“Although,” he drawled, “you probably deserve another spanking for making such a dangerous bet. Not to mention smoking a cigar like that.”
She didn’t know if it was the fact that she’d never, ever had a man in her bed—even if he was only sitting on the edge of it—or if it was the fantasy she’d had earlier, but she couldn’t seem to summon her usual indignation. In fact, a strange tremor of excitement rippled through her, and she suddenly had a wild urge for him to carry out his threat and give her that spanking.
Jake must have thought he’d made her uneasy sitting so close, or that she wasn’t well enough for him to joke about spanking her because he cleared his throat, then stood up and walked over to look out the window.
“You did what you had to do, so I can’t complain too much.” His voice was gruff, and he cleared his throat again. “But we have a hell of a task ahead of us. Moving three thousand head of cattle isn’t going to be easy. I’ll need every good ranch hand I can find.”
“Well, you can count on one hand,” she said.
He glanced at her. “And who might that be?”
“Me.”
Jake stared at her as if she’d lost her mind, then burst out laughing. “For a minute I thought you were serious.”
“I am serious. I’m going with you.”
All trace of amusement disappeared at that announcement. “No, you aren’t. And if you keep talking like that, I really will spank you, regardless if you’re still feeling the effects of that damn cigar or not.”
Sadie opened her mouth to argue, but nothing came out. Not because she was afraid he’d give her another spanking if she provoked him. On the contrary, she was afraid of what her response might be if he did. She imagined him yanking the blanket out of her hands and dragging her across his knee. Maybe this time, he’d even bare her bottom.
She swore under her breath as an all too familiar purr started between her legs. How could she possibly be aroused at the thought of getting spanked? She must still be feeling the aftereffects of smoking that cigar. What else explained her crazy need to feel Jake’s hands on her derriere again, to feel the sting each and every smack left, to feel the heat spreading over her skin? Good heavens, she must be going insane. What kind of woman would not only put up with something like that, but yearn for it?
Movement near the window caught her attention, and she jerked her head up to see Jake heading for the door. She hadn’t realized he was still in the room.
“I have to get back to work.” He paused at the door to look back at her. “I’m glad you’re feeling better.
Sadie waited for Jake to close the door behind him before throwing back the blanket and getting out of bed. The moment her feet touched the floor, she froze, startled to feel dampness between her legs. She hesitantly reached underneath her nightdress to run her fingers over the soft folds at the juncture of her thighs. She was wet—so wet it almost frightened her. She jerked her hand away. Was it normal for a woman to get wet down there when she thought about a man?
She stood there lost in thought, torn between touching herself again and not giving in to the temptation. The sound of Jake’s voice drifting up to her window intruded on her musings, and she crossed the room to look outside. Jake was calling out instructions as the men continued working on the new barn. She couldn’t believe how quickly it was going up. The wood for the walls was already in place, and the roof soon would be.
While the new barn should be the subject of her focus, most of it was on Jake—how he walked, how he talked and the way he gestured with those big hands of his. When had he gone from being handsome and irritating to just plain handsome?
“Mr. Wagner is certainly a very capable man, is he not, pequena?”
Sadie started at the sound of Isabella’s voice beside her. She’d been so mesmerized by Jake she hadn’t realized her housekeeper had come in. Not trusting herself to speak, she simply nodded. If the woman only knew how capable the big cowboy was at making her bottom blush and her pussy yearn with need.
“Many a woman would give much to have a man like him at her side,” Isabella continued softly. “Or in her bed. No?”
The look the older woman slanted in Sadie’s direction spoke volumes, all of them saying that was what she thought of Jake. Had she guessed Sadie thought about him the same way?
When she didn’t answer, Isabella smiled and walked over to the wardrobe to pick out a dress for Sadie to wear.
Of its own accord, Sadie’s gaze went to Jake again. He had stripped off his shirt and his muscles gleamed in the sun as he carried a stack of wood across the yard. She followed him, caressing every inch of naked skin with her eyes before focusing on his big, strong hands.
She mentally shook herself. This was crazy. She should be concerning herself with the foolish bet she had made last night, or with the cattle drive, or just the entirety of the burden of saving her family’s ranch, and how it rested on her shoulders alone. Not daydreaming about her handsome foreman and whether he might spank her again. She had no doubt he would, especially if she insisted on going on the cattle drive. He’d been very clear about that. Part of her wanted to avoid another spanking, and the embarrassment sure to come with it, but another part hoped she’d provoke him into putting her over his knee.
Because whether he spanked her or not, she was going on the cattle drive. This was her ranch and its survival depended on getting all three-thousand head to Cheyenne.
“Everyone on the ranch has heard of the bet you made with Boone,” Isabella said from behind her.
Sadie dragged her gaze away from Jake’s broad back to look at her housekeeper in surprise. Although she didn’t know why she should be. Of course everyone on the ranch knew about it. Everyone in Rocky River probably knew about it.
She walked over to the wash basin and poured some water in the bowl. “I’ve decide to go on the cattle drive to Cheyenne with the men.”
Isabella lifted a brow. “A cattle drive can be dangerous, pequena.”
