by Paige Tyler
Kayla didn’t answer. What could she say? That she had been lying to Cord the entire time she’d been in Copper Creek? That she’d never had any intention of marrying him, but had only let him believe she was his mail-order bride because it could get her something?
Rachel reached out and covered Kayla’s hand with hers. “Abigail, I didn’t mean to make you think that Cord wouldn’t marry you simply because you played one little game of poker at the saloon,” she said, and then smiled. “If you want to know the truth, I think that Cord was already half in love with you before you even came out here.”
She looked at the other girl in surprise, and Rachel nodded. “Before you got here, he’d come into the store and we’d end up talking about you. There was something in his voice when he talked about you, Abigail.”
Kayla chewed on her lower lip. She had had lots of girlfriends back home in New York that she could talk to, and it wasn’t until now that she realized how much she missed having them to confide in. Pretending to be Abigail Murray was suddenly too much for her, and she desperately needed to talk to someone. It felt like she would explode if she didn’t tell someone soon.
“Rachel, I haven’t been completely honest with Cord,” she said quietly. “Or with you. Or with anyone else in this town.”
Her friend’s brow furrowed in confusion. “About what?”
Kayla fingered the finely embroidered material of the dress, and let the words come out in a rush. “I’m not Cord’s mail-order bride. My name isn’t Abigail Murray, and I’m not from Boston.” She paused to glance at Rachel, and saw that the other girl was looking at her in opened-mouth surprise. Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly before continuing. “My name is Kayla Mathison, and I’m from New York. I was on the stage heading toward San Francisco, running away from an arranged marriage myself, when I met Abigail. She couldn’t go through with being a mail-order bride, and she asked me if I would tell Cord that she had changed her mind about marrying him.”
“So you decided to take her place, instead?” Rachel asked. She didn’t sound accusing, merely curious.
Kayla shook her head. “Not in the beginning,” she said quickly. “I fully intended to tell Cord the truth, but he seemed so happy to see Abigail that day I arrived in Copper Creek that I simply couldn’t. I thought it would be easier when we got back to the ranch, but then one thing led to another, and one day turned into two, and then three, and I still hadn’t told him.” She conveniently left out the part about her plan to steal from Cord. “At first, I was simply going to get some money together, enough to get me on my way. I’d write Cord a letter saying that I changed my mind, and then leave Copper Creek with him none the wiser. Now…”
“Now?” Rachel prompted, a knowing smile on her face.
Realization dawned on Kayla then. “Now, I don’t think I want to leave,” she said softly. “I want to stay in Copper Creek and see where this leads.”
Rachel regarded her in silence. “You have to tell Cord the truth, Kayla,” she said after a moment.
Kayla shook her head. “I…I can’t,” she stammered. “If I do, he’ll never want anything to do with me.”
The other girl smiled gently. “He’ll probably be furious that you lied to him, but I don’t think he’d send you on your way or anything. Especially after you tell him that you’ve fallen in love with him.”
Kayla blinked.
“Well, you are in love with him, aren’t you?” Rachel asked.
Kayla said nothing at first. There was no question about loving the spankings Cord gave her, but did she love him? “I don’t know if I’m in love with him. Yet,” she answered honestly. “But I could see myself falling in love with him. Which is why I can’t tell him. Not yet, at least.”
The other girl looked like she wanted to protest, but before she could speak, Kayla continued. “Rachel, please promise me that you won’t say anything to Cord,” she entreated softly.
Rachel hesitated for a moment, and then she nodded. “I won’t tell him, but you should, and soon,” she said. “Trust me on this, Kayla.”
Relieved that the other girl would keep her confidence, Kayla nodded. “I will, when the time is right.”
