Bought by the Lone Cowboy

by E. Walsh

  Dana had grown up in a rather affluent home. In fact, Dana had grown up in a mansion. Her father, a big tech mogul, was no less than a billionaire and he spared no expense when it came to Dana. Dana’s mother had died when she was just five, but her father had remarried soon thereafter and added two siblings to the family. Chloe, on the other hand, had grown up as the middle child of five. Her parents, while still together, struggled daily to make their finances work.

  Chloe had spent most of her childhood at Dana’s house. Not only because they always had more toys to play with and better food to eat, but also because Dana’s parents made a fuss of her. Back at her own home, Chloe seemed to fall between the cracks, overshadowed by her drug addicted older sister and her still toddling brother. Even when college began, Dana’s parents treated Chloe like one of their own.

  “Are you sure you have enough spending money?” They had asked and dutifully Chloe had nodded her head. As it happened, she didn’t have enough spending money, but she wasn’t about to depend upon someone else’s parents to provide it. A resourceful girl, she found her own ways to make ends meet. Working at the school bookstore brought in enough to feed herself and student loans covered her tuition. Occasionally, she would pick up a second job to cover any additional necessities, but those needs were few and far between. It was when Chloe lost her job due to the bookstore downsizing during her senior year that she found herself in real trouble. The first thing she did was pick up the phone and give Dana a call. Not looking for money, rather, looking for reassurance. After explaining her circumstance, Chloe received the reply she knew was coming from Dana.

  “Do you want me to ask my dad for some money?” Dana had asked.

  “No, I don’t want to mooch off your parents. Thanks though. I have been asking some of the other girls about jobs and I think I might have found something but I’m not sure yet.” Chloe said.

  “What is it?” Dana asked. Chloe was silent for just long enough to concern Dana. “Chloe? What is it?”

  “Promise you won’t be mad?” Chloe asked. Dana was almost certain that she knew what was coming next.

  “Are you going to strip?” Dana asked.

  “I’m JUST thinking about it. The girls who live next door work at a local club and say the money is really really good.” Chloe said.

  “Yeah but…eww, think of all the creepers. All the strangers trying to grope you and stuff…” Dana offered.

  “Well, I guess that’s part of the job…I dunno. But good money is good money and this would be like four times more than I made at the bookstore.” Chloe said. Dana sighed.

  “Will you do me a favor?” Dana asked. Chloe picked at the lumpy paint on the cinderblock wall next to her bed.

  “What’s that?” She asked.

  “Will you at least let me ask my dad if he knows anyone who’s hiring?” Dana asked. “Maybe we can find you something that pays well but doesn’t make you a serial killer target?” Dana said. Chloe laughed.

  “I’m not talking about being a hooker! I’m talking about stripping down to a G-string. Plus, the club has security.” Chloe said.

  “Still…please? Let me at least ask my dad about work?” Dana asked. Chloe sighed.

  “Fine, but I don’t want a job just because I’m your best friend.” She said. Dana laughed.

  “Yeah, right. Like he’s not going to think of you as family.” They both laughed lightly. “Let me get off the phone and give him a call. I think he’s in the office today so maybe I’ll actually be able to catch him!” Dana spewed all of this down the phone so quickly that all Chloe could do was say,

  “Okay.”

  It was just thirty minutes later when Dana called back.

  “Hey…so my dad said he wants you to work for him. Apparently he’s looking for someone to look after Jack and Lola when he has to go to functions or whatever. He said it’ll probably be three nights a week, but you know he will pay you good money.” Dana said. Chloe hadn’t babysat for Chloe’s siblings since they were much younger. Now they were eleven and twelve, the idea seemed a little less appealing.

  “I dunno, I’m not that great with kids that age…” Chloe said.

  “Come on, it’s Jack and Lola, they already love you to death. Plus, it’ll be more fun than shaking your ass in some strangers face for money.” Dana said. Chloe couldn’t deny that she was right.

  “You think I’ll make enough to at least…” Chloe started.

