by Ciana Stone
She was everything he'd wished for. Strong, seductive and seemingly uninhibited. Would it be possible for her to submit? He moved lower down her body, and when his mouth covered that small patch of lace, she bucked up against him, and her fingers tightened almost painfully in his hair.
“Kal, wait. Stop. Seriously. Stop.”
Of all the words she could have spoken, that was the last thing he expected to hear. She pushed him away, and he sat back on his heels. Cici blew out a breath, sat, then moved onto her knees, running both hands along the tops of his shoulders to his neck.
“Sorry, but I'm kind of operating on a short fuse. We're going to have to slow it down a notch unless you’re into quickies.”
A wave of relief washed over him. She wasn’t backing out, just slowing down. That he could do. Maybe. Now that he had a look at her, kneeling naked and flushed in front of him, her hair spilling around her shoulders in a wave of dark silk, it was hard for his little head not to feel disappointed that he wasn’t tossing her back on the couch and burying himself inside her.
“I've got all night, baby.”
“Great. And I need to pee. Be right back. Want anything?”
“A box of condoms?”
She laughed and headed inside. Kal followed and almost ran into her as she emerged from the bathroom.
“I see you're a good scout.” He nodded toward the condoms.
“Always prepared. But seeing as how you're still dressed…”
Kal made short order of undressing. “Color me ready and willing.”
“Yeah?”
“Most definitely. And we can take it as slow as you want.”
The look on her face had him rethinking that last statement. “Or maybe not. I'm betting you have more than one round in you.”
“That depends.”
“On?”
“On how many rounds you have in you.”
“Well, this is your lucky night.” He plucked a condom from the box and a few seconds later, picked her up and carried her into the living room. When he backed her up against the sliding glass door, she wound her legs around his waist.
Kal reached between them to guide himself inside her, and two seconds later, every thought in his mind vanished but her.
Chapter Thirteen – March 29th, 2019
For a moment, she thought it was a dream. She came to consciousness but didn't open her eyes. She felt too good. Her bed felt too good. The warm body she was snuggled up to felt way too good.
Hold on. Warm body?
Cici didn't wake up with someone else in her bed. That was a rule she didn't break. Lovers left before she slept. No one spent the night.
Until now. Kal. Thinking about their night woke her fully, and got her motor running. She opened her eyes and raised her head from his chest to find him watching her.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning,” she replied. “How long have you been awake?”
“Not long.”
“You could have woken me.”
“To be honest, I was enjoying lying here, holding you.”
“You say that like it's something out of the ordinary.”
“It is. I never sleep with anyone.”
“Me either.”
“Then I guess this is an exception for both of us.”
“Yes.”
He was quiet for a moment, lazily stroking his fingers along her back as she lay cradled up against him with one leg thrown over his and her arm resting on his stomach. “Do you have a busy schedule today?”
Cici yawned, stretched and answered. “Unfortunately. You?”
“Slammed. I should probably go.”
“Right now?”
“Unless you can think of a reason I should delay.”
“Hmmm, I might.” She rolled over on top of him then sat, straddling his body.
“What man could walk away from this?” He pulled her down, rolled her over and started kissing his way down her body.
Cici didn't need to answer. In fact, for the next hour, there wasn't much need for words at all.
By the time they were done, she'd missed one appointment and would be damn lucky if she made the next one on her schedule. How many times had that happened in her professional life? None.
That was a little daunting. Kal was a bit on the addictive side. Even as they showered, she found herself wanting to blow off the rest of the day and spend it with him. Not that she said as much.
Kal checked his phone after he was dressed. “Looks like it's going to be balls to the wall for me the rest of the day. Any chance we can have dinner?”
“Let me call you later. I'm not sure when I'll finish. There's at least one meeting I need to try and reschedule.” She looked at her phone as it pinged, “Oops, make that two.”
“Okay, call me.” He walked over and kissed her. “And I meant what I said last night. If Russell needs to hear from me, I'll fly down and speak with him in person.”
“I'll take care of it.”
“Are you sure?”
“I am.”
“Okay, so talk later?”
“Yep.” She grabbed him for one more kiss, this one longer and more passionate. “Something to make you think of me.”
“Baby, after the last twenty-four hours, the chance of me not thinking about you are slim to none.”
“Why Mr. Burton, are you trying to charm me?”
“Always. Have a good day.”
“You too.”
Cici watched him leave, called for her driver and then finished dressing. She fixed herself a coffee and grabbed her phone to call Edward Altwell, one of her missed appointments.
“Cici, are you all right?”
“Yes, fine. I'm sorry Edward. Something came up and–well, I apologize. Is there any chance you're free this morning – say in an hour?”
“Darling, in an hour it will be noon.”
“Oh, yes, right. Well, how about lunch?”
“Lunch would be perfect. Our usual haunt?”
“Sounds great. See you then.”
Cici hurried downstairs, already thinking about how to get Edward to talk about Kal. She needed some inside information. Edward knew Kal better than anyone and by the time lunch was over she intended to be armed with information that would either give weight to her opinion that Kal had nothing to do with the dumping of the pesticide, or prove that she’d made a colossal mistake.
