Dirty Boss

by Mia Ford

  “Yes, yes,” Isaac is chanting like some long-ago savage fucking his mate.

  “Don’t stop!” I shout suddenly feeling his body suddenly tensing.

  “Too late!” he shouts as he grabs me and pulls me to him.

  I suddenly have my climax again and I slump down. Isaac quickly grabs me so that I don’t fall down. Then he whispers in my ear, “You wanted this, you know that you don’t have to do it. There’s nothing saying that we have to have fuck.”

  I’m disappointed by his words, because I thought that he wanted this as much as I did, but he used the word fuck and not making love. I thought that’s what we were doing, connecting sexually. But maybe I read the signals wrong yet again. He’s an experienced man and I may be twenty, but I haven’t had any life experience not like him.

  “I just want to go to bed. I’m tired now.”

  I don’t want to be in the car for the long journey with him. Not like this, if all he thinks we’re doing is having sex.

  He laughs, “You can sleep in the car, besides Granddad’s waiting for us and I thought you wanted breakfast?”

  I nod, and then head out of the shower. He does the same whistling as he leaves the room. I dry my hair and put on my limited closet. I decide on the summer dress that he bought for me yesterday. I don’t feel like wearing jeans and the other dress is too much to wear to the ranch. It’s a yellow flowery dress. Something that I wouldn’t wear, but then again all I have in my closet in the cottage are jeans too.

  He smiles as I come out of the bedroom, “You fix up pretty good when you want to.”

  “Thanks,” then I grab my purse and say, “Should we go then.”

  “Sure, first breakfast and then we’ll head to the ranch.”

  I shake my head, “I don’t feel like breakfast anymore.”

  All of a sudden I’ve lost my appetite.

  “Okay we can pick up a coffee to go and some croissants. Granddad loves their croissants and if you’re a good girl then maybe I’ll buy some extra for you.”

  There he goes again, treating me like a child. I shrug, “I’m not a child. If I want some then I can get some.”

  “What happened to you?” he asks as he takes my arm.

  “Nothing, it’s just that you said that we were fucking earlier and it kind of got to me.”

  “Oh.”

  “Look I get it. You’re older and this is nothing to you…”

  Before I can even finish what I’m saying he wraps his arms around me and kisses me. I melt as usual as this time he’s not being forceful, but rather gentle, slowly looping his tongue inside of mine as if he’s trying to make a statement.

  “Sorry, I can be an insensitive prick at times. Let’s go. I’ll get you the croissants and you look hot in that dress by the way. I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep my hands off you.”

  I think that’s his way of apologizing and I shouldn’t let him get away with it so easily, but I can’t help it. Because I know that it’s not only the croissants that I’m falling in love with, but him too.

  ***

  I can feel Isaac glowing in the seat beside me as he drives Neil’s car back to the ranch. Half way there I reach my hand and place it on top of his, he knew that I needed a coffee once we sat down and had one with a couple of croissants my mood changed, as I thought about the last few days and wished that they didn’t need to come to an end. He glances at me and smiles. The touch of his warm hand against the palm of my hand excites me.

  I can’t get enough of him. It’s as if he’s broken through a wall around my heart, releasing all the emotions I’ve held in reserve. I find myself thinking how lucky I am to have met him. At first I had my doubts about him, but I’m glad that I gave him a second chance.

  As Isaac pulls onto the driveway, I see Neil standing on the porch alerted to our arrival by the sounds the tires makes on the gravel. He’s smiling from ear-to-ear like a cat that ate the canary when Isaac opens my door and I step out.

  “Did you enjoy yourself in Houston?” Neil asks as I climb the steps to the porch.

  Isaac steps in as he wraps his arm around me, “We both had a great time touring Houston.”

  I can’t believe that he’s being so open about us. It makes me feel silly for being paranoid, when he said that we were just fucking earlier. God, I want this man to never leave the ranch.

  “Great!” Neil says. He glances at me. “I’ve been trying to get Olivia to visit the city for a long time.”

  “I just waited for the right time,” I tell Neil before I give him a hug. “I missed you, Neil.”

