The City Girl (A “Her Choice” Story)

by Megan McCoy

  “My happiness is no longer any of your concern,” she snapped back at him. “I already told you I appreciated the offer, but no, I don’t want to think about it and working with you is not the big ol’ perk you seem to think it is.”

  “My bosses are going to be really upset. They’re counting on me signing you on,” Tyler took a step forward as if to intimidate her. Jeb waited to take his next bite.

  “I doubt seriously I’m the only name on that list. They will just go on to the next name. It’s what corporations do. I’ve hired enough people, I know how things work. Why did you really come down here?” She’d taken a step back, and her voice was getting a little shrill. Was she nervous or just pissed off?

  Either way he’d be here. Jeb went ahead and took another bite of his really good roast beef sandwich though. Might as well. He wasn’t going anywhere.

  “You know why I’m here. I messed up. I was stupid. I miss you. Come home with me and let’s work on us.” Tyler had lowered his voice, Jeb noticed, but didn’t think either of them noticed he was there.

  So. This was an ex. Interesting. He wondered why Candy didn’t tell him that last night. Of course, she had a past. So did he. Would be very odd if they didn’t. But, just strange she hadn’t mentioned it, since the guy was here and all. He’d have to have a discussion with her about lying by omission. It would be a discussion she wouldn’t forget for a while, especially when she sat down for the next few days. Not a good precedent.

  “Wouldn’t it be great for us to be working together? We made a good team in our mutual meetings, and in our personal life. Think of how much better we’d be professionally every day,” Tyler continued.

  “Oh. I see,” Jeb heard Candy say, in a tone he hadn’t heard before. His little bee wasn’t all honey, she had a stinger too, apparently. “So this is all to enhance your career. It’s nothing to do with me. You just want me to pull you along with me, in your company because you aren’t advancing fast enough on your own. Asshole. Did you even break up with the redhead or is that just another ruse to get my help?”

  “Don’t talk to me like that,” he said, almost menacingly, Jeb thought, wondering if he should step in now, or let her handle it.

  “Why now? You were the lying cheater in our relationship, not me. How do I know this is even a real job offer or just another one of your pathetic lies? Do you have to lie to everyone to get in their pants? What did you say to the redhead to get in hers?”

  Jeb’s gut clenched as he realized Tyler drew back his arm. What the fucking hell. His feet moved across the room faster than he’d moved since the neighbor’s bull decided he looked like a play toy. He managed to get there just after Tyler backhanded her across the face. Cassandra fell back, and grabbed her cheek.

  “What the hell are you doing?” he roared right in Tyler’s face. Fine sometimes you needed to yell. If you didn’t do it often, it was effective.

  Tyler flinched back and Candy let out a squeak. Jeb didn’t look at her, but stared Tyler down. “Get out of my house and don’t you ever come back. If I ever hear from you again, I’ll be on you like flies on a horse. Do you understand me?”

  “I didn’t mean…” Tyler started, while Candy just stayed still with her mouth shut and her hand her face. Shock. Probably for the best.

  “Do you have your keys?” Jeb asked as menacingly as he could. Hey, he could be a hard ass when it seemed needed, and no one smacked around his female.

  At Tyler’s flustered nod he said, “Then leave. Anything you left here last night I’ll have someone mail you. Be off my land before I count to ten. One, two, three,” He took a deep breath and then let it out as Tyler took off out the front door without a backward glance.

  Neither he nor Candy moved for a few long minutes while they heard his car start up and fade out as it drive down the lane.

  “You okay?” he asked, holding out his open arms to her. Shaking her head, she rushed into them. Suddenly she broke into sobs and clung to him tightly.

  “I’m sorry,” she choked out through the tears. “I’m sorry.”

  In reply he scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom.

  Sitting down on the bed, he pulled her on his lap and petted her while she sobbed.

