“Whatever the reason, it had better be a good one,” growled Clay as he left his room and slammed the door behind him.
The loud bang of the door reverberating off of the walls accomplished exactly what he wanted, a bleary eyed Chance, dressed in only a pair of white boxer briefs, came stumbling out of his room.
“What in the hell are you slamming doors for, Clay? I just fell asleep,” Chance grumbled.
“Come on, you’ll see.” Clay answered. He was looking forward to his brother’s embarrassment.
When the two of them reached the living room, Bobbie looked up from her spot on the couch. Her cheeks were still flushed, almost the color of her hair, which was now flowing around her shoulders in a disarray of curls. The fiery mass complimented her pale skin and the freckles dotting her nose gave her an impish look, making Clay want her all over again.
“This really isn’t necessary, Mr. Bodine,” Bobbie said, clearly not wanting him to relay to Chance what had transpired between them. “Just do something to block the doorway and I promise I won’t bother you again.”
“Yes darlin’, I think it is necessary and I’ll take care of the door first thing tomorrow.” Turning to Chase, Clay demanded. “Why in the hell didn’t you say something to either of us when you showed Bobbie to the master bedroom?”
Clay watched as Chance's eyes widened, his gaze moving between the two of them. “I didn’t think about it. Why?”
Clay looked to Bobbie, interested to see what she would say. She didn’t disappoint him when she opened her mouth and then quickly snapped it shut. She looked completely scandalized by the thought of telling Chance anything. If he wasn’t so pissed off about being caught masturbating, he’d be laughing his ass off at the look on her face.
“What she’s trying to say is that in her nosiness, she walked through the connecting door and caught me in a rather compromising position, all by myself.”
Clay had trouble holding back his laughter when Chance turned to Bobbie. “You mean you caught him...” Clay couldn’t say the words but had no trouble making a close-fisted pumping motion with his hand, which only made Bobbie’s face turn a brighter shade of red.
“I think I’ll be going to bed now,” she said, her voice quiet as she obviously struggled for dignity.
When she was safely out of the room Chance, unable to hold back any more put his face in his hands and started laughing. “I can’t believe she walked in on you jacking off. Oh man, that is too funny,” his brother said as his laughter subsided.
“Yeah, and if that wasn’t bad enough, you replayed the motion for her and in your underwear to boot.” Clay had his turn to laugh when Chance immediately got quiet. His brother looked down, taking in his state of undress.
“Well hell, Clay, you could have said something.”
“Why, Chance? You didn’t bother to say anything when you stuck her in the room next to me.” It felt good to get the final word in the matter, but didn’t help much when he thought about the fact that Bobbie Carlington would soon be sleeping all snug in the four-poster, king-sized bed only a few feet away from him. That thought was enough to set him back a bit.
He wondered with more than a little fascination what she slept in. Would she wear something that covered her every curve from head to toe or would she sleep in one of those little baby-doll nighties that barely covered her treasures? Clay couldn’t help but wonder which he would like more, if she slept barely covered or not covered at all. Being completely nude would serve a better purpose, but tiny scraps of satin and lace covering her strategically would be purely erotic.
Before he let his mind get too far ahead and drag his body along for the ride, Clay gave himself a mental kick in the ass. She might be gorgeous, but she was young and he would bet that she was fairly innocent. Although he doubted a woman of her age, who looked the way she did, would be a virgin. Most important though, was the fact that she was an employee at the Lazy B and there was nothing about a relationship with her that would be easy. Before he knew it, she’d be insisting on marriage and children and making changes in a house he was more than happy with as it stood. Nope, come hell or high water, Bobbie Carlington was off limits.
* * * *
When Bobbie woke up before dawn the following morning, she still couldn’t get the vision of a nude Clay out of her head. His body was magnificently put together and although she’d never seen a naked man up close before, she thought him to be well endowed. Belatedly, Bobbie wished she had gotten a better look. Her surprise entrance had startled Clay, and his quick covering of himself kept Bobbie from getting a better glimpse of what he looked like fully nude.
