by Megan McCoy
“Well, it's not like I need to know,” Rayne said, and gave herself a little shake. That was no answer. “I do need to know a few things though, like when the produce delivery is, and how many hours I have for payroll.”
“And that’s why they pay me the big bucks,” Candy smiled. “I know those things.”
“I was hoping you did, because if you didn’t, I didn’t know who to ask,” Rayne pulled out her bible and began running down her list of questions.
An hour later when Candy left, she felt much more confident. She had all her questions answered and a date with Candy—she looked much more like a Cassandra than a Candy, but she’d told her almost everyone called her Candy now. Apparently, her husband had taken his first look at her and decided she was a cute bit of Candy. Her boss had blushed when she’d related that, but said she’d gotten used to the name.
It had been an adorable anecdote. Rayne hated her name had nothing to nickname it. She was Rayne or nothing. No one had ever called her Ray more than once. If she ever had kids, she’d make sure they would have long fancy names to nickname from.
Why was she thinking of kids? She would never have kids. She put that nonsense from her mind.
All the biggest issues on her list of concerns and questions had been resolved, and she had a standing ‘date’ with Candy every night this week after dinner service to shake out the kinks. Candy had laughed. Too bad she didn’t have a standing date with Cole every night this week…. Rayne caught herself, horrified. Where had that come from?
Slowly, she walked into her new room. Her new home. She’d unpacked some yesterday, and still had a bit more to do, but right now, all she wanted was a long hot shower. She reeked of kitchen and wanted to let the heat unknot her aching back and legs. Slowly, she undressed in front of the full-length mirror, vaguely wondering if she’d be allowed to use the washer and dryer that were tucked away in a corner of the back storage room. It was for the kitchen towels and aprons used daily. She kicked her shoes off and then slide out of her jeans and panties. Pulling her shirt off, she unhooked her serviceable white cotton bra. No need for anything dainty and frilly. She needed to be supported. No one would ever see it but her, anyway.
Turning from side to side, she inspected her naked body. About five feet five. Not rail thin like men liked, but she had what was commonly thought of as junk in her trunk. Not a lot, but she could only kindly describe herself as curvy. Decent enough boobs. Not huge, but respectable. She’d waxed her bikini area once and decided fuck that crap. She’d tidy up the thatch once in a while, but no way was she going bare again. It was blonde enough to not be noticeable, for the most part. Strong legs and toned arms. Strawberry blonde hair—not red—hair she usually kept pulled back or piled up. She’d like to get it cut one day she was off, but some reason, she always chickened out. She got by with braids and buns and twists. It got hot in the kitchen and no one wanted hair in their food. Still, she didn’t want to cut her hair.
She wasn’t ugly. Hazel green eyes and a medium nose. Pale skin. Stupid being strawberry blonde and pale. Nothing remarkable about any of that. Her only boyfriend had told her once she had very kissable lips. Since he turned out to be gay, she wasn’t sure he was a great source of knowledge, though. Sighing, she left her clothes in a puddle on the floor and stepped into the now steaming shower, wishing she had someone to wash her back. And other places. She would wash alone. It was her life and what she would always do. Be alone.
Cole shook his head as he walked to the stable. What were the odds the golf club wielding redhead from hours away would end up working here? Weird things happened in life. But he felt beyond thrilled to see her again. For some reason, she excited him deeply. Was it because of her golfing abilities? Nah, it wasn’t and he knew it. Was that her hometown? How’d she get here in the middle of nowhere southern Illinois? So many things to learn about her. Including where she learned that golf swing.
Pulling open the barn door, he inhaled deeply. Some of his best memories were brought back by scent. Some of his worst ones, too, but the deep musky warm scent of the horse barn was one of the best. Even though it was a warm night, so most of the horses were overnighting in the pasture, it still had the familiar lingering scent in the air. Not at all unpleasant, in fact, it had to be one of his favorites. Grinning, he heard something else, that while not his favorite, well, it was right up there.
