Fierce Read online

  “I’ll do it later today and again tomorrow,” I replied. “I have a spreadsheet.”

  He arched a brow, so I continued.

  “You talked to my boss.”

  “I did.”

  “He’s… particular. Likes things done a certain way. Likes data and daily updates. I think that’s why I like working for him. I like data, too. It’s important to monitor follicular growth, and keeping good records on the mare’s specific history is important. It can indicate… well, you know what it can indicate.”

  I sighed, realizing I was probably oversharing. Clint wasn’t just a hick cowboy. He was building a quality stud program here and knew his stuff.

  “I like to see horses well cared for,” he replied. “As you said, Claymore might be eccentric, but he knows Wolf Ranch has a worthy stallion in Eddison.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. “Yes, we did research on that as well. My job’s more than data. He’s got twenty horses and is trying his hand at sheep. The trainers and other staff report to me with any issues, and I have to oversee them all. Even from here.”

  “You specialize in big animal medicine?”

  “In my job, yes. Mr. Claymore has a black lab who comes to me for shots, but otherwise, it’s all big animals there. I also volunteer at the local animal shelter and spay and neuter dogs and cats once a month.”

  “You keep busy. It’s good to see. No one can be lazy on a ranch like this.”

  I took in the land around us. Open fields in all directions until they butted up to the mountains. Tall grass, big skies. It was beautiful. The ranch was well maintained, and it showed. I could live in a place like this. While Mr. Claymore’s ranch was expansive and tucked back up in the foothills, it was close to Denver. It would be considered practically suburban, while here… it was rural through and through.

  No rush hour. No commuting.

  “My life got a little crazier this year,” he continued. “I lived in the bunkhouse until the fall.”

  “I heard you and your wife had a baby. Congratulations,” I said, smiling, imagining this big guy holding a tiny infant.

  Clint grinned. “Thanks. Those of us staying in the bunkhouse usually eat dinner at the main house with the others, family style, but breakfast and lunch is a catch all since everyone’s doing different things. As a guest, Marina’s expecting you to pop in for all your meals, but you’re welcome to grab some stuff at the store if you want to eat on your own or if you’ve got some kind of food allergy. I can take you into town or tell you where to go.”

  “I don’t want to make extra work for Marina.”

  He laughed. “Just wait.”

  He didn’t say more as we went to the back and went in without knocking. The screen door slapped shut behind us. The scent of yeasty bread and coffee made my stomach rumble.

  “Hey, Marina. This is Charlie.” Clint took his hat off, setting it on the counter and making his way to the coffee pot.

  The petite woman looked up from her bread kneading on the center island of the huge eat-in kitchen. The space was dated, but homey and lived in. Based on the amount of dough in front of her, she spent a lot of time in here. And fed a lot of people. With the dining table large enough to seat at least ten, it was clearly the central meeting spot of the ranch.

  She had long dark hair pulled back into a bun, a black t-shirt dotted with flour and a pair of cut-off jean shorts. “I wondered when you were going to get hungry.”

  “Thanks so much for the plate last night. I’m sorry I slept through the meal.” I told her. I’d thanked Levi, but he was the delivery guy, not the cook. “It was delicious.”

  Clint held his to-go mug up. “I’m set. Thanks,” he said to Marina then looked to me. “I ate at the cabin before I left this morning. Lily was up early for a feeding, so I had breakfast with my girls. This extra shot of caffeine will do the trick though. You good from here?”

  Nodding, I said, “Yes, thanks. I’ve got plenty of work to keep me busy.” My cell chimed, indicating a text, and I laughed. “See?”

  Clint nodded, gave Marina’s shoulder a squeeze and left the way we came in.

  “I’ve got cinnamon rolls in the warming drawer. If that’s not your thing, I can make you some eggs.”

  I held up my hand. “You had me at cinnamon rolls.”

  She laughed. “Grab some coffee. Mugs are in the cabinet above the pot.”

