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

  Kayla fastened the button of her denim. “Why? You looking for seconds?”

  “Hell, yes, but I figured I could take you out to dinner first. Do you like Chinese food?”

  A smile pulled at her lips. “Yes.”

  “What time do you get off?” His hands skimmed over her hips and pulled her against him.

  “I guess that depends on how good a job you do.”

  “Complaining about the service?” The hard length of his cock pressed against her pussy through her jeans.

  “Pick me up at seven. I have a cabin just behind the lodge.”

  His dark eyes sparkled in the dim lighting of the barn. “Wild horses couldn’t stop me.”

  A chuckle danced in her chest. “Horses, maybe, but I think I know two women who are going to try their damndest.”

  Chapter Three

  Kayla was just putting the finishing touches on her makeup when a knock sounded at the front door. She glanced at her watch, five till seven. Jack must be eager to get the night started. Tamping down the butterflies, she opened the door.

  “Oh, were you going somewhere tonight?” Laura stood in the doorway.

  “Yes, I am.” The woman never quit. One night off a week and the bitch always found some emergency that needed Kayla’s attention.

  “But we’re shorthanded in the restaurant.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

  There was always something. “I’m sorry, but tonight’s kind of special.” No lie there. “I’ve been planning it for a while.” Okay, so only for about twenty hours. “And my date should be here anytime.” So, you need to get the hell out of here.

  Her eyes narrowed as she took in Kayla’s appearance, taking in the slinky black dress and strappy black heels. “Going out with one of the other wranglers?”

  “No, Laura. I know your rule about employees dating each other.” And all the other rules you try to force on us. “I wouldn’t dream of breaking it.”

  “Good. It wouldn’t bode well for your job to start breaking the rules.” She glanced at her watch. “You will be able to help in the dining room tomorrow night, though, right?” It wasn’t really a question, and they both knew it.

  If it will get you out of here. “Of course.”

  “Good.” Laura gave her a curt nod, started to walk away, and then turned back. “I have to say, Kayla, I never would have guessed for such a plain girl that you would clean up so well. I would tell you to put forth more effort into your appearance every day, but really, who here cares if you look drab and tired all the time. Certainly not the guests, they expect the help to be plain.” She turned and continued her way toward the lodge.

  Bite a big one, bitch. It was a good thing the owner continued on her course because if Laura turned around and saw the one-fingered salute Kayla was presenting her with, she might be in trouble.

  “Now there is the best offer I’ve had all day.” Jack came around the corner of the cabin looking sexy as hell in his wranglers, suit jacket, and tie.

  Kayla cocked her head and raised one brow. “How many offers have you had today?” She stepped outside and pulled the door closed behind her.

  He stopped directly in front of her. “Two more than I wanted.” His gaze raked over her. “You look beautiful.”

  Grabbing his tie, she pulled him closer until their bodies were flush. “If you think the dress is nice, wait until you see what’s under it.”

  “Oh, yeah?” He lowered his head and captured her mouth with his in a searing kiss.

  She moaned and threaded her fingers in his hair. Their tongues met in a desperate, needy kiss and turned her blood white-hot with need. He pulled her closer and pushed her back against the door. With nowhere for her to go, he let his hands drop to her hips and pressed her intimately against the iron-hard ridge of his cock.

  Desire shot through her like a cannon, pooling between her legs. If they didn’t get going, dinner might never happen. Reluctantly, she pulled back, breaking the kiss. His eyes were dark with lust.

  “Dinner?”

  Jack sighed deeply. “Dinner.” His warm hand encased her fingers as he led her around her cabin and down to his truck. After helping her in, he walked around the front and climbed behind the wheel.

  A heated flush crept over her as his eyes devoured her body before he started the motor. Carefully, he backed out of his parking place and headed toward the main road that would take them off the mountain.

  “Where are you taking me?” She shifted in the passenger seat. Even in the dim green glow of the dash lights, the man was sexy beyond imagination.

  A wicked smile spread across his face. “The first private place I can find.”

  Obviously his mind was in the same place as hers. Sex. She chuckled and placed a hand on his thigh. “For dinner?”

  “I got a tip on a very nice Asian restaurant in Denver. I figured it was far enough away from the ranch that no one would see us, and Denver is full of hotels if we decide we need one.” He moved her hand farther up his thigh.

  “As wonderful as that sounds, I can’t stay out all night. Uncle Jerry would freak.” Kayla grazed the bulge in his crotch with her index finger. “We share the cabin, so he would know if I didn’t get back until morning.”

  “What does he do at the ranch?” A slight shift of his hips brought her hand closer to his straining cock.

  “He’s the head wrangler.” Her fingers toyed with the buckle of his belt, trailing over the silver and gold designs.

  His right hand dropped from the steering wheel and draped across the back of the seat. “How long have you two worked for Laura?”

  Kayla unsnapped her seat belt and slid across the seat until their thighs touched. “Two years.” She fastened the center safety belt around her waist and continued her exploration of his belt buckle.

  “You must like it there to have stayed for so long.”

  “I’ve worked in worse places.” She pressed the release on his seat belt and let it pull back into the doorframe. “But I’ve worked in better, too.”

