Bound For Love

Chapter 2

"I work with her. She's really sharp, Dylan, and very good with people. And a quick study."

"Wait. Hold it." He held up a hand. "Quick study? Does that mean she knows nothing about this kind of job? What kind of recommendation is that?"

Just what he didn't need, breaking in someone who knew nothing about the job. If he was going to start from scratch, he'd rather be training a new sub than a general manager.

"She's assistant general manager at The Sam Houston Hotel." Toni grinned. "Is that a good enough recommendation for you?"

"Oh, and I can't call you brat for that little dig?" he teased. "But tell me why someone with a high end job in a high end hotel wants to leave the city to ride herd on a bunch of tenderfoots."

"She has her reasons," Toni said, suddenly busy with a folder full of papers.

"And those would be? Look at me, Toni. If there's some kind of hinky problem, I want to know it before I bother to reach out to her."

"It's...personal." She still didn't look at him.

He tossed the slip of paper back on the counter. "Then never mind. I've got enough problems without hiring one more. We'll be moving cattle again next week and as you can see I have a full house coming in of people who want to play cowboy. I don't have time for someone packing trouble."

Toni turned and stared at him. "Okay, but you can't let her know I told you."

"Told me what?" He looked around and, thankfully, the lobby area was still empty. The tenderfeet were out with trail guides and everyone else was out at work.

"The general manager has been hitting on her big time." Toni twisted her lips in distaste. "He won't leave her alone. She tries to schedule her hours so they overlap with his as little as possible, but he keeps changing her schedule."

"Why doesn't she just file a s****l harassment suit against him? I thought that was easy enough to do these days."

"Only if she wants to get blacklisted in the industry." Anger flashed in Toni's eyes. "The guy is a vindictive bastard and he's on a power trip."

Dylan felt some of that anger himself. Part of what made him a good Dom was the fact he had enormous respect for women, even those who didn't deserve it. Even the extremes of play he and his subs indulged in were always conducted with respect on his part. Pain was for pleasure. Even when administered for punishment, it was done with an understanding between him and his sub of the purpose and the expected result.

Unfortunately, he had seen too many men drunk on power who treated people with disrespect. He usually wanted to smash their faces in. That same feeling surged through him right now.

"How has she handled it?" he asked Toni.

"Very delicately, as you can imagine. She tried to eliminate any situations where she has to be alone with him. She also avoids as much as possible any situations where he calls her into his office for a one-on-one."

Dylan lifted an eyebrow. "That must be hard, though, what with meetings and all."

"And getting harder," Toni added. "But she can't afford to quit this job until she has another."

Dylan rubbed his jaw, feeling the bristle of whiskers that reminded him he hadn't shaved this morning. Of course, he hadn't exactly planned to. Gina Radisson loved the feel of a rough beard on her sensitive skin. She kept her p***y waxed, completely naked, and the rub of his scruff over her mound was enough to wet her p***y and set it to throbbing. It was a game with them, how long he could keep it up without letting her come and how long before she broke and begged him to finish her.

Sometimes, when he finally allowed her a release, he -

Can it, Acosta. You'll walk around with a giant boner pointing at everyone if you do not change your train of thought.

"Okay." He looked around at the still empty space. No one was due to check in or need anything for a while. "Let's go into the kitchen. I could use another cup of coffee, and I'm sure you could. You can tell me all about your friend."

"I think you'd really like her," Toni told him as she stirred artificial sweetener into her coffee. "I've known her for five years, ever since I started at the bottom rung of guest relations at The Sam. She was working in the business office at the time. She's smart, savvy, good looking, and great with people. My guests all rave about her. The employees like her, too."

Dylan took a swallow of his own coffee, embracing the burn as it slid down his throat. "If she's that good, this guy is an asshole to force a situation like this."

Toni snorted. "Asshole doesn't begin to describe it. He's only been there for six months. The previous GM is now at the company's property in Costa Rica and the FNG is related to the chairman of the board. Hence the unwarranted promotion."

Dylan gave her a quizzical stare. "FNG?"

