Billy pinched her ass playfully, causing Alice to giggle and squirm on his lap. His cock, still somewhat annoyed with him, jumped to attention once more. Alice raised her brows and grinned at him.
“I’m offering to help you, Alice. Be serious,” he chided playfully.
Alice nodded at him.
“That is a very generous offer Billy, but I don’t want to impose on you,” she said sincerely. “This is a big job. I feel like I should tender it out, get some quotes.”
“Yes, you could do that. Or you could let me do that for you. I’m quite capable of helping you,” he pressed.
Alice looked away for a moment, inhaling deeply.
“You aren’t used to letting people help you, are you?” he asked gently.
Alice looked into his eyes again and shrugged.
“I suppose I’m not. I’ve been doing things on my own for a long time.”
Billy took her hands in his and brought them to his lips, kissing her knuckles gently.
“That’s ok. I’m not going to pressure you. You have to do what feels right for you, but give this some thought. Maybe there’s a reason we were meant to meet. Why did I show up when I did? How was I there just in time to stop that kid from decking you? And now, with you wanting to take the next step toward your dream, here I am with the experience and resources to make it happen for you. Now I’m a pretty cynical guy by nature, Alice, but even I can see a powerful force at work here. Can’t you?”
Alice nodded slowly, her eyes never leaving his. He knew he had her, but she had to be the one to say it. He kissed her gently on the cheek.
“Take the night to consider it. I won’t be offended if you choose otherwise, but I’ve got this for you, Alice, if you’ll trust me.”
Alice nodded again and slipped off his lap, allowing Billy to stand. He placed his hands on each side of her face and pulled her into a kiss. Her lips parted for him and he offered her his tongue. She kissed him passionately, stirring his need once more. He could feel his breath quickening as his arousal surged. Although he didn’t want to, he pulled away from her kiss. He was smart enough to know that he needed to leave her wanting more.
“Good night, Alice. Sweet dreams,” he said, before placing a small kiss on her lips.
She smiled at him sweetly, her eyes bright with desire.
“Night, Billy. See you tomorrow,” she said softly.
Billy made his way down the hallway and slipped out the front door. As he walked toward the lodge he could make out the shape of a man standing near the equipment shed, smoking a cigarette. It was Joe. Had he been watching the house? Waiting for Billy to leave?
Billy wasn’t sure if Joe could see him well enough in the dim light, but he waved to him anyway. Better to acknowledge his presence than sneak away like he had something to hide, he thought. Joe didn’t wave back, and instead dropped his cigarette to the ground and crushed it out with his foot. Billy shrugged and continued walking back to his room.
As soon as Billy was in bed, he started thinking about Alice. He hadn’t expected the day to unfold the way it did, but he wasn’t complaining. They had moved things forward considerably that afternoon and things had spun favorably in his direction. She had shared a lot of important details with him and if she agreed to let him control the project, he could put a plan in motion to weaken her position. It wouldn’t be difficult.
But, he also couldn’t stop thinking about her laying on that kitchen table, gifting her beautiful naked body to him, wanting him to take her, to devour her, to fuck her. She needed him as much as he wanted her. He thought about the softness of her curves, the heat of her flesh, and her honey wetness, sweet on his tongue. He still had her scent etched in his brain and it was driving him mad.
His neglected cock was quite cross at him, and hard as a rock under the sheets. He needed release and he meant to meet his need. He wrapped his strong, callused hand around the shaft of his cock, pumping his hand up and down. His dripping pre-cum lubed his hand quickly, the slippery wetness felling his fantasy of Alice sucking him with every stroke. He imagined she was with him in his bed, grinding her pussy in his face with her mouth clamped on his cock, sucking him deeply, while icing his lips with her warm, sweet juices.
He could picture himself grabbing her ass while she rocked back and forth, his tongue darting in and out of her velvety hole.
It didn’t take long for the surge to start and Billy stroked himself even faster, his grip tightening exquisitely on his member. He moaned deeply as his orgasm ripped through his groin, his hot cum spurting onto his stomach.
He had been so worked up, and denied his pleasure for so long, that he came harder than he could ever remember and when he was done, he had to lay still for several minutes to recover.
Alice was getting to him and he wanted her in the worst way. This was clear to him. He was certain they would be lovers and she would give him autonomy with her money to build the Equine Center. She wouldn’t see the betrayal coming because he would keep her wet, hot, and distracted. He could see it unfolding in front of him, and so it would be.
Chapter 9
Alice
Alice was pleased with the progress on the Equine Arena. They were deep into the third week of construction and it was starting to look like an actual building. Billy had promised her it would be completed by the end of the summer, and as far as she knew he had everything right on schedule and on budget.
Having the arena up and running before winter would allow them to rent it out over the cooler, wet months so people could train their horses in a climate controlled environment. Already people in the county were buzzing about the changes and inquiries were coming in. Everyone was excited.
Except Joe.
