by C. R. Moss
Taking a seat on a bench under one of the large trees on the property so she could eat the chicken, she hoped her friend was finally finding some happiness and that Dak would come back to her soon.
Chapter Three
An hour later, Dakota emerged from the office, frustrated and hungry. It had taken all his restraint not to ream Marianne up one side and down the other. He had bit his tongue to keep from accusing her of sabotage. Her actions screamed she had created the issue on purpose just so she could lure him away from Cassie, spend some time with him. His theories stemmed from how she had leaned on him, asked questions in that purr of a voice of hers. She had also stroked his arm and back as she watched what he was doing. The woman and her suggestive tactics were like an annoying fly that wouldn’t quit buzzing in his ear.
Thankfully, the fix was easy, once he found out what the problem was. All he had to do was plug the power cord of the twelve outlet surge protector back into the wall behind the desk and restart the system. When he had confronted her about it, she claimed her foot must have hit the wires under the desk just right to have the cord dislodge. That or it was their resident ghosts.
Not wanting to argue with her, he had kept his mouth shut and sent her on her way to either join the others at the campfire or go do whatever it was she did off the clock. Annoyed he had been left to pick up the slack again, he crawled under the desk to put it all to rights.
On the ground behind the heavy piece of furniture was a hefty quartz crystal paperweight. He picked it up from next to the power strip. If the plug was loose and this hit it… He shrugged and placed it back on the desk. Minutes later, everything under and behind the piece of furniture was secure and tight, tacked down. Marianne, or the so-called ghosts, wouldn’t be able to cause any more problems. At least he hoped not.
Speaking of Cassie. Time to find her. He still couldn’t believe she was back on his ranch. She’d seemed happy to see him, especially the way she planted her lips on his, but there was something behind her eyes. Something he couldn’t put his finger on, but he planned to find out what it was as soon as possible. He also planned to ask what the deal was with her wearing a scarf in the heat.
Dak rushed to the dining room. The area was empty, the diners gone, the food put away. His shoulders sagged. He hadn’t expected her to wait, but had hoped she would. The one positive this time regarding her departure—she was still on the ranch. He’d camp out on her cabin’s doorstep, wait for her to return to her room, to see and speak with her if need be.
His stomach gurgled. First food, then he’d seek out the brunette haired beauty for whom he’d been waiting ages. In the kitchen, Dakota retrieved the leftovers put aside for late working employees out of the staff refrigerator. He tossed a couple of pieces of chicken onto a plate and bounced up to sit on the stainless steel counter. The first portion disappeared quickly. His head cleared. He bit into the second breast, chewed slowly, thought about Marianne. A talk with her was an absolute must now. She had to face the consequences of her recent actions and attitude. But disciplinary measures could wait until after the bachelorette party weekend was over. Should she tell him to shove it and leave her job, he wanted it to occur after that particular group was gone. One headache at a time was his motto.
“There you are.” Miguel stepped into the kitchen.
Dakota sighed, put the plate down and jumped off the counter.
“Nothing wrong, boss. Just wondering if you wanted to go down to the campfire.”
“I don’t know. It’s been a long day.” He ran a hand through his hair and over his face. “I just want to find Cassie and have a quiet chat with her.”
“Kent took Ms. Harding down there.” Miguel winked.
“Well, then. What are we waiting for?” With renewed energy from the food and excitement about the chance to hang out with his old friend, he followed the cook out to his truck.
The campfire festivities were in full swing by the time they made it to the campsite. Large flames danced in the pit, curled around thick logs. The smell of burning wood, roasted marshmallows and melted chocolate filled the air. Kent strummed on a guitar as happy guests munched on s’mores and chatted amongst themselves.
He and Miguel sat at an empty picnic table across the pit from his brother, Damon, and most of the guests. Dakota scanned the area in search of Cassie, but didn’t see her. Damon rose, sauntered over to Kent and whispered in his ear. Kent nodded with a smile.
