by BJ Wane
“I love to… ride,” she drawled with blatant innuendo.
His jaw tightened, his reply stated in a low, controlled voice. “Horses, Sydney.”
“Oh, well, no, I’ve never been on top of one of those. But it couldn’t be too hard. You said she’s a sweetheart.” She reached out a tentative hand to stroke the mare’s soft neck, enjoying the ripple of muscle under her hand.
“When I have time, I’ll take you up, give you a few lessons. Until then, don’t even think about it,” he warned.
“Another rule?” she quipped, beginning to chafe under the weight of his restrictions.
“Safety is high on our priority list, along with no employee membership, or even visits to our private club,” he stated, laying it on the line in blunt terms.
Sydney blew out a frustrated breath and gripped the rail. She may just end up as lonely on this busy ranch as she’d been traveling alone for the past few weeks. “You sure know how to suck the fun out of a new job, Boss. I guess I’ll have to come up with other ways to enjoy my time off.”
Caden wanted his reply to confirm his distrust of the innocent look on Sydney’s face when she uttered that last question. He needed to squash her interest before he caved, and he was the one to break his own, steadfast rule. “You saw how I deal with little girls who let their mouths run away with them. Same goes for those who break the rules.” Which wasn’t true for employees, of course, but she didn’t know that.
“I’m not a little girl,” she returned, unfazed. He should’ve remembered how she hadn’t shied away from watching him spank Mindy, and how there’d been no reasoning with her last night.
“Then don’t act like one and we won’t have a problem,” he growled in frustration, doing his best to ignore the way the twinkle in her eyes stirred his cock.
Caden didn’t hear Connor come out of the barn until he spoke behind him, his voice laced with amused curiosity. “Is big brother giving you a hard time?”
“Connor, meet our new cook, and yes, she’s also our trespasser from last night. Sydney Baker, my brother, Connor.”
“Thank God.” Pushing his way between them, Connor held out his hand. “We may have had a mutiny on our hands come noon if the guys had to eat one more catered meal from the deli in town. It’s so frigging nice to meet you, Sydney.”
The smile Sydney bestowed on his brother lit up her face with pleasure, the look drawing Caden’s hands into fists to keep from giving in to the urge to shove Connor away from her. How the hell could she get to him so fast, and in a way no other woman ever had?
“It’s nice to be greeted by a friendly face, Connor. Caden was going over the rules with me, with an emphasis on safety and no more spying in the window of your ‘other’ barn.” The finger quotes she put up when she said other drew a reluctant smile from Caden. The girl didn’t give an inch and damned if he couldn’t help the thread of admiration and amusement that trait elicited.
“That’s funny. Caden was always the one to tell me rules were made to be broken when we were growing up and getting our butts walloped,” Connor drawled, his mouth quirking in a small grin.
Since he couldn’t fight both of them at once, Caden yanked on his hat in exasperation. “We have work to do and Sydney has a meal to prepare. I suggest we all get to it.”
“Sydney, again, nice to meet you. See you at lunch.” Connor tipped his hat to her before catching up with Caden in the barn.
Why it should grate that his brother was so friendly and showed an interest in Sydney, Caden didn’t know, and didn’t care for the fact it did. Under any other circumstances, he’d enjoy the attraction, the interest in kink, and act on it. But he couldn’t afford to sour a much-needed employer/employee relationship by giving in to her and indulging in a brief fling.
“You could cut her a little slack. She seems nice.”
He flicked his brother a sharp glance. “She is nice, but rules are put in place for a good reason.”
“Yeah, I know,” Connor sighed in agreement. “But sometimes bending the rules doesn’t hurt anything and can be a hell of a lot of fun.”
