Home On The Range Ch. 07

When we finished, we went downstairs, and Nicole chose to wash the breakfast dishes while I dried them and put them away. While we worked spike came out and sat down at the table, so I asked him if he wanted something to drink. He only wanted a bottle of water, so I got him one out of the fridge.

When the dishes were done, I asked spike if the guys were coming in for lunch and staying or would they be going back out? Spike said, "They would be coming back in and he wanted to take Mark and Nicole out on the range so they could know at least part of the ranch. He told me I could come along if I wanted."

Nicole and I got busy and made lunch for the guys because it was near the time, they would be coming in. We started fixing lunch when the phone rang. I picked it up and answered it. Some guy named Steve said he heard we were hiring and wanted to come by for an interview this afternoon if possible.

I asked him to hold on a second as I said to spike, "There's a man on the phone named Steve and he heard we were hiring and wants to stop out this afternoon and talk to us about the job."

Spike looked at me for a second and said, "Tell him to come out to the ranch about two so we can talk to him."

I asked him if he could be out here at the ranch about two and he said he could. I asked him if he needed directions and he said, "Sarah Kelsey gave me directions. This is for a ranch hand job, right?"

I told him, "Yes, we are hiring ranch hands and I hope he has his own cutting horse."

He laughed and asked, "What good is a cowboy without his horse?"

"I laughed right back at him, then I said, "Hey stud, for every question there's usually a reason for that question. Do you think that everyone who calls, meets the qualifications of being a cowboy?"

I heard in the phone, "OOPS, sorry ma'am, I guess from your response there must have been at least one who applied that didn't have a horse. I'm terribly sorry for my sarcasm."

"Don't let it bother you none, I've heard all the dumb cowboy jokes and a few cowgirl jokes to boot. Come on out here and we'll talk to you. See ya about two o'clock."

I hung up the phone and started laughing while spike and Nicole stared at me. I didn't tell them why I was laughing so it blew over quickly. I asked spike if he was going to stay until two so he could talk to the new cowboy and he said, "No, I'm taking Mark and Nicole out to show them around the ranch. You can do the interview with him."

I went back to help make lunch and I would look up at spike every now and then. He didn't give me any indication that he'd changed his mind, so I just went with it. I heard the tractor coming in, so I hurried up and set the table, while Nicole put the finishing touches on lunch. I took a bottle of water out for everyone and put it on the table just as snake knocked and walked in with Mark right behind him.

Snake greeted us by saying, "Hi Frank, Ms. Nicole and you to Ms. Britt. Something smells good, I'm hungry for some reason today."

All of us returned snake's greeting and Mark leaned over and kissed his wife before he went and sat down. Nicole and I put lunch on the table and Mark said, "Geee honey, you look like a new woman today, beautiful as ever and I love your new suit."

Nicole blushed and said, "You would love my new suit and if I told you the truth of the matter, I love my new suit also. It's a whole lot cooler than what I was wearing yesterday. Mark, I've decided, this is the suit I'm going to wear from now on, unless of course we have to go into town."

We sat down at the table and spike said the prayer before there was a clatter of utensils on the plates. We started eating when spike said to snake, "I want to show Mark and Nicole around the ranch this afternoon, but a little while ago, a cowboy named Steve called up about a job."

"Snake, you can either take Mark and Nicole out in my truck and show them around or stay here with Britt and check this guy's experience and let Britt handle the rest. I don't care which you want to do, I'll do whatever you don't choose. I know you've been out in the sun already so if you want to stay here, you can."

I looked at snake and said, "We can handle it if spike wants to take them out and show them the ranch."

Snake was busy thinking and eating while both Mark and Nicole were still trying to fill the void in their stomachs from not eating much in the last couple of weeks. It was Nicole who asked, "Spike, can I ride in the truck just like I am?"

"Without even looking up, spike said, "As long as I don't get hit with a sexual harassment lawsuit, you can stay naked any time except for when we have to do something that might injure that beautiful body of yours. I wouldn't want you to be riding for work naked. If you and Britt want to go for a naked ride on your own, please feel free to do so."

Spike looked at Mark and Nicole as he said, "I hope you two grabbed your saddles, chaps and boots before you left your father's ranch. I forgot to ask that before."