  I stayed out of her way as she efficiently moved about, setting a sticky, glaze-covered bun onto a plate and setting it at the far end of the counter where there were two stools. She set a fork and napkin beside it. “Milk or sugar?”

  I sat down then took a sip of the coffee. “Black’s fine. Thanks.”

  I ate in silence as she finished kneading the dough, cut it into equal pieces and placed them into loaf pans.

  “If this is breakfast every morning, I’m in big trouble.”

  “Usually it’s eggs of some kind. Something that can sit in the warmer. The guys come in over a stretch of a few hours, so I like to have something ready. Lunch in the summer is sandwich fixings that I lay out for everyone to make their own. As you might have guessed, I love to cook. I’m starting up my own baking business, but I keep everyone around here pretty much fed. At least part time. It’s too nice out for me to be cooped in the kitchen all day.”

  I glanced out the back windows, the view spectacular. It was going to be a warm one but not as hot as in Colorado. “I’d want to be outside, too.”

  I washed down the sticky goodness with another sip of the dark brew.

  “You work outside all day,” she countered.

  “Here, pretty much. Back in Colorado, I’m all over the place.” My cell chimed again.

  She glanced at me then back to her dough. “You’re a busy lady. I’d think it wouldn’t be all that hard to make horse babies.”

  I arched a brow. “Horse babies?”

  She grinned. “I guess horses don’t have as much fun as we do practicing, huh?”

  I blushed. “You’re married to Colton, right? I haven’t met him yet.”

  “Engaged. He and Rob are in Billings looking at metal fencing. Rob’s wife, Willow, went with them. Yeah, I’m pretty sure it’s as boring as it sounds, and I feel for Willow. But it’s guy shopping. Or cowboy shopping. Whatever. Who have you met so far?” she asked, setting dish towels over the loaf pans.

  “Clint, obviously. Boyd and Audrey. Johnny. Levi.”

  She slid the pans across the counter and left them. I assumed they were to rise again although I didn’t know much more about bread than it came sliced at the store.

  “Levi’s cute, don’t you think?” she asked as she washed her hands at the sink.

  Her back was to me, and I couldn’t see her face.

  “He’s… good-looking.” Good-looking enough to fantasize about him while I used a shower sprayer on my clit.

  She spun back around, drying her hands.

  “Every guy on Wolf Ranch is hot,” she shared. “Sure, I think Colton’s extra gorgeous because he’s mine and all, but Levi…” She fanned herself.

  I wanted to fan myself too because my cheeks were flaming.

  She stood on the far side of the counter, leaned down and rested her forearms on the granite. “He’s single, you know.”

  “Levi?”

  She tucked her hair behind her ear. “Yes, Levi. He’s nice. I give him two thumbs up.”

  “Does he know you’re telling people he’s nice?”

  She pursed her lips. “Yeah, I doubt any cowboy would want to be called nice. He’s…” She paused, studied the ceiling as she considered. “Quiet. I’d say a brooder, but all cowboys are content being by themselves. You have to be to live on a ranch in Montana. Winters are brutal. Except maybe Boyd. He’s never met a stranger. Levi though, well, I’ve only been here since last summer, but I’d say he’s… misunderstood.”

  I took the last sip of my coffee. “And you want me to figure him out?” I had no idea where she was going with this
, so I stood to help myself to more java.

  “I want you to put a smile on his face. However you think is best.”

  I spun around. Sputtered out a laugh. “Me? What makes you think I can get him to smile?”

  She looked me over. “If he doesn’t see how pretty and smart you are, then the man needs glasses. And his head checked. I like that belt, by the way.”

  “Thanks,” I said, either for the compliment about my looks or the belt. I liked to always be put together, to look professional, even on a ranch in rural Montana. I put on clean jeans and a red top. I always wore the same gold hoop earrings and never left the house without at least a little makeup.

  “You’re telling me where you got it later. We girls can do some shopping of our own. Online. We don’t even have to drive all the way to Billings.”

  My cell chimed again. “Sorry, my email sends me notifications.”

