Amy's Redemption Page 6

  RJ held his finger against her lips, putting a stop to her complaint. “I don’t realize anything except I want you, on my terms, and you have a contract to fulfill. This is my spread. If I want to screw one of my employees, who’s going to complain?”

  “Me?” she asked when he lifted his finger.

  “Sweetheart, if you call all that moaning and panting complaining, then by all means, feel free to let it loose.”

  Amy ignored his grin and refused to give in to him. Folding her arms across her chest, she glared up at him. “If I stay, I am not going to continue sleeping with you. Take it or leave it.”

  She looked cute with that mutinous expression and her dark eyes glaring at him. Her inky hair was tousled, her cheek red where she had laid on the bed and her lips were puffy from his kisses. There was no way he was going to deny himself the pleasure of that small, tight body, but apparently he was going to have to take the time to show her what she was missing by insisting on a platonic, employer/employee relationship.

  “I’ve never forced a woman, and don’t intend to start now, neither by physical nor manipulative means. You might be handy because you’re here, but I’ve managed to maintain a very active sex life and imagine I can continue to do so.” He smiled inwardly when her brows drew down in a frown. “You’re responsible for three meals a day, six days a week, Sundays off. When you’re ready, I’ll show you the kitchen.”

  “So, we’re just going to forget this,” her arm swept towards the bed, “ever happened?”

  “If you can forget it, so can I,” he said as he turned towards the door. When he reached it, he turned back towards her with a knowing, confident grin. “Want to bet you give in?”

  Amy couldn’t stand to let him leave with that smug attitude, besides, she was always a sucker for a bet. “What’s your wager, boss?”

  RJ smiled at her emphasis on the title boss. “If you give in and ask me to make love to you, then we remain lovers until your contract ends.”

  “And if I don’t?”

  “Then we both lose, sweetheart. But,” he added quickly, “I’ll give you another bonus at the end of the year if you win.”

  “You’re on. And, RJ? Just for the record, what we’ve done is fucked, not made love.”

  RJ strode back over to her and, before she could balk, grabbed her and kissed her hard. Lifting his mouth from hers, he stated emphatically, “Amy, I swear, the next time you say ‘fuck’ I’m going to spank you again.”

  “That’s a little like the pot calling the kettle black, don’t you think?” She was continuously amused by his contradictions and blend of gentlemanly charm and rough dominance.

  “Just remember my warning. When you’re done unpacking, meet me in the den.”

  Chapter Six

  Amy took her time unpacking her things. Unfortunately, she didn’t have that much and in less than twenty minutes she had her jeans and tops folded away and her toiletries set up in the bathroom. Her buttocks still throbbed, though if she were honest with herself, the sensation was a pleasant reminder of the best sex she had ever had. Who was she kidding, she thought derisively as she gazed out the window. Her clumsy blowjobs and quick fucks with dried up, older men as a means of support could barely qualify for sex and the few tumbles she had indulged in with Brian ended with the same results, her being used and him glowing in satisfaction. Now she knew what if felt like to be satisfied by a partner and she was scared to death the experience was going to make it even more difficult for her to leave when her contract was up.

  Of course, she consoled herself as she went to find RJ, if things got too tense and unpleasant around him, she could always sneak off again. She had a contact back in New York who had helped her change her name both when she left New York and when she left Ohio. Even though the thought of once again changing her identity was depressing, having that option was a comfort.

  “That was quick,” RJ commented when she joined him in the den.

  “I don’t have that much, as you pointed out earlier.”

  “I also pointed out that there would be repercussions if you skipped out on your contract.”

  Amy had been hoping that had been an idle threat. Apparently, her hopes were in vain. “Such as?” she asked, needing to know what her options were.

  “Such as taking you to court for breach of contract,” he returned smoothly, not surprised when she blanched at the threat. “Somehow, I don’t believe you would want to risk that. Are you running from something, or someone, Amy?”

