Dirty Boss by Mia Ford (38)

“Thank you grandpa. Now have a good night’s sleep and we’ll talk again in the morning.” Celia said before flicking the light bulb off in the room and stepping back out into the quiet house.

* * *

Celia went looking for Wilder, she needed to speak to him, to tell him that she knew the truth now. He was looking after Conrad, giving him a share of the property because he believed that his brother deserved it as much as he did. And Conrad had lied, he had manipulated the truth to make her believe that Wilder was a despicable man.

Celia was running down the corridor towards the porch outside in search of Wilder when Conrad’s hands grabbed her waist from behind and she shrieked.

“Stop screaming! I know you want this.” She heard him breathe into her ears. Conrad’s arms were crossed over the front of her own body and he held her like that tightly. She was breathing hard, afraid now of what might happen. What he might make her do that would push Wilder away from her forever.

“You are just a simple girl, Celia. You don’t understand the complications of the world.” She heard him say. The laugh in his voice had returned. He was enjoying Celia struggling against him, trying to get free. He held her tightly, facing forward; his hand slowly creeping up her body.

“I know everything Conrad. Let me go! You’ve been lying to me about all of this.” She shrieked, not afraid of who might hear her.

Conrad yanked her by the hair towards him, and she yelped.

“Shut up. I’m not a liar. I told you what you needed to hear. You don’t need to know everything. You’re just our servant’s grand-daughter and that is all you are.” Conrad’s voice was slippery; he was breathing hard through his nose and his hand had now reached Celia’s right breast. She struggled against him, trying to get free but he was holding her tightly.

She couldn’t kick him or reach him, and now she was growing desperate.

“If you don’t let me go Conrad I’m going to scream. You can’t do this to me.” Celia blubbered, hot tears pricking the back of her eyelids.

“I can do whatever I want. I am the master of this house and you have to do as I say.” Conrad said, before giving her breast a tight painful squeeze. Celia gasped and tears had begun to roll down her eyes; when she heard Wilder’s voice.

“I am the master of this house, little brother and if you don’t let her go I’ll make sure your legs are too broken for you to walk.” Wilder’s voice was the same deep and harsh, brimming with rage and yet he wasn’t yelling. He was much more calm than he was in the past few days. His voice had an immediate effect on Celia, even though she couldn’t see him she felt her blood beginning to pump with excitement into her veins.

Conrad’s grip on her body relaxed and Celia slipped out of his arms and whipped around to face both the brothers.

“You need to stay out of this, Wilder. She is not your wife and you have no authority over her.” Conrad’s laugh had gone. He had turned to his brother with clenched jaws and nostrils flaring. To Celia’s surprise, Wilder smiled at his brother. A smile that she had seen so seldom that every time he did it she was too surprised to speak. It was a handsome rugged smile, making his cheeks stretch, his blue eyes glitter.

“She isn’t my wife, you’re right Conrad. But she isn’t your property either. Just like this ranch isn’t. You are a guest in my house and it’s time you understood that.” Wilder was speaking evenly still, ignoring Celia’s presence and keeping his watchful eyes on Conrad the whole time.

“She wants this!” Conrad yelled, flipping his head to look at her. Celia backed away into a wall. She was too terrified of Conrad now, of the whole situation, to be able to speak or defend herself.

When Conrad looked at her, Wilder took a few steps towards him. Conrad was startled, and he nearly ducked, making it clear that he was indeed scared of his brother. He had every reason to be scared of him.

“Leave her alone, Conrad. I’m telling you this for the last time.” Wilder growled. Conrad didn’t reply, but instead stared back at his brother with rage in his eyes.

“You’re dreaming if you think that she wants you. None of them want you Wilder. You have nothing to offer any woman.” Conrad managed to speak up.

“Shut up Conrad. Don’t put words in my mouth.” Celia found herself screaming. She couldn’t take it anymore. She couldn’t remain silent any more while Conrad continued to bruise his brother’s ego. Wilder needed affection, someone to believe in him. And none of Conrad’s words or actions were helping.

Both the men were looking at her now.

“I do want him. I never wanted you, but I’m in love with him.” Celia blurted out, and was instantly conscious of what she had just said. She could feel her cheeks flushing, the back of her neck growing hot. The brothers were still staring at her and when she looked up she saw that a small thin smile had started to appear on Wilder’s face.

“Get out of her Conrad, before I fling you out of the house myself.” Wilder turned to his brother. Conrad looked at them both, ground his teeth in anger and then brushed past Celia to walk back to his bedroom.

The house was ill lit and she could barely see Wilder’s face except for the silvery light that the moon was splashing in that spot. It had turned Wilder’s face into a bright white, as they stood there in silence. They were looking at each other. Celia’s heart was racing, beating out of her chest as she studied his face, his expression. She hadn’t lied, she loved this man. Everything she knew about him, she loved. She felt safe around him, and she wasn’t afraid. Wilder Moore would never be able to hurt her.

“I’m sorry for Conrad’s behavior.” Wilder said, breaking the silence after several minutes.

“You don’t have to apologize for him. It’s as much my fault. I suppose I encouraged him.” Celia admitted, wringing her hands together. She was nervous because she was excited, she had wanted this for so long…just to be able to speak to Wilder. To be this close to him and alone with him again.

“Why did you encourage him, Celia?” He asked her. She hung her head low and then looked up at him again.

“Because I was mad at you. Because I thought you didn’t want me. I suppose I wanted to make you jealous, or teach you a lesson…I don’t know. I was wrong, whatever I did.” She replied. Wilder was still looking at her. His blue eyes had softened. He wasn’t wearing his hat, and his sandy blonde hair fell thickly around his neck. His beard was still growing; he hadn’t shaved in days. Celia had crane her neck up to look at him, he was much taller than her.

“You succeeded then, Celia. Because I was very jealous, and very angry.”

“I know what happened with your wife.” She cut in. Wilder raised his eyebrows, but he wasn’t upset to hear her say it.

“I know what she did, what Conrad did…why did you force her to leave and allowed him to stay after that?” She asked.

“Because he’s my brother. Katherine was an outsider, a girl I knew only for a few months. She had married me for the money, I had always known that. And I married her because I wanted an heir for the ranch.” Wilder explained. Celia watched him intently as he spoke, he didn’t seem angry any more. It was like a dam inside him had burst open and all of this was just spilling out of him. He wanted to tell her, he believed that she needed to know.

“And Conrad was foolish, and jealous of me and arrogant. But I couldn’t just kick him out. He would have nowhere to go. Our father had left him with nothing.” Wilder continued.

Celia hung her head, ashamed that she had misjudged Wilder for a different man.

“So you don’t hate all women? You don’t hate me?” She managed to ask, meeting his eyes with a bite of her lower lip.

Wilder took a step in her direction and she saw the smile form on his face.

“Of course I don’t hate you, Celia. I wanted you with a burning desire from the moment I saw you at the train station. I hated myself for wanting you. I wanted to stop myself but I couldn’t.” Wilder was speaking in words that Celia had never imagined he could use. She stepped towards him and reached for his face tenderly. He was looking down at her, her lips began to quiver.

“Wilder, I want you too. Don’t listen to anything Conrad says. I want you. I love you.” She couldn’t hold herself back any more, she stood up on her toes and kissed him.

Wilder’s hands enveloped her small waist as he held her to himself, kissing her, pushing his tongue into her mouth. Celia sighed as she kissed him back. This was all she ever wanted. She explored his chest with her fingers, dropping her hands to his groin where she could feel a growing bulge.

This time he didn’t stop her, he thrust himself towards her and Celia pulled away from him and smiled.

“I thought you didn’t want me. I thought you were incapable of wanting anyone.” She whispered to him. Their foreheads were knocking against each-others, she was breathing in his air. Wilder smiled at her.

“I love you Celia. Of-course I want you. That first night happened because I couldn’t control myself. I can always control myself.” Wilder insisted, his hand now beginning to explore the front of her dress. She could see the desperation in his eyes again. She knew what he wanted, she wanted the same. He needed to be inside her so that they could feel whole again. This time apart had made them both desperate. They needed each other.

“What is going to happen with Conrad?” She asked him, pulling her face away from him as he was about to kiss her.

“He is going to go fulfill his dream. I’ll give him the money he needs. He can go back to New York and try making a living there again. He’s unhappy here, bored and lonely. And I don’t need him here.” Wilder said, running his large hands through her own unruly curls. He seemed to be enjoying feeling the soft texture of her hair, he looked at her face and then grabbed both her cheeks. Wilder kissed her on her lips before she had the opportunity to say anything to him again. When Celia pulled away, she licked her lips and smiled at him.

“You are a good person, Wilder. You are a good brother and you are a good man for taking care of my grandfather for so long.” She said and placed her head on his chest. She could hear his heart beating and she smiled again. Her first instincts had been right. This was a man who she could get to know, spend her life with. This wasn’t a man she needed to be afraid of.

“Thank you Celia. You know, nobody has ever said that to me? Cowboys deserve some kindness and compliments too.” Wilder said and Celia burst into a laugh. She couldn’t help herself. Wilder was laughing too. They were sharing their first laugh as a couple and Celia knew that she had never been happier. Her grandfather was right, nobody around him understood Wilder Moore for the man he was. But she was determined to, he was right, even cowboys needed to be understood.