  “And I you. I’m tired of opening cans or eating at the Brass Rail. I’m addicted to your home cooking.”

  I laugh, “So you wanted me to come back so that I could cook for you?”

  He winks, “Apart from roast chicken, I can’t do much else. I’m kind of hopeless.”

  I know that it’s not only my cooking he misses, our occasional game of chess and our discussions about Agatha Christie too. Once in a while we sit in the library and pick a book. Then we discuss the parts that we loved the most and the other parts we hated.

  “Okay, it’s nearly time for lunch. Let me check on Autumn and then I’ll whip you both up something. Okay?”

  Neil nods and then I kiss Isaac on the cheek, “Take your time. I’ll catch up with Granddad.”

  I can feel their eyes on me as I walk away. Isaac adjusts his pants and I’m sure that it’s this dress. I’ll definitely wear it again, because I know that he likes it so much.

  I smell the horses and hay as I run across the grass. I suddenly feel like a cowgirl again as I enter the barn. The adventure in Houston seem like a fairy tale that happens only once in a person’s live. But I know that not true because I brought back my Prince Charming.

  Chapter 11

  Isaac

  Damn! Olivia sure knows how to cook. Last night she came into the kitchen and whipped us up a spaghetti carbonara in no time. She really does love Italian food, she wasn’t kidding about that and I decided while we were eating and she was telling Neil about our adventures in the city that I must take her there. She’s never even been on a plane, which I find a little crazy, but she’s never had the money to just travel.

  I haven’t had biscuits as good as hers since grandmother’s, I admit to myself as I watch Olivia take a platter full of biscuits out of the oven and place them on the table just as granddad walks in to join us.

  “Morning,” he says cheerfully, for someone’s that dying he looks good. Even better than I do. But then again it’s been nearly a week since I’ve had anything to drink. The first few days were hard, but now I haven’t even thought about it. I managed to go to restaurants order wine for Olivia and just have a little, and the second time none at all.

  “Feeling okay today, Neil,” Olivia asks. I can see she immediately regrets the question since it probably isn’t something you asked a person with a terminal illness.

  “Right as rain,” he says and winks.

  “You look a little pale, Neil. Have you been taking all your meds?” Olivia asks as she sets plates of scrambled eggs, bacon and toast on the table.

  “Yes, I’m fine thanks, Olivia.” He turns to glance at me as I reach for the eggs. “We need to move some cattle to the back pasture. Can you help old Dan herd drive them down the Old Fork road?”

  “Sure, I haven don’t that cattle for a long spell, but I’ll give it a try. Of course I’ll have to check with Mrs. Roberts and see if there are any emergencies brewing at the office first,” Olivia says as she sits down to eat.

  “Can, I help?” I ask, because if she goes out all day as much as I love granddad I’ll rather spend my time with her. Seeing as we’re getting to know each other and I want to tell her about Dede. I just want to get it all of my chest. The truth, for once in my life. Whenever we’re alone, I just want to take her. At least out there while we’re working we can talk when we have a break and then she’ll know the demons that really turned me to d
rink. The real reason that I lost my way.

  Olivia’s lost in her thoughts, “Autumn’s a good cutting horse and maybe if she’s out there working again then she won’t feel so down.”

  “Sure of course,” Neil says beaming his ear to ear smile. “If that’s alright for Isaac to go with you too?”

  I smile as there’s no one I would go driving cattle with than Olivia, the beautiful red head that doesn’t have a mean bone in her body.

  “Think you’re up to it, Cowgirl?” I tease her.

  Olivia raises her eyebrows. “When’s the last time you were in the saddle all day, Isaac?”

  “Point taken. My butt has been glued to the office chair for a while and when I tried riding last week after an hour, I was getting tired.”

  Granddad says, “Well there’s only one way to find out!”

  “Granddad you’re right. Saddle me up and I’ll be there all day with you.”

  She winks, “You’ve got a deal!”

  ***

  After breakfast as we walk to the barn to saddle the horses, I can’t help but say, “I wish we were sleeping in the same bed. I don’t like you being in the guest cottage.”

