by Jane Jamison
But at least the conversation was interesting. The men talked about their past and what they wanted for the future. But most surprising was the liberal take the residents of Pleasure had about more than one man living with one woman.
When Derrick stood up and asked her to help him fix some sandwiches, she was more than willing to toss her steak out. Molly and Caleb decided to go for a walk, leaving her alone with the irascible Derrick.
She hurried through making the sandwiches, then got out as fast as she could. Not that being with Derrick was bad or anything, but it was obvious his mind was on her sister and what she might be doing with Caleb.
Molly was grinning from ear to ear when she returned to the bunkhouse. She’d known her sister would have a great time with Caleb, but when she told her about Caleb giving her a first lesson on how to be a submissive, she couldn’t help but get jealous.
“I’ll tell you more. Don’t worry.” Molly grabbed a sandwich. “But first, tell me about you and Derrick.”
What could she tell her? Nothing had happened between them and nothing would. The attraction just wasn’t there. Besides, they’d already decided that Molly could have both the Houston men. Her sister was just being nice and not mentioning it.
“There’s nothing to tell. Zilch. Nada. Not a damn thing.”
“Seriously?”
“Dead serious. He’s a great guy and all, but that’s it.”
“That’s too bad.”
And yet, Molly didn’t look like she was disappointed. And why would she be since she wanted both Derrick and Caleb?
Jilly swiped the sandwich away from her. “You’re not taking one bite until after you’ve told me.”
“But I’m starving.”
She arched an eyebrow, unwilling to accept any more excuses.
“Fine. So Caleb and I went for a walk.”
Molly went on and on about Caleb. How he’d treated her, how she’d done everything he’d asked. She described the pond and how she’d stripped for him. An inner light glowed on Molly’s face, and before long, Jilly was hugging her knees to her chest and wishing she had someone to visit the pond with.
Jilly’s yearning grew stronger the more her sister told her. Would she find a man, maybe even two, who would treat her as Caleb had treated her sister? Until that moment, until she heard how happy Molly was, she hadn’t realized how important finding her own men was.
Once Molly was finished, she told her how happy she was for her, then lay down. Her sister had found men so fast that it gave her hope. And yet, how would she ever find the men of her dreams, the Doms who would teach her how to be a good sub, when she was stuck out in the middle of nowhere?
* * * *
The last thing Jilly wanted to do was to cook breakfast. She’d kind of hoped that last night’s dinner fiasco would have the men begging them not to cook again. Ever. Too bad Molly was one of those people who never gave up.
But they were too late. From the scowl on Derrick’s face as he led his horse out of the barn, they were in for a verbal blasting.
Derrick ranted on and on, something about Caleb taking it easy on them and letting them sleep late.
Late? The sun was just beginning to show up over the horizon. She hadn’t seen a sunrise since she was a kid. No sane person got up before the sunrise, right? Groaning and still half-asleep she leaned against Molly and zoned out for a moment.
Wait. Did he just say we weren’t going to eat breakfast? He isn’t serious, is he?
“You’re kidding,” She clung to her sister. “You’re not going to let us get breakfast?”
At that moment, facing their parents didn’t seem so bad. At least they’d get to eat.
“You’re late enough as it is.” She looked in the direction he was pointing. “Caleb’s already gathered the eggs from the chicken coop, but he left the feeding for you to do.”
“Chickens? You want me to feed them?” He had to be kidding her.
Please, God, let him be kidding.
“You don’t feed them, then they won’t feed you.”
“But it’s…chickens. Molly, it’s chickens.”
She tried to believe Molly when she told her she could get through the awful task of feeding chickens, but fear and doubt told her she couldn’t. She shuddered just thinking about having the pecking, squawking animals anywhere near her.
The rest of the conversation, with Derrick acting like some kind of king giving his servants orders, went in one ear and out the next.
Ten minutes later after a hurried breakfast of dry toast, she was sure she’d died and gone to hell.
