by Hart, Rye
The problem was, dad didn’t have what it took to survive in business.
He was too fucking nice.
He wasn’t cutthroat enough.
He let people and vendors take advantage of him.
He gave people credit and discounts.
He let them take merchandise without paying.
He lent money to customers.
He let people slide.
And they all sucked off him like leeches until he went broke and couldn’t keep the shop open anymore and his loyal friends had abandoned him in droves.
At just forty-three years old, he’d had a massive heart attack a week after he closed the store. He’d died with an empty bank account and a broken heart.
And what did I learn from my dad’s experience?
That people are parasitic assholes who will suck you dry and leave you to die if you let them.
In business, loyalty always comes at a price.
You must do unto others before they do unto you.
That’s the mentality I had when I used my dad’s life insurance money to reopen his shop as Jenner Outdoors. I sold the same basic camping supplies my dad did, but I added a ton of specialized equipment and gadgets like range finders, GPS units, high powered scopes, and other “big boy toys”.
It was the mentality I used to build Jenner Outdoors from a little store on a Denver side street into a massive megastore downtown, into a nationwide chain of stores, into the global conglomerate that it is today.
That’s still my mentality.
I’ll get mine, you get yours.
And if I want yours, then by God I’m going to get it too.
* * *
The cabin finally came into view and Charlie was still rambling on. I cut him off. “Charlie, I’m pulling up to the cabin. I don’t need to know all the details of the project. Just get it done and fax over whatever I need to sign.”
“Fine, okay,” Charlie said. I could hear him sigh through the speakers. “Hey, don’t forget, your new chef should be there today. Try to keep your clothes on at least for a few hours.”
“Yeah, yeah, don’t worry,” I said. I smiled when I saw Maggie’s battered Honda parked in the drive. I pulled up next to it and shoved the gear into park. I asked, “So, when are you coming back to Mountain View?”
“We have a meeting scheduled with the mayor and town council on Wednesday. I’ll fly in then. Do you want to attend that meeting?”
I shook my head as if he could see me. I said, “Nope. Just do what you have to do and let’s get this thing moving.”
“You got it,” Charlie said. “And Tyler?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t fuck this up again.”
CHAPTER SEVEN: MAGGIE
I spent most of the morning buying groceries to stock Tyler’s kitchen. Mr. Prescott had set up a charge account at the FoodMart and emailed me the list of Tyler’s favorite foods. It was up to me to figure out the recipes and list the ingredients I’d need, but that wasn’t too difficult because there was nothing fancy on the list.
You don’t need a recipe to grill a steak.
Tyler had called himself a basic carnivore and the list proved it.
I sat in the car outside of the FoodMart and went down the piece of paper in my hand.
Eggs, bacon, biscuits, gravy, hash brown potatoes, porterhouse steak, filet mignon, ribeye, pork, hamburger, meatloaf, baked potatoes, various vegetables, any kind of homemade dessert (nothing frozen). Coffee, iced tea, milk, orange juice, bottled water, Coors in the bottle.
It was not unlike the list I made every week, only this time I didn’t have to bargain shop or clip coupons, or skip buying something that wasn’t on sale. Money was no object to Tyler and I doubted he would have given a crap about getting fifty-cents off of dishwashing liquid.
When I left the store, my old Honda was packed to the gills. She struggled to get up the mountain road to the cabin. There were a few times I leaned into the steering wheel and urged her on, “Come on, old girl, you can do it! Get up that hill!”
Mr. Prescott had said that there would be a key to the back door waiting for me when I arrived. I found it under the mat and let myself inside. I paused in the kitchen for a moment as images of Tyler’s naked body flashed through my mind. I shook my head to drive the images away, then spent the next hour unloading the car and stocking the cupboards and fridge.
* * *
I was sitting at the kitchen island making out the menu for the week when I heard the front door open and someone stomping snow off their feet. Tyler’s deep voice called out as he walked through the house to the kitchen.
“Honey, I’m home!”
My nerves immediately started to hum at the sound of his voice and the hand holding the pen started to shake. My breathing came in short gusts and my mouth was suddenly dry. I resisted the urge to dig the Chap Stick out of my purse. Licking my lips would have to do and I did it quickly, before he came in.
I swallowed the lump that had lodged in my throat and forced myself to smile.
“Good morning, Miss Dean,” he said, coming into the kitchen with a big smile on his face and a bouquet of red roses in his right hand. He bowed and held the roses out to me. “For you, with my sincerest apologies.”
“Really? Oh my, I mean, that’s really not necessary.” I held the roses to my nose and inhaled their aroma. “They’re beautiful. Thank you. Where on earth did you find roses in Mountain View this time of year?”
“I brought them with me from Denver,” he said with a proud smile that made his moustache twitch. He was wearing tight jeans stuffed into a pair of hiking boots and a thick corduroy jacket with a fur collar. He took off the jacket and hung it on the back of a chair. Underneath, he was wearing a long john shirt that fit his muscled frame like a glove.
“Is there coffee?” he asked, rubbing his hands together to warm them.
“There is,” I said. “I’m afraid I couldn’t figure out your fancy coffee machine, so I used the Mr. Coffee maker I found under the sink.
