Chapter 8


    Jake


    ‘Yeah, that’s it. Fuck, fuck, fuuuck!’ I groan loudly as I shoot my load inside the condom.


    I have Emma, or Emily, whatever her name is, bent over in front of me. Her hands are resting against the brick outside wall of the pub. She’s still panting from her orgasm. I give her ass a quick slap before I pull out and slide the condom off my cock. I quickly tie it up and dispose of it in the trash bin, a couple of feet away.


    ‘Damn Jake, Carla already said you were good,’ Emma–or Emily–says. She seductively tosses her long red hair over her shoulders, while she shimmies her miniskirt back down.


    ‘Happy to be of service,’ I smirk. I didn’t see Carla on the dancefloor anywhere, but her redhaired friend turned out to be just as willing tonight. ‘Are you good?’ I check with her, as I put my cock back inside my boxers and hoist up my jeans.


    ‘Very good,’ she smiles. She walks up to me and throws her arms around my neck for a kiss. I slide my hands around her waist to her back and grab her ass.


    ‘You’ve got a great ass, Emma.’


    ‘Emory.’


    Well, I was close.


    ‘Emory. I had a fantastic view.’


    ‘Perhaps you’d like to see it again some time?’ Emory whispers suggestively in my ear.


    ‘Yeah, definitely. I’ll keep an eye out for you when I’m here. I’ll see you around, Emory,’ I reply, as I take a step back. I know that’s probably not what she meant, and the flicker of disappointment that crosses her face confirms it. However, she’s a good sport about it and just nods.


    ‘I’ll see you around Jake.’


    I nod my head in response and simultaneously tap my forehead with two fingers in a greeting, before I head back inside. I’m going back in the same way we came out, through the emergency exit near the restrooms. The mechanism has been broken for years, so it doesn’t properly close anymore. Pete just uses a sliding lock to close it when he leaves, but during opening hours it’s always open.


    I make a quick pit stop in the restroom to relieve myself, before I head back inside the bar. Someone has turned the music up even louder, and the dancefloor is absolutely packed. I chuckle when I finally do see Carla on the dancefloor, sandwiched in between David and a guy from a neighboring ranch. I guess she found another victim tonight. Or two, by the looks of it. Good for her.


    I make my way over to the bar to order another beer. As I’m taking a big sip, my eyes dart across the room and they land on the table I sat on before. Most of the guys have cleared out, but Amber is still sitting in the same spot as I left her. She’s not alone though. Our girl has company. Male company. I want to say good for her, too. It’s the reason I invited her to tag along, after all, to go out and meet some people. Still, I can’t help but feel a pinch of jealousy again, just like in Marjorie’s kitchen yesterday, seeing her being all friendly with another man. Then I see who it is.


    Andrew. Fucking. Daniels.


    Oh, hell no! Andrew Daniels is a ranch hand who used to work for Ray back when I started working there about nine years ago, fresh out of high school. He was the type of guy who always thought he knew everything better, always tried to pass on the dirty work to others and always tried to let other people take the fall for his mistakes. Ray, being a good man and an even better boss, gave him way too many chances if you ask me. The final straw was when Andrew''s carelessness caused Ray’s prize bull to break a leg and he had to be put down. The bastard actually tried to pin the blame on me, but thankfully Ray realized that he was full of shit and finally fired his ass. I heard he’s been hopping from ranch to ranch ever since, never sticking with jobs longer than a year or two.


    I really feel like going over there and telling him to get lost, but then I hesitate. It’s not really my place, is it? Amber can do whatever the fuck she wants. If she enjoys his company, who am I to send him away? But then I catch the hint of desperation on her face. She’s clearly leaning away from Andrew and her eyes keep darting around, as if she’s looking for an escape. I suddenly notice that her arms are crossed protectively in front of her chest, and her knees are pressed closely together.


    A flash of anger runs through me. Anyone observing her more closely can easily see that Amber is feeling uncomfortable. Why have none of the guys told that fucker to back off of her yet? But then I realize that most of the other chairs are empty and all of our coworkers have gone elsewhere. I suddenly feel a bit guilty for leaving Amber alone. She pretty much told me she hadn’t been to a bar before. I know I probably should have checked on her sooner, but I got a little distracted.