  A low groan rumbled in his chest as she unfastened his buckle and slipped the leather belt free. “What’s different about the Star than the other places?”

  “The owners.” The button on the waist of his starched jeans slid free from its confines. “Laura cares about the money she can make, but not the people who help her make it. I don’t think she really even likes the ranch.”

  “Then why not sell and make a bundle?”

  The rasp of the zipper lowering echoed in the cab. “Prestige? Bragging rights? Getting to rub elbows with other wealthy owners at the annual balls? No one really knows for sure why she has hung onto the place for so long, but she has it on the market now. Maybe she finally got tired of the monotony. Or maybe she finally got tired of playing cowgirl.” A slow tug pulled his shirttail out of his jeans.

  “From what I’ve seen, it’s a well-run place. She shouldn’t have any problems finding a buyer.” His right hand cupped her bare shoulder.

  “It’s well run because of the employees, not Laura. We put up with a lot of shit because we all need our jobs. And, from what I’ve heard, her asking price is way above market value. No one will pay her price, not with the way she’s running it into the ground.” The elastic band of his boxers gave way, and she grazed the tip of his cock with her fingers.

  He hissed through clenched teeth. “How’s she doing that?” Jack’s hand squeezed her shoulder.

  “Not enough stock, not enough employees, not paying the bills on time. Take your pick. With or without Laura, the Star is our home. Most of us are hoping that the new owner will keep us on after the sale.” She pulled the elastic band down, exposing his cock. A pearly drop wept from the slit. Saliva pooled in her mouth with want of a taste. Kayla gathered the drop on her fingertip and brought it to her lips.

  His gaze focused on her as she licked her finger clean. The salty taste of him exploded in her mouth. “Maybe I’ll start with a little dessert.” She dipped her head and l
aved the swollen crown with her tongue.

  The grip on her shoulder tightened. “I’m trying to drive.”

  “Then maybe you should stop talking so you can concentrate on the road.” Her mouth opened, and she pulled the tip of his cock inside.

  “It’s not the talking that’s become a distraction.”

  The muscles of his stomach were taut against her cheek as she sucked him deeper. She pulled back and smiled against his heated flesh. “Do you want me to stop?” Her lips closed over the large head again.

  “Fuck no. I want you to keep sucking my dick.”

  Gladly. A low moan rumbled against her ear as she swallowed the length of his shaft. Her teeth raked him gently as she pulled back. She curled her tongue around the plum-shaped head, pressing it against the roof of her mouth.

  “Ah, shit.” His fingers bit into the tender flesh of her shoulder as he urged her on.

  The front seat of a truck wasn’t the ideal place to practice the art of fellatio, what with the steering wheel, the gear shift, seat belts, and the hazard of a head-on collision. Hell, a pothole could be detrimental to the future of pleasure for all of womankind. What was it about this man that made Kayla throw caution to the wind and take chances she normally wouldn’t take, all in the name of passion? Maybe she was tired of doing for everyone else all the time and only thinking of herself last. She wanted him more than she had ever wanted anything in her life, and by God, she was going to put her needs first this time.

  Her hand burrowed deeper into his pants, cupping his balls while she drew his cock deep. The thick veins pulsed against her tongue as his shaft swelled and twitched.

  “I can’t hold back much longer.”

  “So stop trying.” Kayla opened her throat and took him as deep as she could.

  Jack groaned and fisted his hand in the back of her dress as he exploded in her mouth. Warm streams of cum slid down her throat. One final twitch from his cock and his hand relaxed. She eased off him, licking his shaft clean as she went.

  With tender hands, she tucked him back in his boxers and closed his jeans. When all the clothing was righted, Kayla kissed his neck and fastened his seat belt. “And to think that people believe they need to eat dinner before they can have dessert.”

  “You make a very convincing argument for dessert first.” He sighed and tugged her closer.

  Colorful lights streamed through the windshield as they pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant. “The Flaming Dragon? Jack, have you ever been here?” She turned her head and stared at him as he pulled up to the valet.

  He shook his head. “Marcus, the chef at the ranch, told me about it. He said the food was phenomenal, and the atmosphere was even better.” He came around the front of the truck and helped her out while the valet held her door.

  “Jack, I really don’t think—”

  He pressed a soft kiss to her lips and silenced her protest. “I don’t want you to think tonight,” he murmured. “I just want you to enjoy a nice meal with me. We’ll talk, have some laughs, and get to know each other better.” Looping her arm through his, he flashed her a heart-stopping smile. “And, who knows, by the evening’s end, you might just find me irresistible.”

  Kayla smiled in spite of herself and let him escort her through the elegant doors of the establishment. “I’m fine with it if you are, stud. I love a little spice in life.”

  * * * *

  Forty-five minutes later, they were back in the truck heading back to the ranch. Kayla was trying hard not to laugh, but she wasn’t doing a very good job. Jack fumed from behind the wheel. Anger rolled off him in waves. His nostrils flared, and a muscle ticked in his jaw.

  He turned his head and glared at her as a giggle slipped past her lips. “You knew, didn’t you? You knew before we ever even went in what kind of place it was, and you never said a word.”

