The Cowboy Takes a Slave
Danielle Lee Zwissler
Branding never felt so good…
Midnight Books a Division of Firefly & Wisp Books
Copyright© Danielle Lee Zwissler, 2013
Published by Midnight Books
Firefly & Wisp Books
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or use of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the permission of Midnight Books
First Midnight Books Printing 2013
Firefly & Wisp Books
www.fireflyandwispbooks.com
www.midnightbooks.weebly.com
All the characters in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. All work is from the imagination of the author.
ISBN-13: 978-1492161820 ISBN-10:
1492161829
Acknowledgements
To Tina Buranis, a friend in fantasy and in life, thank you for reading all of my books. I cherish your friendship.
To Jen Oreto, thanks so much for your encouragement and kind words. People that I have been friends with for years haven’t read some of my books, and I am so glad to have met someone that is a true friend.
To Pat Long, thank you for inviting me up to the restaurant for the endless amounts of coffee. Without you, this book probably wouldn’t have made it.
To Earl, Ariana and Logan, I couldn’t have asked for a better family. I love you all.
Dedicated to Francine Zwissler, you were one sweet guinea pig. You will be missed.
August 1st, 2013-August 9th, 2013
The Cowboy Takes a Slave
Branding never felt so good.
Danielle Lee Zwissler
The Cowboy Takes a Slave
Chapter One
Jake Tavers never had a moment’s peace. Waking at five, he worked side-by-side with ranch hands to finish his morning chores; then by day’s end, he checked the fence lines, usually with a kid tagging along by his side.
Never a moment’s peace.
So when he saw the ad in Sunday’s paper about a slave for a day, he read each word carefully, then once again. Jake always paid attention to the fine print. This ad didn’t seem to have any.
SLAVE FOR A DAY!
Local Charity rents out a helper for 24/hours.
Byron Mercy Kids Hospital is giving away some precious time, so that they can make some money in return. The “Slave for a Day” program started last year in an attempt to raise money for the new cardiac wing for the hospital. In doing so, Local Charity, “Kids Kare”, donated a whopping $10,000 for the cause! This year they are hoping to double that. “The kids need new things: toys, crayons, gowns—essentials. Plus, it wouldn’t hurt to see some donations, anonymous or otherwise. There are a lot of kids that don’t have parents with big jobs, or a lot of money coming in. This is our chance to help with that!” Keri McCormack, from Kids Kare said in an interview with “The Daily Star”. So, you’ve heard her, folks, the kids need us! The bidding for the slaves starts on Monday, the third of September. The “slave” is rented out for one day. The rules are simple. You may use the slave for work, housecleaning, ranching, washing your car—wives out there, you can use yours for dishes, diaper changes, taking the kids to soccer games! You name it! If you’re not convinced, you can go online to our website to see the testimonials from other ‘slave’ owners. I’m sure you will be blown away!
www.kidskareinc.com/slaveforaday
Jake couldn’t help but be impressed with the article, let alone the testimonials. He checked every single one of them. Rereading them for a second time, he decided to go down to Kids Kare himself to place his bid on the auction. According to the website, they had several ‘volunteers’ to work as slaves for the day. If the cost wasn’t too bad, he may just bid on two! He needed a break. He needed some time off from the kids, the ranch hands. He needed to have a warm plate of food. Hell, he was 34 years old, single, never been married, yet there were children all over his ranch. Teenagers of his workers were always ‘hero worshipping’ him. Owning a ranch of this size was impressive for a man of his age. Not that he got it from his own means, it was a family heritage. However, a lot of his own blood, sweat and tears went into this place, and he’d be damned if it was going away any time soon.
Checking his bank statements online once more, Jake knew he had enough money for his expansion project, and for the auction. He almost couldn’t wait. Next week, if he were lucky, and he had a feeling that he would be, he would go check the fence lines by himself, eat three squares a day—warm, and have a clear mind for the following week when he went to the horse auction to buy some new beauties. It was definitely a great plan.
