His Ranch, His Rules

by Shanna Handel

  “How’d you sleep, Georgia?” Our gazes met. There seemed to be an unspoken bond formed between us.

  “Very well, thank you. And you?” I answered coolly.

  A funny look flashed in his eyes—one of anger, or worry, or… I had no idea, but I hadn’t missed it. Something was troubling him.

  A hand went through his damp hair, rustling up the clean scent of his shampoo. “Uh… not too good, I’m afraid.”

  “Sorry to hear that. Anything I can help with?”

  “I was up all night thinking about certain events that transpired, and I’ve decided that… I owe you an apology.”

  An apology? For something he did do, or something he was about to do—like, kick me off the ranch? Dread filled my stomach. Thoughts of the bleak, gray-walled apartment, Dennis leering at me from over his gold chains and too-short wife beater tank top filled my mind. The memory of the smell of brats and draft beer made me nauseous.

  “What do you mean?” I asked, trying to keep the panic from my voice.

  Running a hand through his hair had only left it sexier, a long lock of it now hanging over his eye.

  “I’ve—just… I’ve never acted that way with an employee before. Heck—I’ve never done that to anyone I wasn’t in a consensual relationship with. I don’t know what came over me. I had no right to do what I did but I just sensed there was something so lost within you and for whatever reason—maybe the fact that by fate you ended up on my ranch—I felt it was my duty to set you straight.”

  He only spanked… girlfriends.

  The knowledge burned in my chest like a delicious secret. The other female employees hadn’t left the ranch because they were getting their butts paddled. They just couldn’t hack the isolation.

  I gulped. I had known this man less than one day and he had treated me the way he had only treated his girlfriends. Was it possible that the pull I felt toward Brody was running both ways?

  Hopeful butterflies tickled my insides as my gaze fell to his worn boots, formulating a response to his confession. “I, err… I…” My tongue was tied. I could not look up from his scuffed boots.

  Then, the sweetest thing happened.

  The very tip of his finger pressed against the bottom of my chin. With the gentlest touch, he raised my chin, forcing my eyes to meet his.

  I was spellbound.

  The balance of control, dominance, and tenderness made my knees tremble as if they would no longer hold my weight.

  “Unless,” he mused, leaning his face in closer to mine. His brow furrowed in the most adorable way as he investigated my face. “Unless I read you correctly. And you know that I know that I can give you what you need? Is that possible?”

  His fingertip was still on my chin. A hopeful look danced in his eyes, his jaw tightening as he awaited my reply.

  With his face this close it was almost impossible to think. Damn, those brown eyes were intense.

  I had two options.

  I could tell Brody he was insane. That he had most certainly not read me correctly and only the crazy spanko women he dated were into ‘that stuff.’ That I was a grown ass woman looking for a respectable job and free housing when I was down on my luck and he was lucky I wasn’t going to the press about the spanking. But I could keep it quiet if he let me remain under his employ.

  Option one would most likely result in pleasant, normal working conditions on the ranch. Brody would be my boss and treat me like one of his employees. And the discipline would end.

  But so would the melting in my core. The weakness in my knees. The tender loving aftercare I had received. And the discipline that had mystifyingly cleansed me. Was I willing to tell him, no, I don’t need what you can give me?

  But he had given me what I needed. I could not, would not let it go.

  Eyes locked on his, I went with option two.

  I gave one simple nod of my head. His hand moved to my cheek, cupping it gently. His body moved toward mine, so close I could feel the heat from his skin, the smell of his aftershave filling my senses and making me weak.

  His voice was husky as he spoke. “This little arrangement between us, we will keep it private, just between you and me. Just a boss and an employee who needs a little extra guidance.” But the look in his eyes and the way he held my face told me he was having a very hard time thinking of me as ‘just an employee.’ His lips neared mine and my heart palpitated as I tilted my face up just a bit, closing my eyes, anticipating his kiss.

  A gentle press of his lips touched my forehead. A forehead kiss.

  I had never had anyone kiss my forehead like that. The tender touch felt good. It was endearing—and at the same time a brutal disappointment washed over me.

  But what had I expected?

