Under the Cowboy's Control (8 page)

Before long, she found herself seated in a chair beside the large cooking stove, being treated like a queen. Juan stayed to translate, and they wouldn't let her lift a finger. Between the three of them, they decided on a meal, and she gave the instructions as the cook began the preparations, with Juan helping him as he needed it.

She sat and practiced her English, and found she only needed Juan a few times to help her in a tight spot or two. She enjoyed herself, getting to know the two men, and getting to rest at the same time. No matter how many times she stood to help, they would shoo her back to her chair, and she would have to sit back down.

They prepared another basic meal of hamburgers and French fries, and they discussed the many things they could make, and the things she could teach Slim, if they drove to Laredo to buy supplies. There was enough food prepared to carry some back to the big house, so she wouldn't have to make supper again that night.

The sun was just starting to drop in the sky, when the screen door slammed and all three of them looked up to see Travis glaring from the doorway.

His voice was low and vibrated with suppressed anger. "I've been looking for you.

Why are you out here?"

Selena felt a kick of excitement low in her belly. She was trying to form the English words to answer him when Slim spoke.

"We went and brung the little girlie back with us so she could show me something else to make for the men. You was about to have a mutiny on your hands, Boss."

His explanation was jovial, not realizing the situation between his boss and the young girl.

Travis grunted, trying to control the unwarranted rage in his system. "You finished with her? I'm hungry and want my food." His words sounded spoiled, and a look passed between Slim and Juan.

Slim answered quickly. "Sure, Boss. We're finished up here." He turned to Selena.

"Thank you kindly, Miss. The boys will be happy for a change and not threatening me with bodily harm. I'm beholden to you."

Selena smiled and inclined her head graciously. "You're welcome, Mister Slim. I will help you any time." She gracefully slid off the chair and made her way to the door, carrying the small box that carried their supper.

Travis stood back to let her exit, and took the box from her hands as she passed him. She walked through the doorway, and his eyes moved to her butt. His gaze went from her silky hair to her tiny feet. He followed her across the yard, to the big house. When the door shut behind them, he moved across to the table and deposited the box there. He leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest and smoldered.

She valiantly ignored him and got two plates from the cabinet and set them on the table. When she turned for the flatware, he stopped her.

"I thought I told you to stay in the house."

She recognized the controlled anger in his voice and hesitated. "That w-was before."

"Before what?" Antagonism radiated from him.

"Before, wh-when they thought I w-was a boy." She explained slowly, trying to get the words correct.

"No. You're mistaken." His deep voice flowed like whiskey. "I don't want you out there, running around, causing fights between the men. You are too damn pretty for your own good. If you keep flaunting yourself in front of them, one of them is going to get the idea he can have you."

A frown crossed her brow. He couldn't be saying what she thought he was.

"Flaunting? What is flaunting?"

"Flaunting. You know, sashaying your ass all around them. Playing the part of the perfect female, needing help with the washing machine, or sharing your cooking skills. You can't try to be friends with them. You need to keep your little butt in the house."

Selena sucked in her breath at his meaning. He held himself perfectly still, and his tone was even. But she could see the effort it was taking him. She couldn't let him get away with this, virtually keeping her prisoner in this house. But she didn't want to provoke him, either. He looked ready to snap. Maybe she could put this off until another day. After all, she had no reason to leave the house any time soon.

She rolled her eyes at him and tried for a tone between placating and amusing. "As you wish. I don't want any deaths." She turned away in dismissal.

He came up behind her and wrapped one arm around her waist, lowered his mouth to her ear and hissed, "You think this is funny Selena, but I'm telling you, you have no idea how beautiful you are. What you can do to a man without even trying."

Selena felt the immediate impact of his masculinity, wrapping itself around her.

She had to concentrate, try to think. "Your m-men, they are old. I am like a daughter, a granddaughter."

His reply was instant. "Clinton isn't old."