She really did think about it, while she worked on the wedding dress the rest of that afternoon, and then later on the ride back to the ranch. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized that telling Cord the truth now wouldn’t be such a good idea. Later, she told herself, after she figured out if she was in love with him or not. It was even possible that by that time Cord would have feelings for her as well. If that were the case, surely he would forgive her then. Cord had indeed been very surprised that Abigail hadn’t even tried to argue with him when he’d told her that he was sending one of his men into town with her that morning. Though she had promised that she wouldn’t go into the saloon again, he didn’t want to take any chances. He couldn’t believe that she would be so naïve as to think that she could simply waltz into a saloon and play cards. He had to admit that he admired her spunk, though, and the way she’d stood up to him when he’d called her on it. From her letters, he would have thought that Abigail would have been more biddable, though he had to admit that he was glad she wasn’t.
Cord’s mouth quirked as he rubbed more oil into the leather tack he was cleaning. He hoped that she wouldn’t become too docile in the future, though, because he certainly wouldn’t mind spanking her again. Just the thought of having his beautiful mail-order bride over his knee while he reddened her delicious bottom was enough to make him go hard. He sure hoped she finished that wedding dress of hers soon.
Deciding that the tack had been cleaned enough, he replaced it on its hook and, grabbing his hat, headed for the house. In the setting sun, he could see the glow of a light coming from Abigail’s room, and he felt compelled by the urge to see her. Perhaps he’d ask her to go riding with him tomorrow, he thought as he made his way through the kitchen and up the stairs.
The door to her room was ajar, and without thinking, Cord pushed it open and walked right in only to find Abigail soaking in the tub. She had her head back and her eyes closed, and at his entrance, she sat up in surprise. The movement caused the bubbles to shift, displaying smooth shoulders and creamy breasts, and for a moment, Cord simply stood and stared, transfixed by the sight of his naked fiancé’s glistening wet skin. It wasn’t until a startled Abigail crossed her arms over herself that Cord abruptly remembered he was supposed to be a gentleman.
Flushing beneath his tan, he turned his back to her. “I’m sorry. The door was open, and I…I didn’t realize you were taking a bath.” His color deepened as he realized he was stammering like a schoolboy.
Behind him, he heard the water swish against the side of the tub as she sank deeper into it. “What was it that you wanted?” she asked softly.
He stared at the wall, trying to concentrate on something other than the fact that there was a very beautiful naked woman in a bathtub full of bubbles right behind him. He cleared his throat. “I thought that perhaps you’d like to go riding with me tomorrow,” he said. “If you’re not going into town, that is.”
She didn’t answer immediately, and though Cord wanted to turn and look at her, he determinedly held his position while he waited for her reply.
“I’d like that,” she said after a moment, and Cord felt himself relax.
“Good,” he said. “I suppose I should let you get back to your bath, then.”
With a nod, he left the room, careful to keep his back to her. In the hallway, he stood outside the door for a moment, listening to the sounds of the water as she washed, and as he imagined her running a soapy sponge down her neck and over her sweetly rounded breasts, he almost groaned aloud. As far as he was concerned, that wedding dress she was making couldn’t get done fast enough.
Though she couldn’t imagine what she’d done, Kayla was sure that Cord had come into her room to spank her again. However, after he’d just come in to ask her to go riding with him, s
he realized that it had just been wishful thinking on her part.
But what if it had been more than that, she thought? What if Cord really had come into her room to spank her? Exhilarated by the idea, she picked up the sponge and gently ran it down her outstretched arm, letting the scene play out in her mind.
Of course, Cord would question her about her misdeeds first, asking her why she’d deliberately disobeyed him and gone back to the saloon to play poker when he’d specifically told her not to. She’d give him some flippant answer that would be sure to annoy him, and go back to her bath. His jaw would clench and he’d remind her of the consequences for her actions. Then, before she even knew what he was doing, Cord would grab her arm, haul her out of the tub and drag her - naked and dripping wet - over to the straight-back chair. Knowing she was about to get a spanking, she’d protest, of course, but just a little. After all, wasn’t this what she wanted?
But Cord would ignore her objections, and a quick yank would send her tumbling over his strong thighs. With his arm firmly around her small waist, she would be helpless to do more than lay there and wait in breathless anticipation for that very first spank.
