Chapter Ten
Chad was still smoking hot from the sex and from just being in Star’s incredibly sensual presence. He had never been as attracted to a woman as he was to Star, and he wished he could take her back to his love shack again and fuck her all day, but he had things to do. As he held her tightly around her shoulders, he glanced at the corral and grinned as he saw Diego waving at him while tending to Chad’s favorite horse. “Come over here,” he said, directing Star toward his only close friend. “You can meet Diego and my horse Ace.”
As the sun spilled over them, making Chad sweat, Star breathed in and said, “He’s beautiful!”
“Ace sure is,” Chad said, smiling at his prize Arabian who was flipping his brown tail back and forth.
“No,” Star said as they approached the pasture fence. “The horse is gorgeous too, but I meant your friend!”
Chad suddenly froze, his blood running cold. He stared at his tall, muscular friend, Diego’s blue-black waves glistening under the hot sun, his big brown eyes twinkling, and his dark tanned skin pulled taut over powerful muscles. He wore no shirt and his blue jeans were tight. Hell they’d shared women before but Star was different.
Diego walked to the gate, holding Ace by the reins. “Hi, amigo!” he tossed, in his devil-may-care way that women loved. “Who is your lovely lady? I thought just last night your heart was broken? I see you recovered quickly, and no wonder. The lady is much prettier than the tramp, no?”
Chad did not know how to put his feelings into words, but he knew that Diego and Star were sending sexual signals to one another. He didn’t know how he was so sure, but he was. Feeling a strong wave of jealous possession, he let go of Star and stepped in front of her, feeling every muscle in his body tightening up. “She’s mine,” he said, and then, even as the words had popped out, he wondered at their foolishness. One night and a preview of good sex and she was his? Really? He glanced over his shoulder to glance at her expression. To his surprise, she looked pleased.
Looking back at Diego, he noticed his friend had his normal lazy grin on his face. “That was quick. Be careful with your hearts, both of you. I would never try to steal your woman, Chad.” But his twinkling eyes lit up even more as he laughed, then said, “I also wouldn’t turn down a threesome, if invited. But you know that.”
Chad again quickly glanced at Star. Did she look interested? Diego and Chad often did threesomes, although it was always clear who the woman belonged to after the sex ended. Star looked confused, but not displeased. He’d have to remember that her species was less shocked by these things than humans were.
“I don’t want to talk about this now,” Chad said in a sharp voice. “The hands will be done with breakfast soon and there’s a lot of work to do today. Worry about that and not Star, all right?”
“Star? Intriguing name.”
“I mean it.” His fists balled at his sides. He’d had enough of his handsome friend.
Diego put up his palms in surrender, still grinning. “I’ll be good,” he said. Then he looked at Star and said, “That is not easy for me, but Chad is like my brother. I hope you make him happy. He has been disappointed in love by many selfish women.”
“Enough, Diego.” Chad mumbled curses under his breath, then grabbed Star’s hand. “You see Dad yet?” he asked his friend, in a softer tone. “I’d like to get our meeting over with.”
“He got up early and I saw him go to his office,” Diego said. “I think he’s there now, if you’d like to catch him alone.”
Chad felt his blood run cold for a second. “It’s the last thing I want but I don’t have a choice.”
“Yes, you are his son and heir.” Diego looked serious now.
Chad understood Diego’s biting words. He understood how conflicted Chad was about actually inheriting the ranch. If only he had a brother…or a sister…
“Take care of my horse,” Chad mumbled, then grabbed Star’s delicate, soft, delicious feeling hand and guided her in the direction of his father’s office, a place he truly hated to go. When he saw Star looking over her shoulder at Diego, he grumbled and pulled her faster. “Stop looking at him!”
Chapter Eleven
Star wished they were on Venus so she could openly masturbate. Holding Chad’s hand while looking at one hot cowboy like Diego was enough to make her want to attack Chad and take him right in front of everybody. But she knew they didn’t do shameless things like that on earth…and Chad liked to be in charge. One thing about humans, she had to say, they were a good looking bunch. She glanced up at Chad’s tight jaw and tried hard not to smile. It was flattering that he was jealous of her attraction to Diego.
