The Cowboy's Rules: 2 (Cowboys After Dark:) (17 page)

“Marty, do you want me to finish tackin’ up for you?”

Jeb’s voice interrupted his reverie, and Marty realized he’d been standing still, holding a bridle while his horse was standing untethered in the cross ties.

Shit, I don’t even remember getting here, let alone unhookin’ my horse.

“Nope, I’m good,” Marty replied, “thanks though. Just got caught up in some heavy thinkin’.”

Standing nearby Chad chuckled quietly.

Oh, Marty, your goose is well and truly cooked, but it’s a good thing. You two were made for each other.

Up at the house Cassie opened the refrigerator and noticed they were running low on some staples, and when she checked the cabinets she found the same was true.

“Mickey, we need to go to the store, but Chad’s not gonna approve of me going alone, and I don’t particularly want to go by myself either. Maybe we can talk him into taking us into town later.”

Mickey barked his agreement, and after making a list of the things they needed she called Hannah.

“You ready to go up and ride?” she asked.

“You bet, can’t wait,” Hannah replied.

“I’ll pick you up in five minutes, and do you need any groceries? We’re running out of things and I’m going to have Chad make a run into town later.”

“I am. I’ll make a list, that would be great, thanks.”

As Cassie finished getting ready she couldn’t help but wonder how long they would have to live like prisoners. If Jason Lewis left town and no longer posed a threat, how would they even know he was gone, and what if Jason wasn’t the intruder at the house, or the person who had left the rose.

Shoot, it could have been anyone. Those two things may not even be connected. This whole thing is just too unsettling. Maybe I should fly down to Randy’s and drive back with the horse van, get out of town for a couple of days.

Climbing into her car she drove the short distance to Hannah’s, and the two of them headed up to the barn.

Across the street from Horse Haven Ranch, perched on the rooftop of an abandoned barn with a pair of powerful binoculars, the man they knew as Jason Lewis watched the comings and goings intently. Opening his notebook he jotted down the time, writing next to it, Cassie left house, picked up Hannah, went to barn, then pulling a thermos from his backpack he poured himself a cup of tea,

He knew it would be a couple of hours before Cassie left the barn to head home, but he wanted to be sure; the predictability factor was very important. The new guards at the barn had been annoying, there was no rhyme or reason to their routine so he had to forego further mischief there, but Cassie was wonderfully unsurprising, but then, everything about Cassie was wonderful, and as he picked up his binoculars he smiled as he watched her lead a horse from the barn.

Soon, lovely Cassie, soon we will have some time together.

I
t was almost dinner time at Horse Haven Ranch, and Cassie was heating up the remainder of the chicken and dumplings.

The grocery store run hadn’t happened. When Chad had arrived home he’d immediately walked her through all the security measures, and though it had bothered her that such measures were needed, they did make her feel safe.

There were now motion lights around the sides of the house as well as the front and back doors, the alarm code was Halloween, 1031, which was easy to remember but probably not easy for someone to guess, and video surveillance was all around the perimeter of the house; if anyone approached they’d be lit up like a Christmas tree and immediately caught on tape. By the time they were done, all Chad wanted to do was have dinner and an early night.

He was seated at the kitchen table studying a proposal Hannah had shyly handed him at the end of the day. She’d folded it neatly into an envelope marked, For Your Consideration, then had walked it down to the barn after the clients had left, and handed it to him with shaking fingers.

It had been with Cassie’s urging and Marty’s approval that Hannah had plucked up the courage to write up her budget for providing lunch and coffee for the remainder of the week. If the short trial worked she was hoping she could do the catering for the remaining clinics through the summer.

“She won’t be makin’ any money,” Chad remarked. “I think she’s just chargin’ me for the cost of supplies and addin’ nothin’ in for her work.”

“I don’t think Hannah is a business person,” Cassie replied. “That’s probably exactly what she’s done.”

“Oh, wait a second, there’s a note at the bottom of the page; if you like what I do you can decide what you want to pay me for my time. How sweet is she?” Chad remarked.

The sound of the doorbell interrupted their conversation.

“Are you expecting’ anyone?” Cassie asked.

“No, that’s weird. Jeez, it’s terrible being this edgy. The doorbell rings and we both jump,” he complained. “Mickey’s not up in arms so it has to be someone we know.”

