11. Toby
CHAPTER 11
Toby
A s I dismount the bronco, dust kicks up over the corral and spreads across my spurs. A spattering of applause and hoots echo across the fence line as my usual group of admirers leans over the post.
The afternoon sun is fading to early twilight, and the staff unwinds for the day.
I grin at the barrel racers and ranch hands in my midst, but my smile freezes when I see a very welcome, but unusual face among the group. Peeling off my riding gloves, I stalk to where Emerson beams proudly, and I realize she’s there for me.
Well, how about that?
Before I make it to Emerson, someone stops me, placing a hand on my bicep.
“You were amazing, Toby,” Melissa purrs.
She’s one of the ranch hand’s sisters, and we hook up whenever she’s in town, which is only once every couple of months.
“You’ll have to show me how to make those buck kicks look so flawless,” Melissa goes on.
Absently, I nod, my eyes still fixed on Emerson. “Yeah, sure,” I tell her without meeting her eyes. “I can do that.”
Brushing her off, I head toward Emerson, my grin overtaking my face to match hers.
“What brings you out in the trenches with us little folk?” I tease, jumping the fence to join her on the other side of the corral.
Smoke emanates in the distance as someone in the bunkhouse fires up the grill and maybe even a bonfire. Maybe I’ll swing by later and have a look. Maybe I’ll even take Emerson with me if she doesn’t have plans.
“Are you busy?” she asks.
My eyebrows raise with interest. “Now? Depends on what you have in mind.”
“I thought we could go for a drive and put out some flyers for the upcoming council meeting together. We really need to start rallying some awareness for those horses.”
I nod enthusiastically. “Hell, yes!” I agree. “Let me change my shirt. Come back to the house with me…”
I trail off, remembering my pact with my brothers. We’re not supposed to overwork Emerson. “Actually, it’s getting late. We can do that tomorrow,” I tell her. “Why don’t we swing by the bunkhouse instead? I bet the boys have a barbecue going on tonight.”
She gives me a look. “It’s just a drive through Pine Sky, Toby,” she groans. “It’s not exactly manual labor. Come on, for an hour. Don’t you want the support for your project? We put so much effort into it.”
Hesitatingly, I agree, glancing at my phone for the time. “Okay, one hour, but then we go eat.”
“Deal!”
Together, we make our way toward the house, and I realize that Melissa is still gawking at me from where I’d left her.
Oh well. She’ll be around later.
Or not.
“Why didn’t you come around earlier?” I chide Emerson. “Did Brock keep you busy in the office all day?”
“No,” Emerson answers, ducking under my arm as I open the front door to let her inside. “But…”
She eyes me haltingly, and I return her look curiously as I kick off my dirty boots at the door. “What?”
“I didn’t come around earlier, because I know you’re not a morning person. I’d rather work with you when you feel like working. It’s not fair to drag you all over town when you’re not in the mood, is it?”
Her honest and astute answer takes me completely aback, and I find myself staring at her, speechless for a long minute. “But the whole world functions during the day,” I remind her.
“That’s not true,” she corrects me. “There are day people and night people. You just happen to fall in the latter category.”
I shake my head, and a small laugh escapes me. “You’re something else, you know that?”
“Something good, I hope.”
“Something great, Emmy.” I wave for her to follow me into the bedroom.
She hesitates. “Maybe I should just?—”
“I’m not gonna bite you, unless you ask real nicely.”
She blushes furiously, and I snicker, leading the way down the hall, exhaling quietly when she follows. God, she is hot. I do want her, but I won’t cross a line with her, especially now, knowing how vulnerable she is.
I barely enter the bedroom before I’m stripping off my stained white t-shirt. No one else is home yet, but they will be soon.
“Take a seat,” I tell her, nodding toward the bed.
She eyes me dubiously, her eyes raking over my naked chest. She can’t help but take in my washboard stomach, and I face her for a better view. Just because I won’t touch her doesn’t mean she can’t look.
“Toby…” she scolds, her voice catching.
“What?” I ask innocently. “I’m just trying to make you comfortable.”
