“Never committed? All I think about is you, darlin’.”
She growled and plodded through the stream in her boots in search of the stallion. Men and their deception. They should all be rounded up and gelded.
“Angel, get back here!” He followed her and then secured her arms, not letting her get to the other bank. “We need to talk. This is stupid.”
“Ha!” She spun in his arms, and she punched his chest as best she could with her forearms trapped between them. “You’re a no-good alley cat, Clay. Just wait until I tell my brothers how you used me.”
He began to laugh, still holding her against him. She could feel the water seeping into her leather boots, but it was only an afterthought. The nerve of him to laugh. Insult to injury as her mother always quoted. Now she understood exactly what it meant. She attempted to kick him, not holding back. But he was too quick and tried to pick her up like a sack of potatoes. She wouldn’t have it. She struggled and fought until they both landed flat out in the stream, soaked to the skin. “Look what you’ve gone and done, you crazy woman. You’ll pay for this.” He straddled her body as she lay in the few inches of chilly water, rocks jabbing into her shoulders. Clay had a feral quality about him now, his dark hair tousled, his white shirt clinging deliciously to his muscles. He reached down and ripped open her shirt and then destroyed her bra to free her breasts. His adrenaline rush from falling in the stream must have given him increased strength, and the nerve to use it.
“I’m going to spank you so hard your ass will be red for a week. And you’ll love every minute of it.” He palmed both her breasts, and despite her best efforts, she enjoyed the roughness and warmth of his big hands.
“You have no right!”
“Damn straight I do, baby-doll. You’re mine. And these tits are mine.” He squeezed her breasts for effect, sending an erotic current all the way to her clit. “Never doubt it.”
She growled, splashing water as she tried to get out from under him. “Is that why you drove Landon away, because you don’t like to share?”
“I know nothing about that. Last time we spoke he was pissed I wouldn’t shut down my business. It’s not possible, Angel, and he won’t listen to reason.”
“It had to be you. And I have even mentioned the little slut at your ranch. Everything’s coming out in the open now. Too bad I have to find out myself because you’re not cowboy enough to be honest.”
He stood up, his Wranglers soaked through. She couldn’t help but notice that thick cock straining behind the zipper. “You’re too much.” Clay dragged her out of the water onto the soft bank. He unfastened her jeans and tugged them off despite her protests. Once fully naked she made a break for it, but he caught her around the waist in his iron-like arms. “Time for your spanking.” He knelt down, one booted leg bent up to be used as a sawhorse for her to lie over. As soon as he brought her down over his leg, he smacked her ass, hard. The sound was wet and solid. She was freezing, close to shivering after being wet and centered under the shade of a great oak. His hand was warm and the spank started an inner fire which heated from the inside.
“I’m not yours to spank,” she said, realizing how dumb she sounded. He shouldn’t be getting any pleasure from her when he had another woman. She wanted to hate his ministrations, but she was already lost—lost in love to the hardcore cowboy.
“She’s my sister, Angel. Not my lover, not my girlfriend, my flesh-and-blood sister.” He spanked her several more times, making her pussy swell, while her mind tried to process what he’d said. “I’d never stray on you.” Spank! “I made a promise to be true to you and never leave you.” Spank! “I mean what I say.” Spank, spank, spank!
“Let me up,” she cried. Her ass was throbbing, every cell in her body aroused, but more than anything she wanted to see his face, witness his sincerity or deception for herself. He released his leg, dropping down into a sit. She straddled one of his legs, the moist, coarse denim stimulating her pussy.
He cupped her face and kissed her, but she broke apart before it deepened. “Kiss me, darlin’.”
“Is it true? That girl from the office, the one at your house—she’s your sister?”
“She lives in town above the hardware store. I’d rather her move into one of the empty rooms at the ranch, but she won’t hear of it.”
“That’s good for you,” she said, revealing the full threat in her tone. “I don’t share my men with any woman.”
