Erotica Harem

Hi Carol!

Miss me? Hahaha. I went through and just made editorial comments. I hope you find my banter useful. I want to get to the magic mushroom chapters. Maybe tomorrow I can binge read whilst my man is at work.

Traci


Chapter Four

Denzel drove toward the garage located behind the ranch after letting Taneka out near the front of the offices and suites. A flight of stairs would lead them to her suite. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught George’s gleaming bald spot as he carried Taneka’s luggage up the walk. The beautiful woman from the Midwest followed. George, crippled with arthritis bent over and limping, ambled in route to her room wearing jeans and a blue plaid shirt. What if in route is just left off?

Driving past a corral, he witnessed an average sized group of tenderfoot tourists learning to rope a wooden cow. His mind elsewhere, he saw a heavyset woman who learned to ride from one of his guides. Maybe: His mind wandering, he glimpsed at a heavyset woman learning to ride from one of his guides. *But I don’t know if this detail is even necessary. It’s a way to describe the setting. Maybe it could impact his mind wandering somehow to make it feel substantial? Like: When his gaze caught on a heavyset rider, his mind wandered. Ugh no. Sheesh. Where did his mind wander to? I’ve spent too long here. Just slap me.
Paragraph break missing here.With a lazy hand on the wheel, Denzel steered and removed his Stetson, placing the hat on the passenger seat. Thirty or forty feet away, a cowhand strummed a guitar and sang. Denzel didn't hear the words, because Taneka filled his thoughts. He didn't even hear the tires crunching in the gravel, nor the people who screeched with pleasure as a cowhand performed a rope trick. I think you can only use nor when you use neither. In short, she bothered him big time. Admittedly, he didn't know her well, but he sensed a chemistry that he had not experienced with any of the women in his past.

In light of my interest, I'll take time off to see if a relationship can can develop. God knows that I need a good woman. Life would seem a lot brighter with one who suited him...one like Taneka. Does he really think like that? In light of my interest? Interesting. He’s a proper thinker which is not impossible but still. I’d say: I’m taking time off for her. God knows I need a good woman. I need a lady that suits me…I need Taneka. It adds just the obsessive touch to his internal thoughts. Women like men that obsess a little bit about them. Really.

Once in his room, Denzel called his main office in Cheyenne, struggling against the urge missing word:to see Taneka again soon. "Cody. What's happenin'?" asked Denzel as he unbuttoned his shirt and managed to hold the handset to his ear and listen.

"Nothin' much." A short pause followed. "I talked to the contractor who's takin' care of the Alamosa project," said Cody.

Carrying the cordless handpiece, Denzel went to the small refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water. "Did Bruce figure it out?"

"Don't worry, Denzel. The road's goin' around to the back past the parkin' lot just like you originally wanted."

"Good," said Denzel. He wedged the phone under his chin and unscrewed the *bottle’s* cap. Otherwise it sounds like he unscrews a cap from the phone. After sipping he asked, "How about the Albuquerque project?"

A pause followed before Cody answered. "Um, they said they're two weeks from completion."

"I figure I'll be here through the weekend."

"What am I to do about your CG & I stocks? Sell 'em?" A guy that says ‘em isn’t going to say: what am I to do? Only my opinion but maybe: What about your…

"Hold on to 'em. Maybe they'll come up next week. If they don't move, yeah, in a week sell," Denzel said as he ambled into the bedroom. period and new sentence: He crossed to the window and peered toward Taneka's room, but was unable to see it. Would she go with me to the campfire? The walk wasn’trep: far; down a dusty trail just beyond the corral, perhaps a quarter of a mile if that rep: far. We can have a nice chat and just be together.

He thinks chat? No way. Maybe: We can talk and just be together. When you’re in his POV think like a man. *scratches man parts and reaches for the remote* Men usually talk not chat.

"You still there there with me?" asked Cody, puzzlement sounding in his voice.

My thoughts keep returning to Taneka. Hmm. That’s what he’s thinking? That might be better as narration: His thoughts kept returning to Taneka. Or His mind wandered to Taneka. "I'm here."

"I thought I lost you."

"I was thinkin'. Next week I have to fly to Chicago. Call me if anything comes up. Meanwhile I'm helpin' Rachel out this week."

"Oh?" he asked suspiciously. Instead of the adverb, maybe: He asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice.

"Olapostrophe Rachel baby saved me a lot of money in '06, so I owe her." He failed to mention how much he looked forward to helping her. "Hold the fort down for me, will you?"

"Will do."

After a short pause Denzel revealed, "I--uh just met a gal named Taneka."

