Reverse Cowgirl

by Chance Carter

  Chapter 8

  Billy

  Billy had already been on the ranch for a few weeks and still had been unable to completely break through with Alice. He knew she liked him. They had dinner together most nights and shared lots of laughs and playful conversations together, but after the night she had shared her story, the night Misty had foaled and they played pool together late into the evening, she seemed to be holding back.

  He flirted and teased and she seemed to enjoy his affections, but she always kept her composure and

  her distance. He never even had the opportunity to kiss her yet.

  She was kind and warm to him, but he was looking for the heat and he was worried that they were dangerously heading into the friend zone. He would have to change his strategy. He was used to seducing women and usually found it quite easy, but he had never been very good at the intimacy required to build real friendships.

  He was getting used to his duties and had grown quite comfortable in the daily routine. He knew that over the past few weeks he had made mistakes, and once or twice he had been the punchline to some good-natured teasing between Alice and Joe, but he didn’t care. For the first time in his life, he felt a sense of belonging, like he was family.

  He liked being on the ranch. It was hard work, but he had never been more relaxed. He went to bed exhausted every night with naughty thoughts about Alice lulling him to sleep. And sleep came easy, another thing that he was not accustomed to.

  James had been on his ass pretty much every day, grilling him for the information he simply didn’t have yet. It was becoming annoying. William tried to reassure and placate him, returning his calls every evening before meeting Alice for supper. He had nothing to offer him and a few days back he told James that he was going off grid and he would reach out when he had news to share.

  James wasn’t happy with him, but he trusted William, and deep down he knew he needed to back off, and give him some space to do his work.

  Billy was relieved. Yes, he needed to refocus his efforts and readjust his strategy, but he also didn’t want to think about Sacramento or Hunter-Johnson. If he was going to be away for a few months, then he might as well enjoy his time, and the reprieve it offered.

  It was Billy’s scheduled afternoon off. He had just finished saddling up Donald when Alice walked into the barn. She smiled and sauntered over to him, her hips swaying with each step. He smiled back at her warmly, happy to see her.

  “Joe told me you were going for a ride. Do you mind if I saddle up Sadie and join you? I want to give her some exercise.”

  Billy nodded, pleased to have her company.

  “Absolutely, let me help you with that,” he said, walking over to the saddle stand.

  He easily lifted the saddle and carried it to Sadie’s stall, as Alice lead the mare out.

  Together they tacked her up and then lead both animals out of the barn.

  “Where were you riding?” Alice asked him curiously.

  Billy shook his head.

  “I don’t know, I was just going to let old Donald decide. I’m trying to get more relaxed in the saddle, to be honest, so I thought I would just get some practice.”

  “Do you mind if I show you something?” Alice asked, holding on to Donald while Billy mounted.

  “That would be cool,” he agreed, shifting his bottom into the saddle.

  Billy watched as Alice easily mounted Sadie. He liked the way she looked in the saddle, her strong thighs gripping her horse. The truth was, Alice had to do very little to turn him on.

  “Come on Lady, let’s go,” she said, clicking her tongue.

  She encouraged Sadie down the horse trail leading Billy north toward the rolling hills that looked over the ranch. Billy had not been out this way before. It was beautiful.

  They hadn’t spoken for a while when Alice finally broke the silence.

  “The ranch is actually just under six hundred acres. That may seem like a lot but it actually is a pretty small ranch. Much of that is tied up in these hills,” she said, nodding toward the land in front of them. “When my grandparents had sheep, they used to graze up here. I would ride up here all the time when I was younger and just hang out. It was so peaceful here.”

  Billy looked at her kindly and nodded.

  “Seems that way.”

  The horses were climbing a trail that led them up an easy ridge, nothing too strenuous for them. There seemed to be trails all through the hills.

  “I can see why you love it so much,” he continued. “It sure is pretty country.”

  “It really is. Before my parents died, I brought the idea to my father that we turn the place into a high-end resort, complete with luxury cabins, a swimming pool and spa, and a world class Equine Arena.” she shared, her passion evident.

  Billy moved Donald a little closer so he could hear Alice better. He felt certain that this was the conversation he had been waiting for, and he didn’t want to miss a word.

  “Wow, that sounds awesome,” he agreed, encouraging her to continue.

  Alice smiled at him, her eyes bright with enthusiasm.

  “I always thought so, too. I would come up to these hills and look out over the Pacific and think of how perfect it would be for people to come and escape their busy lives and spend some time up here with the horses, enjoy the fresh air and the peaceful scenery, take walks along the shore, maybe enjoy a massage or two. They could bring their kids and make it a family holiday if they wanted,” she said.

  Billy could clearly see how much thought she had put into her dream.

  “People from the city would love a Dude Ranch holiday. I could see that being pretty popular.”

  Alice gently eased Sadie to a stop and spun her around, so that she was overlooking the ranch. Billy did the same, following her lead. The view was breathtaking.