"All of our equipment, hats, boots and dusters are in the trailer. Yes, when Nicole was walking our horses into the trailer, I was busy hauling all of our gear into the nose of the trailer."

"That's good cause without that stuff, it would be hard on you to replace it all." Spike said.

"Do you wanna take Nicole and Mark out on the ranch this afternoon spike? It really don't matter to me either way, it's gonna be hot."

"Tell ya what snake, let's flip a coin, heads I win and tails you lose." Spike said with a straight face.

Snake caught on very quick to what spike said but the others including Britt were sitting there waiting for the coin drop.

"Mark, you and Nicole will be riding with me this afternoon. I'll take you for a two or three hour tour of the ranch. I know it will be a lot to remember but you'll be working with either snake or me. We'll get going right after lunch." Spike said with a smile.

"Are we only going to ride in your truck spike?"

"Why do you ask Mark?"

"I was wondering if I had time to take a quick shower before we go?"

"Sure, I don't see why not. You and snake have been out there sweating so go ahead and take a shower."

"Mark, if you want to leave your clothes here, I'll throw them in the wash along with Nicole's clothes. Do you have any other dirty clothes in your bag? If you do, get them up here and I'll wash everything at one time." I said.

Nicole said, "I can run down to the bunk house and get our dirty clothes and Mark can leave his clothes here."

We finished lunch and I asked Nicole to help me clear the dishes off the table and help me clean them up before she took a ride with spike. Nicole looked confused as she said, "How do you know Mark and me will be riding with spike this afternoon?"

I don't know for sure because they didn't flip a coin so I'm guessing you will be riding with spike. Both guys smiled and spike said, "Why are you questioning our coin flip? Snake and I settled that ten minutes ago. I'm going to take Nicole and Mark for the tour and snake is going to stay here and talk to that guy Steve."

Mark stood up and started for the kitchen door when I asked, "Where are you going Mark?"

"I'm going down to the bunk house and take a shower, why?"

"You don't need your clothes to take a shower, take them off right here and leave them in that room right over there and I'll wash them. That will be less clothes Nicole will have to carry back up here. Nicole do you have any white clothes in your bags?"

"I have a couple pair of panties and a couple bras, but not much more than that." Nicole stated.

"Ok run down and get what you have, and I'll go up and empty our hamper and see what we can come up with." I said.

Mark stepped timidly out of the laundry room with both hands covering his cock and balls. I smiled and said, "Your wife has been running around here completely naked all morning, are you really that concerned about me seeing your package?"

Mark smiled and said, "I have a hardon."

"Good, move your hands, let me see."

Cautiously, Mark moved his hands and sure enough I saw he had a hardon. I smiled at Mark and said, "Mark if you and your wife are going to relax with us on the porch later, you're going to see two more cocks. Nicole and I are going to enjoy looking at all three cocks which I'm sure you will have a hardon then, just like snake and spike."

"Go ahead and go get your shower, we'll see you in a few minutes." I said.

Right after he left, I walked over to spike and said, "Are you really going to leave me to do the interview with Steve?"

"Yes, snake can handle the experience part and you handle the money part. You've already done this so use what you've learned, and you won't go wrong."

Nicole came back with her bag of clothes and I went up and cleaned out our hamper and brought the clothes downstairs. In the laundry room, Nicole discussed what to wash and what not to wash. We didn't really have enough white clothes to wash so I asked her if she could go without panties and bra until we did have enough whites to wash. We agreed to leave the whites and wash the colored clothes only. We put them in the washer and when we came out, I saw snake was missing. I asked spike where he went, and he told me he went down to shower and would be back soon.

Nicole again washed the dishes and I dried them and put them away. By the time we finished the dishes Mark was back with his hardon leading the way. Nicole giggled and said, "I love your new look honey."

I said to Nicole, "Please run upstairs and get a couple of hand towels out of the linen closet so you have something to sit on in the truck."

When she came back with the towels spike stood up and asked, "Are we ready to go?"

Nicole looked at spike before asking, "Isn't one of us over dressed?"

Spike laughed and said, "It doesn't matter to me if I ride naked or not. If you want me to be naked, say so and the clothes are gone."