"f*****g New Guy." Toni laughed. "The convention manager used to be in the military. He said they used that all the time for a newcomer they were sure was going to screw up a well-oiled machine." She sighed. "It won't be too long before he's out of there but we don't know when that will be and Jenna's about at the end of her rope."

"Okay. Tell me about all her credentials and don't leave anything out."

He listened carefully to everything Toni said, mentally pinching himself at the thought he might actually be able to hire someone that well qualified. He really needed to get back to spending more time with the cattle operation. It was almost time to brand the January crop of calves and move them to another pasture. That also meant moving another part of the herd. He was glad the man he'd bought the ranch from five years ago hadn't sold off any of the acreage as separate parcels. Five thousand acres gave him a lot of space to rotate the cattle so there was always fresh grazing land.

He gave himself a mental poke. He could worry about the cattle when he got a new manager in place. In fact, that's what he needed to properly attend to them. He'd never planned to manage this side of the business himself. Even thought it was Rob's idea, Dylan was the owner, and it was his responsibility to make sure everything was properly staffed and ran smoothly.

"So tell me," he said when Toni was finished with the litany of qualifications. "Why does someone who could probably get a job any place she applied want a job out here at a ranch in the middle of the Hill Country? We're as different from the city as you can get. Hardly any of the amenities she's used to."

Toni nibbled her thumb, seemingly choosing her words carefully.

"I think she wants a complete change. Of everything. And to be someplace where this guy couldn't or wouldn't come looking for her."

"Wait a minute." Dylan frowned. "I don't want anyone who's bringing trouble with them. I don't have the time to deal with it, and I can't afford to have it at the ranch. Either operation."

Toni shook her head. "Not happening. She won't even be telling anyone where she's going." She gave him a pleading look. "Will you please at least talk to her. I think she's only on duty today until four. She could drive out late this afternoon, if that works for you."

He thought about it for a long minute. He was really desperate to hire the right person so he could concentrate on everything else. If Toni vouched for her and he laid down the parameters from the start, maybe this would be the answer for both of them.

"Okay." He drained his coffee. "I'll give her a call. But she'll need to know you told me her story so I can speak frankly with her."

Toni's mouth stretched in a wide smile. "No problem. She's very professional."

"And even though there's a suite for her to live on premises, I don't want a string of men parading in and out of here."

Toni laughed. "Why, Dylan Acosta. Since when did you become such a prude?" Her eyes danced with mischief."

He barked a short laugh. "Not a prude. Just concerned about appearances for our guests. And a lot of evenings she'll be needed on premises."

"Again, not a problem. She's very, um, private about her personal life. Very private."

"Yeah? Why? Is there something wrong with it?"

Toni just shook her head. "If she wants to discuss it with you, she will. Just know she will conduct it away from the ranch, and you won't be forced to deal with it."

Now he was really curious. Wouldn't it be just the oddest quirk of fate if Jenna Clary's very private life was a mirror of his own? Naw. Forget it. Things like that didn't happen. Besides, he made it a rule not to play in his own corral.

"Okay. I'll give her a call. Maybe she'll be able to drive out late this afternoon, like you said."

"Oh, wait a sec." Toni held up a wait a minute finger. "I have a picture of her."

"I'm not hiring her for her looks," he huffed. Although he did want someone at least presentable out in front, it was really her brain and her experience he was looking for.

"Then just think of it as a bonus. Here. Take a look."

She pulled up a photo on her phone and turned it to face him. On the screen was a woman who could only be described as breathtaking. She wasn't beautiful in the classic sense, or heartstoppingly gorgeous. But she certainly made his heart stop. Rich auburn hair fell in artfully cut layers around a heart-shaped face. Her eyes were a deep shade of green framed by thick smoky lashes. Her nose was just a tiny bit crooked and her chin a little too pointed but they were offset by lips that beckoned to be kissed. Or wrapped around his c**k.

Stop it!

What he noticed over and above everything else was the casual tilt of her head and the look of mischief in her eyes. Mischief and a promise of something rich and dark. This was a woman he'd love to wind his rope around and find a hundred ways to bring to orgasm. Except he was hiring her to work for him, not to f**k. And he wouldn't even be hiring her if he didn't get hold of her.

"A knockout, right?" Toni winked. "Now go call her."