Read The Cowboy's Property (Siren Publishing Classic) Online

Authors: Calico Daniels

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The Cowboy's Property (Siren Publishing Classic) (2 page)

BOOK: The Cowboy's Property (Siren Publishing Classic)
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She set the basket of fruit on the dresser and put the flowers in the vases on the nightstands on either side of the bed. It was the nicest room in the lodge with its peeled cedar king-sized bed and original works of cowboy art on the walls. It was reserved for special guests.

Quickly, she stripped the bed and hauled the sheets out into the hallway. She grabbed a fresh set from the cart and made her way back into the room. With a flick of her wrists, she snapped the cotton fitted sheet out across the bed and began securing it around the plush mattress. One of her earbuds popped loose as she worked her way around the bed. She was bent over with her fanny in the air when she heard the voice behind her.

“Tell me, do all the guests get this kind of service here?”

Whirling around, Kayla found herself staring at the sexiest man she’d ever seen. He was tall, tanned, and oh, so scrumptious. And he stood in the bathroom doorway wearing nothing but a low-slung towel! The muscles of his biceps bulged as he kept his hand fisted in the towel, holding it securely in place. Droplets of water slid from his dark hair onto his broad shoulders and rolled down his rock-hard chest. Her eyes followed one as it trailed down over his six-pack abs and disappeared at the towel line.

“Do you like what you see?”

The towel below his waist stirred, and her gaze shot back to his face. His chocolate eyes twinkled with mischief, and a slow smile spread across his face. Kayla folded her arms beneath her breasts and gave him another once-over.

Alarms blared in the logical part of her brain, but her body just wasn’t listening. Her nipples hardened and throbbed against her shirt while a rush of heat flooded her pussy. The rules on the ranch were simple. No fraternizing with the guests. Any violation resulted in immediate termination. Laura was a raging bitch who had fired staff members for less. Sometimes PMS seemed to be a good enough reason for her.

But what did her rules really mean now anyway? She was selling out. Chances were very good that even those Laura didn’t fire before she left would get canned by the new owners. Most owners wanted to bring in fresh staff to go with the new management. If she was going to lose her job anyway, why not go out with one hell of a bang.

“I like what I
can
see.” Kayla touched her tongue to her lips and watched desire flare in his eyes.

“Do you want to see more?” His gaze raked her body from head to toe, taking her all in like a starving man at a buffet.

“Honey, I never agree to ride a horse before I see him outside of the stall.”

He raised one dark brow and took a step closer to her. “This pony’s definitely not a task for a novice rider.”

His scent surrounded her and made the muscles in her pussy clench. A day’s worth of beard shadowed his jaw. Her breasts grew heavy. Oh, to feel the stubble scratch across her sensitive skin would be heaven. “Then I guess it’s a good thing I’m an experienced rider who knows how to handle my mount.”

Another step closer. The bulge beneath his towel swelled again. “Do you use a gentle hand?”

“When the need arises.” Kayla tilted her head and stared into his eyes as he took another step, bringing their bodies close.

“But can you handle a mount that’s more than a handful?” His breath was warm and moist across her cheek, sending shivers down her spine.

“I can handle anything I can wrap my legs around,” she whispered.

The sexy guest’s cock nudged her hip from beneath its terry cloth cover. “Wanna go for a ride?”

Another droplet of water slid down his chest and across his stomach. Kayla unfolded her arms and ran a finger down the moist trail to the towel secured at his waist. She dipped her finger just below the fabric and teased the tight curls above his cock with her fingertip. “I would,” she murmured, “but I have laundry to do.”

With a sharp tug, she dislodged the towel from his grip, turned, and walked out the door.

 

* * * *

 

Jack stood in front of the bathroom mirror and drew the razor across his jaw. His mind wandered back to the events in his room that morning. After a fitful night’s sleep, he woke up late and decided to forgo the morning ride for a hot shower.

It was obvious by her initial reaction to him she hadn’t known he was still in the room when she came in to clean up. He’d been so shocked by the sight of her denim-clad rear bent over his bed, he’d almost dropped the towel. It hadn’t been his intention to flirt with her, but once she turned around and he realized the rest of her was as phenomenal as her fanny, his brain stopped working, and his hormones took control of his mouth. Sparking a sexually laden conversation with a stranger wasn’t his style, but something about her quick comments had spurred him on, inviting him to play the game.

