by Anna Lewis
She hadn’t noticed a fence, but it had been dark already.
“Eighteen hundred acres,” he said.
She was floored.
“That’s three square miles,” she said, incredulous.
“It is. It’s a lot of ground to cover, but if we are smart about it, we can check the entire property by Sunday evening.”
“That sounds heavenly,” she said, then she smirked at him.
“What?”
“If we’re busy riding all weekend, I guess you won’t get a chance to take me over your knee like you promised on the way here.”
He winked.
“Don’t worry. We have all night, and I’m sure I’ll find some way to work it in. If not, Monday works for me, too.”
She gasped.
“You’re not actually planning on spanking me in the office, are you?”
“Of course, I am. No one can hear you, and no one can come up to my office without going through HR first. There isn’t another elevator that comes up to my floor. We’ll have plenty of time to get your clothes righted before anyone even gets on the elevator.”
She was blushing furiously, thinking about him bending her over his large desk in the middle of his office. The familiar heat at the thought rose within her, and she realized that she was hoping that he would make good on that promise. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have that little secret between them?
“That wicked smile on your face,” Eric said, yanking her out of her thoughts. “I find myself wondering if you know just how sexy it is.”
“I don’t, but it’s good to know.”
“Let’s go see that barn,” he said, holding his hand out. “We have all night to explore the mansion.”
She took his hand and held tight, letting him lead her out the back door of the garage and onto a cement path that was lit by tiny solar lights every few feet.
“This is so pretty,” she said.
“It was the best way to make sure that someone could walk out to the barn to check on the horses at night without breaking their legs and still be able to see that big Texas sky.”
She looked up, sucking in a deep breath when she saw what he was talking about.
“You can’t see this many stars in the city,” she said. “This is amazing.”
“It’s one of the reasons I chose to live almost an hour outside of the city. It’s so peaceful out here. And humbling. It’s a good reminder that wealth and privilege don’t change the fact that I’m just a single man on a planet filled with billions of people. My dad always used to say that all the wealth in the world couldn’t fix a bad attitude, and I believe that, to this day.”
“He sounds like a good man,” she said.
“He is,” Eric said. “He’s sailing around the world right now, living off the interest his investments make. He taught me everything I know.” He pulled her close and wrapped his arm around her. “But enough about me, I want to hear about you.”
“I’m not that interesting,” she said, then immediately changed the subject. “How many horses do you have?”
“Five,” he said. “I was thinking about getting more, but I have no one to ride with, so I end up doing a lot of the exercising on my own. Any more than five and I would have no time for them.”
“I can help you with that,” she said eagerly.
“I would love that,” he said.
There was a single neigh in the distance, followed by four more calling out to him.
“They know your voice,” Shawna said in awe. “They love you.”
“They love food,” he laughed.
“You’re so lucky,” she said, taking it all in as they topped the little ridge and the barn came into view. “You have everything I’ve ever dreamed of.”
“You’ll have it someday,” he reassured her.
“It seems like forever away,” she said, standing back as he opened the large barn door.
“It will happen sooner than you think. Just be patient and stay the course. You deserve all that you want and so much more.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her roughly. “I want to be the one to help you see your dreams come true, and I’m not going to give up until you have everything you deserve and more.”
***
With a flick of the light switch, the barn was flooded with light. Shawna looked around the beautiful structure in awe, marveling at the smooth, beautifully stained wood and the five gorgeous horses that stuck their heads out to greet the visitors. Eric grabbed her hand and led her to a door on the left, where they stepped into a large office with dark, hardwood floors and a refrigerator in the corner. Eric took a bag of carrots from the fridge and handed them to Shawna and before he could say anything else, she squealed with delight and all but ran out into the barn to share the treats with the horses.
Eric hung back and she could feel him watching her, but she didn’t care. She inhaled the scent of the barn, the fresh shavings, and the clean, sweet scent of hay as they munched on the carrots. She made sure to give each horse an equal amount, then broke the last carrots up so that it was fair. She laughed as each soft, velvet nose rooted around her flat hand for their final piece of carrot, then she patted each one on the cheek and smiled to herself.
“They’re beautiful,” she breathed, looking back at the horses and grinning with pure happiness. “You’re so lucky.”
“I am,” he said, but when she turned to him, he wasn’t looking at the horses, he was looking at her.
She blushed, smiling shyly now as his eyes roved over her body.
“You know, I prefer you in green to match your eyes, but that dress is just stunning on you.”
“Thank you,” she said. “It’s not very practical for the barn, but I didn’t know we were coming here. Or that you had all this.”
“Where did you think I lived?”
“In a huge mansion in the city.”
He scoffed.
“The city makes me antsy. I have a large office in the barn because there are times that I work from home, and I want to be able to work from the house or the barn. There’s nothing like working with a clear view of freshly bathed horses drying on the hitching post in the Texas sunshine.”
“You have the life some of us only dream of.”
“You’ll have that life, too,” he said.