  Amy was good at hiding her thoughts, thus managed to quickly hide both her fear and guilt behind a cool façade. “I agreed to the job, RJ, and I need the work, but not to spilling my life story to you.”

  “Is that a yes or a no?”

  Amy sighed. “No, I’m not running from something or someone. Satisfied?” Technically, she didn’t lie. She wasn’t running from Jedidiah because he was dead and she had no idea if the police were looking for her or not because she hadn’t waited around to find out.

  “Not hardly sweetheart, but we’ll work on that.” Holding up the bottle of beer he had been sipping, he asked, “Want something before we take the tour of your new home?”

  “Just water please.” She decided she was going to need to keep her wits about her around this man. She had no experience dealing with men of RJ’s caliber. Young randy boys and horny old men she could handle easily. Strong, sexy men that made her climax while spanking her bare ass were way out of her league.

  “Your resume said you were a chef in a fancy restaurant in New York,” he said as he handed her the bottled water and led her down another hall.

  “Yes. I was lucky to apprentice there during culinary school and got lucky again when they offered me a permanent position.”

  “Why’d you leave?”

  “Because nothing’s permanent. Oh my God!” she gasped as he led her into a wet dream of a kitchen.

  The far wall bore a huge bay window above a large triple sink that looked out the front of the house. Restaurant sized appliances in stainless steel, pots and pans of every size and plenty of marble topped counter space, including a large island, made her ache to start cooking. Sunshine poured in the large window and Amy knew she was going to enjoy the hours she would be spending here.

  RJ smiled at her innocent reaction to what he took for granted. It was just a kitchen to him, containing the necessary equipment needed to feed between eight and twelve hungry men three times a day. His phone rang, drawing his attention away from the delight of her rapt expression. “Feel free to acquaint yourself while I get this,” he said after seeing it was his brother on the line.

  Amy ran her hands lightly over the smooth counters, looked into cupboards and drawers and inspected the contents of the refrigerator and freezer. The pantry was the size of a small room and held a variety of staples, but she was already forming a grocery list in her mind. It was obvious RJ and his hands lived on meat and potatoes. By the time RJ had finished his call, she had decided that she would be introducing them to vegetables and fruit.

  “I know you’re used to whipping up fancy meals,” RJ said when he hung up and he noted her frown. “But the men and I need filling meals with lots of protein. This is a working ranch and we have big appetites.”

  “I can handle that,” she assured him, deciding it would be best if she just started to include a ‘green thing’ with their half a cow instead of giving him advanced warning. “Do your employees like desserts?”

  RJ’s eyes widened appreciatively before he smiled slowly. “I haven’t had a full time chef out here for six months, ever since Charlie retired. He’d been with the ranch since I was a kid. The only time we had desserts was when my mother baked them. Trust me, if you make nothing but a batch of cookies once a week, the boys’ll love you.”

  Amy smiled in anticipation. She loved fixing desserts. Meals were a necessity, sweets were just plain fun. “I think I can come up with a few treats for your hard working crew. And, RJ? You’re the
last person I’d trust.”

  RJ grabbed her by the shoulders and lifted her easily off her feet for a quick, hard kiss. “Smart girl,” he said, releasing her and grabbing her hand.

  “Come on. I’ll give you a tour of the barn and stables. The dining room is in there,” he said pointing to a room off the kitchen, “but the hands bathe and sleep in their own quarters.”

  “Wait,” she said, trying unsuccessfully to pull her hand free of his. She refused to admit how good his large, callused palm felt engulfing her smaller one. “I really need to have someone drive me to the store to get supplies. There are quite a few things I’m going to need before tomorrow. And I need to come up with some menus.”

  “I tell you what. Sit down and make a list and I’ll call one of the hands who is already in town and have him pick up your order. You were only supposed to be here in time tomorrow to prepare dinner, so let’s stick with that since I have the time right now to show you around. Sunday’s are quiet around here and I’ve got a busy week ahead of me, so you’ll be mostly on your own.”

