Bowles, Jan - In Debt to the Dom [Guilty Pleasures 1] (Siren Publishing Classic) (9 page)

“Come on, I’ll show you around.” He guided her to the range. “I had this built a couple of years ago.” His staff had prepared a table with an awning earlier in the morning. It gave dappled shade to the two chairs placed beneath it. He pointed to the excavated earth that lay sculpted around a pit dug into the side of the hill and allowed a line of paper targets to stand safely in a row.

“It’s very impressive, Keaton.”

“It’s all fully automated.” He pressed a button on the table and the targets fluttered like drying laundry toward them. Within seconds, he had them returning to the range.

“Make yourself comfortable. It’s been quite a while since I was last here. Work pressures see to that. Let’s see if I’ve still got the knack.”

Chapter Nine

Maddie relaxed into the soft seating, glad for the shade that the awning gave. Keaton had brought a cooler box full of drinks and food, and she opened a bottle of sparkling mineral water. This time she’d make sure she didn’t dehydrate.

The light breeze that blew in occasionally from the west kept her cool, although whenever she looked at Keaton, her temperature rose. What was it with jeans, cowboy boots, and Stetsons, anyway? The man looked like he’d just stepped off the movie set of
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
. Every so often he’d fire off a quick succession of rounds, and then bring the targets up for inspection, some of which he’d replace. He seemed meticulous about safety. The barrel of his shotgun, when not in use, was left open and pointed at the ground. The earlier anxiety she’d felt at the mention of live bullets had eased somewhat. There was something quite macho and exciting about guns that turned her on, even though she would hate to admit it. However, she definitely had second thoughts about having a go herself.

After a flurry of bullets, he turned and started to walk back to where she sat. “We’ll have some lunch, and then you can have a go with the hand gun. It will be lighter and easier for a woman to handle.”

He placed his shotgun back in its gun case, along with the rounds of live bullets, and then took the seat beside her. His long legs stretched out as he relaxed back in the chair.

“How did you do?”

“Rusty at first, but I soon got back into it. Working in the city means I miss out on all of this. I’d much rather be here at the ranch, close to nature. I’m a natural cowboy at heart.”

“Then why don’t you?”

“What? Give up my position at Goldstein Rivers?” He opened the cool box and handed her a sandwich.

“Yeah, why not?”
                                                                             

“I took over as CEO at Goldstein Rivers when my father died. I hold the majority of shares in the company. What I say goes, and all my employees know it. I’m not ready to hand over power just yet, although the idea of breeding horses on this ranch appeals to me. It’s something I may do when I retire.”

Maddie peeled the foil from her sandwich.
God, pastrami again
. She wrapped it back up and placed it on the table.

Keaton didn’t miss a trick. “I hope you’re going to eat that.”

She shook her head. “I hate pastrami.”

“But you ate it yesterday.”

“I did it to please you.”

He looked amused. “You ate something you hate in order to please me?”

“I thought that was the type of relationship we had, although I have to admit, I was extremely hungry at the time.

He shook his head, a faint smile on his lips. “Now we’re getting somewhere. I can’t make you do anything you don’t want to do.”

“Is that so?”

“Believe me, I can’t. What happens between us is by mutual consent. I enjoy dominating you, and you enjoy being dominated by me.”

A tight coil of desire centered low in her stomach at the way he looked at her. His bright blue gaze burned into her very being. My God, what did he have in store for her this evening?

Breaking eye contact, he reached into the cool box and fished out another sandwich. He pushed it toward her. “I hope you like tuna.”

“I do, but how do you figure mutual consent when I have little choice in the matter?”

“It’s the way your body responds to mine. You like what I do, and you’re already looking forward to tonight.”

Maddie felt her cheeks flush with heat, and she hurriedly turned her attention to her food. Keaton made it worse when he laughed out loud. Thankfully, he just left her to drown in her own embarrassment because she knew what he’d said was absolutely true.

* * * *

He lifted the handgun from the case and grabbed some live cartridges. “Come, Maddie, it’s time to teach you how to shoot.”

He waited for her to come to the center of the range and then held up the gun. “Now, this is a forty-four Magnum. At the moment, there aren’t any rounds in it, so it’s perfectly safe.” He showed her the empty chamber and then handed it to her.

She held it gingerly as though it was about to explode. “It’s very heavy, Keaton.”

“Yes, it carries quite a kick, too. It’s the exact gun that Clint Eastwood had in the Dirty Harry movies.” He laughed out loud and then said, “You remember the one. ‘Make my day punk,’” in his best Clint Eastwood voice.

He stood behind her and directed her. “Now, using both hands, take the weight of the gun in your dominant hand. That’s it. Stand with your legs shoulder width apart, your left leg slightly forward.” He heard her gasp as he gently kicked her legs into position with his feet.
God, she smelled good this close up
. “Raise your arm until your elbow is almost straight. That’s it, good girl. Now line up the two sights on the target.”

“Feel happy?” he asked when she’d followed his instructions.

She nodded.