    I quickly push myself away from the bar and walk over to their table. Without hesitation, I drop into the chair beside Amber, casually sliding my arm around her shoulders, effectively nudging Andrew’s arm away from her. He’s instantly pissed when he sees me. Amber’s head jerks in my direction and she gazes up at me in surprise. The tiny bit of mascara she’s wearing really makes her blue eyes pop. I hadn’t really noticed that before.


    ‘How are you doing, baby?’ I ask, while I give her a slight wink.


    ‘I’m alright, thanks,’ Amber says, clearly relieved.


    ‘Yeah? You didn’t get too bored without me?’


    ‘She has company,’ Andrew interjects sharply.


    ‘Yes, and now she’s traded up,’ I reply smugly.


    ‘Fuck off, Harmon,’ Andrew scowls.


    ‘Do you want me to fuck off, Amber?’ I ask, while I raise my eyebrows at her. Might as well check to make sure.


    ‘No!’ Amber says quickly. She scooches a little closer towards me. ‘Of course not. I came here with you, remember?’


    ‘You’re here with someone?’ Andrew asks. This news clearly pisses him off. ‘You could have told me that before I bought you a drink.’


    ‘Don’t be a dick, Drew. She doesn’t owe you for buying her a fucking Coke,’ I say sharply. ‘If you expect sex in exchange for spending some cash, you better get yourself a hooker.’


    ‘What? No! I wasn’t going to do that,’ Amber says, shocked. She stares at Andrew with those big innocent eyes. ‘You bought me that Coke because you thought then I would sleep with you?’


    ‘No! No, of course not,’ Andrew mutters underneath his breath. A lie if I ever heard one. He clearly thought he had this in the bag.


    ‘Alright, then. Thanks for keeping my girl here company during my absence,’ I say. I confidently dismiss Andrew with a small jerk of my head, while pulling Amber a little closer towards me. The fact that she willingly leans into my embrace leaves me feeling a bit smug. I keep my eyes on Andrew until he disappears into the crowd.


    ‘Thank you,’ Amber sighs with relief. Her voice still sounds a little squeaky. She sits up straight and my arm falls off her shoulders.


    I turn my face to look at her. ‘You could’ve just told him to leave, if you weren’t interested in his company,’ I tell her a little sharply. Why did she even put up with that douche?


    ‘I wasn’t really sure how,’ Amber admits, a little embarrassed. ‘I kept sliding my chair to the side, hoping he would take the hint, but he was kind of pushy. I didn’t want to get in trouble.’


    My expression instantly softens. ‘Yeah, I understand.’


    Unfortunately, I see it around me all the time. Not every man has had a Hugo in their life to drill the concept of consent into them. I may like to sleep around, but I only have sex with women who are absolutely willing. If they’re not interested, I back the fuck off. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ‘Thanks for rescuing me, Jake. I appreciate it,’ Amber says with a slight smile.


    ‘No problem. If you’re in trouble, you can come to any of Ray’s guys and we’ll always help you out,’ I promise.


    I know this to be true. Ray has made it clear that Amber is important to him, and we are all fucking loyal to the man. I take a sip of my beer and catch her glancing at the clock on the wall, before letting out an almost unnoticeable sigh.


    ‘Are you not having a good time?’ I ask.


    ‘No, I am. It’s fine, I’m having a good time,’ Amber stammers, while a blush appears on her cheeks. I arch one eyebrow in a skeptic look. She holds my gaze for a few seconds, but then her shoulders sag and she drops her head. ‘Okay, no, I’m not really having a good time. I just… I don’t feel like I really fit in here,’ Amber admits with a sigh. She glances at me apologetically. ‘I’m sorry.’


    ‘What are you sorry for?’


    ‘It was so nice of you to let me tag along, and now I’m being so ungrateful!’


    ‘It’s fine, Poppins. I just took you to a bar I was going to anyway,’ I chuckle at her guilt-ridden face. ‘So this isn’t your thing. If you’re not having a good time, we can just go home if you want?’


    ‘Really? You wouldn’t mind going home already?’ she asks hesitantly, but her eyes are suddenly filled with hope.


    ‘Let’s go,’ I say grinning. I chug back the last of my beer and move to stand up.


    Amber scrambles up from her chair as well. She’s already darting towards the door, before I can even place my empty bottle on the table. Laughing at her rush, I follow her outside to my pickup. I’ve only had three beers tonight, but I still let Amber drive. I help her adjust the driver’s seat so she can reach the pedals, before I get in on the passenger side. Amber puts my key in the ignition, but then stares at the console. I notice her hesitation.