  “Yes, but my idea was to expand on the idea of a typical Dude Ranch. I wanted to make it more luxurious than that. I wanted the cabins to be chic but comfortable, with high end fixtures so people felt like they were in a five-star hotel. The arena would be high tech too, clean and climate controlled so that the guests could ride indoors if the weather were bad, and still enjoy their experience. Picture a fabulous five-star resort right here, with every amenity that guests could possibly want.”

  He could see it. The cabins, the spa, the arena, the pool. All of it. The plan sounded like a winner. The only problem was that it was on the very land that he needed to complete his dream.

  Billy looked back at Alice. He felt his breath catch in his throat and for a moment he was stunned by her beauty. He wasn’t sure if it was the sun highlighting her golden skin, or the gentle breeze teasing her hair, or even the stunning backdrop of the green hills, the blue of the sky, or the glistening Pacific Ocean framing her on her Nobel mare, but she looked like a work of art. She had passion and a love of her surroundings. She was in a dream state. And he wanted to fuck her.

  He shifted uncomfortably in his saddle, suddenly aware of his arousal and his swelling cock. Alice noticed his discomfort. She tilted her head and raised her brows at him.

  “You alright?”

  Billy cleared his throat and grinned.

  “Sorry. Ya, I’m good,” he assured her. “Tell me, why haven’t you gone ahead with implementing this idea. What’s holding you back?” he asked, changing the subject.

  Alice shrugged her shoulders and sighed.

  “What holds most people back. Time, money, fear,” she admitted. “I guess I had more confidence in the idea when my parents were alive. It seemed more attainable when we were working as a team. We could pool our energy, our ideas, and our resources. My dad was just as enthusiastic about the concept and we were just starting to implement changes around the ranch to support it. I was working on a business plan.”

  Billy nodded at her, encouraging her to continue.

  “I don’t know, I guess after the accident I just lost my nerve,” she admitted sadly.

  Billy wished he were beside her
so he could pull her close to him. She was quiet for a few minutes. He didn’t really know what to say. Finally, she looked up at him and shrugged.

  “The thing is, I know that if things don’t shift around here, the money coming in won’t support the ranch, and that scares me. The model has to change. It’s outdated. I can continue to breed and train horses to sell, but it’s not going to sustain the ranch much longer, maybe only another five years. It’s time to diversify. Hell, it was time to diversify five years ago,,” she said solemnly, shaking her head.

  “So why don’t you break out that business plan you were working on?” Billy questioned.

  “I wouldn’t even know where to start,” she admitted.

  Billy nodded, his business brain kicking into high gear. He had to choose his words calmly and carefully.

  “Where were you going to start before the accident?” he asked casually.

  “We were going to invest in the arena first, because we could utilize it in many ways to supplement, and even grow our income. This would allow us to start building the other out buildings, the cabins, put in the pool, build the spa. This was something we were going to do over the course of five years. Once the arena was built it would also be easier to secure investors if we needed them,” she explained carefully.

  Sadie restlessly shifted but Alice quickly calmed her down, patting her neck.

  “So why not start there again?” he asked, pressing her a little further.

  “I do have the money to build it, but it’s everything I have, my parents insurance money and my entire life savings. What if it didn’t work out as planned? What if I’m wrong about the possibilities? What if no one comes?” she asked.

  Billy knew that wasn’t something Alice did easily. It made him feel conflicted. On one hand, he felt strangely honored that she trusted him enough to share her feelings with him because he knew how discerning she was, but on the other hand, this was the information he came for and his chance to position himself to win the battle.

  He nodded his head, and inhaled slowly. Conflicted or not, this was why he was here. He had a job to do and people counting on him.

  “Alice. What if it does work out as planned. What if you are right about the possibilities? What if they do come?” he asked, his voice laced with encouragement.

  Her face, which was stern with reserve, suddenly lit up with hope. She smiled cautiously at him, as if she had been looking for a cheerleader all along.

  “If it did work out, it would secure my future. I could live here and raise my own family here. It would be hard work, but it would be work that I love. It would be perfect,” she said dreamily.

  Billy looked back out over the ranch, pausing for a few moments to allow his discomfort to diminish. He was confused by his emotions. He was confused by emotion, period. He had built a life that allowed him to avoid messy things like feelings, so they were a foreign concept to him, and somewhat disruptive.

  The truth was, her ideal life sounded awesome. After spending a few weeks on the ranch, he could easily understand why she would never want to leave. In another lifetime he could see himself working right alongside her, putting in a hard day’s work, talking and teasing each other through a relaxing dinner, going to bed early and fucking themselves to exhaustion, and then falling to sleep in each other’s arms.

  Admittedly, he had fantasized about all of it. Primarily the fucking part, but he could see a life with Alice if the situation were different. If any woman could be a match for him, Alice had the most potential. But not in this life.

  “I think you should show me your business plan, Alice,” he said quietly, looking back at her.

  She regarded him carefully.

  “I think you should revisit it with fresh eyes. I don’t know a whole lot about business, but I would love for you to share your vision with me,” he offered as kindly as he could.

  Alice cocked her head at him and offered him a sly grin.

