I slipped my phone into the back pocket of my slacks as I entered Mr. Charles Winston’s office.
I hadn’t said anything about what I’d seen on Ellie’s phone. It didn’t feel like it was my place, and I’d figured—correctly—that she’d come to me if she wanted to share.
“Right this way, Ms. Braelynn,” Mr. Charles Winston said as he ushered me in. “Take a seat and I’ll go get everything we need to discuss your estate.” He motioned to the leather chair by his desk.
I’d gone straight there from Frelt Accounting after we’d signed the second big investor.
I was still courting a few more, but I hadn't had any other serious bites yet. I’d need about another ten, though, if I wanted to succeed.
I kept reminding myself that it had only been launched for a few weeks.
In the meantime, I was collecting subscriber reviews to put up on the homepage.
My phone buzzed from my back pocket.
A notification that more user reviews had come in.
I smiled as I took a seat in the chair; I tapped the notification open to find four new reviews.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
stella_jane09: LOVE this site! The Ask Cora advice section is by far the most informative (and funny) I’ve ever read! Has Cora ever written a book cuz she should?
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
aquariusV: Love the product reviews and the short fiction! 🔥🔥🔥 Wish there was more but I know it takes time to write all that stuff! Does this site have a social media page? I’d love to recommend to friends and it would be way easier that way.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
lust_4_life: OMG the Q&A has me rotf! Do you take submissions? I’m a blogger and student currently majoring in Women’s Studies. Hit me up if you’d ever like to chat or see writing samples!
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
LibbyDay: The subscription is worth it, but I just wish there was more content more often. Also, would love to see more on trans issues! Representation is so important for ALL women. Probably need more staff to cover those sorts of things, but so far I’m really digging this!
“Wow,” I said under my breath, scanning through the reviews.
There was so much great insight.
But hiring writing staff, having someone manage official social media pages, and increasing the content output would all take more money.
More investors were needed, until the site was making more money than it was spending.
“Alrighty, Cora,” Mr. Charles Winston said, breaking me from my thoughts. “So we’re looking at a grazing fee?”
“Yep!” I chirped.
Between the cattle and horses, I had plenty of income from the ranch, and Geoff had given me an offer on the sheep that Hael said was a great deal.
Geoff would buy the sheep outright, and I was going to charge a monthly fee for Geoff’s family to keep them on the land along with his own herd.
Mr. Charles Winston was setting up the contract.
I was running one business that I still knew almost nothing about while I tried to get my passion project off the ground.
Fortunately, Hael knew everything there was to know about the ranch side of things while everything else was up in the air.
One thing I was positive of, however, was how incredibly lucky I was.
A year before, I never would have had the balls to try to strike out on my own to start any sort of publication.
My father—while I hadn’t had the opportunity to truly know him—had provided me an incredible opportunity when he’d left me Cedar Ranch.
Despite the ups and downs of the previous year, it really did feel like things were falling into place—and for the better.
“Hand me the flathead, will ya?” my dad said from the cab of his old Chevy.
The truck hadn’t run in years. It’d just sat on our property collecting rust, but since Dad had been back, it was like he couldn’t stop fixing things—taking on one project after another.
We had a couple of part-time ranch hands caring for the livestock along with me, but that left Dad with little to do and he was restless.
That morning he’d gotten the old junker to run just long enough to get it from our family property over to Cora’s before it had died in the driveway when he’d put it into park.
“You sound like Frelt,” he murmured. “It ain’t about affordin’ somethin’ new. It’s about takin’ care of what ya got.”
“Yeah, yeah,” was all I said.
Soon Cora’s car was pulling up the drive. She stopped short of the truck and got out. Then she leaned into the back seat, pulling something out of it.
“What’s with the truck?” she asked when she closed the car door.
“I’ll get it outta the drive, honey, I promise,” Dad said. “Just gotta change out this damn ignition switch…”
“No rush,” she said with a smile.
“How’d the paperwork go?” I asked.