He rolled them over until he dominated. “Is that so?” Clay began to tickle her sides until her scowl smoothed and the laughter began to bubble up. He wouldn’t let up. The tickle torture was much worse than the spanks.
“Stop!” she managed to squeal. He was laughing nearly as hard as her, except her sides were aching. Clay brushed the hair off her forehead, the weight of his body suspended over hers. The following kiss was sweet, different than all the others. They’d crossed a barrier into a new realm of trust and affection, one she never expected to be able to lower.
The whole world seemed to slow down, as if a droplet of water would take a year to reach the ground. It was her and Clay, and nothing else mattered. His kiss was soft and tender, possessive and thorough.
“You’re shivering, sweetheart. I wanna get you home before you catch your death of cold.” He helped her to her feet and pulled her close, exhaling when he held her as if her presence soothed him as much as his did her. “I’ll boil up some milk and get you in a warm bath.”
It felt refreshing to be taking care of. She painstakingly got her wet jeans on over her sore ass, and tied her shirt at the front once she’d gotten it on, since Clay tore all the buttons off.
They rode together on the gelding until she spotted the stallion grazing in the distance. She insisted they nab him while they could. Despite Clay’s protest, he assisted her by holding the horse steady while she mounted him. “I’ll beat you back to your ranch,” she said before jabbing her heels in quick. Her stallion could outrun Clay’s gelding any day of the week. The wind made her shiver more as she crossed the prairies. It would be dinnertime soon, but she could wait until Clay bathed and took care of her. In fact, she couldn’t wait.
Angel sensed the horse’s brief hesitation before it tripped and threw her. She’d been riding so fast, not realizing how foolish it was to race bareback on unknown fields. She knew better than that. Her brothers forever scolded her for riding her old mare without a saddle on their familiar property. She had so many thoughts as she flew through the air. Seconds seemed like hours. Would the horse be all right? Would Clay blame himself if she died? Would she see her brother Chase’s child born? Then she hit the ground, stealing her air. Instantly, she knew at least one bone was broken. The impact nearly knocked her out, leaving her bruised and dizzy. Before she even came to a full stop, Clay was over her, trying to get her attention.
“Angel, baby, speak to me!”
Chapter Sixteen
She was partially on her side, her tiny body covered in dirt. When Clay tried to roll her to her back, she moaned, the sound startling him. He’d never heard such a vulnerable cry in his life, and it was coming from his woman.
“Am I alive?”
“Of course you’re alive. What would I do without you?”
“Are you mad at me?”
He couldn’t help but smile even in the perilous situation. She was sweet innocence, and he wanted to take away all her pain. “I will be but not right now. I have to get you to the ranch, but it’s still another mile out.”
“Landon. He always helps me.” Her eyes were glazed over, slightly rolling out of focus.
“Darlin’, Landon’s gone. Remember? I have no choice but to call your brothers.” The Lord knew he didn’t want to call the Garners and tell them to help him scoop their baby sister off the fields. He knew how they’d feel getting that phone call because he had the same fears about Kayla.
“No…” She drifted off to sleep, and if his memory served him well, accident victims should never be allowed t
o fall asleep in fear of never waking again. They said such things when he traveled the circuit. Cowboys were forever passing out in the ring, and the number-one priority was getting them back into consciousness. He was no doctor, but he wouldn’t lose Angel. Clay felt desperate and alone. With no cell phone on him, no vehicle, and only two horses, he worried about how he’d get help for Angel. He couldn’t very well leave her out here alone. She’d be scared, alone, in pain—or worse—fall asleep with no one to rouse her.
“Wake up, Angel!” He gave her shoulder a mild jostle, scared any one of her bones could be bruised or broken. Then he tapped her face with his palm until she peeked up at him.
“I don’t feel so good.”
Right now he’d give anything to get his feisty, albeit mouthy, cowgirl back. He didn’t like seeing her broken, lacking her usual fire. If he could take her place, he would. He was strong, not afraid of an injury. “This may hurt, sweetheart, but I have little choice.” His ranch was about a mile out. He could see the silhouette of the house and barn in the distance. “I’ll be carrying you the rest of the way.”