  “You okay?” He asked again, and pulled her hand away from her face. Okay, wasn’t even going to bruise. The pansy ass city boy hit like a wimpy girl, thank god. He knew it hurt, but she was sobbing like that guy had killed her. What was she so upset about, he wondered. Women. Had she been that scared of that asshole?

  He knew enough about women though to just let her sob in his arms. Like he’d always told Rose, ‘got two broad shoulders, pick one and soak my shirt if you need to’. Once they got through the worst of it, then you could talk to them. Women just needed to cry sometimes. It was why spankings worked for stress relief. Face hitting, though, caused more stress. And was just wrong. He wasn’t going to think too much about it, but he knew the difference between a good paddling and flat out abuse.

  Finally, she looked up at him with wet swollen eyes, and told him, “He hit me. He never hit me before. What would he have done if you weren’t there?” And she began to sob again.

  Jeb pulled her close and she nestled against him, fitting just right. “I’m sorry I didn’t get there soon enough to stop him.”

  “What if you hadn’t been there?” she shuddered in his arms and kept repeating. “What would he have done?”

  “We won’t ever know, will we?” he said, realizing suddenly, she thought he would have raped her, and held her even tighter. Hopefully that was just the shock of it and not something he’d actually done in the past. Had he done that in the past? And he’d left her alone with him? He hoped that wasn’t the case. “So he was your ex-boyfriend?”

  Nodding, she confessed, hiccupping on another sob. “Ex fiancé. He broke up with me, after I found he’d been cheating on me with one of the administrative assistants from his company.”

  “You didn’t mention this to me why?” he asked, tipping her chin up to make her look at him again.

  “I don’t know?” she asked, meekly, dropping her eyes. “I didn’t want to?”

  “You aren’t going to want the spanking you’re going to get in a minute for lying to me, either,” he said calmly. Oddly enough, he knew a good paddling for a good cause was going to ease her fear and calm her down. After a while, anyway. Women.

  “I didn’t lie,” she protested, wiggling on his lap.

  “You lied by omission, about something I needed to know about, or should have known about and I won’t tolerate my woman doing that,” and was pleased to feel her relax in his arms. Yeah. He understood females as much as any man could. Everyone tried to overthink them. They weren’t all that difficult. Let them know they were loved and well taken care of, however it took, and they were happy. He never knew why other men thought it was hard, that women were so challenging. They weren’t.

  Just love them and give them what they needed. Words, women needed words, more than men realized. They needed good loving and a well-toasted ass when necessary and if you never skimped on any of those needs you’d have a happy, contented woman on your hands. As far as he was concerned, if she was happy, he was happy.

  “Your woman?” she whispered.

  “Damn straight,” he said.

  “Okay,” she said, compliantly.

  “Want to talk before or after your paddling?” He asked, needing to make sure her head was on straight. And lord knew women needed to talk. She’d be spilling her guts here pretty soon for him. He really didn’t care when. They’d be talking about this night repeatedly.

  “After, please, sir,”

  She got up off his lap and wiggled her jeans down, and started to bend over his lap when he said, “Go to the bathroom, and get that big wooden hairbrush on the counter. Now.”

  She opened her mouth, but then, shut it and reached down to pull her pants up, when he said, “Leave them down.”

  She threw him what he
knew she thought was a pitiful look, but he just pointed to the bathroom and tried not to let his mouth twitch. She did look adorable waddling to the bathroom, trying not to let her pants fall further. Coming back in, face flushed and hair hanging down in her still tear swollen eyes, she looked so unlike the polished professional he’d met first of the summer. He liked it. Well, he liked her other side too, but damn, there was nothing wrong with this one. She handed him the brush and begged, “Not too hard please?”

  “Get over my knee,” he commanded. That was ridiculous. It wasn’t worth doing a half-assed job. If he were going to punish her, she’d know she was punished. Otherwise, why bother? “Hands on the floor and leave them there.” He knew that wouldn’t last long, but it would give her something to focus on for a bit. Till the fire he was about to light in her bottom made her forget. That was normal, but he was pleased to see that she did as she was told, quickly, and he bet she’d already forgotten about her sore cheek.