She dressed casually in a pair of jean shorts, a tank top and some sneakers. She’d gone to bed with wet hair so was left with an atrocious tangle to deal with this morning. Brushing it was useless unless she wanted to look like she’d stuck her finger in a light socket, so she parted it and braided it, wishing all the while that she’d been born with straight hair.
Breakfast was going to have to be something simple, something she knew how to do because the thought of asking either man for help was out of the question. She settled on scrambled eggs and toast because there wasn’t much a person could do to mess that up. Or so she thought when she began. After dropping an egg on the floor, she wasn’t so sure.
It wasn’t until she’d cracked the last egg that she realized she’d inadvertently dropped a piece of the white shell into the bowl along with the eggs.
“Shit,” she mumbled, not at all liking the way the morning was starting out. After fishing around for the shell with no success, Bobbie gave up and said a silent prayer that the piece of shell ended up on her plate and not Clay’s or Chance’s.
The last two pieces of extra dark toast were being buttered when the Bodine brothers made their way into the kitchen. They were both extremely good looking, but that was where all the similarities seemed to end. Where Chance was easy going and a bit laid back, Clay was rigid and used to ruling the roost.
“Morning,” she said brightly, not looking either of them in the eye. Too much had happened in a short amount of time and she wasn’t exactly sure how she was supposed to deal with it all.
“Smells good,” Chance said as he poured himself a cup of coffee. She watched as he took a sip, her gaze faltering at his slight grimace.
“Is there something wrong with it? I’ve never made coffee before but I could do it over if you told me how many scoops to use.”
Damn, feeling useless sucked big time.
“No, it’s fine. Just fine, a bit stronger than we’re used to around here, but it’ll do. Next time just use three of those scoops,” he coaxed gently.
She knew he was being nice for her benefit, but Clay evidently had no qualms about speaking his mind.
“This stuff’s thick enough to stand a fork in,” he grouched, ignoring the quelling look Chance was giving him.
“Here,” Bobbie said as she snatched the cup from Clay’s hand. The hot coffee inside sloshed over scalding her fingers but she didn’t care. Close to tears, the pain diverted her attention, keeping her from crying.
It was an asinine thought. She hadn’t cried since her parent’s funeral and hadn’t gotten close enough to anyone since to care enough to cry, except Mac.
When she reached the sink, she tossed the black concoction down the drain and did the same with the rest of the pot. She rinsed it out, measured three scoops, set the pot back on the burner and hoped for the best. It was only then that she noticed the back of her hand and fingers were covered with a red blotch. It almost matched the one on her arm and she silently wondered when she’d gotten so freaking clumsy.
With her back to both men, she ran her hand under cool water, blotted it dry and then smeared a generous amount of burn ointment on it. At the rate she was going, they should take out stock in the stuff.
The scraping of chair legs startled her into turning around. Clay and Chance were both standing beside her.
“Damn,
again?” Clay asked as Chance said, “Here, let me see that.”
Bobbie could do nothing but relent. Two oversized men towering over her were too much for her to protest. Even worse was the fact that one was condescending as hell, while it seemed the other wanted to coddle and protect her.
“No. I’m fine. Would you both just sit and eat already before it gets cold?” she asked, and then followed her own suggestion.
They’d just about finished the meal when Clay slowly lowered his fork to the table. Bobbie watched in horror as he moved his hand to his lips and none-too-subtly removed the piece of eggshell from his mouth, glaring at her as he did so. It was one of many times already this morning that Bobbie fervently wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole.
“I think I’ll get started cleaning upstairs,” she said as an excuse to get away from the table. “Don’t worry about the dishes. I’ll do them when I’m finished.”
Bobbie’s legs couldn’t move fast enough to get her out of the room, but her knees were shaking so hard she had no choice but to slow down once she reached the living room.
“Dammit Clay, did you have to be such a bastard?” she heard Chance say.
“That woman’s a menace, Chance, and you damned well know it. I don’t know what in the hell you were thinking when you hired her.”