    ‘Have you ever driven a stick before?’ I ask, already guessing the answer.


    ‘No,’ Amber sighs, defeated. She drops and shakes her head for just a second, but then she straightens her back and looks up again with a look of steely determination on her face. ‘But if I can conquer the minivan, I’m sure I can figure out your truck as well.’


    ‘Good girl,’ I chuckle. I try to hide my amusement as I watch her struggle to figure out how to get it started. Her hand hovers over the gear shift as her eyes dart between the console and the pedals at her feet. After a minute or so, she looks back at me.


    ‘Maybe a little help to get started?’ Amber pleads with her big doe-eyes. It’s kind of endearing.


    ‘The left pedal is the clutch. Press that one with your left foot when you shift gears. Next to it is the brake pedal. The right pedal is the accelerator,’ I explain with a smile. ‘Hit both the clutch and the brake before you start the ignition. Then use the stick to shift into first gear and slowly release the clutch, while you press the accelerator with your right foot to set the car in motion,’ I instruct her.


    Thankfully there''s no car in front of us, so she doesn''t have to reverse it out of the parking spot. Amber bites her bottom lip as she attempts to carry out my instructions. All goes well, until she tries to drive away. The truck makes a jerky movement and then the engine stalls.


    ‘Oops, sorry,’ she says apologetically.


    ‘Don''t worry. You just went too fast on the clutch,’ I explain. ‘Try it again. Restart the car and release the clutch more gently this time.’


    Amber follows my instructions and carefully lets go of the clutch. This time the truck slowly rolls forward. ‘It’s working!’ she yells triumphantly.


    ‘You’re a regular Dick Trickle,’ I chuckle at her. ‘Now hit the clutch again, shift to second gear and slowly release. And make sure you don''t hit that boulder on the way out.’


    ‘Very funny,’ she rolls her eyes. The boulder is up on a small hill, at least ten feet away from the street.


    Amber carefully steers us out of the parking lot and turns right onto the main road. I have to remind her to shift gears a couple of times, but she actually gets the hang of it pretty quickly. Other than some jerky movements when she’s shifting gears and accidentally stalling the engine at a stop sign once, the drive goes on without a hitch.


    Amber is completely focused on the road and on driving my truck, which gives me the opportunity to quietly observe her. She truly is very pretty, I conclude, not for the first time. Her thick curly hair lights up golden every time we pass a traffic light. Her eyes are an intense cornflower blue. They currently keep darting from the road in front of us, to checking the mirrors, and back. Her heart-shaped lips look very pillowy. She bites her lower lip from time to time, but I don’t think she even realizes that she’s doing it. It’s just part of her concentration, as is the tiny wrinkle of worry that’s been on her forehead since the moment she turned the ignition on.


    She’s definitely not tall. Her upper body is almost pressed against the steering wheel, otherwise her feet wouldn’t be able to reach the pedals. The curvature of her breasts is pressing tightly against the buttons of her red blouse. They’re certainly arousing, but it’s Amber’s ass that truly steals the fucking show. Even with her jeans on, I can’t help but imagine grabbing those thighs and burying my fingers in her flesh, while pounding in her from behind. Just the thought of it already gives me a semi.


    I find it kind of fascinating to stare at her, and I''m racking my brain for why that is. Amber is undeniably beautiful, but so are a lot of other women I know. And I don’t necessarily feel the need to watch them so intently. It’s the lack of pretense, I realize after pondering it for a while. Everything about Amber is just pure and unfiltered. Her innocence, her kindness, her sadness while playing the piano–all of it is real. It’s just who she is. She’s not being coy, or playing any games, or coming from any angle. She’s just Amber. It’s refreshing. And incredibly enticing. I notice that she smiles widely, and suddenly realize that she is looking at me expectantly. Fuck, did she say something?


    ‘Sorry?’


    Amber lets out a chuckle while she turns her eyes back towards the road. ‘I said that you don’t have to look so worried. That I actually do have my driver’s license,’ she laughs with a twinkle in her eyes.


    ‘I’m not worried at all. You’re doing a great job,’ I assure her. ‘You can be my designated driver anytime you want.’


    ‘Unless I suddenly start growing a taste for beer, which I seriously doubt, I wouldn’t mind being your designated driver. It would mean that you’d be stuck with me hanging around, though,’ Amber says tentatively, glancing at me shyly.