* * *

Ivy was sitting on the porch of her father’s pub, with her feet up on a stool and a file to her finger nails. It was blistering hot now by noon and the pub had just opened up. Being the only watering hole in the village, it was also where people came to get a mid-day snack or just meet up with friends.

She had nothing else to do but kill time. At twenty-one year’s old, Ivy had dropped out of college in North Carolina and returned to her home town to help her father with his business instead. Ever since her mother passed away, and she being the only child; she felt like she had a responsibility to care for her father. He was glad to have her back too, but she had always been the apple of his eye, the spoilt daddy’s daughter. So, he never entrusted her with any real work, and now instead of actually helping him set up the pub to open to customers, Ivy had nothing else to do but just sit around and file her nails.

“Daddy.” She called out to him, jumping off the chair on the porch and rushing inside. Her father was behind the bar, polishing the glasses.

“Can I help?” She asked him, pouting her lips. She had been back home from college for over two weeks now and he still hadn’t allowed her to do anything around the house or the pub.

“I don’t need any help here, Ivy. Why don’t you go see what your friends are up to?” Her father turned his kind gray eyes to her. Ivy shrugged her shoulders and sighed.

“What friends? I don’t have any friends here any-more. They’ve all left.” She said, following her father’s every movement with her large green eyes. Her father smacked his lips, and continued polishing the glasses.

“You shouldn’t have quit college, Ivy. Look, I’m fine here, I don’t need your help. You should have stayed on and made something of your life.” He said, shaking his head at her. Ivy sighed with a huff and turned from him.

There was some truth in what he was saying. The more-wise thing to do would have been to stick on in college and complete her Bachelor in Agricultural Science; but Ivy wasn’t interested in school. She had been pushing herself to do something that she didn’t want to do by staying on in college. Returning home to help her father was partially an excuse, because she also wanted to take some time off school to figure out what it was that she really wanted to do with her life.

It had been two weeks since, and she still had no clue.

Ivy walked up to the large ornate mirror behind the pub door to look at herself. Her blonde curls were in tight natural ringlets, and she had kept them loose around her face. Her eyes were large and green, and even without any makeup; Ivy’s cheeks were always a bright cherry red, just like the natural color of her lips.

She was full bodied, her breasts forming a high curve on her chest. She was small, but not petite and she always made an impression wherever she went. Heads always turned to look at her. Today she had chosen to wear a thin white dress, to combat the heat. The neckline plunged deep, revealing her cleavage. For shoes, she was in simple sandals. Ivy sighed as she ran her fingers through her curls and shook them out. What was she going to do with her days here?

None of her childhood friends were still around, they had all left town, moved to bigger cities, as had she initially. But college, academics, a traditional career, were not the things that Ivy was made for, and she couldn’t force herself to pursue them any-more.

She could hear her father tinkering about behind the bar, as she continued to stare at herself in the mirror. Her plump cheeks looked bright today, her lips were broad and pouty…Ivy Hart was concerned now that she was going to end up wasting her life away. Just like her mother had warned her against.

The thought of her mother made her turn to look at her father behind the bar again. She had never seen two people as much in love as her parents had been, and it immediately brought a smile to her face. But in a moment of desperate confession once, several years ago; her mother had told her that sometimes she felt trapped. Trapped by the love of her husband, and her own love for him. And it was that passion which had never allowed her to escape this place, leave and try and make a different life for herself. That she had always regretted not trying. But in most other moments, her mother was happy, in love and content.

But Ivy could never forget her mother’s confession about the dangers of falling in love with a small-town cowboy. That is who her father was, and that was the only life that Ivy knew. That was the life that she had tried so hard to get away from, by going to college but she couldn’t.

Something about this place, about this life had dragged her back. But she knew she had to find a way out, she needed to find her own passion in life and let that be the guiding light for a path out of this small sleepy desert town.

“Daddy, I need to find something to do.” She said, suddenly whipping around to her father again. He looked up from his polishing to raise an exhausted eyebrow at his daughter and sighed.

“There is nothing for you to do here, sweet child. You should have never come back. You should have stayed away from here, just like your mama told you to.” He said, and Ivy noticed the sadness in his eyes. She had no idea that her father knew about the things that her mother had confided in her.

Just as she was about to ask him about it, the doors of the pub creaked open.

* * *

Ivy and her father had both turned to the door in unison. The pub had barely been open for a few minutes, they weren’t expecting any customers to turn up this soon.

A man had walked in, his face was covered partially with a cowboy hat perched on his head, which he was slowly lowering. He walked stealthily, with purpose; and Ivy’s first instincts were to study him closely. In dark dusty jeans and a plaid shirt tucked in, the man had his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Even in the dim light of the pub, Ivy was quick to notice the sparkle in his chocolate brown eyes as he turned to look at her, and then he looked away.

Ivy instinctually straightened her back. His hat was in his hands now as he slowly made his way to the bar counter, towards her father. She could see his back, as he walked away from her. This man was tall, at least a foot taller than her and he looked like he was made of pure hard muscle. His back was wide and held taut against the fabric of his shirt.

“Hugo Hart?” The man’s voice rang loud through the silence of the pub. It sent a shiver down Ivy’s spine. His voice was smooth and deep, and even though she couldn’t see his face now, Ivy couldn’t control her desperate need to look at him.

“That’s me. And you must be Leon Cooper.” Her father was smiling at the man, he had pasted the polite customer face on, which he reserved for the pub. Ivy’s brows crossed, her father knew everyone in these parts, how did he not know this man.

“What can I get you?” Her father asked him, placing his hands on the counter and still smiling at the man.

Ivy was standing behind them, still several feet away from them, wringing her hands with desperation. She wanted to draw closer to him, she wanted to see his face, it was like an itching need all over her body to steal a look at him. She had no control over her brain any more.

“Oh, thank you but I don’t drink.” The man said, in that same calm deep voice, that made Ivy’s fingers tingle. Who was this man? What was he doing here? Which man in these parts didn’t drink alcohol?

“I see, what can I do you for then?” Her father asked him, the smile dropping slightly from his face. Nobody came into the pub for anything other than to get something to drink or eat, but this man seemed to be on a different kind of business. And Ivy’s father seemed just as confused as she was.

“I was hoping that you would help me spread the word locally, before I advertise in the newspaper.” The man said. He didn’t sound friendly, or even like he was comfortable speaking to her father. He sounded angry, arrogant and self-confident. But Ivy was still desperate to see his face. Just watching him standing in front of her, just tracing out the muscles on his back with her eyes, on the back of his legs…were enough to set her body on fire.

“Sure, what is it?” Her father leaned on the counter closer to him.

“I need somebody to take care of my house.” The man said. Ivy licked her lips, her heart was pounding against her chest.

“Is that so?” She heard her father say.

“I live alone, as you must have heard and I have an entire ranch to work with. I just moved there a few weeks ago. I need a woman to do the cooking and cleaning and laundry.” He continued. Ivy was still wringing her hands together tightly. She felt like she was going to burst, that she might faint if she didn’t say something now, if he didn’t turn to look at her now.

“I can do that, I’ll spread the word.” Her father replied to the man with a smile.

“I would prefer a strong, healthy woman who won’t mind getting her hands dirty. Maybe help me with the ranch too if needed. I am willing to provide lodgings, three meals a day and five hundred dollars a month.” The man continued and flipped his hat on his head again. This was a sign that he was going to leave, and Ivy couldn’t control herself any more.

“I can do it.” She blurted out before she could stop herself.

Her father jerked his head to look at her, and then she saw the man slowly turning towards her too.

“Ah, that’s my daughter, Ivy. She is only playing, don’t worry Mr. Cooper, I will find an able woman for you.” Her father was speaking in the background, but his voice was slowly fading away. All Ivy could think about, all she could see was this man who stood in front of her, facing her now. She could finally see his face, and he was looking at her too.

“This is your daughter?” He asked, interrupting her father’s babbling words.

Ivy stood silently, watching him watching her. His face was chiseled, like it was cut out of stone. His eyebrows were dark, like his eyes, and sharp. His hair was a dirty sandy blonde, and fell shaggily over his forehead. His skin was tanned to a golden honey color that Ivy had a sudden incredible urge to lick.

“Yes, she is and she is only a wee girl, as you can see.” Her father replied hurriedly.

Leon Cooper’s eyes were on her. She could see that he was studying her breasts, the strength in her hands, her small height, her wide hips, the curve of her waist…he was trying to decide if she would be able to work for him.

“She will do.” He said, ignoring her father’s attempts at dissuading him, and a smile creeped up on Ivy’s face.

* * *

“Oh no, Mr. Cooper, I believe you are mistaken. My daughter has no experience in house work, she has been in college for the past two years, she will not be able to help around the house.” Her father had grown desperate now. The last thing he wanted was for his daughter to go work for someone else’s home. He didn’t even allow her to work in his own!

“That’s good. It means I can use her to work on my accounts.” Leon said, pulling his gaze away from Ivy’s body to finally look at her father again.

“I studied agricultural science. I can help you with your ranch.” Ivy spoke up, directing his gaze back at her again.