Her hair was the color of whiskey, long, and smooth. Eyes so rich and blue, one would swear they were contacts. Her skin was slightly tanned and unflawed. And her mouth, well, she had a mouth that made a man’s mind wonder what it would be like to taste her lips and see if they were as sweet as they looked. His cock bumped against the zipper of his jeans. Oh, yeah, her lips could do other things, too.

A quick tumble with the sexy beauty wasn’t why he’d booked the stay. No one knew who he was or why he was here. After years of being in business, he had learned sometimes it was better to look at the potential assets on the down low. It tended to be easier to find the dirt on a business when folks weren’t watching their step around the potential buyer. Maybe his little vixen could help him discover the ins and outs.

It wouldn’t be too difficult to find out the young woman’s name on a small ranch like this one. With only eighteen rooms, there couldn’t be more than three housekeepers, and there was no way they could all look as good as she did. Dinner would begin at seven in the dining room, and it would also be the perfect opportunity to do a little snooping about the identity of the woman who’d been on his mind all day.

After finishing his shave, Jack pulled on a clean T-shirt, picked up his black Stetson, and headed to the dining room. Most guest ranches served meals buffet style, but at the Rocking Star, they served like a gourmet restaurant for dinner. A small menu was created every day with three appetizers, entrées, and dessert choices. All made to order.

Jack walked through the archway into the dining room and was greeted with an array of scrumptious aromas. He spotted an empty table for two on the far side of the room and made his way across the floor to it. Most of the other guests had already taken their seats and were already placing orders with the waitstaff for their meals when he sat down.

The view off the balcony amazed him. Evening rays of golden sun peeked through the majestic pines and cast romantic shadows everywhere. The Colorado Rockies at sunset were breathtaking.

He could feel the tension ebbing from his neck when a sultry voice purred, “Where have you been all my life, handsome?” A tall, buxom blonde, wearing enough war paint to please any great chief, stood beside him.

He followed a long red nail with his gaze as it trailed down his arm. He arched a brow and stared into her eyes. “Nowhere in your vicinity, thank God.” Fire flew from her eyes, and with a huff, she turned and went to find a different victim.

Jack chuckled and turned his attention back to the sunset.

“Good evening, sir. My name is Kayla, and I will be your server this evening.”

The voice slid across his skin like a lover’s caress. It was her. He didn’t even need to turn around to know his server was the same woman who had been in his room this morning. His cock instantly filled the space behind his zipper.

“Can I get you something from—” Recognition sparked in her eyes when he turned and looked at her. A seductive smile spread across her luscious lips. “Something from the bar, perhaps? Something smooth and satisfying before the main course?”

Jack returned her smile. “What do you recommend that might be able to quench my thirst?”

“We have several excellent bourbons that are guaranteed to please a man of your tastes.”

“Guaranteed, huh?” He tilted his head and raked her body with his gaze. Formfitting black slacks hugged the curves of her hips. Her breasts pulled the material of the white dress shirt snugly across her chest. Jack could make out the faint shadow of the chemise she wore beneath. Very sexy. “What type of guarantee are you offering?”

“If you don’t like it,” her pink tongue darted out and caressed her bottom lip, “I’ll keep giving you something different until we find one that pleases you.”

“Now, that sounds like something designed to get you some good tips.”

Kayla leaned toward him and lowered her voice. “I’ll give as good as I get.”

Jack raised one brow slightly. “How much will you give?”

“As much as you can handle,” she whispered innocently.

Sassy and sexy, she was one hell of a combination. “In that case, give me your best.”

“As you wish.” She placed a menu on the edge of the table and turned toward the bar. Her hips swayed provocatively as she glided across the room. His cock surged again. Never in his life had he been so profoundly turned on by any woman in such a short time. She could do things to his body with a look other women couldn’t do with their hands, or mouths for that matter.

“So, Jack, how do you like my little ranch so far?” Laura Callahan slipped into the seat across from him.

