“Great,” I mutter, looking back at the screen, pushing the mouse across the desk like its existence alone offends me.
“If you need some help I could…” She trails off, color hitting her cheeks. “I’m pretty good with computers.”
“Sure, why not? It’s not like I can figure the fucking thing out.”
She hesitantly steps into the room and walks toward me, I push my chair back to give her the space she needs. The closer she gets, the stronger my need is to reach out and touch her. My cock’s still hard from finding her inside my cabin earlier with her ass on full display. The fucking restraint it took not to drag her to my bed was incredible.
Her sweet scent surrounds me and I’m instantly back in the barn last night with her begging me to touch her. She moves between my knees and the desk. Bending slightly, it’s all I can do to drag my eyes away from her round ass to focus on the screen in case she figures it all out.
“What did you need to do?”
“I need.” I clear my throat, my voice barely a hoarse whisper giving away my intentions. “To find out who’s checking in later and what they’ve booked.”
“Right, okay.” She grabs the mouse and clicks around a little. Then as if by magic, a list appears, the exact list I’ve seen my aunt walking around with countless times.
“That’s it. Yes. I think I love you.” Silence descends around us and Jessie freezes in front of me. When the awkwardness becomes too much, I’m forced to say something. “Could you…uh…show me how you did that.”
She looks back over her shoulder and the smile on her face would knock me on my ass if I weren’t sitting down. My heart thunders in my chest and I have to fight to drag air into my lungs.
“Are you okay?” She narrows her eyes at me and like a total loser, I just nod my head, totally lost for words. The words I just said to her were just expressing my gratitude, I’m fully aware of that. But there was something so right when they rolled off my tongue.
“Yeah. Could you…”
“Of course.” She wiggles her ass a little, probably getting a stiff back where she’s bent over at a funny angle.
“Fuck, please don’t do that.”
“Do what? Oh…” she gasps in surprise when my hands land on her hips and pull her backward. Rolling the chair forward, I shift her to sit on one side of my lap so I can see around her as she explains what the hell she just did.
“Relax.” Rubbing my thumb against her lower back, she eventually does as I say before grabbing the mouse once again and explaining what she just did. She makes it sound so simple and it only makes me more frustrated with myself that I couldn’t do it.
“Woody, have you seen Jess…oh.” Betsy’s eyes widen as she takes in the two of us sitting behind the desk.
“I’m sorry, Clay just needed some help.”
“Clay?” Her eyebrow rises in surprise as she continues looking between the two of us.
“Okay, well. We need to head back to work, you coming?”
“Of course, yes.” Jessie scrambles to get off me, but I hold tighter.
“Actually, I have more I need from her.”
“I bet you do,” Betsy mutters as she turns to leave. “Just remember what I said, Jessie.”
Silence descends once again. The only noise is that of Betsy’s footsteps as she leaves.
“I really should go and—”
“I need you to help me.” Admitting that I’m failing here is painful, but the reassuring look in her eyes as she turns back to me soothes the sting a little. “I heard what Betsy said to you, by the way. I need you to know that she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
“Oh I didn’t really take any of it seriously,” she whispers, turning back toward the screen.
10
Jessie
“Shit,” Clay groans, his fingers bruising my hips. “Don’t grind like that.”
Usually my embarrassment would have me jumping from his lap, but Clay has this strange effect on me and I find myself doing it again on purpose. I know it’s wrong and that Betsy is probably right about me getting my heart broken, even if he says she’s talking rubbish, but I can’t stop myself teasing him. Knowing I’m having a similar effect on him has a brazen side of myself that I’ve not discovered before trying to burst out.
“Jessie,” he grunts. “You know full well what happened the last time you teased me.” I still as the memory of me running from him last night hits me.
“I’m sorry.”
“No need to be sorry, baby. Just be aware that my self-control is only so strong.”
Dragging in a ragged breath, I focus on the job at hand.
Not thirty minutes later and Clay has everything he needs to know about today’s arriving guests printed out and in his hand. He seems much happier once the information is a physical thing right in front of him.
“So you don’t use computers much then?” I gesture to the computer and he chuckles.
“Not unless you count my Xbox. There’s not really much call for it on a building site or a ranch.”
“Yeah all right, smart ass.”
“Looks like we’re just in time.” I nod toward the courtyard where a car is slowing to a stop in front of the ranch.
“Perfect. You coming?” He stops when he gets to the door and looks back at me.
“I should probably go and find Betsy and get back to work.”
“Fuck Betsy. Spend the afternoon with me.”
“I…uh…I should probably—”
“It wasn’t a question, Jess. Come on.”
Reaching out, he grabs my hand and pulls me out to the reception just as the couple walks in through the door.
