On the Fence

Chapter 34

I sucked in a breath at Zeke's deep voice in the dark behind me, and I turned around to face him, dropping my hand from Tyler's face but not releasing him from my embrace. Zeke's form moved toward us in the dark, coming into the light of the bunkhouse mounted on the wall outside the door. His look was dark and intense as he stared at us. I could feel Tyler pulling away from me, but I held onto him and shot him a look that said I wasn't scared of Zeke. At least, not in that way while I was with Tyler.

"By the sound of it, we need to step into the ranch house for a talk, Mr. Dixon," Zeke said.

"That won't be necessary, Zeke. Whatever you have to say to Tyler can be said to me as well," I smiled at him. Tyler's eyebrows shot up at my boldness, and I saw his lips twitch with a smirk he was trying not to let show.

Zeke's hot gaze moved to me and replied, "I had hoped that Brant would have made it clear about boundaries where it came to you, but it seems Mr. Dixon is going to need the law laid out more clearly."

"I don't know what you mean, Mr. Bailey, but Tyler hasn't done anything wrong," I countered.

"By the sound of it, he needs a reminder about fraternization and to keep his distance. I don't want my men getting inappropriate with you." Tyler was about to reply to Zeke when I stopped him with a hand on his chest.

I turned a Cheshire cat smile on Zeke, one that was sweet on the surface but full of underlying intentions and tactics brewing under the surface.

"Tyler has never been inappropriate with me, Mr. Bailey. I can assure you that any unwanted advances from any of your men would be handled swiftly and directly by myself. As you may have noticed, I don't have any objections when it comes to Tyler," I finished while adjusting my hold on Tyler.

Zeke's eyes took in our embrace; if someone didn't know our relationship, it could easily be interpreted as romantically intimate, especially considering the words that Zeke had overheard.

Zeke's eyes narrowed as he whispered, "I thought I had made myself clear."

"On what?" I demanded.

"On fraternization and steering clear of you," he supplied.

My Cheshire Cat smile returned, and I replied, "Seeing as there was nothing in my contract about fraternization, we've done nothing wrong. Also, seeing as I'm an independent, grown woman, who can make decisions for herself, perhaps I should remind you again that I can and will decide what I do with my time outside of work hours. If I want to stay out after dark, I will. If I want to spend my time with someone, even one of the guys or all of them, I will. That includes Tyler and whoever else I say it does. If I want to take a midnight ride with him or go out on a date with him outside of work hours, I will. My life, my relationships, my body, my time, my decision." I pulled Tyler tighter to me, daring Zeke to challenge me. Tyler was having a tough time controlling his reaction, his face quivering with the effort to hide his smirk and snorts that threatened to escape.

I could see Zeke's look darkening; he wasn't used to being told off or challenged. I also didn't believe he was used to seeing a woman he was interested in, in the arms of another man. From what Marney had told me, he was used to women throwing themselves at him and sucking up to him to get something from him. I could see him switching tactics since I wasn't backing down.

"May I remind you, Taylor, that your contract does, in fact, have some binding elements on who you can and cannot spend your time with?"

"True, but as long as they don't interfere with or endanger your business, it's not a problem. Seeing as Tyler works for you, that isn't the case. None of your men would be considered that. Doing what I want with any of them outside of work is no danger to your business." Only Aiden crossed that line, but I wasn't about to spill the beans on that one.