Chapter 33
My hat smells like Belle. Every time I inhale, I get a hit of her peachy shampoo, and it’s the only thing keeping me from having a full-blown panic attack as guests flood into the ranch.
It’s more people to keep happy, and that’s never been my strong suit.
Which is why, despite my initial reservations, having Rhett here is a good thing.
Sure, he’s absolute shit at any of the hard labor or hands-on tasks, but he can charm the pants off of anyone.
Still makes me jealous as hell when he flirts with Belle, but I recognize he’s much more appealing to the general public than me.
Between him, August, Remy, and even Wylie, we’re set on hunky minotaurs for the guests to talk to. I’d love to let them do their thing and stay hidden away in the office or off hauling hay and mucking stalls.
Unfortunately, as part owner, I’m the face of Taurus Ranch. Between Belle’s insistence and August’s pestering, I’m dressed up in my nicest suit jacket and jeans, feeling a bit like a clown as I welcome guests and give a brief speech about the reopening and all the weekend festivities have on offer.
Though when Belle smiles at me from where she stands at the side of the small crowd, I find I don’t mind telling people about what we’ve built together over the last few months.
She looks so beautiful, her auburn curls bobbing in the light breeze, sparkling head to toe as the mid-afternoon sunlight hits the rhinestones on her outfit. She’s even made Doodle look cute, carrying him in a pink chicken sling under her arm like a purse.
Dragging Belle’s scent into my lungs, I smile as I tell our guests about all the updates we’ve made to Taurus Ranch. It’s frankly mind-boggling how much we got done.
I can’t take most of the credit, but I’ll gladly talk it up to others, knowing it was thanks to the hard work of our staff and friends.
It’s thanks especially to Belle, who ended up putting together a crowdfunding campaign to capitalize on our social media success.
I hated asking for charity, but she found in Dawn’s journals that she’d done something similar—though much more local—when the ranch was struggling decades ago.
We did more than I’d ever dreamed possible with that money, and it only made our bookings for the rest of the summer fuller.
We renovated almost all the cabins, which now appeal to the crowd looking for a more private, intimate ranch experience, and the honeymoon cabin will be finished in a few weeks.
A new gazebo is up where the old one burned down many years ago, with a scenic view of the pond by the main lodge and a backdrop of the always-impressive mountains in the distance, perfect for hosting future weddings.
The old archery range that went by the wayside when Dawn wasn’t able to teach any more is fixed up, and we hired one of Remy’s friends to teach regular classes.
We spruced up the tiny boathouse, making Penny Pond far more welcoming to guests looking to cool off during these coming summer months.
There’s still plenty more we can do to improve Taurus Ranch, but this is the breath of life we’ve sorely needed. Now all that’s left is to see if our guests agree.
I finish my speech, and there’s some polite clapping. Belle takes my place, and my chest squeezes as we pass, her fingertips brushing against mine in silent reassurance.
“We won’t keep you much longer, but I wanted to say a few words since it’s a special occasion.”
Doodle clucks as if he’s going to say a few words too, and the crowd laughs.
Belle pats him on his head. “That’s right, I wanted to talk about Dawn.”
A lump rises in my throat as Belle explains Taurus Ranch has belonged to her family for generations, but was made into the destination it is today by the hard work and determination of her grandmother, Dawn.
That Dawn always believed in the magic of this place, no matter what came her way, and that she hopes everyone will experience that magic during their stay.
And if they do, it’s thanks to Dawn, but even more thanks to the tireless efforts of the people who have called the ranch home for far longer than Belle has.
She introduces each staff member and gives an example of their contributions, one-by-one, and it’s clear that everyone can feel the love and appreciation pouring from her as she speaks and tells silly jokes to keep the crowd engaged.
“And last, but certainly not least, is someone you’ve already met. My tireless, dedicated, stubborn, kind, and sometimes too grumpy for his own good business partner, Cal.”
The group laughs, and my ears flick as they look toward me. I shrug, accepting the teasing, and they laugh harder.
“I’d say he’s the brains of the operation, and I’m the looks, but come on? Have you seen the guy?”
There’s more laughter, and a few appreciative whoops. I shake my head, not agreeing with the assessment.
“If you can believe it, Cal wasn’t exactly pleased when I showed up earlier this year. Though, to be fair, I did crash my car into the old ranch sign thanks to a chicken crossing the road.”
Her arrival feels like a lifetime ago. If I’d realized when she crashed into my life she’d become someone precious to me, I’d have been a hell of a lot more welcoming. But I’ll make it up to her every day that we’re together.
Belle chuckles. “We’ve come a long way since then. I couldn’t ask for a better partner. A better friend.” Her eyes flash to meet mine, and there’s a lot more than friendship there.