Whatever the outcome, she was determined to know the truth.
*****
“Wow, I had no idea Heritage South was so big,” Bailey said as she walked with Naomie and Mace toward the barn he’d mentioned that might be suited for converting into a natural medicine production center.
Mace smiled as he looked around. The main homestead had more acreage than any of the other segments of Heritage, but Heritage South was a substantial ranch, in terms of acreage and production.
“Here is where Heritage has feedlots as well as 50,000 acres devoted to cotton and milo. We’re secondary stockers to the main ranch.”
“Stockers?” Bailey asked.
Mace stopped walking. “I never asked. How much do you know about cattle ranching?”
“Very little.”
“Well, in that case, we might need to do a ranching 101 for you.”
“Works for me, have at it, professor.”
Just as Naomie walked over to join them, her phone rang. She answered, listened and then lowered it and addressed Mace. “Mace, this is Reese. She and Wiley are with Mr. Walker at SynthBee, and they need me. Any chance you could show Bailey around, give her the ranching for dummies – no offense– and then bring her back to Heritage?”
“No problem.”
“Are you sure? I can drop her off on my way if it’s an inconvenience.”
“I’m positive. Go.”
“Thanks. I’ll drop by in a few days and take a look at the barn if that’s okay?”
“Absolutely.”
“Thanks. Bailey, does this work for
you?”
“Sure. I’m good and eager for my first lesson, so go.”
“Thanks, guys.”
Mace and Bailey watched Naomie walk away and then Bailey looked up at him. “Okay, ranching 101. Go.”
He smiled and gestured for her to accompany him. As they walked, he talked. “Well, let’s see. In a nutshell, the beef industry can be generally broken into four major segments–purebred breeders, cow/calf producers, backgrounders and feedlot operators.”
“And that means?”
“Well, purebred producers specialize in the production of genetically superior females and herd bulls that commercial cow/calf producers use to improve their stock. Purebred production for Heritage takes place on the main ranch for the most part, but some in Heritage East.”
“So, the purebred producers always sell what they– breed? Is that saying it right?”
“That depends. If they are only producers, yes. The cow/calf producers generate income by raising steers and heifers to sell. Typically, they generally breed cows to calve in the early spring or early fall and wean the calves at five to seven months of age.”
“And if they’re not only producers?”
“Some are like Heritage. The main ranch and Heritage East is where the purebred production takes place. But we’re also cow/calf producers, and again that part of the operations is primarily at Heritage East with overflow going to the main ranch.”
“Okay, purebred and cow/calf producers. Is that all?”
“Nope,” he smiled. “Straight up cow/calf producers will sell the calves to a backgrounder or a feedlot operator as feeder calves. Again, Heritage is what you call full service, so we have backgrounding operations and feedlots as well.”
“And that’s as clear as mud.”
“Yeah, I guess,” he admitted. “Backgrounding operations allow the weaned calves to graze on forages, and usually that’s supplemented with small amounts of grain. Here’s where we produce cattle that are ready to put on full feed in a feedlot.
“The calves are generally purchased weighing 400 to 600 pounds and backgrounded until they weigh 700 to 900 pounds.
“Feedlot operators purchase calves from either cow/calf producers or backgrounding operations and feed them until they weigh between 1,000 and 1,350 pounds and are ready for slaughter. In Heritage’s case, we simply transfer the animals from backgrounding to feedlots, and that takes place on land in Heritage West and Heritage South.”
“Good grief,” Bailey commented. “I had no idea there was so much to it. I thought you just bought boy cows and girl cows and let nature take its course.”
That gave Mace a chuckle. “I imagine it was that way once upon a time, but not today.” He stopped in front of an enormous barn. “This is the barn I thought would work.”
“It’s huge. What’s inside?”
“Right now, equipment. Want to see?”
“Sure.”
He opened the big double doors, and they walked inside. “So, it seems it would take an awful lot of people for all that you do,” Bailey said. “And people who know a lot about cattle.”
“A lot of people? Yeah. In Texas alone, we employ over four hundred people. And it’s amazing how much education, knowledge, and skill is involved.”
“Like what?”
“Like you and Naomie and Nancy to name just three. The ranch hands, cowboys, farmers, equipment mechanics, vets, nutritionists and – well, a host of things.”
“And you? What’s your role?”
“Nash and I are technically ranch managers.”
“What does a that mean?”
“Ranch managers are usually in charge of a cattle operation and have to make day-to-day decisions about the operation of the ranch.”
“You make it sound like it’s nothing, but when you look at all that goes on here and all you have to keep track of, it’s really a huge responsibility.”
“It’s what we do,” he shrugged. Mace had never considered what he did as a burden or a headache. He and Nash were too much like their father. Ranching was in their DNA, and they wouldn’t know what to do with themselves if they didn’t have the ranch.
“Are there other careers that intersect with the cattle business?”
