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

  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.

  Here in the barn, all of Laura’s bitching drifted into the far recesses of her mind. The worry about the sale of the ranch and the stability of her job dropped off her radar. When Kayla was with the horses, nothing else mattered.

  She unlocked the feed room, loaded the wagon with grain, and eased down the center aisle between the stalls. Once all the feed buckets and water buckets were filled, she made her way to the last stall to break open a fresh bale of hay. Reaching the neatly stacked rectangles of fragrant grass, she worked her fingers under the taut wire holding the mass together and prepared to give it a tug.

  “Where I come from, no self-respecting gentleman would let a beautiful woman handle something that big without offering assistance.”

  He came. Desire licked its way from her pussy to her nipples, drawing them to tight buds. The deep timbre of his voice set her body on fire with want and need. She glanced at him over her left shoulder, leaned forward, and gave him a great view of her denim-clad ass. “Do you doubt my ability?”

  Shit, he was sexy. A black felt Stetson covered his dark hair. A cotton T-shirt molded his chest, showing off every dip and curve of the defined muscles beneath. Worn denim encased his long legs. The silver and gold buckle at his waist couldn’t hide the pronounced bulge beneath.

  Two strides brought his hips flush with hers. The impressive ridge of his cock pressed against her ass as he wrapped his fingers around her waist. “Baby, if your body can keep half the promises that I’ve heard come out of your mouth, I’ll be the luckiest man in the world.”

  Kayla rolled her hips against his crotch. “My mouth can do a lot more than make promises.”

  Jack slid his fingers to the button of her jeans and released it. “But can you back up those words?” The metallic slide of the zipper echoed in the silent stall.

  She gripped his right wrist and pushed it down into the front of her pants. With no panties, she knew he could easily feel how wet and ready she was. “Do you want to find out?” she whispered.

  He pushed his hand further down into the front of her jeans, sliding a finger between the damp folds of her sex. “Isn’t there some rule about fraternization here?”

  Kayla moaned as two fingers slid deep into her aching channel. “Yes.”

  “Not worried about breaking the rules?” His hot breath teased the shell of her ear.

  “Do you really want me to think about the rules right now?” She arched her back against his chest, driving his fingers deeper into her pussy.

  Jack rolled his hips against her. “No, I don’t.” The ridge of his cock nestled against her ass.

  With determined hands, Kayla shoved her jeans down her hips, allowing him greater access to her. He caressed her deeply and turned his attention to her clit. Teasing and flicking. Passion coiled deep in her stomach. A strong hand gripped her shoulder and urged her to lean across the neatly stacked hay bales in front of her.

  Christ, he had talented fingers. “Then what do you want me thinking about?” A moan passed over her lips as he grazed her clit with his thumb.

  His fingers disappeared from inside her. Before she had time to voice her displeasure, he spun her around and sat her on one of the bales. The dry blades of coastal hay pricked her tender skin. He dropped to his knees and tugged her jeans down as far as they would go with her boots still on.

  “I want you thinking about my mouth on your pussy.” His callused hands skimmed the inside of her thighs, spreading her as wide as the confines of the denim would allow.

  “I’d rather feel it than think about it.” Leaning back on her elbows, she angled her trimmed mound toward him in a silent invitation.

  A feral growl rumbled from his chest as he spread her lower lips with his fingers. “And I’d rather taste than talk.”

  Kayla smiled. “Get in there, cowboy, because I won’t stop you.”

  The first touch of his tongue across her swollen pussy sent a shock wave through her body. Wickedly delicious swipes and nips set her on fire. She gasped. Fuck, his mouth was better than his fingers. He pulled her clit between his lips, flicking, and sucking. One strong finger teased her opening, dancing around the edge but never penetrating.

  “Good thing, because as good as you taste, I may not get my fill for a while.” His mouth returned to her, sliding his tongue down her slit, toying with her clit, and moving farther to tease her entrance.

  Hay poking her ass and arms and restricted use of her legs wasn’t generally her ideal setting for sex, but his oral action was more than making up for any discomfort she was dealing with. Tension coiled deep within her like a spring ready to explode. The walls of her pussy contracted, needing penetration, needing completion.

  His magical tongue dipped into her, laving her thoroughly. She whimpered and rolled her hips against his mouth. More. She needed more. “Don’t tease me, Jack.”