She wanted him to keep looking at her. She wanted him to look at her breasts, at her slender pale neck, she wanted to see if he wanted her as much as she wanted him. Leon licked his thin rugged lips and nodded his head.

“Good. That is settled then.” He turned to her father. Ivy realized that she hadn’t seen him smiling yet.

Her father was dumbstruck, still standing behind the bar, looking from his daughter to Leon Cooper and then back at his daughter again.

“Be at my ranch, tomorrow at eight.” He said to her, fixing his hat on his head and then walking straight for the door.

Ivy remained standing where she was, following him with her eyes. She couldn’t take her gaze off him. She couldn’t stop wondering what that rock-solid body would look like under those clothes. What he smelt of, how the stubble on his chin would feel against her own face.

“Ivy!” Her father’s harsh voice snapped her out of her daydream. Leon Cooper had gone out of the pub, leaving her alone with her father again.

“What is the matter daddy?” She asked, finally walking towards him. She had been frozen to the spot earlier, unable to move any of her limbs.

“You cannot go and work for that man. You cannot go and work at somebody’s home!” Her father’s eyes were widened, he was thundering, his face was turning red with anger.

“Oh daddy, please don’t be like that. I won’t just be working at his house, I’ll be helping him with his actual work, with his books, with the animals. It’s the kind of work I like to do.” Ivy said, walking around the counter and standing in front of her father with her arms crossed.

Her father slapped the dish cloth in his hand on the counter out of rage.

“What would your mother say, Ivy? You went to college; you were brought up differently. You don’t know the first thing about house work!” He was still screaming and Ivy only rolled her eyes and looked away from him.

“It isn’t that difficult. And I’ve been bored these two weeks, and now I have something to do and earn some extra cash.” She replied to him, only infuriating him further.

“This better be a temporary thing, Ivy! I will not allow my daughter to do that kind of work, not in today’s world.” Her father was still grumbling and Ivy smiled.

“Oh daddy, please don’t be so mad. I just want to do something with my time, till I figure out what I really want to do in life. You understand?” She said, rushing towards him and throwing her arms around her father’s neck.

He accepted the hug and then patted her on her back, his anger was slowly subsiding now.

“I understand, Ivy. Sorry I lost my temper. I just didn’t want to disappoint your mother.” He said, his voice was now slightly muffled by her hair, as she pressed her head to his loving chest.

“I know daddy, but she would have wanted me to do what I want, to do something productive with my free time. Gain some real world practical experience.” Ivy said, looking up at him and smiling. She knew her father couldn’t resist her playful smiles, he always indulged her.

“Alright, alright, child. You’ve convinced me.” He said and she released him from her grip.

“Thank you, daddy. And I’ll come visit you often, and I promise you, it’ll only be for a few weeks, till something else comes up in the city.” Ivy said, biting down on her lip.

“Good.” Her father said, picking up the dishcloth again. He didn’t look like he was happy with her decision, but he also knew that he couldn’t do anything to change her mind. Ivy always got what she wanted, and right now she wanted this job.

“I’m going to go home and pack a few things, daddy. I’ll see you in the evening.” She said, waving at her father as she rushed out of the pub doors. She didn’t wait for her father’s reply, she wanted to be out in the light, in the sun. She wanted to run so that she might be able to do something about her madly beating heart.

She was running towards the house, with a smile on her face, unconcerned now about the harsh sun beating down on her now. She had too much on her mind.

How could she have explained to her father, the effect that Leon Cooper had on her body, on her senses? The real reason why she was taking this job. He had done something to her, the moment he walked into that pub. She knew instantly that she would agree to anything that he asked of her, she would do anything to please him. She only wanted to look at him. She wanted him to look at her. She was taking this job only so that she could be closer to him, so that she could seduce him. Even though she had seen Leon Cooper only once, Ivy had already made up her mind that he was going to be the man she would give her virginity to.

* * *

Ivy shaded her eyes against the harsh sun, as she blinked at the vast expanse of the ranch that stood in front of her. Her father had driven her to the gates of the ranch, kissed her goodbye and then driven away. She could tell that he was still upset. When he left, she dragged her cell phone out and sent him a quick text. ‘Thank you daddy’ She had written to him. And now she stood staring up at the sign that greeted her at the entrance.

‘Old Marigold Ranch’

On the ride-over, her father had hesitatingly told her a little about the ranch, and what he knew. Leon Cooper was new to these parts because he had recently bought the place, for some millions of dollars, and then spent even more money to repair it and build it up. Nobody knew much about him, because he kept himself to himself. All they could tell was that the man was very rich, and liked to be left alone.

A well brushed dusty path led up to the newly painted white mansion that stood in the middle of the ranch, with a backdrop of the Montana mountains behind it. Ivy sighed, bit down on her lip and started dragging her bags behind her as she walked towards it. She had barely slept the previous night from the anticipation of seeing him again. She had a sudden new purpose in life, and she was planning on grabbing it by the horns.

As she drew closer to the mansion, she heard the sound of horse hooves. Ivy shielded her eyes again to look out in the distance. As predicted, Leon Cooper was approaching her, on a fast riding horse, and it looked like he had no intention to stop. Her mouth hung open slightly, her heart was beating fast, she had never been this sexually aroused by just looking at a man before.

“You’re late, Ivy Hart.” Were the first words that escaped his lips, as he made a sudden stop on his beautiful chestnut horse, only a few feet away from her. A dust cloud, formed by the hooves of the horse was settling in around Ivy, and she could feel the dust in her hair.

“It’s only half past eight.” She found the strength in herself to say.

Leon jumped off his horse and patted it on its neck lovingly, before stepping towards her. He had the same hat on his head, his face was just as well sculpted and rugged as she remembered it. In the surroundings of the ranch, he looked even more muscular, more athletic, like he could crush her in his bare hands if he wanted to.

Ivy could feel her nipples harden under her loose peasant blouse as he walked closer to her. She had never before been this awash with sexual desire for a man.

“Only? I asked you to be here at eight, young lady.” He said, his voice was as harsh and grim as before, and Ivy dropped her eyes from him. His gaze made her uncomfortable, as much as she wanted to continue looking at him.

“I’m sorry, we got delayed with the packing and I had to…” She was fumbling with her words.

“I don’t want to hear your excuses. From now on, please stick to the orders given to you. I took you on, because you are able bodied and seem smart, but I also need you to be obedient.” He had interrupted her. Ivy’s brows crossed and she jerked her head up to look at him. Who did he think he was? She could feel her nostrils flaring. Which century did this man think they lived in? He wanted her to be an obedient housekeeper?

“I will do my best to get the job done, Mr. Cooper. But please do not expect me to be a meek obedient slave to your wishes and fancies.” Ivy said, gritting her teeth. As much as she wanted him, wanted his lips on hers, his fingers in her hair; she was also prideful. She matched his fiery gaze with her own, and glared back at him, daring him to dismiss her. They stared at each other for several moments.

“I don’t intend on you being my slave, Ivy. Just my employee.” He said and took a few steps closer to her. She could see that he was studying her again, his eyes were drinking in the shape of her breasts under the cotton fabric of her blouse, how her jeans fit splendidly on the curves of her hips. Then he looked back at her eyes again.

“What are your tasks for me today?” She asked him, the silence between them was growing to be very uncomfortable, she couldn’t control her ragged breathing any more. She wanted to get a moment to catch her breath, away from him.

“The maintenance of the house is your responsibility. I don’t intend on setting you any tasks. You can figure it out yourself. You can set up your room, it’s the one at the bottom of the stairs, next to the kitchen.” He said, and before Ivy could respond; Leon had jumped back on his horse.

She looked up at him, confusion, anger, desire all streaming out of her eyes as she glared at him. He tipped his hat at her, and then out of nowhere, he smiled. His smile was wide, warm and reached his eyes, and just like that, he had turned his horse around and he was galloping away.

Ivy could feel her breasts rise and fall as she tried to make sense of her own feelings. She was offended by his behavior, and yet dangerously attracted to him. Maybe her father was right, she was foolish to think that she could work as a housekeeper for an absolute stranger. But she wasn’t a quitter either, she was going to give this one chance.

* * *

The mansion, which was Leon Cooper’s house, was unlike one that Ivy had ever seen before. It was luxurious on the inside, decorated tastefully with beautiful new upholstery, carpeted floors, platinum fixtures in all the bathrooms and porcelain figurines. She was even more surprised to see the house because she hadn’t quite pegged Leon to be the kind of a man who might decorate a house in this fashion.

No wonder he needs a housekeeper, she thought to herself as she walked around the rooms silently. Everything was neat, clean and polished, everything was in its place. She had to be careful as she walked around, afraid to touch anything, afraid to move too quickly. She had no idea how expensive any of the things were and she was afraid to break something.

Her bedroom was lavish too; much more beautiful than any bedroom she had ever stayed in before. She unpacked her bags and then sat down on the large springy bed, looking out of her window.

She could see the ranch as it spread across, around the house. She could see a stable of horses in the background, and hear the sound of their hooves. But Leon wasn’t in sight.

She sighed, a sudden feeling of being overwhelmed washed over Ivy. This house was too big, too expensive, too tasteful for her to look after. Especially since she had never looked after a house before. Where was she even supposed to begin?

