Cowboy's Fantasy (A Big Sky Short Story) Read online

  I’ve worked on this ranch for as long as I can remember. I love being out in the fields with the horses, getting my hands dirty building or repairing the fences. But I’ve never paid any attention to my aunt’s side of the business. I have no fucking clue how she organizes who’s checking in and out and ensuring each cabin is ready for new guests, or how Chef knows how much he should be preparing each day. She was always singing the praises of the computer system she invested in not so long ago, but it’s not doing me much good right now. I can just about log on to the damn thing and that’s about it.

  The sun’s about to set behind the mountains in the distance when I step from the house, I suck in a large lungful of fresh air before making my way to the barn. A couple of people smile and nod, including Austin as he walks one of the horses in from the pasture but thankfully no one stops me to say anything. I’m really not in the mood for bullshit conversation right now. If I were in town, I’d be heading for the gym or a bar to find a woman to take my frustration out on. There are fewer options out here, so lugging hay around it is.

  The barn’s a mess. It’s the kind of job my uncle usually gets me to do when I visit, but with us both being preoccupied it’s been forgotten.

  Placing my hat on a bale by the door, I reach back and pull my shirt over my head before setting to work.

  I feel much more myself once my muscles start pulling with the effort it takes to move each bale. I’m lost in my own head, images of the little blonde in the doorway earlier filling my mind when I sense some movement behind me. Disappointed that my peace is about to be disturbed, I turn.

  “Well, don’t just stand there. Get over here and help.”

  I expect it to be Austin, but when I look up, I realize I’m very, very wrong because standing in the entrance to the barn with her eyes running over every sweaty inch of me is the woman who was just starring in my very dirty fantasies.

  Her hair is loose and hanging over one shoulder, her earlier shirt has been replaced by a green one and she’s wearing another pair of skin-tight jeans that accentuate the roundness of her hips, and if she would turn around, I’m sure her ass looks mighty fine too.

  She startles when her eyes find mine. We stare at each other for a beat before she must remember I said something.

  “Oh…uh…sure.” She slips her shirt from her shoulders and drops it on top of mine, leaving her in just a white tank top. “Where do you want me?” She saunters over until she’s so close, her scent fills my nose and makes my mouth water.

  Biting my tongue, I fight not to allow my immediate response to the question fall, from my lips. It’s her first day working for me, I really shouldn’t be thinking the things I am about her.

  “Grab those bales from behind you and pass them up to me.”

  Climbing up on the few I’ve already stacked, I make use of her appearance to put the higher ones on. Plus, it means I’m not in touching distance.

  Jessie

  The heat inside the barn after a day in the sun is pretty unbearable and I’m soon sweating, my hair sticking to the sides of my face and my neck.

  We work in silence, but every time our eyes meet, butterflies erupt in my stomach and the couple of times our hands touch, fireworks shot up my arm. I tell myself it’s just my crazy reaction to being in an enclosed space with a cowboy, something I’ve always imagined, but I fear it’s more than that.

  We’ve got about three bales left to move when I go to grab one, get my foot stuck in a crack on the floor and brace myself for the inevitable. My muscles lock as I prepare to hit the hard floor. But just as I shut my eyes ready for the impact a warm pair of arms wrap around my waist and stops my descent.

  My body relaxes for a beat, that is until I remember who is currently wrapped around me.

  “Crap, I’m sorry. I’m so clumsy.” I fight to get away, but his arms only get tighter. “I’m okay, now. T-thank you,” I stutter, wondering what the hell he’s playing at.

  He backs me up and turns me until a bale of hay hits my ass. His hands land on my cheeks and he stares into my eyes. His are dark, the green I identified earlier almost black and I swear I can see some kind of internal struggle in them.

  “I-I said, I’m okay.”

  “You’re more than okay.”

  I don’t get a chance to say anything else. Hell, I don’t get a chance to even think of anything because before I know what’s happening, his lips land on mine.