Her cheeks are as red as cherry tomatoes, and she pulls her eyes away, staring idly at the tour posters on my wall.
“You like music,” she comments, ambling toward one of the bands.
I dig a fresh t-shirt out of my messy dresser drawer and throw it over my head before joining her side. “I saw these guys live four times,” I say, pointing at the poster. “Best band ever.”
My eyebrows knit into a vee as a memory overtakes me with a scent.
She looks at me curiously. “What?”
“I know your perfume,” I mumble, more to myself. “Someone I know wears this?—”
Suddenly, her lips crush on mine, and I fall back, caught off guard, and my back lands against the wall. The unexpected kiss takes me aback, but I don’t spend long dwelling on the shock. My hands snake around her, and I cup her perfectly sculpted ass along the curve of her skirt.
A soft gasp spills off Emerson’s lips and into my mouth.
Pulling back slightly, I peer down at her. “Well, that was unexpected.”
“Unwelcome or unexpected,” she breathes.
My hands work along the volume of her sweet ass cheeks, and I massage deeper, pulling the material of her skirt higher to expose her to my fingers.
“Unexpected, but very welcome,” I growl.
“Well, you brought me into your room and started getting undressed. Maybe this was part of your plan?” she teases, cocking her head.
“I can stop any time,” I tell her. “But you’re the one who attacked me, in case you’ve forgotten.”
“Oh! Attacked!” Her hands curl around the collar of my shirt, and she spins me around to dance me back, tossing me down against the bed. “I’ll show you attacked,” she vows.
I laugh. “Promises, promises.”
Her lips meet mine again as we strip off our clothes, heat rising between us to compensate for our nakedness. In less than a minute, we’re skin-to-skin, her full, luscious breasts in my face as she straddles me. I cup her firmly but gently, guiding a swollen nipple into my mouth as she glides her throbbing center over the pulsing ridges of my shaft. I groan loudly and buck upward as she teases me with her wetness.
“Come on, darlin’,” I beg her, my eyes boring into her. “Don’t you want it? I want to know how you feel.”
She locks eyes with me and smirks. “You do? How do you think I feel?” She glides herself along my cock, and fuck, this is too much.
I suppress a moan. “Wet, tight, and?—”
I’m done with playing and thrust myself inside her without warning, relishing the expression of shock on her face as I fill her.
“Delicious,” I conclude. “Oh, I was right.”
My hands tighten around her waist, and I drive her down, arching myself upward. I want to drill into her hard and fast, but I don’t. I need to pace myself with her. She needs to be handled with care.
As if she’s reading my mind, she falls forward and growls, “Fuck me, Toby. Hard.”
I groan, my cock growing harder under her request, and I pound into her as she grinds against me. My eyes close, and she kisses me again.
“I’m gonna come,” she pants.
“Good girl,” I moan. “Me too.”
We fall into a perfect rhythm as she squeezes herself around me. Her thighs tense on either side of my hips, powerful and graceful as she moves above me. The silken heat of her pussy envelops me completely. I grip her waist, and I can’t take much more. She pulses around me, crying out as she comes, her release triggering my own. Her gasps of pleasure catch in her throat—familiar sounds that echo in my memory as I’m transported into that surreal, dreamlike place like I’ve been here before.
Emerson slides off me and falls onto the bed, breathing heavily as we struggle to catch our breath. Down the hall, the front door opens and closes, and I immediately sit up, knowing Brock is going to have my ass on a platter if he catches us.
“Uh-oh.” I reach for my pants.
Emerson grins and follows my lead. “Will he be upset?” she asks innocently.
I cast her a sidelong look. “Not if he doesn’t find out?”
“Or next time, we’ll just have to invite him along,” she quips, slipping on her clothes.
My jaw slacks as she sails toward the door. Did she really just say what I think she said?
“You coming?” she asks.
Dumbfounded, I simply stare after her before I burst out laughing. “Hell yeah, I’m coming,” I say, hurrying to catch up. “Gimme a minute to catch my breath.”