  “Yes. You know my dad, he’ll overpay just because it’s you.” Dana interrupted.

  “I don’t want him to overpay me just because it’s me!” Chloe said. Dana laughed.

  “Shut up, you know he has the money. Besides, if you don’t take the money as payment, he’ll just send it to you anyway.” Dana said. She was right and Chloe knew it.

  “Okay, I guess it can’t hurt to try it out anyway.” Chloe said.

  “Cool, you’ve got there number but dad said just drop by tonight around seven.” Dana said.

  “Okay, sure, I can do that.”

  “Good. God, could you imagine being a stripper for real?” Dana asked. Chloe could, she had been imagining it for the past three weeks as she tried to get up the courage to go to the club for work.

  “Yeah…thanks for talking to your dad for me.” Chloe said.

  “Anytime. Hey, I have to run, I have practice in thirty minutes and I still have to find my gear.” Dana said as she started rifling through her dorm room.

  “Okay, have a good time and call me later, yeah?” Chloe said.

  “Sure, talk to you then.”

  * * *

  Chapter 2

  Doug Hammond was forty years old, but his hair was already turning silver. It had been silver ever since Chloe could remember him. She thought that it gave him a look of sophistication.

  “Chloe!” He bellowed from the top of the staircase as Chloe walked in to the house.

  “Hi, Mr. Hammond!” Chloe said, reaching behind her and pulling her long blonde hair in to a quick ponytail. “Sorry!” She said. “I was running late and didn’t even have time to brush my hair!” Doug laughed.

  “It looks fine. You look fine.” He said as he descended the stairs. Chloe watched him, he looked like a classic Hollywood star descending the marble staircase to embrace his starlet. “So I’m guessing you had a chance to talk to Dana?” He asked. Chloe nodded.

  “I did. Thank you so much for offering me work.” Chloe said with a smile.

  “Don’t be silly. I’m not going to see you dancing in a strip club for money.” He said. Chloe felt her cheeks burning, she couldn’t believe that Dana had told him that.

  “Umm…yeah, that was kind of a joke.” She lied. Doug looked at her skeptically for a moment.

  “Hmm, well, come on through to my study we can talk in there. The kids are still up and Linda is trying to corral them in to their rooms.” Chloe wanted to say that of course the kids were still up. At eleven and twelve if they were in bed at seven o’clock then something would be wrong with them. Instead, she followed Doug through to his office. “Sit down, love.” Doug said as he shut the heavy wooden doors behind them. Chloe did as he asked.

  “So, Dana said you just need me a few days a week?” She asked. Doug nodded as he lowered himself in to his office chair.

  “Just to start, I might need you more after that depending how my most recent contract goes. If everything comes up roses then I’m more than likely going to need you more often.” Doug said. Chloe nodded.

  “Sure. I just need to make sure that nothing runs in to my school schedule. I don’t have any evening classes this semester though so it should all work out quite well.” She said.

  “Fabulous!” Doug said. “Now I’m thinking $100 an hour, how does that sit with you?” He asked completely seriously. Chloe looked surprised.

  “Umm, that sounds like a lot more than the job is worth…” she said. Doug laughed.

  “You obviously haven’t been around the kids lately.” He said. Chloe laugh
ed lightly.

  “Aww, don’t say that, they’re adorable.”

  “They were adorable, now they’re approaching teen years they’re just assholes” Doug said. Chloe smiled and shook her head.

  “Well, I still think it’s a lot of money for the job, but we’ll see how the first night goes and maybe I’ll have to agree with you.” Chloe said. Doug nodded.

  “I’m sure you will.” He said. “Now, I don’t want you driving out at night, so I’m going to arrange for one of the estate drivers to pick you up and drop you off from your dorm.” Doug jotted something down on a thick legal pad. Chloe shrugged.

  “Okay. I’m fine driving at night though, really.” She said, but Doug shook his head.

  “There’s no arguing on this one.” He said. Chloe nodded.

  “Okay, driver, dorm, got it.” She said.