“Fantastic,” he said, pulling down a mug and filling it to the brim. “I hate that damn machine.” He picked up the mug and slid onto a stool across the bar from me. His handsome face turned serious.
“I want to apologize for the other day. It was a silly thing to do.”
“It’s fine,” I said with a smile. I felt my nerves easing a bit, though I was still not ready to drop my guard around him. “I have teenage brothers, I know what idiots boys can be.”
He smiled and I felt a warmth cover over me, like a blanket wrapping around my shoulders.
“Boys never stop being idiots,” he said. “Even when they’re adults.”
“I have often found that to be true,” I said with a sly smile. I set the roses on the bar and picked up the pen. “I’m just making out the menu for the week. Will you be here for every meal?”
“I’m not sure at this point,” he said. “Charlie is coming in on Wednesday, so I thought I would spend a couple of days getting to know the town and maybe do some hiking. Can we be flexible?”
“Sure,” I said. “If you can just give me a little heads up, I can have something prepared for you in no time.”
“I am a big fan of flexibility,” he said. Even with his clothes on, Tyler was the sexiest man I’d ever seen. His eyes twinkled when he smiled and the corners of his lips disappeared behind the moustache. I felt myself getting warm from the inside out.
He sipped the coffee for a moment and watched me work on the menu. I looked up to catch him looking at me.
“So, um, do you want me to fix something for lunch?” I asked.
“Actually, I was hoping you might give me a tour of the town this morning,” he said, licking coffee from his lips. “I haven’t really spent a lot of time here, so maybe you can show me around.”
It was an odd request, and I didn’t know what to make of it.
“There’s not much to see,” I said. “A few shops and restaurants. Tourist season
doesn’t start for another month, so it’s kind of quiet.”
“I like quiet,” he said.
I blinked at him. He was smiling at me again. Damn, that smile.
“Um….okay, I mean, did you want to go now?”
“I do,” he said. He picked up the mug and drained it, then set it in the sink. He extended a hand toward the door and smiled. “After you.”
CHAPTER EIGHT: TYLER
I held Maggie’s hand as she climbed into the Hummer. She settled into the passenger seat and buckled up while I climbed in behind the wheel.
“Oh my gosh, it’s so big!” she gushed, looking around the inside of the Hummer.
I resisted the urge to say something incredibly inappropriate.
She leaned back and ran her hands along the armrests. “This seat is like sitting in a recliner!”
I grinned at her. “Have you never been in a Hummer before?”
“I’d never even seen a Hummer before I met you,” she said. She was like a kid, the way she fiddled with the seat warmer and the climate control. In seconds, it was toasty inside the car. I felt myself getting warm, but it wasn’t from the hot hair blasting from the dash.
“My butt’s getting really hot,” she said, adjusting the temperature dial on the console. She glanced at me, aware of the innuendo. “I mean…”
“You mean your butt’s getting hot,” I said with a smile. “Look, Maggie, I’m not going to take every comment you make and turn it into something dirty. Relax.”
She gave me a timid look, then a smile broke across her lush lips. “Okay, sorry, I’m just still…”
“Nervous? Wary? Unsure that I’m not some kind of billionaire serial rapist?”
“What? No!”
“Maybe you’re just embarrassed that you’ve seen my junk and I haven’t seen yours.” I gave her my most innocent smile. “Just relax and let’s enjoy the day. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a day off work. I don’t want to spend it walking on eggshells.”
“Agreed,” she said with a smile that warmed the air even more. “Let’s enjoy the day.”
And that’s exactly what we did.
We parked the Hummer on Main Street and Maggie gave me a walking tour of the town. She led me through the various shops along Main Street, introduced me to the owners and the customers. Everyone seemed to know and love Maggie.
We browsed antique shops, had coffee at a little place called Best Beans, and had lunch at the steakhouse where she worked. The old couple that owned the place greeted her like family, then looked at me as if I was there to rob the place.
Maggie introduced us and the old man shook my hand. The old woman eyed me for a moment after I greeted her.
“They’re just a little wary of strangers,” Maggie said as she led me to a table and sat down across from me. “They’ll warm up to you, don’t worry.”
I gave her a smile and gave the place a casual look. The building was old, the décor was outdated. There were water stains on the ceiling and worn spots in the carpet. There was a heavy smell of grease in the air. It was the stereotypical touristy mom-and-pop operation, but Maggie seemed proud of the place, and eager for me to share her enthusiasm.
I put on a smile and let her order for us from the lunch menu. We both had the cheeseburger and fries. Maggie bragged on the burger as she ordered it, and swore it was the best burger this side of Denver. I resisted the urge to ask if she’d ever even had a Denver burger.
Smile Tyler. Don’t be a douche.
It was a decent burger, but nothing special.
I choked it down and focused more on the conversation than the food.
I found myself enjoying her company immensely. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a leisurely lunch with a pretty girl who wasn’t trying to get her hooks into my wallet.
Maggie Dean was naturally beautiful, sweet, down-to-earth, unassuming, and had an air that made people gravitate to her. Everywhere we went a hug awaited her and people lit up when she came into the room.
