by Thianna D.
But he did. Beau loved travel and he enjoyed the freedom of the road. But one thing he was exceptional at was schmoozing people. It was a gift he gained when he was a boy and it got him out of a lot of scrapes in his teens. And over the last thirteen years, it and his terawatt smile had made him a lot of money. People loved him, partially because he was good at what he did, but mostly because they loved the show he put on. And many companies paid him to wear their gear because it made them good money.
He loved that part of his job: the entertaining, chatting, and putting someone at ease. Surely there were a thousand jobs where his skills would come in handy. He just needed to find the perfect one.
With his phone in hand, he began to send out texts to everyone he knew. Looking for a new job. You know me. You know what I’m good at. Got any ideas? It’s time to move on.
Over the next hour, his phone dinged with text after text, some from acquaintances, some from close friends. The text from Neil made him laugh. Ever thought of a job in politics?
No he hadn’t. And he wouldn’t want to do it. However, maybe he could help a certain politician with her campaign. Wondering if she would take him up on such a ludicrous offer, it began to not sound so ridiculous. What did campaign people do? They convinced people to vote for an idea. He’d been getting people to buy into ideas since he made his first lemonade stand at age eight. It was a silly thought, but he put it in the back of his mind for later.
In the meantime, cars and trucks of his fellow cowboys had begun to arrive. He hadn’t slept in over thirty hours. There was no way he was putting himself in danger just to have perfect attendance. He’d done the same thing back in high school. Even when he was sick, he would fake being well enough to go to school because he was set on getting a perfect attendance record.
Knowing that scratching was the smart thing to do, even if he didn’t want to do it, he got out of the truck. He’d take care of his horses and scratch his name. Then he’d go back to the motel and crash.
Chapter Twelve
“What I don’t get,” Judy said around a chocolate, chocolate chip muffin, “is why your dad’s going ballistic. Beau’s family might not be wealthy, but he’s done well for himself. And like I said, he’s smart. I think he would humanize you.”
Madison blinked around her still fuzzy head. “Humanize me? What am I? An automaton?”
Her friend tossed her a muffin. “Eat. You need to soak up the cider. And it’s not that you’re a robot, sort of. It’s just that since college, you always acted a certain way—as if nothing touched you. Like you’re a Barbie doll up on a mountain that nobody can get near. I thought maybe you’d just disconnected from the world or something. But it wasn’t that, was it? It’s how your dad insisted you act.”
“And my stepmoms, cousins, and stupid campaign manager.” Had she been that bad? Madison winced and took a bite of muffin. Yes, she had. It had been easier to be and not feel. Beau woke her up with one smack on her ass.
“They’re idiots. People want to vote for someone they feel safe with and to be honest, Mad? The way you’ve been for the last ten years? I wasn’t sure I knew you half the time.”
“Ouch.” She took a long drink of coffee and crammed the rest of the muffin into her mouth.
“Not trying to hurt you, but it’s true. And you were becoming even more remote. I’ve seen more life from you in the last… well, since you met Beau than I have in a very long time. I like it.”
She sipped more coffee and as it drained out some of the alcohol and her brain began to work, she curled up on the sofa with her mug. “I’m not sure what to do now.”
“Well,” Judy said and watched her from her perch on Madison’s whimsy purchase: a bright purple bean bag chair that went with nothing. “You know I’m not one for running in blindly. I kind of burned those bridges before my twenty-fourth birthday. But you never did. Except for the hot and sexy Terrell, you never moved out of your comfort zone. Maybe it’s time you did.” She paused and leaned forward to grab another muffin. “Or in your case, move into the comfort zone you forgot was there.”
Now that was an intriguing idea.
With her head not feeling so muddled, they made lunch and lounged around until mid-afternoon. She’d noticed Judy looking at her several times as though she was about to say something and then not, but she’d ignored it. After the tenth time, she sighed. “Say it, Judy.”
“Say what?”
“Whatever it is you keep biting your tongue about.”
