Chapter 10
Blake
I was beginning to regret having brought Silver to live in my house. The temptation was becoming too great. At first, I was hot on her scent and the idea of having a woman already under my roof seemed like a dream come true. The better I got to know her, though, the more I’d come to respect her. She wasn’t like the other women I’d bedded. I didn’t want to do that with her; she was like that bottle of hundred-year-old brandy you saved and saved, and then maybe never even drank because it meant you’d never have the anticipation again. The anticipation had become sweeter than the realization.
Listen to me, I thought to myself. When did I become the grand philosopher?
How could she have me thinking like this? I needed to think of her as my employee—no more and no less than Pablo who looked after the horses. Well, maybe not quite that neutral, but it was hands off under any circumstances.
Then, on the other hand, maybe having a woman I wanted to bed, but couldn’t, was good therapy for me. Just maybe I’d learn better self-control and not end up with so many regrets on the morning after. One thing I did know: there was absolutely no desire to get drunk as long as she was around. I wanted to be in the present, bright-eyed, and fully conscious.
I got up the next morning, ready to start work. I had an upcoming event in Albuquerque the next weekend and plenty more on the schedule beyond that. I would be interested to see how she worked her magic.
I found her already in the kitchen and she pulled a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast from the warming drawer of the oven and handed it to me. “Sit down,” she invited.
She disappeared and came back with a cup of coffee and I nodded my thanks as I bit down on the toast. She was looking infuriatingly tempting in a pair of short shorts and a cropped top. “This your business attire?” I asked her.
“We’re going to talk a bit and then I’m going out by the pool,” she explained. “I’ve discovered it’s my favorite office.”
“Lucky you,” I offered. “It’s okay. I’ve got some work to do in town. I’ve got an event next weekend in Albuquerque.”
“We have an event in Albuquerque, you mean,” she sent back.
“You going with me?”
“Of course. In the meantime, I’ll get some press out there and maybe even arrange for an event of our own.”
“What kind of event?”
“Oh, I’ll keep it simple. Something like visiting a children’s hospital or senior citizens’ home.”
“I like the kids one better.”
“I know, but it can break your heart.”
“True,” I nodded. “Do what you think is best. I trust you, and it’s your job.”
“Thank you for the vote of confidence,” she said most sincerely. “I appreciate that trust.”
“Just let me read through anything before you publish or send it, okay?”
“Well, so much for the vote of confidence!”
“Aw, c’mon, Silver. I meant that because you don’t know the business yet.”
“Okay, I get it.”
Business meeting concluded, I emptied my coffee cup and headed out to the truck. I looked at the white Escalade sitting in the drive next to mine and thought how right it looked there. I almost felt a little sorry leaving her behind. How the hell did I get attached to this woman in a couple of days?
I eased my truck down the rutty drive of Jason Rutledge, a fellow bull rider whom I’d known since I was a kid. He was a tough, tough character who had been in quite a bit of trouble off and off through his life. He was married, his wife Leah and he had met years before and had three, petite little daughters who called me Uncle Blake.
Corrine, the youngest was running toward my truck, her arms waving hello in the air. “Uncle Blake!”
I grinned and climbed out, catching her as she threw herself into my arms. It felt great to have something genuinely pure and innocent attach herself to me. I realized suddenly that Silver gave me that feeling, too, except she was a fully-grown woman. It was part of her attraction.
“Your dad around?” I asked Corrine.
She nodded and pointed to the barn behind the house. I gave her an extra hug and put her down, patting her bottom to send her indoors so I could talk to her dad alone.
“Jason? You in here?” I called as I approached.
“Well, sonofabitch, look who’s here. Do I owe you money or something?”
“Probably, but that’s not why I’m here,” I grinning, clamping down on his hand. “Got something to talk over with you.”
“Well, hell, let me grab us a couple of cold ones and let’s have a seat on the patio,” he motioned to the gaily-furnished seating area behind the house.
I found a place and he soon joined me; a cold beer newly uncapped found its way into my mouth. He settled into a chair across from me, crossing his leg with a wince of pain. Jason’s bull-riding days were numbered. He’d gotten broken up too many times to ever heal right again. I knew he was worried about supporting his family once he quit riding. Sometimes I was afraid he almost wished the bull would kill him so the family would at least have his insurance money. I looked at that, hard, and considered whether I would ever have that frame of mind. So far in my life, no one would miss me. I only had to take care of myself.
“So, what’s up, buddy?” he asked me.
“Yeah, I got myself into a fix, not that I’m complaining, but wanted to talk it over with you. We go back a long ways, Jason.”
“Sure do,” he nodded in agreement.
“So, here’s the thing. You know I’ve been runnin’ around a little wild: too much drinkin’ and women. Well, it’s beginning to catch up to me. This woman from the north came down and shot me as I went off Cain the other day. She wrote a story to go along with it—how my excesses are leading to my career ruin. I was pissed, at first, but then I saw she was really helpin’ me. It was all true—the whole damned thing. If it hadn’t been her, it would have been someone else and the result would have been the same.”
“Damn!” he uttered and spat on the concrete.
“Yeah, I know. But I sweet talked her into pulling the story before it went live.”
