Page 19 of Taming His Brat

“Stocks? Investments? What are you talking about?”

“Yeah, it was a shock to me too, but apparently Jimmy made a lot of investments over the years and they paid off because he left me plenty. So, don’t worry, I am totally taken care of and Sam knows a lot more about running things than I do.”

Vicky seemed suddenly mollified. Her whole mood appeared to shift, which Charlie had come to realize was just part of her personality. “Well, that’s something. And hey if you aren’t running things then that means you’ve got the freedom to get out of here. Maybe we could travel. Wouldn’t it be fun to go on a cruise together?”

“Uh, maybe. I mean that sounds like fun, but I can’t just leave the ranch—or Sam.” She laughed, and it sounded a little nervous to her ears.

“Don’t be silly I’m sure you can leave for a few weeks. Besides you have to make a man miss you from time to time or they take you for granted. Trust me,” Vicky said with certainty.

“Maybe at some point, but probably not now, Mom. Our relationship is still pretty new and I’m not sure how he’d feel about me going off for weeks. Plus, you know there’s still a lot of work around here.” Her eyes flicked to the clock and she realized she needed to get going. As it was, she’d have to run to get to the barn on time.

“But that’s—"

“Listen, I have to get going now, but I’ll see you tomorrow okay? Maybe we can go out for lunch.” Charlie didn’t give her a chance to argue. She backed towards the door as she spoke, and with the last word she hurried right out and then took off at a lope across the yard.

She’d learned it was the only way to get out of the house in a reasonable time. Otherwise, Vicky would just keep making excuses to keep her there longer. Her visits to the house had become all day events because she just couldn’t leave without hurting her mother’s feelings. And when her feelings were hurt, she turned on the guilt trips and Charlie caved every time.

The big double doors were closed to keep the heat in, but the small side door was open, and Sam stood framed in the doorway waiting. He made a show of checking his watch. “Just in time. Good thing for your ass.” He stepped back out of the doorway and gestured her in.

The gallant gesture was ruined by the hard slap he landed across the back of her skirt and she yelped.

“My office. Now,” he said firmly.

She took a few steps in that direction but then stopped and turned back. “Why are you doing this here, Sam? Why not at home?” Something about being punished in the barn always made her feel vulnerable and added an extra level of embarrassment. Even though the gate would have been locked after the men left, she still always worried someone might return.

“Because I thought you should be reminded of the work you’ve been shirking. You seem to have forgotten all about how you wanted to help run things and wanted to learn how to do everything. I’ve been patient about all the time with your mother—”

She opened her mouth to protest and he waved his hand sharply to silence her and then continued. “—even though I’ve barely seen you since she got here. And I haven’t minded you not picking up much work around the ranch either, but when I actuallyneedyou, you better show up.”

“I really meant to be here. I just lost track.” She looked down and scuffed her shoe on the wooden floor. “Every time I went to leave mom would start talking about something else and I just forgot.”

“That’s been happening a lot. Like almost every day,” Sam pointed out. The sternness in his voice didn’t lessen.

She sighed. “It’s exciting hearing all about her life. Telling her about mine. I really feel like we’re getting to be close and it’s nice after all these years.”

“And in the meantime, I barely see you, you don’t show up to work, and you never even filled out the paperwork to start the spring semester for the classes you were going to take. It feels like you’ve put your whole life on hold for someone who never bothered to come around until now.”

That hurt and she flinched. When he put it like that, yes, it did seem like she’d sort of dumped everything in her life for Vicky. “But Jimmy was the one who kept her from coming around, Sam. You can’t blame her for that,” she had to point out.

“That’s what shesaysyeah, but we don’t know the whole story, do we?” He reached out and lifted her chin with two fingers. “Charlie, I do understand your excitement. I really do. But you can’t just drop your own life to keep her entertained.”

She blew out a frustrated breath. “I know it’s just … it’s really hard to pull away from her. She gets very persistent.”

“Then maybe this reminder will give you incentive to cut her off. You’re not a kid Charlie, you don’t need her permission to leave, but I am your Dom, and youdoneed to listen to me. Now, get your butt to the office.” He let go of her, turned her around and sent her with another sharp smack that had her yelping.

“That’s what I get for wearing a skirt,” she muttered.

“You sure have been wearing a lot of them lately. I kind of like the easy access,” Sam commented with a laugh. He followed her down the main aisle to the back of the barn where his office was.

She gritted her teeth and muttered again, much quieter. She hated skirts except on rare occasions and those usually involved going someplace fancy. Otherwise, she found pants more comfortable, especially jeans. They fit her lifestyle a heck of a lot better too, since she spent so much time working on the ranch. At least she had until her mother had arrived.

And the sudden skirt trend was courtesy of Vicky too. Vicky had hinted repeatedly that she didn’t find Charlie’s more casual wardrobe very ladylike. It had started as just the occasional comment about how nice she’d look in a dress, but eventually Vicky had taken advantage of their shopping trips to insist she try some on.

Of course, once she saw Charlie in the skirt or dress it was inevitable that she’d insist her daughter needed it because it was ‘just perfect’. So now she had a whole bunch of skirts and dresses that she hated, and when she went up to the main house in anything else Vicky complained.

On one level it disturbed her how much her lifestyle was changing since her mother arrived. It wasn’t just the clothes; that was annoying, but she could deal with that. It was the other stuff that bothered her more.

She missed working on the ranch. She missed spending time with the animals and of course she missed Sam the most. Often by the time she got back to the house Sam had already fixed himself something to eat so she lost that time with him. Bedtime came early so there were plenty of nights when she found him getting ready for sleep when she came home.

---