“You can look on your phone,” she reminded him.

“Oh, for pity’s sake, I totally forgot,” he said shaking his head. “This’ll be hard gettin’ used to.”

As he pulled his phone from his pocket Cassie hurried to his side to peer at the small screen; it was the Sheriff waiting patiently on the porch.

“Oh, wow, maybe he has some news and we can stop all this nonsense,” Cassie said hopefully.

“Is the coffee on?” Chad asked, rising from the table to answer the door.

“I’ll make some fresh,” she answered. “I really hope he has good news.”

With Mickey trotting along beside him, Chad welcomed the Sheriff and led him back into the kitchen.

“Somethin’ smells good,” the Sheriff grinned as he sat down.

“Would you like to stay and eat with us?” Chad asked. “I think we have enough.”

“No, wife’s expectin’ me, but thanks,” the Sheriff replied. “I was gonna call, but I was down the road a bit and thought I’d just swing on by. I wasn’t gonna explain all this on the phone anyway.”

“We’re dying to hear the news,” Cassie said, placing a mug of fresh coffee in front of him.

“I’ve got a new young detective in, Henry Greenwood; he’s just as eager as could be and a real whiz on the computer. Almost scary,” the Sheriff frowned. “It took him a while, but he tracked down a Jason Lewis who’s an architect over in Haasted County.”

“That’s, what, five hours away,” Chad remarked.

“Somethin’ like that. So he called over there, turned out the guy was on vacation, so we thought, great, that’s gotta be him. I was kinda surprised he was usin’ his real name, but then again we don’t have anythin’ directly connectin’ him to what’s happened.”

“That’s true,” Cassie interjected. “I was thinking that same thing. It may not be him at all.”

“Hang on there,” the Sheriff said holding up his hand. “There’s more, a lot more.”

“Sorry, I tend to jump the gun a bit,” she apologized.

“It’s okay, I know you’re anxious. Anyway, Henry called your general contractor, Dan Michaels, and sure enough Dan Michaels had called the architectural company to confirm that Jason Lewis worked there. They told Dan what they told us, so to Dan it all made sense and he hired the guy.”

“But he’s not really Jason Lewis,” Cassie interjected breathlessly. “That’s it, right?”

The Sheriff and Chad both shot her a look.

“Sorry, sorry, can’t help myself,” she said, her face flushing.

“You’re right,” the Sheriff declared. “Henry asked the architectural firm to email him a picture of Jason Lewis, and it wasn’t our man.”

“So this is gettin’ a whole lot more serious,” Chad frowned.

“Yep, a lot. Henry ran some kinda search on the computer, don’t know how he did it, but in a couple of hours he found several unsolved cases of sexual assault on women whose homes were bein’ renovated. What’s worse, the attacks took place inside the home, and they were also robbed. Henry bein’ Henry, he called the precincts and talked to the detectives; turned out the culprit was a handsome guy who’d been workin’ on the site a few days, quit, then returned to commit the crime.”

“Shit,” Cassie whispered. “Chad, I’m scared.”

“It’s okay sweetheart, we’ve got this covered,” Chad assured her reaching across and taking her hand. “What I don’t understand, Sheriff, is why he advertised his presence. Wouldn’t it have been smarter not to have stolen that halter, or left that rose, or approached Cassie in town?”

“My guess is it’s all a game, and guys like this get bolder as time goes by, they like the challenge-”

“That’s what he said to me,” Cassie blurted out.

“What? What did he say?” Chad asked urgently.

“We were talking about something, I can’t even remember what now, but he said he loves a challenge.”

“There you go,” the Sheriff remarked. “Cassie, I need you to come into the station tomorrow and work with our sketch artist. We’re gonna get this guy’s likeness out there, and we’ll either catch the sonofabitch, or scare him outta town.”

“Sheriff, couldn’t the artist come here? I’m tied up with the clinic until Saturday, and I’d rather Cassie not be out driving by herself, or even with Hannah for that matter.”

“We could send a car,” the Sheriff suggested, then seeing the look on Chad’s face he immediately added, “but sure, I can send Marion up here. She’s real nice, you two gals can have a natter.”

“Thanks, I’d appreciate that,” Cassie smiled.

“And I’ll stop up when Marion arrives. I can get away for ten minutes,” Chad added.

