“And he’s been in there all night?”
“He’d do anything for the animals here. I swear you’d think he was brought up on a ranch, the way he treats them.”
“Can we go see him?”
“On your own. Too many people in there will stress Bess out. Holly, you can go riding with Sarah.”
“Thank you, Daddy,” Holly said, running over to the stable. Alison watched her go, jealous of the ease with which she used the word Daddy. Would she ever be that brave?
“Where’s the cowshed?” she asked Jack.
“That way, behind the garage and down the track. Be quiet when you go in, got it?”
Alison nodded, walking as fast as she could to the garage and then following the path behind it.
The cowshed was a tall building in corrugated steel painted red. The noise of lowing was coming from beside it. Most of the cattle were in the field to the left, chewing lazily, watching her as she headed that way.
She walked into the cowshed, the sweet smell of hay hitting her nostrils a moment later.
It took a while for her eyes to adjust to the gloom but when it did she could tell where Marcus was. There was only one stall occupied, down the end.
She looked over the wall. The pregnant cow was laid on its side, lowing painfully. Marcus was kneeling next to her, stroking her side and shushing her quietly.
“Not long now,” he said. “You’ll be all right, Bess.” He yawned loudly.
Alison turned and headed back out. Once she was outside, she ran to the main house, rummaging in the kitchen cupboards.
She found what she was looking for after a minute and then worked to put together a coffee for Marcus in a travel mug. She carried the drink back to the cowshed, leaning over the wall again.
“Hey,” she said quietly. “Thought you might want this.”
He twisted his head to look up at her, noticing the mug she stretched out toward him. “Thanks,” he said, reaching up to take it. “Any sign of the vet?”
“On her way apparently. Anything I can do?”
“Come and comfort her. I’m dying to pee.”
“Jack said you’ve been in here all night,” she said as she pushed open the door to the stall. “You must be exhausted.”
“Not as tired as she is. Hell of a big calf in there. Breech too, I’m guessing. Sit here, like this.”
He took her arm, placing it on the side of the cow. “Stroke her gently,” he said.
“Is that all?”
“Just for a minute. I’ll be back.”
He set the coffee mug on the wall before heading out. As Alison looked down at the cow, it glanced at her and then gave a pained groan, its sides twisting.
“Oh no,” Alison said, shaking her head. “Don’t you even think about it.”
The cow strained again. “Marcus!” Alison shouted. “I think she’s giving birth! Where are you?”
8
Marcus
An hour later Marcus was looking across the dining room table at Alison. She looked filthy. She looked exhausted.
She had the biggest smile on her face.
“That was quite the experience,” she said, beaming at him. “Wow.”
“Bet you never thought your vacation would involve bringing a calf into the world.”
She shook her head, laughing as she did so. “Nope.”
He lifted his coffee mug. “Jess said you did a good job.”
“She did all the work. I’m just glad she got here in time.”
“Don’t sell yourself short. She got here when it had already started and you did exactly as you were told. That calf would’ve been dead otherwise. Jack said there’s a job here for you if you want it with skills like that.”
She sipped at her drink, glancing up at him with those big eyes of hers. “I did good?”
“You did amazing. When you’ve finished your drink you can go get clean and then after breakfast I’m taking you riding.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “You’ve earned it.”
She drained the last of her mug. “Thanks.” There was another word on the tip of her tongue. He could tell.
“You can say it,” he reminded her. “Nothing leaves the ranch.”
“Thanks, Daddy,” she blurted out, running for the door a second later. He watched her go, smiling to himself.
To think she had come here for a vacation and now she was calling him Daddy and helping with the animals. It was quite the change.
He thought back to how she’d been in the cowshed, so calm, so focussed. She did exactly what the vet told her, like she’d been doing it for years.
He thought about Jack’s offer. Would she be willing to work here? What would that do to him?
Seeing her everyday would be like a dream come true but he wouldn’t be able to keep his hands off her for long.
He finished his coffee, wondering if he should get some sleep. That could wait. He didn’t want to lose any of his time with her.
The calf was doing well. The horses had been dealt with. He had time to spare to go riding with her. Why not make the most of it?
When she didn’t reappear for some time he headed up to her room. What was she doing in there? He listened at the door. He could hear her singing to herself. Pushing open the door, he called out, “You ready yet?”
She emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her, a candy bar in her hand. “Not yet,” she said with a chocolatey grin. “Just need to get dressed.”
“Why are you eating candy?”
“I was hungry.”
“You should have eaten more supper last night.”
“But I’m hungry now.”
“You are behaving very badly, Alison.”
“Don’t I deserve a reward? You said I did well with the calf.”
He shook his head. “You don’t decide your rewards, your Daddy does and I said you were about to have breakfast, didn’t I?”
“Yes,” she said, staring at the floor. “I guess.”
“I warned you that you needed to follow the rules. That hasn’t changed since last night. What did I tell you would happen if you broke the rules again?”
“I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do. What did I say would happen?”
“That you’d punish me.”
“Precisely. So put that candy bar down and come over here.”
“But I don’t wanna.”
“Now, Alison.”
He sat on the nearest chair, hoping the bulge of his cock wasn’t visible through his pants. She walked slowly over to him, as if she was fighting her own feet.
When she reached him, he paused for a moment before speaking. “Look at me,” he said. “Look at me, Alison.”
She raised her eyes slowly until they met his.
“This is for your own good,” he said, pulling her onto his lap. She squirmed in place, wriggling and trying to get free.
“Stop that,” he snapped, shifting her until her ass was directly over his lap. “Unless you want me to do this outside in front of everyone.”
She stopped fighting, twisting her neck to look up at him. “Please,” she said. “I’ll be good, I promise.”