by Starla Kaye
He blew out a breath that seemed to come up clear from his toes. Grimly, he shook his head. "When you're willing to really listen to me, you can come see me at the Rolling Hills." He started walking down the center aisle. "Tell your partners the same thing."
Shawna stood there shocked. All she could do was struggle with what she'd learned. He wasn't selling the ranch. Why?
In the next instant she raced after him, catching him as he was climbing into his big black Ford pickup truck. "Why? Why did you come here today? Why aren't you selling the ranch?"
He settled onto the seat and glanced down her body. "I needed to warm the pretty butt of the woman who drives me crazy. You scared the hell out of not only your partners but also me. I couldn't fly back here from London fast enough."
He turned away from her and added mysteriously, "If you want to know why I'm not selling the ranch, you'll have to come see me."
* * *
The first day of February roared in with an unpredicted wintery blast, which in a way was welcome. At the Double D it meant Shawna and the ranch hands were kept busy trying to round up a herd of cattle that had gotten anxious and confused in the storm. They had trampled down one of the fences and started meandering their way down the country road. Once that situation was under control, the heat went off in the barn that housed their prized rodeo horses. And the back-up generator failed. By the end of the day everyone was dead tired, especially her.
She barely managed to shed her clothes and drag herself into bed. But she couldn't drift off into a much-needed sleep. Her mind finally remembered exactly what day it was: the deadline Cade Calloway had at one time given them for buying the Rolling Hills Ranch. Even though they had moved past that heartbreaking event, the whole matter weighed heavily on her.
Moonlight crept in through the window of her upstairs bedroom and tears began trickling down her face. She missed the little house she'd lived in for years. She missed the Rolling Hills even though the Double D was beginning to feel like home. Most of all she missed Cade Calloway. She hadn't talked to him or seen him in four days. She didn't know what they could possibly talk about if she did go to see him. Why couldn't he just sell the damn ranch like he'd planned and leave? You don't want him to leave, not really.
She rolled onto her stomach, squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to force sleep. Instead she ached for him. Her body yearned for his touch, his intimate touch. And she wanted to run her hands over him as well. She'd never wanted another man as much as she did Cade. But they were wrong for each other. Her mind knew it, but her heart evidently was being stubborn about accepting that.
With a sigh of resignation, she decided to drive over to see him tomorrow...or soon, anyway. She'd hear him out about whatever it was he'd wanted to discuss with her. And then she'd... What? She had no idea what she'd do when she finally saw him again. All she could hope for was not making a fool of herself.
* * *
Cade stood in front of the stall admiring Bessy. She'd been delivered to the ranch two days ago and he'd struggled with calling Shawna about it. He'd bought the horse back for the woman he loved. But the problem was that the woman he loved was being pig-headed stubborn now. He hadn't seen her in fifteen days. Fifteen days! He didn't think he could stand much more of this. He wasn't sleeping; he couldn't eat. His new ranching clothes were beginning to hang on him. His tailored suits would look even worse.
"Bessy, girl, what are we going to do about her?" And now he was talking to a horse. He sighed.
Bessy walked closer and butted his arm where it rested on the stall door with her nose. Looking into her big brown eyes, he could almost see her sympathy for his frustration. He thought she seemed to be losing weight as well. The new ranch foreman had told him this morning that he didn't think she was eating right. The man was worried about the valuable mare. Cade was, too, but more worried about Shawna.
He patted Bessy's velvety head. "I'll give her until tomorrow. If she hasn't shown up or called by morning, I'm going over there again. This time that darn stubborn woman is going to hear me out."
* * *
"Would you just go see him!" Alan snapped as he walked into the great room and found Shawna pacing in front of the fireplace.
She gasped in surprise and faced him, hand held over her heart. "Good Lord, you about scared me to death." He wasn't a light walker and he was wearing boots. How had she missed hearing him? Had she been that lost in her troubled thoughts? Clearly, yes.
He sat in his favorite chair and stretched his boots out onto the coffee table. She frowned at his action, but he ignored it. "It's been over two weeks since Calloway came here to see you. Over two weeks that you've been moping about, pining for him. Give Scott and I a break from watching you. Go see him."