  Shocked, I go to pull my head back, but the feeling of his tongue brushing against my lips stops me. Instead, I tilt my head to the side and allow him entry. My entire body trembles against his as our tongues dance together, and he steals my every breath.

  I’ve been kissed before. I’ve done…stuff. But I’ve never once been kissed like this.

  He moves forward, pressing his muscular body against mine and I sag into the bale behind me as a moan rumbles up my throat. His hands drop from my cheeks, run over my shoulders and then down my sides, brushing my breasts with his thumbs as he descends. My shocked gasp at the electric bolts shooting to my core causes our lips to part, but he hasn’t finished. His lips trail across my jaw until he starts kissing and nipping down the sensitive skin of my neck.

  “Oh God,” I whimper as desire floods my entire body.

  “Not God, baby. Just a cowboy.”

  “Oh God, please.” I’ve no idea what I’m begging for, but I need something, namely him.

  “My pleasure, darlin’.” He tugs at my jeans, flicking open the button before flattening his hand against my stomach and slipping it inside. My muscles tremble, and my knees feel like jelly, and that’s before he’s even touched me.

  Tucking his fingers inside my lace panties and my breath catches when they find my sensitive skin.

  The groan of approval that rumbles up his throat when he finds me wet and ready for him only sends more heat heading south. His fingertips circle my clit and my head falls back as the sensation overtakes my body.

  Clay

  The longer she stayed to help me, the more turned-on she was making me. I had no intention of putting my hands on her when she first agreed to help but the more I watched, the more I wanted her soft curves, and the more I wanted to find out if she tasted as sweet as she smelled.

  Every time she bent over in those skinny jeans, her ass was calling to me. Every time she reached up and revealed just a sliver of skin around her waist, I wanted to grab her and run my tongue over her flushed skin.

  Working in this barn was hard work, it was hot, sticky and doesn’t smell exactly pleasant but she didn’t bat an eyelid about getting stuck in and I think that turned me on more than anything. So the second I saw her trip over her own feet, I didn’t think twice about pulling her into my arms. I knew it was a mistake the second electric bolts radiated from where we were connected, but it was too late. She was mine.

  That was only confirmed when I pressed my lips to hers and our bodies lined up perfectly. Like we were meant to be. The moment we were connected, whatever had been feeling unsettled inside of me over the last few days settled, and I felt like I could breathe once again.

  “Oh God, please.” I had every intention of pulling back, well, that’s what I tell myself, but the second she starts begging for more, everything changes.

  The heat from her core almost burns my fingers as I begin gently circling her clit before dropping lower and teasing her entrance.

  “You’ve been thinking about this since you saw me earlier, haven’t you?” I whisper in her ear, remembering the way her eyes darkened when she found me.

  “I…uh…ohh,” she moans when I push my fingers in higher.

  Her hips grind as she tries riding my hand to get more friction.

  “Have you always wanted to bang a cowboy, Jessie?” I run my tongue around the shell of her ear before dropping my lips to her neck. She whimpers and moans as her muscles clamp down on my fingers. My cock throbs behind the fly of my jeans to feel the same tightness wrapped around it.

  �
�Let go.” Sucking on her flushed skin pushes her over the edge. Her body stills for a beat before she convulses as her release hits her.

  “Oh God, Clay,” she moans. The sound of my name falling from her lips almost makes me lose control. My chest swells with pride as my heart races even faster at watching the pleasure wash through her features, and fuck if I don’t want to witness that on a daily basis.

  “Fuck that was hot.”

  Her eyes flicker open, it takes a few seconds for them to focus, but when they do, they widen in surprise, like she didn’t realize this was actually happening.

  Pulling my fingers from inside her, I can’t resist the urge to taste her and lift them to my lips. Her mouth drops open in shock and heat once again fills her eyes.

  “So fucking sweet,” I moan around my fingers.

  Stepping back up to her, I place my hands on her waist and go to lift her back onto the hay bale. As far as I’m concerned, I’m not finished with her yet, but when her body tenses, I fear I might not have a choice.