The Dunbar brothers together certainly packed a punch, Sydney mused, watching the pair stride off. They were of the same height, but Connor had a leaner build than Caden, his hair a lighter, tawny shade of brown worn long enough to pull back in a short ponytail compared to his brother’s shaggy, collar-length, dark mahogany. The twinkle in Connor’s matching blue eyes belied the whole scruffy, rugged look he had going on with the shade darker beard that was sexy as hell. But the horny, perverse side of her only tingled when Caden drilled her with his irritated, cobalt gaze and warmed from just an innocent touch of his callused hand, leaving her no choice but to jump him if given the chance. Since that prospect seemed unlikely, she’d have to suck it up for now and concentrate on her job.
As she suspected, the pantry and oversized refrigerator/freezer in the mess hall held only the basics, ingredients that lacked imagination. After finding everything she needed for a large batch of spaghetti, which would take no time, she indulged herself by sinking her hands into yeasty dough for fresh, homemade bread. She had just pulled the golden loaves from the oven when she heard the outer door open and voices heralding the arrival of the hands.
Snatching up the mitt hot pads, she lifted the heavy pot of spaghetti and meatballs off the stove and carried it into the dining hall. A lanky young man rushed forward and took it from her with a beaming smile, his tanned face shadowed by his Stetson.
“Billy Joe, ma’am. Welcome to the Dunbar Ranch. Oh, man, this looks fu… er, darn good.”
Amused, Sydney smiled at him. “Thank you. I’m Sydney. I’ll grab the bread.”
Another young hand swiveled his blond head toward her, his blue eyes widening at her announcement. “Bread? As in homemade? Is that what I smell?”
“Yes. Hold on.” She rushed back into the kitchen as several more guys strolled in, all hurrying to take a seat. Their youth surprised her, and as she returned to set the bread and butter on the table, the rest welcomed her with unreserved comradery.
“Thank God,” a dark skinned, dark-eyed guy said with an appreciative sigh as he scooped spaghetti onto his plate. “If we had to eat deli sandwiches one more time, I was going to protest.”
“They weren’t that bad, Diego. I’m Tyler, miss.” He held out his hand and she shook it, bemused by the show of respect that was rare anymore in young men their age.
“Nice to meet you. If you’ll excuse me, I need to finish up in the kitchen.”
She was so pleased with their welcome, and their enthusiasm and praise for the simple meal and homemade bread, she was able to ignore the tightness in her chest when Caden walked in fifteen minutes later. Only midday, and already a sexy shadow darkened his swarthy cheeks, and she’d bet he shaved that morning. His eyes zeroed in on her all the way into the kitchen for a split second, just long enough to produce an instant rush of heated pleasure to pool between her legs. That reaction proved harder to set aside.
Sydney returned with another pot and passed on several offers to sit and join the hands, none of which came from her boss, opting instead to eat in the kitchen while cleaning up. She wanted to explore a little before raiding the house kitchen for something to fix for dinner later. There was also the lengthy list of ingredients she needed to make, but thought to save that chore for later tonight, assuming Caden would spend his Saturday night the same as he had Friday night, leaving her to entertain herself.
It took no time for the twenty hands to devour both huge pots and all of the bread, and she sent them back to work with brownies and beaming smiles of gratitude. At her job in St. Louis, she didn’t get the chance to mingle with the customers she fed and only got wind of compliments second-hand. She rather enjoyed receiving praise first-hand, even if it was for a simple meal anybody could toss together at home.
Sydney spent the afternoon walking around the acres surrounding the house, investigating the barns, playing with the dogs whenev
er they came rushing by, petting a few friendly horses. The ranch hands all stopped to chat a few minutes if she wandered into their area, taking the time to answer her questions and gave her directions with a smile when she’d get turned around. Despite the cool fall temperature, the sun felt good and the view of sweaty, hard-working young guys was a nice diversion from the looming, lonely night ahead of her.
Her mood improved even more when she inspected the large garden and brought in enough ripe vegetables for a salad to serve with the meatloaf and mashed potatoes she planned for dinner. She missed getting fresh produce from the farmer’s market back home, and from the looks of the garden and feel of the air, she doubted she would get many more days to pluck from the home-grown supply.
