Page 14 of Tame Me Daddy

The animal resisted initially, testing my resolve, but I leaned in with my weight as Maya had shown me, maintaining the confident stance Grant had corrected. To my surprise, the calf moved forward, allowing itself to be guided into the chute where Maya quickly secured its head.

"Good girl," Grant said simply.

Just those two words of approval sent a warm flush of pleasure through me that surprised me with its intensity. It wasn't sexual, exactly, but something deeper—a craving for validation that connected directly to the part of myself I was trying to suppress.The little girl inside who wanted so badly to be good, to be praised.

The realization disturbed me enough that I almost lost focus on the task. But Grant was still watching, so I helped Maya administer the vaccine, then released the calf back into the pen.

"See? You've got it," Maya said encouragingly.

I glanced back at Grant, and for a fleeting moment, our eyes met. There was something in his gaze—a recognition, perhaps, or an assessment that went deeper than supervisor to employee. It unsettled and thrilled me simultaneously.

"Keep practicing," Grant said, stepping back. "Maya knows what she's doing. Listen to her." Then, to Maya, he added, "Let me know if you need anything," before turning to leave.

I watched him go, a strange mixture of relief and disappointment rising within me. His tall figure moved with the easy confidence of a man completely at home in his surroundings, comfortable in his authority. Only after he was out of sight did I realize I'd been holding my breath.

"That was different," Maya said thoughtfully.

"What was?" I asked, turning back to the pen and the waiting calves, trying to appear casual.

"Grant usually doesn't do hands-on training with new hires. That's what Ryder's for." She gave me a speculative look that made me want to squirm. "He must see something in you."

I turned away, unsure how to respond. The memory of Grant's hands on my shoulders lingered, as did the flush of pleasure his approval had triggered. It reminded me uncomfortably of my little side—the part that craved guidance and praise, the part I was desperately trying to suppress.

"Let's get back to work," I said, forcing confidence into my voice. "Those calves aren't going to vaccinate themselves."

Maya grinned. "Right you are." She nudged my shoulder playfully. "And look at that—seems like the boss's lesson stuck. You're standing different already."

I realized with surprise that she was right. I'd unconsciously maintained the posture Grant had corrected—feet planted firmly, shoulders back, head up. It felt unnatural but also right, like I was finally occupying the full space my body was meant to take up instead of trying to make myself smaller.

As we returned to work, I pushed thoughts of Grant away and focused on the task. Each calf became a little easier to handle, though I still struggled with the larger ones. By mid-morning, my arms ached from the effort, and despite the gloves, my palms were raw from rope friction. But I hadn't fallen again, and I counted that as progress.

What I couldn't ignore, though, was how quickly my mind returned to that moment when Grant's hands had been on my shoulders, and how much a simple "good girl" from him had affected me. I told myself it was just the natural response to authority, to wanting to please my new boss.

But deep down I knew it was more than that.

*

By noon, my body had transformed into one massive complaint. Muscles I didn't know existed screamed with each movement, and despite the gloves, my palms felt raw. The Texas sun beat down mercilessly, making sweat trickle down my spine and paste my shirt to my back. When Maya suggested taking our lunch by the creek instead of returning to the crowded mess hall, I could have hugged her, if moving my arms hadn't hurt so damn much.

"Trust me, it's worth the extra five-minute walk," Maya said, pointing toward a line of scrubby trees in the distance. "Shade. Privacy. No Ryder barking orders while you're trying to chew."

I nodded gratefully, falling into step beside her. Our morning count stood at thirty-two vaccinated calves—less than Maya could have done alone, I suspected, but she hadn't complained about my slowing her down.

The small creek cut through a grove of mesquite trees, their twisted branches providing patches of blessed shade. The sound of water trickling over rocks was a soothing counterpoint to the lowing of cattle and shouts of ranch hands that had filled my ears all morning.

I sank onto a flat rock beside the creek, unwrapping the sandwich Mrs. Hernandez had packed for the field workers. The older woman had appeared beside us as we left the barn, pressing brown paper bags into our hands with a knowing nod. "Eat all of it," she'd instructed. "New ones always forget to eat properly."

My sneakers were caked with mud and manure, my jeans dusty, and my pride thoroughly battered after a morning of being outmaneuvered by calves that probably weren't even trying their hardest. I took a bite of the sandwich—thick sourdough bread, tender roast beef, and something spicy that made my taste buds stand at attention.

"You're doing better than I did my first day," Maya offered, settling beside me on the rock. Her dark braids were coming loose from her ponytail, and a streak of dirt marked her cheek, but she looked completely at home in the ranch setting. "I threw up after the first hour, if you can believe it. City girl, remember?"

I managed a weak smile. "Thanks for the pep talk, but I'm pretty sure Grant thinks he made a mistake hiring me."

"Oh please." Maya rolled her eyes. "If Grant thought you couldn't handle it, he wouldn't have wasted his time showing you personally." She took a bite of her sandwich, chewed thoughtfully. "Actually, that was weird. He's usually more distant with new hires."

I picked at the crust of my bread, recalling the feeling of Grant's hands on my shoulders, the deep timbre of his voice so close to my ear. The memory sent a small shiver through me that had nothing to do with the creek's cool air.

"He was just being a good boss," I said, trying to convince myself as much as Maya.

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