by Jane Jamison
They both nodded like a couple of bobbleheads. Molly, who seemed like the older sister because of her take-charge attitude, agreed. “You bet. Just tell us what you want.”
He should’ve knocked Caleb upside his head for giving him a cheesy grin. It was all too obvious what Caleb wanted from them. And, to tell the truth, he wouldn’t mind getting in on the action, too. If he wanted women—make that two girls—around the ranch. Which he didn’t. Women weren’t self-sufficient. And two women would mean drama.
Shit.
But at least they’ll be good to look at.
“You’re going to have to carry your own weight and do the job. I’m not going to cut you slack because you’re girls.”
“Of course not,” answered Molly. “We want you to treat us just like you would any other hired hands.”
“Right. Definitely,” added Jilly.
“You’ll be expected to get up at dawn and get your asses moving. You’re going to cook, clean the house, do the laundry, and everything a woman should do every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Every other day, you’re going to clean stalls, feed the chickens—”
Why did Jilly gasp?
“You’ll wrangle the cows, slop the pigs, brush down the horses, and do whatever other chore we tell you to do. With no bitching or moaning. If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s a girl who complains. No whining that you broke a nail. No crying because a horse stepped on your foot. First time you whine, you get your ass thrown off the ranch. Do you understand? Both of you?”
“Got it. No bitching, moaning, or whining.” Molly was still nodding her head.
“Okay then. See that building over there? That’s the bunkhouse and your new home away from home. It’s not much, but it’s clean and it’s dry.”
“It looks wonderful.”
He laughed. At least Molly had a good attitude. Jilly, however, had freaked out at the mention of chickens and was still kind of pale. “Wonderful isn’t how I’d describe it. Go on. Get settled in, then head into the kitchen. Caleb, come with me.”
He grabbed hold of his brother’s arm and started tugging him back into the barn. Caleb allowed the rough treatment only so far before he yanked his arm away.
“What in the hell were you thinking?”
Caleb returned the favor and pushed him farther into the center of the barn. He kept on hurrying him down the aisle that separated the two lines of stalls until they were far enough away that the girls couldn’t overhear them if they were trying. Which wouldn’t have surprised Derrick. He knew how girls liked to gossip.
“I was thinking they needed help and we could give it to them.” Caleb lifted his hands, cutting him off. “It’s not like it’s forever. Just until the club’s back up and running.”
“From what I hear, that could be several weeks from now. Did Paul or Destin guarantee them jobs once they’re open?”
“He basically said as much.”
Caleb had a way of spinning things to look better than they were. “Basically? Which means he didn’t promise them. Am I right?”
“Well, not exactly. But you know Paul. He’s a big softie when it comes to helping pretty ladies. Even Georgia understands that.”
His brother was a pro at trying to keep from getting caught. But he was a pro at pinning his brother down. “Their sub is a very agreeable woman, but I don’t give a crap about what Georgia thinks. You shouldn’t have been at the club in the first place. And you shouldn’t have gotten mixed up with these girls and their problem. And on top of that, you need to think about what you’re doing. You saw them. They don’t know a thing about ranching. Hell, when I mentioned the chickens, Jilly about passed out. Yeah, great hands you hired there, man.”
“Okay, okay. I admit it. They’re not the most experienced persons I could find.”
“Ya think? We hadn’t even talked about hiring any helpers, but if we were, I’d hire a man who needs the job to take care of his family.”
“Wow, bro. Sexist much?”
“Don’t pull that shit with me. From the looks of them, they’re two little city girls who are used to living off their parents’ open checkbooks. The faster we send them back home to Mommy and Daddy, the better they’ll be.”
“I don’t think so. Especially Molly. Did you see the determination in her eyes?”
Derrick scoffed, then grew silent as the girls passed by the barn carrying fancy suitcases. Molly lifted her hand and smiled. Caleb, of course, returned the smile, but he wasn’t about to make them feel any more welcomed. No matter what they looked like.