  There was a table and six chairs in a nook where Amy took a seat and jotted down some necessities that would at least see her through this week. Against her better judgment, she wanted to spend more time with her new boss. She enjoyed bantering with him, enjoyed their flirtation, and, now that she didn’t have to worry about becoming too involved with him through sex, she could relax and enjoy her new job. She could have told him that being on her own didn’t bother her, in fact she preferred it that way. But, being a city girl, she was curious about how things were run in such an isolated location.

  Ten minutes later, she handed him the paper that was filled front and back. “Is that too much? I know it’s going to be costly, but…”

  RJ waved his hand, cutting her off as he glanced at the list. “I can afford it.” Grabbing his phone, he punched in a few numbers. “Rory,” he said after a few rings. “Are you still in town?” It took him another ten minutes to relay the list to Rory before he disconnected and smiled at her.

  “What was the bribe of cookies for?”

  “He wasn’t planning on returning to the ranch until tomorrow since he isn’t on the schedule until ten, but I thought you might want the stuff this evening.”

  “If he gets here early enough, I can make a batch tonight.”

  RJ grabbed her hand and led her outside thinking he made a good choice when he hired her. The only thing that worried him was the obvious aversion she had about sharing anything personal about herself, indicating, to his mind, that she was hiding something. It could be something innocuous and that had nothing to do with her job performance, but, since he intended for them to be much more than employer/employee, he found himself wanting to know everything about her. That desire to know her outside of the bedroom was enough to warn him that this attraction went deeper than the physical. A first for him, but something he was more than willing to explore.

  Stepping off the porch, he pointed to the left with his free hand while maintaining his hold on her smaller one. “That’s the cattle barn. Although it looks close, it’s about a mile away. This time of the year, most of the herd are left outside to free graze. Winters can be harsh, so they spend some time inside during those months. Over here,” he said as he led her towards a large white structure trimmed in green and surrounded by white fence corrals, “is the stable where the horses are housed.”

  Amy smiled at the pride in his voice, wondering what the big deal was about a bunch of cows and horses. Her only association with animals had been the strays on the streets of New York, a few of which she had become attached to after feeding them for a few months only to lose them one way or another. Even though they had helped to ease the loneliness, the pain of their eventual loss wasn’t worth their short companionship. Once she landed the regular job at the strip club, got a small place to stay and enrolled in school, she hadn’t had the time or the heart to look into getting a pet.

  “What exactly do you do with all these cows and horses?”

  RJ smiled down at her. “Cattle,” he corrected her. “We breed the cattle for either auction or the meat market and we breed the horses for sale. I have one of the most successful breeding programs of both quarter horses and thoroughbreds.”

  Amy still couldn’t get enthused about his business, especially if his animals were nothing but a money ticket to him. “I take it there’s a lot of money in both endeavors,” she commented as they reached the wide open doors of the stables.

  “If you’re conscientious, good and lucky. I’m all three.”

  He wasn’t boasting, she realized, just stating facts. The interior of the stables surprised her. Neatly swept concrete floors separated two rows of sweet smelling straw strewn stalls. A dozen horses of different colors had their heads over the half gates obviously looking for a handout, while another half dozen stalls were currently empty. Amy had never been this close to a horse before and she tentatively reached out to stroke the velvety nose of a beautiful black mare.

  “That’s Black Beauty, a favorite around here. She’s given me two very profitable colts.”

  Amy turned snapping violet eyes up to him. “Is that all she is to you? A moneymaker?”

  RJ smiled at her indignation as his cock stirred. Damn but it turned him on when she spit at him. “I care about all my horses, Amy, but the truth is, they are a business. They have a good life here despite the money I make from them.”

  Amy ran her hand down the mare’s sleek neck, trying to ignore the heated lust she saw in RJ’s green eyes. The man got turned on way too easily she thought sourly, ignoring the leap of answering lust that coursed through her, tightening her nipples and dampening her panties with disgusting ease.

