His Ranch, His Rules

by Shanna Handel

My spine shivered as a delicious warmth spread through me, Brody working away under my skirts. I gasped as I heard the quiet hum of the vibrator, the jelly tip of it pressing against the entrance of my pussy. Then, he thrust the Jackrabbit inside me, while his mouth was still on me. His slick tongue worked my clit as he moved the Jackrabbit in and out of me. At this point, I didn’t care if the whole ranch heard me; I was screaming “Oh, my God!”

  My fingernails dug into his shoulders as I rose on my tiptoes, the orgasm tensing my body. I shuddered as I came, begging him, “Oh, my God, Brody, stop, I can’t take anymore.”

  His mouth left me, his face appearing from beneath my skirts. “We just need to be sure you have a proper goodbye, honey. We want to make sure you got your money’s worth from this little toy.” He plunged the Jackrabbit back within me. My eyes rolled into the back of my head and I whimpered. I wasn’t sure how much more I could take. “Oh… oh… my…” I was going to come again. Unbelievable. My pussy clenched around my old friend as I screamed. Brody chuckled as he finally pulled the Jackrabbit from me. I stood there, trying to recover from my orgasms, my legs shaking.

  Brody stood up, grinning at me and tossing the Jackrabbit onto the bed. Giving my bottom a pat, he said, “Now git over that bed.”

  “Wha?” I asked, barely breathing, stars still in my eyes.

  He crossed his arms over his chest, grin gone. “Shuffle on over and bend over that bed with your panties around your ankles so I can spank you for disobeying me.”

  “But… but…”

  “Don’t make me count. If I get to three, my belt comes off.”

  I froze. A spanking cowboy boyfriend was one thing. A belt-wielding one was another. My tummy clenched as I said, “You wouldn’t really—”

  “One.”

  I was shuffled and bent over that bed in three seconds flat. Brody spanked my bare bottom hard—he wasn’t playing around about this disobedience thing. Tears were in my eyes. I wasn’t sure how much more I could take as the spanks came down faster. He was doing a thorough job of getting his point across—even spanking my thighs. I was wiggling all over the bed, begging him to stop. My ass was on fire, but he kept right on spanking me till my whole bottom was sore and I was promising to obey him. He let me up and I turned over my shoulder to peek at my ass. Cherry red! Just like the movies and pictures I had seen on the internet. But my God, it hurt. My hands went to my sore skin, trying to rub the sting out of my bottom. Brody gave a chuckle as I hopped from foot to foot, saying, “Ouchie!”

  Then he told me to get on the bed (God, I can’t believe I am writing this. You should see how red my face is right now, diary—about as red as my ass was that day) on my hands and knees. I heard him unzip his jeans and then, wham, he slammed his cock into my pussy from behind. He fucked me hard. It was as if he was punishing me with his cock as he had by his hand. My breath caught in my throat as he banged me from behind. But then, that delicious clenching of my pussy began all over again and I felt an orgasm building within me. My familiar groaning and moaning and ‘oh, my God-ing’ began as I stuck my ass up higher in the air so his cock could go even deeper within me. His hips slammed against my still sore ass and in what felt like thirty seconds later, I finally had yet another mind-blowing climax, even better than the ones he had given me with the Jackrabbit.

  We missed church today to spend the day fucking. Best. Sunday. Ever.

  This isn’t something I would normally put in a diary, I guess, but Brody told me to document it as part of my punishment in case I needed a reminder on ‘what happens to naughty girlfriends.’ In fact, he is sitting on my bed right now, reading a book while I sit here, naked on a sore tush writing in you.

  How hot is that. Oh, he’s putting his book down and beckoning me. Gotta go!

  Goodnight!

  Brody’s baby girl

  August 16

  Dear Diary,

  Look! I’m keeping my word and writing in you every day. Maybe this spanking therapy is working after all.

  Ted and Kaley’s wedding is in two weeks. Regina called me to warn me that Jake will be there. And guess who doesn’t care… this girl! Because I have a boyfriend. The most amazing one on the planet.

  Goodnight!