Judy finished her sandwich and took a long drink of sweet tea before sitting back. “All right. But answer me this first. Are you sober?”
Madison snorted a laugh. “Yeah. All the goodies, coffee, and food have soaked up the booze. And you should seriously not give me any more of your stash. It’s deadly.”
“Okay. And…” Judy cocked her head. “Tell you what. I do have something to tell you, but when I do you’re going to run out of the house like a tiger’s on your tail. So first, why don’t you go take a shower and put on some clothes that don’t look like you’ve been wearing them for twenty-four hours straight?”
She wanted to argue as she wondered just what her friend hadn’t been telling her. But if the news was that important, perhaps a shower, some makeup, and some fresh clothes would be a good idea. “Give me fifteen minutes,” she said as she turned toward her bedroom.
“Take thirty.”
Nothing like really good friends. Judy was never afraid to tell her when she was not looking her best and apparently whatever she needed to tell her would require her looking her best. Madison took the full thirty minutes plus a few more and by the time she walked back into the living room she felt much better.
Judy looked up from where she’d been concentrating on her phone. Strangely she had Madison’s keys in her hand. “Okay,” she said, dangling the keys up in the air. “Personally I think I should drive, so I’m putting your keys in my purse.”
“Okay,” Madison said slowly, wondering what she was up to. “What’s the news?”
“Um…” Her friend cocked her head to the side and then dashed toward the front door. “Follow me and I’ll tell you on the way.”
Frustrated and amused, she followed. Judy had one of the new VW Beetles and by the time Madison had hooked her seatbelt, they were chugging down the road. “Talk,” she finally said, frustrated.
Judy handed over her phone. “Unlock the screen.”
With a shrug of her shoulders, Madison swiped at the screen. It took a couple seconds for the webpage on the screen to make sense to her. “Judy!”
“The article says nobody got hurt. The fire happened while you were at the hospital last night. But I thought you’d like to know.”
“Where is he?” She turned frantically to her friend. “Beau. Where is he?” He travelled so she assumed he kept everything with him. Had it burnt up in the fire?
“Now you want to see him?” Judy asked in amusement. “Thought so. I’m figuring he’ll be at the rodeo grounds getting ready to ride. So that’s where I’m taking you.”
It felt like the ride took forever. Afternoon traffic snarled them up but they finally pulled into the grounds just before five. “I’ll wait here for you. If you find him, text me and I’ll head out,” Judy called after her as Madison leaped out of the car and ran toward the backlot.
“Beau?” she called out and several heads toward her, but not one of them was him. “Have you seen Beau?” she asked one of them.
He nodded his head toward the stables. “Saw him bedding down Rampart. He might be gone though. He scratched tonight’s rides.”
While she wasn’t positive, she had the feeling that meant he’d pulled out and if he did, did that mean he was leaving? “Beau,” she called as she ran toward the stables. “Beau?” A little squeak left her lips as he suddenly stepped out of the stables right into her path. Without thinking, she launched herself at him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “I heard about the fire. Are you okay? Did y
ou lose your stuff? How’s everyone else?” The questions shot out like guns from a bullet.
“Whoa, there, darlin’,” he said in a slightly amused tone. “I’m fine. Only things I lost are replaceable. And everyone’s fine. Even Kendrick, who’s already awake and annoyin’ his nurses with questions about when he’s gonna be able to walk again.”
Relieved, she glanced up and smiled into his soft brown eyes. “Hi.”
He chuckled. “Hey, Madison. You keep disappearing and reappearing. I’m beginning to wonder if you really exist or if you just come to life when the sun goes down.”
With a roll of her eyes, she smiled and took a step back. “You’re sure everything’s okay?” She placed her hand on his chest, needing to feel him there in front of her.
“Well the motel’s in bad shape, but we’re okay. What about you? Where did you go this morning?”
Nervously she stepped back. She supposed it made sense that question would come up. “Um…” She glanced around but there was nobody in the vicinity. “I told you my family was politically driven.”