Monday afternoon Jake left the ranch in the hands of James McCall. James was a seasoned worker for the Double Horseshoe Ranch; he had also worked for Jake’s father when he was still alive. Jake knew that everything would be okay.
Pulling into the Kids Kare parking lot, Jake checked his reflection in the mirror. He felt like a kid again, getting ready for a job interview. It was ridiculous, he knew, but for some reason, he was a little bit nervous. Maybe this isn’t a good idea after all, Jake thought.
Shaking his head, he decided to quit acting like a girl, and to walk in there and to start his bid.
Upon first inspection, Kids Kare was as chaotic as his worst nightmare. Kids were everywhere! They were running around, Jake assumed playing a game of tag, skipping, playing hopscotch. Some kids were playing a board game on the left side of the room, while others were reading, rather loudly, on the other. Jake hoped to God that the volunteers were over the age of 18. Obviously sensing his panic, an elderly woman came to his rescue with a whistle. It wasn’t a piercing one, but the kids knew what it meant. They all became quiet. Music to Jake’s ears.
“Children, I think we have our first taker!” she said cheerfully. All of a sudden, as if scripted, the kids burst out in laughter. Jake’s first instinct was to bolt. He had a dream like this once, only it wasn’t of a daycare. It was of a woman, much younger than the woman before him, and she had a lasso. She wanted babies and she wanted them now!
“Uh,” Jake murmured, then backed up slowly toward the door.
“Momma,” a woman’s voice scolded. “You’ll have to excuse…” the woman stopped mid-sentence as she got a glimpse of Jake.
Jake’s heart nearly stumbled out of his chest. The woman was a knockout. And she also had something white on her face. Her eyes widened when she realized that, too.
“It’s flour. We’re making cookies.”
Jake smiled. “God I love cookies,” he said, reminiscing of times when his mom used to pull the tray of warm chocolate chip cookies out of the oven.
“They’re chocolate chip,” the woman said.
“Perfect,” Jake remarked in trance-like fashion.
The older woman that was standing nearby watched, amazed. It was like one of those old-time romance movies where the universe lined up when the couple met. She smiled.
“Are you…” the younger woman started to ask something.
“I’m here for the auction,” Jake said stupidly. “I… I saw the ad in the paper, and thought I’d come down.” The older woman smiled, then looked at her daughter. “I need a break at work, and I was thinking—”
“Yes?”
“Well, I’ll… I’ll take you for the week.”
The woman’s eyes bugged out of her head, a
nd instantly Jake knew that he had said the wrong thing. The spell was broken, and the once majestic look on the woman’s face was replaced with a sneer.
“Well, I—”
“She’ll accept!” the older woman chimed in. Score one for the older lady, Jake thought.
“Momma!”
“Now, dear, weren’t you just saying that you were in dire need for funds this year? And weren’t you just complaining to me that nobody has stopped in yet. And weren’t you just—”
The daughter gave her mother a firm look, cutting her off. If looks could kill the mother would have been toast. “You know exactly what I was just saying! I was just saying it to you! And besides, what about—”
“Now don’t you go worrying about that! You know me, I’m always wanting extra time! Now, Lorna, why don’t you go, and let Mr. eh… Mr.”
“Tavers,” Jake supplied with a smile. Lorna.
“Ah, nice. Mr. Tavers give you directions to his place and have him give you all of the details.”
Lorna looked at him with as much contempt as she could muster. I’ll take you for the week! Just the thought of it made her blush all over! What kind of woman did he think she was? Moreover, why would he come looking at Kids Kare of all places! Sick, this was just sick. And her own mother?
Giving in, she walked over to a row of clipboards that were placed on a small semicircle table. “There are many people to choose from,” she said pointedly. We have a list of twenty volunteers. We only ‘rent’ out for the day; I don’t know where you got the week from…”
“Lorna,” Jake said, leaning in toward her. “I’m sorry if what I said back there bothered you. I’ve always been well… anyway, I was nervous. I didn’t mean what it sounded like. I just. Well, I need help, that’s all.”
Lousy explanation, but he did seem genuine. Yeah, and serial killers get to know their victims before the final blow, too.