“The views are incredible.”
Especially the one walking away.

Laura nodded and smiled a toothy grin. “It’s the perfect place to relax.” She ignored Kayla when she returned with his drink. “And the staff is above par. We have a gourmet chef and a world-class masseur for our guests.”

“Really?” Jack looked at Kayla, who stood by, waiting for his order. “What do you recommend for dinner tonight, Kayla?”

“The sweet potato fries are a wonderful appetizer, and the steak, a little pink in the middle, will melt in your mouth. It’s the best you’ll ever have.”

A good steak wasn’t the only thing he liked pink in the middle.

“Oh, I think we can do better than steak. The blue corn-crusted crab cakes are an exceptional choice.” Laura flashed him a grin he could only assume she meant to be flirty. “And for the main course, the snapper can’t be matched anywhere.”

Jack caught the sexual innuendo in her reference to the meal. Mentally, he groaned. He would be willing to put money down that any snapper Laura served him would be as overdone as her.

He gave Kayla his most charming smile. “Then, it’s settled. I’ll have the fries to start and finish up with the steak. If it really is the best I’ve ever had, I may want to enjoy my fill while I’m here.”

“I think the chef could be persuaded to accommodate you,” Laura chimed in.

Kayla cast him a knowing smile and walked toward the kitchen. Jack turned back to find Laura watching him intently.

“So, tell me something, Laura, what made you want to open a guest ranch?”

Her smile never wavered. “I just love being around people. They come here from all over the country and spend a little time in my personal paradise. I’m a giver by nature, and I just love sharing with others.”

Somehow seeing Laura as a woman interested in the happiness of others before herself just didn’t strike him as being accurate. “It definitely wouldn’t be a good business if you didn’t like people. And it is beautiful here.”

By the time Jack finished his appetizer, Laura had run out of small talk and made her way to some of the other tables. She seemed nice enough, in a shallow way, but he was more than happy she’d left before Kayla came back to clear the table after he’d enjoyed his entrée.

“Can I get you anything else this evening, sir? Dessert, perhaps?” She reached for his plate, and he stopped her with a hand on her wrist.

“What would you suggest?”

“They are all decadent if presented right.” Her murmured words brought a tidal wave of erotic images flooding through his mind. His cock twitched and swelled as he thought about all the ways he wanted to sample her body. The possibilities were endless. With so many locations available to them on the ranch, they could fuck in a different spot, several times a day, and it would be months before they made a full circle.

“I think I’ll pass on dessert tonight.”

“Are you sure?” Kayla raised a brow, the corners of her mouth tilted up slightly.

Jack nodded. “I don’t think the
chef
has anything I want.” His thumb slid gently across the tender skin on the inside of her wrist.

“If I didn’t have to go back down to the barn and feed the mares when I get off, I’d offer to make you something myself.” She lifted one shoulder slightly. “But it’s my night to take care of the eleven o’clock feeding.”

He released her wrist. “What a shame.”

Kayla retrieved his dinner plate and nodded. “I hope you have a good evening, sir.”

“Jack. My name is Jack.”

She flashed him a sexy smile and walked back to the kitchen. A quick glance at his watch told him he had a little over an hour before she went to feed. This was shaping up to be one hell of a trip.

He needed to find out as much information about the goings-on around the ranch as possible. Laura had the place listed for sale, but her asking price was way above market value. If his hunch was right, the ranch was having issues, and he wanted to find out exactly what they were before he went to her with a price. Coming here as a guest was the perfect opportunity to do a little snooping without all the sugarcoating she would try to lay on if he had come as a potential buyer. And if he could get the information he needed to make a sound business transaction and get to know a beautiful woman in the process, he wasn’t going to bitch.

Chapter Two

 

The rich smell of hay and horse surrounded Kayla as she entered the dark barn. Soft breathing and the occasional stomp of a hoof were the only sounds in the eerie silence. Laura was adamant about the pregnant mares getting fed every eight hours, and the eleven o’clock feeding, though inconvenient, was Kayla’s favorite. Alone in the barn with her thoughts and the horses, the tension of the day melted away.

BOOK: The Cowboy's Property (Siren Publishing Classic)
6.88Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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