  She stood up and wiped down the counter. “No worries. Get back to your work. We girls get together once a week for ladies happy hour. It’s Sunday night. Me, Audrey, Willow, Becky. You’ll join us.”

  Willow. The DEA agent. Was I insane? I didn’t have much choice but to say yes. It wasn’t like I had other plans. “Um, sure. Thanks.”

  “Stop up for lunch with the guys later. Dinner’s fried chicken. Come with Levi.”

  When I turned back to look at her from the doorway, she waggled her eyebrows. “Come lots of times with him.”

  My mouth fell open, then I laughed. What else could I do? Marina was in agreement with my body when it came to Levi. I just had to get my head in gear.

  7

  CHARLIE

  * * *

  “You didn’t,” my BFF, Keely, shouted into my ear through the phone.

  “I did.”

  “OMG.”

  “I know. I wanted to die,” I admitted, telling her all about how Levi had overheard me getting off in the shower. “I mean, he knows.” It felt good to have something fun to tell her. I’d been keeping in my problems with Dax because it was too ugly to drag into the light.

  I stood up from my bed, unbuttoned my jeans. I was so full from the cinnamon roll, my pants were too tight. If I ate like that every morning I was here, nothing was going to fit.

  I’d sent Keely a nine-one-one text first thing this morning, telling her I needed to talk. After tossing and turning all night, I’d texted and said to bring wine and lots of it to our phone call, even at five-thirty in the morning.

  Along with Mr. Claymore and one of the trainers, she’d been one of the notification pings on my phone earlier. Said she’d get back to me after she dropped the kids at camp. Which was five minutes ago. Now she wanted to know everything.

  “He outright said that he heard?”

  “Pretty much but through the door. I didn’t have to see his face. Thankfully, he went to his room, and I’d been able to sneak back to mine,” I said, dying a little all over again of mortification. “I got dressed to leave, Keel. I had my suitcase on the bed.”

  “Ah, honey, it’s not that bad. I mean, you’ve got this amazing job. So a guy overheard you flicking the bean. I’m sure he rubs one out a time or two. Everyone does it.”

  Flicking the bean?

  “Yeah, but not when they overhear you calling his name.”

  She gasped. “You called out his name as you came? He’s that gorgeous?”

  “He’s… hot. Lumberjack. Viking. Caveman. Cowboy. All rolled into one Wrangler-wearing package.”

  She squealed, and I had to move my phone from my ear.

  “I was going to leave. Grab my bags… and Seraphina and leave. Just roll out in the middle of the night and never come back.”

  “You wouldn’t do that.”

  Sighing, I plopped back down on the bed. “Of course not. I’d lose my job. Pops wouldn’t have his medicine. We’d be behind on our bills. Seraphina wouldn’t have the perfect little foal next spring. But believe me, I considered all of that, so I didn’t have to face Levi.”

  “Levi. Total cowboy name.”

  She’d been married to her husband, Brad, for eleven years. An accountant with a nine-to-five job and a 401k. It seemed she was living vicariously through me, which was ridiculous because I’d done nothing to be jealous of. Not once.

  “He heard,” I repeated. “Knew I moaned his name. Offered to help.”

  “He what?” she screeched.

  “Through the door, he said he would help. I think I’m going to die of shame.”

  “You will do no such thing, Charlotte Banbrook. If he heard, then he was right at the door. Listening. He’s just as pervy as you. He wants you.”

  “He doesn’t want me,” I protested, even though I knew it wasn’t true. I’d seen the way he looked at me, like a starved man at a feast.

  “Didn’t you say he offered to help? To get you off.”

  I smoothed out the blanket on the bed, even though it was military precise, even being made at the early hour of five-thirty.

  “Yes, but—”

  “No buts. Well, his butt. Maybe yours. Maybe he’ll spank your butt for being naughty.”

  I laughed. “He won’t spank my butt.”

  “I bet he will.”

  A sigh escaped. “He won’t. He might be interested, but he doesn’t know.”

  “Of course, he doesn’t. It’s not like you have a big scarlet V on your shirt. You’re a virgin, hon, not a freak.”