“Yeah. That’s a load of horse shit if I ever heard it.” He punched Caleb on the arm. “You’re not staring at her eyes right now.”
If his brother wasn’t so damn likable and easy to get along with, he might’ve been able to win more arguments. But growing up fast when their father passed on had put him in charge of his impulsive kid brother. The responsibility had made him grow up fast. And because he had, he’d leaned toward keeping Caleb from having to do the same. Maybe he should have let him take on more and have him grow up faster.
“Well, you have to admit it. They are smokin’.”
How could he deny it? “Yeah.”
“And Molly.” Caleb wiggled his eyebrows in a very lecherous way. “She’s something special. I mean, Jilly’s really pretty, too, but Molly’s got more spunk. More fire. More everything.”
When his brother was right, he was right.
“Yeah, yeah.” Caleb edged closer, getting up in his face. “You felt it, too, didn’t you? She’s different. Maybe even good enough for us to share. She’s got that something extra we’ve talked about.”
He brushed away Caleb’s hand and busied himself with putting the saddle away. “Just because she’s hot doesn’t mean I want her around. Women and ranches don’t mix.” It was a load of crap but that was all he had.
“Aw, come on. That’s ridiculous. Where do you think all the kids come from? Do you think the ranchers around here ship in women, get them knocked up, and then once the kid’s born, they send the mother packing? Women are just as handy around a ranch as men are.”
“Not these two. I’ll bet you fifty bucks they’re out of here before the week’s out. Hell, before they finish one solid day of work.”
Caleb stuck out his hand. “One day? I’ll take that bet and I’ll take it a step farther. If they last the week, you have to stand up and admit to them personally that you were wrong.”
Derrick prided himself on being man enough to admit his mistakes, but to own up to the girls? He wasn’t so sure he could do it. Still, what did he have to worry about? They wouldn’t make it. Not past one day, much less a week. “Done.”
While shaking hands, Caleb tugged him close again and dropped his voice. “What do you really think? Want to give it a try with Molly?”
Yeah.
“What about Jilly?” He liked the idea of having Molly, but just Molly. He wanted to keep their sexual play to one woman. The right woman.
“Do you want her, too?”
“Naw.” One woman was enough. Two would be more than he wanted. They’d shared women before and he’d liked it. Their interests complemented each other. Caleb was more into the bondage aspect of it all, where he liked the mental control part better. Having a woman want to take orders to please him was a major turn-on. And if doing so pleased her, too, then what could be better than that?
Caleb was getting excited. “You’re saying we give it a shot with Molly, right?”
He might as well give in. She was on the ranch anyway, and Caleb would hound him until he said yes. What harm would it do to try it with her?
Yeah, that’s why. It has nothing to do with how hot she is.
“So what do we do about Jilly?” He could see Caleb had already been thinking along the same lines.
“We find another Dom for her.”
“She might not like us sticking our noses in her business.” Who knew how a woman would react?
“I th
ink she’ll be more upset if she’s left out in the cold.” Caleb pulled his phone out of his hip pocket.
“Who are you calling?”
“Alex and Mike Triston.”
Made sense. The Triston cousins had worked at the BDSM club for over a year. Although they’d played with almost every available sub since then, they’d mentioned more than once that they’d like to have one girl they could concentrate on. One girl they could move into their ranch house and really get to know.
“Yeah. She’s hot and girly and blonde. Exactly the way they like their women.” Caleb’s grin grew bigger.
“She’s not a natural blonde.”
Caleb chuckled as he punched in their number. “Really? Have you seen the carpet and know it doesn’t match the drapes?”
“Fuck no. But I can tell a dye job when I see one.”
“Bro, you’ve been dropping by Myrtle’s Salon way too much. Hey, Alex.” He turned his back on Derrick. “Listen, I’ve got to tell you about this girl.”
Where had his peaceful day gone? He’d started out working on the saddles and had planned on taking a ride later. Now he was helping his brother play matchmaker. Not willing to listen in on the conversation, he stalked away, determined not to let his mind stray to the round, firm ass of Molly Miller.