Leather, probably a belt or maybe a bridle rein, making its way sharply to what sounded like bare female flesh. The sobbing and begging, yeah, it wasn’t someone being beaten, but someone getting soundly spanked for probably a very good reason. The sounds were unmistakable as were the words coming out of her mouth.
“Please, no more! I’ll be good! Okay, okay, okay, I’m done! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” The last sorry came in out in a rather screechy sob that more than likely meant her spanking was about over. Always give them another really good few at the end to help them remember. Most of them appreciated it after the fact. They didn’t seem to care too much for it in the moment though.
Quickly he wondered if Rayne had been spanked, as he listened to the sniffles and sobs, with a stern male voice in between another minute, then politely stepped outside. How much experience had she had? She seemed on edge around him. Could be a been-too-long scenario, a not been around men much, or something else. Another mystery to be solved.
He’d enjoyed working with her today. He’d found out nothing personal about her, but then, he didn’t spend his time at work passing the time of day. Too much to do, and in a kitchen, there was always more to do. She’d kept busy taking notes and rolling up her sleeves and pitching in. By the time they’d got dinner in the hands of the servers, she’d told him, she’d take care of clean up and he could take off.
He’d decided to let her. He needed a break from the kitchen and the obvious sexual interest he had in her. Then he walks in on this. He wished he had a cigarette, the consoling shouldn’t take longer than a smoke did. Unless they...oh hell, he needed to get in there before that happened.
Walking back toward the door, he began to whistle softly and stepped back inside again, deliberately speaking to one of the stabled horses and banging against a wall. He heard nothing, so walked toward the tack room. He’d grab a shovel and push broom, do a little cleaning. Like a kitchen, a barn could never be too clean.
The tack door flew open and Matt stepped out, followed by a red faced, teary-eyed little brunette. She was a bit smaller than Rayne, a little too thin for his taste, but absolutely adorable with her sniffles and red cheeks. He did love the face—and ass—of a well-spanked female. He’d given up on wondering why, a long time ago. Apparently, his brother had the same gene.
“Matt,” he nodded. “Got relieved of kitchen duty for the night and came to work off some tension in the barn.”
“Cole,” Matt said, easily. “You met my soon-to-be-wife, Liz?”
“No, I haven’t. Hello, Miss Liz, I’ve heard a lot about you.” He smiled kindly at her, knowing she probably wanted to hide her face and rub her bottom. Sometimes he let them rub, sometimes there were noses in the corner and no rubbing allowed. Sometimes he applied soothing lotion himself. All depended on his mood. Man, it had been months since he’d had a squirming bottom over his lap.
“Hi, Cole,” she said, looking him over, curiously, but cautiously. Probably embarrassment, he realized. “Glad to meet you.”
“Liz and I were discussing wedding plans. The wedding’s going to be here at the ranch, and we’re closing the cabins for three days so everyone can come and have a good time. Hope you got no plans.” Matt had Liz’s hand tightly clutched in his.
“I imagine I can make it, sounds like a good time,” Cole said. “If that’s okay with you, Miss Liz. I know how brides can be about their weddings.”
She nodded, and sniffled again. “That’s fine. Matt, is it okay if I go to the house?”
“Be in bed when I get there,” he said, and smacked her sharply on the bottom while she scu
rried out the door without looking at Cole again.
Cole waited till she was out of earshot and said, “That was awkward. She’s never going to look me in the eye again.”
Matt shrugged and grinned. “Not going to be any bridezillas in this family. If I have to blister her butt to get her to chill out and destress, then I’m the man for the job,”
“I’ve found a good paddling works really well. Not been married, but just day to day life with whatever female is in my life,” Cole was careful to add. “Where’s she been last few weeks I’ve been here working? Don't think I’ve seen her in the mess hall.”
“Putting in overtime at work and eating in town or at home, then running around like a crazy person doing who knows what. I just put an end to that. I’m not going to have her kill herself for whatever it is she thinks she needs to pay for or do. I can take care of my family,” Matt said, sounding proud.
“Family? She…” he didn’t finish.