Dakota raised a brow, wondering what his little brother, who was seven years his junior, was up to when he stood next to Bristol, the guest who caused such a ruckus earlier in the day with all her bags and attitude. She was, in his opinion, a perfect match for his brother.
But then, why should he find anything strange about what was going on around the ranch. With every new guest who came onto the property a new flavor of fun was added to the mix and anything could happen. There was one evening a family stumbled upon a couple in the midst of an intimate act in the pool, and he had to calm all the people down about their claims over indecency and voyeurism. Just over nine months later, he received a card and a picture of a baby named, Dillon, from the couple. Then there was the haunted town down the way and his ranch’s resident ghosts. It’s a wonder anything surprised him anymore.
Damon took the marshmallow on a stick from the brunette, handed the burning treat to Hugh, then whispered in the petite woman’s ear.
Her gaze widened. Her laughter rang over the gathering. Everyone stilled, became quiet. She stared at Damon like he had grown two heads, tossed her long curly black hair over her shoulder. “You sing?”
The two of them chatted a bit, but Dak’s attention wasn’t focused on them. He scanned the growing darkness encompassing the area, wondering where Cassie was, not liking her, or any guest for that matter, to be wandering around alone in the dark due to the wild horses, burros and other animals, sinkholes, poisonous ground dwellers and the like.
Kent strummed the opening chord of the song. Damon grasped Bristol’s hand and went into the first verse of a duet from his favorite Broadway play. Dakota had to admit Phantom was one of his favorites as well and the reason behind his horse’s name. He was surprised how well Damon was acting out the part of Raoul on the rooftop of the opera house. The depth of feeling in his brother’s gaze for Bristol seemed to know no bounds. She played her part with just as much heart though she cracked on the first few lines.
Dakota figured she did that on purpose just to rile Damon. He chuckled at the thought. Her acting during the song was superb. Not surprising, considering she was an actress on the Great White Way, but what shocked him was her expression of love for his brother. He almost didn’t believe the two were acting.
Maybe it was a good thing he pushed the loud mouthed New York City girl Damon’s way. He snickered with the memory of the bad first impressions they’d made with each other—her acting all high and mighty, Damon breaking the heels off her shoes.
Miguel nudged Dakota’s arm, leaned over to him. “Damon and that filly have been dancin’ round each other all day. What say you, boss? Think your brother has finally met the one to tame him?”
Dakota bobbed his head, his gaze transfixed on the love scene unfolding before him. He was no theater critic or reviewer, but if pressed, he’d say their rendition rivaled what he had seen on some of the finest stages. Neither Damon nor Bristol hesitated in going all out with the kiss when it came time for it. “I’m kinda surprised how fast he seems to be taking things considering what he went through with his fiancée and best friend. But yeah, it seems he’s found his one.”
Beyond the kissing couple, Cassie stepped out of the shadows. Her gaze was also pinned to them. A look of haunted longing filled her eyes. His heart leapt into his throat and a surge of excitement swept through him. She appeared like she yearned for what Damon and Bristol had going on at the moment. Slowly, her attention turned his way. With a sexy half-grin on her face, Cassie eyed him like he was the main course at a banquet. Liq
uid fire shot through his arteries and straight to his cock. He shifted, trying to release the pressure against the rough fabric of his jeans. What a day to pick to go commando.
Kent started another song from the play. As Damon started to sing, Bristol shrugged a shoulder and shook her head. “I’m not all that familiar with this one.”
“That’s okay. I am.” Cassie moved next to Damon and took the microphone from her friend.
Damon, with a smug smile on his face, continued to sing, keeping his focus on Bristol who took a seat on a bench nearby.
When the time came for Cassie to sing, she put all her attention on Dakota. He froze under her captivating stare. Her poignant contralto voice singing the darker lyrics of the play pierced his soul. It seemed she sang for him and him alone. But where did she get the deep, dark feelings behind the music? Had someone pushed her past the point of no return as the song stated? Had she dreamt of him as he had her over the years? Wanting to touch, hold, caress each other until their bodies merged so completely neither would know where the other began or ended and the flames of passion consumed them both? Her sultry, sexy voice mesmerized him.