“That’s what I’m doing all this for,” she said, then immediately regretted it. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it to come out like that.”
“It’s alright,” he said, but she could tell that she’d hurt his feelings. “I understand wanting to do things that you wouldn’t normally do to get what you want. I can’t fault you for that. I’ve done some pretty regrettable things in order to grow my wealth.”
“Like what?” she asked.
“I was ruthless with budgeting when I first took over Furst Industries. I was more concerned with my bottom line than anything else. It turns out, good employees don’t stay when they get the bare minimum. They like perks, and the company is more profitable with happy employees.”
“And then there’s Richard,” she muttered under her breath.
“Yeah, I have plans for him, but not now.”
“So, what made you decide to change how you did business?”
“One of my longest and best employees came to me before she put her notice in. She told me that she wanted to tell me why she was leaving before she left, so that I could fix what I was doing wrong.”
“How did that go?”
“Let’s just say, I was not receptive at first. It’s hard to hear that you’re the reason that no one wants to stick around. After I calmed down, I called her back into my office and we sat down. And I listened. She laid it out without emotion, explaining how it affected my bottom line. When she was done, I realized that she was one hundred percent right; so, I hired her to totally revamp the inner workings of my business, then gave her a job in HR. That’s why your final check was so high. We give a large amount of vacation the first year in addition to sic
k days, personal days, and other perks. You start earning them from the moment you walk in the door. And we created parental leave for new parents, whether they adopt or have biological children. There’s also paid medical leave in addition to the short-term and long-term disability insurance that we provide. That, along with the rec room, and all the other perks really make Furst Industries a place that people want to work. Working as a secretary in finance, consulting, and investments isn’t the most exciting job there is, but happy employees are good employees, and I strive to make sure that everyone that walks through those doors is happy.”
Shawna smiled, but it was forced. She was sure he was telling the truth, but the time she spent working under Richard Lange was some of the most miserable of her life.
He noticed her expression right away, and he looked concerned.
“What did I say?”
“Nothing. It’s just that not everyone is happy there. It’s a lot like life, I guess. The haves get to enjoy happiness, and the have-nots are the ones left out in the cold.”
“That’s not true,” he said.
“The secretary pool is miserable, and I don’t see that changing.”
“It’s going to change,” Eric said with certainty.
“Then why isn’t it changed now?”
“I have to watch him and make sure I have everything I need on him before I fire him.”
“You’re firing him?”
“I will take care of him, but not right now. The timing isn’t right.”
“When will the timing be right?” she asked, unable to keep the frustration from her voice.
“Don’t worry; you’ll be the first to know.”
“Can I be there for it?”
“I wouldn’t dream of firing him without you.”
Shawna smiled.
“I guess I can wait, then. I just feel bad for everyone that works under him. He’s mean to the women more, but he treats the guys horribly, too.”
“He didn’t start out that way, but I guess people change.”
“Or they hide who they are until you drop your guard.”
“Or that. I’m sad to say, he’s not the first person I’ve ever had do that in my lifetime, but it’s been awhile. I guess I wasn’t thinking about that possibility. At any rate, I have plans for that entire secretarial department, and I think it’s going to fix the fact that I was completely unaware of the failing that was right under my nose the entire time. I’ll make it up to everyone that works for him, and I’ll make sure that they’re finally happy. I want everyone who works for me to be happy, but most of all, I want you to be happy.”
“Thank you,” she said. “I really do appreciate that.
He opened his arms and she stepped into his embrace. He kissed the top of her head and she smiled against his chest.
“I promise if I would have known, I would never have let him treat anyone that way. I’m not one of those people that is so into themselves that they can’t see what’s going on around them. At least, I don’t want to be one of those people. You’ve opened my eyes to a lot of things, and I’m so grateful for you.”
“That’s funny,” she said, still wrapped in his arms. “I was about to say the same thing to you.”
Eric smiled at her, then his face registered his sudden excitement.
“I have a crazy idea,” he said.
“What?”
“Do you want to take a moonlit ride?”
“When?”
“Now.”
She looked at him for a beat, then smiled.
“You know what? Yes. Let’s do it.”
Eric nodded.
“Alright. We’ll take Tank.”
“Tank?”
“He’s that stout gray at the end of the aisle, looking at you with those soulful brown eyes.”
Shawna followed Eric’s gaze and saw the horse he was talking about. He was gorgeous, and his name suited him. He was a cross between a Quarter Horse and some sort of draft. Short and stocky, he definitely reminded Shawna of a Tank.
“I guess I’ll help you saddle him, and you’ll ride?”
“No saddle, and we’ll both take Tank.”
“No saddle?”
“Don’t worry, I have a bareback pad for him.”
Eric opened a door between the stalls and reached into the locker that held a saddle, a bridle, and a small assortment of blankets. Pulling out a thick, teal pad that almost looked like a saddle blanket but had a belly strap, Eric handed her the pad and grabbed the bridle and a small bucket of teal brushes.