“The mess hall is in there,” Chad muttered, pointing to a noisy building with an open door. A delicious aroma wafted out at her and she stared. “You hungry?”
“A little.”
He stopped then directed her into a big, very warm dining room with long tables and a slew of ranch hands, some going up to the front table for more food. A few called out to him and he grinned and waved. Although Star could feel their curiosity, Chad didn’t introduce her. He pulled her to the buffet table laden with food and told her to grab something, warning her that his father would not wait for him if they sat down to a meal. He sounded apologetic. “We can come back later, Right, Joni?” He addressed the cook who was at the stove and counters.
Star smiled at her. She was the only other creature of black skin she had seen on the ranch so far. “Try an egg and Canadian bacon croissant,” she suggested to Star.
Starr grabbed a luscious looking sandwich off one of the trays and glanced at Chad, who was only filling a coffee cup.
“Nothing else, Mr. Austin?” Joni asked.
“Not now,” he said. “I have a meeting with my father.”
Joni’s gaze dropped. “Oh, well, good luck.”
Star quickly looked over at Chad again wondering why he was so tense about seeing his father. She could feel the conflict inside him, he didn’t want to disappoint the man but he didn’t like him either. He smirked, but didn’t respond. “Come on, Star,” he said. “Let’s get going.”
Star wasted no time. She went to him, croissant in hand, and grabbed his free hand as they left the hot but great smelling mess hall.
Chad was quiet as they walked across the grass, so Star took the time to admire the interesting scenery and sniffed in the smell of fresh air and flowers. After walking for a long while over hilly grounds, they reached the ranch, a large, spacious, mostly brown home, not at all fancy, but much larger than Chad’s place. It does look like a man’s home. It needs a woman’s touch.
Chad took his keys out of his pocket and opened the door. He took off his shoes so Star followed his lead. The carpeting was fluffy and clean, looking almost unlived in. The leather furniture, similar to Chad’s, also appeared to be unused. It smelled brand new. Chad escorted her to a closed door and knocked.
“Come in!” a rough, weathered voice called out and Chad opened the door.
Star took in a breath as stared at Chad’s imposing father, standing behind his desk. He was even taller than Chad, with thick brown hair, gray at the sides, wire glasses, a stocky build and a plaid western shirt with jeans. If he’d had a cowboy hat on, he’d have looked like some cowboy from the movies…not exactly handsome, but rugged and tough. The first thing he did was look over at Star and ask, “Who’s this now?” His eyes flashed then turned toward Chad.
“A friend.” Chad pulled her closer, as if protecting her.
He snorted, ignoring her. “Didn’t Bella just break up with you last night? I was hoping you two could patch things up.” Finally his gaze rested on Star. “Young lady, right off I’m thinkin’ you aren’t suitable for my son so don’t get any ideas.”
Before Star could react, Chad stepped up closer to the desk and gritted his teeth then spat his father. “You don’t know anything about Star, but she is my guest for a while. I’d ask you to shut the fuck up!”
Star gasped, but
the elder Austin didn’t even flinch.
“She reminds me of your damn mother!” he bellowed, then he turned his head.
“I do?” Star couldn’t help but laugh and stick up for herself. “Do I look like her or something?” She laughed again.
“What the hell do you mean?” Chad asked his father, in an angry voice.
The older man shook his head. “I can’t explain it, all right? Of course she didn’t look like her, but…her voice…her presence…bah! Forget about it. She won’t last. I have a chore for you to do for the ranch.”
Star took Chad’s hand and could feel his uber-tight muscles. She stroked the back of his hand with her thumb, hoping to calm him; wishing she could tell him that his father was onto something…
“All right, get it over with,” Chad said, his chin high.
“I can’t do shit with Old Man Withers,” Chad’s father said, in a disgusted Texan drawl. “You know seventy acres of adjoining land is for sale.”
“Yeah, you want him to sell it to you so we can join our properties, but he doesn’t like you so he won’t. I wonder why he doesn’t like you.”