  “I’ll make sure that the maid always leaves food for you and the kids, but that damn fridge is always stocked full so you shouldn’t have any problem finding food.” He said. Again Chloe nodded.

  “Can I ask you a question?” Chloe asked. Doug nodded.

  “Of course.” He said.

  “Will Mrs. Hammond be here when I’m working?” She asked. Doug let out a long sigh.

  “Mrs. Hammond and I are…uhh…well, we’re going to be arranging other living situations for her for a little while.” Doug said. Chloe’s eyes widened, he and Linda had always seemed so happy together.

  “Oh my God, I’m so sorry.” Chloe said. “Dana didn’t say…” She added. Doug shook his head.

  “Dana doesn’t know, so let’s keep this between us?” He asked hopefully. Chloe nodded.

  “Of course, of course. I’m just…wow…” Chloe didn’t mean to harp on it, but she’d had no idea that things were any less than ideal between Mr. and Mrs. Hammond.

  “The kids will be staying with me.” Doug said without further explanation. “So, you can see that you’ll be doing me a huge favor by watching them for me.” He said and then smiled. Chloe nodded.

  “Sure, anytime you need me.” Chloe offered. Doug reached over and put his hand on Chloe’s knee, patting it firmly.

  “I appreciate that, love. For now I just need to make sure that Dana doesn’t know anything. Linda and I agree that it’s best not to distract her during her last year at school.” Doug said. Chloe nodded.

  “I won’t say a word.” She said with a smile.

  * * *

  Chapter 3

  Chloe sat back on the plush sofa in Mr. Hammond’s office. She had just been getting ready to leave when he had asked if she wanted a drink.

  “Whiskey?” He asked, taking the stopper out of the crystal decanter. Chloe shook her head.

  “No thanks, I’m not that great with liquor.” She said. “I always end up doing something I regret and then not remembering it the next day.” Doug laughed.

  “That’s kind of the point of liquor.” He said, pouring himself a glass. “Can I get you something else?” He asked.

  “Maybe a soda or a bottle of water if you have one?” She asked. Doug nodded.

  “I have both.”

  “Oh, well, umm a Coke would be good then.” She said. Doug took a swig of his whiskey and then held up a finger.

  “I’ll be right back.” He said, slipping out of the office.

  While he was gone, Chloe went over to the bookcase and began browsing through his books. She had always been a lover of books, but Mr. Hammond had fed her desire with book after book when she was younger. The big house had a two story library complete with a rolling ladder that Chloe had always played on as a child.

  Running her finger along the spines of the books, Chloe scanned them all. Most of them were leadership and business management books, nothing that interested Chloe at all.

  “Ahhh, looking at the old books, eh?” Doug closed the office door behind him and walked up to the shelf. “I’m afraid there’s not much to get your teeth in to with these. They’re mostly business tactic books, nothing to get excited about.” He handed her a can of Coke.

  “I noticed that, are you getting boring in your old age?” Chloe joked.

  “Hey! Less of the old, thank you very much!” Doug said with a chuckle.

  “Sorry.” Chloe popped open her can. “Have you added anything worth reading to the library lately?” She asked. Doug’s eyes widened.

  “Yes! Come and see what I’ve done!” He said excitedly. Chloe laughed and followed Doug as he led her through the office door through to the library.

  The library hadn’t changed a bit since Chloe remembered it, at least that’s what she thought. As Doug led her around one of the larger bookshelves, her mouth dropped open. A whole new room had been added to the back of the library.

  “Oh my God! When did you do this?!” She asked, walking around the perimeter of the room. As she walked she ran her fingers along the crisp book bindings.

  “Geez, it must have been sex months ago when they finished it…” Doug said, watching her with a smile.

  “God…has it really been that long since I was here last?” Chloe asked. Doug nodded slowly.

  “You and Dana both. I don’t know, you girls go off to college and I never see you anymore. It used to be you two would have sleepovers in here.” He said. Chloe nodded.

  “I remember. Holy crap, you’ve pretty much doubled the size of this place!” She said, looking up and down the tall shelves.