“Yeah. You’re a Barnet.”
Startled, she took another step backward. “How long have you known?”
“Since yesterday afternoon. Before then I didn’t put the pieces together, but a friend of mine did.”
Well, no reason for her to hide now. “I recognized a few of the nurses and I called Jason in to help Kendrick.” She bit her lower lip. “I knew my family would be pissed but I had to do it. Jason’s world famous. He’s got just the right touch. I knew if I stuck around, he would talk to me and I didn’t want to hear it. Didn’t matter though,” she said with a sigh. “My father and brother were waiting to pounce the second I got home.”
Beau put a hand on her arm and guided her behind the stable to a bench. “What happened?” he asked in a quiet, calm voice.
“Dad was pissed because his plan is to put me in as governor where I can then do everything he asks. Kyle though…” She laughed softly. “He wants your autograph.”
He snorted. “Well that I can do. So how do you feel about your father?”
“Pissed. I mean. I think I already knew I would be nothing but a face. But hearing it hurt. He fully expects me to do everything he tells me to do. I suppose I deserve it. I’ve followed his demands my entire life. Except for Terrell.”
“How pissed?”
“I got pretty blotto this morning. Though in my defense,” she said quickly when he frowned, “I thought it was just beer. I didn’t know it was hard cider.”
“Still. Drinking in the morning’s a bad sign.”
She wrinkled her nose. “A bad sign my dad’s raining over my parade.” Suddenly the way he was speaking hit her. Looking up at him, she narrowed her eyes. “Hey. You aren’t talking like a cowboy anymore.”
Beau grinned. “I was raised to speak correct English. An emphasized drawl is expected on the circuit but I can nullify it if I want.” Before she could respond, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “Madison, if that’s what your father makes you do? You’re headed toward being a ravin’ alcoholic.” She lightly punched his side at the dropped G and he laughed.
“I don’t drink much. But yeah. I see your point.” Her father could drive her to drink, take drugs. Anything to give her the impetus to fight back. “But I find it hard to refuse him unless I’m drinking.” After a brief pause, she added, “You’re that Beau.”
“What?”
With a huff of a laugh, she turned and looked him in the eyes. “I might have remembered that night, but I forgot a lot of the details. Until Dad explained to me he had evidence of that night too. You’re the Beau who gave me a pussy spanking at Jeff’s club two years ago.” His eyes widened and horror shot through her. “Oh my God. You don’t remember, do you?” Sounded like she was just as memorable to him as he was to her.
“I do.” He winked. “At first I didn’t know who you were. Just that you were hot and sexy and I had to fuck you. Your voice sounded familiar, but your eyes aren’t the same color. And then on night number two, I got a look at a tattoo I only saw once before. I’m guessing you wore colored contacts that night?”
Embarrassed and relieved, she nodded. “Black.”
“To match the black makeup you wore,” he said and smiled. “I was gonna tell you, but you ran off again.” He pulled her a little closer. “Darlin’, you need to stop doing that.”
Feeling a little lighter, she nodded. “Are you leaving today or tomorrow?”
There was a long pause and then he sighed. “I’m looking for a new job, but for now I’m leaving in two days to follow the circuit. If I wasn’t, I’d suggest a little spanking therapy. Much better than drinking.”
As much as she wanted to bring up the possibility of dating long distance, his words derailed her. Intrigued, she turned toward him. “So like what? You’d spank me when I drank?”
“No,” he said with a chuckle. “More like I’d spank you if you put yourself in danger—and drinking to combat your father would fall under that banner. Or maybe a weekly maintenance spanking to keep your stress level where you don’t feel it so badly. Or perhaps even to help you face whatever it is you don’t want to face.”
She wrinkled her nose softly in thought. “I think I’d like that.” Just the thought made her gooey inside. “Are you sure you have to leave?” Madison looked at him and he smiled.
“Afraid so. Until I find a job anyway.”
She leaned her head on his arm. “You’d hate living in the city.”