I have to feed the chickens now. God help me.
The chicken coop was worse than she’d imagined. Not that it wasn’t a strong structure. It wasn’t the small building made out of boards and wire that made it awful. It was the creatures running around, pecking at each other and the ground that made her want to hurl.
“Chickens. Oh, hell.”
She’d wanted to come to Texas, but she’d never planned on working on a ranch. She wasn’t the type of girl who’d ever want to get down and dirty. At least, not that kind of down and dirty.
But Molly was intent on staying. Plus, if her sister had a shot of making her cowboy Dom fantasy come to life, then she’d do whatever she could to help her.
Or would she?
What was she supposed to do anyway? Put their feed in a bowl? If so, where was the bowl?
“Damn how I hate chickens.”
Resolving to keep her word to the Houston men as well as her sister, she inched closer to the coop. The chickens started clucking more and scurrying about.
“No, no, no.” She did a quick backward step away from the creatures. They reminded her of big rats with feathers and beaks. Sharp beaks just waiting to peck a chunk out of her legs. Or her eyes.
Urgh.
You have to do this. For Molly.
A bucket rested beside the gate with a note lying on top of the seed mixture. She leaned over, taking care not to get too close to the chickens scurrying on the other side of the fence, and snatched it up.
Jilly,
I know you’re not real fond of chickens so I appreciate you feeding them.
Here’s all you have to do. Just get some feed in your hand and then toss it around the pen. Don’t put it all in one place or the chickens will peck each other getting at it.
The way she figured it, she preferred them to peck at each other rather than at her.
She read on.
Once you’ve got them eating, go inside the coop and check for any eggs Caleb might’ve missed. There’s a basket hanging on the wall. Put the eggs in it.
He should’ve added “and get the hell out.”. It was the most important part of the entire ordeal as far as she was concerned.
“Might as well get this over with.” She picked up the feed, doing her best to ignore the way one very large, multicolored chicken kept eyeing her. It tilted its head, its beady black eyes never blinking.
But was she supposed to feed them inside their pen? There was orangey chicken poop everywhere. They didn’t eat where they pooped, did they? And since the bucket was left outside the pen, didn’t that mean they wanted to eat outside their pen? They were probably trained like dogs anyway. After they ate, they’d more than likely march right back into the pen.
“Yeah. That has to be the way it’s done.” She unlatched the pen. “Okay, you nasty little vermin, come and get it.”
And come they did.
They were on her before she knew what was happening. Screaming, she flung the bucket into the air. Feed flew everywhere, landing in her hair and on her clothes and even sliding down between her breasts to get caught in her bra.
Whirling around, she tried to run, but they were all around her. If she stepped that way…or that way…she’d end up on top of one or more of them. Desperate, she tried to jump over them, saw that she was about to land on top of one, and tried to shift her body in a different direction. She went down on her thigh, hitting ha
rd.
And then there it was. The demon chicken who’d eyed her so mercilessly. It approached her, slowly, as the other chickens pecked at the ground.
“Get away from me.”
Did it smile? Could chickens smile?
It grew closer. Her only hope was to grab the bucket and come out swinging.
She lurched for the bucket just as the foul fiend leapt toward her. Ducking, she closed her fingers around the wire handle, then brought the bucket up as hard and as fast as she could.
Did she hit it?
She didn’t know. Didn’t even register feeling a thunk against the metal. Instead, she took off, running as fast and as hard as she could.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I hate chickens!
She didn’t slow down until she’d run around the house and onto the front porch. Pulling her knees to her chest, she vowed to remain there until Molly came back. Once she did, she’d tell her sister that they were getting the hell out of Pleasure.
* * * *
Caleb was the one to find her on the porch. Derrick had come home, dismounted, and given her one quick look before heading inside the barn. She didn’t have a clue where Molly was, but she wasn’t worried. Her sister could take care of herself.