Right at six o’clock, the five hands who stayed full-time on the ranch came in with Connor and introduced themselves before taking a seat at the extended dining table. “Don’t worry, Sydney,” Connor assured her, squeezing her shoulder. “You’ll learn everyone’s names in no time. Grab a seat.”
She flicked an uneasy glance toward Caden, who had just entered and stood in the doorway. “Oh, I don’t think…”
“I do. Ignore my cranky big brother and join us. I insist.” Conner sent Caden a challenging look.
Caden shrugged. “Fine by me.”
Pleased to not be eating alone, she sat between her two bosses, but her mind, and body, couldn’t drum up any interest in anyone except Caden. What was it about the rancher that pulled at her with such a forceful tug? She wondered if her infatuation stemmed from watching him in such an erotic setting or if the loneliness and stress of the last weeks were getting to her in a different way.
Loading his plate, Connor asked her the one question she didn’t want to answer honestly. “What brings you to Willow Springs, besides the job?”
She shrugged and refrained from looking over at Caden, worried he might read more on her face and in her answer than she wanted. “I was ready for someplace new, something different, and I’ve never been to Montana. It’s pretty here, and everyone is nice. I like that.”
“The young people, they up and leave as soon as they can,” Fred, the auburn-haired, bearded man at the end of the table grumbled. “It’s always good to see a young fresh face, especially one who can cook.”
Sydney beamed at the compliment, given with off-hand gruffness. “Thank you. Give me a list of your favorite foods and I’ll see what I can surprise you with. I love to cook and try out new recipes.”
Caden sent her a look she couldn’t decipher. “Keep them simple and we’ll be happy. We’re not fancy around here.”
“Trying new things, getting out of your comfort zone is good for you,” she returned, holding back a smirk when his jaw tightened.
“I’m game. Bring it on, Sydney. I’ll try whatever you make, even if big brother balks.”
Caden’s frown delighted her, but instead of pushing her luck, she rose and picked up her plate. “How about I do a little of both, a few new dishes along with the standard fare I’m sure you’re used to?” Nodding to the smiling hands, she said, “Thank you for asking me to join you.”
“Great meal, Ms. Baker,” Jim, a short, stocky-built man commented as he stood, donned his hat and tipped it to her. “Nice to have you on board.”
The appreciation he and the others voiced over another simple meal pleased her in a way compliments for her more extravagant dishes never had. “If you want to wait a minute, I have pie.”
“Oh, hell yeah.”
Smiling, she served the chocolate cream pie she’d baked hoping to mellow Caden’s attitude toward letting her at least visit their private club as a guest tonight. The longing to explore, up close and personal, the happenings she’d stumbled upon last night continued to increase during the afternoon and as she sat next to the rancher, as did the need to discover why he did it for her on every level, more so than any other man. She’d never experienced such a quick, strong reaction to a man before, and she didn’t know whether she found him different from other men due to the sexual arena she’d first seen him in or his larger-than-life appearance and dominating air.
As soon as the ranch hands departed, Caden and Connor started discussing leaving for the club while helping her clear the table. “You’ll be fine here while we’re gone, Sydney,” Caden said, handing her his plate at the sink. “I showed you the line on my desk that goes directly to the bunk house if you need anything.”
“Why can’t I go?” she asked, hating the tremor and whine in her voice. The thought of facing yet another long, lonely night depressed her. “Don’t you ever allow visitors, those who want to check things out for the first time?”
“All the time,” Connor put in before glancing at his big brother with a raised brow. “Surely we can make an exception to the no mixing employees with pleasure rule. I hate to think of leaving poor Sydney all alone tonight.”
Caden frowned and shook his head, dashing the surge of gratitude and hope Connor’s words elicited. “No.” He pinned her with those laser blue eyes and her body’s instant reaction made her want to both smack him and jump him, and she wasn’t sure which was stronger. “I don’t bend the rules for anyone. That would be a bad habit to get into. Other than my private quarters, you have free run of the house. Find a way to amuse yourself.” Slapping his hat on his head, he started for the door, tossing over his shoulder, “You coming, Con?”
