Erotica Harem

Okay...thanks a lot for your opinion...see if this is okay. One thing I don't think I
changed. All the rest were great catches!!!

Hi again Carol. I read this version through and made a few more comments. Use what feel best. I also revised the 4th chapter of Nainie as you advised. You don’t have to go back and read it because honestly, I’d rather have you move forward. Your reviews are incredibly helpful for me.

Thankies!
~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 to her room wearing jeans and a blue plaid
shirt.

Driving past a corral, omit spaces here 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.

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, or the people who screeched with pleasure as a cowhand
performed a rope trick. 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 develop; I
need time off anyway. God knows that I need a good woman. Life would seem a lot
brighter with one who suited him...one like Taneka.

I still think the above direct thought doesn’t feel right. But that’s me.

Once in his room, Denzel called his main office in Cheyenne, struggling against the urge
see Taneka again soon. "Cody. What's happenin'?" asked Denzel as he omit space here 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 cap.
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?"

"Hold on to them. 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, 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’t far; down a dusty trail just beyond the corral, perhaps a quarter of a mile if that
far. We can have a nice talk and just be together.

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

His thoughts kept returning 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.
Meanwhilecomma I'm helpin' Rachel out this week."

"Oh?" he asked suspiciously.

"Olapostrophe is needed here to denote the missing ‘d’ 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 pausecomma 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 don’t want another relationship that would will crash and burn
early, either.

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

"Maybe I will."

* * *
Outside the largecomma 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.end quote mark needed.

"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 labeled OFFICE and stepped inside. "Hey! You in here?"

She made her way inside the plush room into a secondcomma 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, omit the spaces here finding Rachel behind a large
mahogany desk.

Rachel looked up, her creamy, chocolate-colored skin as clear as ever, glimpsing smiling? between
sentences as she talked business.

"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. Is she crying?" The italics tag got left on here. You need to end it. Don’t you hate the writing ML? I hate it. Grrr.

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 arms
folding around her in a heartfelt hug. Taneka realized just how much she missed her
friend.

"Should I come back later?"

"No, no. You're fine."

The summer sun streamed through west windows,omit space making the room appear bright and
ethereal. Airplane plants with their stringy, hanging fronds hung in the picture windows
that overlooked the dense lake,omit space 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. Does she have tears her eyes? Taneka
wondered. What happened that’s so awful that it would make her cry? Especially now. "Oh
honey, honey. What's wrong?" asked Taneka, 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 sister. "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 cheeks. "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,omit spaces 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."

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. Not at all."

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

"Who?" she asked. Rachel's voice had taken 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 giggled 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."

Rachel chattered as she gathered papers from a file cabinet. "You just have to sign
these. Their 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. I still think ‘jesting’ sound too proper. But that’s me. I’m not proper enough.

"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 Rachel walked Taneka back
to her room, she stopped and grabbed 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.

"There's nothing anyone can do. I just have to fly back tonight. I'm not sure how long
I'll be gone. Rachel 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.