“A lot. There are artificial insemination technicians who perform artificial insemination on beef cattle for producers, and livestock order buyers who purchase our animals off the farm or at auction markets for other people, who provide the funding for the purchase.
“Naturally, there are veterinarians. They’re essential to help maintain healthy and productive animals and respond to health emergencies. And some, like Naomie, are genius at breeding.
He looked at Bailey. “And again, lucky for us, there are holistic practitioners like you who help us keep our animals and land healthy and make sure we maintain our organic status.”
“Wow, that’s – well, it’s a lot to take in if you want to know the truth.”
“Don’t worry, there won’t be a test.”
“Whew!” She smiled and walked around the cavernous interior of the barn. “Aside from not being able to have a greenhouse, this would be fantastic.”
“Who said you can’t have a greenhouse?” Mace walked to the far end of the barn and opened the rear doors. “We’ll add on.”
Bailey followed and smiled when she looked outside. “Seriously? This would be perfect. It gets morning sun, and the soil looks fertile.”
“So, you approve?”
“Most definitely.”
“Good, then we’ll get Naomie’s take on it, and once we have her blessing we’ll see about allocating funds. Mind you, Heritage is a corporation, so we operate by the book and under yearly budgets. I’m hoping we can get started this year, but no guarantees.”
“Oh, that’s fine. I’m so happy with what I’m doing now, I can’t begin to thank your father enough for hiring me.”
“I think we’re all glad to have you. Let’s close this up, and if you want, I’ll give you a tour.”
“I’d like that.”
Once the barn was secured, Mace led her back to the house where his truck was parked. “Do you want something to drink before we head out? I have some fresh tea?”
“Sweet tea?”
“Girl, you’re in Texas, there isn’t any other way.”
“Then, yes and thank you kindly.”
Mace gestured for her to precede him into the house. They went to the kitchen, and he fixed two tall travel cups of iced tea. “Lemon?”
“Yes, please.”
He fetched sliced lemon from the refrigerator, squeezed a slice into each cup, capped both of them and handed her one.
Bailey sampled it and hummed her appreciation. “Hmm, this is some kind of good tea. What’s your secret?”
“Same as everything on Heritage. Organic black tea. With organic agave as the sweetener.”
“Oh, I think I may swoon.”
Mace laughed in delight. “I never realized tea had such power.”
“Not just any tea. Organic tea with agave sweetener.”
“Well, damn and here all these years I’ve been trying to rely on my charm.”
Bailey smiled at his comment. “Oh, I’m betting it’s served you well.”
“Not as well as tea, apparently. Ready to ride?”
“I am.”
They went out to his truck and started out. Mace pointed out the buildings they passed and their use. When they were on open land, he rolled down his window, and she did the same.
“Can I ask you a personal question, Bailey?”
“Sure, what?”
“That day you fixed me breakfast. You had a video call from your mother. Remember?”
“Yes.” He noticed the way she turned her head to look from the window.
“She was asking about the baby coming to live with you. Is that your child?”
Bailey turned her head to look directly at him. “Yes. Well, kind of.”
“It’s difficult to have a k
ind of child.”
“Well, she’s mine, but she’s also my brothers. And oh my god that sounded so horribly wrong. What I mean is Minnie is my brother’s child. My twin brother Barry was career Army. He was killed in Afghanistan, and at the time of his death, his girlfriend was pregnant. They were planning on getting married, but then– well, that didn’t work out.
“Without Barry’s pay, she was in a mess, so I let her live with me until the baby was born. When Minnie came, she was the most precious thing I’d ever laid eyes on. I brought her and Kelsi home, and two days later, Kelsi vanished. She left a note saying she just couldn’t do it, raising the baby alone.”
“That’s horrible. What kind of person could abandon their child?”
“Apparently a lot, as sad as it is.”
“So, you just kept taking care of her?”
“Yes, with the help of my parents. And I adopted her. It took four months but finally it was done, and Minnie was officially my child.”
“That’s really something to do for her, Bailey. I’ve watched my twin, Nash raise his son Rusty, and it’s no small thing. I bet your brother would be very proud and happy to know that Minnie is with you.”
“I hope so. I was so ecstatic when Naomie told me I had the job at Heritage and would be given a cottage to live it that was big enough for Minnie and me. And that there was daycare for the children of Heritage employees. It was like a dream come true, a chance for me to start somewhere new, build a life for Minnie and me.”
“So, when is Minnie coming to be with you? “
“As soon as I can get time off to go get her. My mom isn’t keen on flying, and my dad has a bad back so it would be difficult for them to make the trip. My older sister, Brenda looks out for them. She and her family live not far from my parents, and she’s helped out with Minnie since I’ve been here.”
“You can take the time off you need.”
“Says you, but you’re not my boss, and your father hasn’t okayed it.”
“Have you asked?”
“No, to be honest I’ve been a little scared.”
“He won’t bite. And if anyone appreciates the value of family, it’s my father.”
“Then maybe I’ll ask if I can get a couple of days off in the next week or so.”
