room, she’d given him an even wider berth, although as much heat had been coming from her as from him. Her body action had been that of a true sub, and for that instant, he’d truly forgotten where they were.
Sleep hadn’t come easy the past few nights, either. That image he’d described to Bailey? The one of her cross-tied with a bridle on her head and a bit in her mouth, her naked body ready for whatever torment he chose to inflict upon it? The only way he’d been able to sleep at all had been to jerk off and pretend it was her hand on his cock. For a man who’d sworn no woman would ever again get that kind of hold on him, he was in a fucking big bunch of trouble.
He needed to get a grip on himself.
“Thanks for talking to me, Liz. I appreciate it.”
“I told you. Any time. Just as long as you remember that the really personal stuff you have to get from Bailey.”
“I understand.”
“Listen, I was going to send Rio or Chip into town on an errand for me. And beg them to get me one of those famous thick shakes at Soda Pops. Maybe you’d like to do this instead. Get off the ranch for a little bit. Maybe even have lunch in town. Get your head straight.”
He gave her a smile. “Getting out of Bailey’s sight for a while?”
“Nope. Just asking you to run into town for me.”
“I’d be happy to.”
She pulled a list from her pocket of some things she needed from the saddler. “Just sign for it. The ranch has an account. Let me get you some money for the shake.”
“Don’t you dare. Consider it my payment for listening to me.”
Driving into town in one of the ranch trucks, he rolled the window down and turned on the radio. Maybe a good breeze and some country music would help his state of mind.
By the time he’d finished up at the saddlery and pulled into a park
ing space in front of Soda Pops, he realized he was hungry. Their burgers and fries were among the best he’d ever tasted so he decided to grab lunch while he was there. Away from the crowd, for a change.
The inside of the place was really small, with most of the tables outside where clear all-weather tenting protected them when necessary. As someone once remarked, there was hardly enough room inside to change your mind. If he hadn’t been so preoccupied, he wouldn’t have walked straight into a sexy compact figure paying for her lunch. A figure that he at once recalled seeing naked and now had an almost uncontrollable urge to strip her clothes off right then and there.
Jesus, Hondo. Get a grip.
“Uh, sorry.” He took a half step back, about all there was room for. Then he frowned. “How come you’re eating lunch in town?”
She shrugged. “Just didn’t want the mob scene today. What about you?”
“Liz asked me to run an errand and pick up one of Soda Pops’ thick shakes for her.”
Bailey’s plump lips curved in a tiny smile. “You think she’s plotting?”
Hondo studied her, his hunger for her like an animal roaring up inside of him. “I don’t know. Is it working? Can we have lunch together?”
She searched his eyes as if looking for some kind of answer in them. “Sure. That would be nice.”
He let out his breath and felt his muscles relax. “Good. Great. Just let me put my order in.”
Liz Wright is a very sneaky person.
That was the first thought popping into Bailey’s brain when she turned and walked into a solid wall of man. Hondo. Right there in that tiny space.
Bailey had had to do some maneuvering to find a way to approach Liz that morning without being obvious. She knew the ranch was expecting the arrival of a new Appaloosa stallion about midmorning. That meant she’d have to try and find a minute alone with her right after breakfast. Checking around the yard to make sure no one was noticing her—especially Hondo—she’d climbed the steps to the back porch and knocked on the door.
“Hey, Bailey.” Liz opened the door and motioned her in. “What can I do for you? Got a problem?”
“Well, yes. I guess. Maybe.”
Liz laughed and ushered her into the kitchen. “Maybe a cup of coffee will help clear your brain.
Unloading on Liz had turned out to be easier than she expected. The woman had some kind of uncanny instinct that cut right to the heart of the matter. Bailey hadn’t expected it to be so easy to unburden herself, but she’d already let the woman into her history and her deepest fears. Now, she just needed an objective opinion where Hondo was concerned.
Liz had listened quietly before commenting.
“Hondo’s been with us for two years,” she told Bailey. “I’ve had plenty of opportunity to study him. To analyze the kind of man he is. I’d trust him to respect your boundaries, but you have to make that decision. And you have to separate normal desire from excessive possessiveness.” She smiled. “But I think you can be honest with Hondo. If you want to move forward with him, just lay it all out and take it from there.”
Lay it all out. Right. Hondo, my last Dom wanted to control every single aspect of my life and take away all my choices. I don’t know how I let myself get trapped that way, but I’ll never do it again. So be careful how you tell me things. Don’t give me orders. Except in the dungeon.
Maybe I should have that tattooed on my forehead.
“Why don’t you take a break at noon,” Liz urged. “Go into town. Get one of those burgers you like so much at Soda Pops.”
So here she was and surprise, surprise! Who should she bump into, literally, but Hondo.
Very clever, Liz.
She eased her way out of the small interior and found a table back in the corner of the covered patio. In seconds, Hondo had folded his long length onto the chair next to her.
“They’ll holler when our food’s ready,” he told her.
“I know.”
They sat there for a moment, just staring at each other. Then Bailey dropped her gaze to her hands. “Listen, Hondo, I’m—”
“Bailey, I—”
They laughed, his deep sound blending with her softer one.