It was too bad that she wasn’t more attracted to Caleb. He was a nice guy. After telling him what had happened with the chickens, he’d promised to talk to Derrick about taking her off chicken duty. He couldn’t have said anything nicer.
She was just about to hug him and thank him again when he jerked up at the sound of footsteps crunching on the gravel path. Caught up in telling Caleb about the chickens, she hadn’t noticed when a pickup pulling a horse trailer had pulled up next to the barn.
“Hey, Houston!”
“Hey, Alex.” Caleb got to his feet.
But she was glued to where she sat.
Two cowboys, each as handsome as the next, strode toward them. One led a horse along with him. Both had a swagger that she hadn’t noticed with the Houston men. They were long, lean, and oh, so yummy.
Like the Houston brothers, these two men looked a lot alike. They had to be related in one way or another. Their blond hair was ruffled, giving them a just-coming-awake look that had her aching to tunnel her fingers through first one then the other’s hair. They were tall, maybe even taller than Caleb, with shoulders that could support the weight of ten planks of wood. They were dressed the same in faded jeans and denim shirts with the sleeves rolled up to their elbows. Blonde hair sported their strong forearms, and unlike hers, their golden locks didn’t come from a bottle.
She stood and brushed her shirt and jeans. Did she have chicken feathers on her? Or worse yet, chicken shit? If nothing else, she was sure she smelled like one of the stupid birds.
Caleb’s attention was dead center on the horse. “Thanks for bringing him. I’m glad we could reach a solid price for him.”
“No problem.” One of the men took Caleb’s hand, but his gaze did a quick hop and skip over to her. He tilted his head toward her, subtly suggesting that Caleb introduce them.
“Guys, this is Jilly Miller. She and her sister Molly are our new ranch hands.”
Crap. Couldn’t he have introduced me in a better way? Like “Guys, this is the sexy little blonde that’s living in our bunkhouse. Why not pay her a visit?”
“You’re kidding.” The sexy hunk’s grin grew wider. “But you’re a girl.”
His attitude reminded her a little of Derrick. And not in a good way. Didn’t he think a girl could handle the job? Aside from feeding chickens, of course. She didn’t think anyone should have deal with chickens. “I’m so glad you could tell. Girls can work a ranch, too, you know.”
“Of course they can.” The other man sidled up closer to her.
Judging from the hot look he gave her, he was used to girls falling into his lap. For real. Right in his lap. She hated like hell to admit it, but she was ready to take the fall, too.
But was he just saying he agreed? Or did he really mean it? She wouldn’t mind interrogating him to find out the truth. A cupping of his balls and a slide of her tongue along his cock would get him talking.
The other guy—why didn’t Caleb introduce them?—took her hand, stealing her attention. Not that she minded getting caught between them.
She was infatuated. And turned on a lot. Maybe Molly had it right. Maybe cowboys were the best men for the Dom jobs. At least now she had a reason to stay.
“Hey, will you guys stick around with Jilly? I’ll take the horse and get him settled in.” Caleb took the reins and led the horse toward the barn.
Did Caleb say something? She couldn’t remember. Not with two sexy men staring at her.
The one who’d been surprised that she was a ranch hand took her other hand. “I’m Alex Triston.”
They were close. Real close. But she wanted them to get even closer.
“And I’m his better-looking cousin, Michael. Call me Mike. Hell, darlin’, call me anything damn thing you want.”
She’d call him, all right. For a booty call and every other chance she could get. “I’m Jilly Miller.”
“Yeah. Caleb told us.” Alex’s eyes were a unique blend of greens and blues. Hazel eyes that could change color with whatever he wore.
“Oh, yeah.” She blushed. “So are you two from around here?”
At least she managed not to cringe too much. Could she have said anything lamer?
They glanced at each other, but politely kept any comments about it to themselves.
“Yeah. We have the next ranch over on the west side. I guess that means we’re neighbors now.”
Mike’s gray eyes were soft, but she’d bet they could get razor cold whenever he was angry. But what would they be like when he got turned on? She’d like to find out.