“You have their things color-coordinated?”
“Of course. That’s the only way to make sure that I’m not mixing their things up.”
“That’s brilliant,” she said, grabbing a brush and running it over the horse’s back, careful to keep her feet away from his.
Eric joined her in the stall, picking Tank’s hooves, then checking her grooming job before he put the bareback pad on Tank. Shawna moved out of the stall and out of the way as Eric bridled the horse and led him into the aisle.
With little effort, Eric hopped onto Tank’s back, then rode him out of the barn and up to a two-step stool that was against the barn wall. Shawna climbed onto the second step and Eric helped her up and onto Tank. She got situated behind Eric, scooting up until she was on the bareback pad and pressed against Eric.
“I’m scared,” she whispered.
“Just hold on to me. I won’t let you fall.”
She nodded, wrapping her arms around his waist and turning her head so she could hold him tighter. The horse moved forward, his gait smoother than Shawna had expected. Within a few minutes, she relaxed, and then, she was having fun.
They went all over the area around the barn while Eric giving a guided tour of the farm portion of the land. Shawna leaned into Eric, and pretty soon her death grip on his waist loosened and she relaxed completely. She was having fun, and she didn’t want this night to end.
***
They returned more than an hour later, and Shawna knew that she was going to feel their bareback ride around the farm the next day, but she didn’t care. She held Eric’s waist as the horse walked the last few yards to the barn and stopped on the path next to the thick grass.
“Do you need help down?” he asked.
“I’ve got it,” she said, sliding off the side and promptly falling to the ground as her legs buckled when her feet touched the ground. “Oof,” she said, sitting there in the soft grass for a moment. “I wasn’t expecting that.”
Eric was at her side in an instant, Tank standing quietly where Eric had left him.
“I should have warned you that your legs would fall asleep. Are you alright?”
He stuck his hand out to her, helping her up and making sure she was steady before he let her go.
“I’m fine,” she said. “A little embarrassed, but I won’t let it ruin the night.” She petted Tank, and the large, gray gelding turned and nuzzled her shoulder gently.
Eric took the reins and handed them to her.
“He walks like a puppy dog, just watch out for your feet.”
She nodded, walking between Eric and Tank, heading into the barn in no hurry.
Tank stopped obediently in front of his stall, lowering his head and letting Shawna take the bridle off him. Eric already had the bareback pad off Tank and was giving him a quick brushing and checking his feet while Shawna used a hand towel hanging on the stall to wipe his face down. Tank rubbed hard against Shawna’s hand, then put his head on her shoulder and breathed in her ear.
“He likes you,” Eric laughed.
“I like him, too.”
“He’s a good horse.”
Eric finished with Tank’s hooves and instructed Shawna to step back before telling Tank that he was okay to go in his stall. Tank sauntered in, stepping into the deep bed of shavings and going to the corner where his hay net was to munch on it contentedly.
“I can’t wait to have this,” Shawna said, looking arou
nd the barn appreciatively. “This is my dream barn, and I really can’t wait to live out this life goal.”
“I understand,” he said. “Until then, maybe one day a week we can skip the office and work from the barn. That way, you’re comfortable with horses on your own when you get one.”
“‘Work’ from the barn,” she said in a teasing tone.
He leaned in, kissing her gently, then pulling away to close Tank’s stall.
“If you love your job, then it doesn’t feel like work,” he said, still standing close.
Shawna felt a thrill pass through her, and she wondered what he was thinking behind those gorgeous hazel eyes. She smiled, then let her eyes trail down his chest before working her way back up to his face.
“What kind of work would we be doing?” Shawna asked, leaning forward and standing on her tiptoes so she could kiss Eric.
Eric shrugged, but his expression had changed.
Good, Shawna thought. He’d been maddeningly polite and hands-off since picking her up for dinner early that evening. Meanwhile, Shawna had struggled to keep her body in check while holding onto Eric’s muscled body as they rode through the crisp, moonlit night. She had almost slipped her hand down and played with fire, but she wasn’t quite that bold and she had stopped herself. Now, she was regretting it.
“You make the cutest faces when you’re thinking,” Eric said.
Shawna blushed. Eric pulled her close, kissing her passionately. His kiss took her breath away, and then he set her back from himself so that he could look at her.
“Do you want to share what you were thinking, or should I guess?”
“You’ll never guess,” she said as she shook her head.
“Then, why not tell me?”
“I’m afraid you’ll laugh at me.”
“Try me.”
She sighed.
“It’s just that the ride was so beautiful, and this barn is so perfect, and I have always had this fantasy, and—” she trailed off, blushing furiously and covering her face. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I even brought it up.”
She felt his fingers on her wrists, pulling her hands away from her face and looking into her eyes.
“Just tell me. Don’t be shy about it. You’ll never get what you want if you don’t learn to ask for it. Knowing what you want and going after it is part of what makes a woman powerful.”