  “Oh, yeah? You want to play show and tell?” she flirted playfully, her eyes teasing him.

  Billy chuckled at the innuendo. He grinned back at her, pleased by her feistiness. It was the first time since the night they played pool that she even hinted at being naughty, and he was up for anything she was offering. He had never met a woman that could fire up his libido with just a look, and for a moment he was speechless.

  Alice giggled and pulled on Sadie’s reigns. Her loyal mare, always ready for Alice’s commands, took off down the slope. Donald put his ears up and nudged forward, not wanting to be left behind. Billy felt the same way.

  “Well, go git her,” he said, loosening his hold on the reigns.

  Donald carried him down the hill, closing the gap between them.

  Later that night, after the evening chores were done, Alice and Billy sat at the kitchen table looking at the papers she had laid out. She had a thorough business plan that included architectural drawings of the area, the out buildings, the arena, even the landscaping. The cabins were to be built by the shoreline, taking advantage of the view. Smart. Of course, he would have done the same thing, he thought, grinning to himself.

  She had a budget in place with a plan to earn a diversified income from different areas of the ranch. This would help fund each step of the plan as it unfolded. It was solid. If she was smart and patient, it would work, and she was both of those things.

  But Billy was cunning, and this business plan was designed five years ago. He could see a clear opportunity to exploit the situation. Alice said she would have to use her life savings to build the Equine Center. It was this arena that would generate the funds needed to move on to the next steps in the plan, securing possible investors, and building the cabins.

  If he could convince Alice to build, and allow him to act as the general contractor, he could control her investment. The longer it took to build the arena, the more financially strained she would be. It wouldn’t take much to chip away at her investment, and there were always unplanned expenses that could eat into the budget.

  “So, what do you think?”

  She smiled at him hopefully.

  Billy smiled back at her involuntarily. He couldn’t help it. She was adorable.

  “I think you have a solid plan, as far as I can tell. I’m no expert, but it sure looks like you have put a lot of thought and work into this.”

  “Yes, I have. We worked with the architect for almost six months, planning out every last detail,” she said, pointing to the blueprint. “I could clearly see it, laid out before me, like it had already been built.”

  Her voice took on a serious tone.

  “I know it sounds silly, but I honestly thought if I just kept visualizing it, that one day it would be real. I wanted it so bad I could taste it.”

  Billy looked up at her, searching her eyes. He didn’t think that sounded silly at all.

  “Anyway, I haven’t given it much thought in the past few years, not before you arrived, anyway. I guess I have just been too busy.”

  Billy nodded, wondering if it was more than that.

  “Why do you think my coming here made you start to dream again?” he asked warmly.

  Alice looked away, maybe a little embarrassed. Billy prodded further.

  “Come on Alice, tell me.”

  Alice shook her head and offered him a smile.

  “I don’t know, really. I guess just watching you work around the ranch, fixing things that have been needing it, lending an extra pair of hands. It’s taken a lot of pressure off me. I guess it made some room for dreaming again.”

  Alice’s face softened and her cheeks turned pink. Her shy smile was filled with honesty and vulnerability.

  Billy shook his head and looked away. He swallowed hard, pushing his shame back down. Alice shifted nervously beside him, and he knew exactly why. She was looking for validation from him. Something, anything, to tell her that he understood her. She was dropping bait into the water. Everything in him wanted to bite. But he couldn’t.

  “I th
ink you should do it, Alice,” he said quietly, finally breaking the awkward silence.

  Alice looked at him quizzically.

  “Yeah?” she prodded, her eyes searching his.

  He leaned back, putting some distance between himself and the table, crossing his arms in front of him.

  He still had mixed feelings. He knew he was quite capable of putting his plan into motion. Yes, Alice was smart, but he was too, and he was confident that he could stay one step ahead of her.

  The thought of deceiving Alice didn’t hold much appeal. But, at the same time, this was business, and he had to keep that in mind. He came here for a reason and at the end of the day, Alice would walk away with plenty of money in her pocket in exchange for her land. He would be sure to compensate her. She wouldn’t be left destitute. And she would get over the betrayal eventually. Right?

  Billy nodded his head, his forced smile convincing enough. Alice looked back down at the plans, her eyes bright with hope. Billy inhaled slowly and deeply, shaking off his doubt.

  “I don’t know how to start,” Alice admitted, her voice quiet and wavering.

  Billy looked at her curiously. This conversation continued to reveal a side of Alice she had not yet shown to him, and he knew he needed to capitalize on it. He took her hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. She looked at him hopefully.

  “You start with trusting your instincts. You know this plan is a winner. You’ve known it all along,” he encouraged. “You go back to your business plan and you start at step one, and I can help you, Alice. You just have to have the balls to start. This is yours for the taking.”

  He knew he was baiting her, but his instincts told him that she would respond to it.

  Alice hesitated, processing his words carefully, biting her lip nervously. Every time she did that, the blood instantly rushed to his cock. It made him want to push the pause button on whatever was happening in that moment and force her up against the wall so he could take her with a passion equal to his need.