  “Yeah. Linda wasn’t all that happy about it, but it’s one of the few things I actually did for myself. She thought I should have put the money in to the kid’s college funds. As if they don’t have enough in there already…” Doug realized that he was rambling. “Sorry, urgh, you shouldn’t have to listen to me bitching about my marriage.” Chloe shook her head.

  “Talk away, I don’t mind listening.” She said then gave him a reassuring smile. Doug shook his head.

  “No…let’s talk about something else instead…like this signed first edition of Catcher in the Rye!” He beckoned her to follow him to the shelf on the furthest side of the room. Gently pulling the book from the shelf he held it out to her.

  “Wow…” She opened the cover gently. “This is amazing!” She said, gently turning pages. “You should probably put this one in some kind of case or something.” She said. Doug nodded.

  “Probably, but I come in here and look at it about three times a day.” He laughed.

  “Then you should definitely put it in a case before you ruin it!” Chloe said handing it back to him. “Dare I ask how much it cost?” She asked.

  “I can only tell you if you swear not to tell Linda.” He leaned in whispering conspiratorially. “$40,000.” He said.

  “Are you serious?!” Chloe said in disbelief. Doug nodded.

  “I know, but I had to have it.” He said. Chloe nodded in agreement.

  “It is an incredible piece for your collection.” She said. “Got any other gems I here that I haven’t seen yet?” She asked with a grin. Doug shook his head.

  “Not yet, but I have my eye on a few more first editions.” He said. Chloe looked at him.

  “Like what?” She asked.

  “Mostly just a first edition of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer…” He said, his eyes gleaming. Chloe’s mouth fell open.

  “Nu uh…” She said in disbelief. Doug nodded. “No freaking way, I can’t even begin to imagine how expensive that would be.” She said. Doug laughed.

  “About as much as a small house or a very expensive car.” He said. Chloe couldn’t help shaking her head. “What can I say? I like my books. Some guys like cars, some guys like women, I happen to like books.” He said. Chloe glanced at him with one eyebrow raised.

  “So you’re telling me you don’t like women?” She asked jokingly. As soon as she’d said it however, she felt as though she shouldn’t have. Thankfully Doug saw the lighter side and laughed.

  “No, I definitely still like women. I just meant that…”

  “I know, I was just teasing.�
� Chloe said, turning her back and doing another lap around the new library extension.

  * * *

  Chapter 4

  The grandfather clock by the library door chimed nine o’clock. The noise made Chloe jump.

  “I don’t remember that being in here!” She said. Doug chuckled.

  “No, it used to be in the dining room until Linda decided she wanted to redecorate. Although redecorating pretty much meant moving all of my stuff out of the common rooms.” He said. Chloe didn’t know what to say and instead of responding she turned her attention to the shelf of books just above her.

  “Oh! Alice in Wonderland!” Standing on her tiptoes, Chloe reached up for the book. She stretched her fingers as far as she could, but the book was still out of reach.

  “Let me help…” Doug’s voice came next to her ear as he stood behind her and reached up. His fingers grasped the spine of the book. As he took it from the shelf, he brought it down in front of Chloe. “Here.”

  Chloe could feel the warmth of Doug’s body behind her. She leaned back against him. She wasn’t sure what had made her do it, but when she did he wrapped his arms around her. He held the book in front of her lower stomach. Chloe took it from his hands and gently, she placed it on top of the books on the shelf in front of her.

  His hands now empty, Doug wrapped himself around Chloe’s body. Her slender frame fit so perfectly between his arms. Slowly he allowed his hands to flatten against her soft stomach.

  The warmth of his touch made her heart skip a beat. Closing her eyes, she tried to fight back the thought that this was her best friend’s dad. Her best friend’s MARRIED dad. She could feel his warm breath on her ear as he breathed shuddering breaths of desire.

  As seconds ticked by, Chloe felt his hands slowly sliding upward until each of them was cupping one of her perky breasts. She leaned her head back against his chest, her mouth open and hungry. Doug leaned down, pressing his lips against the side of her neck.