“Right behind you.” Connor squeezed her shoulder, his eyes sympathetic. “I’ll work on him, Sydney. We’ve never hired an outsider before. All of our employees have been locals, including our cook for the past twenty years. They have their own homes, and own lives and friends away from the ranch, unlike you. He knows that.”
“Thanks, Connor. I just want to socialize, and watch,” she added with a cocky grin. “I’ve never…”
“Submitted to bondage, erotic pain, dominance?” he supplied for her when she paused, unsure how she wanted to phrase her inexperience with kinky sex.
Her face warmed. “Right. My… past doesn’t include any of those things, but I’m not opposed to experimenting… but, not with…” She floundered again, her face heating even more as she wondered how she could tell him her lust seemed to center on just his brother. From Connor’s low chuckle, she figured maybe she didn’t have to explain.
“Got it, Sydney. And don’t worry.” His eyes clouded, and his smile slipped. “I’m in a relationship, at least for the time being.”
Sydney followed him onto the front porch and spotted Caden sitting behind the wheel of his huge black truck, Connor’s matching vehicle parked behind him. “I hope it works out for you,” she told him softly, reaching out and squeezing his hand before he jogged down the steps. Folding her arms against the chilly night air, she stood on the porch watching until their taillights disappeared around the bend, a heavy weight pressing on her chest.
The dogs bounded up on the porch and, ignoring Caden’s orders not to pamper them, she held open the door to let them in. “You’re better than no company,” she told the pair, following them inside. In a fit of irritation and despondency, she cut up the leftover meatloaf Caden mentioned saving for lunch tomorrow and fed it to the grateful pups.
By the time she slipped into the comfortable bed a few hours later, the howling wind emphasized the loneliness of the big, empty house, stretching her already taut nerves. She drifted asleep aching for a large rancher to take her over, divert her thoughts from missing home and worrying over her relatives with his hard hand and even harder body.
Caden leaned against the bar and surveyed the room for about the tenth time since arriving at The Barn two hours ago. And just like those other times, he couldn’t drum up any enthusiasm to participate in the activities other members were enjoying. The image of Sydney looking lonely and dejected standing on his porch as he and Connor took off kept popping up. Guilt coiled in his gut, but it was her evasive answer at dinner to Connor’s simple inquiry that kept tugging at him. Normally, he didn’t involve hi
mself in his employee’s private affairs or poke his nose into other’s business they weren’t of a mind to share. But, damn, that girl had him wondering what the hell she was hiding, and why.
Grayson Monroe, his friend and partner in the club, strolled up to the bar, distracting him from his unwanted musings. “Ready for me to take over?” he asked, shifting the toothpick in the corner of his mouth around.
Caden shook his head. “I can handle it a while longer. It’s quiet tonight.”
“Quieter than usual, and nice for a change.” Shifting his gray/green gaze to the spanking benches against the back wall, interest lit his eyes and Caden turned to see what had caught his attention.
Despite the enticing scene of Master Dan, a member since soon after they opened their doors over six years ago, delivering a volley of resounding smacks to Leslie’s bare, wiggling ass, Caden still couldn’t drum up interest in finding a willing partner to scene with. He had no problem stirring to life when he thought of a freckled face surrounded by red hair and dominated by a pair of expressive green eyes.
Caden swore under his breath as another slice of guilt cut through him. Swinging his head back around, he caught Grayson’s speculative look, the sheriff never missing a beat as he cocked his head and asked, “Problem?”
“No, nothing I can’t get a handle on. You know, I think I will turn this over to you. Is Connor monitoring?” The three of them, along with a few other Doms, took turns between tending bar and monitoring the loft activities. Everyone knew and abided by the standard rules of safe, sane and consensual, but regardless of good intentions and being a close-knit group, things could get out of hand on occasion.
“Yeah. He’d just relieved Devin as I finished with Cassie.” A scowl darkened Grayson’s swarthy face.