Caleb's Blessing Read online

  "I thought that would put an end to your disrespect, you remember that the next time you try messing with me scamp."

  "Who's messing with you boss? I just asked for my cookies and drink." He grew serious in a second as I reached his side.

  "I'll run this out to the guys Caleb you stay near the house, won't take me but a few minutes to get out there and back."

  "That's cool Mikey thanks." He hopped into one of the trucks with the cooler beside him and I realized I hadn't saved any for myself. Knowing those goons there won’t be nothing but crumbs left.

  He waited until he was well out of my reach before sticking his head out the truck window.

  "Maybe you wanna put your shirt on boss, wouldn't want to scare the poor girl to death with your scrawny chest."

  I threw a clump of dirt after him as he howled with laughter and barreled down the drive. I dusted my hands together as the truck disappeared in a billow of dust because the young showoff was burning rubber.

  Oh well, looks like I need to go in to wash my hands. You're such a damn liar Dunbar you just can't bear to be away from her. She’s been here a few short hours and already your dick is on the hunt.

  All that talk to the guys about leaving her alone and here you are sniffing around her yourself. You’d better remember what she’s running from. She isn’t one of the usual camp followers.

  I gave myself a nice pep talk as I made my way to the house but it didn’t seem to be working. I was going to be shut up in there with her night after night for who knows how long, I hadn’t fucked anything but my palm in months, this was not a good idea come to think of it.

  But why her? It’s not like I haven’t had other prospects, or one in particular here lately. But none of them had gotten a lift out of my dick. One look at her and he was ready to break out the gate.

  Caleb, you know you can’t have her; you just put those thoughts out of your head right now cowboy. Easier said than done; and what about that look, she was doing some wanting of her own it looked like.

  Caleb Dunbar, that little girl has been hurt, she needs time to heal most likely, not some strange man lusting after her two minutes after they met.

  Well shit I'm a man and she's a woman, and if she's interested why not? Yeah but go easy there Dunbar, she's a wounded bird you can't be your usual forceful self you'd probably scare her half to death.

  Now I was rationalizing my own wayward thoughts, since there was no one here to tell me no. I’m not that selfish though, to just take her knowing what she’s been through, and the fact that my brother brought her here for protection meant that I couldn’t take advantage, not that I would.

  But there is a difference between taking advantage and courting someone into your way of thinking now isn’t there? The only problem I see is the waiting thing, and my approach.

  I don't know how to be anything other than forceful, especially when it comes to relationships.

  I have certain likes and dislikes when it comes to the whole man and woman thing, mainly that I liked being in control. In fact scratch that I need to be in control.

  And when it comes to the bedroom that was even more so. A man who spent his life wrestling bulls for fun couldn't possibly be any other way.

  I guess I’d have to figure out how to temper my baser instincts. It figures, the first woman in a long time, if not ever, who was able to set my dick to twitching with just the look of her, and I have to go soft.

  She was in the kitchen when I got there, but what she was doing was almost more than I could deal with on the back of my thoughts.

  She was bent over putting something in the oven. Her very fine ass was on display in the too tight jeans she wore and oh fucking shit my cock came to complete attention.

  I cleared my throat and made a beeline out the door for the backyard. Maybe I'll go dunk my head in the creek; that ought to cool my ass off.

  I never moved so fast in my life as I made my retreat with my heart racing out of my chest. What the fuck am I gonna do now?

  A million thoughts ran through my head as I walked away from the house, not least of all was where had my well known control gone?

  She wasn’t even here a day and I was already in trouble. What was it about her that was making me react this way?

  Was it because of her past, or because all I could see when I look at her was me covering her, what?

  Then like a bucket of cold water being doused on me out of nowhere, another thought hit.

  Chapter 7

  CALEB

  "Fuck, shit, fuck." I know she saw my hasty retreat, let's hope she never figures out why I had to make it.

  Un-fucking-believable, after all these years of being in control, and my dick still got hard at the sight of her ass, but damn what an ass.

  Okay Caleb maybe you should stop thinking about her ass if you want your shit to go down sometime this week. I brushed my hand down the front of my fly.

  Instant fucking hard on, this shit hasn't happened to me in a long time. I mean I get a little rush if I see something I like, but nothing like this.

  This is some high school shit that a grown man my age should've put behind him a long time ago.

  "Mr. Dunbar, uh Caleb is everything okay, are you hurt?" Shit, that fucking voice; have mercy I'm so fucked.

  "No Amanda I'm fine, you go on back inside I'll be back later." Please don't come any farther, just stay back there where you are.

  “Are you sure, you look...”

  "I'm gonna head over to the barn, I forgot something." I hot footed it to the barn moving as fast as my full-blown hard-on would let me; shit now she probably thinks I'm a quack.

  ***

  AMANDA

  Hmm, that was strange, oh well he said he was fine, so I guess that's that. I went back to the kitchen where I'd started a chocolate-layered cake for dessert.

  It was a sure sign that I was feeling happy; I always cooked way too much when I was happy.