Sadie washed her face, then splashed water on it. “I know. But if I’m going to own the ranch in something more than name only, I need to be willing to face the same hazards as the men who work for me. It’s nothing less than my father would have done.”
“Your father was a man.”
Sadie snatched the towel off the rack. “You sound like Jake. He doesn’t think I should go, either. He’s determined to stop me any way he can.”
“That’s because he doesn’t know you very well yet, pequena. If he did, he’d know there’s no stopping you when you set your mind to doing something.” Isabella’s lips curved. “Your mother always did as she wished, too, much to your father’s dismay. But she always did what she thought was right.”
“You think I should go on the cattle drive then?”
“I think you should do what you think is right, pequena. And if Mr. Wagner doesn’t like it, I’m sure you can bring him around to your way of thinking.”
Maybe. But only after Jake tried to spank the defiance out of her. He might have succeeded the other two times he’d had her over his knee, but he wouldn’t this time. She wasn’t going to give in, no matter how hard he tanned her bottom. The thought sent a shiver through her.
“I’ll be wearing my denims today, Isabella,” she said. “I’m going to be doing some work around the ranch.”
*
JAKE HAD EXPECTED Sadie to respond to his threat of another spanking the way she always did—like a wildcat. But instead, she’d looked…unsettled by it. Maybe she was still feeling poorly from last night. That would certainly explain the crazy notion she had about going on the cattle drive. That was beyond insane. No lady would try such a thing. Not even one as unconventional as a lady who would bet half her ranch she would get three thousand head to Cheyenne with the bunch of green cowpokes she had working for her.
He certainly had his work cut out for him. As much as he hated taking men away from work on the barn, he pulled aside the youngest ranch hands and Arapa
ho Indians to find out how much experience they had with working a cattle drive.
“A little bit,” a blond, rangy kid admitted.
“None,” another said.
Great. Thank God, he’d have time to train them before they left. It wouldn’t be much, though. With their lack of experience, they were going to have to head out earlier than the other ranchers because it’d take them twice as long to get where they were going. Leaving early wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. It wasn’t too hot, the rivers would be filled with the spring rains and the heifers would be finished nursing their calves. Best of all, the trail would still have grass on it.
He and Ned had just gotten the group saddled up and ready to go on a ride so he could evaluate how well they handled a horse when he noticed some of the younger men transfixed by something behind him.
Jake turned to see Sadie leading her horse by the reins. She was dressed in form-fitting denims and wearing a Stetson, both of which looked like they’d had been custom made for her. He didn’t know the last time he’d seen a woman dressed quite like that. Hell, he’d never seen a woman dressed like that.
“I understand you plan on getting in a little practice today,” she said. “Looks like I’m just in time to join you.”
So much for hoping she’d come to her senses after the effects of that damn cigar finally wore off. Jake glanced at Ned.
“Why don’t you take the men out? I’ll catch up later.”
The older man looked from him to Sadie, then back to him again. Giving Jake a nod, he climbed onto his horse and led the small group of men out of the yard. As soon as they were out of earshot, he rounded on Sadie.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m going riding with you.”
The cowboy hat hid her eyes from him, but he could see the determined glint in them all the same.
“No, you’re not. And you’re not going on the cattle drive, either. The trail is no place for a woman.”
“Why not? I’m as good on a horse as any of the men going with you.”
“Maybe. But can you rope a cow?”
“Yes.”
He ground his jaw. “Show me.”
Turning away, she mounted her horse, but not before giving him an amazing view of her bottom in those skintight denims. His cock hardened, clearly enjoying the show as much as he did. It should be downright illegal for a woman to wear pants like that.
Ignoring his erection, Jake swung himself into the saddle and led the way to the nearest pasture with cows in it. Taking the rope from around the pommel, he tossed it to Sadie.
“Let’s see what you’ve got.”
The things he wanted to see had nothing to do with her roping skills and everything to do with what she was wearing beneath those blasted denims. Could she even wear pantaloons underneath something so tight? The notion she might be naked under there made his penis stiffen all over again.
Sadie said nothing as she quickly and efficiently tied a loop in the rope. Holding onto the reins with one hand, she moved her horse closer to a small cow, twirling the rope above her head as she got closer. When she was a few feet from the animal, she easily looped it over the cow’s head.
Damn. Okay, he was impressed. She could rope better than most men he’d seen. There was no way he was telling her that, though.
Jake pulled his horse even with hers. “Anyone can rope a cow that’s standing still. Can you rope one on the run?”
Taking his foot from the stirrup, he nudged the cow closest to him in the rump. The animal started and took off. Sadie immediately went after him, twirling the rope above her like she’d done before. She caught up to the animal fast, roping the cow a hell of a lot quicker than most men would have. She even used her horse to herd the animal back to the others. Damn, she was good.
She recoiled the rope and tossed it to him. “Satisfied?”
“Just because you can ride a horse and rope a cow doesn’t mean you’re ready for a cattle drive. It’s a long, hard four-hundred miles to Cheyenne, not some stroll around the ranch.”
She lifted her chin. “I can ride anywhere you can, and I can do it just as fast.”