"I figured that."

"She's nice."

"Good. But just remember, you don't need another gold-digger."

He appreciated it that Cody looked out after his welfare. Peering through the window at a section of the Sheridan spread, which cost six million to build, he said, "She's definitely not one of those. I've had my share. Call it my sixth sense at work, but she's not one." I sure as hell didn't want another relationship that would crash and burn early, either.

"Go for it, if you're attracted."

"Maybe I will."

Carol- that whole addition of the dialogue between these two is great.

* * *
Outside the large log style ranch home, amidst the lodgepole pines, Taneka peered at the man Denzel asked to carry her bags. "I can get them. I'm fine."

"George is the name if'n yer in'trested."

"It's okay then, George. I'll get them.

"That's what he pays me fer," said the elderly, bandy-legged white man who wore a plaid shirt and jeans.

"I'll bet it snows a lot here in the winter time."

"I gets ass deep to a ten feet tall grizzily around these parts, Ma'am."

"Oh, really?"

As they approached the outside of the log building, he pointed up a flight of steps. "Your room's up the stairs and to the right. Here's this," he said pulling a key from his front shirt pocket.

"Thanks." She took the sliver of brass and pointed at the door located near the base of the stairs. "And is this Rachel's office?"

"Yep," he said, then turned, carrying her luggage upstairs.

"You need the key?"

"No Ma'am. I've got a key of muh own, thank yah."

"Well, okay. Thanks to you, then." After dropping the key into a side pocket of her handbag, she asked, "Should I go in?"

On the second step, he stopped and turned. "Sure. Rachel probably saw yah driven up. Just holler then go on in."

"Great. Thanks again," said Taneka.

Taneka opened the door that labeled OFFICE and stepped inside. "Hey! You in here?"

She made her way inside the plush room into a second dark blue even more plush room. Three offices connected to a lounge, but two doors stood closed and locked. Sunlight shone out the third open door, so Taneka looked inside, finding Rachel behind a large mahogany desk.

Her rep: slender friend with her creamy, chocolate-colored skin peered up at her, smiling between sentences as she talked business. Maybe: Rachel looked up, her creamy, chocolate-colored skin as clear as ever looked up. As she smiled between sentences, Taneka envied her friend’s slender shape. *Yeah weird. I know. But what can I say? It’s cool to have descriptions but you’re in Taneka’s head and the descriptions need to be things she would notice but reasonably so. Why would she notice Rachel is slender? Because she admires it? Because she looks striking in her da-da-da business suit or blue jeans and blouse? Why is she looking at her friend like that? *giggles* I’ll shush. I’m just trying to say, is there a way to splash in Rachel’s description without making it feel forced? You can slap me now. I need a Hershey bar.

"Rachel, hi." Taneka's heart jumped in her chest. She felt so glad to see her again, but she didn't want to interrupt her work. It took a moment to realize that Rachael looked paler than the last time Taneka saw her and she also noticed something wrong with her friend’s dark eyes. Like tears welling there? That’d be better than the vague ‘something’. Up to you though.

Rachel mumbled out a hurried ‘goodbye’ and hung up the phone. "Oh great. You've arrived," she said as Rachael rounded the desk and made her way toward Taneka, her slender *you have slender again here. arms folding around her in a heartfelt hug. Taneka realized just how much she missed her friend. Great place for a direct thought: God, I’ve missed her.

"Should I come back later?"

"No, no. You're fine."

The summer sun streamed through west windows, making the room OOPS: seem appeared bright and ethereal. Airplane plants with their stringy, hanging fronds hung in the picture windows that overlooked the dense lake, the pebbled parking lot and tree lined horizon.

Taneka turned in place. "I like your office."

"Thanks. I do too."

Taneka paused, taking a good look at Rachel. Direct thought: Does she have tears her eyes? Taneka wondered. DT: What happened that’s so awful that it would make her cry? Especially now. "Oh honey, honey. What's wrong?" asked Taneka, OOOOOPS: nabbing a box as she nabbed a box off a counter and handed her a tissue from it. She put the box down and wrapped her arms around Rachel's shoulders while Rachel daubed her eyes.

"Oh dear, Neekie,” she said in a sad tone. I just got word that my sister's been in a car wreck."

The news nearly took the wind out of her, like a hard fist connecting to her stomach. Taken aback, Taneka continued to hug and pat her friend's back. Several bleak scenarios played in her mind. I wish I knew her sisterperiod "Is she going to be okay?" she asked, trying to keep her voice calm but aching for Rachael in the same instance.