“Now gently squeeze the trigger. Don’t jerk it.”

The soft click of the trigger being pulled belied the power that could be unleashed.

“Now, let’s try it with a live round. Keep the gun pointing down at all times until you raise it to the target, okay?” He placed a live bullet into the chamber and handed it back to her.

“Keaton? Do you think it’s wise handing me a loaded gun when I still owe you half a million dollars?”

She said it so casually, but he couldn’t help but hear the irony in her voice.

“Don’t worry, I’m not about to step into your line of sight, and somehow I don’t think you’re the murdering type. Now remember what I told you. Take your time, and when you’re ready, take aim and squeeze the trigger.”

When Maddie lifted the gun, he saw she had difficulty stopping it from shaking due to a combination of its weight and her anxiety.

She sighed and let her arms down. “I guess you were right. I can’t do it. It scares the hell out of me.”

“Shall I help you?”

“Would you? I know I’m being a girly, but I’ve always had a fear of guns.” He heard the worry in her voice.

“It’s okay.” He moved behind her, pressing his chest against her back. He could feel nervous tremors racking through her body, and he couldn’t decide whether it was because of his close proximity or the gun. “Shh. Now raise the gun again, and I’ll squeeze the trigger for you.”

He ran his hands down her arms, enjoying the response as she shivered from his touch. He cupped her hands in his as she held the gun and pressed his body firmly against her back. “Now line it up with the target and breathe in. When you breathe out, I’ll squeeze the trigger, okay?”

Regaining her composure, she nodded. Just as she began to exhale, he pulled the trigger. The loud bang had her backing into him even more. It made him feel needed, and he wrapped an arm possessively around her waist.

“Wow. That has some kick to it.”

“Yeah, it’s probably a little too powerful for a woman. Want another go?”

She shook her head. “No, I don’t think my shoulder will stand any more.” She made to move, but he held her more firmly around the waist.

“Not so fast. How does it feel to have something so potent and explosive in your hands?” he whispered against her ear.

A strangled moan escaped her lips, and he knew she’d caught the double meaning to his words. He smiled to himself. He’d push her just a little further.

“I’ve got something equally hard as steel for you tonight. I know you’ll enjoy it.”

He knew he’d hit his mark when she breathed deeply and lowered her head. “Keaton, I can’t think straight when you talk like that.”

“You don’t need to think. You just need to feel.” She ignored what he’d said and handed the gun back to him. “Do I unnerve you, Maddie?”

“You know you do.”

A moan escaped her lips as he slipped a hand inside her blouse and gently caressed her breasts, tugging at her nipples before placing the barrel of the gun between her cleavage.

“You’re frightening me, Keaton. Please don’t do that. Is it loaded?”

“Yes. It wouldn’t be exciting if it was empty. Go on, admit it, Maddie. The feel of a loaded gun between your breasts really turns you on. It makes you feel alive.”

“Yes, it does, but you’re freaking me out.”

He laughed. “You protest too much. I know you like the feel of it next to your skin.” Satisfaction flooded through him as she ground her ass back against his hard cock.

Taking the gun from between her breasts, he placed it on the table. He smoothed his hands down to her jeans and unbuttoned the waistband. When he teased his fingers into her panties, a small animal cry left her lips. Her pussy was soaking wet. “I’m so glad I turn you on, Maddie,” he whispered gently into her ear.

The words, “Oh, fuck,” hissed from his lips as her fingers explored his throbbing shaft through the material of his jeans. It was the first time she had ever touched him intimately.

“I know I turn you on. Do you want me to fire this gun, too?” Her strokes became bolder as she caressed his hard cock, feeling its thickness beneath the rough material of his jeans.

“Careful, Maddie,” he said. “This has a potent kick, too.”

Her fingers squeezed his balls, and he closed his eyes, enjoying the moment between them.

Taking his hand from her pussy, he stopped her progress. He didn’t want her gaining control. “You’re going to get into some serious hot water tonight. I shall enjoy showing you the error of your ways.”

“Is that a promise?”

“Bet on it, lady.”

Chapter Ten

It was with some trepidation that Maddie knocked on Keaton’s door. She had the feeling that she would regret her boldness earlier in the day.

She had just wanted to gain some control, and it had worked up to a point. Keaton had responded to her overtly sexual touch, and it almost felt like a normal relationship. Only, he’d soon stopped her. She guessed the control aspect was what made him tick, and it certainly heightened her sexual arousal whenever he used it.

His deep voice called out from behind the door. “Come in.” This time when she walked into the room, although dimly lit, it had a large flat screen television at the end of the bed. When she closed the door, she remembered to take the key out of the lock.

He emerged from the bathroom. As usual, a towel was tied around his waist. “Take off your robe,” he ordered, “and then come over here and kneel on the mattress facing the end of the bed.”

She did as he commanded, the effects of adrenaline making her legs tremble as she did so. Truth be known, she wanted and craved his touch so much it almost hurt. She handed him the key and watched, mesmerized, as he secured it to the chain around his neck.