He was struggling with the changes around the ranch. He liked things the way they were and for years he was happy with the status quo. It was her ranch, but Alice knew that Joe took just as much pride in it as she did. He treated it as if it were his own and had since the day he arrived as a fresh-faced teenager all those years back.
After her parents died, Joe told her he would always be there for her and she knew he meant it. He wasn’t a sociable man and didn’t have much of an interest in anything but ranching, in spite of Alice’s encouragement to go out and meet someone. He would always just shake his head and brush her off. He was married to the ranch, as far as Alice could tell.
The morning after she and Billy had first been intimate, she approached Joe in the equipment shed and asked him to have chat with her. She wanted to let him know of her plans for the ranch and give him a chance to share his input. She respected him too much to move forward without giving him the heads up.
She reminded him of the work she and her dad had done years ago, drawing up blueprints and putting a plan together. She said she thought it was time to go forward with it.
Joe wasn’t happy. She had known him a long time, and although he wasn’t one to show a great deal of emotion either way, she could tell that he was opposed to the idea. He asked her what was wrong with the way things were. Between the two of them they were running things just fine. Alice explained that she was tired of things being just fine and that just fine was quickly turning into a struggle. The ranch was no longer turning a profit and it was starting to eat away at her savings. She felt that within five years there wouldn’t be much left and she wanted to invest in a business model that would generate increased profits year after year and keep them all working and happy.
Joe still wasn’t convinced, and at first Alice had mixed feelings. She wanted him to be on board and embrace the idea. She wanted his blessing. She explained to him that Billy had experience in construction and had been a General Contractor on several projects in the past. He thought the idea was solid. They already had the plan in place, all they had to do was start building.
At the mention of Billy’s name, Joe became quite agitated. He didn’t trust him, he said. It seemed so suspicious that a man who knew nothing about horses or ranching ende
d up on their land, and now all of a sudden he was in construction? If he was a General Contractor, what the hell was he doing working as a temp, hoofing it on farms and ranches? Didn’t Alice find that at all strange?
In fact, it had crossed her mind, she told him. The truth was, she was starting to wonder if Billy had been sent to her by her parents and if all this was unfolding as some sort of Divine or universal plan.
In all the time that he had known her, she asked him, when had she ever been impulsive or reckless? He agreed that she was a logical woman, which was why he was concerned that maybe she was being persuaded by Billy.
At first Alice was offended by Joe’s opinion, but then she wondered if he felt threatened by Billy. He had been acting a lot more territorial since Billy arrived. His attitude was subtle of course, but Alice knew Joe well enough to sense the shift in him.
She didn’t tell him that of course. She was far too diplomatic to do that. Instead she assured him that everything would be fine and that he needed to trust her. She would make sure that they would all be ok.
He just grumbled something unintelligible under his breath and nodded his assent. She knew change was difficult for Joe, but she also knew that he would eventually adjust. At least she hoped he would.
She connected with Billy later that same day. He came bounding into her office with a huge grin on his face. He had just been inside the paddock and Misty had actually come over to him with her young colt Solomon towing behind her. For the last few weeks, Misty had kept her distance from Billy and if he did have to approach, she would always stand between him and her baby. This time, he told her, she didn’t guard Sol. She let him approach and pet the youngster. He couldn’t explain why, but he felt honored.
Billy’s enthusiasm was so genuine that Alice couldn’t help but be even more drawn to him, especially when he leaned in over her desk and planted a delicious, spontaneous kiss on her lips. It felt so natural and comfortable and for a moment Alice could see a lifetime of kisses ahead of them, but she also knew that he was leaving in a few months and she needed to enjoy him in the moment and not get lost in unrealistic fantasies.
She asked him to pull up a chair and sit down. Her conversation with Joe earlier that day had her thinking more about Billy. While she was grateful for his encouragement and his offer to help, was he qualified? And why wasn’t he using his skills instead of working on her ranch? She was starting to realize that while he knew a whole lot about her, she really knew very little about him.
Granted, there were still important things she had yet to share with him, but still. Alice wasn’t much for sugar coating anything, especially when it came to business. She asked him directly why he wasn’t in construction anymore when that seemed to be the thing that lit him up. Why was he moving around from one place to the next? Billy didn’t seem surprised at all by her questions and in fact seemed quite comfortable responding to her.
He told her that he had spent many years working in construction, and was skilled in most of the trades, but he felt restless. He ended up doing a large job in a new winery in Napa, building it essentially from the ground up. During that time, he grew close with the owners, a husband and wife team, and built a tight friendship. They spent many hours chatting over long dinners and many bottles of wine, about the winery and the business.
After his job was done, Billy decided to stay on and work for them in the winery. He did everything, from picking the grapes, to managing the fermentation tanks, right on up to the bottling. He loved it. Unfortunately, he had a falling out with his friends.
After Alice gently pressed him to explain, Billy went on to tell her that over the course of a few years he had developed a very close bond with them, but the wife misread his friendly affection for more. She confessed that she was in love with him and even tried to seduce him.