  Brody’s baby girl

  August 17

  I finally met Travis! And guess who he would be perfect for? Regina!

  I am so going to hook them up at Ted’s wedding. Brody said it’s best not to play matchmaker but come on. I even heard Travis tell one of the guys he’d love to date a redhead. How perfect is that?

  Regina is bringing me a dress to wear to the wedding since I only have the rose-colored one and there is no shopping here and no time to shop anyway. I can’t wait to see her, and Ted and Kaley.

  Brody, Alice, Memaw, Colton, Travis, Hayes, and I will all drive to Boise on the bus. I can’t wait. It’s going to be so much fun! Road trip!

  Goodnight!

  Brody’s baby girl

  August 18

  Everything was perfect. Until it wasn’t.

  Bethany got me drunk.

  This is what happened.

  It had been a crazy day and I didn’t even have time to get a shower before dinner. I ran straight from the barn to the Mess Hall, where the entire team was already seated at our table—the same table I ate my first meal on the ranch at. The full-time staff kept it reserved just for us. Summer season was in full swing and Mess Hall was overflowing with people and part-time workers driving in from Little Peak and neighboring towns.

  There was an iced tea waiting for me at my seat next to Brody. Completely dehydrated from the sweltering day, I drank it down in one big gulp. It was a bit sweeter than usual, but I was so hungry, I didn’t give the drink a second thought. I dove right into the plate of food that was waiting for me.

  About halfway through dinner, I began to think everything that was being said was hilarious. I assumed I was just a little punch drunk from the late night I had the night before, attending the birth of a foal. It was a magical experience, but one that went late into the night, leaving me with little sleep.

  It never once crossed my mind that I was actually drunk.

  I laughed louder and louder with each joke but didn’t understand why Brody wasn’t joining in beside me. Instead, he kept giving me this funny look.

  Then, I laughed so hard I fell out of my chair. The family of the bride of a wedding that took place earlier in the week sat at the table next to us. They stared at me, whispering, which only made me laugh harder. Brody escorted me out of the Mess Hall. Grabbing my elbow hard, he walked me to the bunkhouse, me giggling the whole way. When we got there, he took me inside and sat me on the bed.

  Standing before me, his voice low, he said, “Tell me the truth right now, Georgia Hamilton. Have you been drinking?”

  “No!” I laughed. “You’re crazy, Brody. I just had sweet tea.” But the words came out more like this, “No ure crazed brahdy. I had jest sweeeeeet tea.” I had no idea why my speech was slurred.

  Then it hit me.

  I stood up from the bed, grabbing Brody by the shoulders. “She diked my spink! I mean—spiked my drink!”

  The anger in his voice made me shudder. He spat at me, “Who would do something like that? Memaw? My mother?”

  My head hurt as I thought, trying to go through the faces at the table. Then it hit me. “Bethany,” I hissed.

  “No. Bethany would never do that.”

  “Why do you always take her side?”

  “What side? When have I ever had to take sides between you and Bethany? You two barely say a word to one another as it is. But that doesn’t even matter. You are drunk and I want to know why.”

  “I’m druuuuunk because your best friend, Beeeeeeethannnnny got me drunk,” I spelled it out for him.

  His voice was so cold it chilled me. “Spiking someone’s drink is a crime, Georgia. You need to tell me the truth right now.” His face was livid as he put his hands on his hips, leaning toward me, awaiting
my confession.

  “I am telling you the truth.” I grabbed at his shoulders again.

  Disgusted, he pushed me onto the bed. “I don’t believe you.”

  With those four words my world came crashing down around me. “Why?”

  Running his hands through his hair, he paced the room. “You lied to me once. You brought those bottles on my property. I’ll bet you never even poured them out! Just waiting for the day you wanted to have yourself a little party for one.”

  Anger flared within me. “Get out!” From my seat on the bed, I ripped Alice’s boot from my foot, holding it in the air, threatening to throw it right at his head. “I said, get out!” I roared.

  His voice like ice, he said, “We’re done.” Brody turned and left.

  I must stop writing now because I’m crying so hard, the pages are getting wet.