* * *
Her flyers are distinct and to the point, stating the date and time of the next council meeting. We pepper the parking lot of local bars and the church parking lot before circling back to the ranch to join the bunkhouse for dinner. It’s late, though, and most of the ranch hands have already eaten by the time we arrive.
“Are you sure we can just pop in here like this?” Emerson asks worriedly. “It doesn’t feel right.”
“That’s the way things are done around here,” I reassure her. “In fact, you should have already done it by now. Didn’t anyone tell you to pop by the bunkhouse already?”
“Owen did when I first arrived, but I told him I don’t go out much…”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s like… they’re your neighbors, your extended family. You look a little standoffish sitting alone in your place every night.”
She looks abashed by my admonishment. “I didn’t realize that. I’ve just been trying to get a handle on the job.”
“I know, darlin’,” I tell her. “You’re still learning. That’s why I’m taking you tonight. Come on. Once you make some new friends, it won’t be awkward when you come alone. You don’t have to come every night, and you certainly don’t need to open your doors to them if they ever stop by your place, but they are good allies to have.”
I lead the way toward the bonfire.
“Don’t tell me there aren’t any burgers left,” I complain as we amble down the pathway, past the mishmash of Adirondack and lawn chairs sprawled about. Couples lounged on picnic tables with their beers, waving at us as we pass by.
“Toby!” the collective cheer erupts, and I beam at my long-time staff, nodding and patting them on the shoulders.
“You know, Emerson? You’ve met Emerson?” I ask as we sweep through.
The ranch hands and trainers stop to greet her properly, making small talk, but when Andy sees us, the ranch manager retreats toward the barn with a scowl on his face. I’m actually surprised he’s still here, since he has his own house in town.
My eyes narrow. Am I really going to have to give that man a talking-to?
“Here, sit down,” I urge Emerson. “I’ll get you a burger and a beer—er, a soda? Water? What’ll you have?”
She smiles appreciatively at me. “Water would be great, thanks, Toby.”
“Sit right there. I’ll be back,” I promise.
I leave her with a couple of trainers and head toward the barbecue.
As I round the side of the barn, I catch a glimpse of Andy talking to one of the other hands.
“Hey,” I call out, grabbing a hamburger bun and plate. “Come here.”
The ranch manager’s mouth turns downward as he exchanges a look with his companion, but he ambles toward me. “What’s up, Toby?”
“You tell me? I heard there was an issue with Brock a couple of weeks ago?”
He scoffs rudely. “Issue? He fired Lana for no good reason. But I can see why now, I guess.”
I arch an eyebrow. “Care to elaborate on that?”
Andy rolls his eyes. “Whatever, Toby. It’s your ranch, you run shit the way you boys do. I don’t have much of a say in it.”
Frowning, I focus my full attention on him. “What are you going on about now? Lana was only there temporarily until we filled the administrator position, Andy. You both knew the job wasn’t permanent. What are you implying?”
“Uh-huh. And it’s just a coincidence that this woman is on your arm now? I see how it is. No different than when your mama was here, or your granddaddy before her. You Collins always favor whoever you like best, and to hell with everyone else. That’s how it’s always been. Well, I guess that sums it up perfectly—to hell with everyone, right?” He snickers.
Anger surges through me at the mention of my mother and grandfather, but Andy knows enough to duck out of harm’s way after dropping a bombshell like that. He leaves without looking back.
I have half a mind to go after him, but Emerson appears beside me.
“There you are! I thought you might have gotten distracted by something prettier,” she teases.
I turn to her, my face flushed red and furious. Her smile fades, and she puts her hand on my arm. “Hey, what’s going on?”
I force a smile I don’t feel. We walk over to the barbecue area and pick up a plate with a burger. “Nothing. Here. Eat something.” I lean in and kiss her cheek covertly before whispering, “Don’t forget, you’re eating for two now.”
Blushing, she pulls back and looks around, pursing her lips nervously. “I won’t.”
He’s a lucky bastard, that baby’s father, I realize.
Emerson’s going to make a wonderful mom.