“Prove it.” He jerked his head to the northern pasture. “First one to the hay shelter wins. If you beat me, you can go on the cattle drive. If you don’t, you stay home like a good girl.”
Her lips curved into a confident smile. “See you at the finish line, Mr. Wagner.”
She didn’t even wait for him to give the signal, the vixen, but took off with a laugh, her blond hair flowing down her back, her cute, little ass bouncing up and down in the saddle.
Jake swore and galloped after her. It didn’t take him long to catch up and pass her. He pushed his horse hard, determined to convince her this was a stupid idea, and that the range was no place for a woman. At the same time, he wanted to keep an eye on her, so he glanced over his shoulder every now and then. He didn’t want the fool woman getting hurt, or lost.
But he couldn’t shake her. In fact, she pulled even with him. And damn if she didn’t look exhilarated.
This wasn’t working out the way he’d intended. This was supposed to prove she couldn’t handle the grueling demands of a cattle drive, but it was having the opposite effect. He stood up the stirrups and leaned forward. He could see the hay shelter on the other side of the rock-strewn, water-washed gulch. It was still a good ten minutes hard ride on rough ground, but he’d beat her to it easily.
Or would have if she hadn’t jumped across the wide wash-out he more wisely rode across. Of all the dangerous, foolish things to do. When he caught up to her he was going to spank her so hard she’d be too sore to even ride back to the house.
By the time he got the shelter, Sadie was off her horse waiting for him, a huge smile on her face.
Jake reined in his horse and jumped off, then closed the distance between them in two long strides and grabbed her by the shoulders. “What the hell did you think you were doing?”
She lifted her chin. “Beating you.”
“By doing a fool thing like jumping that damn gulch? You could have been killed!”
She snorted. “Please. I could jump over that with my eyes closed.”
Jake stared in disbelief. Was she really that sure of her skills as a horsewoman? Or had she simply been so determined to beat him she would have done whatever it took, including killing herself? Something told him it was the latter.
Swearing under his breath, he took her by the wrist and strode over to the shelter. She might have protested, but he was too furious to be pay any attention. Sitting down on a hay bale, he jerked her across his knee and smacked her hard on her denim-covered derriere. Sadie gasped, her hat flying off, her hair falling over her face. He ignored it, bringing his hand down in rapid succession on her ass. He wasn’t even sure she felt it through those damn pants she wore, but she wiggled fiercely anyway. Which—God help him—meant she was brushing up against his quickly hardening cock the whole time. It was all he could to concentrate on spanking her.
He paused, his hand poised and ready for another smack. “Are you ready to give up this crazy, stupid idea of going on the cattle drive yet?”
She looked at him over her shoulder. “No. I beat you fair and square.”
Dammit, she was irritating. Growling, he jerked her to her feet. She blinked up at him, a little stunned and extremely smug. She probably thought he was done. He was far from done, as she’d soon find out. But this time, he was going to make damn sure she felt it.
Grabbing her belt, he yanked it open, then unbuttoned her denims and pushed them over her curvy hips and down her thighs. The sight of all that creamy skin almost undid him. He could only thank God she was wearing underclothes, or he really would have lost every ounce of strength he had.
Jake didn’t stop to see if Sadie was outraged by what he’d done. Instead, he put her over his knee and spanked her again. Now that she didn’t have the protection of those damn denims, she was definitely feeling
his hand. He could tell because she squealed and squirmed each time he smacked her ass.
“Change your mind about going on the cattle drive and I’ll stop,” he told her.
“No!”
Jake swore. He’d never met a more stubborn woman in his life. Before he even realized what he was doing, he reached out and jerked down her pantalets.
Chapter Six
‡
SADIE SHOULD HAVE been outraged Jake had bared her bottom, but how could she be when she’d been hoping he’d do exactly that ever since he’d put her over his knee? Draped there, exposed to him like she was, should have been mortifying, but instead it made her more aware of being a woman. And how much of a man Jake was.
The feel of his hand coming down over and over again on her skin stung like crazy, and yet every time it connected with her derriere, tingles of pleasure coursed through her entire body. It was unseemly. It was wicked. And it was more arousing than anything she’d ever experienced.
She imagined how red her bottom must be, imagined the imprint his hand left with each spank. She moaned, unable to help herself. How could she get excited by this? There had to be something wrong with her. Then why did it feel so right?
She should have provoked a man into putting her over his knee long before this.
But something told her the spanking wasn’t the only thing responsible for the way her body was reacting. It was the fact that Jake was the man administering it.
Sadie tried to reason out what that meant, but thinking about anything other than how hot her derriere was—not to mention how wet she was between her legs—was downright impossible. Especially with Jake scolding her. He’d probably be quite annoyed if he knew his lecture wasn’t having the desired effect, but was instead getting her even more hot and bothered.
She squirmed on his lap, grinding against his thigh. The move made the ache between her legs that much more intense, and she would have slipped her hand down to touch herself if Jake hadn’t decided she’d had enough and pulled her to her feet. The tails of her shirt fluttered down, covering her to mid-thigh and brushing against her freshly spanked bottom.
Cowboy 12 Pack Page 14