Nicole looked directly at spike and said, "Take off your clothes. You've seen me all morning completely naked and now I want to see what you are packing in them drawers."

Spike said, "Not a problem Nicole."

Nicole turned to Mark and said, "Gheeezzzz we've been here less than twenty-four hours and I've already got the boss under my thumb."

All of us broke out laughing and were still laughing when snake walked into the kitchen carrying a pair of shorts and completely naked. Nicole looked at snake and then really looked at snake before she said, "HOLY SHIT, I've never seen a cock that size before. Well, not a human cock that is. I'm going to love working here with meat like that dangling before my eyes. I guess it's true what they say about black guys."

All of us laughed without anyone taking offense over the comment Nicole made. Spike spoke up saying, "How do you think he got his nickname?"

"Nicole, would you please go up and grab another hand towel for me to sit on?" spike asked.

Nicole bounded up the stairs with her small boobs flopping on her chest. When she came back, spike said, "Let's go for a ride."

All of us walked out on the porch but only three of us walked down the steps and headed for the barn where the truck was parked. Snake put his arm around me and the two of us stood on the porch watching as Mark climbed into the front seat and Nicole in the back. Soon the truck disappeared around the barn and out of sight.

I looked up at snake and said, "Well, we are in a situation I didn't expect to be in any time soon."

"Ms. Britt, I don't know what you said during the interview with Nicole and Mark, but it must have been convincing enough for your grandfather to trust you to interview Steve without him being here. I guess the only thing you might need some help with is questioning about his experience and his knowledge for being a working ranch hand. I know him well enough that if he didn't think you could handle the job, he would be here instead of me."

"Snake, I've been wondering ... what's with that coin toss that never happened? I mean, I heard what spike said, but there was no coin and no toss, yet you are here with me and he's off to tour the range with Mark and Nicole."

Snake started laughing and when he calmed a little he said, "Ms. Britt, he wanted me to be here with you and unless you, Mark or Nicole knew what he said, I was the only one to understand his directions for me. He chose what he wanted to do and gave me the job of interviewing Steve. You said things were going to change around here and he is giving both of us a chance to prove what we already know. We, you and me, can do this interview to his satisfaction."

"Ok, it sounds like a bunch of double talk to me, so what did he mean? He said, heads I win and tails you lose."

"Ms. Britt, he said, heads I win, right?"

"Yes."

"Tails you lose, right?"

"Yes, ... but ... OH SHIT! Now I get it, that sly bugger, you lost both ways and he was going to take them for the tour, and you were going to stay here with me. And you knew what he meant all that time."

"Yes, Ms. Britt. Don't worry, it's a first for me too. I'm as nervous as you are because Steve's employment is based on our decisions."

"Well I better go put on a pair of shorts; I don't want to show my hand in the interview."

"Ms. Britt, if you don't put on a pair of shorts, you'll be showing Steve more than your hand."

We laughed while we walked inside with me headed up the stairs to get some shorts and snake picking up his shorts off the chair in the living room. I came downstairs and snake had gone outside and was sitting on the porch to wait for our potential employee to come by. I joined him outside, and I wasn't out there long before a pickup truck came slowly rolling up to the house. The driver was looking out the driver's window and when he spied us, he came to a stop and yelled, "Am I in the right place?"

"If your name is Steve and you are here about the ranch hand job, yep, you sure are, come on up on the porch." I said.

Steve got out of his truck and crossed the lawn and up the steps. Snake and I stood up and shook hands with Steve and he introduced himself as Steve Moore and I said, "I'm Britt Benson and this is Charlie Wilson. Please have a seat, would you like a bottle of water?"

He said, "Yes ma'am I really would."

I looked at snake and he said, "Yes ma'am I would like one also."

I went into the house to get three bottles of water and while I was gone, Steve asked snake, "Is this some kind of test or a joke, she doesn't have a shirt on."

All snake had time to say is, "Ask her about it, here she comes."

I passed out the water and said, "Yes, here she comes, what?"

Steve nervously said, "Ummmmm ... I was just asking Charlie if I was being tested or is it a joke you aren't wearing a shirt?"

"Steve you have mastered the art of the power of observation, ... congratulations. I hope you don't mind being interviewed by a shirtless female."