Chapter Three
Molly pushed open the unlocked door of the bunkhouse and took a moment to take in the modest interior. Jilly didn’t follow her when she walked in and tossed her suitcase on the bottom bunk.
One. Two. Three. Four?
“Are you freakin’ kidding me? You expect me to live here?”
Wow. She took longer than three seconds. Must be some kind of a record.
“Jilly, you had to know living in a bunkhouse wouldn’t be great.”
“How would I know what a bunkhouse is like?” She dropped her suitcase to the floor then tossed her purse on the small four-person kitchen table right in front of her. “This place is as small as my dorm room. No wait. It’s smaller. Where’s the kitchen anyway?”
Molly didn’t have to step away from the bunk beds to almost touch the four-foot-wide countertop and sink. “Caleb said it would only have a microwave and a coffee pot. Remember, we’re eating at the house with them.”
“Microwave? It should be called a mini-microwave. I doubt we can get a frozen dinner inside it.”
“But at least there’s a refrigerator.” Molly pulled the door open, glanced inside, then closed the door and tried to act like her stomach hadn’t done a flip-flop. She’d have to get the dead cockroach out before Jilly saw. Judging from the hot air coming out of the thing, the bug hadn’t frozen to death.
“Oh, yeah. Terrific. That’s pint-size, too.”
Why did she always have to boost her sister’s spirits? “Jilly, it is what it is. If you don’t want to stay, then go to the owner of The Club at Pleasure Ranch—”
“Paul Casing.”
“Yeah, him. Go to him and take him up on his offer to loan you money. Then you can go back to Mom and Dad’s and beg them to put you back in college. After they give you the lecture of a lifetime, of course.”
Jilly plopped down on one of the kitchen chairs. “No way. I’d never hear the end of it.”
“Then you’d better get used to living like this. At least until the club reopens and we can earn enough money to get our own place.”
“But Paul said it could be several weeks.”
“What do you want me to do? Pay for a nice apartment with my personality? We don’t have any money. Damn it. We’re lucky to have gotten a job that includes food and a place to stay.
Horror lit up Jilly’s face. “Molly, where’s the bathroom?”
Where was the bathroom? She hadn’t noticed it before, but it didn’t take long to find. How could it when the entire place was so small? “There it is.”
They crammed together in the narrow doorway to get their first look at the bathroom. Even Molly was shaken.
“Are they serious? We’re supposed to share that tiny little space? Two girls?”
The pedestal sink tilted to the side and rust stains decorated its basin. The rust—at least she hoped it was rust—was worse in the toilet. And the shower? It was big enough for a good-size man to fit in it, but one look at the disgustingly dirty tile floor had her wishing she’d brought along thongs like the ones she’d had to wear to shower at a campground.
“It’s not so bad.”
“Who are you?” Jilly gaped at her, waving her hands like she was warding off evil spirits, and backed away from the bathroom.
“I’m the girl who’s trying to make do with what we’ve got.” Jilly wasn’t usually so irritating. Or whiny. She had to assume she was just as tired as she was, putting them both on edge. Maybe if she changed the subject, it would change Jilly’s mood.
“I promise. As soon as we can get out of here, we will. Until then, think about the perks of the job.”
“Perks? You mean like sleeping on top of you?”
“You can have the bottom bunk if you want it. I don’t mind sleeping up there.” Hopefully, it would be farther away from the bugs.
Remember. Get the bug out before she sees it and freaks.
“But I was talking about our bosses. Have you seen any hotter guys?”
Jilly was mollified a little. “That’s true. I wouldn’t kick them out of my bed.” She tossed a glare at the bunk beds. “Or the bottom bunk.”
“I don’t think they’ll be visiting us here. Plus, think of all the meals we’ll get to share with them.”