  Something about being in this position made a female quite submissive. He adored her sass, but this behavior turned him on, too. Yeah, he wouldn’t literally blister her butt this time, but he’d make sure she was sitting careful next few days. Next time, or time after, maybe. He’d see. She might not ever need it, but then again, she might need it regularly. All he knew was that he was going give her what she needed for the rest of her life.

  Pausing mid swing, he swallowed hard. Had he just thought that? Hell, yes, he did, and slammed the brush down on her pale bottom. Even he winced, because that was too hard. She shrieked way louder than she should from a first swat. Taking a deep breath, he dropped the brush to use his hand. The brush had made his point, but his hand would work just fine for the point he needed to make, now. That he would always be here for her, that he would help her through anything she needed help with, that he would take good care of her, and protect her as much as she could.

  Soon enough she was kicking and begging and squalling just like the naughty thing she’d been. Her bottom went from pale white to a sweet blushing pink to a few spots of hot and red. Once he was done, making sure she realized the error of her ways, and that he’d always be here for her, they’d have another discussion. However, he was going to make sure she never ‘forgot’ to tell him something again, and who wore the pants in this family and whose butt was going to be sore a lot. Somehow he knew this was going to make them both happy for years to come. The thought should scare him, but it really didn’t. In fact, it made him feel happier than he had in a very long time.

  Finally he decided she’d had enough for one day when she stopped fighting him and just choked out big sobs. He’d spanked a few women who never cried, and some who got hysterical the minute their pants came down. Candy was different, and he could tell when she needed more, and when more would just be useless to any point he was trying to get across. He liked being in sync with her needs, just like he had been with Rose’s. This was his woman, now and forever.

  Jeb pulled her up into his arms. One hand frantically reached back to rub her burning bottom and the other clutched him hard as her mouth sought his. Her salty tears ran into his mouth as he claimed her with his mouth and kiss.

  “Mine,” He growled into her mouth.

  “Yours,” she sighed happily back. “For always.”

  Chapter Nine

  Six months later

  Candy paced back and forth in her five star hotel room. Suite. It was a suite and beyond luxurious. Of course. She’d had a hand in the design. Not much because she was HR but she’d been allowed to sit in on the meetings. Everyone probably thought she was a real pain, because she barged in on all the meetings she possibly could and asked all the questions she could. Anything she learned, in these next few months, she’d take back home.

  But right now, home was coming to her, and she couldn’t wait. He should be here in a few minutes, but of course, she’d been ready and pacing for ten. Maybe she should go down and wait for him? No, he’d said to wait here for him wearing nothing but a shirt and a smile. Well, she’d found a long red plaid, flannel shirt that felt like Christmas to her, and she couldn’t stop smiling. She’d missed Jeb way too much and couldn’t wait for him to hold her and make love to her again. Minutes away. She’d been counting down time for too long.

  Finally, she heard the bell to the elevator in the hall ding, and footsteps to her door. She couldn’t wait but flung it open without looking. Who else would it be? It had to be her Jeb.

  There he was. Suitcase on the floor, and arms open to her. Not caring who saw her in her plaid flannel shirt, she leaped into his arms and wrapped her legs around him. This. Her hot cowboy. It was all she’d been wanting and craving, for weeks now. She knew their calm, cool, collected reasoning behind why she was here and he was there but hot damn, he was here now.

  Kissing him all over his handsome face, getting some scraggly man scruff in her mouth, she couldn’t help the delighted giggles as he stepped inside and slammed her against the wall to kiss her again.

  “I missed you so much,” she murmured between kisses. “Too much.”

  “I didn’t miss you at all,” he teased, putting her hand down onto his hard on. “Oh, wait. Maybe I did, a whole hell of a lot. Once I get you home, you aren’t leaving me again.” Tongues melded, and danced as they reunited. His lips commanded hers, pulling and overtaking and she completely submitted to his plunder. His mastery of her.