    ‘Feel free to join us anytime.’


    It’s a general invitation, not a promise. I know that Amber was probably hinting at wanting to spend time with me, but I don’t think that would be such a great idea. I have no problem hooking up with women, but I don’t think that is something I should be doing with her. Not even because of what Ray said, since he just warned us not to chase her away. I have zero intention of hurting Amber, but I also know that a girl like her probably wants way more than to be someone’s hook-up. She deserves a nice guy, a real boyfriend. Someone who will treat her right. A guy like Zane perhaps, who pretty much seems to worship her from what I’ve seen this week. I have no doubt that he would be good to her. A lot better than I could ever be. And yet, the image of a naked Amber in Zane’s arms sparks another wave of jealousy inside me.


    ‘There we are, almost home,’ Amber says, clearly pleased with herself. We’re heading up the driveway towards the ranch. ‘Where do you want me to park?’


    ‘In front of my cabin would be great,’ I answer. I point her towards the row of cabins beyond the barn. ‘It’s the second one from the left.’


    After parking my pickup in its designated spot, Amber carefully turns off the engine and takes the keys out of the ignition. ‘That’s enough new experiences for one weekend,’ she exhales tiredly. She turns towards me and hands me my keys. ‘Thanks again for taking me with you, Jake. I really do appreciate it, even if it wasn’t really my thing.’


    ‘Yeah, no problem.’


    ‘Goodnight,’ she says. Amber gives me one of her genuinely warm smiles before she hops out of the truck. She closes the door and starts walking towards the main house. I know that it’s ridiculous, but I suddenly hate the idea of not being near her anymore.


    ‘Hang on, I’ll walk you back,’ I say, giving into my impulse to stay in her presence a little bit longer. I get out of the car and jog around it until I have reached her. I shove my hands in my pockets and start walking beside her, careful not to touch her.


    ‘You really don’t have to do that,’ Amber says, surprised. ‘The house is right there. It’s only a hundred meters or so.’


    ‘It’s dark,’ I shrug. ‘You got me home safe, so I’m just returning the favor.’


    ‘Okay, thanks, I guess.’


    We walk together in silence. I''m about to step on the porch, but Amber walks past it and follows the path around the house.


    ‘My quarters have their own entrance, so I don’t have to go through the main house if I don’t want to,’ she explains, when she sees the puzzled look on my face. ‘Here,’ Amber points towards a white painted door, with a small diamond window at eye level.


    Well, my eye-level anyway. Amber probably has to stand on her tiptoes if she wants to peek through it. The thought makes me chuckle while Amber pulls a single key from her pocket and opens the door.


    ‘Well, thanks for walk–Oh, wait!’ she suddenly exclaims. ‘Since you’re here now anyway…’


    Amber runs inside, leaving the door open. I take a curious peek inside and see a small, but neat living room with a tiny kitchen on the opposite wall. A few seconds later, Amber comes back out of a door on the right, which I assume must be her bedroom. I’ve worked here for nine years, and I honestly didn’t even know these chambers were here. Her place looks nice though.


    ‘Here,’ Amber says, offering me a small package. I accept it with an inquiring frown. ‘It’s your shirt,’ she clarifies with a smile. ‘I fixed it for you, as promised.’


    ‘You did?’ I ask, surprised. I stare at the t-shirt in my hand, which Amber not only fixed, but washed for me as well. I had already forgotten about it, to be honest.


    ‘It’s not perfect. It was a pretty big tear,’ Amber says apologetically, ‘but I tried to hide the stitch as well as I could.’


    ‘Hey, it’s better than anything I could’ve done myself. I probably would have just thrown it out,’ I smile at her. ‘This is really nice of you, Amber. Thank you,’ I say appreciatively. I truly mean it.


    ‘You’re welcome,’ she replies kindly.


    Our eyes lock, and I become acutely aware of how close her full lips are to mine, just inches apart. Those very luscious, extremely kissable lips. It would be so easy to lean in to get a taste of them. I really fucking want to. And from the way she’s looking up at me, I think Amber does too. But I force myself to remember my earlier conclusion. Amber deserves someone nice, not someone who is only interested in casual hook-ups. I reluctantly pull myself away.


    ‘Sleep tight, Poppins,’ I say. I force myself to smile and walk straight back to my cabin, without looking over my shoulder.