"Clinton is just a boy."

"Clinton's feelings for you don't have anything to do with youth. I promise you, what he wants from you doesn't have anything to do with friendship, either. He does a man's job every day. He's a man, and you're a temptation he can do without."

"What about you?" The reply slipped from her mouth without thinking.

His arms tightened around her. "What about me?" His voice was deep.

"I think m-maybe I should leave your ranch. Maybe you have s-such feelings, n-not your men."

"I'm a grown man. I can control myself. And I told you. You're not going anywhere until you can speak English." His words ended in a growl.

"My English, it is g-good."

"Your English sucks. You're not going anywhere yet."

The harsh opinion bit into her, but was almost immediately negated in her brain.

She knew her English was improving every day. He had been right, no one at home had ever demanded she use it. And she had been too shy to try. All it had taken was a push, and she was fast becoming bilingual.

It was obvious to her that he wanted her here, and not only for the cooking and cleaning, even if he didn't realize it yet. She sank back slightly into the arms that held her. Her eyes closed as she let the sensations wash over her. His scent enveloped her senses. He smelled like leather and horses, and a slight scent of fresh, masculine sweat that proved he had been working all day. It went to her head, and she trembled in his arms, her mind remembering the kiss from the day before, and the intimacy that went with it.

She really wanted to repeat the experience.

Travis felt it the moment she relaxed in his arms. He moved one hand down, and splayed it across her belly. He felt the pulse at her neck accelerate. He moved the hair away from her neck and bit softly into her flesh. She shook in his arms. He sucked softly at her neck and his hand made soothing, sweeping motions from her lower stomach, back up to the smooth flesh just below her breasts.

His erection jutted into her and he tightened his hold.

His hands became firmer, his mouth harder on her neck, and she began to unconsciously undulate against him. He began making wider sweeps and soon had a breast captured in one hand, massaging her feminine mound with the other.

His mouth continued to suck on the silky skin of her neck.

Selena leaned back against him as her mind splintered with a pleasure so intense she was shocked by it. The sound of her own voice moaning brought her back to reality and she realized she was allowing liberties that she shouldn't.

She pulled out of his grasp and went to the counter for support. She took ragged breaths.

"
Goddammit
. Come back here." Travis stalked forward.

She moved away from him. "N-no. Stop."

"You want me to kiss you. You know you do. Don't deny it, Selena."

"K-kisses, y-yes. That was--wasn't kissing." She tried to control her breathing.

"That's part of it, baby." Red marks of arousal slashed his cheekbones, and the pale line of the scar down the side of his face stood out in stark contrast.

"N-no. That's not part of k-kissing. That's p-part of m-marriage." Her eyes clung to his, her upset obvious.

Shock hit his system at her antiquated reasoning. "I'm not asking you to marry me."

"I know th-that," she softly answered him.

He stood staring at her, the impasse between them glaringly obvious.

Aggravation was screaming through his veins. "Fuck it."

He turned and walked from the room.

The next day, Travis walked into the barn. His eyes adjusted to the darkened interior, and he saw Clinton, mucking out the stalls. He owed the kid an apology.

He had been too rough on him.

He walked up and leaned against the stall, watching the younger man. Clinton was a good kid, a hard worker, and was always polite and ready to pitch in a hand and please. He deserved better than what Travis had dished out to him.

Before he could think of the words to say, Clinton looked up and asked, "What's up, Boss?"

Travis cleared his throat. Apologies never came easy for him. "I shouldn't have jumped your ass the other day. I know you were only trying to help Selena." He paused. "I'm sorry."

Clinton grinned. "You're what?"

Travis let out a small laugh. "Don't push your luck, kid."

"Never, Boss. Okay, no harm done. Hey, I can understand why you're so testy about her. She's enough to make a saint become a sinner." Clinton continued to shovel the muck.

