Yours for the Taking by Robin Kaye
Authors: Robin Kaye
myself, but he’s given me no choice. You know how much that ranch means to me.”
“Maybe Joe will learn a lesson about interfering in other peoples’ lives. It would serve the old goat right. Still, I’m worried about your relationship if this blows up in both your faces. He needs you, Ben. I know it seems like he’s going to live forever, but he’s slowing down. He needs you to pick up the slack or he’s going to have to find someone else to do it.”
“That’s why I’m here. I figure I’ll telecommute when I can, and when I can’t, I’ll be here.”
“Have you called Karma and the boys to tell them you’re home?”
Ben lifted the top off a pot she had simmering on the stove. “Not yet. This smells great. What is it?”
“Elk stew. Hunter went and filled my freezer and your grandfather’s in one trip.”
“I figured I’d go over to Humpin’ Hannah’s and surprise Karma if she’s working tonight.”
“She is, but I still don’t know what a girl with a college degree is doing tending bar.”
Oh, the same argument Kate had had with Karma since the day she graduated. “She’s making great money, more than she’d make at an entry-level job.”
Kate stirred the stew. “Sure she is but entry level means she wouldn’t stay at that pay level for long. She’d do better as she worked her way up the corporate ladder. But no, she’s all about getting paid the big bucks now.”
Ben shrugged. “Karma’s a smart kid. She knows what she’s doing.”
Kate thumped the wooden spoon on the side of the big pot with more force than necessary. “I don’t like her working there until all hours.”
“I know, but the boys keep an eye on her. The three of them are there all the time.”
Kate shook her head as if to clear it. “So, how long are you staying?”
“I don’t know. I’m in no rush to get back to New York.”
“And your wife doesn’t have a problem with that?”
“Gina knows the deal. It’s business.”
Kate held up her hand. “Stop, I don’t want to hear anything else. All I want to know is that you are okay with it. That’s all I care about.”
“I’m fine with it.”
“Good then. Why don’t you take your bags up to your room while I set the table?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And you better actually put your clothes away. I’m not your personal maid.”
Ben smiled as her lecture followed him down the hall. It was good to be home.
***
The phone rang and Gina reached for it, flipped it open, and growled.
“Hi, honey, I’m home.”
She rolled over and pushed her satin sleep mask off her eyes onto her forehead. “Who the hell is this?”
Ben’s deep voice came through the phone. “You’ve forgotten about me already?”
Gina opened one eye, the blue numbers on the clock said 11:43. “Ben? Why are you calling this late? You better have just survived a plane crash or I swear I’ll make you wish you had.”
She heard his soft chuckle. “Aw, you were worried about me, weren’t you?”
Gina sat up and pushed the feather pillows behind her. “Yeah, that’s why I was sleeping so soundly.”
Tina rolled over and groaned. “Who is it?”
“Go back to sleep. It’s just Ben being a pain in the ass.”
“Gina, who the hell are you talking to in bed?”
The first thing that came to mind was that it was none of his business, but since they’d agreed to forgo bed partners of the opposite sex, or in his case, the same sex, she figured she should answer him. Still, it didn’t mean she had to like it. “My sister. Sam works nights so I invited her to dinner and she ended up sleeping over.”
“You have seven bedrooms and you’re sleeping in the same one?”
“Yeah, so? It’s not like we’re sharing a twin. This thing is as big as our first apartment.”
“Kinky. I like that about you.”
“Yeah, you would.” His gravelly voice gave her goose pimples. She rubbed her bare arms and tried to control her temper. “So is there a reason you called me in
“Maybe Joe will learn a lesson about interfering in other peoples’ lives. It would serve the old goat right. Still, I’m worried about your relationship if this blows up in both your faces. He needs you, Ben. I know it seems like he’s going to live forever, but he’s slowing down. He needs you to pick up the slack or he’s going to have to find someone else to do it.”
“That’s why I’m here. I figure I’ll telecommute when I can, and when I can’t, I’ll be here.”
“Have you called Karma and the boys to tell them you’re home?”
Ben lifted the top off a pot she had simmering on the stove. “Not yet. This smells great. What is it?”
“Elk stew. Hunter went and filled my freezer and your grandfather’s in one trip.”
“I figured I’d go over to Humpin’ Hannah’s and surprise Karma if she’s working tonight.”
“She is, but I still don’t know what a girl with a college degree is doing tending bar.”
Oh, the same argument Kate had had with Karma since the day she graduated. “She’s making great money, more than she’d make at an entry-level job.”
Kate stirred the stew. “Sure she is but entry level means she wouldn’t stay at that pay level for long. She’d do better as she worked her way up the corporate ladder. But no, she’s all about getting paid the big bucks now.”
Ben shrugged. “Karma’s a smart kid. She knows what she’s doing.”
Kate thumped the wooden spoon on the side of the big pot with more force than necessary. “I don’t like her working there until all hours.”
“I know, but the boys keep an eye on her. The three of them are there all the time.”
Kate shook her head as if to clear it. “So, how long are you staying?”
“I don’t know. I’m in no rush to get back to New York.”
“And your wife doesn’t have a problem with that?”
“Gina knows the deal. It’s business.”
Kate held up her hand. “Stop, I don’t want to hear anything else. All I want to know is that you are okay with it. That’s all I care about.”
“I’m fine with it.”
“Good then. Why don’t you take your bags up to your room while I set the table?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And you better actually put your clothes away. I’m not your personal maid.”
Ben smiled as her lecture followed him down the hall. It was good to be home.
***
The phone rang and Gina reached for it, flipped it open, and growled.
“Hi, honey, I’m home.”
She rolled over and pushed her satin sleep mask off her eyes onto her forehead. “Who the hell is this?”
Ben’s deep voice came through the phone. “You’ve forgotten about me already?”
Gina opened one eye, the blue numbers on the clock said 11:43. “Ben? Why are you calling this late? You better have just survived a plane crash or I swear I’ll make you wish you had.”
She heard his soft chuckle. “Aw, you were worried about me, weren’t you?”
Gina sat up and pushed the feather pillows behind her. “Yeah, that’s why I was sleeping so soundly.”
Tina rolled over and groaned. “Who is it?”
“Go back to sleep. It’s just Ben being a pain in the ass.”
“Gina, who the hell are you talking to in bed?”
The first thing that came to mind was that it was none of his business, but since they’d agreed to forgo bed partners of the opposite sex, or in his case, the same sex, she figured she should answer him. Still, it didn’t mean she had to like it. “My sister. Sam works nights so I invited her to dinner and she ended up sleeping over.”
“You have seven bedrooms and you’re sleeping in the same one?”
“Yeah, so? It’s not like we’re sharing a twin. This thing is as big as our first apartment.”
“Kinky. I like that about you.”
“Yeah, you would.” His gravelly voice gave her goose pimples. She rubbed her bare arms and tried to control her temper. “So is there a reason you called me in