  “Jessie?”

  “This…this shouldn’t have happened.” Her palms press against my chest and I have no choice but to stand back and let her go. I can tell by the panic in her eyes that I’m not going to get through to her right now.

  She stops to grab her shirt and with one last look at me over her shoulder, she disappears from my sight. Leaving me standing with a raging hard-on and my muscles aching to follow her.

  The breath I didn’t know I was holding rushes from my lungs as I fall down on the hay bale I was just hoping to fuck her on.

  “Fuck,” I mutter, dropping my head into my hands. I want to believe her parting words, but they don’t feel right. As far as I’m concerned, that was meant to happen, and if I get my way, it’ll only be the beginning.

  Jessie

  My lungs burn as I run back toward my cabin. I can’t believe I just allowed that to happen. I should have pushed him away the second he put his lips on me. Stepping up the couple of steps to the front door, I press my fingertips to my lips, trying to convince myself it was wrong, but the tingles I can still feel tells me something very different.

  He’s your boss, a little sensible voice in the back of my head says and it pushes me forward. Marching into the cabin, I don’t even notice Austin’s sitting on the couch until I’m almost at my bedroom door and his voice filters down to me.

  “Hey, do you want a…oh, I’ll take that as a no then. Night.” His chuckle fills my ears before I shut the door and embarrassment hits me. He could have seen, anyone could have seen me with Clay’s hand in my pants.

  Fuck, fuck, fuck. This summer’s not starting exactly as I imagined it to be.

  No, it’s better.

  Shaking my head, I drop my shirt to the bed and go to strip out of my clothes, but something else catches my eye. In my haste to get away, his t-shirt must have got tangled up with mine. My hand reaches out without instruction from my brain, my fingers grip the fabric and before I know what’s happening, I have the shirt against my nose and I’m breathing in his scent. My swollen clit starts to pound again as his unique woodsy smell fills my nose and I immediately start to regret my decision to run. It was clear he wanted more. Hell, his hard cock was digging into my hip, he definitely wanted more.

  Dropping his shirt to the dresser, I tell myself I’m acting like a crazy woman and head toward the shower. I’m covered in sweat and the smell of the dusty barn along with Clay is clinging to me, reminding me of what I just did and teasing me that although I’m going to try to deny it as much as possible, I know in reality I wanted more.

  I’m awake with the sunrise the next morning. Both excitement and nerves run rampant through me. I’m excited to start work and discover more of the ranch, but I know that I’ll inevitably have to see Clay and I’m not sure how I’m going to cope with that. My fitful sleep was full of hot and steamy dreams of him where I didn’t run like last night, instead, I stayed and experienced the full cowboy experience. Heat fills my veins as memories assault me once again.

  “Mornin’,” Austin says when I find him coming back into the cabin when I emerge a while later.

  “You started work already?”

  “Sure have. No rest for the wicked. Life on the ranch never stops, are you ready, princess?”

  “Yeah, I’m ready.”

  “Good. I hope you’re hungry, Chef’s breakfasts are legendary.”

  My stomach grumbles right on cue. I follow Austin out of the cabin and toward the main house. He gives me a very brief rundown of the ranch on the way.

  “Over there is where I usually hang out with the horses. The guest cabins all lead off from that path. The activities like archery and stuff usually kick off from a barn over there.” I follow his finger with every place he points out committing it to memory until he says something that has every muscle in my body locking up tight. “And that’s the hay barn, but you’re already well acquainted with that, aren’t you?”

  I fight to suck in some air so I can respond. “Uh…what?”

  “Here, this is the staff entrance. There’s a communal staff room kind of thing in there, the office and reception are that way, and here’s the kitchen. Chef cooks all our meals, but if you ever need anything, you can come and do your stuff. Just don’t make a mess, that makes Chef mad.”

  “Right, okay. No mess, got it,” I whisper, my head spinning wondering if I imagined his comment about the hay barn.