She focuses back on the group, cheeks slightly flushed. “Anyway, I’m sure you’re eager to go on a tour, so I’ll stop yapping. Enjoy your time here at Taurus Ranch!”
The crowd claps and Doodle lets out a loud crow that delights them. Excited energy—that magic that Belle mentioned—thrums in the air as people break out into tour groups.
We’ve still got days to go. Days for things to go horribly wrong. But a gut-deep certainty fills me.
This is going to work out.
I’m buzzing with the realization, and when I’m left with only Belle and a few of our new hires, I grab her hand.
“I need to talk to you. In private.”
Her brows lift. “Are you okay?”
I tug her behind me.
“Cal, I’m sorry if the jokes were too much. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”
Snorting, I shake my head and haul her into the lodge, past the reception desk, and into the cramped office.
“Seriously, what’s—”
I pin Belle against the door and flick the lock shut, cutting her off with my mouth.
She moans and grips my arms as I press all my excitement and appreciation into her lips.
I toss my hat to the side, and she gasps for breath as my mouth descends to nuzzle and kiss along the delicate column of her neck, the sweetness of her scent and the slight salt of her sweat from being in the sun ramping up my desire.
A shudder of need rolls over me as she strokes my horn, and I grab her by the hips, lifting her so she wraps her legs around my waist.
She clings to my neck with a gasp of surprise. “Cal!”
I rock my erection against her, wishing the barrier of clothing wasn’t between us. “I-I thought we were going to wait?” she asks, wide-eyed, her chest heaving.
“You think I can wait after you sent me that picture? After you looked so perfect out there and said those things? I may be strong, but even I have my breaking point, darlin’.”
I punctuate my words by sliding my hands under her skirt and gripping her ass, loving how it dimples under my touch. “So fucking soft.”
Her breath hitches, a flush washing over her cheeks and down her throat. “W-what if someone comes to the front desk and hears us?”
My arousal ramps higher, the possessive part of me loving the idea of being overheard. “Let them. Let them know how much you drive me wild. Let them hear my name is the one you cry out when you come.”
She moans, her hips tilting to meet mine. She likes the idea as much as I do, and it sends me into a frenzy. I press her harder against the door so I can still hold her up with one hand while I fumble to free my erection and shove her skirt up further around her waist.
I rub myself against her, feeling how wet she is through the thin fabric of her panties. When the head of my cock brushes against her plush low belly, I groan and pre-cum spurts onto her impossibly silky skin. When pressed close like this, our size difference is stark.
I may never be able to fit inside her, and I don’t fucking care, because she’s perfect and I don’t need to be inside her to get us both off. We’ll find ways to make it work. All that matters is that I get to have her at all.
“Please, Cal,” she breathes, her head tipping back to thump lightly against the door.
“So impatient,” I murmur, gripping her hips again to grind my dick against her. It doesn’t take long until both of us are gasping, Belle’s face pressed into my throat as she clings to me and lets me thrust against her.
“Just like that, oh god, I’m going to come,” she says, any thoughts of someone overhearing long gone.
“Come for me, darlin’. Come grinding against my cock like the desperate girl you are.”
I don’t mean to say the dirty words out loud, but they don’t put her off. She comes, gasping out my name, and I should pull away before I make a mess of her, but it’s too late.
“Fuck, that’s it. Shit, Belle, you’re too…” My words trail off with a low moan, my cock spilling all my pent-up desire against her stomach and her messy, soaked panties.
She clings to me as we both come down from our release, the intensity of the moment fading away slowly.
When our breathing evens out, Belle lets out a soft chuckle. “Way to make a mess of me. Now I’m going to have to get changed.”
“Can’t say I’m particularly sorry.”
She rolls her eyes, and I laugh, then pull a handkerchief out of my pocket, using it to clean us up as best I can before tucking my cock away and setting her down on her feet.
She tugs her skirt back into place, and doesn’t look worse for wear aside from the freshly fucked glow on her cheeks. I smooth her hair down, and she leans into my touch, making my chest squeeze. “Good as new,” I murmur.
“We shouldn’t do that again,” she says weakly.
“That’s sensible.” I don’t bother hiding my lack of conviction.
“Seriously! We can’t be messing around all weekend. There’s too much to do!”
I grin at her and palm her ass. “You’re right.”
She opens her mouth to chastise me, but I kiss her before she can.
Belle’s gaze is softer as our lips part. “Cal…”
I give her ass a light smack. “Time to get back to work, darlin’.”
She scoffs, and I wink at her as I scoop up my discarded hat, setting it back into place.
A long-absent levity fills me. For the first time in ages, I’m not crushed by worry.
Hell, I’m excited by what’s to come. Between how well we’ve prepared and how fun it is to tease Belle, this weekend is going to be amazing.