Owned (17 page)

“Wow, you’ve thought about this a lot,” he replied while washing my legs.

“Yeah, I tried talking Gramp into it for years, but he never wanted to put up with the hassle. He said he didn’t want to give me another job.”

“He sounds like a great man. I’m sorry I never got to meet him.”

“Me too, I think he would have liked you and Dean,” I said quietly. “I know my gram would have adored you both.” I stopped talking and gasped as he reached my breasts and paid special attention to them.

“You have the softest, firmest breasts,” he purred in my ear. “I could play with them for hours on end.”

“You can’t talk like that to me, Jared,” I whimpered. “You can go take care of yourself. I won’t be able to play for a few weeks. It will make me and everyone around me miserable if I’m horny for two weeks, I promise.”

“I was just being honest, baby. You don’t want me to tell you how I love your tits? Or that I want to suck on your perky, hard nipples all night?” I couldn’t say anything coherent to that, so I just moaned.

“I think they’re clean enough,” I finally said, gasping. “I’m starting to get cold. And I feel very drunk from the medicine.”

“Okay, sweetheart, as long as you promise when you’re feeling better I can play with your breasts as long as I want.” He gave me a heated look and a smile that I would have said was wolfish. The chips were stacking up and I wondered if I was right or if they were ever going to tell me.

“Sure, as long as it’s not in public and it’s appropriate,” I said, smirking. He lifted me up with one arm around my waist and another under my good shoulder. Once I was standing, he wrapped a big fluffy towel around me and carried me to the bed. He sat me down and glanced around for clothes.

“Oh god, the lingerie you have,” he moaned, going through my dresser looking for pajamas for me.

“Hey, women don’t just get lingerie for men. Just because I was celibate for so long doesn’t mean I wore granny panties. I like dressing up all the way to the skin,” I replied with a purr.

“Woman, you’re going to be the death of me,” he grumbled as he helped me stand and dry off. But when he tried to dress me in my pajama shorts and top, he seemed to have problems.

“Are you trying to act inept at this so I say ‘to hell with it, I’ll sleep naked’?” I asked.

“No, but that’s a good idea,” he snickered. “Believe it or not, whenever I deal with other people and their clothes, it’s the removal of them. Not dressing.” It was funny and I’m sure true, but I still gave him a gentle smack on the shoulder. “You sit right there and I’ll get another towel for your hair and your conditioner.”

“Thanks, Jared, I never thought I’d have my own lady-in-waiting, especially one with such a nice ass.”

He froze, looking over the sink for the bottle that said
conditioner
. “You like my ass?”

“Come on, don’t get all modest on me. You know how gorgeous you are and you have that sexy voice.” I sighed. I needed an off switch to my mouth.

“We should get you drunk a lot,” he replied.

My now-foggy mind didn’t understand the comment. “Why?”

“It loosens your tongue. I’ve gotten more compliments out of you in five minutes than I have the entire time knowing you.”

“It’s looser?” I asked, sticking out my tongue at him. Now I was just being a snot.

“You crack me up, Kate. That first morning when I met you, I thought to myself being around you will never be boring.”

“Yeah,” I snorted. “I’m just the life of the party.” He came back with all the items and sat in the middle of the bed. Spreading his legs, he leaned forward grabbed me around the waist and pulled me back towards him. He did it again until his back was against the headboard, and the second time I let out a drunken, “Whee!”

“Honey, that wasn’t a ride. When you’re better I’ll give you the ride of your life,” he growled while nibbling on my neck. It sent shivers all down my spine and I let out a sigh. “Tell me what else you want to renovate.”

“I want to extend the porch so it wraps around the house and add a whirlpool outside. The back deck needs some work and I want to build a fire pit. Oh, and I want a vegetable garden!” I answered, getting excited.

“I should use this to my advantage,” he chuckled deeply. “I bet I could get any answer I wanted from you freely.”

“Hey, be nice or I won’t let you around me until I’m pain-free!”

“I’m being nice, baby, I’m taking care of you.” He started to dry my hair with the towel, and like most women, I loved having my hair played with.

“Yes you are, that’s why I’m not making you do any penance for being a bad boy before. I figure taking care of me for a few weeks is punishment enough. You guys won’t want me anymore after that.”

I didn’t realize at first that he had gone still behind me. “Is that what you think, Kate? We’ll only want you until this is over and then we’ll leave?”

“I don’t know. Guess I haven’t really thought about it yet. I just haven’t had anyone stay long when I’m not injured or a complete bitch because I don’t like feeling useless. I can’t see you guys taking more than a week when I’m laid up before running for the hills.”

“Kate, when I say I want you, to be with you, I’m talking long term,” he said carefully. “I don’t want to scare you, but I’m not planning to leave once you’re safe again.”

I thought about that for a bit while he was drying my hair again. “Really? Why? Why be with someone like me? You’re way out of my league.” Always good to blurt anything out that I was thinking.

“Don’t talk about yourself like that. You don’t see how men react to you. Just because the only men you’ve been involved with were losers, don’t you dare sell yourself short.” We didn’t talk for a while, and I was thinking about what he said as he sprayed in the conditioner and combed my hair.

“I like you, you’re good for my ego,” I finally said.

“Like is a start, I’ll take like,” he replied quietly. Right when he was almost done with my hair, he spoke again. “Do you ever wear your hair down? It’s really beautiful.”

“Only for special occasions usually, there’s a lot of it, and takes a long time to do right which I don’t normally have.”

“Baby, can I ask you a question?”

“Sure, but I’m starting to fall asleep, so you might need to remind me you asked me tomorrow,” I mumbled.

“If you could have any present, anything at all, what would you want? Is there something you’ve always wanted?”

“A dog.”

“Why a dog, honey?” he asked quietly.