Billy admitted that he was attracted to her, but he wasn’t in love and the truth was, he would never come between a man and his wife. He needed to move on.
Rather than go back into construction, he stayed in Napa County and used his new skills to work at the different wineries, eventually making his way north. He confessed that he enjoyed moving around and meeting new people, and since he didn’t have a family or any ties, it just worked for him.
Alice was grateful to learn more about Billy, but she was also curious about his family. She asked him about his parents or if he had any siblings. He got quiet, and said that he didn’t want to talk about them. As curious as Alice was, she also respected his boundaries and didn’t push. He would talk to her about that when he was ready, she thought. He seemed relieved when she dropped the subject.
Alice asked him if he was sure he wanted to take on the job and he assured her that nothing would make him happier than helping her, that she could count on him.
She believed him and asked him what he needed. He told her to give him a few days to look over the plans and put together a budget and then they could talk about the next steps. Then he kissed her again, taking his damn sweet time about it. She loved every minute of it and would have let him take her right there on her dusty old desk had he not pried himself away, reminding her that they still had work to do.
She also recognized that it would be best if they were discreet, especially since Joe seemed so skittish. She wanted to give him time to get used to the changes. He didn’t need to witness public displays of affection. No one did. She asked Billy if he would respect that and he wholeheartedly agreed. And then he kissed her again.
True to his word Billy brought her the budget a few days later. It looked thorough to her. He took his time explaining each penny, from materials and tool rentals, right down to the labor and cushion for incidentals. He said he called some guys he trusted to see who was available and was confident that he could pull a team together by the end of the week. The crew would stay in the lodge, he explained, which would work out well for everyone.
Less travel time meant more work time, and she could factor their accommodations into their earnings. Alice was impressed with how quickly Billy was able to pull it all together. She loved his work ethic.
They decided it would be easier for them both if Alice didn’t have to write individual checks for every payment or invoice, and just allowing Billy to handle the budget. He offered her his bank account information and she electronically transferred him the first installment. It was a lot of money, but she was excited that her vision was coming to life. She hoped her dad would be proud of her.
For weeks, Billy had been busy pulling the project together and supervising his team. Although Alice knew Billy was a hardworking man, she was seeing a whole new side of him. He was proving himself a natural leader and seemed to command a lot of respect from the crew. Alice found herself more attracted to him. The problem was, she didn’t get to spend much time with him because he was so focused, and aside from a few hot, stolen kisses, they hadn’t been together since that first time almost a month earlier.
Alice finished the last of her chores in the barn and slipped into her office to do a bit of paperwork. Despite all the construction activity, business had to go on. She was leaning over her desk looking over some invoices when she felt a warm body behind her, pressing up against her, and then masculine arms wrapping around her. She let out a little moan, enjoying the quick volt of electricity to her groin. Billy kissed her neck softly.
“You look good bent over that desk, woman,” he teased, whispering in her ear.
Alice smiled softly to herself, enjoying the moment of affection. She could feel Billy’s thighs pressing against her, his erection swelling against her ass.
“You like that do you?” she asked, laying herself flatter against her desk, her curvy ass displayed prominently for him.
Billy let out a desperate groan, deep from his throat.
“My gawd, don’t tease me like that,” he growled as he lay his body over hers.
Alice giggled.
‘Who is teasing?” she flirted, then added, “Is that a h
ammer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?”
Billy laughed and kissed her exposed neck, then gently sunk his teeth into her flesh, sending a shiver down her spine. He pressed closer to her, grinding himself into her.
“Not a hammer. Do you have time for a short break?” he whispered seductively in her ear.
Alice nodded her assent.
“Go lock the door,” she urged, her voice cracking with pleasure.
Billy eased himself away from Alice and did as she asked, returning quickly to find she had turned herself around to face him. He wrapped his hands behind her head and pulled her into a desperate kiss, as though he couldn’t wait even one more second to devour her. Alice melted into him, her body responding quickly to his passion. She ran her hands down his back to his ass and pulled him in closer to her, his hardness a rigid contrast to her softness.
He pressed her into the desk urging her to sit down and encouraging her legs open with his thighs. She opened herself to him, enjoying the sensation of his swollen cock against her clothed clit. He placed his hands under her thighs, lifting her bottom up so that he could easily rub himself against her. Alice moaned her approval. Billy pulled back from his kiss and he looked into her eyes.
“I want you, Alice,” he confessed, his words deep with need. “I need to be inside of you. Now.”
Alice met his gaze, her breath quickening. She nodded and lifted her chin for him to kiss her again. She wanted him too and she didn’t want to let this moment pass.
Billy laid her back on the desk and opened her shirt with one swift motion, sending the buttons flying. Alice giggled and helped him with the button of her jeans, just as anxious as he was. He
buried his face against her chest, kissing the curves of her breasts that were expertly plumped up by her lacy bra. He pulled the material down on each side, exposing her nipples for his hungry mouth.
The sensation of his warm tongue sent a quiver down her spine to her juicy, eager center. She was soaking wet and ready for him.
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