She gasped when he scooped her up, but he could tell she held back a hell of a lot more pain. Her pride or foolishness would aid her in being strong until he could get her home. His own comfort wasn’t even a passing thought. His arms and legs could burn, but he’d carry her the distance as smoothly as possible.
The tireless walk finally came to an end. As soon as he got to his ranch he was ready to collapse. He trudged up the three steps to the porch, wrestled to open the door, and then kicked it open. Kayla had taken his truck so he couldn’t even rush Angel to the county hospital. He carefully laid her on the sofa and then pulled off her boots. “I need to get your wet clothes off and check for injuries, okay, baby-doll?”
She nodded slowly, her face grimacing with pain.
“First I’m calling your brothers. Lay still and don’t move.” He went to the phone in the kitchen and called Kayla. She had all the ranchers’ phone numbers on file at the office.
“Roberts Distribution.”
“Kayla, darlin’, it’s me. There’s been an accident.”
“Oh my God, what happened, Clay? Are you okay?”
He didn’t have time to explain. “I’m fine, but I need the Garners’ phone number. Can you get me that?”
“I can, but Grant and Matthew are standing right here. Did you want to talk with one of them?”
This was good news. They’d be able to get to his ranch quickly from the office. “Pass me Grant.”
A moment later, a masculine voice came on. “This Clayton?”
“Grant, I have bad news but I need you to stay calm.”
“This have something to do with our contract? Has our little sister been causing trouble for you again?”
He took a deep breath, exhaled, and then continued. “You need to come to my ranch right away. Angel’s hurt bad.”
“Angel? What the fuck happened to her?”
“She took a spill off her stallion.” He paused before continuing. “She was moving in a full gallop.”
He barely made out another curse when the phone went dead. They’d be at his ranch in a fraction of the time it’d take any normal man. Clay returned to the sofa. Angel looked like a sleeping beauty, her long blonde hair spilling over the side of his brown tweed sofa. But he had to keep her awake. He began to strip her of her clothes which roused her. “No, Clay. I’m so cold.”
Angel’s skin was clammy and ashen. He grabbed the crocheted blanket off the chair by the fire and covered her body, tucking it in at the sides to keep in her warmth. “Your brothers are coming, darlin’. You hold on tight for me.” As he waited, he kept himself busy starting a fire to stave off the chill in the air. He crouched down, watching the flames leap and grow. He’d lived a full life. Angel was just starting out, a lovely young cowgirl full of potential. He said a small prayer. If God had to take someone tonight, he asked it be him, not his earthbound Angel.
* * * *
Landon was in the supply room when he heard his name called. “Your mom,” yelled one of the crew. He’d only been gone a few days and already she must be missing him. Even at his age, he’d never been away from home. There didn’t seem a point when he had no woman of his own, and money was tight for everyone. The truth was he’d give anything to be back on the prairies working the land, caring for livestock, and seeing his family and friends on a daily basis—and Angel.
She consumed his thoughts, even at work when he needed to keep his wits. But it wasn’t meant to be for them. Clay could provide for her, give her the life she deserved. Landon would only be a disappointment and embarrassment.
He reached the main office. The news he received shattered the barely formed barrier over his heart. Angel was thrown from that fucking stallion. He’d always warned her not to mess with untamed horses, but she never listened. Why had he just left without saying a word, a good-bye? She didn’t even have a way to contact him, which was why his mother had to call him to tell him the news. He had an epiphany as he stood there in the sterile office with the phone receiver still in his hand long after his conversation was finished. He’d been selfish. Selfish and prideful, both qualities he was raised to avoid. It was time for him to be a man and do what was right. He’d take Clay’s offer and work for him. If it meant living with Angel in the town he grew up in, then so be it.