  Finally, he let her come up for air and she gasped, “How long can you stay?”

  “Through New Year’s day, Candy. I’m not ringing it in without kissing you at midnight.” He pulled her closer and kissed her till she melted. Melting. That’s all that sudden dampness in her panties could be.

  “Merry Christmas,” she murmured softly.

  “Merry Christmas to you, too,” he said. “Want to do presents first or eat?”

  In answer, she dropped to her knees, fingers fumbling with his pants. Pulling his coat off and dropping it on the floor, he helped her with his belt buckle.

  “Sweatpants,” she told him. “My life would be easier if you wore sweatpants.”

  “You always get to the prize sooner or later,” he said, springing free, large and proud.

  She loved he could rise to her occasion every single time she wanted. Greedily, she took him in her mouth. It has been so long since she’d tasted him. Weeks. She vowed to never go that long again, as she licked, sucked and began a steady rhythm up and down his long length. She wanted him to explode in her mouth, she wanted to taste every single bit of him, have him shoot down her throat. So because she was good at everything she did, she did just that. She could tell it wasn’t going to take long. He must have waited for her, not helped himself while she was gone. She loved the taste of him, all hot and warm and earthy. He moaned in that sound he made when he released that she had also missed so much. Just for her. Just him.

  Cassandra couldn’t get enough of the taste of her man. Carefully, she licked him mostly dry, and kissed him again before tucking him gently back in his pants.

  Leaning back on her heels, she looked up at him and licking her lips she said, “Present was good. You ready to go eat now?”

  Jeb laughed and asked, “Was that my present or yours?”

  “Yes,” she said, simply. “But I have another one, too.”

  “Later,” he said. “I want to see if they have better pie here than Mariah makes.”

  Cassandra cuddled close to him while he fastened his belt buckle. “I can’t wait to show you off.”

  “This old cowboy? I’m sure people will think you could do better.”

  She swatted him on the butt, not really playing, and said sternly, “I never want to hear you say anything like that again, do you understand me?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he said faux meekly. “I understand I’ll be escorting the prettiest woman in the place. You ready?”

  Wiggling in sheer delight, she said, “Need to go brush my hair real quick. Oh, you know, maybe put some clothes on. Wil
l be right back.”

  “Hurry,” he said, and swatted her butt in return.

  Why were they going out to eat? Why hadn’t she ordered room service? Well, she knew why. She did want to show him off. Let everyone know that she’d upgraded from Tyler.

  Tyler, who hadn’t taken her rejection of his business offer very well. Tyler who had to be ordered off the property by Jeb. Who knew the wimpy city boy had such a temper? Not that she’d ever tell anyone, but she knew. He’d shown it a few times while they dated. Once in particular that made her shudder. She tried not to think about it. Sometimes it snuck in on her but she tried not to ‘blame’ Tyler for it. Instead, she blamed work stress and too much to drink and she probably led him on… but she knew, in her heart what had happened. Knowing she could care less if she ever saw him again, she often wondered why he and the redhead he cheated on her with broke up. Had he hurt her too? Did she want to know?

  After Jeb had blistered her butt for not telling him Tyler had been her fiancé, he also sat and listened to her angst over work patiently. Turning down Tyler’s job offer was easy, and quite satisfying, but later that day, his boss had called her with a better offer. Cassandra had been a little surprised it was a real offer. She’d thought Tyler had made it up to get her back, or at least back to Chicago since his redhead was done with him. The offer had been for her to oversee the opening of four new hotels in four years. Eight months in each, with four months off before the next one opened. More money. Perks.

  While she contemplated that very flattering offer, she had to consider the new hotel she’d already promised to open in Chicago. That started in November.

  Plus, she didn’t want to leave Jeb at all. How hard could life be with all these choice? She thought she’d had the world by the tail when she went down to Rose’s Ranch for a six-month gig. Then Jeb had gotten hold of her tail, and her heart, and life got way more complicated.