Branded (14 page)

Apparently Ted had their day all
planned out and she looked forward to spending one out from behind
a computer.

There were a few guys working with
the new calves. Each one had been assigned a handheld device to
input the information for the new double tags. A few hiccups showed
up early on and were individually worked out, but nothing recently.
She was comfortable in stepping away from work for the day and
seeing more of the ranch.

Breakfast was basic and delicious.
He’d made plenty of toast, bacon, eggs and juice. While she ate,
Sakura realized not only were there no cheese or potatoes present,
there hadn’t been at any meal since they’d arrived. Maybe it was
because she’d told him what she and Molly had noticed about the odd
American food habit. She hoped he hadn’t been insulted by their
discovery. It had all been in good fun.

While she washed dishes, they
talked about the meeting Matt had returned from the night
before.

“You know what, Sakura,” he walked
over to stand by her at the sink, drying the dishes she’d washed,
“with Canada having limitations on their imports, not as stiff as
Japan’s but definitely not free flowing like it used to be, they
could be another market for you to offer guidance to ranchers. U.S.
beef is sold mostly to Mexico, South Korea, Japan and Canada. Learn
the import rules for those countries and, with the success of the
program we installed here, any consultancy firm you form will be in
demand.”

She smiled up at him and was
amazed. For the first time she realized her private life had taken
precedence over work and she couldn’t be more pleased.

“People in the industry are already
talking. They’re curious about what you can offer them. The other
day I had a call from a guy I know who manages a spread in Wyoming.
He and I had talked before Matt went to Japan and what he was
looking for while there. Apparently, after hearing what we were
doing, he and the man who owns the ranch discussed future
plans.

“They came up with a plan to pick a
single marketplace and focus on selling to them what they want. The
manager wondered if the rumors were right about a representative
from Nakamura Enterprises being here and would we mind him picking
your brain for help. Sweetheart, you’re famous already.” He laughed
and put a plate in the cupboard.

“I didn’t realize people would be
openly curious about what we’d set up here. I guess I should start
making detailed notes on how I’d like the consultancy firm to work
and start setting down some goals. One thing I’m sure of is that I
don’t want to jump into the deep end before I know where I’m
headed.” She wiped her hands dry and looked over at Ted to find him
watching her with a smile on his face.

“What?”

“Do you know what seeing you in the
kitchen is doing to me?”

“Other than happy I did the
dishes?”

He laughed and wrapped his arms
around her, and pulled her close enough that she could feel exactly
how pleased he was.

“Seeing you here makes me think of
a white picket fence, a pie cooling on the window ledge, and you,
my woman, naked and ready for loving.” Ted shifted her shirt collar
to the side and laid his lips right where her neck joined her
shoulder. In an instant, goose bumps covered her body, tightening
her nipples and bringing her passionate needs straight to the
surface, ready for attention.

As they stood there, wrapped around
each other, his desire for her and hers for him expanded even
further. Her clit pulsed with a need to be touched and her desire
begged for satisfaction. They were already in her heart, now she
had to figure out how to get them to take her body.

“Come on, let’s go riding.” Ted
took hold of her hand and pulled her toward the back door. He
picked up a beige felt cowboy hat with a brown leather band he must
have brought with him and placed it on her head. “Fit
okay?”

“Yes, my first cowboy hat. Thank
you.” She blushed as she remembered the night she’d played a geisha
for Matt and wore his hat as she rode his body. What a wonderful
night that had been—she wanted a repeat.

They left the guest house and
started toward the barn. “You don’t have any problems with horses,
do you? I mean, I don’t want you to do this unless you want
to.”

“No, not at all, though it’s been a
while since I rode. Back when I was in college, I took lessons and
eventually advanced to well-groomed trails. It’s been a good three
or four years since I’ve been on a horse. I’m looking forward to
picking it back up with help, of course.” Her memories may have
been romanticized, but she remembered being out amongst nature.
Even though she’d been part of a group, there’d been a real sense
of freedom whenever she’d gone riding.

“Don’t worry, we’ll take it nice
and slow. We’re in no hurry today.”

They walked into the barn and
immediately she noticed the beautiful brown and white dappled horse
waiting in the first stall. The animal watched her with big brown
eyes surrounded by long lashes and ears perked with interest. As
she walked up, hand out in a bid to not startle, Ted was there at
her side talking in a calm voice.

“This is Star. He’s a gentleman
gelding who enjoys sugar cubes, but will eat pieces of crab apples
as well. Court said he likes to take easy strolls with an
occasional dash across an open field for fun.” He took her hand and
stroked it over the long silken nose. The horse pushed his head
into her touch then shook his head, causing the mane to dance
around.

“Looks like he’s eager to go out.”
Ted held her arm as they stepped out of the way. A groom she hadn’t
realized was there came forward and led the horse from the stall.
While he held Star’s reins, Ted fussed with the straps and stirrups
before turning to her.

“Tell me when you’re ready,
Sakura.”

Ted waited for her nod before
bending over, offering his laced fingers as a step to help her to
gain the horses back. Gripping the pommel, she put her boot onto
his clasped hands and swung her other leg over Star’s back. She
quickly settled into position, feet in stirrups and back straight.
The positioning was different from English style riding, but
figured she’d settle in to the rhythm.

She smiled when he walked around
her to make sure everything was secure. Like his brother, he was
protective and she liked that about him, even though it wasn’t
necessary. He and Matt knew she was capable of taking on the world,
but it was reassuring they wanted to be there with her when she did
it. They were real men, and she counted herself lucky to have found
not one but two who wanted her in their life.