  One day here and already I'm feeling some of my old spirit return. Since one of the first things I’d learned in therapy was to take whatever I could from each day I was given, I was going to grab hold with both hands.

  I flitted around the house for the rest of the afternoon, straightening up and doing some light dusting even though he said he had a cleaning service.

  It's just that I have all this pent-up energy all of a sudden, not to mention the fact that I find my new boss sexy as all hell and I haven't been laid in a long, long, long time.

  Not that I was planning on getting laid or anything, or by him in particular, shit Amanda, don't go there. I’ve never been the bold siren type, but something, maybe the fresh air or the wide-open spaces I find myself surrounded by, seemed to be awakening something in me. Something wild and untamed I hope, I could do with a little bit of that.

  Still Amanda, you don’t even know if he has someone, for all you know he could be engaged.

  Too late I have a very clear picture of one Caleb Dunbar lying over me. Those strong muscled shoulders I'd seen earlier covering me as he plunged in and out of me. Shit I just came on myself.

  ***

  CALEB

  I'm tempted, so tempted to beat off, but somehow it feels disrespectful to her. And when the fuck has that ever been an issue before?

  Okay, I have to get my head straight here, this was becoming about more than the sound of her voice or the usual attraction to a pretty face. I'd seriously wanted to smash Mikey's face in earlier because she'd smiled at the kid. What the fuck was up with that?

  I didn't have a jealous bone in my body, never did, but in the space of a few hours I've warned my men off of her, came close to maiming one of them, and now I was sporting one massive hard on.

  That's another thing, she's so fucking tiny how was I ever going to get inside her? Not that I was planning to or anything, just saying. I looked down at my monster and shook my head.

  I’m not sure Drake did her any favors bringing her here. I had the bad feeling that this was going
to be a case of out of the frying pan into the fire. But before I go making plans with my dick, I’d better get the lay of the land.

  Chapter 8

  I refused to go anywhere near the house for the rest of the day. I found things to do, of which there was plenty on a ranch this size and still be within yelling distance of her in case she needed me.

  I found as the day wore on, that it was better not to think of her at all, but that was easier said than done. Her hair, her scent, her perfect ass, damn it's only day one and I'm already sweating bullets.

  By knockoff time when I couldn't put it off any longer unless I planned on sleeping out on the range, I headed back to the house.

  I'll just wash up, sit down to dinner, keep my head in my plate and hit my office as soon as was politely possible.

  I don't think I should risk spending too much time with her tonight. I might fuck around and give her a glimpse of one of my hard-ons.

  That's all the poor girl needed, to be on the run from one fucker only to land in the clutches of a perv.

  I heard the guys before I even reached the back door, the fuck? I slammed through the door to find the bastards sitting around my table eating my food and talking to my woman.

  No one seemed too impressed by the dark scowl on my face; fuckers rolled their eyes and carried on like I wasn't standing there contemplating murder.

  Here I was all day, hiding out like a chump and these fucks were in my kitchen making time with my girl.

  Mandy was puttering around refilling glasses and making sure the greedy fucks had enough, with the sweetest glow about her.

  I wanted to send them all to hell, but I'd never hear the end of it if I opened my mouth. The fucking Scrantons were watching me like they knew my every thought.

  So what I was thinking crazy, who cares? I saw her first. Shit I'm losing my mind. I’m acting like a middle school kid on the playground.

  "Oh Caleb you're back, dinner's ready." She barely spared me a glance.

  I wanted to say something smarmy like, 'so you just noticed me huh, I've been standing here for a whole minute already,' but they'd laugh their asses off for sure if I said some cheesy shit like that.

  I wish I knew just what the fuck was wrong with me though. Damn, answer her you ass, she doesn’t know you well enough to read the danger signs.

  "I'll just go wash up and be right back." I didn't so much say the words as much as mumble them.

  I wanted to strangle Mark when he gave me that knowing look again and elbowed his brother on the sly. Oh they thought this shit was funny did they. No doubt Mikey had been running his damn mouth and embellishing while he was at it; I have something for their asses though, you just wait.

  It must've been the quickest wash up in history but I didn't care. I was back in the kitchen in less than five minutes.

  The assholes snickered but I ignored them. My ire eased just slightly when I realized that she'd made my plate special and put it aside before serving the others, damn straight.

  "Thank you Amanda." I smiled at her before turning my attention to my food, totally ignoring the assholes at the table.

  "So Amanda how would you like to take a ride around the ranch tomorrow, get the lay of the land so to speak."

  My fork hit the plate at Alex's suggestion; son of a bitch was everyone trying to steal my girl?

  Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold the fuck up Dunbar she's not yours and you better stop thinking like she is; well fuck that she's not going to be theirs either.

  I'm about ready to throw my plate of roast and potatoes in his face, but it was damn good roast and potatoes and besides I don't want to scare Amanda half to death by kicking one of my men's asses her first day here.

  She's bound to think me uncivilized. I felt like a damn caveman as it was. Thankfully I didn't have to do anything because she saved the day.