Naturally, Cord would scold her, but gently, of course, and all the while he would caress her bare bottom. Then, finally, when she thought she couldn’t wait any longer, Cord would lift his hand and bring it down sharply on her right cheek. Just as quickly, he’d smack the other, alternating from side to side until he had a nice rhythm going.
Leaning back in the tub, Kayla could almost imagine the imprint his hand would leave on her creamy skin, and because she colored easily, her bottom would have a rosy glow to it after a dozen or so spanks. And she imagined that because her skin was wet, it would sting even more.
But Cord wouldn’t stop there, no matter how much she squirmed and kicked. Instead, he would tighten his hold and tell her that he had simply warmed her up for a real spanking! No sooner would she be able to ask what he meant by that than she’d feel the sharp slap of her wooden hairbrush on her bare cheeks.
Kayla shifted in the water, her bottom suddenly stinging simply at the thought of getting spanked with the hairbrush again. That wasn’t the only part of her responding to such a vivid fantasy, either. On the contrary, there was a warm tingle between her thighs that didn’t want to be ignored, and she had to fight the urge to reach down and touch herself there.
Blushing, she sank lower in the tub and imagined what it would feel like for Cord to touch her there. Before she’d met Cord, she’d never had such thoughts about a man. Now, it was all she seemed to think about. She wondered if it was Cord, or if there was something in the air out here that made her think such naughty thoughts. She decided that she had no idea, but she liked it nonetheless.
On their ride the next day, Cord surprised her by bringing a picnic lunch. He had asked the wife of one of the hands to make it up for them, and after riding out to a grassy meadow, they stopped to enjoy the simple meal of roast chicken, corn bread, and juicy strawberries atop a soft plaid blanket that he had set out for them. Sitting this close to Cord made it difficult to concentrate on anything but the handsome man beside her, and she looked out at the colorful countryside surrounding them.
“I still can’t believe how beautiful it is out here,” she said, her voice a little breathless.
Cord reached for a slice of corn bread. “I’m glad you like it,” he said with a grin. “I was hoping that you wouldn’t miss Boston too much.”
She lowered her gaze to stare down at her hands, wondering if she shouldn’t simply confess everything to Cord right then. He’d be angry, of course, but surely if she appealed to him, told him that she hadn’t meant to mislead him…
“Abigail?”
Kayla lifted her head to find Cord regarding her in concern.
“I didn’t mean to upset you by mentioning Boston,” he said gently. “It’s natural for you to miss your home there.”
She shook her head. “Oh, but I don’t. Not really.” At his surprised look, she hastily explained. “I’ve discovered that I’m a lot more independent than I thought I’d be.”
“You’re a lot more independent than I thought you’d be,” he laughed.
She tilted her head to look at him. “Does that bother you?”
He thought a moment before answering. “As long as you don’t get yourself into trouble, then I don’t mind it a bit. Truth be told, I think I kind of like it.” He regarded her for a moment, his golden brown eyes warm. “As a matter of fact, there are a lot of things I like about you.”
Things he liked about her, or Abigail, Kayla wondered, and she felt a sudden pang at the thought that he could be referring to the other girl.
They ate in silence for a few minutes, both of them watching the horses grazing nearby, before Cord finally spoke.
“I saw you sketching the other day,” he said, drawing up one leg and resting his arm on his knee. “You didn’t tell me that you could draw.”
Kayla shrugged. “It’s always been a hobby of mine,” she told him. “I didn’t think to mention it in the letters.”
“What do you like to draw?”
“Dress designs, mostly,” she admitted, and then, picking up a strawberry, she gave him a shy smile. “Actually, I’ve always wanted to have my own shop.”
Cord lifted a brow, clearly surprised by her admission. “Really? Is that why you learned to sew, then?”
She nodded. “Part of it, yes.”