“No, hell no! She has a teenager from her past marriage. He lives with us. At least he does when he’s not hanging out with Blaze and Gabe. I’m sure you’ve seen him around,” Matt said. “He’s a good kid for a teenager.”
There were a lot of young males running around the ranch, but Cole knew he’d run into him and figure out who he was, eventually. He’d be family soon.
“Maybe she’s saving to buy you a wedding present,” Cole suggested. “And that’s why the overtime.”
“Don’t give a damn why. I just know she’s been stressed and snappy and crying at the drop of a hat and so I gave her something to cry about. She’ll be lucky not to get another one tonight and have to stand up all day tomorrow. At least she’ll have a reminder to tell her boss no more overtime when she goes to work tomorrow,” Matt said, grimly.
“Where you going on your honeymoon?” Cole changed the subject.
Matt’s face lit up. “Renting an RV and traveling through Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana for a month. Going to be a great time.”
“Honeymoons are usually great times,” Cole said.
“You come close?” Matt asked him.
Cole shook his head. “Never found one that kept me interested that long. I’m heading in to shovel awhile. You helping?”
“Nah, I got a woman waiting in bed for me, probably naked with an already hot butt. Nothing more exciting than that right now!” Matt gave him a quick salute and headed out the barn door.
Cole shook his head. Damn, Matt was right. Nothing hotter than that. He needed one of those. Picking up the shovel, he thought about Rayne again. He’d thought several times today of having the pretty little chef over his lap and then under him. Why? She obviously, and he could tell, wasn’t a one nightstand kind of person, like the sexy bartender he’d met the first night in town. He didn’t mind that she wasn’t. He’d had plenty of those and he enjoyed a challenge.
This was going to be home. Maybe he should get into a longer than a few weeks or month relationship? Maybe. Right now, he was going to shovel some stalls and then head to bed. He planned to be there for breakfast service. He had a sweet little redhead to see how he felt about in the clear light of day. He wondered if the top matched the bottom and if she had a temper to match her gorgeous hair. He hoped so. He loved to tame a fiery female.
Today, though, she’d seemed calm and happy and focused on work. He’d see what the next few days, as they worked together, brought.
Why was he so attracted to this one? He didn’t know.
Didn’t matter, why. But he wasn’t going to move too fast with her. No reason to do that. He had time. This was going to be home, after all. There were plenty of town women to go after if he just wanted a one-night stand.
But not tonight, he thought, shoveling another load into the composter. Tonight, he was going to shower and go to bed. Tomorrow came early, and he had a redhead to fluster. Cole shook his head. He wasn’t sure why that seemed to excite him more than anything else did lately.
Rayne looked up and smiled, as Jenn, the bakery chef, walked in. “Good morning, Jenn,” she said, cheerily.
“Hello, Chef Rayne,” she replied, heading over to pour a cup of coffee and wash her hands. They’d met for a few minutes yesterday. Jenn worked very early to make the fresh breads and pastries they used daily. “I didn’t expect you to be here this early, plus you made coffee!”
“Oh, don’t get used to it. I don’t plan on being here this early every day, but thought I’d come in for a few days and see what the breakfast procedures are.”
Candy had told her that the morning shift had things down to a well-oiled machine. Everyone had been there well over a year, some as many as five, and Rayne didn’t technically have to arrive till lunch shift started at ten-thirty. But, she knew she needed to know as much as she could find out from everyone. It was her kitchen.
She loved thinking that, it made all her hard work worth it. A busy, thriving kitchen in the middle of nowhere, was exactly where she wanted to be. Away from everyone she’d ever known.
“Well, ask me anything. Hope I’ll know the answer,” Jenn said. She sipped her coffee and started hauling out her bowls and containers.
“What are you making this morning?” Raye asked.
“Oh, today is easy. A pecan rum coffee cake and the usual half a dozen loaves of bread and three dozen-egg-omelets. I do the same thing on rotation, every week. Except Sunday when the bakery in town brings in the fancy pastries and I’m off. The other cooks do everything else.”
Rayne sat back watched Jenn a few minutes. “Why didn’t they ask you to make the wedding cake for Matt and Liz’s wedding?” She didn’t want to be stepping on toes her first month.