  This cowboy to swoop in, save me from myself, and kiss me, all within twelve hours? I shook my head, clearing my thoughts and getting a hold of myself. “I’d best get dressed,” I said with a false brightness. “It’s my first roundup day.” I took a step back, my hand going to the doorknob, signaling I was ready to close it. Too many emotions whirled within me—a product of his closeness and everything that had transpired between us.

  The smile dropped from Brody’s face, a look of angst replacing it. Running a hand through his hair, he rubbed the back of his neck, eyeing me before he finally spoke. “Right. Good idea. I’ll see you in the Mess Hall. You’re going to love Memaw’s breakfast. She was up at four this morning cooking. She goes all out on roundup day.” With a nod of his head, he turned away and was off my porch.

  Shutting the door, I let out a whoosh of breath. My shoulder blades hit the closed door as I leaned against it. My head buzzed.

  What had I just agreed to?

  Luckily there was little time to think. I jumped in the shower, letting the hot water wash over me as I prepared myself for the day to come.

  Chapter Four

  My thin-soled sneakers crunched over the gravel as I made my way up to the Mess Hall for the second time since my arrival. The blush that resided on my cheeks as the building came into view seemed to be a permanent fixture since meeting Brody.

  I hoped I had chosen an appropriate outfit for the job today. Looking down, I assessed my clothing for the hundredth time since I had put it on after my shower. Light blue skinny jeans that were worn in just right, and a button-down shirt made of a heavy material. This had been my uniform at the farm. I had thrown out the muddy old galoshes I had worn at Maggie’s, so I was stuck with the only footwear I had, the little white Keds I usually wore for my shifts at Vet and Pet.

  A few strapping cowboys were making their way out of another building, one that had to be the men’s bunkhouse. They were headed for the Mess Hall as I was. One man caught my eye, a smile covering his face as his hand rose to wave to me—Colton.

  Raising my hand, I waved back, glad to see at least one familiar face.

  The door to the Mess Hall opened and Brody stepped out. Holding the door open, he greeted the men as they filed in. The door shut behind the other young men, leaving Brody alone on the porch. His hands went to his hips, standing and staring and watching as I approached. Nerves ballooned in my stomach and my eyes fell to the dusty ground. A heat pressed upon me underneath his steady gaze. I walked up the steps telling myself, just don’t trip.

  Finally, I made it to the porch.

  “Welcome to the Mess Hall,” Brody said with a wink.

  My cheeks burned.

  Brody held the door open for me. My nerves were soothed away with the smell of home-cooked breakfast. Bacon, coffee, and baked goods registered in my nose and my mouth started to water. Hunger overtook my stomach, a quiet growl rumbling. I was starving.

  “It tastes even better than it smells,” Brody said.

  “I doubt that’s possible,” I said, laughing as my stomach growled again. “But I’m more than willing to taste it all and let you know.”

  Curious eyes turned to me as we entered the room. Without warning, I felt Brody’s hand pressing into my
lower back as he guided me to the table where everyone was seated. A thrill ran through me. Was he being polite, or marking me as his own? The delicious moment of my wishful thinking was interrupted by a loud heckle.

  “Whoo-eee, you told me you got a new one, but you didn’t mention she was so purdy!” an older woman at the table declared.

  Colton gently nudged the woman in the ribs. “Hush now, Memaw, you’re gonna make her nervous.”

  “But what a beauty, that dark hair. And just look at how long those legs are. They go all the way down to the floor!”

  Brody’s deep voice interrupted Memaw’s rant. “That’s quite enough, Memaw.” His eyes cut to me in a sidelong glance. To my delicious surprise, his hand pressed further into my lower back as he spoke. “And yes, Georgia is a very pretty young woman. I can tell I’m gonna have to stay on my cowboys to keep them focused with her on the team.”

  My heart skipped a beat. Memaw may have called me ‘purdy,’ but the compliment from Brody made my cheeks flush. Maybe he was just trying to appease Memaw? But he was still looking at me out to the corner of his eyes—his gaze resting a little too long on the legs Memaw had mentioned. They did go all the way down to the floor, I supposed. I bit back a smile, my teeth sinking into my bottom lip.