His brother’s voice merged well with Cassie’s and, as they ended the duet, Damon grinned over at Bristol, mouthed some words. Marianne, who stood behind Bristol, smiled back at him and exclaimed, “I knew he wanted me.”
He shook his head. A brief thought of going over there and intervening, telling Marianne that Damon was off limits, sprang to mind. Glancing at Cassie, he dropped the idea before it could take hold. Damon would have to deal with Marianne on his own. He had his own woman to focus on.
Everyone was on their feet clapping for the performers. Dak observed Cassie watching Marianne mauling Damon. A surprised expression crossed her features. Catching him staring at her, she winked, crooked her finger. She tossed the microphone to Kent, then turned and ran out of the light of the campfire.
Dakota was on his feet in an instant, sprinting as fast as he could after her, thankful the moon was full and lit the way. Dang, she can still out run me. About ten yards from her cabin, he caught up to the giggling woman and snagged her arm. “Cassie. Stop.”
A mischievous glint filled her gaze. With a laugh, she reached around him, pinched his ass.
“Hey!” He tried to step away, but she wrapped her arm around his waist and yanked him close to her.
“What? Don’t like it rough?” She chuckled again, placed her free hand against his chest. “I was hoping for a moment alone so we could get reacquainted.”
“Reacquainted, huh?”
“You know, pick up where we left off in the dining hall, see where it leads?”
Dakota didn’t need to be asked twice. He swept her into his arms, capturing her mouth in a demanding kiss. The gangly, awkward teen who’d grown into a beautiful woman wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Arousal coiled low in his gut.
She had been his first love, and if he were truthful with himself, his only love. Many times he’d imagined what a life with her would be like, how their children would look, how they’d grow old together. He had been so enamored of his smart and witty summertime friend. That night long ago, after one of their many campfires, he believed he had finally won her heart. Sure, they had only been around eighteen at the time, but he knew what love was.
Cassie had said she loved him, too, promised she’d return and crossed her heart. But it was his heart he should have crossed with protection. He never should have made her promise to visit again. The girl had broken both her promise and his heart when she never wrote or called… never came back.
Much to his father and grandfather’s delight, he had thrown himself into learning all the ins and outs of running the ranch. Equally, much to his family’s disappointment, he’d never settled down and had a family of his own. He’d dated a string of dancers, exotic and showgirls and had his share of cocktail waitresses. Hooked up with several female concierges, too. He especially liked the ones who worked the VIP departments. Those women were connected to some great events—shows, title fights, high stakes poker. But none of them ever found a place in his heart, never made him want to settle down, marry, have kids.
Cassie was the only one he had wanted that kind of life with. And now that she was back there was no way in hell he was going to let her go. He poured all those thoughts and more into the kiss.
She broke the embrace, stepped back. “Wow. I see you’ve become more than just a very handsome man.” A devilish smile crossed her face. She undid a couple of buttons on her blouse. The material shifted, allowing a full glimpse of her creamy white breast nestled in her bra cup. “Interested in some fun?”
He loved her curves, wanted to strip her, run his hands along her skin, feel all her shapes and nuances. The erection he’d been sporting on and off since he saw her in the dining room once again strained against his jeans. Dak glanced around the area, unsure if it’d be wise to get it on in the middle of an open field, especially with friends and family so close. “Come on.” He grasped her hand. “Let’s go to your cabin.”
Inside, she grabbed some items out of a drawer and ducked into the bathroom.
Using the solitary moment, Dakota unclipped his belt buckle, unbuttoned the fastening. The slight alteration helped relieved the pressure on his cock for a second. He considered slipping his hand into his pants for a few strokes to take care of business, to rid himself of the aching and pulsing need, but decided to wait for Cassie and see what would evolve from this little venture.