Lorna nodded curtly.
As Jake read over the clipboards on the table, he noticed that her name wasn’t on there. “Why aren’t you on this table?”
Sensing a problem, Lorna’s mother walked over and brought a fresh clipboard with a hand drawn name at the top. The others were all professionally typed out. This was done in red crayon. Jake smiled.
“Here it is! I can’t believe I left it over there! The kids could have used it for coloring paper!” Lorna rolled her eyes.
Jake took the opportunity and picked up a pen from the table. “Now,” he said smoothly, “what’s the going rate?”
Lorna flinched, and her mother had to keep from laughing. “Now, Mr. Tavers, you can’t put a price on perfection.”
THIRTY-FIVE MINUTES LATER, Jake pulled into the Double Horseshoe and saw flashing lights. Getting out of his car, he ran until he caught up to the action. “What happened?” he asked, his face paled.
“Missy—she’s having the baby!” Lyle exclaimed. Lyle had worked for Jake for two years. He and his wife lived in one of the cabins on the property.
“Shouldn’t she be in a hospital, and shouldn’t you be there with her?” Jake asked.
“Well, she isn’t going to make it to the hospital, Sir, and she didn’t want me anywhere near her. She kept saying for me to get the hell away from her.”
Jake felt sorry for the kid, but laughed anyway. “All women say that, Lyle. Get on up there. You’re gonna have a baby!” Lyle smiled and climbed up in the ambulance. From what Jake could see, and he didn’t want to see any more, the emergency crew was surrounded by Lyle’s wife. In what he termed, “Catcher’s Position”. Working on a ranch, you delivered a lot of babies. Calves, foals…not humans, but pretty much the same damned thing.
Jake thought about Lorna. He couldn’t help himself. He hadn’t been that tied up over a woman since his teenage years. She was cute. Her long brown hair was tied up in a ponytail, leaving wisps of hair escape from the sides. She had a bridge of freckles on her nose, and her eyes were a beautiful color of green. They reminded him of the grasses here on the double horseshoe.
THE NEXT MORNING JAKE woke to the sound of a knock. 4:54 A.M. What the hell? Not awake yet, he stumbled from bed and padded his way to the front of the big ranch house. The floors were cold on his feet. Yawning, he opened the door and nearly choked when he saw the woman on the other side. Lorna.
Lorna’s eyes widened as she took in Jake. From his mussed up hair, to his chiseled chest. He was hot.
He just stood there, completely shocked. His dreams were getting better and better. He looked into her eyes, and with one step forward, he captured her in his arms and kissed her. The kiss seemed to last forever. His hands moved up to cradle her face, tasting her sweet lips, touching her tongue. She moaned, and it ignited his fire. Stepping backward in the room, he brought her with him, keeping her close, reveling in the feel of her body next to his. Too many clothes, Jake thought as he tugged her shirt from her jeans and went to bring it up. A second later, he felt the first stinging bites of a slap against his face. It was like cold water to his member. He stepped back, and his eyes widened. It wasn’t a dream, she was really here, and he was fondling her like a horny teenager.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” he found himself apologizing.
She looked absolutely disgusted with him and with herself. “You should be! You don’t think… you don’t,” she stammered.
“God no!” Jake replied, knowing what she was asking. “Of course I know I didn’t pay for this…for that. For. Hell, Lorna, I wasn’t even awake yet!”
If he thought she was red before, she was now a towering inferno of colors. “Oh, so what you’re saying is…is that I did this?”
Trap! Jake, run! TRAP!
“No, that’s not what…”
“Not what, Mr. Tavers? Not what you were saying? Or were you hoping to get a little bit of this,” she gestured to her fine pair of tits, “for free!”
Jake couldn’t help himself, she was gorgeous. He focused where her hands were a moment ago, and she huffed her disgust. Shaking his head to clear the picture, he focused on her eyes. “Your eyes are beautiful.”
“You are nothing but a pig!”
