Erotica- So Not A Cowboy/ Spanking (8 page)

The guests had paid good money for this ranch experience and that included riding lessons. She was the guest ranch manager. Yes, she was. Not just temporarily either. She would give the airline notice next week and tell Drew for certain when he got back from Denver. Her gaze locked onto the yummy man beside her. She was pretty sure she'd lost her heart to him, probably in Maui. But this just wasn't going to work. She loved this life and should have come back here long ago. He was Mr. California. Her chest squeezed with pain at the thought of letting him go, but what else could she do?

Tears misted her eyes and she blinked them away. They still had to talk about how to end this mess, but not now. She wasn't up to it. Besides, he was exhausted. It made her smile a bit knowing she had a great deal to do with wearing him out.

Carefully she climbed from the bed, pleased to see he didn't appear to notice. She dressed quickly and hurried from the house before she could change her mind and slide back into bed beside her husband.

“Someone is in big trouble,” Chet said, nodding toward the end of the arena.

The last of the twelve dude guests dismounted from the riding lessons. He followed Chet's gaze and so did Mandy. Uh-oh didn't even come close. She considered getting on the horse and galloping away, but that would be chicken and she wasn't that.

“You did very well, Henry,” she stated as calmly as she could. “All of you did. The trail ride tomorrow will be a breeze.”

Erik stopped at the gate, raised a hand, and motioned with a finger for her to come to him. He didn't say a word. He didn't have to; his body language spoke for him. He was six-foot-one of very angry man.

“I think your husband wants a word with you.” Chet gave her an I-told-you-so look; having told her earlier that Erik wouldn't be pleased when he found her out here. She'd told the foreman her husband was sleeping and she hadn't wanted to disturb him. “Did I mention trouble?”

Henry walked away to no doubt join his wife and the other guests, who were all going into Dodge City for the evening. “See you in the morning.”

Chet took the reins of the horse she was sort of hiding behind. “Time to face the music.” He headed toward the side gate.

She glowered at him, hating that he was right. With as much dignity as she could muster, she walked toward her doom. Her buttocks were clenching already in anticipation. Maybe she could talk her way out of this. She didn't even have to let him do what she was fairly certain he had in mind.

At the last second she reached up to rub her head and tried to look worse than she felt.

“Drop the act, Mandy. You're obviously not hurting that bad if you could be out here giving riding lessons.” He didn't add 'against my wishes' but it was understood.

She let her hand fall away. “Are you rested now? You were pretty exhausted when I left.”
What am I doing? Trying to make him madder?

“Come with me. We're going to have a discussion.” He shook his head. “Not about the subject you've been avoiding. About something more immediate and I know you understand what I mean.”

She glanced back at Chet and his head nod told her he'd heard the conversation. Her face heated. She moved directly in front of Erik and hissed, “I had a job to do. I'm feeling a lot better—”

To her surprise, he reached around her and sent a stinging Smack! to her bottom. Fortunately the heavy denim quieted the sound, but Chet still might have heard it. She didn't look in his direction.

“That whole 'feeling better' thing is going to change pretty soon.” He took her arm and tugged her with him back to the house. Neither of them said a word.

Erik studied his silent, clearly unhappy wife where she stood just inside the great room. He sensed she was trying to come up with something to change his mind, but so far hadn't thought of anything. He wouldn't accept any excuses anyway. When he'd awakened a short while ago and saw her side of the bed empty, he'd known immediately where she'd gone. She'd defied him, even knowing he was only worried for her sake. Now she was going to find out how serious he was about domestic discipline.

“Take them down and lean over the back of the sofa.”

She blinked at him. “I really am sort of hurting again.”

Impatient, he took her arm and led her behind the sofa. “You're going to hurt some more…in a different place. You can lie down pretty soon and sleep off both issues.” He reached around to undo the top button, then the zipper.

“Okay, okay.” She pushed his hands away and wiggled the jeans and panties down to her knees.

He stared at her and felt his cock hardening. But he wasn't going to be distracted. “Why are you going to be punished?” He wanted to be sure she fully understood.