  “I just seems rather callous if you ask me,” she stated with a decisive pout.

  “Have you ever ridden?” he asked, pulling her down the aisle toward the opposite doors that were also open.

  “No, as a matter of fact, this is the closest I’ve ever been to a horse,” she answered, waving her arm, indicating the filled stalls.

  “Really?” The ease with which she had approached Beauty and stroked her made him think she had previous experience with the breed. “When I have time, I’ll give you riding lessons, but don’t attempt to ride any of these horses without me. Some are quite docile, but there are a few that require an experienced hand.”

  “Since they all seem to be as tall as you, I have no great desire to climb on top of one.”

  Stepping outside and up to a rail that held one of his in season mares and his new stallion, RJ slipped behind her, loosely caging her in front of him with his hands braced on the rail. “You could start by riding me,” he whispered in her ear before biting her earlobe gently.

  Amy closed her eyes against that enticing suggestion as just the thought of riding his big hard body had her nipples hardening even more, her cunt swelling and filling with moisture. “RJ,” she warned breathlessly.

  RJ chuckled knowingly. “I never said I wouldn’t try to persuade you into my bed, Amy. Watch,” he ordered abruptly when the stallion and mare started dancing around each other.

  Amy opened her eyes, eyeing the aggressive stallion and shy mare while trying to ignore the hard cock pressing into her buttocks. The horses pranced around each other, large teeth nipping, tails lifted high, sexual organs swollen and needy. When the stallion mounted the mare from behind, she gasped at the sheer dominance of the larger animal.

  “Is he hurting her?” she demanded breathlessly when the mare whinnied loudly and bucked in protest.

  “Not at all,” he assured her. “They’re just playing the same games people play when getting to know each other.” RJ reached over and cupped her braless breast through her tee shirt. “Your nipples are hard, Amy.”

  Amy moaned, refusing to deny what was so obvious. When the stallion reared back and plunged his engorged cock into the mare with one hard thrust, she gasped and pushed against the broad hand that felt so good.
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  “Remember when I rode you that hard, sweetheart?” he asked as he moved his other hand to her crotch and cupped her sex. His teeth nibbled on her neck as he fondled her openly with the mating animal sounds echoing around them.

  “Yes,” she acknowledged, thrusting her hips against his hand then back against his cock. The sight of the horses mating so vigorously brought back the pleasure she had felt at this man’s hands, from this man’s cock.

  With moves made smooth from years of experience, RJ slipped his hand under her shirt to cup her breast as he deftly unsnapped and lowered the zipper on her jeans with his other hand. “I need to touch you,” he admitted hoarsely as he slid his hand inside her jeans and panties and cupped her pussy. “You’re so soft, your folds are plump and wet. Christ, you turn me on like no other.”

  “I find that hard to believe,” she moaned as he slipped a finger into her cunt and pinched her nipple at the same time. This wasn’t sex, she told herself as she widened her legs and grasped the rail in front of her. It was just play, a relief of tensions, easing a need brought on by the erotic images the horses vigorous mating brought on.

  RJ found it hard to believe also, but there was no denying it. He hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind since Friday night and he was discovering the more he had her, the more he wanted her, wanted to introduce her to the sexually open lifestyle that went on around his ranch.

  “I could convince you, if you’d let me.” Slipping another finger into her cunt, he pressed his thumb against her clit just as the stallion bucked hard and nipped the mare on her neck, both animals dancing a dance as old as time.

  Amy closed her eyes and mind to the erotic images his words provoked, but she couldn’t deny her body’s need for this man, her uncharacteristic response to his hands, his body, his cock. The orgasm burst upon her, fast, hard and undeniable. She whimpered as he fingered her wet depths ruthlessly, giving her no time to adjust, to deny or move away from the sensations rioting through her, taking over her senses so completely she was left with nothing but shudders of pleasure and questions about her sanity.