  “I’m a thirty-year-old virgin. A guy like Levi would run away screaming if he knew.”

  “So you’ve been burned in the past. That doesn’t mean this guy’s an asshole like other guys you went out with.”

  I grabbed the pillow, hugged it to my chest.

  “How long are you there?” she wondered.

  “Two to three weeks. Depending on Seraphina.”

  “Fine. While she’s getting it on with a stallion who’s probably hung like a horse.” She laughed at her own horrible joke. I stayed silent. “You should get it on with a stallion of your own. I wonder if he’s hung like a horse, too.”

  “Keely!” I cried, rolling my eyes. “I have no idea how big his dick is.” I flushed hotly and dropped my voice. “He does have huge hands though.”

  She laughed. “Go for it. Have a fling. Get that V-card punched with a sexy cowboy.”

  I didn’t tell her he’s also the sheriff. It didn’t make any difference to her. Hot sheriff, hot cowboy...

  “I’m here to work.”

  “Not all the time, and besides, you work way too much. I’m sure no one there expects you to punch a clock or work on those crazy spreadsheets of yours all the time.”

  “I’m sure they don’t expect me to screw one of the ranch hands, either.” I thought of Marina and what she’d said. Maybe there was one person here who thought it was a good idea.

  “People have sex, honey. All the time. Get in on the fun.”

  “I don’t do casual,” I reminded her. “I’m looking for a serious relationship.”

  “I know you don’t do casual. You don’t do anyone. Levi can be a fling. A short term thing. You know going in that it’s got an expiration date. That’s good.”

  I didn’t say anything.

  “I’m not saying marry the guy,” she continued. “Have sex. Lots of sex in all kinds of positions. Use him. I’m sure he won’t mind.” She groaned. “Please, Charlie. Have. Some. Fun.”

  She punctuated every word because I was a workaholic.

  “Fine. I’ll think about it.” Maybe sex was what I needed. To clear my head, help me relax, so I could figure my way out of my situation.

  “Say it. Say you’ll do it.”

  I hopped to my feet, tossed the pillow aside, paced.

  “Repeat after me. I, Charlie Banbrook, oldest living virgin.”

  “Shut up.” I laughed.

  “Say it or I’ll tell your grandfather you were the one who broke his favorite coffee mug.”

  I narrowed my eyes, but she couldn’t see me. “That’s low, girl
friend.” Pops had loved that mug, and we’d tried to glue it back together to no success when it had broken when we were sixteen.

  “Say it.”

  Sighing, I muttered her words aloud. “I, Charlie Banbrook, oldest living virgin.”

  “Good job,” she praised. “Will screw the hot cowboy living down the hall.”

  I glanced at my closed bedroom door, wondering if he was standing outside again. I tiptoed to it, opened it and peeked out. The hall was deserted. Sighing, I shut the door and repeated Keely’s words. “I will screw the hot cowboy living down the hall.”

  “More than once.”

  “More than once.”

  “I will have fun doing it.”

  “Are you done yet?” I questioned.

  “Say it.”

  “I will have fun doing it.”

  “And I will tell my best friend every naughty detail.”

  I laughed at that, dropped back onto the bed.

  “Fine. I’ll do it. But how?”

  “Ah, honey. All you have to do is go up to him, give him a smile and say yes.”

  Yes. Was it really that simple?

  Maybe I would give the cowboy a ride.

  8

  LEVI

  * * *

  Charlie was a virgin.

  Mind blown. Dick hard.

  I’d overheard her phone conversation with her friend this morning when she came in after mating the horses. At least her half of the call. I had great shifter hearing and couldn’t help but eavesdrop, especially after she said he’s… hot. Then when she’d continued to talk, and I’d learned so much more about her. Not just the fact that no guy had taken her before. That she didn’t see sex as something fun, something hot. Sweaty. Pleasurable. Memorable. Mind erasing. She saw it as a… a hurdle. Something that was unsurmountable. An actual problem.