Off to the Races (Gold Rush Ranch, #1)

by Elsie Silver

Two can play that game. “Enjoying the view, Miss Black?” She tilts her head to the side and rests it against the door frame. An almost imperceptible smirk touches her mouth. She lightly taps her pointer finger against the indent along her top lip. “Yeah, Boss Man. You look good on your knees.”

Focused on where Patrick is standing, she starts her forward motion again, prowling across the room like a panther in her formfitting suit. Quiet and deadly. He’s facing away from her, gesticulating, like he’s recounting the most exciting story in the world. He’s clueless about what is coming up behind him. And within a few moments I realize I am too. Because Billie stalks up behind the small man, and my brain is obviously a little slow on the uptake, because I am downright floored when she winds up one arm like she’s the batter up at a baseball game, racing whip in hand, and gives him one sharp spank smack dab in the middle of his tiny ass. I spit my mouthful of whiskey out. Full spray. And then gape at the scene in front of me. She just walked up and absolutely wailed on the guy.

Shock and disbelief course through me. I wipe my mouth across the sleeve of my suit jacket, not caring about the mess. I’m more captivated by the scene in front of me. “You gonna scream like that,” Billie says, gesturing the whip up and down his body in a condescending way, “and then try to tell me it doesn’t hurt?”

“I’m not done yet, Little Patty. I want to make myself clear, so look me in the eye before you run and hide.” She bends even lower, her face coming within only a few inches of his, with the whip still resting on his shoulder. “You will never ride another one of my horses again. You will never come near Double Diablo again. The only view you’re going to get of him is of his shiny, black ass while you watch him cross the finish line.” She lowers the whip and stands up tall. “And as for me? My family has no bearing on my professional life. I’m no mother hen. I’m a fucking mother bear. And you poked me. So, when you see me around, I want you to turn and run the other way like the snively, little bitch that you are.”

Her very own Black Beauty. A tiny childish part of me is envious. What would it be like to have a woman like Billie love you, trust you, and believe in you? For DD, transformative.

“I’ll always choose you, Billie.” And I smile. Because I believe him.