  “Tell me what you want.” He gave another deep lick and swirl as his thumb circled her clit.

  Kayla’s body quivered. “I don’t give a shit as long as it ends with me coming against your mouth.” She clenched her teeth as he delivered another precise flick.

  “Maybe I don’t want to end the meal.” A long finger slid into her channel and retreated.

  A moan of frustration escaped her lips. “Then come back for seconds.”

  Two fingers entered and curled, stroking her G-spot. “I plan on it.”

  Their gazes locked. His eyes were dark like a fine chocolate from under the brim of his hat. Absolutely sinful. And like the candy, it would be easy to overindulge in the pleasures he offered. And the risks.

  Jack dipped his head, never breaking eye contact, and sucked her clit into his mouth. His fingers plunged in and out of her pussy. Nothing had ever been quite as erotic as watching this sexy man on his knees in the dirt, licking her, pleasuring her, and driving her right to the brink.

  “We have some fine horses.” Laura’s nasal voice sliced the silence in the barn.

  Kayla froze. Jack must have heard, too, because his tongue slowed but didn’t stop. “Jack,” she whispered.

  “Shh.”

  “You have some fine guests here, too.” Another woman. “Who is that good-looking cowboy who came in late?”

  “Mmm, he is nice. Jack Monroe. I don’t know much about him. He lives in Wyoming and does something with computers, I think.” The voices were getting closer.

  Jack tugged on her clit with his teeth and pushed his fingers deeper into her pussy. “Do you want me to stop?”

  Kayla barely heard the words over the warning bells sounding off in her head. Her life flashed before her eyes. If they got caught, she would lose her job before the sale, but right now she couldn’t think of a single reason why keeping her job could be better than what he was doing to her right now. She shook her head.

  He blew a warm breath across her exposed flesh, sending tingles racing through her pussy. “I hope you can come quietly. Otherwise we may get an audience.” He buried his mouth against her, licking and tugging, curling his fingers deep. Stroking her with unsurpassed skill.

  Somehow he seemed to know exactly when and where to deliver a precise maneuver designed to drive her wild. Her fingers flexed in the hay beneath her. The need to bury her hands in his hair and press him closer, to ride his tongue to ecstasy, was overwhelming.

  “Well, whatever he does, I’d love to find out what he’s packing in those jeans he wears.” The other woman giggled. “If the size of his feet is any clue, the man has a huge cock.”

  Kayla’s pussy clenched around his fingers. She knew for a fact his cock was huge. More than once she’d felt the distinctive ridge. If he was half as skilled with it as he was with his mouth and hands, she was in trouble.

  “Does that mean you plan on findin
g out?” Jealousy tinged Laura’s voice.

  “What does it matter to you? A man like that, we could both have a taste if we want to.”

  “What makes you so sure?”

  Kayla sucked in a sharp breath and bit her lip as Jack plunged his tongue into her channel then quickly replaced it with his fingers. The man was driving her wild. She wasn’t sure she could hold back the impending orgasm threatening to overtake her.

  “Laura, men who are that fine, love to fuck. In my experience, they aren’t very picky as to who they screw as long as they get theirs. I would be only too happy to oblige, and I plan on making that very clear to him at breakfast.”

  His mouth worked faster. Fingers curled and stroked her G-spot, making her entire body tense with need. The muscles of her pussy quivered at every touch. Fuck, she was so close. They were so close.

  She squeezed her eyes shut against the sensations bombarding her. The man was relentless. Talented, but relentless.

  “Not if I get to him first,” Laura snapped.

  Brilliant shards of color exploded in the blackness as she tumbled over the edge. Her hands fisted in the bale of hay, and every muscle in her body hummed. The bickering voices of the two women faded, and all Kayla could hear was the pounding of her heart in her ears.

  Spent, she sagged back against the hay and tried to calm her ragged breathing. When she finally regained enough strength to open her eyes, Jack was staring at her. The barn was silent. Had Laura and the other woman heard them? There was no way she could see down the aisle from her position.

  He must have known what she was thinking. “They left.”

  Kayla hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath until the air whooshed out of her lungs. Jack chuckled and stood. He extended a hand and helped her to her feet. He stooped and started pulling up her jeans.

  “What about you?”

  Jack smiled. “What are you doing tomorrow night?”