  Worst night of my life,

  Formerly Brody’s baby girl

  August 19

  Dear Diary,

  I can’t even.

  Goodnight,

  No longer Brody’s baby girl

  August 20

  Dear Diary,

  I feel like I’m dying inside.

  No longer Brody’s baby girl

  August 21

  What’s the point of keeping my promise? This is my final entry.

  * * *

  Three days had passed since ‘the incident,’ and the last time Brody and I had talked.

  We moved around one another in an icy silence with such a tremendous tension it made Regina’s and my last few weeks of living together look like an episode of Golden Girls.

  As awkward as things had become for everyone, I refused to be pushed off the ranch. I had done nothing wrong. I was an upstanding employee. And I had not willingly imbibed alcohol.

  I went about my day, tears constantly stinging the backs of my eyes, my stomach always in a mess of knots. But I persevered. I had been through a terrible breakup once before. I knew the pain.

  Though Jake had always trusted me.

  That’s what hurt the most. Brody didn’t trust me. He hadn’t believed me. At all.

  The morning after the ‘incident,’ I awoke with a slight headache—a reminder of why I loved not drinking anymore—pulled on Alice’s boots, and stomped my way right down to the Mess Hall. Not one person from the team mentioned my embarrassing display at dinner the night before, not even Memaw. And I loved them for it.

  There were lots of curious looks when I passed my usual, open chair to the right of Brody. Instead of taking my seat, I kept walking until I reached Travis at the opposite end of the table. I asked him, “Wouldn’t you just love to sit by your brother, Brody? You must miss him after being off the ranch for so long.” Then stood by as Travis silently got up, pulling his chair out for me.

  My new seat was perfect. I couldn’t even see the Boss Man. And I could spend the entire meal glaring across from me at Bethany. Since the new seating arrangement, Bethany had developed the habit of nervously moving her food around with her fork or going back to her house for meals. Go figure.

  I knew Brody’s and my breakup had put a damper on the spirits at the ranch, but luckily, we were all so busy it was only mealtimes that others were affected by the tension.

  Soon, I would be back in Boise. I was so ready to take a break from this place—Brody everywhere I turned—to go to Ted and Kaley’s wedding. The only dilemma was getting there. I had investigated buying a plane ticket, but the last-minute prices were insane. Also, an airplane ride to Boise would mean someone from the ranch driving me two hours to the airport, then picking me up after they got home from the wedding themselves. So, I opted to remain a passenger of the Jenkins family bus to Boise.

  And now, I would have to face Jake, alone.

  The thought of seeing Ted and Regina was literally the only thing that kept me going besides caring for the precious cattle I had grown to love.

  And after the wedding, I was going to return to the ranch and see out my one-year commitment. There was no way I would let a breakup destroy my life for a second time. But staying on the ranch meant that at some point, Brody and I would have to speak to one another. And I worried it was going to be a real mess.

  We would leave for the wedding in four days.

  * * *

  The day before we left for Boise, I woke up for the first time with dry eyes. I hadn’t cried myself to sleep. Stretching and yawning, I filled my mind with the things I needed to get done before we left for the wedding.

  There was a knock at the door.

  Curious. There hadn’t been one since Brody stormed out of here.

  “Coming!” I called. Opening the door in my PJs, I revealed Memaw. In her hands was a bottle of rum.

  “Little early to be drinking, isn’t it?” I joked.

  Memaw pushed herself into the cabin. “Close the door,” she called. Taking a seat in one of the two armchairs, she said, “Guess where I found this?”

  “No idea,” I said as I sat beside her.

  “In the event closet. With just about two shots missing. Not a lot, but enough to make a skinny little whipper snapper like you drunk after a day of working and being dehydrated. Now I love Bethany like a daughter. But she carried a flame for Brody and she just hasn’t been her usual self since he took a liking to you. I would never want to accuse someone of such a thing, but I think Bethany spiked your tea.”

  Slumping back in my chair, I sighed. “I know.”

  “What in the tarnation are you talking about? If you knew, why the heck didn’t you tell Brody? Then you two wouldn’t have to be broken up! I swear my grandson had never been happier since the day you stepped foot on the ranch.”