“Oh, they did. Since they’re closing the ranch down for a few days, I’m using my vacation days and going to Florida to visit my folks. I haven’t had a vacation in a few years. I’ll be gone about ten days.”
Oh, that was good to know. Rayne scribbled it on her list to ask Candy about a reinforcement. “Who fills in for you on sick days?” she asked.
“Well, that’s only come up three times in five years. We’re a pretty healthy bunch around here. Seasonal allergies are bad, but that isn’t contagious, you know. And when it did, they ordered from the bakery that supplies us Sunday.” Jenn covered the first bowl with a clean towel and set it on the counter by the stove to rise. “That will make three loaves of bread, and then I’ll make another three after I mix up the morning pastries.”
“And six loaves fed everyone?” she asked.
“These are for breakfast and lunch. I set the dinner rolls to rise before I leave then the afternoon shift bakes them right before dinner.”
“Sounds like you all know what you are doing,” Rayne said.
“Mariah was a very good kitchen leader. We’re going to miss her, but I feel confident you will be just as good.”
“Aw, you’re just saying that. You have no clue.” Rayne grinned at her. “What you’re probably all saying is damn, she’s a redhead. Hope she doesn’t have a temper.”
“Yes, that, too,” laughed Jenn. “Do you?”
“Sometimes. But I prefer to think of myself as a mellow strawberry blonde. I do try to control it in the kitchen, though sometimes it doesn’t work,” she admitted.
“All we can do is hope,” Jenn laughed and turned on the mixer.
Standing outside the kitchen door, Cole smiled. All right. He was going to get him a little fiery redhead to tame. Just want he needed at this point in his life. Grinning, he sauntered in the kitchen.
“Morning, Jenn, Morning, Rayne,” he said, and poured himself a cup of coffee. “Here to supervise today. I’ll stay out of the way unless I’m needed, though.”
He’d only been in charge a couple weeks, and really, there were half a dozen people who could supervise more efficiently than he could, but oh, well. He suddenly wanted to hang out in the kitchen today more than he wanted to do anything else. So, he would. He was a Lyon male after all, and they did what they wanted. And who they w
anted. He wanted to supervise the redhead.
Chapter 4
Liz winced as she came out of work. Her butt still hurt. Sure, she had to admit she deserved the first thrashing Matt gave her last night, in the barn. Sort of. But she hadn’t needed to go over his knee again this morning. That had just been overkill. He called it a reminder. The man obviously had no faith in his abilities. She hadn’t needed a reminder. He’d been very plain and very clear on what he needed her to do. He wanted her to quit running around like a chicken with her head cut off—she had no clue where that statement came from but she sure wasn’t going to ask him to clarify—and stop working overtime.
Well, she’d told her boss today that she needed to only work her agreed on hours of twenty-four a week. He’d said that was fine, as she knew he would. She’d miss the extra money. She’d wanted to surprise Matt with some tickets for a mule ride to the bottom of the Grand Canyon for his wedding present from her. A present he didn’t pay for. She wasn’t sure what she’d do now, but she’d figure it out.
Then there were all those pesky little details men didn’t seem to know about or understand that happened with a wedding. He acted as if they were no big deal and would happen as if by magic. She’d finally gotten him to do a handful of little things and he acted as if he had accomplished the impossible. If she had to hear about wedding invitation font and the rush job he had a friend do on them, one more time… but they’d all been mailed and RSVP’s were trickling in. Both her brothers would be here, and that was about all the family she had. Her best friend from high school would be coming, and Holly and Meredith, her brothers’ wives, would be her attendants. Candy and Jeb, her soon to be in-laws, had insisted on buying her wedding her dress, and she and Candy had a fun day out, shopping for it.
There were a lot of other things to do, she winced as she sat down in the car seat. But right now, she was heading home to make dinner for her two guys. Ben would be home, Matt should be mellow, after blistering her ass yesterday and again this morning. For some reason, it chilled him out as much as it made her feel calm and centered. It still hurt like hell though and she didn’t want another one.