She didn’t wait around to see what Chance’s answer was, and she sure as hell wasn’t going to shed any tears over Clay’s terse words. In fact, she felt more determined than ever. She’d show him that she could do what was expected of her. Yet at the same time, she sighed in relief when she remembered that the Bodine’s long-term housekeeper was due back sometime in the afternoon.
With renewed determination and the motivation to prove herself to Clay, Bobbie straightened the upstairs rooms to the best of her ability. Several times she found herself at the window. The view was magnificent from the second-story window. The first time she’d taken a break to look, it was to see Chance mount a horse and head off through the pasture. Clay, who had been watching, disappeared into the barn after Chance left.
When she’d finished cleaning upstairs, Bobbie headed down to start on the kitchen. She’d just dried the last dish and was about to place it in the cupboard when a feisty voice startled her from the doorway. “Who are you and what are you doing in my kitchen?”
The plate slipped from Bobbie’s hand and shattered on the floor. “If today gets any worse, I swear I’m going straight to bed and never coming out,” she grumbled as she turned to return stares with an older, gray-haired woman.
“You must be Mildred. Chance has told me so much about you. Welcome home,” Bobbie greeted as she knelt to pick up the broken plate, earning herself a nice cut in the process. To round out an already exasperating day, she proceeded to drip blood up the cabinet door and over the sink before ever making it to the faucet.
There was just something about the sight of her own blood that didn’t settle well, so it took a minute of dizziness before her muddled mind thought to grab a towel in order to staunch the flow.
“Oh, my,” the woman Bobbie assumed was Mildred exclaimed as she bustled forward.
“I’m fine, really,” Bobbie said, damned sure she’d muttered those very same words at least a dozen times since coming to the Lazy B. “Just a nick, that’s all.”
“I’ll be the judge of that, now let's have a looksee,” the woman insisted.
“You are Mildred, aren’t you?” Bobbie asked in hopes of keeping her mind off of what the woman was doing.
“I am,” she answered. “And who might you be?”
“I’m Bobbie Carlington. Chase hired me to help out around here.
For a moment the woman just stared at her. “I heard Clay and Chase talking about bringing on a kid by the name of Bobbie but you certainly aren’t a kid. I’d venture to say that Clay’s had a thing or two to say since your arrival.”
“More like three or four,” she said, not at all trying to hide the sarcasm in her voice.
“So what have you been doing to help out?” Mildred asked, her eyes, sharp as a tack, narrowed just a bit, making Bobbie feel as if her answer made a huge difference.
“Not much. I made sandwiches for supper last night but that was only after I dropped the pan of lasagna on the floor. This morning I made scrambled eggs with shells in ‘em, burnt toast and coffee so awful Clay wouldn’t even drink it,” Bobbie didn’t realize her voice broke at the last and was oblivious when Mildred muttered under her breath a not-so-nice comment about Clay.
Doggedly, she went on. “I straightened things upstairs and had just finished the breakfast dishes when you came in.”
“Sounds like you’ve been busy, missy, so why don’t you go on up to your room and rest for just a bit.” Mildred was so sweet that Bobbie couldn’t help but take her up on the offer. She’d study instead of rest, but no one needed to know. What she did on her own time was her business and it would be best if she kept it that way.
Chapter Three
Mildred confronted Clay and Chance as soon as they stepped through the door. Hands balled on her ample hips, she was madder than a wet hen. “You boys have got some explaining to do.” Her voice shook with anger.
“Not me,” said Clay. “I didn’t have a damned thing to do with it.”
Chance narrowed his eyes, silently pleading with Clay. Mildred wasn’t about to let his boyish good looks sway her.
“Sorry, but you’re the one who did it, so you can explain,” Clay left the room, making a quick escape. Mildred was like a second mother to them. She knew the last thing they wanted to do was hurt her feelings, but she wanted answers.
“Now just sit down a minute, Mildred and let me explain.”