“After we cook them.” Jilly tunneled her fingers through her blonde tresses. “Why did you tell them we’d cook? Neither one of us knows how to boil water.” She frowned. “Is that right? Do you boil water or microwave it?”
“Beats me.” She was already pulling her computer out of her suitcase. “But don’t worry. We can go online and get cooking tutorials. How hard can it be?”
“I guess so.”
Molly turned on her computer. “Let me find out if you boil or microwave water.”
“If they even have Internet here.”
She almost dropped her computer. No Internet? Who could live without the Internet? “Jilly, check your phone while I see what the connection here is like.” To her relief, the browser popped up in only a few seconds. “That’s a relief.”
“So you can handle all these other awful living conditions, but having no Internet would’ve been the deal breaker?”
Well, duh. “Of course not.” She relaxed, crisis averted. Her mind drifted back to Caleb and Derrick. “They’re hot, right?”
Jilly laughed, crossed her legs, and leaned forward. “Yeah. I already said they were.”
“Oh, yeah.” She kept her gaze down, but it was no use. Jilly knew her too well.
“You’re crushing on them, aren’t you?”
“Me? No. Of course not. But like you, I wouldn’t kick them out of my bed.”
“Would you want to keep both of them in your bed, sis?”
They’d talked about it on the long drive down to Texas. College life was out. They wanted more action, more adventure, and definitely a different kind of lifestyle. After messing around with a few guys at school and trying out the BDSM thing, they’d wanted to learn how to be subs with strong, manly Doms. The guys at college were just that. Guys. Not men. And certainly not the hard-living, hard-loving cowboy kind of man they’d dreamed of.
But would she want to share? They’d given it some thought, but had come to the conclusion that, although having two Doms would be great, sharing them with each other wasn’t going to fly. They wanted their own Doms, living separately, but close enough that they could see each other every day.
“Yoo-hoo. Molly. Answer, please.”
“Yeah. I wouldn’t mind both of them. Especially if they’re into playing rough.”
“I bet Caleb is. After all, why else would we have met him at Pleasure Ranch?”
“Maybe. But then again, maybe not. He cou
ld’ve been visiting Paul as a friend and not as a member or a Dom there.”
Jilly shrugged. “Then just ask him.”
“I don’t know.” She was the more outgoing one, able to jump into any situation. Jilly, however, often goaded her into taking the first leap.
“Why not? He knows we want to work there and be subs, too. It’s not like you’re exposing us.” She giggled. “Get it? Exposing us?”
“Yeah, I get it. I wish I didn’t, but I do.” Jilly was a big one for corny jokes and puns. “But what about you? Don’t you want either one of them? Hopefully, we can find a second Dom.”
“Sure we can. But having brothers as your Doms would be kind of super, don’t you think?”
“Yeah. I’ve always wanted brothers. Or cousins.” She could easily imagine them standing over her. Caleb with his easygoing manner and Derrick with his intensity. It might be difficult to handle two Doms with such different personalities, but she’d love to give it a try.
“Cousins would be good. Absolutely.”
She didn’t want to push, and yet, the sooner they agreed, the sooner she could make a move. “Then it’s okay with you if I go for both of them?”
“You bet. Go for it. Or them.”
“But what if they’re not up for it? I’m not sure I could stay here if they rejected me.”
“They’re not going to reject you. Please. How can you even think that?”
“I guess.”
She was good-looking and she knew it. But good-looking wasn’t always enough. She wasn’t experienced as a sub. Would they be turned off by her lack of skill? Plus, she had a feeling that she’d rubbed Derrick the wrong way. He didn’t act like he liked girls who knew how to stand on their own two feet.
“And if they’re not into the scene, then you can always change their minds.” Jilly grabbed her suitcase and flopped it on top of the table. “Okay, then, that’s decided. On to more urgent matters. Where are we going to put all our clothes?”
* * * *
Molly had a difficult time concentrating on cooking dinner with Caleb hanging around. He was even better-looking than before. He’d taken off his hat and she was dying to run her fingers through his thick dark hair.