“No, Lorna, wait!” Jake said as he followed her to the door. She was halfway down the front porch when he saw his ranch hands coming toward the noise. He never brought women home. Great!
Lorna’s face blushed as she realized there were other people around, and Jake’s level of undress. “Just great, Mr. Tavers! Just great!”
He could see tears coming from her eyes, and he felt awful. It was like a punch to the gut. And he knew right then that he was in trouble.
“Come on, Lorna. Let me make you breakfast,” Jake said quietly. “You know I didn’t mean anything by it.”
“Yes, I think I do know that,” she replied.
***
It had been two hours since the kiss. Jake couldn’t stop thinking about the way her body felt up next to his, the way she sounded, her little sighs of appreciation. Her tongue. Dear God. Bringing his horse to a stop, he dismounted and walked over to the embankment that overlooked a river on the south end of his property. He was finally by himself. He got his wish, and it was wonderful. Taking a deep breath, he pulled his Chambray shirt from his waist and tossed it over his head. He hadn’t done this since he was a kid, and he’d been wanting to for a long while now. There was always someone around, and for once, he was alone.
Lorna watched him come to a stop at the top of a hill. She felt bad for the way she treated him earlier. She was just as much at fault as he was. She acted indignant, when she was anything but. He stirred her. She hadn’t felt that way in a long, long time.
As she approached on the paint that one of the ranch hands saddled for her, she dismounted and made her way toward him. But when she got there, she caught a quick glimpse of skin before she heard a splash, and then a “Holy shit!”
Turning, she tried to get away unnoticed, but of course, today wasn’t her day.
“Lorna?” Jake asked. Lorna turned
and had tried to smile, but ended up looking miserable.
“What’s wrong?” Jake asked quickly.
“Oh, nothing. I was just…”
“Did something happen?” he asked, stepping out of the pond before he remembered that he was completely naked.
Lorna’s eyes widened again, her skin was hot. Really hot. The man had a body. A very…impressive body.
“I’m so…Oh my God,” he said quickly, but Lorna laughed.
“Really? Oh, this is great. You’re laughing!”
Lorna just realized what he meant, and she tried to explain, but as she was doing it, she saw his smile. And then a hand reached out and pulled her in.
“Jake!” Lorna cried. “Holy…”
“Shit, right? This water is freezing!” Jake laughed.
“God, yes it is! Oh my God! What the hell is wrong with you?” Lorna asked, trying to find warmth in the water. Where the hell was all of the warm pockets when you needed them? Jake came closer. His skin was cool, but she could feel a warmth that had nothing to do with the water, burn from inside.
“Why did you come up here, Lorna?” he asked. His eyes were a dark brown. And his brown hair was slightly waved, without his cowboy hat on. He looked all rugged and sexy and…
“I came to tell you,” she said, looking at his mouth.
“What?” Jake asked, using his hands to warm her back, he stroked her. Long, soft, burning strokes.
“This,” she said, then she kissed him.
The kiss was even better than before. It was wild, carnal, and it was the most passionate Jake had ever felt about anything. This was better than riding, ranching, anything. His hands went to the front of her blouse, and he looked into her eyes for permission. She whispered yes. That was all it took.
Slowly, he unbuttoned her shirt, caressing the outsides of her breasts until the blouse was completely open. He brought the sides down her shoulders, capturing her arms at the elbows and dipping his head to her taut peaks. She was beautiful, voluptuous, and her nipples were hard and ready. He first licked them, taking his time, enjoying the feel of this woman in his mouth. Then with an urgency he had never felt before, he sucked hard on one, while playfully tugging at the other. She moaned in passion. His dick was so hard right now that he could barely stand it. She looked like a goddess, naked before him. And he feasted on her. She brought her hand down slowly, testing, teasing, until she grabbed hold of him, stroking. Jake let his head fall back as she moved her hand up and down. He watched her eyes, full of passion, as she played with him. It was nearly his undoing. Then she stopped, peeled her pants off, and threw them up on the embankment. The water no longer felt cool against their skin.
The Cowboy Takes A Slave (Cowboys & Cowgirls) Page 1