“‘I’ll have her come up tomorrow afternoon, say around 2 p.m. Does that work?” the Sheriff asked.

“Absolutely, I’ll be here,” Cassie promised.

“Now don’t you worry,” the Sheriff said kindly looking directly at her. “Forewarned is forearmed, and you’ve got all kinds of security here, and I’m havin’ my deputies cruise by here all the time. You’re covered. It’s only a matter of time before he gets scared off or we catch him.

“Thanks so much,” she sighed. “I’m just glad that Henry guy has joined your ranks.”

“He’s a whiz, and thanks for the coffee.”

“I’ll see you out,” Chad offered.

As Cassie watched them walk away she dropped down next to Mickey.

“I know you’ll keep me safe, won’t you boy?” Mickey lifted his paw, then leaned in and kissed her face. “As long as you’re around I’m not worried, at least, not super worried.”

Standing up she headed back to the stove to stir the chicken and dumplings, then spooned it on to plates.

“Hey you,” Chad said, walking up to her. “I know it’s not great news, but it is in a way. They know who-”

“Chad,” she interrupted, turning to face him, “I know everything you’re going to say, and you don’t have to. I want to eat, then take a bath, then I want you to make love to me for a really long time.”

“That sounds real fine to me,” he said softly, and picking up the plates he walked with her to the table.

“I was just thinking,” she frowned, “I could have gone into the station. I need to do that grocery run. Maybe I could go in when you break for lunch and you could come with me, or even Marty.”

“Tomorrow I can’t. At lunch I have to be in my office to deal with some stuff on the clothin’ line, but I’ll ask Marty. Regardless, it’s good the artist is comin’ here. You’ll be much more comfortable.”

“I will be,” she agreed, “and I just want to zip into the store, zip out and come right home. I feel like I’m in some bad TV crime drama,” she sighed.

“I know what you mean,” he agreed. “It’ll be over soon. Let’s eat and go lay down. I think I know just what you need.”

C
assie soaked in a lavender bubble bath while Chad took a shower, and when he stepped from the stall he knelt beside her.

“You stay as long as you want, I’ll be waiting for you when you come out,” he purred, kissing her on the cheek.

“I won’t be long. It just feels so good,” she sighed.

“I know, baby. Like I said, take your time,” he repeated, then softly closed the door as he left.

Finally rising from the tub she toweled off, pulled on her robe and walked in the bedroom. A low fire offered the only light, and fur-lined leather cuffs and a blindfold were sitting on the bed.

“Yes,” she breathed, “that’s exactly what I need, to be bound and helpless.”

“Close your eyes and slip off the robe,” he instructed.

Chad had been waiting in the armchair by the fire, nestled in the shadows. Fluttering down her eyelids she let her gown puddle on the floor at her feet, then sighed as his fingertip traveled down her arm.

“Your bottom is still wonderfully marked,” he crooned as he slipped the blindfold across her eyes. “Is it still tender?”

“Yes,” she whispered, feeling the shackles being placed around her wrists.

“Come on sweet girl,” he directed, and placing an arm around her waist he led her to the bed. “On your back, arms and legs out.”

She wriggled into position, and when the shackles were placed around her ankles, she felt the delicious pull as the white cotton rope was fed through the chrome rings, and tied to the posts of the footboard. When he spread her arms wide and tethered her wrists to the headboard, she sighed heavily, surrendering to the intoxicating feeling of utter helplessness.

His fingers began by dusting her pussy, then tickling the sensitive skin of her inner thighs, lingering a while, offering her a soft, tranquil tease.

He withdrew his hand, and a few moments later she heard the opening of a drawer. Knowing there was a plethora of naughty toys, lotions and potions in the top drawer of his dresser she felt her butterflies flutter happily, but when something moist pressed against her sex, she couldn’t imagine what it could be.

A silken something itched across her labia, twirling and swirling, offering a slow, growing heat. When she felt his thumb and forefinger separate her, and the bite of clamps, she gasped in surprise.

“I just bought these,” he said quietly, “they arrived yesterday. Cunt clamps, and is your pussy nice and warm?”

“Y-yes,” she stammered.

“It’s about to get even warmer,” he promised.

“Wh-what’s that th-thing you’re moving over it?”