"Moping about? Pining for him?" Shawna complained, even though he might be right. "I don't know what to say to him." She slumped down on the leather sofa across from Alan. "Why didn't he just sell the ranch like he'd planned? Why doesn't he do it now and leave?"
"Do you really want him to do either of those things?"
"Yes!" She blew out a breath of frustration. "No." She'd learned to live without being on the Rolling Hills Ranch. She'd learned to accept that the Double D had potential and realized the men really liked the idea of owning a spread they could handle and grow some day. But she hadn't learned how to let go of her feelings for Cade.
"There's been talk in town that Calloway is settling in at the ranch. That he's fixing to stay permanently. He even hired a bunch of new hands, some good men." Alan looked at her directly, sounding concerned.
She'd heard a couple of the Double D men mention that, but hadn't really believed it. It didn't make sense. This had to be a temporary situation. He must be between big deals, just taking a break and playing at ranching for the moment.
"Are you guys okay with that? Calloway hiring other men?" Oddly, Alan didn't look the least bit upset.
"This is better for all of us, really. We can deal with the smaller ranch and it'll be easier for those of us still wanting to get away to rodeo now and then to do it." He leaned toward her, his expression tense. "But we've all been worried about you. Rolling Hills was your home, not really ours. Just a place to us, not like to you."
Now that she looked back on things, she realized he was right. They had all lived in the bunkhouse, comfortably and without complaint. But now at least Scott and Alan had a real house to live in, a real place to call their own. Well, along with the other three men who had partnered into this ranch and were talking about building their own small houses next year. They had all moved on with their lives. She was the one who hadn't.
She gathered her courage and stood. Her heart was still racing with nerves, but she was determined to end this pity party she'd been stuck in for too long. Raising her chin, she said, "It's time I went to see Cade. Time we settled some things."
As she walked toward the halltree to get her coat, Alan called out to her, "Follow your heart, darlin'. Give him a chance."
The advice Alan had given her played over and over in Shawna's thoughts as she drove to the Rolling Hills Ranch. Each mile she got closer had her feeling more and more anxious. As she turned onto the ranch property and looked around, her stomach tightened. Nothing appeared to have changed and yet so much had. There was a completely new crew of ranch hands working here. And the owner was in residence...for now.
When the main yard came into view, she almost turned around. She didn't think she could really face him. But she couldn't do it. Wrong or right, she had to see Cade at least one final time. One final time. Her heart pinched at the thought of not seeing him ever again. It wasn't what she wanted. Did she have the courage to follow her heart? Find a way to convince the man that she loved him?
Then she saw him, walking toward that big, fancy pickup he'd bought parked in the driveway of the main house. Without hesitation, she drove up right behind the truck.
He glanced up in surprise. At first his expression was tight, even a bit
angry, probably because she had taken so long to come see him. And then he smiled, a cautious smile.
She would take even that small bit of encouragement. Shawna flung the door to her truck open and climbed out. "Got a minute?" she asked nervously.
"I was about to head over to the Double D. I'd decided you'd had enough time to come see me." He walked toward her and she saw the vulnerability in his eyes. "You're a darn stubborn woman."
Warmth spread through her. "That I am."
He watched her thoughtfully. "Were you planning on spanking me again?" Her buttocks clenched at the idea, but she wasn't totally opposed to it. She would accept it if he felt he needed to do it. And she would make sure they had a seriously hot making up time after it.
His eyes darkened and his nostrils flared. She could smell his arousal, his familiar scent as he stopped inches in front of her. He cupped her cheek, smoothed his thumb along her lips and she tingled from head to toe. Then he leaned closer and kissed her. And, boy, could this man kiss!
He reached down to cup her bottom, tugging her right up nice and tight against him. The evidence of his desire for her was plain and proud. He didn't seem to mind if any of his men might happen to see them. In truth, neither did she. At least not until she had the urge to strip him bare right here in front of God and everyone and have her wicked way with him.
Fortunately he had the good sense to ease back. His chest rose and fell with unsteady breaths. "I need you, Shawna."
She smiled and looked pointedly down at the obvious sign of his need for her. "I can see that." She gave him the sauciest smile she could. "Fact is, I need you, too."
Those dark eyes got even darker. "Yes, I definitely need you that way." He inched back another step. "What I meant, though, is that I need you in my life. Now and forever."