“Chad, don’t,” Star whispered to him, squeezing his hand.
She could feel his muscles relaxing just a little bit. As she took in the aura in the room, she was fascinated as well as a little bit confused.
“What do you want me to do about Withers?” Chad asked, in a calmer voice.
“Go talk to him and see if you can soften him up at all. I mean, you won’t be able to do it, but it can’t hurt anything, and maybe it’ll teach you a lesson on negotiating with assholes. You’ll have to do plenty of that.”
Star felt Chad’s muscles harden again. “How do you know I can’t do it?”
“He hates you too because you’re my son and heir to the ranch.”
“He doesn’t know me. Maybe I can talk him into it. You never think I can do anything right so I don’t know why you even ask me to try.”
Star could see Chad’s face growing red and noticed a tic in his temple.
“Chad…try it,” Star said.
“Well?” his father asked, in a harsh voice. “It’s a chance to double the size of our ranch and you know you’ll have heirs one day.” He chuckled. “Or, if not, Diego will and the ranch will go to them. He is as close to me as another son. Should I send him over to try?”
“No! I’ll go!”
“Then go. I hear he had a good offer yesterday so this is our last chance.”
“I’ll go right now, but not for your sake.” He spun around, pulling Star with him.
As they left the office the old man was chuckling. “I don’t care who you do it for. Just do it.”
Chapter Twelve
Chad could see Amos Withers sitting on his front porch, drinking coffee as he looked over the railing. When Amos saw him coming, he stood up and set his coffee cup on the railing, a placid look on his round face. Chad nodded at the tall, pot-bellied man wearing bib overalls. Amos had a receding hairline and hard light blue eyes. Chad knew that he hated his father for many reasons. As Chad squeezed Star’s hand, he felt a strange surge of energy rushing through him, giving him both courage and confidence. Suddenly his father’s approval or lack thereof didn’t mean so much. He was fighting for his future. He slid his hand down Star’s back and rested it briefly on her ass to ease the tension. As he squeezed it, she gasped and looked at him and Chad seemed to feel even more energy, including sexual. The woman, no doubt, was good for him.
No time to think of sex now. He slid his hand back up and tweaked Star’s hair.
“Hey, Amos!” He waved to the older man and Amos beckoned him over. “How are you doing, sir?”
“Doing great after that heart attack.”
“I heard. Glad you’re on the mend.”
Amos patted his stomach and laughed, his eyes crinkling up in a pleasant way. “Damn cardiologist has me going to the gym an hour a day now.”
Chad smiled and suddenly Amos grew serious.
“I can guess what this is about. I can tell you, y’all picked a great day to ask me. For some reason…”he paused and looked a bit befuddled, “I’m in a great mood today…and I think it started when I saw you stepping on the lawn with your lovely young lady…very odd. Well, talk to me. If there was ever a good time, this is it.”
Chad felt a jarring inside of him and wondered if Star was helping him. The idea ticked him off, but he would deal with her later. Giving Amos his best grin, he pulled Star closer to him and said, “Good.”
“I see you’re keeping company with a better class of women. Who’s your pretty lady?”
“A good friend,” Chad said as he tried to wipe out the image of Star naked earlier that day. His cock twitched, but he knew he had to ignore his stupid dick for now. Amos shook hands with Star and, as he did so, Chad noticed that Amos visibly relaxed like he’d just drunk three fingers of rye whiskey, and his blue eyes seemed to glaze over. What the heck? Again, he grew suspicious of Star. Yet he felt an odd power all his own, swelling inside himself, apart from Star. How could that be unless Star’s power had rubbed off on him when they made love?
“Want to come in and have coffee?” Amos asked shaking his head as if to clear it.
“Sure,” Chad said, surprised, again by the invitation to socialize, knowing his old man wouldn’t have made it across the threshold. Glancing over at Star, he saw that she had a serene smile on her face. Did she know what was going on? He thought of spanking her as a punishment and his zipper almost busted open.