  “I did tell him. I figured it out the same night it happened. I told him I thought it was Bethany, but he didn’t believe me.”

  A jubilant smile crossed her face as she shook the bottle in front of me. “But now I have proof. He will have to believe you!” she hooted.

  “I don’t care.”

  “Why ever not? Don’t you want him to know the truth?”

  “I told him the truth. And he didn’t believe me. And that’s the end of the story. I don’t want to be with someone who doesn’t trust me. I deserve better than that.”

  “Oh.” Memaw set the bottle on the floor, sitting back in her chair. Her gray brow furrowed as she got lost in thought for a moment. “I see.”

  I checked the time on my phone. “Don’t you need to get up there and cook breakfast?”

  “They can cook their own dang breakfast. I’m staying here with you till we figure this thing out.”

  I let out a great, heavy sigh. It felt like I’d been carrying it around for days. “I’m glad you know the truth, Memaw. And it’ll be good for others to know the truth—I don’t want the team thinking that I got drunk here at the ranch. I would never do that. But as for me and Brody, that ship has sailed. I’m moving on.”

  “Going to be a hell—s’cuse my French—of an awkward road trip. Eight hours on a bus, rehearsal dinner together, you’ll both be at the wedding and the reception, and then another eight hours on a bus.”

  “Mmm-hmm,” I agreed. “I’m dreading it, but I can’t wait to see my real friends.”

  “You have friends here, too, sweetheart,” she said gently.

  “I know,” I said. “I’m just sad.”

  “Alright, sweetie. I’ll leave you be. Might want to skip breakfast today. There’s gonna be some heated words coming out of my mouth to a certain Bethany and Brody. Might be best if you make your way to the barn and I’ll bring you breakfast a little later.”

  “Sounds good. Thank you, Memaw. For caring about me.”

  “Sure thing, sugar.” She stood up from the chair and I stood to walk her out. She pulled me into a tight hug, then let me go. Bending over, she picked the bottle of rum up from the floor, holding it up in front of me. “Evidence,” she said, hobbling out of the cabin.

  It should have felt great to be vindicated. I sho
uld be leaping for joy, shouting, “Let’s go tell Brody!” But I just didn’t have it in me. His lack of trust had hurt me too deeply. Writing me off so quickly. Breaking up with me without even looking into my claims—those words, we’re done, still pierced my heart. I did deserve better than that, just as I had told Memaw.

  Slumping down onto the bed, I closed my eyes, allowing myself another few minutes of rest before I got dressed for the day. A tiny smile crossed my lips as I pictured Memaw in the kitchen raising hell. I couldn’t decide who I like imagining her telling off more: Bethany or Brody.

  * * *

  A few hours later, feeling like a new woman, I headed to the barn. My stomach growled as I looked at my watch. It was ten o’clock. Long past the time I normally had breakfast and started my day. I had taken my time getting ready and it had been worth it.

  I stopped in my tracks when I reached the barn door. There, leaning against the workbench, was Brody. Despite my attempts to control my emotions, the sight of him still elicited a flutter and warm glow within me.

  A picnic basket sat beside him on the workbench. He looked at me, sorrow and guilt in his eyes.

  “Georgia.” He started toward me, but I held out a hand to stop him.

  “Please—don’t.” Hearing his voice, feeling his nearness, made me weak and flustered. And caused a deep, deep yearning in my core. My simple words meant ‘don’t come any closer, don’t make me want you, don’t break my heart again.’

  Shock made his face fall. “I-I’m so sorry, baby girl. I just never thought Bethany—”

  A shock of stoicism ran through me. Steadying my voice, I said, “Brody, we need to make one thing very clear to retain our working relationship. You can never, ever call me that name again. Ever.”

  His face froze in disbelief. A moment later, his brows raised, he gave his head a shake as if to clear away the blow. He ran his hands through his hair, rubbing the back of his neck. “Please, Georgia. Let me apologize. I packed a picnic—you must be hungry. I figured maybe we could ride somewhere and talk for bit. Maybe even ride to that spot we went that night with the guys. The first week you were here.”