Shawna blinked at him, heart racing, and her knees going weak. Could he have really said what she thought she'd heard? This high-powered, multi-millionaire so far out of her league, was talking about forever with her?
He moved forward again and used his thumbs to wipe at tears she didn't even realize were sliding down her face. "Why are you crying?"
"How can you possibly need someone like me in your life? I'm a cowgirl through and through. I don't know how to party the way you do. I don't even own a dress, or at least nothing fancy. I don't know--"
Cade planted his lips on hers to shut her up. He stole the breath from her, stole the shocked protests from her as well. When he pulled his head away, he looked at her with such amazing warmth that she started crying in earnest now.
"I never expected the first woman I asked to marry me would break out in tears." He appeared almost hurt, definitely confused.
"Marry you?" she whispered and dashed at the ridiculous tears.
"What did you think I meant?"
"I don't know. Lover maybe." A lot of her friends were involved in live-in relationships. She'd actually always wanted a real marriage, but she hadn't expected it to happen. Especially not after breaking up with the last man she'd thought she would marry. She loved Cade enough that she would have settled for being his live-in lover.
He smoothed a hand over her hair and smiled guiltily. "When I first met you, I knew right then that I wanted you in my life. And I was determined to make you my lover, mistress, or whatever you want to call it by Valentine's Day."
She frowned. "You were, were you? Even after we went nose-to-nose arguing? Even after you had the gall to spank me?"
"You challenged me. I can't really remember anyone else ever doing that. At least not in a long, long time. I liked that." He swept his gaze slowly, hotly up and down her. "Plus you've got one very fine body, sexy lady. And I really want to spend a lot of years enjoying it."
"I'll be your girlfriend, lover, or whatever you want to call it," she said quietly. "You don't have to--"
Again he silenced her with a kiss and then he swatted her bottom before easing away. "What I want is a wife. You as my wife."
"But we..." She stopped talking when he scowled. "Oh, fine, I'll marry you."
She hadn't meant her answer to come out as a disgruntled snap. His eyes widened for just a second and then he smiled. "Such a gracious acceptance, but I'll take it."
Shawna just stared at him, coming to terms with all that had happened in such a short time. She was going to get married. To Cade. Oh. My. God! She felt tears filling her eyes again.
"Need anything from the Double D for tonight?" he asked, calmly dabbing at her tears once more.
She shook her head. He was asking her to spend the night and she was more than fine with that.
"I guess we can take your truck as well as mine. But I'll drive. Hop in." He directed her around to the passenger side.
Glancing in confusion at him as he opened the door, she asked, "Where are we going?" All she wanted was to go up to his bedroom and seal the deal in a very intimate way.
"Las Vegas. I've already got two tickets for tonight flying out of Kansas City."
As she climbed inside, she said, "Pretty sure of yourself, weren't you? That you would come to the Double D and talk me into going away with you."
He studied her with a serious expression. "Truth? I was scared almost shitless--as Scott would say--that you wouldn't even agree to talk to me. You've been avoiding me for days now, weeks."
She reached out and touched his beard-stubbled face. "Let's put all of that behind us. Okay?" She smoothed her fingers across his lips and smiled when he sucked in a breath. "I'm more interested in heading to Vegas."
He grinned. "I'm getting exactly what I wanted, you for Valentine's Day." Then he hurried around to the driver's side, started the truck, and added gently, "I got you a gift, too, sweetheart. But you'll have to wait until we come home to see her."
"Her?"
"Bessy."
She gasped, shocked. "You bought Bessy for me?" Tears streamed down her face. When had she turned into such an emotional mess? She loved this special man soul deep. He'd bought her beloved horseback. "How will I ever repay you for that?"
He waggled his eyebrows and gave her a crooked smile. "Oh, I'll come up with some ways. Starting tonight. Right after we say our vows in some Las Vegas chapel."
Her heart pinched at the tenderness in his eyes. "I love you. So much. Even without you buying Bessy back for me."
"I know." He chuckled. "But I still look forward to you proving it...for many years to come."
The End
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This book is intended for adults only. Spanking and other sexual activities represented in this book are fantasies only, intended for adults. Nothing in this book should be interpreted as advocating any non-consensual spanking activity or the spanking of minors.