Her face turned red, probably from standing there partially undressed in front of him. “Because you told me I was done for the day after being hurt earlier. Because I went against your order.” She looked straight at him. “I don't like being ordered around.”

“I know you don't.” He held her gaze. “I won't do it unless I feel it is necessary. You were injured enough that you needed to let your body heal today.”

He could see she wanted to protest, but she evidently knew he was right. Breathing out in frustration, she faced the sofa and leaned over, her hands flattening on the seat cushion.

“Good girl.” He really liked the sight of her bare bottom in front of him. So did his cock. He forced the tempting thoughts aside and removed one of his flip-flops.

She glanced back at him and saw his implement of choice. “Really? Your shoe?”

“Really. Now turn away and lower your head.” When she did, he slapped her bottom with the flip-flop hard enough that it left an impression.

“Yeouch!” She danced up on her toes. “That sucker stings.”

“Exactly the point.” He got down to the business of painting his wife's ass red. She was going to think hard before she purposely went against him next time.

By the time he was done she was sobbing and no longer squirming around. He tossed the shoe away and pulled her up and into his embrace. “I love you, Mandy.”

She sniffled and held onto him. “I love you, too.” Then she eased out of his arms, gave him a sad look, and started toward the bedroom. “But this isn't going to work.”

Chapter Five

By the time Mandy woke the next morning the sun was forcing its way through the slit in the blinds and sliding across where she lay on the rumpled bed. She didn't have to look at the clock to know she'd slept in long past her usual wake-up time. She was late getting to her chores, but the ranch hands would have taken care of them. The ranch guests had probably already finished breakfast in the cook shack. They would be getting ready for the trail ride later this morning, but, again, Chet and a couple of the other men would help them. She was being such a slacker. In truth, she didn't care. She'd worked hard ever since returning to the ranch and would again. Being a little lazy just one morning wouldn't hurt that much. Although, if Drew were around, he would probably lecture her about her responsibilities. Thank goodness he wouldn't be back for another couple of days.

She rolled to her side and the scent of their lovemaking drifted around her. She should be more than sated after their sex marathon into the wee hours. Instead she still felt a buzz of longing, heat curling low inside her. Her labia fluttered with need. Need for the man who slept dead to the world beside her. It still felt strange to have someone sleeping in her bed with her on a regular basis, even if it had only been less than a week. And this wasn't just any man, this was her husband.

Her gaze moved to the wedding band he'd had specially made for her. The thought of it continued to warm her heart. And make her feel guilty. What had she given him but two months of resistance to the fact that they were married? She'd refused to even consider going back to LA to talk it all out. She'd hidden away at the family ranch and tried to ignore the issue. But he hadn't let her. He'd come halfway across the country to confront her, but they still hadn't actually dealt with the complicated matter.

He shifted slightly and she watched the play of muscles across his broad back. She desperately wanted to reach over and touch him, run her fingers up and down his tanned body, savor the muscles beneath her fingertips, find his cock and….

She bit back a quiet groan. What was he doing to her? She had ranch business to take care of, duties. Yet all she wanted was to have sex 24/7 with this man who didn't really belong in her life. He was an addiction. She needed space and distance away from him. Yet her body wanted him closer, intimately closer.

Annoyed with her reactions to him, she squirmed off the bed. She stormed into the bathroom to take a much-needed shower and prepare for the day. But the entire time she tried to focus on what she had to do today, her body thrummed with desire that was evidently not easily satisfied. She considered dealing with it herself, but decided against it, knowing a couple of minutes of self-pleasuring wouldn't be enough.

As she came out of the bathroom, she concentrated on not looking at the bed, not seeing the too-tempting body there. She would go straight to the closet and get dressed. Time was slipping away.

But as she started by the bed, a hand snuck out and snagged her arm. A sleep-husky voice said, “I want you to make breakfast for us today.” He yawned. “I'll help.”

Tingles shot up her arm from where he touched her. They zipped through her entire body, weakened her protest as she said, “I don't cook.” Cooking wasn't her thing, unless she nuked something in the microwave. “I eat with Drew and Tanya or in the cook shack. You know that.”