  “Well, don’t you talk, child? Or has my cowboy grandson’s good looks left you speechless?” Memaw cackled a laugh, seeming to enjoy the crimson blush I was sure rested on my cheeks.

  Looking around the table at the broad-shouldered men who surrounded her, I quickly quipped back, “Which one?”

  “Oh, I like her! She’s a feisty one, isn’t she? You’re gonna fit right in on this ranch, little missy.” She leaned in, addressing me in a loud whisper as if no one could hear her. “You stay tough and show these cowboys who’s really in charge. Don’t take any of their bossing—”

  Brody interrupted her with a smile on his face. “Memaw, I’d appreciate it if you’d wait a day or two before you start scaring off my new employee.”

  She couldn’t scare me off. I had nowhere to go.

  Memaw’s brow furrowed as she scrutinized me up and down. There was a long quiet pause, then she declared, “This one’s gonna stick. I can feel it.”

  “Well, I’m glad you think so, because I intend to fulfill my year commitment. And let the cowboys bring on their bossing. I can handle it.” My gaze slid to Brody’s. He gave me a sexy, teasing smile, raising one brow to question my statement.

  “That so, little lady? Bring it on, huh?” Out of sight from the group, his hand slid from my lower back, resting lightly on my bottom for just a moment. I had to stop myself from gasping out loud in surprise. Then the hand traveled back up over my bottom, returning to its home on my lower back. A trail of heat was left behind.

  The gesture was not lost on me. It was a warning. And a damn sexy one at that. One swipe of his hand and I was pulsing and panting, the reminder clear in my mind. Step out of line and it’s a spanking.

  The knowledge made my pussy throb.

  Releasing his hold on me, Brody stepped toward the table. “Come and meet the team. My brother Travis hasn’t made it into town yet, but the rest of the gang is here.”

  I smiled as I went around the table, shaking hands with his mother Alice, her mother Memaw, brother Hayes in from college, and the other ranch hands, Bo, Clarke, Al, and Jim. Colton pulled me in for a hug. To my surprise, there were two beautiful woman seated at the table. Brody said, “Meet Louanne and Bethany. Louanne does all the wedding coordination, and Bethany handles all the ins and outs of the other events here on the ranch. They are locals, our only employees who live in town.”

  “Pleasure to meet you,” I said, stretching out my hand, first to Louanne, then to Bethany. To my dismay there was no wedding ring on either one of the women. Feeling stupid for caring that Brody’s coworkers were single, I cracked a joke. “I was wondering how these cowboys pulled off those beautiful weddings I saw on the website without the touch of a woman.”

  “What am I, chopped liver?” Memaw demanded from over my shoulder.

  I flushed. “Oh, I didn’t mean—”

  “Old ladies can’t plan weddings? You think we don’t know what Pinterest is? We are only good for the cooking?”

  “No—I just meant that it seemed like a lot—”

  Memaw sat back in her chair hooting with laughter. “I’m just messing with you, girlie. Welcome to the family.”

  Smiling, I let out the breath I was holding.

  Alice smiled reassuringly. “You’ll have to forgive Memaw. She has a unique sense of humor.”

  “And no filter,” she hooked her fingers in the air like quotation marks at the word filter, “so I’ve been told by the young people,” Memaw chimed in.

  “If you ever want to help out with the wedding decorations, I’m sure we could use a hand,” Louanne suggested.

  A pang of pain hit me in the center of my stomach. Helping to plan the wedding I had pictured for Jake and me? The pain quickly dissolved when I realized my ex-boyfriend hadn’t yet crossed my mind since I’d arrived on the ranch! Smiling, I said, “I’d be happy to after I’ve settled into my animal care routine.”

  Louanne gave a smile and a nod.

  A look of disapproval crossed Bethany’s face. She hadn’t said a word since I’d arrived. Her eyes darted from Brody to me, then back again. Uh-oh. I’d have to make sure to befriend her. I didn’t want to risk any women on the ranch not liking me or feeling threatened by me. And with so few women to please, certainly even I could pull it off. Couldn’t I?