He thought a moment. “You know, you should ask Rachel if she’d be willing to sell some of your dresses at the store. There aren’t as many women here as there are in Boston, of course, but more move out here every day. Who knows? You could get so many orders that you might even have to open your own shop.”
Kayla looked at him in surprise. “You really think I could do that?”
“I have no doubt,” he said. “You certainly seem to have the gumption to do whatever it is that you set your mind to.”
She smiled. “Are you sure you don’t think I’m just a little too spirited at times?” she teased, gazing at him with mock innocence in her eyes.
He locked eyes with hers and the corner of his mouth quirked slightly. “Actually, I find that spirit to be extremely sexy.”
The words made her catch her breath, and she abruptly realized that their light conversation had suddenly become flirtatious. Not knowing what to say to his comment, she took a bite out of the strawberry. A small amount of the juice squirted out and began to run down her chin, and as she started to lift her fingers to catch the liquid, she saw that Cord was looking intently at her lips.
Cord suddenly leaned in, and she thought he was simply going to wipe the juice from her chin with his fingers. But instead, he cupped her face with his hands and gently kissed the juice off her chin before slowly finding his way up to her slightly parted lips.
Kayla had been kissed before, but it had been nothing like this. Those other kisses had been cool, almost chaste, the men barely brushing their mouths to hers. But Cord’s kiss was neither cool nor chaste as his mouth explored hers. His kiss was tender, and yet demanding at the same time, and she felt lightheaded from it. She realized that she hadn’t taken a breath from the moment his hands had touched her face.
She felt him slide the ribbon off her hair, felt his hand delve into the thick waves. His mouth moved more insistently over hers, and she instinctively parted her lips, only to sigh with pleasure when his velvety tongue dipped into her mouth to glide along her own.
Cord ran his free hand down her back and over her hip before settling on her curvy bottom. As she felt the heat of his hand on her skin through the thick material of her riding skirt, she found herself wishing he’d give her a few light spanks. But he didn’t, of course. Instead, he gently lowered them both to the blanket. Still kissing her, he moved his hand up her bodice and along the curve of her breast to slowly undo the buttons on her blouse.
The material parted easily at his touch, and she gasped as he gently cupp
ed her breast through the thin undergarment that she wore. Kayla let out a soft sigh of pleasure that quickly turned into a moan when Cord began rubbing his thumb over her sensitive nipple. She should have been shocked, but she realized that she felt very comfortable with everything he was doing.
Cord abruptly lifted his head to gaze down at her, his breathing ragged. “We’d better stop before we get carried away,” he said hoarsely.
Kayla didn’t want him to stop, though, and as she lay on the blanket panting, she wanted to tell him so. But somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized the wisdom of what he was saying, and so she reluctantly nodded. “I suppose you’re right,” she agreed, giving him a shy smile.
His mouth quirked. “I was hoping you’d disagree with me,” he said, lightly running a finger down her cheek before gently kissing her on the mouth again.
If he only knew, she thought as she buttoned her blouse. Cord put what was left of the food back into the basket while she folded the blanket they’d been sitting on. With both the basket and the blanket safely stowed in one of Cord’s saddlebags, he pulled Kayla close for another kiss before helping her to mount her horse.
Giddy from Cord’s kisses, Kayla gave him a dazzling smile. “I’ll race you back.”
Before he could answer, she gave her horse a nudge with her booted foot and, with a quick glance over her shoulder, galloped away before Cord had even mounted his own horse.
Grinning, Cord swung up into the saddle and set out after her. Willing to let her stay in the lead for a while, he followed more leisurely.
He began to turn his horse back the way they had come, expecting Abigail to do the same, but she continued to ride toward the tree line that topped the slope that led down into their ranch’s valley. That wasn’t the way they had come.
“Shit,” he muttered.
Gripping the reins tighter, he kicked his horse into a gallop and raced after her.
Up ahead, Abigail threw a quick glance over her shoulder, and seeing that he was closing the distance between them, urged her horse into a run.