Ivy stood up from the bed and walked out of her bedroom, walking gingerly towards the kitchen. At least she could start preparing lunch, she considered.

Leon hadn’t told her what time he took his lunch, what he liked to eat, or if he was even coming back to the house for it. When she looked up at the clock in the kitchen, it told her it was nearly eleven already. She realized she had wasted too much time exploring the mansion.

She got started on the food and found that the pantry was stuffed with ingredients and supplies, although it looked like the kitchen hadn’t once been used yet. At least thankfully, her mother had passed down her famous cooking skills, so she could whip up a meal with very little effort.

Within an hour, Ivy had baked a batch of fresh cheese rolls and a pot of thick chicken cream soup. Along with a bowl of berries and yogurt that she placed at the center of the dining table, she arranged the rest of the simple yet hearty meal and sat down to wait.

Ivy waited for some time, by herself, wondering if she had made the right decision to make lunch. It wasn’t until one that she heard the front door of the house being banged shut and the crunching sound of Leon’s leather boots as he walked towards the dining room.

Ivy stood up from her chair with a jerk, not sure what she was expecting from him. Leon walked in, with his hat in his hands, and only grunted when he saw her. He looked at the food on the table, and without a word pulled out a chair at the head of the table and sat down to eat.

He hadn’t looked at her since he walked into the room, and yet Ivy could feel her heart beating wildly against her chest. She noticed the way some of his sandy locks fell boyishly over his forehead, how his stubble had grown darker, how his skin looked tough after working out in the sun all morning.

“Why aren’t you sitting down?” He suddenly looked up at her, with his dark chocolate eyes boring into her.

Ivy sat down on the chair with a thump, watching him tear one of the cheese rolls in half and popping it into his mouth. Leon looked at her again as he chewed.

“Have you found yourself things to do around the house?” He asked, after several moments of silence. Ivy hadn’t even served herself her food yet, she didn’t quite know what to do. She had never been in this sort of environment before, and she was also aware that just his presence was enough to freeze her limbs.

“I was thinking I’ll start by dusting the rooms, then polishing the wood…” She began to say but he interrupted her again.

“I didn’t ask for your schedule, just wanted to know if you have one.” He said, taking quick large spoons of the soup and shoving them into his mouth.

Ivy breathed in deeply, trying to control the building rage in her body. She couldn’t understand what he expected from her, how he wanted her to behave. She felt like she was displeasing him, by not even doing anything.

She looked down at her fingers on her lap as she heard him eating his food quickly. Within just a few minutes, Leon had finished his lunch. Ivy looked up again when she heard the sound of his chair-legs scraping the pine wood floor.

He flicked his hat back on his head and licked his lips.

“You said that you don’t intend on being treated as a salve, and yet you didn’t eat with me.” Leon said, meeting her gaze. There was fire in his chocolate brown sparkling eyes, and Ivy had to muster up all the strength in herself not to look away. She glared back at him, holding her chin up.

“I wasn’t sure if you wanted me to eat with you.” She said, looking up at his towering frame at the end of the table.

“I’ll be gone till seven. Make sure the house is clean and in order. I take my dinner at eight.” He said, and turned around and walked out of the dining room. Ivy remained sitting at the table for a few minutes longer, with her breasts heaving, her nostrils flared in fury. What kind of an employment had she gotten herself into?

* * *

Ivy had dusted all the rooms of the house, polished the wooden furniture and then prepared an elaborate dinner for the two of them. She had baked a spicy chicken pie, cooked up a batch of breaded drumsticks and a bowl of steamed vegetables. For dessert, she had prepared some fruit custard. All of the dinner had been laid out on the table by eight. At exactly seven she had heard Leon walk back into the house and then heard his boots as they crunched up the stairs.

At eight she stationed herself behind a chair at the dining table, the food was served and ready to be devoured. Leon wasn’t late to make an appearance.

He looked like he had showered and shaved. He had changed out of his clothes for the day into a pair of fresh jeans and a crisp white cotton shirt, folded to his elbows again. His jaw was smooth and paler than the rest of his face. His hands looked freshly washed, less dusty but still as rugged and rough as before.

He entered the room, pulled out a chair at the head of the table and sat down. Ivy sat down too, and poured herself a glass of water.

“I was afraid you’d be too young for all this.” She heard his deep voice and looked up. He had been watching her as he ate. He was definitely older than her, but not that much older. He looked like he was in his late twenties, still too young to own a ranch as lavish as this.

“But your cooking skills are excellent.” He said and Ivy felt her cheeks flush. A compliment was not what she was expecting from him.

“Thank you. These are all my late mother’s recipes.” She said, trying to suppress a smile. As much as she detested the way he spoke to her, she still couldn’t lie to herself and convince her brain that she didn’t want his body. Leon Cooper was the first man to set her body on fire like this.

“Why did you drop out of college? Your father said you were only there for two years.” He said, after a few moments of silence.

Ivy breathed in deeply, and took a bite of the hot pie.

“Because I wasn’t good at school and felt like I was wasting my time. I wanted to do something with my hands, something practical.” She said, meeting his sparkling eyes.

Leon took a sip of water to wash down the food he had been chewing.

“Getting an education is practical experience. Your father should have never let you drop out of college.” He said and Ivy felt the rage return to her veins. When was, he going to stop pissing her off? Who was he to lecture her?

“I didn’t want to waste my time doing something that I didn’t enjoy.” She said snappily, and looked away from him. She could feel her cheeks growing more bright because of the anger she could feel.

Leon gave a small sarcastic chuckle that made her look up again.

“Nobody does what they enjoy for the rest of their lives. You have to do what you have to do.” He said, glaring at her with narrowed eyes.

“You look like you’re enjoying your life. Why are you criticizing mine?” Ivy found herself saying, and she noticed the way Leon’s face immediately hardened.

“You don’t know anything about me. What makes you think I’ve not earned this lifestyle?” He thundered at her, his voice was raised and his eyes were focused on her. She could see the rage in his reddening eyes.

“What makes you think you know anything about me?” She asked, taking another bite of her pie. She wanted to enrage him more, she wanted to set his skin on fire. He had done the same to her, and she believed he deserved it too.

Leon stood up suddenly from the chair and banged both his fists on the table.

“Don’t expect you can talk to me that way, young lady!” He thundered again. Ivy scrunched her face, and dropped her cutlery on her plate to look up at him. She was glad that he was angry, that she had made him this angry.

“I only work for you, Mr. Cooper. I am not your ward or your wife. You have no control over how I speak.” She said, looking up at him calmly. She could see the way he was glaring at her, how angry he was, how he didn’t expect anyone to speak to him that way.

Leon banged the table again with his fists.

“This was a mistake. I shouldn’t have hired you. I will speak to your father so he can come and collect you tomorrow morning.” He said, stepping towards her.

Ivy wiped her mouth delicately with a napkin on her side, gulped down the rest of her food and then slowly stood up.

“I will gladly make the phone call myself. And I will be sure to tell him what a displeasure it has been to work for you. Just for a day.” Ivy hissed at him, as she watched him walk closer to her.

“You are a nuisance.” He barked at her, and she saw a vein throbbing on his forehead, how his eyes glittered with anger, how he had bunched up his fists. Ivy raised an eyebrow and smiled at him.

“You knew that when you hired me. You saw that in my eyes. Working here wasn’t what made you give me the job.” She said, and stepped towards him herself. Their bodies were now inches away from each-others. She could smell him, a mixture of his sweat with the musky scent of the aftershave he had splashed on his face. She could feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins as she glared at him defiantly.

In a flash his lips were on hers.

* * *

Leon had grabbed Ivy by the waist and drawn her close to him. In the surprise of the moment she had thrown her arms away from her body, accepting his kiss hungrily. His lips were rough and wild as he parted hers and thrust his tongue into her mouth. She had kissed only two boys before this, and nobody had kissed her like this. He made her body shiver, her fingers quiver with anticipation for what was going to happen next.

She knew what she wanted, she wanted him inside her. She wanted him to be the first man inside her.

Leon’s hands were moving up her body as she kissed him back. She could feel her breasts pressed against his chest, as his hands found its way inside her blouse. The feel of his fingers on her skin set it on fire. She could feel her body burning up, the wetness growing between her legs. She had never felt this aroused, this ready for a man before. She had to have him.

Leon was the one who pulled away from her, he was breathing hard.

“What are you doing to me, Ivy?” He growled as his hands found their way to the front of her blouse. He ripped it down the center, in one quick gash. Ivy gasped, as her torso was exposed to the air. She could feel her nipples hardened and erect. He saw them too, hungrily, greedily and before she knew what was going to happen, he was tugging at her lacey black bra with his teeth.

Ivy craned her neck back, thrusting her breasts towards him as he pulled her bra out of the way with his mouth. She was shy, she was embarrassed, nobody had seen her naked breasts before. She hadn’t allowed anyone to go this far.

“You are all woman, aren’t you?” She heard him say as he wedged his face between the soft folds of her bare breasts. He was clutching her waist as he did this, and she held on to his shoulders.