  “Sex friend.”

  “Me, how can you even say that? Yesterday you were the one that wanted me in the shower.”

  “Yes, I was an innocent cowgirl before you came along and branded me,” Olivia’s battering her eyelashes as if to say that she’s innocent.

  “Really, you really think that?”

  We’re both smiling at each other, playing and teasing, it’s kind of funny that she thinks that I’m the one that’s been after her. When I’ve wanted to stay as far away from her as possible.

  Olivia raises her chin, “Yes, I was respectable before I met you.”

  Suddenly, we are both laughing so hard that tears are running down our cheeks.

  “I can see getting any work done today with you around is going to be hard,” I say wiping my eyes as we enter the barn.

  “Yeah, well you better hold up your end of the drive. I have my doubts you can cowboy up for this one.”

  I shake my head. “Cowgirl, you just haven’t seen me and Buckskin working cows. You just hold your hat while you watch, or we will blow it away,” I joke. Then I get a serious. “Be careful, Olivia. With a herd as big as the one we’re moving today anything can happen.”

  “Yeah, same goes to you,” she says as she splits off and heads for Autumn’s stall while I go to greet Buckskin.

  Minutes later we ride out to join Granddad’s hired hand who seems almost his age. However, I quickly find that Dan and his horse Smokey still have the moves. Of course, he has old Shep nipping at the cows heels helping out. We’ll be driving the cattle down a gravel road with fences on each side, I realize that Dan can probably move the cattle without our help. Maybe it would be a little difficult, but I’m sure that he could do it alone.

  Damn is granddad manipulating me again?

  Yet, this time I don’t mind. Sure, the work’s dusty, and I’m not used to being in the saddle all day. But, Olivia’s riding at the tail end of the herd with me and I hate to admit that as we get started, I’m enjoying myself.

  The herd kicks up such a thick cloud of dust that it’s hard to see their feet in front of our faces. I know this is granddad’s way of getting back at me for not wanting to stay on the ranch and let men better qualified than me run the company. I just regret that Olivia must endure the dust too. But her being here beside me helps me accept riding drag like a new cowboy.

  Although Olivia’s Autumn isn’t a cutting horse up to Buckskin’s standards, she’s pretty good. Olivia looks sexy with her boobs bouncing up and down as she rides back and forth hitting her lariat against her saddle. Several times I get a fucking hard on just watching her.

  Finally, Dan closes to gate to the South pasture.

  “You haven’t lost it yet, Mr. Isaac. You’re a little bit rusty, but you and the horse of yours still got the moves.”

  Praise coming from a man that has won more than one calf roping contest made me smile all the way back to the barn.

  “I guess we’re finished, right, Dan?” I say smiling at the old, wrinkle-faced cowboy.

  Dan shakes his head.

  “There’s more?” I ask thinking that I misjudged the situation. I thought that was it, more likely I hoped that was the end of it.

  Dan glances at Olivia. “You want to tell him?”

  I look at Olivia. “Tell me what?”

  “Whenever we put cattle in a new pasture, we’ve got to ride the fence to make sure the barbwire isn’t broken.”

  “I guess I forgot about that,” I reply. I glance at the fence that runs across the flat land until it’s lost in the distance horizon. “It’s a huge pasture,” I add with a sigh.

  “Roger, that,” Dan says as he tips his hat and rides off to the right, following the fence line.

  “That leaves us the left side,” Olivia says.

  I know she’s hiding a smile taking pleasure out my discomfort. Still, I can’t get upset at her. At least she’s here rather than I’m just being stuck out here with Dan.

  “Time to cowboy up,” Olivia says as she rides off following the fence line.

  “I’ll cowboy you up for sure when we get back to the barn!” I say as I ride after her.

  “Yeah, promises, promises! That’s all city slickers are good for.”

  “When we get home, I’m going to make you sorry for calling me a city slicker,” I say as I catch up with her.

  We ride side by side for what feels like an hour but is probably a forth that long when Olivia pulls Autumn to a full stop.