He moved a thumb slowly in circles on her highly sensitive skin. Her heart pounded.
“I saw the time on the alarm clock,” he countered, still playing with her arm. “Everyone is done with breakfast by now. We're going to cook here this morning.”

She wanted to protest again, but he was right. By this hour of the day the cooks would be done with breakfast and cleaning up. “I'll skip eating this morning. You can scrounge up something. But I need to go out and deal with the guests.” Then her stomach rumbled and she self-consciously rubbed at it.

Her gaze met his and she noticed both amusement and disapproval in his expression. But his eyes—those beautiful sky blue eyes—were hot with desire. Suddenly she remembered that she was standing here naked. Her face heated, ridiculous as that was, considering he well knew every inch of her body by now…and she, his. She tried to pull her arm free so she could move away.

He refused to let her go, though his grip on her wrist wasn't too tight. “You've got that trail ride later and camp out. You'll need energy, protein.” He looked squarely at her. “We're making breakfast. Together.”

Rebellion flitted through her. “I don't have time for this.” So why wasn't she jerking her arm free? Why wasn't she storming off to get dressed?

Their gazes remained locked for a second. Her pulse raced and she noted how his cock had swollen with obvious interest. She wanted it. More than her next breath. Yet she refused to act on her need.

Before she could react, he sat up on the side of the bed and tugged her to him. Bare knees touched bare knees. His eyes darkened, his nostrils flared. He drew her to his side and while her eyes widened in surprise, he pulled her over his lap without saying a word.

Awkwardly, Mandy braced her hands on the floor and blew her long hair out of her face. “What are you doing?” she croaked. The position was uncomfortable, embarrassing…or it should be. For some reason she didn't feel embarrassed. She felt a tremble of anticipation, excitement.

“Heading off a problem before it gets worse.” He tucked her against him and she felt the hard ridge of his erection next to her hip. He gave a quiet groan that told of his body's awareness of her rubbing a part of him that clearly wanted her.

“I don't deserve a spanking.” The protest was half-hearted, but she attempted to wriggle off his lap.

Erik swatted her bottom and she froze. “It's not really going to be a spanking. I just want to add some color to your sweet butt. I'll enjoy the color while you move around cooking breakfast, naked.”

She tingled from head to toe at the huskiness in his tone, at the clear heat of his desire. Naked? He wanted her to walk around in the house naked? She'd never done that. And to think about him watching her as she did so…. “What if I don't want to do that?” She heard the thick arousal in her voice.

Another swat, lighter but with enough fire that she sucked in a breath and trembled. “You do, though. It's turning you on, isn't it?”

He smoothed a hand over her slightly stinging bottom. “The idea of me watching you walk around nude…the idea of having a gently spanked bottom…feeling naughty, but not.” He smoothed her cheeks again. “I bet if I put my hand between your legs now, I'll find you nice and wet.”

This was crazy. Her being held—not forcefully—over his lap. His teasing her about a spanking. The idea of strutting around the house unclothed with him watching her. Crazy, all of it. But he was right, she couldn't be more excited. Moisture beaded between her legs.

“I've got responsibilities,” she protested, but it came out weak. She raised her bottom as if in invitation for his attention. “You have business to get to.”

That wicked hand lifted and came down solidly once on each buttock. It stung, but more than that, it fired up her need to be as naughty as he asked.

“What if someone….” She knew it was unlikely that anyone would just walk into the house. Including her brother, who was, thankfully, away from the ranch.

“I won't allow anyone else to see my sexy wife walking around naked…with a pretty pink bottom.” Another pair of spanks fell, slightly harder, enough to make her gasp.

“Just remember I need to sit a saddle later today.” Was she really agreeing to this nutty idea? She pushed her bottom up. Clearly she was.

A half hour or so later Erik applied the last of many gentle-but-firm swats to his wife's beautifully pink bottom. He'd been surprised when she'd actually let him do this. He'd made the experience as good for her as it had been for him. For every few spanks he'd given her, he'd spent a bit of time playing with her clit or working her with his fingers. She'd cried out in several orgasms already and he fully intended on giving her more after they ate and before he let her leave the house.