“Screw her?” he laughed.
“Nope. Hired her.”
“Hired her?”
“Yeah, can you believe it? She’s my new publicity manager and she’s good, Jason. Real good. Knows what she’s doin’.
“Oh, so you want to screw her. I get it,” he chuckled.
“Won’t say I don’t, but I won’t. She not that kind, Jason. She’s somethin’ special. She’s a keeper and I’m about to screw that up by throwin’ her in the same pen as all the others.”
Jason was shaking his head, unbelieving of what I was saying.
“I know what you’re thinkin’, I really do. I’ve got her livin’ at the ranch with me … in the other end of the house, and I haven’t laid a finger on her. Anyway, she’s got some pretty good ideas about getting me some publicity. You might say she’s planning to make the black sheep look like the savior of the herd.”
“What the hell?”
“Yeah, I know, I know. She’s on to some of the shit that goes on behind the scenes. She wants to bring some of it up to the surface and make the guys like me, and like you, look a little more like heroes and less like pond scum.”
He was thoughtful. I could see the concept processing behind his eyes.
“How’s she plannin’ to do this?”
“Oh, she’s got her ways, believe me. She knows all that Internet shit. Makes it out to be her private newspaper. She wants to set up some celebrity appearances for me as I work the circuit.”
“So, how does this involve me?”
I knew he would get to that. He may be a little beat up, but his brain was clear.
“I figured you and I kind of share some similarities. We’ve both been tied to the drink, seen the back end of a bull, and need some polish on our reputations. I figure if I let her do all this for me, I’m going to stand out like a sore thumb. People will catch on and it’ll actually come out worse than if I did nothin’. Now, if you, on the other hand, were to sort of do this with me, we’d be more like a ‘movement’, so to speak. Not so trackable, not so accountable.”
“I get you,” his head was nodding in understanding. “But what does it mean for the future?”
“Well, she seems to think it could mean some endorsements. That’s big money, buddy. We play it right and it could mean a nice little nest egg for you. Might be enough to get you started in some little business when your ridin’ days are over,” I said, bringing up a sensitive subject and hoping he would take it well.
“Yeah, I get you,” he said.
“So? You in?”
He thought a moment and just then Corrine called from inside the house to say that lunch was ready. That seemed to seal the deal. “I’m in,” he said abruptly. “Can’t get no worse than it is, I guess.”
I nodded and reached forward to shake his hand. “I’ll be in touch,” I told him and handed him the empty beer bottle.
“Stayin’ for lunch?” he invited.
“Nope, but thanks. Ate just before I came and I got a few more guys to talk to. I’m building just the right group for this. I don’t want to stand out, and neither do you. Group publicity is much safer, as you know.”
“You whip that herd into shape, Blake,” he urged and watched me as I got into the truck and turned around to pull down his drive.
I paid a few more visits that afternoon and wound up at the ranch just before dinner. Silver didn’t hear me come in; she was napping on the chair by the pool. I took advantage of the time by studying her. Her long, dancer’s legs made me hard and I longed to kiss the inside of her thighs. Her tummy was flat and I could see the blonde hairs on her arm glisten in the late afternoon sunshine. I let myself go there; that valley between her full breasts which were now in a soft-pink bikini top with ruffles at the bottom. It was like seeing her as a young girl and a beautiful woman all in one package. I wasn’t sure what she was blocking about her childhood, but I had a feeling it wasn’t good and it made me want to protect her.
She stirred and her eyes opened sleepily, making me want to hug her to my chest. “Hi,” she murmured.
“Hi, yourself.”
“You just get home?” she asked and it stirred me to hear her refer to the ranch as home.
“Yup.”
“I’ll get up and start dinner.”
“I’ve got a better idea. How about you get dressed and let me take you out on the town?”
“You sure? I mean, that’s really not like business, is it?” Her brow was crinkled as though she was trying to keep things professional but her heart wanted to do otherwise.
“We’ll call it a business meeting,” I told her and she smiled and nodded.
“Be right with you,” she said and disappeared inside. I took a quick dip and then hit the shower and dressed myself. I splashed on a little cologne but wouldn’t let myself ignore what I’d done.
I was having a glass of wine in the living area when she came in. She could have knocked me over. Her perfect figure was encased in a tight, black dress and those legs ended in high spiked heels. Her silver head was piled atop her head and held in place with a single gold pin. She literally glittered from head to foot. My entire body groaned internally to take her into my arms.
“Wow,” I breathed in a soft tone.
“You like?”
I could tell that my next words would somehow make or break a huge part of her life. “You are stunning.”
She smiled, as much to herself as to me and nodded. “Thank you.”
We got into the Escalade and she let me drive. I took her to the best restaurant in Dallas and we ordered a half different entrees and picked a bite from each, just to be extravagant. I ordered a selection of wines to complement each of the foods and we sampled these as well. There was a small orchestra next to the dance floor and that night I held a silver angel in my arms.
It was well through the night before we pulled back into the drive and I went around and opened the door for her. She turned to get out and instead, I scooped her into my arms and carried her indoors. I turned down her hallway and laid her on her bed. I wanted my silver angel.