  "Thank you Alex but I think I'll stay close to the house for a few days and get to know the place before I go branching off." She turned back to the sink where she was washing up something.

  "Aren't you going to sit and eat?" I looked at her questioningly.

  "Um, actually I was going to have something a little later if you don't mind." Did her voice have to sound like that?

  I think Drake brought her here to finish me off. He somehow found out what my perfect woman was made up of and found her for me, or something weird was going on, I mean what're the odds?

  "Sit and eat Amanda, you've been on your feet all day and it's only your first day here, take a load off."

  "Okay if you're sure." She seemed nervous or something as she looked around at the others.

  What did she think, that she wasn't allowed to sit at my table or some shit? I'll have to talk to her about that when we were alone.

  There were two chairs left at the table: one down to the other end of the table away from me, and one to my left at the head of the table.

  She stood for a moment in indecision looking back and forth between the two, until I used my foot to push the one closest to me away from the table in invitation.

  I watched the blush bloom across her cheeks as she bit her lip and took the seat; and just like that my cock was on full alert again.

  Damn I hadn't thought this thing through because as good as the meal was she smelt a thousand times better, what the hell was that scent?

  The snickers around the table made me start plotting revenge in my head, I was so going to get them back for this shit tomorrow.

  We’ll see who the fuck is laughing then.

  Chapter 9

  How could I have forgotten that Cecily was due here today? I was in the middle of showing Amanda how to groom a horse, and getting a kick out of her tinkering laughter because my old horse was being a flirt.

  The old cuss would as soon bite you as look at you, but for her he was dapper Don, flicking his tail at her and trying to nip her shoulder playfully.

  She was loving it, and looking more relaxed than the day before, which in turn just made her even prettier. With her guard down a little and the dull beam of worry missing from her eyes, she was really something.

  Last night had ended pretty harmless without me shedding any blood at the dinner table, and by the time we'd turned in for the night, I'd felt close to normal again.

  There was only one problem though. My dick seemed to know that she was just a few feet down the hallway and he’d throbbed like a sore tooth all night long.

  I’d stopped counting the hours around midnight I think, or how many times I walked past her bedroom door just to make sure that she was okay.

  I couldn’t forget that she was new here, or that she was running from something. Both of which, I’d started to lose sight of already.

  Somehow it felt like she’d always been here, she just fit. The place and me! Still I don’t think I’ve tossed and turned that much except the night before a ride.

  The day of I was always fine, but for some reason that night before was always a killer. Last night had been no different, only this time I was facing something more dangerous than a bull, and there was a hell of lot more at stake here than getting gored in the ass.

  We'd shared a nice cozy breakfast together this morning, which Mandy had insisted on making and who was I to argue, the woman could cook.

  I sat at my kitchen table enjoying the sight and sounds of a beautiful woman as she moved around the kitchen like she’d lived there all her life.

  She wasn’t exactly a chatterbox, but she’d opened up some, not about her past no. I wasn’t expecting that to come for a long time yet, but she asked me about the Rodeo and the ranch, and I was only too happy to tell her.

  I'm pleased to say that the assholes didn't show up to spoil my first meal of the day. I wasn't holding out much hope for lunch though. I knew their greedy asses would be back.

  Now I have her all to myself and she's acting like a carefree young woman without a worry in the world, and my dick was in his happy place even though he knew he had to behave for now.
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  Hell if I didn’t feel just the way I do in those last few seconds before the gun goes off and I threw myself in the ring with a two-ton killer on legs.

  Not since I was a teenager with more hormones than common sense, have I been this stupid over a member of the opposite sex.

  It was sweet and gentle, because it had to be, and maybe that’s what made it just that little bit extra special.

  I spent the whole damn morning trying to figure out how much time was decent enough before I make my first move. I don’t mean getting her into bed right away. Lying ass.

  “Keep the sugar in your pocket like so, he’ll find it, or he’ll butt you around until he does.” There was a twofold reason for me bringing her out here this soon.

  I’d done some reading up last night when I couldn’t sleep and my own self- induced moratorium meant there was no stroking my dick, and one of the things I’d read about abuse victims was that it sometimes helped them to deal with animals.

  I’d also snuck down to my study with the intent of looking up her case online, but in the end I couldn’t do it. I felt sure that she would tell me herself, that she would want to tell me herself some day; so I could wait.

  I held her hand and showed her how to run the brush over the fractious horse the way I know he likes. She was looking over her shoulder at me to see if she was doing it right, and I was just about to ask her if she wanted to ride; either that or kiss her, when right in the middle of that I heard "Yoo-hoo, Caleb where are you?"

  Fucking shit are you kidding me? She came waltzing into the stables in her stilettos and designer jeans, her perfume blasting to all four corners of the earth. I'm sure people in New Mexico could get a whiff of that shit.

  Amanda stepped back and out of close range but I checked her move by moving up to her side.

  "Hey Cecily, your horse is ready to be transported."