  “And this is Betsy. You need to know anything then she’s the one with all the gossip, isn’t that right, Betsy.”

  “Just ignore him, he’s full of hot air. Hey, I’m Betsy. I’m the main housekeeper, it looks like we’ll be spending a whole lot of time together, sweetheart.”

  Jessie

  I decide that I immediately like Betsy. She has the softest, kindest big brown eyes and a wide, easy smile. Her hair is pulled up and covered in a checkered headscarf; she looks every bit the cowboy’s wife.

  The three of us sit and have the most incredible breakfast. Austin was right about one thing; it’s pretty legendary.

  “Right, then Miss Jessie. Are you ready to get started?”

  “Yes. Where do we start?”

  “Communal areas first and then once the guests start checking out, we go and clean those cabins top to toe. Fridays and Mondays are generally busiest for us because it’s when guests check in and out, but there’s always something to clean around this ranch. This is our supply room.” She pulls open the door to a walk-in closet and the smell of bleach and cleaning supplies fill my nose.

  Betsy loads up my arms with everything we’ll need before we set to work. With every room we enter my heart races at the possibility that Clay could be inside, but he never is. A tiny part of my brain tries to convince myself that it’s because he’s avoiding me, but that’s crazy.

  Before long, the current guests vacate their cabins and we set about getting them ready for their new occupants. Betsy shows me her routine and I easily pick up her way of doing things. Once she’s happy that I’m capable, she points me in the direction of a cabin and tells me I’ve got thirty minutes max to have it flipped.

  Pulling my phone from my pocket, I plug in my headphones and pop them in my ears.

  The second I open the door, I realize that it’s not a guest cabin I’ve just entered because it’s littered with stuff. There are beer bottles in the kitchenette and clothes everywhere. Assuming it’s another member of staff’s place that I’m yet to meet, I head toward the bathroom to get started.

  I’m bent over, cleaning the shower when something tickling along the exposed skin of my back scares the crap out of me. Standing, I stumble back, crashing into something—or someone—solid. Arms wrap around my waist and my heart continues to race, but for a very different reason.

  His chest vibrates at my back, but I can’t hear anything, my music too loud in my ears. Pulling out my earbuds, I fight to get out of his arms. Things feel too right, too natural and it freaks me out.
/>   “I’m-I’m sorry. I was just…” I trail off because it’s kind of obvious what I was doing.

  “I was just asking if you’re enjoying your first day.” The way his eyes take me in as he says this makes me think he was saying anything but. I don’t say anything though for fear of what I might do.

  “Uh…yeah. It’s…uh, good. I’m sorry about last—” My words are cut off when his phone starts ringing.

  “Shit. I’m sorry, I’ve got to get this.” Regret fills his features as he turns and walks away from me. His white t-shirt pulls across his wide shoulders, but I don’t miss how tight his muscles are. Whatever that phone call’s about is something serious. Or did I cause that? I wonder, then chastise myself for thinking I have any effect on him.

  Knowing this is where he stays means I pick up speed with my cleaning and I’m out of there in record time.

  “You’re done already?” Betsy eyes me curiously.

  “Yep. You can go and check if you like.”

  “No, no. I’m sure we’ll hear if it’s not done to standard.” Her words make me wonder if Austin was stretching the truth last night when he said Clay isn’t usually an asshole.

  I’m flagging by the time lunch rolls around. My muscles ache and my hands burn from the cleaning products they’ve been covered in all morning, but I can’t help feeling a sense of achievement with every cabin I leave spotless and ready for its new occupants. Betsy and I sit down with our freshly made sandwiches and I inhale it.

  “Hungry?” she asks with a laugh.

  “Starved. I’m not sure I’ve ever worked quite so hard.”

  “Get used to it, sweetheart. Woody will expect it every day.” My cheeks heat at the mention of him. “Ohh…does someone have the hots for the cowboy?”

  “What? No, don’t be silly. He’s my boss.”