Then he pushed her, gently, so that she felt her back press against the cold wooden table top. He had laid her down on it, with her torso bare of any clothing.

When Ivy looked up she saw Leon towering over her, unbuttoning his shirt as he kept his eyes on her body. He was watching her breasts like he was in a daze.

His shirt came off and Ivy gasped again. He had the most chiseled rugged torso she had ever seen. Like it was right out of a glossy magazine. She couldn’t believe that a man who looked like this was going to have her virginity and she was so ready for him.

He dipped his head then, not giving her any time to think. She felt his mouth on one of her swollen hard pink nipples. He was sucking on it, and Ivy moaned, clutching his smooth bronze shoulders, digging her nails into his flesh. She could feel herself growing wetter by the second, her juices flowing out of her. Then his hands were on the buttons of her jeans.

Ivy bit down on her lip, as she felt his big rough hands slide her jeans down her voluptuous thighs. She felt small and delicate in his hands. He flung her jeans aside, and without giving her a moment to feel ashamed, he parted her bare legs, wedging himself between them.

When he raised his head to look at her, his lips were covered with his own saliva.

“I’ll only do it if you’re ready for me, Ivy.” He said, looking straight into her eyes. How was she supposed to explain to him that she had been ready and waiting for him from the first moment she saw him?

She only nodded her head and bit down on her lip.

She hadn’t seen his dick, hadn’t seen him take his pants off, but now she felt it slide into her. Ivy screamed, louder than she had expected herself to. She wasn’t a virgin anymore.

Leon slid into her, slowly, gently, afraid that he was hurting her.

“Go deeper. Give me more!” She screamed, throwing her head back with pleasure. She hadn’t expected it to feel this way. She hadn’t expected it to feel this good.

Leon started pumping. He was pumping hard. She could feel his full length inside her, taking over her body. He was holding her legs in place, keeping them spread wide apart as he thrust repeatedly into her.

Something else was happening inside her, way down in her belly. Leon kept his hands on her breasts, pinching her nipples with his fingers, while he thrust himself into her. The more he pumped into her, the more she could feel it growing. Ivy moved her hips, welcoming him in deeper and deeper. She could hear herself moaning, but she was also preparing herself for a release. She was so close to the edge.

“Oh my God, I’m going to come!” She screamed at the top of her lungs as her body exploded into a burst of sensations. She couldn’t control it any more. She heard him growl and then felt him shoot inside her too. They were coming together.

Ivy’s body shook wildly, and her toes curled as Leon continued to pump and thrust into her. She could feel him sliding in and out, stroking her deep in her center, the first time anyone had ever stroked her there.

She was smiling from the sensation; she could feel her body soar. If this was what sex felt like, she felt foolish for having waited this long to experience it. Then, as her breathing began to finally subside, and she could feel Leon slowly pulling himself out of her, Ivy couldn’t help but wondering again if this was what sex felt like, but only with Leon Cooper.

* * *

Ivy remained on the table, with her legs still spread apart, her breasts rising and falling from her raspy breathing. Leon had extracted himself from between her legs and was now standing naked in front of her, completely naked. Now she could finally see the enormous dick that he had just fucked her with. She tried to suppress a smile.

“I’m sorry.” Were the first words that escaped his lips.

Ivy straightened herself up. She was sitting on the edge of the table now, with her legs dangling off the side.

“You’re sorry? What for?” She asked him, brushing a few of her blonde ringlets away from her eyes. This man was always full of surprises.

“For this. I didn’t mean for this to happen.” Leon replied, and she noticed that he was avoiding her eyes. He had started to look for his clothes that were strewn all over the floor of the dining room.

“I wanted it too. You don’t have to apologize to me.” She said, and recognized a certain degree of desperation in her voice. She didn’t want him to punish himself for what had happened in the heat of the moment.

“This was your first time.” He said flatly, pulling up his pants to his waist.

Ivy remained silent, she didn’t want to reply to that statement because she wasn’t sure how he would react to that.

“You should have told me. You should have stopped me.” He said, in a louder voice, now buttoning up his shirt. Ivy was still naked on the table, and she saw how his eyes briefly went to her large swinging breasts.

“I didn’t want you to stop. I wanted this to happen.” She said, following his every movement with her eyes. Leon was tucking his shirt into his pants, and had then started to fold his sleeves up to his elbows. His dark brown eyes had lost their luster and sparkle, he looked worried.

“Leon! I wanted it!” She said, louder, to get his attention.

He jerked his head up to look at her.

“I told myself that I was hiring you only for the work. I should have known that I wouldn’t be able to control myself, you have to leave.” He said, turning away from her again. He had started to pick up her clothes off the floor.

Ivy jumped off the edge of the table, now standing naked in front of him. She wasn’t shy or ashamed of her body anymore, she knew the effect she had on him, she had watched him grow helpless when he saw her naked. She knew that even right now; he was struggling to keep his hands to himself.

“I don’t want to go just yet; I think we can find a way to work together. You need someone to look after the house anyway.” She said, pleading with him with her voice.

“I’ll find someone else.” He said and thrust a handful of her clothes towards her.

“I want to work here. We got off to a bad start, that’s all.” Ivy said, trying her best to not simply break down in tears.

“This cannot happen again. You have to leave!” He thundered, turning to her with rage in his eyes again.

“Why not? If we want each other, why can’t it happen again?” She yelled back at him, plucking the clothes out of his hands. Leon turned away from her, and walked towards the dining room door.

“I came here to get myself away from all this. Because I needed a break from women. I didn’t expect to find you in this town. I should have never hired you.” He said and stormed out, leaving Ivy alone and naked in the room.

She could feel her shoulders quivering as she stood beside the table, the food only half eaten on the plates. She held her clothes tightly to her chest as she licked her lips. She had just lost her virginity, she had never felt this good before, she had never felt this attracted to a man before, and now he had just gone and banished her from his life.

What did he mean he needed a break from women? Why was he punishing himself like this?

Ivy began to slowly put her clothes back on, and ran her fingers through her curls. She felt tired from the day, she wasn’t hungry anymore and she was more confused now than she had been when she first arrived here. In one moment, she hated Leon Cooper and wanted to get away from this house, and in the next she couldn’t stand the thought of going away.

Ivy bit down on her lip as she started clearing the dishes and cutlery away, taking them back into the kitchen.

She couldn’t hear Leon anywhere in the house. She didn’t know if he was still in the house or had left. She wished she could talk to him, make him see how he was affecting her life, how in the span of only one day, he had managed to give her a new purpose and make her body quiver with desire for him.

After clearing up, Ivy managed to muster the courage to walk to the bottom of the stairs in the foyer. She looked up at the bedrooms upstairs, but couldn’t tell if he was in one of them or not. She wanted to call out to him, but she held her tongue. Leon Cooper didn’t seem like the kind of man who would take defiance lightly. What other choice did she have but to allow him to call her father and leave his employment?

After all, he had all the right to fire her, he had no obligations to her. It was her fault for mixing up her feelings for him. It was nothing more than lust and he had already fulfilled her desires for him. Why then did she still want more? Why was she so desperate for more of this man who was only trying to push her away?

* * *

Ivy woke up on the sprawling springy bed in Leon’s guest room, all by herself. Now, at seven in the morning, she could hear Leon moving around upstairs in his own room. She stretched her arms, slipped off the bed and walked into the en-suite bathroom. She decided to take a shower.

She chose a knee length floral skirt for the day, along with a basic cotton black t-shirt which she knew would accentuate her breasts. She stared at herself in the mirror, as she dried and brushed her hair. Her green eyes were large and eager, the bright red of her cheeks had returned. She couldn’t wait to see him again.

She was in the kitchen, toasting bread and buttering them before it was even eight. She heard Leon’s footsteps on the stairs at eight sharp and within moments he had joined her in the kitchen. Ivy turned to look at him, and their gazes met. For the first time, she thought she saw embarrassment in Leon’s eyes. It was as though he hadn’t expected her to be there.

“Did you call daddy yet?” She asked him quietly, placing a plate of four buttered toasts on the kitchen island behind her. In a glass, she poured in orange juice and placed it next to the plate. Leon seemed to be debating whether to eat the food or not.

“No, I figured it was too early. I’ll call him in a couple of hours. You should pack your bags and stay ready.” He said and walked over to the plate of toasts. He picked one up without sitting down. Ivy wiped her hands on a kitchen towel and turned to him, crossing her arms over her breasts.

He looked handsome in the morning light. A dark stubble had begun to form on his chin, and he had changed into his usual plaid work shirt and dusty jeans, the hat was back on his head too.

“Well, I’ll do something to pass the time anyway. I’m packed already.” She said, breaking the silence. Leon didn’t respond but continued to munch on the toasts.

“Maybe I’ll brush the horses? I like doing that.” She suggested, she knew she sounded too eager, she was giving away her feelings, but she wanted to hear his voice again.

Leon looked up at her with heavy lids, and shrugged his shoulders.

“I’m not working with the horses today, so you can do what pleases you. Thanks for the breakfast.” He said and dusted his hands and made to walk away.

“Leon.” She called out to him, using his name for the first time. He had been inside her, he had made her come, she had felt his dick slide into her. The least she could do now was call him by his first name.