She strolled out of the bathroom dressed in a pink bustier and white boy-short underwear. Around her neck was a wide pink and white plastic-looking collar. Around her finger twirled a pair of handcuffs. “Ready for me and a sexy fling?”
Ready for her? He was more than ready, but cuffs and collars? Wasn’t that a bit kinky for their first time? So much for getting reacquainted before we experimented with each other. “Sure. A fling sounds fun,” he replied with a shrug, realizing he wasn’t too keen on the thought of only just a fling with her or being bound to the bed. “But lose the cuffs.”
Cassie shrugged. “No problem. I like a guy who takes the lead. Likes to be top.” She looked at the handcuffs and tossed them to the nightstand.
Take the lead? Wasn’t a gentleman supposed to do that? And what was with top? She must have meant on top. “I’d like it to just be you and me tonight. I think I’ve waited long enough to be with you and vice versa. We shouldn’t spoil our first time with gadgets, right?” He strolled over to her. “You’re beautiful.” He softly brushed the tips of his fingers against her cheek.
“If you think so, then it sounds good to me.” She smiled, took hold of his fingers stroking her cheek and kissed their tips. Then she stroked the moistened digits across the mounds of her breasts.
Excitement strummed his senses that she would be his in a few moments. His sexual furnace blazed. Heat enflamed his body.
With a racing heartbeat, Dak plunged his hands into her thick dark hair, claimed her lips once more. He kissed her for all he was worth, imparting his desire for her in the caress of his hands and lips. Skimming his hands around her neck, he searched for the fastening of her collar.
“Please,” she mumbled against his mouth. “Leave it alone.”
“All right,” he murmured back, spinning them around and dropping the two of them to the bed.
Cassie slipped her hands beneath his shirt, grabbed the fabric and yanked. The material ripped. Buttons flew. Surprisingly, her aggressive behavior triggered a primal sexual hunger within him. With a wolfish grin, he rose and removed the ruined garment.
Dakota gazed at her body with appreciative observation as she slipped out of the corset-like garment and boyshorts. Her curvy body pushed all his buttons and in a good way. He unzipped his jeans, shucked the denim and climbed onto the bed over her. Brushing his chest against the soft skin and hard peaks of her breasts, he tasted the smooth surfaces and crevices of her neck and shoulders.
“That feel
s real nice, Dak. This weekend trip is shaping up to be a memorable one.”
Weekend? Normally the word wouldn’t have bothered him too much, but when she said it, it cut through him. For once in his adult life, he wanted more than just a brief affair. But, he’d talk to her about that later. “We aim to please here on the Double D.”
He kissed his way up to her chin, stroked her lips with a feather-like touch. Prompted by the sweep of her tongue, the gentle, sweet kiss turned demanding, passionate.
His teeth nicked her lips, his tongue caressed hers. Warmth enveloped his spirit. He hummed low in his throat, shoved an arm beneath her and clutched her tight to him. She molded into him like a puzzle piece finding its place. Her fingers dug into his back. A wave of desire flooded him. His cock pressed against her thigh. Placing his hand on her pussy and finding the hard nub of her clit, the primal call within him bellowed for more, for release. But he could wait a little longer.
Thumbing her nub, he palmed and massaged her pussy. Her growing wetness dampened his hand. She writhed and purred beneath him. His other hand held firm to her hip while he sought a breast with his mouth, then suckled the erect nipple.
Cassie’s body shuddered. A small moan rolled from her.
Dakota placed kisses along the rise of her collar bones, pecked his way up to her forehead. “Hang tight, sweetie.” He rolled off her and searched for his jeans.
“If you’re looking for protection, let me make it easy for you.”
He glanced at her. She’d propped herself up on her elbows. He smiled to himself, enjoying being with a woman who wasn’t modest. “All right. Shoot.”
“The small bag on the counter near the bathroom. It has a box of condoms in it.”