“I guess. I don’t really know since my sister and I just got here yesterday.”
The heat from Alex’s body wafted to hers. He was like unexploded dynamite just waiting to be lit. Was she the match?
She couldn’t risk that. Not yet. Not until she was sure what they felt. Were they as turned on as she was? Nonetheless, she stepped back, surprising not only herself, but them, too.
“How long have you lived in Pleasure?” Why was she making small talk? And yet, she had to say something.
“All our lives,” answered Mike. “Our grandfather bought the land and our father ran it after he passed on. It’s all ours now.”
“Have you worked on a ranch before?” asked Alex.
“Nope.”
The guys exchanged a glance. Mike ran a hand through his hair, pushing it away from his forehead. “And the Houston boys hired you anyway?”
“Yep.” Did she sound more like a cowgirl? Or just plain silly?
“Doesn’t seem like a stretch to me.” Alex hooked his thumbs into his pockets. “I’d hire you in a second.”
She couldn’t resist toying with him. “As a hired hand? Or something else?” Should she tell them why they’d really come to Pleasure? Or would they think badly of her? There was only one way to find out.
“I’d hire you to do anything you wanted.” His eyes flashed with unrestrained need. “You just tell me what that is, baby.”
The sexual energy she was picking up from them was hotter than anything she’d ever experienced. She could tell when a guy was turned on and they were ready to jump on top of her.
She took a leap and told them all of it. “My sister Molly and I came here to get jobs at the club. The Club at Pleasure Ranch? As waitresses and as submissives.”
“Is that right?” The interest in Mike’s voice was unmistakable.
She pushed ahead, realizing she was going fast. Maybe too fast. “That’s right.”
“Aren’t they the same thing? I mean, no one works as a waitress that isn’t also a submissive.”
“I guess so. But we don’t want to be just any old subs. We want to find permanent Doms.” She was going all out, telling them more than she would’v
e dreamed, going ahead with an impromptu plan that would’ve shocked her mother. But now that Molly was fixed on getting the Houston men, she ached to find Doms of her own.
“I don’t think you’ll have any problem finding a Dom.” Alex closed the distance between them.
She pushed the limit again. “I hope not.” Her seductive gaze slid from him to his cousin. “But I’m not looking for just one Dom. I’m looking for two.”
Their expressions were priceless. Like puppies clamoring for a treat but having to obey their master to sit up and beg first. If she gave them the go-ahead, they’d jump at the chance to teach her a trick or two.
She almost squealed with joy. Thankfully, she managed to resist the urge. “So are you two Doms?”
“We might be.”
Chuckling, she stabbed Mike in the chest with her finger. “Either you are or you’re not. Which is it? Or are you too shy to say so?”
Alex brushed her hair off her shoulder. “Yeah. We’ve done some scenes.”
“Are you any good?” She skimmed her fingers along the front of his shirt. His chest felt just as hard as it looked. “I wouldn’t want to get hooked up with two Doms who don’t know what they’re doing.”
“You’re kind of picky for a girl who hasn’t had any experience, don’t you think?”
“How do you know I don’t have any experience?”
“Do you?”
“I guess you’ll just have to find out.”
Mike was right, but that didn’t make any difference to her. Their arrival had thrown her, but now that they were there, she wasn’t about to miss her opportunity. They were Grade-A male flesh and Doms on top of it. The only surprise was that some other submissive hadn’t already laid claim to them. Maybe she should slow down, but she couldn’t bear the thought of not telling them exactly what she wanted. And she wanted them.
She shrugged, acting as though her body wasn’t about to explode. What had she thought earlier? That they were they dynamite and she was the match? Maybe it was the other way round. “Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m not experienced. But I only want to learn from the best.”
Alex was on her then without warning, stunning her. His hands roamed her body, exploring every curve, every recess, every bit of her pulsing, lusting, aching-to-be-taken body. His mouth took hers, possessing it until she had no choice but to open to his tongue.