He only half turned, just his head, to acknowledge her.

“Why did you say you came here to get away? Get away from what?” She asked him. Leon looked away again, but he didn’t move. She could see that he was clenching his jaws now.

“If we’re never going to see each other again, how does it matter if you tell me the truth?” She asked him, taking a few steps in his direction. She could see the muscles on his back tense up. His jaws were still clenched; he was battling his own emotions. Ivy had a sudden urge to simply throw her arms around him and give him a hug. As annoyingly arrogant as he was, she felt like this strong rugged man just needed a hug.

“I have to get to work. I’ll call your daddy and tell him to come pick you up. I’ll tell him I changed my mind and I don’t need help around the house after all.” He said, in a flat emotionless voice and then he was out of the door.

Ivy threw the kitchen towel from her hands to the floor in anger. What was wrong with this man? He made her want to scream. Why couldn’t he just say something to her? Tell her the truth? Why was he pushing her away, when he clearly just needed some human company?

Ivy clenched and unclenched her fists and then turned around and tied her hair up in a bun. The golden ringlets framed the sides of her face, exposing her delicate pale long neck. She told herself that she didn’t care anymore. That was all she could do. If Leon Cooper didn’t want to be open to her, if he didn’t want to talk about what was going on in his life, she couldn’t make him.

All she could do now was kill time till her father arrived. Her father would tell her, he told her so. But she would lie and tell him that Leon Cooper changed his mind. She wouldn’t allow her father to find out what happened between them, and she wouldn’t let him find out that Leon Cooper was firing her because he couldn’t keep his hands off her and it made him feel guilty.

Ivy strode out of the house in a huff. She was going to find the horses, and she was going to brush them. She was going to brush them so good that Leon Cooper would regret his decision to banish her.

She walked determinedly towards the stable, till she spotted the chestnut colored beauty that Leon had been riding the previous day. She would begin with that horse, she decided. She blew some ringlets of golden hair off her nose as she placed her hands on her hips and smiled at the horses in the stable. If Leon was going to fire her for being attracted to her, she was going to show him that she was made of more than just an ability to turn him into warm butter in her hands.

* * *

Ivy had worked with horses before; she had brushed several horses as well. Her uncle had a ranch, much smaller than this, but she helped him and her cousins sometimes as a teenager, when her parents allowed her to.

But none of those horses were as feisty as this one.

Ivy brushed the horse gently, trying to cooingly talk to her as she patted her down. The horse neighed loudly and wouldn’t stand still.

With crossed brows, Ivy couldn’t understand what she was doing wrong. Animals loved her usually, especially horses. She stepped away from the horse and stood with her hands on her hips.

“What’s wrong horsey?” She spoke to the horse in a childish voice. “Are you afraid of me still?” She asked. An idea struck her, and Ivy decided that the best way to get the house accustomed to her touch would be to climb on her back and pat her down from there. It sometimes calms horses down.

Excitedly, Ivy hooked her foot on the saddle loops and hauled herself up on the horse, talking to her the whole time. But it had barely been a few moments that she was up on the horse, before she knew that it had been a bad decision. This horse was more agitated now than she had been before.

Still locked behind the gates of the stable, the horse began to neigh loudly and was kicking her hind legs high up in the air. The horse was trying to fling Ivy off of her, while she tried to hold on for dear life. A jump from off a horse as tall as this would mean a cracked spine or a broken leg at the least.

She had started screaming already, holding on to the saddle, afraid of what could happen in any second.

Then she saw the stable door open and in a flash, Leon had climbed up on the saddle behind her.

“There there Mocha, I’m here now, it’s alright.” He was coming to the horse. He had reached over Ivy’s shrunken shoulder to pat the neck of the horse affectionately. Ivy was still scared stiff, holding on to the saddle with both her hands. Then she felt Leon’s hand rise up her waist and hold her, while he continued to stroke the horse with his other hand.

“I didn’t know…I couldn’t stop…” Ivy’s words were jumbled; she was still frightened and visibly shaking. In all her years of working with animals, and visiting ranches, no horse had reacted to her this way.

“It’s fine. She suffers from anxiety and is only calm when she sees me.” Leon had leaned in to whisper in Ivy’s ear. She felt his lip graze her earlobe as he spoke. The same mix of the scent of his masculinity with his aftershave rose up her nose, sending goosebumps down her arms.

“Sorry, I didn’t know.” Ivy whispered back to him.

“I only remembered right now that you said you would come to brush the horses. I didn’t get a chance to warn you not to go near her.” He said, in a gruff whisper, their bodies were still close together.

He was sitting behind her, with his legs hanging off the saddle of the horse, and Ivy could feel his growing throbbing dick pressing into her butt. She straightened her back, aware of his hand on her waist. She was struggling to contain herself, to stop herself from just simply turning around and kissing him. She wanted to do it, but she wasn’t sure how he would react. Even though she could feel that he was aroused by her.

“We must get off her now.” Leon said, back to his normal voice again, possibly aware that she could feel his growing dick. He moved away from her, his hands falling off her waist as he jumped off the saddle.

Ivy gulped as she looked down at him. Leon was still stroking the horse’s neck, whistling to her to comfort her.

“Just grab my hand and jump off, then step away from her as smoothly as you can. She’ll be alright as long as I’m here.” He said, looking up at her. Even though she was out of danger now, even though he had come to her rescue already, Ivy could see the worry on his face still. Leon Cooper had been worried for her? She nearly smiled.

Ivy grabbed his extended hand and used it as support to jump off the horse. Then in one quick step she had moved away from the anxious horse, who was still whimpering and neighing.

“She’s a beautiful, loving horse. But only to me.” Leon said, and turned to Ivy with an unexpectedly warm smile. She could see it in his eyes, he loved his horse, and that made her smile too.

“I can see that. You have a special place in your heart for Mocha.” Ivy said, holding his gaze. Leon’s smile lasted a few more seconds, before he looked away from her and kissed the horse’s neck.

“C’mon off to the house. You shouldn’t hang around here.” He said, and hurriedly led the way out of the stable. Ivy smoothened her skirt with her hands and followed him, unable to suppress the smile on her face.

In the midst of a dangerous situation, she had seen a different and new side to Leon that she couldn’t have predicted. He wasn’t angry with her, as she had expected him to be, he wasn’t angry with the horse either. He had thought quickly, come to her rescue and completed the task without losing his temper.

Ivy watched his muscular back as she followed him back towards the house. Why was he forcing her to go away? She didn’t want to go away. She wanted to stay with him, feel his hands on hers, find out as much as she could about him, because there was no greater mystery to her than Leon Cooper. But he didn’t seem to want to be solved, he wanted to be left alone.

* * *

Leon left Ivy alone in the house for several hours, and she wasn’t sure if he had even called her father yet. She cleaned the rooms, dusted, washed the dishes and in a few hours, went down to her bedroom and sat on the bed looking outside.

She was still not happy to go. Especially now that Leon had revealed a new side to him that she hadn’t expected to find. This was the man who had taken her virginity, the one to whom she had given it willingly, and she didn’t simply want to forget about him that easily.

At around mid-day, she heard Leon enter the house again, and then the sound of his boots approaching her bedroom door. Ivy sat up in bed, wringing her hands together. She was afraid of hearing the words she believed he was going to say, “Your daddy is on his way to pick you up.”

Leon knocked on the door, and Ivy cleared her throat before asking him to come in.

He had his hat in his hands, and a somber expression on his face. He had only opened the door, but hadn’t stepped in. It seemed like he was also avoiding her eyes.

“I spoke to your daddy and he said that he won’t be able to pick you up till day after morning, he can’t leave the business open.”

When Ivy heard the words, she tried to suppress a smile. She didn’t want to give away how delighted she was to hear him say that.

“So, I’ll drive you up there today.” He added and Ivy’s face dropped immediately.

“You don’t have to do that.” She was quick to assert, getting off the bed.

“Well, there is no other way. You can’t walk back, it’s twenty miles away.” He said, finally meeting her eyes. The sparkle in his brown eyes had returned for some reason.

“I don’t want to walk back, that isn’t what I meant.” Ivy said, feeling her cheeks beginning to flush again.

“Well, you can’t stay here.” He said gruffly and shrugged his shoulders.

Ivy stepped towards him and Leon stepped hurriedly back, like he was trying to defend himself against an attack.

“Why don’t I stay here till my daddy is ready to come and pick me up?” She asked him.

Leon looked at her silently, his face grim again. He couldn’t keep his eyes off her any more, she could see him studying her figure, her face, the curves of her breasts. He was trying to decide if he would be able to keep his hands off her or not.

“You need somebody for the house any way.” She said, with a tear in her voice.

“I can do it myself. I’m better off alone.” He growled, snapping off suddenly from his fantasies of her.

Ivy shook the curls off her face and took a few more steps towards him. Leon was following her with his eyes.

“You can’t. And I know you like my cooking.” She said with a smile on her face, and she placed a hand on his chest.

Leon’s gaze fell to it immediately, and in one swift motion he shook her hand off of him. This was not the same kind, concerned man who had saved her from that anxious horse. He was back to being the same brooding Leon who she was first introduced to.

“Don’t assume you know me, and keep your hands off me, woman.” He barked at her, and was quick to move away.