“Me, first,” he told her. “Listen. You were pretty specific about your ground rules and about being in control of things outside the dungeon. Or bedroom. I just believe our night together at Rawhide was something special and want to repeat it. Is it against your rules for me to come right out and ask?”
“The decisions are all mine to make, slave. You will go and come only as I dictate.”
Bailey gritted her teeth and gave herself a mental shake, pushing Ron Wolfe’s voice out of her brain.
“No.” She shook her head. “It isn’t. My past history has just made me very touchy.”
She was interrupted before she could say anything further by the counter girl calling their names for their orders. They busied themselves with their food and drink before settling at their table again.
“So,” he began. “Your history.” He squirted ketchup on his fries.
“Stop.” She put her hand on his wrist. “I’m trying not to have a knee jerk reaction here, and you don’t need to hear my long sad story.” She blew out a breath. “Let’s start over. Why, yes, Hondo. I had a great time at Rawhide with you. Very unexpectedly. And again, yes, another session would be very…nice.”
He paused with his hamburger halfway to his mouth. “Nice?”
She nodded and lifted a fry delicately. “Nice. Very nice.”
His laugh exploded into the sudden silence hovering over the table. “Nice. That’s definitely a unique way to describe what we did. Will do. Are going to do.” He studied her face. “We are going to do it, right?”
“Yes.”
“And if I said to you, right here, right now, tomorrow night at Rawhide. Eight o’clock. Would you refuse? Would you feel I threatened the person you are?”
Would she?
Suddenly, at this particular moment, as she looked into his dark eyes, at his broad shoulders, as she remembered the things he’d done to her and for her, she knew that not going to Rawhide with him again would be a very big mistake. But she would be in the driver’s seat until the door to the club closed behind her.
“Here’s what I propose.” She fought a smile that tugged at her lips. “My call. Tomorrow night. At Rawhide.”
“Okay. Yes. As you suggest.” His fingers tightened slightly on his hamburger. “Would you like me to pick you up?”
“No, thanks. I like to drive myself. Eight o’clock?” Setting these parameters gave her the feeling of control beyond the dungeon that was so much a part of who she was. She held her breath waiting for his answer.
“Eight it is.” He lifted the basket of condiments. “Ketchup?”
****
The attendant at the door checked the special pass Clint had given her, marked Bailey’s name down on a sheet of paper and nodded for her to proceed to the main room. She hesitated, steadying herself as a sudden rush of nerves swamped her, then relaxed when she saw Hondo seated in an armchair, watching the entrance. Waiting for her. He crooked a finger at her and patted his thigh, signaling what he wanted.
She took a moment to place her purse in one of the lockers in a small side room and gave the key to the attendant. Already she could feel herself relinquishing control in this environment where she could give in to her greatest needs. Here we go. Anticipation curled through her like a heated ribbon. Smoothing her hands down the sides of her short, flirty skirt and adjusting the halter top, she made her way to where Hondo waited for her.
As before, the sight of him nearly made her heart stop. Again, he was naked from the waist up, his tattoos enhanced by whatever substance he rubbed on his chest. The power was so strong as to be nearly visible. Other Doms had assumed that power, but Hondo LaBar was the power. And it drew her like an invisible magnet.
She sat down on his hard thighs and immediately felt the thick hard length of his cock
pressing into her bottom. She turned her head to look at him and saw the lust burning in his eyes.
“I have a little surprise for you,” she whispered and looked down at her lap.
Hondo slid his hand beneath her skirt, eyes widening when he realized first that she hadn’t worn even a thong tonight and second that she’d attended to a little personal business since their first session. Two days after their time together, she’d made the decision to get herself completely waxed and made a late appointment in San Antonio at the spa she used. She’d wanted to give herself a couple of days for the redness to disappear before she and Hondo were together again.
And she’d known that would happen, regardless of which one of them made the first move.
She gasped when he slipped his middle finger between the folds of her pussy and touched her opening. He leaned closer, nipped the lobe of her ear, and whispered, “Wet. I love it. Were you remembering what we did last time? Thinking about what we might do tonight?”
“Yes.” The word came out as barely a whisper. He dragged his finger back and forth over her clit, and she had a hard time sitting still.
“Can you feel how hard I am?” he asked.
She nodded.
“I want you to get off my lap, kneel between my legs, and take out my cock.”
She stared at him. “Here? In the lounge?”
He gestured around them. “I can’t believe this would be new to you.”
She looked at the others in the room. Some were chatting quietly while others were engaged in simple acts of arousal. A woman lay across the laps of two men, legs splayed. One of them played with her breasts while the other toyed with her cunt.
“I’m waiting,” he prompted, his voice heavy with command.
Bailey slid to her knees and carefully undid the zipper on Hondo’s slacks. Beneath the soft fabric, he was naked. Commando!
She swallowed and freed his rock-hard cock, curling the fingers of one hand around it. Soft skin stretched over hard steel, and the ropy vein that wrapped itself around the length pulsed with the rush of blood. The head was a dark purple, ringed by a circle of furled skin. A tiny bead of fluid sat atop the slit, and Bailey automatically leaned forward and swiped it with her tongue. The cock flexed in response. When she glanced upward, Hondo lounged back in the chair, but his face had darkened with a rush of desire.