  Introductions over, Brody held out a chair for me. The gesture was not lost on Bethany and I swore a grimace crossed her face as I took a seat. Brody took his seat beside me, at the head of the table. I snuck a look around the table. Brody obviously always sat at the head of the table, but had they saved this seat beside him for me? Or was it a coincidence?

  “Now that you’ve met the team it’s a good time to let you know the rules and remind everyone else of them, this being the most dangerous day on the ranch. Rule number one—we do it my way. Safety is always first. Yes, we’d love to get it all done today, but we won’t be putting any people or animals at risk to do that. Rule two—work hard. There should be sweat covering every inch of you by the time this day is over. I know I’m heavy handed,” Brody’s eyes locked on mine a second too long, “but I get the job done.”

  The ‘heavy handed’ threat/reminder left me with damp panties and an imaginary smarting in my bottom. Not wanting Brody to see his hold on me, I turned to Hayes on my right, flashing him a flirty smile. “Would you mind passing the bacon? I think I’m going to need my strength. I have a feeling your boss works this crew to death.”

  “Don’t I know it. Brody is one hard-ass—I mean hard-nosed boss man. Had to go away to college, just to get myself a break. Travis decided to get his PhD, so he could get away from Brody even longer.” The members of the team laughed at Hayes’ joke. “But he’s supposed to be here later today. Even working to accrue a doctorate in animal management was no excuse in Brody’s eyes for Travis to miss roundup day.” Everyone laughed again. Hayes passed me the platter of bacon. “You’d best eat up.”

  “Are you missing class for this?” I asked, taking two slices of crispy meat then passing the plate to Brody.

  Hayes’ eyes lit up. “I get an excused absence for this one. Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  “Brody tells us you used to intern on a farm. Did you enjoy the work?” Alice asked me politely in her gentle manner.

  “I did. It was some time ago, but I’m hoping my skills will transfer to the ranch. And it was only cattle, no horses, so that will be a new dynamic for me. Maggie—the woman I worked for—is such a sweetheart. I learned more under her during those summers, than I learned all four in college.”

  The food continued to pass around the table and soon my plate had scrambled eggs and a huge cinnamon roll.

  “Nothing beats hands-on experience,” Brody threw i
n. “Now get to eating—you’re gonna need every calorie you can get. No one passes out on my watch. Best to clear that plate.” He paused his meal, holding his fork in the air, staring me down.

  Was he seriously commanding me to take a bite? It felt like all eyes were on me, waiting to see if the new girl was going to disobey the boss this early in the game. Did I eat the food and risk looking weak in front of my new coworkers? Or refuse, and spend the day hungry and possibly unable to sit down?

  Putting a naughty smile on my face, I said, “No one has to tell me twice to eat this delicious food, thank you very much. Memaw, I haven’t had cooking this good since staying at Maggie’s.” I pierced a bite of fluffy egg with my fork, popping it my mouth and sending a satisfied smile to Brody. “Mmmm, delicious,” I said with a wink.

  Colton shot me a look that seemed to say, well played. Brody shot me his own look that could possibly read, watch that smart mouth and get to eating. And Memaw had a look on her face that said she was enjoying the entertainment.

  Memaw’s eyes were on Brody’s when she spoke. “I sure am glad you came aboard, girlie, I sure am.” She laughed.

  * * *

  On the way out to the barn, Alice came up to me, pulling me aside with a gentle tug. “Honey, I hope you don’t mind but I’ve brought you some more appropriate footwear for the ranch.” In her hands, she held a pair of tan leather cowgirl boots.

  They were beautiful.

  “Alice, I mean, Ms. Jenkins, thank you but I couldn’t possibly—”

  “Seven, right?”

  “I’m sorry?”

  “You’re a size seven shoe, right? I guessed we were about the same size.”

  “These are yours? I am a seven. That’s so sweet of you… but I would just feel terrible if something happened to them.”

  “Honey, nothing can hurt a pair of good cowgirl boots. And I don’t need them anymore, so they are yours.”

  “You aren’t working on the ranch?” I took the boots from her hand. The soft, buttery leather slipped between my fingers.