Ivy was suddenly more embarrassed than she had ever been before. This was an outright affront. He had directly communicated to her now that he didn’t want anything to do with her, that the previous night’s sex had been a mistake.

Ivy could feel hot tears pricking the back of her eyelids, as she tried to stop herself from bursting out in tears.

“You can stay here till your daddy picks you up, but only because I have too much work to do to go around giving people lifts. Just stay out of my way.” He said and turned away from her.

Ivy remained where she was, till she heard the sound of the slamming front door.

Then she started crying. Hot fat tears were rolling down her cheeks, as she remained standing with her hands clasped together.

She felt like she had made a fool of herself. She had thrown herself at a man who only treated her with anger and contempt. She wanted to get away. She would go away.

Ivy slammed the bedroom door shut and sprung herself on the bed, reaching for her cellphone which was on the bedside table now. Her father had sent her a few text messages, which she ignored. She was only interested in the internet now, and accessing the emails that had been sent to her in the last few days.

She re-read the email that had been lying there in her inbox, unanswered for several days.

“Dear Ms. Ivy Hart,

Thank you for applying for the position of Secretary to Mr. George Hernandez. We are pleased with your CV and would like to offer you the position.

How soon will you be able to relocate to Miles City?

Kind Regards,

Debbie Howard

Recruitment Associate, Hernandez & Co.”

She had managed to keep the email a secret for several days, from her father and even from herself. She was ignoring it, and hoping that something better would come along, in her own town instead, which would mean that she wouldn’t have to move to Miles City. But she felt now, like Leon was forcing her to go away. She felt like she had no place here in this town any more. That it was destiny pushing her in the direction of this new job, on the other side of the State. Far away from this no-good small town and from a man who she should have stayed away from to begin with.

* * *

“Where is my dinner?” Leon’s voice was thundering outside Ivy’s bedroom door.

She had lain in bed all day, and now she looked up from her phone screen and rolled her eyes.

“Ivy?” He called out to her, and knocked on her door this time, when she hadn’t responded to him.

She continued to remain silent, and instead of answering him, turned over to the other side, her back facing the door, just seconds before he burst in through the door. She looked at him over her shoulder, and he had that worried expression on his face again. Did he think she had run away?

“I’m staying away from you, just like you asked me to.” She said, with a bored look on her face. He looked like he was just about to burst into flames though.

“Why haven’t you made us dinner yet? It’s past eight.” He said, clutching the doorknob with his hand, where she could see that his knuckles had started to turn white.

“Why should I be making you any dinner? You fired me from the job remember.” She said, still not turning to face him.

“What are you going to eat then?” He asked. She could see that he was trying very hard to calm himself down.

“I’m not hungry, and besides, a few pounds knocked off of me might actually do me some good.” She said nastily, and looked away from him.

“Don’t you ever say that!” She heard him say, and then there were footsteps behind her. When Ivy looked over again, she realized that he was standing right behind her, at the edge of the bed, glaring down at her with narrowed eyes.

“Don’t say that, Ivy. You don’t need to knock off any pounds. You are beautiful.” He said, in a much more subdued voice, taking her by surprise.

She straightened herself up and sat up straight to face him more clearly now. He was watching her as she pulled her knees close to her chin, wrapping her arms around her legs as she looked up at him.

“Why don’t you just leave me alone, Leon? I thought we were going to stay out of each other’s way till daddy came to pick me up.” Ivy said, taking in a deep breath. As much as she had prepared herself to believe that Leon was a lost cause to her, that she shouldn’t be pursuing him, she still couldn’t help but conjure up the same feelings for him. His broad neck, his wide chest, those big rugged rough hands. She couldn’t stop thinking about how delicate and small he had made her feel when he had her in his arms. She wanted to nuzzle her nose into the hair on his chest.

“You should get something to eat.” He said, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked down at her.

“I can take care of myself, thank you very much. Why don’t you just worry about your own meal?” Ivy rolled her eyes at him and said.

“Stop being difficult, Ivy.” She heard him say, and then his hands were on her. He was trying to haul her off the bed, while she started kicking her legs wildly.

“I don’t want to eat. Just leave me alone, Leon. I want to stay away from you!” She was screaming at the top of her lungs, while he drew her in closer to himself. She knew she was acting childishly, that she was overreacting, but she felt overwhelmed. She couldn’t understand his alternating hot and coldness, what he wanted from her. All she knew was that she wanted him, and he was too complicated for her to have.

Leon pulled her closer to him, and with his hand he pressed her head down on his chest, wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace.

Ivy could feel her breath getting stuck in her throat as he held her. She wasn’t crying, but she could feel the stinging reddening sensation in her nose which was always followed with tears. But Leon had managed to suffocate that, she was so taken aback by his kindness, the way he held her to his chest, that she could do nothing but be amazed by what was happening. She was actually in Leon Cooper’s arms.

She could feel his heart beating against her ears, as he kept his hand pressed on the back of her head. She slowly drew her arms around his waist and remained there, submerged in the moment, her eyes slowly closing to the comfort of that position.

“Ivy.” She heard him say her name, and her eyes flew open again.

“Yes.” She said, in a soft embarrassed voice. She was ashamed of how dramatic she had just been.

“Will you let me kiss you again?” He said, in a similar low voice as hers.

She hurriedly drew herself away from him, she was so surprised to hear him ask that. How did he not yet know, that was all she wanted? To be kissed by him, to be fucked by him. That was all she wanted from the moment she laid her eyes on him.

She lifted herself up on her toes, and this time she was the one who kissed him, pulling his lips into her mouth, her hands traveling up his hard-muscular chest. His hands were on her waist, drawing her closer to his body. She closed her eyes, to experience the fullness of that kiss, how tender and gentle it was. How it wasn’t hungry or wild at all, like it had been before. Suddenly, she wanted to break down and cry again. Because she knew this would lead to nothing, that as much as she wanted Leon sexually, she also knew by now that he could give her nothing more. Leon was damaged goods and she wouldn’t be able to fix him.

* * *

Leon’s mouth was on Ivy’s neck. He was tracing her throat with his tongue, while his hands held her tightly, close to his chest. She had her hands on his shoulders, with her head doubled back, giving him the freedom to do with her as he pleased.

She could feel herself growing wet again. The roughness of his stubble tingled her skin where he was licking her. She wanted to unbutton his shirt, feel the honey smooth skin of his shoulders on her fingertips.

She could feel his growing dick pressing into her belly. He was as out of control as she was. She could feel herself smiling.

“Ivy.” He muttered her name, as she felt his hands grazing up her leg, pulling up her skirt to her waist. His hands were on the inside of her thighs next, touching the soft skin there, squeezing and kneading it with his hands.

“You are so wet. You’re so ready for me.” He said, in her ear as she felt his fingers beginning to stroke her, through the fabric of her wet panties. His fingers were rough, and he was gently stroking her there, making her wetter, making it more swollen. She cried out from the pleasure.

When Ivy opened her eyes, she saw that Leon was smiling. He had his eyes on her face, and he was enjoying looking at her writhe with pleasure.

“Leon, don’t torture me like this.” She said to him, whispering the words. And he started stroking her harder. She wanted more than just his fingers now, she wanted to feel that dick slide into her again. She wanted to see him naked, feel his throbbing growing core in her mouth. She wanted him to cry out with pleasure, the same way she was doing now. But he wouldn’t let her go, he continued to stroke her, preparing her for what was to come.

She leaned forward to kiss him again, and this time their kiss was rough. They were both desperate and hot with anticipation. He nibbled on her bottom lip as she explored his mouth with her tongue. His hand remained under her skirt, stroking her still. She was afraid that she would lose control there and then, that she would orgasm quicker than he was expecting her to. She was holding herself back, she was trying to control it, but his fingers, dripping and slippery with her own juices, was making it very difficult.

“Rip off my clothes, Leon. Make me feel good again.” She found herself saying, and to her surprise, his fingers suddenly stopped moving.

With a quick jerk, he had released her from his arms, and Ivy went falling back. She fell back on the bed, and gasped with surprise. What was going on?

Leon stumbled back, rubbing his hands over his face. He suddenly looked exhausted and angry again.

“What’s the matter? What happened?” Ivy cried, sitting up, watching his confused expression change to rage.

“I’m sorry, Ivy. I can’t make you feel good.” He said, running his fingers through his shaggy blonde hair.

“What are you talking about, Leon?” She asked him, biting down on her lip.

“I can’t make you feel good. I can’t make you happy.” He muttered, looking about the room like he wasn’t sure where he was.

“Leon, is this about your past? What’s the matter?” She cried, jumping off the bed and rushing towards him.

Leon stepped back, his back hitting the closed door of the room. Ivy placed her hands on his chest, in an attempt to calm him, but he glared at her, like he wanted to run away.

“I can’t make women happy. You are too lovely, you’re too beautiful and smart to want me. I will only end up hurting you.” He said, in a low guttural voice.

Ivy shook her head, still biting her lip.

“Who told you that? What are you talking about?” She barked at him, clutching the front of his shirt with her hands.

“The woman I wanted to marry.” He said, finally meeting her eyes. Ivy’s hands dropped from his chest.