After she sniffed and blew her nose, Rachel patted dry her glossy chocolate-colored cheeks, being careful not to ruin her eye makeup, inadvertently showing off her rings and perfect manicured nails.

Her friend’s emotions unleashed. Tears ran down her typo: cheeeks. "Oh, hell, Neekie. She's broken a few bones. It was a head on collision. The people in the other car were killed. They passed in a no passing zone. I guess Mom's a friggin' basket case. Aunt Tess said my mom needs me. So, damn it, I have to go home for awhile. What a bad time, right?"

"Don't you dare worry about me."

"I just got you out here so we could talk and have some fun. You and that cowboy. Damn it, I wanted to see that…now this."

Taneka stepped back and allowed let her regain her composure. When Rachel seemed more at ease, Taneka said, “You have to take care of your sister and mother. Maybe I should just fly back home and come next year."

"No, no. I insist. You stay, if you want. You'll have fun. Please just stay. It's on me, the whole sha-bang, so just have fun. You may really enjoy all this cowboy business. And ooo-lah-lah...Denzel's fine, isn't he?"

"I can't do that..."

"I insist. Please. Besides, they gave me a major discount to give to you. I just know you'll have fun with Denzel. Maybe You know I’m a matchmaker, but I thought he might add some spice to your life." Why is the You capitalized? Is there punctuation missing after the maybe?

Taneka did not want to argue with Rachel at this time for obvious reasons. "I'm sure. But I don't know..."

"I'm just so sorry this had to happen."

"It is not your fault!” She sniffed and wiped away tears with her fingers. “Life sucks sometimes, that's for sure. You go ahead. Relax. Don't bother yourself with me," said Taneka. She didn't want to upset Rachel further or worse, insult her by not taking the expensive gift. "I don't want you to spend a lot of money to..."

"It isn't costing me very much. Huh-uh. Not at all." Yeah, I don’t like the Huh-uh. It sounds weird. This woman is an accountant right? I say don’t use that. But, it’s up to you of course! I’m just being bossy.

After Rachel's tears stopped welling, she went back behind her desk, Taneka decided to ask, "Is he for real?"

"Who?" she asked. Rachel's voice had taken took on a nasal quality from crying. "Denzel?"

"Yeah. Is he a real cowboy?"

"He knows all about it, hon. He can ride, shoot and brand cows with the best of 'em. He's eye candy too, huh?"

That’s for sure. Taneka nodded and smiled, running a finger along the edge of the desk. "I noticed that right away."

"Oh yeah, Neekie." They laughed lightly maybe giggled or chuckled? Grown women can giggle. *sits by you and offers a Hershey’s* Come giggle with me Carol. Then we can paint our nails and gossip. together. "He's wonderful. You'll see. My boyfriend says he's good as gold. Said he would've heard otherwise, with him bein' a deputy. I wouldn't have him bein' your guide if he wasn't a good man."

"You paid him to..."

Rachel stopped her mid-sentence and lowered her voice to a barely a whisper though no one else was in the room saying, "Just between you and I, he jumped at the chance. When I showed him your picture and told him about you, he seemed to fall head over heels."

Taneka switched the long strap of her handbag to her other arm during an instant of nervousness. "What did you tell him?"

"The truth."

"Oh, dear God."

"Everything's cool, girlfriend. He's not promiscuous. Denzel doesn't date dozens of women. Don't ever think that. Huh-uh." Me no likey.

Rachel chattered as she gathered papers from a file cabinet. "You just have to sign these. Their They’re just legal papers in case of accidents, etcetera. Everyone has to sign them. Then turn them in to my secretary. Tomorrow you're to meet down at the kitchen at eight-thirty sharp and you'll begin your itinerary."

"With Denzel?" She had to be jesting. That is SO a direct thought. She has to be joking. Jesting sounds off to me.

"Yep."

Taneka’s stomach lurched at the thought. They chatted about mundane matters, and later that afternoon, they hugged and separated for the last time. As Rachael Rachel walked Taneka back to her room, she stopped and grabbed Rachael's Rachel’s hand. "If there's anything I can do to help you, just let me know," she said, giving it a gentle squeeze for reassurance. *spanks* No changing the spelling of a character’s name in the midst of a story!

"There's nothing anyone can do. I just have to fly back tonight. I'm not sure how long I'll be gone. Rachael Gah! You did it again! stopped, and faced Tankea, her gaze boring into Taneka’s. “You have to promise me that you’ll stay and have a good time. Promise me, Taneka!”

Taneka bowed her head and nodded in muted silence. How can I not? she thought, as an image of Denzel filled every corner of her mind.