“Good afternoon, welcome to Hazelwood Ranch.” I can’t help but do a double-take at his light, polite tone. It’s a mile away from the one I got when I first arrived, but I knew it was in there somewhere. “I’m Woody, and this is Jessie.” His voice wavers as he tries to hold in a laugh. The guests lose their fight and wide smiles spread across their faces. Me, on the other hand, my cheeks flame red and my years of Toy Story and cowboy addictions suddenly seen so stupid. “If you need anything, be sure to let us know.” He continues on to explain which cabin is theirs for their stay, discusses the activities they’ve booked and generally gives them the low down on the ranch. It comes out like a well-rehearsed script and it makes me wonder how he can know this part of the job like the back of his hand but not be able to use the computer system.
No sooner have we shown them to their home for the next few days the next family arrives. Like a well-oiled machine, guest after guest walk through reception and Clay performs his welcome act perfectly with every single one, I’m sure making them feel more than welcome on his family ranch.
“So, Woody, what’s next?”
“Why don’t you call me that?”
“I prefer Clay. Woody just—”
“Sounds ridiculous if followed by Jessie?”
“Yeah, something like that.”
“And in answer to your question. We’re pretty much done. Would you like a tour of the place?”
“I’d love one. Lead the way.”
“Are you hungry?”
“Yeah, actually, I am.”
“Okay, give me twenty minutes then meet me back here.”
“Oh…okay.” I can’t help the disappointment that sits heavy in my belly coming out in my voice.
“I’ve just got a few things to sort.” His fingers slide against mine and he pulls me up against his chest. My heart races at our closeness. “It’s nice to know you’re going to miss me though.”
“Careful, cowboy. If your head gets any bigger, your hat might not fit anymore.”
“Hmmm…” His other hand wraps around my waist and he presses us together. “I think I’m going to enjoy this summer more than I initially thought.” His nose gently brushes mine. Butterflies erupt in my stomach as I fight the need to reach up on my tiptoes and experience his kiss again. Just as I’m about to do s
o, he releases me and takes a step back. “Twenty minutes. No longer.”
“Sure thing, cowboy.”
11
Clay
I should let her get back to work. I’m sure Betsy has plenty of stuff for her to do, but I’m a selfish asshole who’s not ready to let her go yet. I watch her ass as it sways across the courtyard and my cock twitches. I’ve been hard since I found her in my cabin earlier, but as much as I want to relive it, I don’t want to push her into it. She ran so fast last night that it was obvious she’s not ready for it, it gives me crazy thoughts about the possibility of her being a virgin, but that can’t be the case. She’s too gorgeous and sexy for her to have held on to it this long. I can’t deny the idea of being her first—her only—doesn’t have my cock leaking in anticipation.
Shaking the thoughts from my head, I rush back into the kitchen hoping that Chef will be able to pull us something together last minute.
After the quickest shower of my life and a change of clothes, I stand back in the doorway to reception waiting for her to appear.
Just when I think she’s bailed on me, I spot her. My teeth sink into my bottom lip as I run my eyes over her. Fuck, this woman’s going to be the death of me. Her curvaceous body is covered in a light, white summer dress that is the perfect mix of innocent and tease with it being low enough to show the swell of her breasts, and on her feet are her cowboy boots. I clench my fists as she gets closer, trying to fight my need to reach out and pull her to me.
I lose the fight when she’s close enough for her fresh scent to surround me. My mouth waters and I reach for her hand, pulling her close.
“You look gorgeous.” Leaning down, I brush my rough cheek against hers and drop a simple kiss on her cheek. It’s nowhere near what I want to do, but it’s all I’ll allow myself, for now at least.
“T-thank you,” she stutters, a blush heating her face. “You look…” She trails off, casting her eyes over my shoulder, too embarrassed to express her thoughts.
“I look?” Lifting my hand, I cup her cheek and pull her eyes back to mine.
“Hot.” It’s no more than a whisper, but it’s enough to have me fighting for breath and for my heart to pound in my chest.
“Are you ready?” Placing my hat on my head, I reach down, grab the picnic basket full of the food Chef made for me and take her hand with the other.
“What are we doing?”
“You’ll have to wait and see.”
As we walk across the ranch, I point out anything I think she might need to know. She soaks up all the information like I might give her a test at the end. Her eagerness makes me smile. It was obvious from the get-go that her skills are wasted as a housekeeper and it’s only getting more obvious. She could be a real asset to this place. Especially if the worst should happen. I shudder at the thought and push it to the back of my mind. I can’t go there. Instead, I picture Jessie here with me, and I mean really here with me. For the first time in my life, I can imagine a future that involves a woman and the prospect excites me more than it should.
“Here we are,” I say, breaking the silence that has descended as we walk into a barn.
“You’ve brought me to a barn. Clay I’m not—” Her voice wavers and it makes me hate myself for what happened last night.
“I’m sorry, I got carried away last night. That won’t happen again.”
“It won’t?”
My breath catches in my throat seeing disappointment filling her features.
Wrapping my hand around the back of her neck, I pull her into my body. “You call the shots and I’ll follow your lead. Whatever you want you—” My words are cut off when she closes the last bit of space between us and places her lips to mine. I groan when her tongue sweeps along my bottom lip and I can’t give her access quickly enough.
I swallow her gasp when our tongues touch. My hand lands on her hip and I pull her against me, allowing her to feel exactly what being close to her does to me.