“You’re in love with someone else?” She asked, stepping away from him.

Leon remained silent, and averted his gaze from her again.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were in love with somebody else.” Ivy said, the tears returning now. She knew she should have stayed away from him. She knew he wasn’t the man for her.

“Ivy, look…” He began to say but she interrupted him.

“I understand now, Leon. You can’t change what the heart wants. I was foolish to throw myself at you.” She said harshly, angrier with herself than anything else.

“No, you’re not…” He tried to say, but she had stopped him again.

“You don’t have to worry about me anymore, Leon. I won’t be making a fool of myself again. I’m going away.” She said, clasping her hands to the front. He jerked his head up to look at her.

“No, you don’t have to. I’ll tell your daddy you can work here as long as you want. I was being selfish. You need a job, and I need an employee.” He said, meeting her eyes.

Ivy shook her head.

“No, I have another job. I’m going away. I’ll leave town soon. You don’t have to worry. You can hire somebody else, someone who won’t tempt you and seduce you and trouble you.” She said and whipped around from him.

“You’re leaving town?” She heard him ask from behind her.

“Yes.” She replied, hoping that he would ask her where. Hoping that there was still some hope, that he might still want her.

“I’ll leave a sandwich for you on the kitchen counter, in case you get hungry later.” He said, after a few moments of silence. And then he was gone, he had left her room and gently shut the door behind him.

Ivy fell back down on the bed, drawing the covers up close to her chin. She had never felt this miserable before, and all for a man who was in love with somebody else.

* * *

Ivy didn’t get out of bed the next day till mid-day. Even then, she showered slowly, changed into a pair of old loose jeans and a fresh blouse, not in any hurry to leave the room. She figured, the less she saw of Leon, the better it would be for her to control her feelings.

Her blonde curls were still damp when she stepped out of the room and into the kitchen. She was surprised to find Leon sitting at the table, black rimmed glasses on his eyes and a pen suspended in the air.

“What are you doing?” She blurted out.

He had a thick stack of papers before him on the table, and a long register open where he was trying to either make notes, or calculate something.

He looked up at her, over the lenses of his spectacles. Suddenly, he looked much older, wiser and even more serious if he possibly could.

“Trying to do my accounts. I’ve never been too good at it.” He said.

Ivy crossed her arms and leaned on the door frame, with a sarcastic smile on her face. She hadn’t ever thought that Leon Cooper might ever admit to a shortcoming.

“You look mighty lost alright.” She said, the smile growing wider.

Leon pulled the glasses off his face and folded them on the table, looking at her with those chocolate brown eyes that she had grown to become so fond of.

“Do you want to help me? Or are you just going to stand there and make fun of me?” He asked, raising a mischievous eyebrow at her.

Ivy pursed her lips, enjoying this other new side of him.

“How long have you been sitting there? Secretly waiting for me to come out of my room, cowboy?” She asked, walking in his direction now.

He finally smiled. That same warm wide smile that always took her by surprise. It was strange to think that he was probably at least half a decade older than her, or maybe even more. In that instance, she felt more authoritative and wiser than him. He wasn’t trying to pretend that he knew more than her.

“Since eight o clock.” He said and Ivy burst out laughing.

She pulled out a chair at the table and sat down across from him.

She noticed the handsome plaid shirt he was wearing, the dampness of his sandy blonde hair, his clean-shaven jaw. He too had just taken a shower.

“You’re not working out on the ranch today?” She asked, absent-mindedly pulling the stack of papers towards her. They had never had such a normal, regular conversation before and Ivy was lost in enjoying the simplicity of it. Neither were they at each other’s throats, or trying to rip the clothes off each other.

“I have to get this done.” He said, running his fingers through his damp hair. Just watching him do that filled her with a sudden warmth. Just a small regular gesture, but it made him a bit more human.

She nodded her head, running her eyes over the papers in front of her.

“Now, I’m no accountant, but I took a few classes in college, just to study the business side of farming.” She said, looking up at him again.

“Give it your best shot, because mine looks like that.” Leon said, pointing at the stack of papers with a grin on his face. Ivy grinned back at him.

“Well, I can begin with arranging this in the right order first, and then we can take it from there. Do you have a record of all your business receipts? Bank transfers? The forms that need to be filled up?” She asked, crossing her legs and turning to him with a serious, business-like expression.

Leon stood up from his chair and nodded his head.

“I think so. I’ll go look for them, and pile them up there in a box or something.” He said.

“This could take a while, Leon.” Ivy said, stopping him as he made his way out of the kitchen.

“I don’t expect you to do much. Just help me out with what you can, and then I’ll hire an accountant for the rest of it.” He said, their eyes meeting again. Ivy blushed, because she couldn’t stop thinking about how nice this was. How normal this felt.

“Sure. What did you do before this? With your money, I mean.” She said, genuinely wondering how a billionaire cowboy managed all his funds.

Leon shrugged his shoulders.

“My father did it. I just worked our farms and ranch in Minnesota. When he died, I bought this place. I’ve never looked into the business side of things. This is all new to me.” He said frankly, and Ivy smiled again. Suddenly he looked like a much younger version of himself, lost and confused.

“You’ll get the hang of it soon, it’s not that hard.” She said and he nodded, before disappearing out of the room.

She sighed as she looked at the papers again.

She had lied, it wasn’t that easy and all of the paperwork looked like at least ten days’ worth of work.

But after the next day it wasn’t going to be her problem anymore. Once her father picked her up, she could forget about the ranch, Leon Cooper and his accounts. For now, she was planning on enjoying working with him, in a few hours it would be night again and then the dawn of a new day.

She bit down on her lips as she thought about that moment when he had walked into her father’s pub. She could still remember how she had felt by just looking at him. He still made her feel that way, but the wise thing to do would be to just train herself to forget about it.

* * *

“You really do need to get an accountant!” Ivy said, widening her eyes at Leon who was sitting across from her at the table. The glasses were back on his face and he had a pencil stuck behind his ear.

He looked up at her, again from on top of his glasses and gave a smirk.

“Tell me about it.” He said.

Ivy licked her lips. They had been at it for several hours now and she had lost track of time. They both had a pile of papers in front of them each, trying to sort through all the business transactions that she could account for. She had managed to arrange a few things for the filing forms, but the rest of it was going to take ages. And she had been very careful till now to not make any comments on how much money this man actually had.

He sure didn’t dress that way. Leon Cooper’s arrogance wasn’t a moneyed sophisticated one, it was more masculine and brooding. If she didn’t know anything about him, where he lived, how luxurious this mansion was…she would never have guessed that he was a billionaire.

“Thank you, Ivy. For doing this.” He said suddenly, interrupting her thoughts. She looked up at him and their eyes met again. They had shared a good few peaceful working hours, putting their disputes and their worries behind them. She felt comfortable in his presence, like she could be herself, like he appreciated the work she was putting into all this.

“You’re welcome. See, I am good for more than just cooking meals.” Ivy said with a laugh.

“Of course you are. Which is why I’m glad you have a new job. A different one. I would be very guilty keeping you here, cooped up in my ranch, doing the dishes.” He said, placing the papers in his hands on the table.

Ivy flicked the curls on her face to the side and licked her lips again.

“That’s what daddy keeps telling me too. But what about what I want?” She asked, daring to meet his sparkling eyes.

“What do you want?” He asked, softly.

“I want to stay in this town. This is my home. This is where I feel closest to my mother. And I don’t want to work in a big fancy corporate office. That wouldn’t make me happy.” Ivy said, and stood up from her chair. She could sense that Leon was following her with his eyes.

“But there’s nothing for you here. For a beautiful smart young woman like you.” She heard him say, and Ivy whipped around to face him again.

“See, that’s what daddy keeps telling me as well. But nobody gives me the opportunity. He doesn’t let me help him run his business. I’m good at accounts, I’m good with customers. I’ll be good at managing a business. But he won’t let me. He thinks I’m meant for greatness, but what if I just want to be great here. In our town. In my home.” Ivy had worked herself up with the speech. She could feel her neck flushing, her cheeks growing red.

She could see that Leon’s eyes had travelled to her red-as-apples cheeks. His eyes softened, and he stood up as well.

“Well, I guess you have to just convince him.” He said, and there were several moments of silence between them.

“But I have a job now. Maybe in a few years I can come back again, maybe then he’ll give me a shot again.” She said and turned to the kitchen sink. There were a few dishes in the sink, which she started cleaning.

“Leave those be, Ivy. I’ll do them later.” She heard him say, but she didn’t stop. She kept washing them.

“I need to get a dishwasher.” He said, and she smiled to herself. Then she sensed him walking close to her.

“Leave them Ivy. You don’t work for me anymore.” He said and his hands were on hers. She felt her skin tingle with his touch, as he tugged her hand away from the sink. He turned her gently to face him, and the smile on his face was gone.

“I wish you the best of luck in your life, Ivy.” He said, somberly. But he sounded like he meant it. Ivy’s hands were wet from the soapy water of the sink but he still held them tightly, keeping her facing him as they stood.

“You deserve the best in life. I don’t know you at all, but I know you’re a great girl. Someday you’ll make a man very happy.” He said, and slowly let her hands go.