I felt good just being around her. It was a feeling I wasn’t familiar with.
Then, the little voice in my head reminded me that the goal was to get into her pants; to get her naked in my bed, to get her to succumb to my demands and desires.
I’d never been refused by any woman, and I didn’t plan to start now.
CHAPTER NINE: MAGGIE
Even though I was hesitant to take the job working for Tyler, the day spent giving him the tour of Mountain View turned out to be one of the most enjoyable days since my mom passed away.
Maybe it was because I hadn’t spent a lot of time around men his age. Granted, he was just ten years older than me, but he seemed so worldly, so mature. The “cock flashing” incident aside, he was one of the smartest, most charming men I’d ever met.
He got misty-eyed when he talked about his dad and the little shop on the side street in Denver.
I wish all guys knew this about women. We love it when they cry. We love seeing their vulnerable, sensitive side.
Then his eyes danced as he talked about building the one little shop into a national chain, then branching out into hotels, tourism, and a dozen other things.
We walked and talked and laughed and huddled close to keep warm as we made our way around town.
As the day progressed, I got to know the real Tyler Jenner and he got to know the real me. It was hard to believe that I was getting paid just to hang out with him. It was the easiest money I would ever make.
* * *
The day seemed to fly by. By the time the tour was over, the sun was behind the mountain and the snow was falling again; it made for a beautiful scene. I’ve always thought my hometown looked like it belonged in a snow globe in winter.
Tyler held my hand so I wouldn’t slip as he helped me into the Hummer for the trip back to the cabin. I turned on the seat warmer and sighed happily as my bottom started to get toasty. I glanced over at Tyler. He was smiling at me and I felt my cheeks getting as warm as the ones I was sitting on.
We were halfway up the mountain when the snow really started coming down hard. The wind had picked up and it rocked the Hummer sideways as it climbed the mountain road. I looked over at Tyler, who’d gotten quiet. He was holding onto the wheel with both hands, leaning forward to see the road through the swirling snow.
“Where did this storm come from?” I asked, forcing a smile to lighten the mood. “I’m glad we’re not in my old Honda.”
Tyler gave my knee a comforting pat. “Don’t worry. This thing will get us there through just about anything.” He glanced over at me. “But I’m not sure your car will get you back down.”
I heard the words and all the little voices inside my head started screaming at once. Some were joyous that I might be trapped at the cabin with Tyler. The other voices, the ones not associated with the parts of my body below the neck, were telling me to beware.
* * *
Tyler was gallant. He parked the Hummer as close to the front door as he could, then trudged through the foot of snow to come around to help me out. Rather than simply take my hand and lead me to the door, he scooped me up in his strong arms and carried me up the steps of the porch.
“I can walk!” I said, hooking my arms around his neck.
“I’m not going to have you break a leg your first day at work,” he said. He held me easily in one arm and opened the door with the other. Once we were inside, he kicked the door shut with his heel and gently set me down.
“I’m not sure you can get down the mountain in this storm with that little car of yours,” Tyler said as he dusted the snow from his hair. He took off his coat and hung it on the hook, then waited for me to do the same.
“What am I going to do?” I asked.
I know, it was a stupid question, but it had to be asked.
“There’s plenty of room here,” Tyler said, cupping his hands and blowing into them. “We could have a sleepover.”
His eyes sparkled like a little kid on Chri
stmas eve.
“A sleepover?” I folded my arms over my chest and gave him a wary look. “Exactly what does that mean?”
“It means, you go into the kitchen and get us a snack while I get a fire started in the den. We’ll eat strawberries and drink hot chocolate and toast marshmallows and thaw out our bones. Then you go to your room and I go to mine.”
“Promise?” I looked at him sideway and resisted the smile that was itching at my lips.
He held up three fingers and gave me a serious nod. “Scouts honor, ma’am. Now let’s go. I’m freezing my butt off.”
CHAPTER TEN: MAGGIE
While Tyler built the fire, I put together a tray of fresh strawberries, a caramel dip, slices of cheese, and an assortment of crackers. I fixed two large mugs of hot chocolate and layered the tops with tiny marshmallows.
It gave me time to pause and reflect over the day. I saw parts of Tyler that were actually genuine. It was as though he stopped trying to be someone he wasn’t. I had a feeling that I was the first person to see that side of him since his father passed away.
I liked that side of him.
Dammit Maggie. Are you falling for your boss? The same one that flashed you with his cock the day of your interview?
Maybe I was falling for the cock flashing mountain man.
Or, maybe a part of me wanted his cock. I guess my wet dreams since our first encounter was proof of that. Case closed.
The memory of seeing his erect manhood in his kitchen left me wondering what it must feel like having a man like Tyler inside of me.
Hmmm…
This boyishly sweet charm, or his beautiful sweet cock?
I was tired and I couldn’t make a decision what part of Tyler I wanted more. I decided not to think too much about it and just be myself.
By the time I came into the den holding the tray in my hands, the fire in the stone fireplace was roaring. Tyler was sitting on the bear skin rug in front of the fire, using a poker to position the logs.