“Yeah. It gets a bit claustrophobic,” he agreed. “And being in the same place day after day would drive me straight up a wall. I need somethin’ I can move with.”
She smiled. There was something rather charming about his dropped Gs. Madison had the feeling she could get used to them very easily.
“What kind of job are you looking for?” Madison didn’t want him to live far away, but she did have contacts. Perhaps she could help him find something.
“Public relations probably. It’s what I’m good at.”
That was true. She looked at his smile and his soft eyes. “Yeah. You could sell anything to anyone.”
He laughed. “True enough. But direct sales? Naw. Not my thing. Talking, schmoozing, putting on a show. That’s more me.”
Madison laughed softly. “Ever considered politics?”
Beau grinned. “Hell no. Though the thought of supportin’ a candidate and schmoozing for her wouldn’t be so bad.”
Did he mean…? She sat up straight and looked him in the eye. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“Naw. Ignore me. I know nothing about politics or how to run a campaign. Plus you’ve already got a bossy campaign manager. I’d rather support you in a whole other context.”
Her phone buzzed and she pulled it out of her pocket.
Judy: Hello! Earth to Madison.
Madison: Sorry, Judy. Found him. I’m good.
Judy: Tell him to keep an eye out for a non-spanking well-endowed man for me.
She laughed and showed him the text. Beau snorted a laugh. “Tell her most of the guys on the circuit aren’t into spanking and that I have no fuckin’ clue how big they are. Looking at guys’ dicks isn’t my thing.”
After sending Judy a text that was sure to have her giggling all the way back to her apartment, Madison slid the phone into her pocket. “So what aren’t we saying?” she finally asked, not one to beat around the bush unless someone told her to.
Beau scratched the side of his head and stood up. He held out his hand and she took it and stood up. “Well,” he said slowly. “If we’re putting our cards on the table, let’s do just that. I like you, Madison Barnet. You’re gorgeous, sweet, sassy, a tornado in bed, you like being spanked, and two years ago, there was a hint of a submissive woman I’d love to see more of. You’re aces in my book and I’d like to get to know you better.”
Warmth filled her up and Madison had a hard time not preening. N
o guy had ever said that to her. “I agree. You’re hot, smart, quirky, have a wonderful hard hand, and you’re someone I think I can trust. So do we start this long distance or what?” It didn’t sound the best, but she’d be willing to try.
“Yep. We’ve both got cell phones. We can talk, get to know one another, have phone sex,” he said with a wink. “Not to mention sextin’ which I’m a master at.”
“Oh did I forget to mention you have an ego?” she said and smiled sweetly at him.
“It’s just part of the whole package,” he agreed solemnly, making her laugh. “So what are you goin’ to do about your father?”
She blew out a breath. “I don’t know. But I’m tired of him running my life. I’m kind of hoping I can get Kyle on my side a little more since he obviously has a man crush on you. I think I can use that to my advantage.”
“All right then. So that’s where we start.” He pulled out his phone. “First things first. What’s your phone number?”
Epilogue
Fifteen months later
Beau stood a few feet away and watched his beautiful lady walk out onto the small stage. She smiled and waved at her few supporters who’d stayed. She’d run as an independent rather than on the ticket her father wanted her on.
“Good evening,” she said, the acoustics in the hotel ballroom off and making her sound tinny. “Thank you so much for being here and for supporting my campaign. As an independent, I might not have had the backing of corporations and large political organizations, but I found support in the people of Texas and that’s who I was running for. While we didn’t win—” Several boos filled the room and she smiled and held up her hands. “I know. I looked forward to working for you. But now’s the time to pull together. Now is the time to support our new governor…”
As she poured into the speech she had hoped not to make, he was once again reminded how much he adored her. Over the time they had been dating, some of it had been long distance. That first eight months they got to know one another more than if they’d been in the same city. It turned out the desire they felt physically just kept expanding. They could barely be in the same room without their clothes coming off. It had made the campaign trail an interesting ride.