When she pulls back, her chest heaves, her eyes dark and heated. “Sorry, I—”
Grabbing her chin gently, I force her to look at me. “Never apologize for that. You want to kiss me, then you damn well do it. Okay?” Dropping my head, I rub my nose against hers and place a quick kiss to her lips.
12
Jessie
It’s like I lose my mind when I’m around him. All my inhibitions just disappear and I’m able to give in to what my body’s telling me it wants.
He pulls me farther into the barn and I panic. There are a couple of horses with their heads poking out over the gates looking at us along with all sorts of riding gear hanging from hooks and covering shelves.
“I thought we could take a couple out and I can show you the land.”
“Oh uh…yeah, sounds great.”
He eyes me suspiciously but doesn’t say anything. Instead, he walks over and grabs a few things, the only item I recognize is a saddle and I immediately know that I’m in over my head here.
“Grab whatever you need. You can take Juno.”
“Um…” I look between the horse he points at and all the stuff surrounding me. I don’t know what to do. My lie is about to be discovered and it’s only my second day here. I hoped that I’d maybe get to spend a little more time on the ranch before being fired for lying on my application.
My heart hammers in my chest as I watch him get his horse ready. I’m momentarily distracted from reality as I watch his muscles ripple under his t-shirt when he throws the saddle over the horse’s back and secures it in place.
When he’s finished, he turns to find me still standing there. His eyes narrow when he finds I haven’t moved to do anything. “Is everything okay? I know she’s not your usual horse, but I can guarantee she’ll be friendly.”
“It’s…um…not that?”
“Well, what is it? You’ve ridden for years, right?” All the blood drains from my face as he stares at me. The words I need to say get stuck on my tongue. “You can’t ride, can you?”
I shake my head and look at my feet, ashamed that I told such a blatant lie to get this job.
Silence descends around us. My stomach clenches with dread and disappointment. Realizing that one of us needs to do something, I take a step back.
“Where are you going?”
“I just…I thought…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—” My apology gets cut short when his lips land on mine and his fingers thread into my hair.
When he pulls back, he rests his forehead against mine, both our chests heaving.
“I don’t give a fuck if you can’t ride.”
“But I lied. I’ve never been on a horse, let alone done any of that.” I wave my hand behind him at the horse he has ready for a trip out.
“So? Who doesn’t stretch the truth a little on a job application?” I can’t help my lips twitching up into a smile like his. “Plus, you know what it means?” Shaking my head, I wait to hear his thoughts. “I get to be your first.” His eyes darken and his tongue sneaks out and runs along his bottom lip.
“M-my first?” My eyes drop to his lips once again as inappropriate images fill my mind of the two of us in a hay barn.
Our eyes hold for long minutes. His eyes are so dark that I don’t think going out on the back of a horse is at the top of his priority list right now, but eventually he pulls back, takes my hand and guides me over to Juno to introduce us.
After getting her kitted up, he shows me how to climb up and then he leads the two horses and me from the barn.
If I thought the sight of him wearing his boots and hat were things my dreams were made of then I hadn’t appreciated what the sight of him on horseback would do to me. I try to keep my focus on where we’re going and on the basic instructions he gave me to ensure Juno keeps going but mostly my eyes are on him ahead of me and the way he handles his horse with ease.
He brings us to a stop at the edge of an open pasture. “Why here?” Everywhere we’ve passed has been stunning, so it makes me wonder wha
t’s so special about this spot.
“Turn around.”
Once I’m safely down on solid ground, I do as instructed, and my breath catches in my throat. It’s early evening and the sun has just started descending, casting the countryside and mountains beyond in a breathtaking warm orange hue.
“Wow.”
Coming to stand behind me, he wraps his arms around my waist and rests his chin on my shoulder. “This has always been my favorite place on the ranch. I used to come out here as a kid and just…”
“Just?” I question when he trails off. Although, I regret asking when his entire body freezes.
“I…uh…lost my parents when I was just a kid and this place allowed me the space I needed to try to deal with it.”
13
Clay
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”
Thoughts of my parents cause an ache in my heart I remember all too well. The pain’s lessened a little over the years, but it will never disappear. The memories I have of that night are still as vivid as when it happened. I’ve learned to live with them but talking about them is a whole other ball game.
“It’s okay. It’s just painful.”
Jessie turns in my arms so she can look up at me and when her eyes find mine, I fear she can see everything that I’m trying to keep hidden.
“If you ever want to talk, I’m here. But if you don’t, I want you to know that I understand that too.” The understanding in her eyes makes the emotion clogging my throat so huge that I fear it’s all going to come spilling out. “I lost my mum as a kid too. She had cancer. It was…it was awful. She was the life and soul of our family and we were so lost without her. Dad, well, Dad lost himself completely. He tried to fight it for a while, but eventually he decided we needed a fresh start, so he managed to get a job over here in the states and we moved just in time for me to start high school.”
Flirty Ever Afters: A Flirt Club Collection Page 25