“All right?” On her nod, he handed
her the reins, then went to mount his own horse.

“We’re going to have fun today, my
handsome Star. You were definitely given the perfect name. You’re
as gorgeous and poised as any Hollywood star would be, and as
strong and confident as those in the sky.” Feeling good, she
reached out and ran her fingers through her horse’s mane while
praising him.

Once they were ready, Ted clucked
his tongue and led the way out of the barn, eventually settling at
her side. They walked their horses down a dirt lane before turning
off to make their way over a subtle slope.

In less than fifteen minutes, she
couldn’t see the barn, house, or any of the other outbuildings. It
was just them and their horses beneath the big, crisp blue sky.
They made their way to the eastern edge of the property and rode
along the fence while checking for damage. Eventually, they found a
dozen odd posts pushed from the ground by the frost.

After a quick inspection, Ted
decided to come out the next day with a couple of hands and fix the
fence. While he made notes on his smartphone, she walked her horse
to a nearby copse of trees and back again. Next she made the trip a
little faster, which led into an all-out run.

When she returned to his side, it
was to see pride on her companion’s face.

“Forget this tidy trail crap,
princess. You’re a good rider.”

“Thank you. I enjoyed riding
whenever I went, only it wasn’t often enough, and definitely not in
a place as open and wild as this.”

“Well, you’ll be able to go
everyday if you’d like. However, I’m going to ask you don’t go out
alone, at least not yet. Phone coverage isn’t good out here and the
spread is large enough you could easily get lost or wander into one
of the fields set aside for breeding.” While they talked, Ted had
come over to stand at her side and put his hand on her
knee.

The simple touch from him brought
her need for sexual satisfaction racing right back to the
forefront. She believed she’d had it under control, but that was
apparently a big fat lie. Riding had brought it all back, and then
his touch had her nearly begging for attention.

The leather saddle nudged her clit
ring and teased her already excited senses. Neither man knew she
was pierced there, and it wickedly reminded her of how long it had
been since she experienced an orgasm. Too long, especially since
there were two gorgeous men offering themselves to her.

Tonight, did she dare do what Sunny
had suggested? Tell them straight out what she wanted? With her
pussy pulsating with need, she wasn’t sure she could last much
longer, but would try her best.

“I won’t.” Her voice
shook.

“If you’re okay to keep going,
we’ll check out the two shelters. Matt will meet us with lunch. The
second one is in better condition than the other and will offer a
cool place to get out of the heat of the day if you need to
rest.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“Good, follow me.” He tapped the
sides of his horse and they took off.

They made it to the first place in
quick time and Ted went inside to make a note of any supplies
needed. The ride to the next shelter took a little longer and the
pace was slower because the terrain was trickier to handle. By the
time they arrived, Sakura was ready to stretch her legs.

Knowing they were going to stay put
for a bit, they settled the horses under a simply built shelter
attached to the building. They went inside the hut and she realized
it wasn’t nearly as crude inside as she’d expected it to be. There
was no running water or electricity, but there were things
available to make it easier for an extended stay if bad weather
took someone by surprise.

While he checked things out, she
made her way back outside and sat beneath a tree. Whether it was
from riding or Ted, she was warm and unfastened a couple of
buttons. She waved the fabric about to bring a little breeze to
help cool off. Pulling her hat down low, she stretched her legs out
in front of her and relaxed.

Listening to the leaves rustling, a
feeling of peace filled her and she closed her eyes. Something she
hadn’t expected but rather quickly had grown to enjoy turned out to
be the complete and utter silence she found on the Big W. Even
though she was living on a working ranch and plenty of activity
took place, it didn’t compare to the chaos of a city street like in
Osaka, and she liked that just fine.

Hearing a low squeak, she opened
her eyes enough to watch Ted leave the shack and head toward where
she sat. How he dressed and even moved said he was a cowboy from
the cradle. Not one of the picture perfect types found in the
movies, but a real one. On the outside he was tough, sexy, and,
from what she could see of his cock, currently turned
on.

Inside where it mattered most, she
knew him and adored his gentle soul. She wondered if what she was
feeling was love and, after seeing Ted walk toward her, decided to
think about it later.

Sakura considered he might think
she slept because he walked carefully to not wake her. He crouched
down at her feet and looked her over. Clearly written on his face
was a hunger intense enough it made her stomach clench. Something
softer, an acceptance and pleasure in her being there with him, was
at the center of her desire. He reached out a hand to touch her leg
and then pulled it back.

Wanting him to touch her all over,
she finally assured him she was awake by asking him a question she
had the answer for, but needed to hear him say it.

“Do you want me?”

There was no need to think any more
about what she wanted. Sakura knew exactly what she had to do to
get it, and she reached out her hand for Ted to take.

He didn’t make her wait for an
answer or wonder if he understood what she’d asked. Ted clasped her
hand and pulled her up. With hands locked together, she led him
back to the emergency shelter and, because he let her, she managed
to gently push him onto the old couch to ravish.

Looking at his lap, she found his
erection prominently displayed. The heaviness of the denim couldn’t
keep his cock down. The sight of him excited her and the return
response was exactly what she needed to see. There was no need to
delay taking what she wanted.

Sakura straddled his hips and
wasted no time in kissing him. She hoped he understood exactly how
hungry and eager she was for his possession. Within a few heated
seconds her new cowboy hat was lost. Big hands gripped her hips
tightly and she loved how it made her think he was afraid she’d
disappear. His hold was firm enough there might be bruises from his
fingers left behind, and she’d wear them proudly.