“What’s there to explain?” she asked. “Evidently you think I can’t do my job but I don’t understand what gave you that idea. Hell boy, I could work circles around you,” she added as she finally took her seat at the table.
Chance poured a cup of coffee for Mildred and then sat beside her. “It’s not what you think.”
Mildred turned, giving him her full attention. “Remember when I went to that horse auction in Oklahoma?”
At her nod, Chance continued.
“While I was there I met Bobbie. She was working for the stable where I bought Lady. She was Lady’s owner and she wasn’t only losing her horse but her job. We talked for a while and went out a few times and that was all it took before I knew she would be perfect.”
Mildred’s wide-eyed stare must have confused him. She knew her cheeks were red, she could feel the heat. Her chest puffed up, her indignation was so great. She stood in one swift motion, then thrust a single finger in Chance’s face and shook it for all it was worth.
“You listen and you listen good. I only spent a few minutes with that young lady, so can’t say that I know her, but that don’t matter no how. What I do know is that I won’t let you take advantage of her. I’m ashamed of you, Chance Bodine. You were raised better then that!”
Chance was laughing before she had the chance to finish her tirade. “Please sit down, Mildred. I didn’t mean I wanted her for myself. I think she’s perfect for Clay.”
That got Mildred quiet real quick. “You think that’s wise? It’s apparent just from looking at her that Bobbie is quite young.”
“I know,” Chance sighed. “And I’ll admit to having some doubts myself, now that she’s here. Clay doesn’t seem to care much for her. He’s been nothing but rude and obnoxious since she got here.”
Mildred scowled. “So I heard. You can bet your sweet bippy he won’t be treatin’ her wrong while I’m around. I’ll pinch his head off if he does.”
Mildred could tell Chance was having the damndest time not laughing. He had trouble hiding his grin when she turned and gave him a determined look. “Well boy, what’s the plan?”
“Don’t really have one. Just thought I’d throw them together as much as possible and see what happens.”
“All right, I’ll he
lp as much as I can. Might have to send her out some to help outside and of course, she could help Clay with some of the office business,” Mildred said thinking aloud. “It’s probably a good idea to keep her out of the kitchen. She told me she’d had a few problems before I got here and the first thing I saw when I walked through the door was the poor thing on the verge of fainting from the blood.”
“Blood?”
“Yeah, I startled her into dropping a plate and she cut herself picking up the mess. Might want to check it out, she was a bit squeamish and I didn’t get a good look. I think she might need a stitch or two.
“Damn,” Chance swore as he left the kitchen.
* * * *
Clay was sitting in the living room reading the newspaper when Chance came stomping in from the kitchen. “What’s the matter now?”
“Oh hell. Mildred said Bobbie cut her finger and was bleeding all over when she got home this afternoon. She thinks I ought to go take a look and that it may need a stitch or two.”
Clay just shook his head. Bobbie Carlington was a distraction of the worst kind. If she wasn’t breaking things and ruining his dinner, she was setting his body on fire.
“Go check on her then,” Clay said. He knew if he were the one to go, he wouldn’t be able to keep his hands off her luscious body. He didn’t know what to think about her or what to do with her. Sure, he could think of a few things to do to her. Her large, full breasts would beckon him and he didn’t know if he’d be able to ignore the call. It was the after effects he worried about.
From her reaction to seeing him nude last night, Clay was sure she was fairly innocent, and the last thing he needed was a clingy woman, especially one who lived under the same roof. Once again, he mentally lectured himself to leave Bobbie alone.
Chance grumbled something about being an idiot before he headed up the stairs to check on Bobbie. For several minutes Clay was overwhelmed by jealousy. It was silly since he’d been the one to insist Chance go, and yet he wanted to be the one to tend to her wounds. If the past day showed any type of pattern, she was prone to accidents, which meant he would constantly be tending to her. The more the thought ran through his mind, the less it disturbed him. It was as if he’d suddenly become okay with the thought of taking care of Bobbie, accident prone or not.
Lazy B Ranch 00 California Cowboy Page 2