“Never had one. Grew up in the city, parents didn’t want one. Then I lived out here for only two years, and yeah, there were dogs here, but they weren’t
mine
and they didn’t know me. Then college and the military. I’m not allowed to have them at my condo, and I work too much to keep them cooped up all day. I’ve never had a pet, not even a fish,” I explained. I felt him slide us down in the bed, laying me on his right side so my hurt shoulder lay on his chest.

“Good night, baby,” he said, running his fingers through my hair.

“Good night, Jared. Thanks for the bath,” I mumbled. “Take off your shirt, I want to lie on your chest without the shirt.”

“Whatever you want, sweetheart,” he chuckled and then pulled it off with some grace considering I never moved.

The next week and a half went about as well as expected. Jared and Dean made several comments about the amount of cuss words that came out of my mouth. Hell, I was right-handed, and I couldn’t use it for anything. Who wouldn’t be cussing?

“Mother fucker!” I yelled again, getting pissed off. “It had to be the right shoulder. Didn’t it? Cock sucking, son of a bitch, chicken shit shooter!”

“What is it, baby?” Dean asked, coming into the study.

“Don’t
baby
me. I can’t even sign my fucking name on the payroll checks,” I snarled. “Your employees get pissed if you don’t pay them. I mean, you want your check, don’t you?”

“What do you mean ‘my check’?” he asked, his face going grim.

“Your paycheck. It’s late. All the checks are late.” He still looked pissed and I stared at him incredulously. What was I missing? “What? Did you think I would have Nate send you guys out here and not pay you?” I asked, dumbfounded.

“Jared, get in here!” Dean yelled.

“What’s up?” Jared asked when he stepped into the study.

“She’s working on our paychecks,” he replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

“You’re what?” Jared shouted.

“Why are you two getting pissed? You were sent out here for a job. You’re doing it, so you get paid for it.”

“We’re not taking care of you, helping you bathe and dress because it’s a job, Kate,” Dean replied calmly, but I could tell he was pissed.

“I know that, but you are protecting me,” I said, realizing where this was going. “And that’s the job you were sent out here for.”

“Yeah, we did such a good job, you got shot,” Jared growled, shaking with rage. I didn’t know they still blamed themselves for that, and maybe I’d address that in depth more later, but one issue at a time.

“I don’t blame you for that, and you know it. You’re both also helping with the horses. You’re doing work. Why wouldn’t I pay you?”

“Because we’re doing it because we love you, not for a paycheck,” Dean snapped.

“Okay, I’ll be honest,” I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose with my good hand. “I don’t know what to say or do here. I feel like whatever I do I’m going to be in trouble. If I assume you were here because you care and didn’t pay you, that’s insulting. But I try and pay you, and you’re insulted. It’s not like I’m offering you money because you’re sleeping in my bed or kissing me. You’re doing work, just because we’ve become involved on the side doesn’t mean you forgo your paychecks.”

“I see where you’re coming from, Kate,” Jared said slowly, looking at his brother. “I guess we didn’t expect to get paid, I mean we’re living with you, eating your food. You won’t let us pay for anything, on top of which you want to pay us.”

“I just figured if we were in a normal office setting and we started dating, doesn’t mean you stop getting paid. I know it’s different and extreme circumstances, but the point is the same.”

“Makes sense, I see what you’re saying too. I’m sorry we snapped at you,” Dean said.

“So you’ll take the paychecks?” I asked softly.

“I don’t know how I feel about that,” Jared answered. I met his gaze and saw he wasn’t trying to be a jerk. He looked too confused to be starting shit.

I decided to try another tactic. “Think of it this way. If we were married, for instance, and ran our home and ranch together, everything I had would be yours, right? But we’re dating, and because my ass is in trouble, it’s not like you can have another job right now. You’re working for me. Would you feel better if Jamie or Nate paid you instead?”

“I’m not sure. Let us think about it, maybe talk to Nate, okay?” Dean asked.

“That’s fine, I’m not trying to hurt or insult you guys, but I’m not going to treat you like doormats either,” I clarified.

“We appreciate that.” Jared gave me a firm nod to let me know we were good and a smile. “Speaking of horses, we need to head out there. They’re doing some breeding today and we need to help.”

“We’ll be back as quick as we can,” Dean said, coming over to give me a quick kiss. Jared did the same and they left. I sat back for a minute wondering if I handled that okay. I shrugged my shoulders, and winced as the injured one flared with pain. I needed to stop doing that.

Things with Dean, Jared, and I were new territory for all of us. We’d figure it out. Realizing my glass was empty, I headed towards the kitchen. I was drinking constantly and having to pee all the time. The pain medicine was driving me nuts, but thankfully I only had one more day.

I grabbed some ice tea from the fridge, then went to stand by the kitchen window to look at the backyard. Thinking back to the meeting with the contractor I had a few days ago, I smiled, trying to picture the changes. I noticed a reflection in the window coming up behind me and went with the first idea that popped in my head since I was too injured to be of any use in a fight.

Sliding my cell phone out from my pocket and keeping my movements hidden so he couldn’t see me, I put it on the counter. I pressed the button on the touch screen to call Jared, put it on speaker phone so they could hear, but also turned the volume down all the way so it wouldn’t make noise. I didn’t say anything until I saw the call go through, knowing he had answered.

“Hi, Sean,” I said, turning around to face him.

“Well don’t you think you’re just so smart catching me sneaking up on you?”

“It comes and it goes. I wouldn’t get too hung up on me being smart,” I replied, starting to move to my right. We still had the island in between us. “So why are you here?”

“To fuck you,” he said with a sneer.

I blinked at him. He didn’t seem happy about the idea so what I really wanted to ask was,
why the fuck would you want to?
Instead I went with a question to stall and not let on I knew he was nuts. “Do I get any say in this?”