"It's not that, it's just ummmmmm ... how do I say this,...? unusual?"

"Ok, I come from out east, Cleveland, Ohio actually, I'm not used to this heat out here in Texas. My father was a Marine, so we watched a lot of Marine movies and I learned to Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome, when faced with a situation. Therefore, for me to remain cooler, I don't wear a shirt unless I go to town. As long as I'm saying that, I'd appreciate it if you do or don't take the job we have, that you won't go blabbing your lips to anyone about what you see on this ranch. We are a private ranch and we don't have any close by neighbors so what they don't know won't hurt them. Besides, if men can take off their shirt, I can too. While you are here, enjoy yourself and if you don't take our job, please forget what you've seen."

"Wow, I've never had a woman talk to me like that before. Not that I mind, because I like a take charge woman. I guess that's why you are sitting there and I'm looking for a job. But aren't you a little young to be in charge?" Steve asked.

"Well Steve, when I was born, I used to be a boy ..."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Steve asked.

""YES STEVE, I was born a boy, but when the doctor pulled me out of my mother, I wasn't breathing so the doc held me upside down and slapped my ass so hard ... he knocked my dick and balls right off me. Knowing that my mother wanted to have a son the doctor was worried what she'd say. The doc was in a fix, he couldn't put them back on me. When my mother asked if I was a girl or a boy, the doctor said to my mother, oops ... Oh, I'm so ... so very sorry ... I slapped her ass so hard I cracked it right down the middle, you ended up with a girl."

Steve looked at me and it was snake who started snickering, which ruined my story line. I said, "Let's get down to business. You're looking for a job, tell me about yourself."

Steve started telling us about himself and his experience. I listened while snake asked him questions. The interview was going well so I asked Steve if he has some references. He said, "Yes, Britt I do. Would you like me to list a couple for you?"

I had a pad of paper on the small table beside the swing with a pen and I said, "In a few minutes I will have you write down your references. But first, why don't you stay at one place very long? We aren't looking for a part time cowboy, we want to fill the two remaining positions with permanent people. We don't really want someone who is gonna run off in a few months."

"Britt, it's like this, I'm looking for a permanent place to park my ass. I have been traveling for the most of ten years and I ain't getting no younger, so I figure it's time for me to settle down a bit and find me a woman who'll have me and start a family. I sure would love to have a son to carry on my name. The references I will give you are all ranchers I've worked for on a temporary basis cause most of them have their own ranch hands. They'll tell you I work hard and I'm dependable."

"Snake, do you have any more questions for Steve?" I asked.

Snake said, "I'm satisfied with all his answers Ms. Britt, the ball is in your court now."

I looked between both guys before I said, "Steve tell me, do you have a number in mind, how much you'd like to make for a week, bi-weekly or a month?"

"How do you pay?"

"We can pay you using any of the three ways to pay, it doesn't matter to me. I only have to let my accountant know so they can send me your check when it's due."

Steve looked at me and in a thoughtful manner he gave me a number that was way out of line, so I immediately told him I wasn't going to pay him that much per week. He laughed and said, "You told me to give you a number, so I did."

"OK, I'll give you that one, now let's talk realistic weekly numbers."

"Before we get to how much you'll pay me a week, I need to know what we're going to do about my horse, and do you have a bunk house for board?" Steve asked.

That's the part I was factoring into your salary. I'll tell you what, I'll be willing to give you two hundred and fifty dollars and I'll pay your horse's feed bill which will include grain and hay. I have the normal bunk house with a kitchen, bathroom, a large screen TV in one end of the room with beds in the other. It's in the style of the old military barracks where you'll have your space but not much privacy. I provide the basic services like electric and hot water showers and a commercial refrigerator where you can keep your food and the gas range to cook it on.

Steve looked at me with a serious look before he asked, "That's two fifty a week plus room and board with grain and hay for my horse, is that correct?"

I agreed with him and said, "Our vet is Doc Johnson and he does all the work on our horses. If you need him for your horse, that bill is on you. All we'll do is call him for you."

"Remember, all that is dependent on what your references tell me. I can go in and call a couple of them if you want so we can solidify what I've told you, if you want to wait."