* * * *
Angel was prodded back to consciousness when all she wanted to do was have a good night’s sleep. Her body was exhausted physically and mentally. When she cracked open her eyes, she saw the familiar face of her momma, and peace instantly settled through her. “Good Lord, Angel. You gave me quite the scare.” She stroked her hair and kissed her forehead. “Matthew Garner, you get yourself on the phone this instant and tell Doctor Hunt to get himself down here immediately. This child has a broken wrist that needs tending. Grant, put some water to boil and fetch me some bay leaves.”
Angel knew she was in good hands with her mother. Town folk often came to her for mending, uncomfortable with the hospital scene. She’d always said there wasn’t much you could do at a doctor’s office that you couldn’t take care of at home.
She saw Clay standing in the distance, watching her. Angel reached out her good hand, beckoning him closer. “Clay…”
He sat down on the wooden coffee table near the sofa and leaned over his knees, accessing her. “How you feeling?”
“Like I was run over by a stampeding herd.” She chuckled but stopped herself when her ribs hurt.
“Ah, ah. None of that now. You need rest and plenty of it.” Her mother turned her attention to Clay. “How on earth you let a young girl ride that crazed animal, I’ll never know.”
“Actually, it’s hers. And I had no say in the matter. Angel tends to do as she pleases.”
“How’d you afford a purebred like that, Angel? Did you use all the money Chase gave you already? You were supposed to be saving that for your future, not some no-good horse.”
Angel wanted to come clean. Her mind needed mending just as her body did, and the only cure was coming clean to her family about Clay. “Clay gave him to me. No charge.”
Her mother scowled, and she could practically hear her thoughts.
“What she have to do for that?” asked Matthew, arms crossed over his chest as he returned to the room.
“Shut up, Matt. He gave it to me because—” How could she phrase this? “I love him. And he loves me.”
“Since when?” Matthew didn’t appear convinced. She had hid everything from them fairly well, and the relationship was a budding one. Her brothers probably never expected this day to happen. She was a tomboy, forever slamming any advances from men. The shift in her focus surprised even her.
She attempted to sit up a bit, but all her muscles were sore from the shock. Her mother was quick to press her back down on the cushions.
Clay manned up, speaking for her when she was at a loss for words. “We meant to tell you, b
ut just not yet, not until we made more concrete plans. I realize Angel’s younger than me, but I promise I’ll do everything in my power to make her happy and provide for her.” He looked so handsome in his vulnerable state, so uncharacteristic for him, his broad shoulders hunched over as he leaned over his knees. Her mother had a way of inspiring fear into even the roughest, toughest cowboys. But with a husband and three sons, she had to be hard hitting.
Angel didn’t care about age or status or even following the norm. Love was love and that’s all that mattered to her. Her heart still ached for Landon. She was sure he cared about her. If he’d taken off because he didn’t have land and a business like Clay, she’d throttle him. He should know she wasn’t impressed by silver buckles and shiny new Fords.
Her brothers moaned and complained to each other, grumbling about their baby sister and her foolish choices. She ignored them until her mother finally kicked them out of the house, along with Clay, so she could tend Angel’s wounds with her homemade herbal remedy for swelling and bruising.
“They’re gone now. I expect you to speak the truth, young lady. Do you love him?”
“I do,” she said. It had been less than two weeks, but she just knew. It was a gut feeling, a sense of completion, when she had Landon and Clay together. Clay made her feel special, whole. He understood her past and cared about her future. What more could she ask for? Even the sex was hotter than hot.
Her mother covered her back up when she’d finished treating her. All she needed now was a cast for her broken wrist. She had it propped up on a pillow and dare not move it a millimeter due to the pain. “Angel Garner. We’ve babied you long enough. Some days I forget you’re about to turn twenty-three. I’ll forever see you as a ten-year-old trying to keep up with your brothers. I want you to be happy. If you think this man can give you everything you deserve out of life, then don’t let him go.” Then she added, “But if he ever touches you in anger or raises his voice in a threatening manner…Well, you best not forget your brothers are just a phone call away.”
Espino, Stacey - Hogtying the Cowgirl [Ride 'em Hard 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 12