  “I tried, Jack.”

  “Not too damn hard you didn’t.”

  When they entered The Flaming Dragon, they were greeted by a fashionable hostess who showed them to their table. He kept his gaze fixed on her when the waitress took their drink and appetizer orders. Kayla had no way of knowing one tiny trip to the men’s room would be the end of their fine dining experience.

  “Jack, how could you not realize the vast majority of the women in the restaurant were men?” The teasing tone in her voice only seemed to spark his irritation with her.

  “I wasn’t exactly looking at the other women. I was looking at you, damn it. But when our waitress joined me at the urinals and said she would love to know how you stayed so feminine looking, everything became crystal clear.”

  The laugh that erupted from her earned her a stern look from Jack.

  She held up her hands in surrender. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to laugh, but if you could have seen the look on your face.”

  “The look on my face isn’t going to compare to the one you’re going to have when I give you your spanking.”

  Kayla tapped the clock on the dash. “My spanking is going to have to wait. We are out of time for the night.”

  Jack pushed the black Stetson back on his head and glanced at her. “Good. That will give me some time to think of a fitting punishment for you.”

  Chapter Four

  Jack watched Kayla serving in the dining room the next evening. She really had a way with people. All it took was a simple smile from her delectable mouth and even the grumpy old goat two tables away seemed to soften up and see things in a different light. After last night, so did he.

  They had shared the ride home talking and laughing. She was an amazing woman, so full of life and love for her uncle and the horses. It was a shame Laura didn’t appreciate her loyalty more.

  When Jack broached the subject of her salary, Kayla blushed and said only that it was enough. Enough for what, he couldn’t imagine. He knew she and her uncle lived in a small cabin on the property, it was included as part of their pay, but seeing how Laura treated her help, he had a feeling the salary they made was just enough to scrape by on. While Laura, on the other hand, basked in the luxury of the forty-five hundred square foot log home just up from the lodge.

  He heard his name being called and glanced around to see Laura headed his way. She sat in the vacant chair across the table from him and flashed him a toothy grin.

  “I haven’t seen you much in the past couple of days, Jack. I hope you’ve been having fun.”

  His eyes roamed to Kayla as she breezed around the room. “Yes, I have been.” He turned back to find Laura watching him intently.

  “Then I’m glad I caught you. I was hoping I could persuade you into letting me show you my ranch after dark. There are some very romantic spots to see.”

  “I’m sorry, but I have plans this evening. I am supposed to meet a client in Estes to discuss a deal.”

  Laura rolled her eyes. “This is supposed to be a vacation for most people. How can you think about work when you’re surrounded by so much beauty?”

  “It makes good business sense to kill two birds with one stone, don’t you think?” Though after his conversation with Kayla last night, he knew the woman who shared his table didn’t put business first.

  “Oh, I suppose. But you will have to make time for me while you’re here. I would never forgive myself if one of my guests felt neglected.” She reached across the table and trailed her fingers across the back of his hand.

  Jack resisted the urge to jerk his hand away from her touch. If she was this forward thinking of him as a guest, what would she do if she knew he was a potential buyer for her ranch? “Neglect is one thing you don’t have to worry about. Your employee’s are first rate.”

  Her hand waved dismissively in the air. “Most are, but like every bushel of apples, you are bound to have a few bad ones that spoil the whole lot.”

  “Oh?” He hadn’t seen one yet. From all he’d observed the employee’s went above and beyond for the guests.

  “Yes, some think they deserve more than what they get.�
�� She leaned toward him over the table. “But I don’t kowtow to the help. I’m the boss, and if they don’t like my rules, they can find another job.”

  “Been getting many complains lately?” She had his interest piqued.

  “The usual for this time of the year. We hire a lot of college kids to come work for the summer, but when they leave near the end of season, the full-time employees start complaining about the workload.” Laura released a nasal giggle. “I just don’t see any reason to hire more staff when a skeleton crew can manage just fine for the last month of season.”

  He nodded. No wonder he’d seen Kayla working so many different jobs on the property. Any decent business owner would know about the shift in the work and would have prepared for it in advance. But after talking to Kayla and now Laura, he realized her concern was not for her employees but only for making sure she kept as much money in her pocket as possible.

  “Some members of the staff have expressed dislike over a few of my rules, but I told them I have my reasons, and they knew the rules when they hired on. No sense changing them now.” She smiled and rose from her seat. “Now, you promise me that you’ll make time for me before you leave?”

  If it would get her to leave him alone, he’d promise her the moon. He placed a hand over his heart. “Nothing would please me more.”

  She turned and made her way out of the dining room in a flurry of hand gestures and nasally giggles.

  After his meeting tonight, he would have to make sure to keep himself so busy Laura wouldn’t have a chance to corner him again. He let his gaze scan the room until he spotted Kayla. She met his gaze, smiled at him, and made her way to his table.

  “Can I do anything else for you this evening, sir?” Her voice was low and seductive. It slid across him gently, and he felt his cock stiffen in response.

  “Would you like to go to the lake with me this evening? We could take a blanket and a bottle of wine.” Jack waggled his brows at her. “Maybe see if we can find the Big Dipper?”