Travis flared up at his words. "You need to back off from her. She's too innocent to mess around with. You're used to the whores in Laredo. Selena's a lady, through and through."

"Hell, I know that. Any fool can tell she's marriage material. Shit, one of us ought to marry her. Just the food alone would be worth it. But Christ, can you imagine--"

Travis interrupted him with a low growl. "Don't even say it, boy. Don't even think it.

She's not the girl for you."

Clinton stood his ground. "I don't know why the hell not, if you don't want to marry her. I don't want to be alone forever, and there aren't any women in this godforsaken part of South Texas. You either need to claim her or--"

"Consider her claimed. I don't know about marriage, but take this as a warning. If you value your job here, you need to step back. She's mine, got it?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. This subject is closed. Don't make me bring it up again." Travis turned and walked out of the barn.

****

Travis had told her before about a man wanting and not getting. She needed to stay away from him. It wasn't as easy to do as she would have liked. He was always there, in the background, those dark eyes watching her.

The next few days, she prepared his food and did her best to avoid him. She didn't eat with him, claiming she had already eaten or wasn't hungry. He grumbled about that, but she did her utmost to ignore him and do the best job she could while staying virtually hidden from him.

She stayed busy by baking large quantities of desserts for the cowboys and researching her grandparents on the internet. She wasn't getting very far on the last endeavor. Taylor wasn't a very distinctive last name, and she didn't have much else to go on.

But for now, she was comfortable on the ranch, even though she was avoiding Travis like the plague.

That came to a cataclysmic end one day at noon when he came into the house for his lunch. She heard the back door open, and she decided to slip out to the front swing. She opened the front door and stepped out. She hadn't taken one step when she let out an ear piercing scream.

Travis ran straight through the house at the shrill shriek and came to a sudden halt as Selena turned and stood panting with her back against the door.

Her chest was heaving, and her body was shaking so hard she couldn't control it.

Her eyes were wide, and her face washed of all color.

"What's wrong?" Travis stood watching her gulping in oxygen.

"
Ser--serpiente
." Selena said the word and began to hyperventilate.

Travis saw the fear on her face and that was all the translation he needed. "You saw the old snake that lives under the house?"

Selena tried to digest his words. He had a pet snake? "Wh-what? You l-let a rattle--

rattlesnake live under your h-house?" Selena was shaken up at the thought of that thing living under the house.

"No, it's not a rattlesnake, Angel. That was the old bull snake that likes to sun himself on the front porch. He's not poisonous. He just looks like a rattlesnake.

That's his defense. In nature, his looks take care of him. He can't hurt you." He took a step closer.

Selena tried to calm her racing heart. She had almost stepped on the thing, and it had taken off like a shot, back under the house. She put one hand to her heart and the other over her mouth, like she was attempting to cut off another scream.

Travis took another few steps until he stood within touching distance. Selena looked up at him with her heart in her eyes. "I don't like him."

That old bull snake had been living under the house longer than Travis had owned the ranch. But he was a dead snake if Selena said the word. "He kills the mice and keeps the bigger rodents from getting close to the house. But if you don't like him, I'll shoot him. No problem."

Selena didn't like mice, either. Now that she knew about the snake, she would be careful to give him a wide berth. "N-no. It's okay."

"That's brave of you, Angel. Are you sure? I can kill him for you, easy." Travis gave her a small smile and lifted her chin. "I think maybe he deserves to die, for giving you such a scare."

Selena trembled even more as she realized that once again, she was in his arms.

"N-no."

Travis slid his arms around her back and started to rub them gently over her. "Well, you've had a bad scare." His hands slid to the small of her back and up again. "I want to do something to make you feel better. If you won't let me kill that snake, there's got to be something else I can do for you." His words were an innuendo, meant to entice.

Selena shook her head. "No. I'm f-fine."

"You sure?" His head lowered and he gently kissed her lips. She stood still in his arms. His lips brushed back and forth across hers. He moved them to her ear.