“Good! Just have to get Geoff’s signature and I’m officially switched from the sheep business to the land rental business.”
I noticed then what she was holding.
An old weather vane. The kind shaped like a rooster.
“Looks like you stopped at the antique place on the way home again?”
She held the weather vane up. “Cute, huh?”
“Cute,” I mimicked before planting a kiss on her forehead.
“This goes on a barn, right?”
“Yep. Tells ya what way the wind’s blowin’.”
Suddenly, Dad’s truck roared to life again.
“Hot damn!” he said, all proud of himself. Then, “Hey, I can put that up on the barn for ya! I need somethin’ else ta do.”
He held his hands out and took the weather vane from Cora.
“Thanks, Leroy. Appreciate it.”
Dad took the weather vane with him, got in the truck, and rolled it over to the hay barn.
As soon as the truck was in park, it died again.
“Son of a—” he cursed.
Cora let out a chuckle as she made her way to the mailbox.
“Least he’s still got somethin’ to keep him busy,” I said as I followed her. “What’s that sayin’ about idle hands?”
“Ooh!” she squealed as she pulled a package outta the mailbox. “New toys!”
I perked up a little, myself. ’Cause by “toys” she meant the kind that aren’t for children.
“Didn’t you just order a bunch of stuff last month you haven’t even tried yet?” I said with a smirk.
“Well, if you’re not interested in helping me test them out…,” she teased.
“Okay then, Mr. Gunners,” she said in that hot as hell way that drove me crazy. “Why don’t I add this to the collection, and you can help me figure out what to review next? There are still a few that require two people.”
My jeans felt tighter just thinking about it.
She walked up to the house, swinging her hips and peeking over her shoulder, looking damn sexy.
I glanced back at my dad, who was cursing out the truck by the barn, weather vane still in hand.
“You coming for dinner, Leroy?” Cora called.
“I’ll be there at seven, honey,” he yelled back before dismissing the truck and going into the tool shed, I assumed to get what he needed to put the weather vane up.
I looked back at Cora, admiring her curves.
She caught my gaze with a smirk. “That gives us a couple hours. If you wanna…”
She didn’t have to finish her sentence.
I picked her up, bridal style, and carried her toward the front door.
As I tried to turn us both to fit through the doorway, Cora bonked her head on the door frame.
“Motherfucker!”
“Sorry! Shit, sorry!” I said, but she was laughing.
“You’re lucky you’re sexy as hell, cowboy,” she joked.
Once I got us both through the door, I started for the stairs, but Cora put a hand on my chest.
Giving a little chuckle, I set her down.
When her feet touched the floor, she took my hand, leading me up toward the bedroom, her curvy ass swaying as she walked in front of me.
I reached up and gave it a squeeze.
She let out a yelp, much to my satisfaction.
By the time we reached the bedroom door, I had my hands all over her. One was cupping her left breast and the other was already unbuttoning her silk blouse.
She turned around and our lips met.
She kissed me hard and started slinking her hand down my jeans while I got the shirt off her shoulders. It was all I could do to keep from ripping it off her.
I let out a groan when her soft hand started jerking my cock. But then she pulled away.
“Hang on,” she teased. “First thing’s first.”
She walked away and opened the cedar chest at the foot of the bed where she kept all of our…products. She always ordered in bulk, and some of them were still in their packaging, unused.
“What are we thinking today?” she said in a sultry voice.
Her shirt was still hanging off her arms and I got a great view of her double D’s begging to come out from her lacy bra.
My dick was already at full mast.
I walked up to her and started fumbling with the clasp in between her shoulders.
I peered down to inspect the toys in the chest. One that’d come in the mail last week stood out to me.
Cora seemed to pick up on where my eye had landed, and she looked up at me, biting her lip. “That the one you wanna try?”
“Looks kinda fun. If it’s okay with you, princess.”
She let out a laugh. “I think I can handle it… Just hope we don’t break anything.”
“Says it fits any size,” I replied, picking it up.
Cora took it out of my hand and began opening the box. “This’ll be a fun review…”