  “What?”

  She nods her head toward the fence row. “It’s a good thing we have the rule about riding the line after changing a herd to a new pasture. There’s a break in the wire just ahead.”

  “Damn, you have good eyes.”

  “Come on let’s fix it.”

  “Uh . . . I forgot to bring the wire stretcher. I didn’t know we were going to be riding the fence line.”

  “Don’t worry; it’ll be okay,” Olivia says reaching back and pulling a pair of fence stretchers out of Autumn’s saddle bag. She waves them at me.

  “Yeah, you are a barrel of laughs,” I say shaking my head.

  “A cowboy is always prepared . . .”

  “Don’t start with me, Olivia, or I’ll rub your pretty little nose in a cow patty. And then we can call you Cow Patty, the cowgirl,” I say and start laughing so hard I almost fall out of the saddle.

  “God, I wish you would fall off your horse so I can get a shot of it with my cell phone. It would look good on a Facebook page . . . CEO trying to cowboy.”

  “What say we call a truce and fix the fence.”

  I ignore her as she tries to bribe me about posting it on Facebook. Not that I care, it’s not as if I go on there that much.

  “Yeah, spoken like a wise CEO,” Olivia says as she climbs off Autumn.

  As I put on my gloves, I glance up at the sun that is threatening to suck all the moisture out of my body. “Suddenly, I remember why I moved to Houston,” I’m wiping my forehead with the back of my arm.

  The sun’s pouring down on my face and burning me. I should have put sun lotion on before I came out here, because I burn easily.

  “Why because you’re not a good cowboy?”

  She raises and eyebrow and I know that she’s really pushing me to the limit.

  “No, because…”

  I can’t even think of a comeback. She’s got me there, I’ll make her pay for it much later, when I spend the night with her in the cottage or maybe before that, when we get back to the barn.

  Chapter 12

  Olivia

  I smile to myself when we finally meet up with Dan. Isaac’s trying to put on a good show, but I know his butt must be hurting something awful. Not once has he complained.

  “How did it go? Find any breaks in the fence?” Dan asks as he approaches Isaac. />
  “Yeah, two. We fixed them. And you?”

  “None,” Dan says as he rides past us. “Time to head back to the ranch,” he calls over his shoulder.

  Isaac looks over at me. “Do you think he knew the breaks in the fence were on the left side?”

  I manage only to smile instead of laughing. “Have you ever known a cowboy to do work when he can get someone else to do it?”

  “Damn him. I bet he stopped in the shade of a cottonwood tree and took a nap.”

  I didn’t respond. It was what I would have done when I wanted to make a new hand work a little extra.

  “That’s all right, I’ll get him back,” Isaac says as he kicks Buckskin in the sides and rides after Dan. “What goes around comes around, Dan,” he calls out.

  Dan lifts his hand to show he’s heard and I can see a crafty smile on his face.

  “Hey,” Isaac says as I catch up with him. “Have I told you yet today that you’re sexy?”

  “No, you’ve been too busy,” I laugh as I think about the way that Dan conned us both to do his job. I suspected it at first, but I didn’t mind doing it because it meant spending more time with Isaac.

  “Well, too busy to tell you, but always thinking it. The thought flashes through my mind every time I see those tits bouncing up and down as we chase a stray.”

  “I’ll wear a bra next time,” I say and stick my tongue out at Isaac.

  “Fuck! No bra. You don’t know what you’re doing to me right now.”

  “And no panties either? Shit, I want to take you to the barn right now!”

  Dan turns around, glances at Isaac, and shakes his head. “Too much sun.”

  That’s when we both stop talking; we’ve got company. I smile feeling embarrassed that I said those things and Dan must have heard us. I can’t remember having so much fun doing ranch chores. It makes a big difference having Isaac here on the ranch. I know that without him I’ll be doing this alone. Even Dan keeps his distance from me most of the time. Probably worried that everyone would think that I have a thing for older men.

  “I think I’ll soak in a warm bath tonight,” Isaac says when we get in sight of the ranch. “Not a shower and not alone.”