Amos led them to his kitchen island and poured them each a cup of the fragrant brew and Chad, feeling strangely confident, decided to give it the All-American try. What did he have to lose? And he needed the extra acres and the water rights that came with them for the ranch to survive and prosper. Under his management he’d build it into something he could be proud of.
His management? The thought took him aback. When had he started thinking of the ranch as his? Since Star showed up naked on his doorstep. He slanted a curious glance at Amos seeing a further softening on his weathered face. “You know, Amos, I’d like to buy your south parcel of land at a very generous price. It really has nothing to do with my father. I have a feeling he’s tired of running the ranch and wants me to take over.”
Amos chuckled. “He said so, boy?”
Chad paused. Asa hadn’t ever said it, just hinted at it, but somehow Chad suddenly knew it was something his father was serious about doing soon. Maybe his father had even tried to buy the land for him, but the old cuss would never admit it. Shit, he swore he could read his father’s mind at that moment. “I know he’s thinking about it,” was all he said. He glanced at Star again, but she was just listening politely to the exchange.
Amos held out his hand. “Give me the offer, boy.”
Chad quickly obliged, handing over the contract, his heart racing. It couldn’t be this easy. He watched as Amos put on his glasses and read, frown lines forming around his mouth. Star put her arm around him and he felt an even stronger swelling of that magical confidence. He couldn’t wait to question Star.
“I just don’t like your old man…” Amos mumbled and then suddenly he looked up from the paper, his eyes appearing sharp and alert behind his thick glasses lenses.
Chad stopped breathing as he looked on.
“Well, damn!” Amos finally said, in a softer voice and Chad could see his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. “If that wasn’t the queerest thing!”
Chad didn’t know what to say so he said nothing.
Amos looked down at the offer again. “Yes, yes, dear, stop nagging at me!” Amos said out loud as if addressing somebody who wasn’t there.
Now Chad wondered if Amos had lost his mind. Star moved even closer to him and gripped him tightly around the waist. “Are you all right, sir?” she asked Amos in an innocent voice.
Amos looked up and shook his head, a puzzled expression on his face. “Would you two think I was crazy if I told you Je
zebel was talking to me from the Great Beyond?” He sounded both puzzled and defiant. “You remember my lovely wife, Chad. In Heaven five years now, she still nudges me at times and whether or not you two think I’m crazy, I know it’s really her.”
“People don’t really leave us,” Star said, in a consoling voice, and Chad just froze, completely befuddled. Star continued, sounding soothing yet sure of herself. “Sir, our loved ones pass into another realm, but they are always with us, and sometimes they speak to us, if we are open minded enough to listen. You obviously are.”
Amos’s throat was working as he stared at her. “You some sorta psychic? I don’t…I didn’t believe in that stuff…until Jezebel started talking to me.” He lifted his chin as if to dare anyone to refute him.
“I believe you, sir,” Chad said, and, the strange thing was, he did!
Amos cleared his throat. “She told me to sell you the land,” he said, mumbling as he looked down at the offer again. “She was always a smart lady and I’m sure she still is. The land is yours.”
Chad tried to keep his jaw from hitting the ground as Amos signed and handed him the papers.
“And say hi to ole Asa for me,” Amos said. “Jezzie says it’s bad to hang onto anger.”
When Chad was too shocked to move, Amos sharply pointed at the door. “Go, boy, before I get my senses back and change my mind!”
Chad grabbed Star’s hand, shot Amos a quick, “Thank you, sir,” and rushed out of the house with the lady he was starting to think of as his. How can I think like that? Last night I didn’t even know her. Well, that didn’t seem to matter. She was already stealing his heart but he did have an issue to resolve. He took her small, soft hand and started walking toward his father’s ranch, very aware of Star’s feminine, erotic presence.
He couldn’t let her sexual allure distract him. Chad took in a shaky breath and asked, “Star, I wanted to do that myself. If you had anything to do with the change in the atmosphere, I’m…I’m giving the contract back. I wanted to get it on my own.” He stared into her hypnotizing eyes, not flinching at all.
The Love Goddess Brands Her Cowboys Page 5
