Leslie gasped as each pounding thrust plumbed her depths and buffeted her tender cervix. Her heart overflowed, and she let her love for him shine in her eyes as she watched him. She offered herself up like a lush carnal sacrifice to appease his fierce hunger. The more demanding he became, the more readily she welcomed him into her body. His pleasure became her own, and she held nothing back. She squeezed her inner muscles around him, using her velvety sheath to worship his cock with every deep invasion. She was thrilled by every grunt and groan that resulted. He grew progressively more wild, and she knew that he was enjoying her efforts.
Gabe reciprocated by lavishing her with devotion. He stroked and caressed her, pinched and tugged her already sore nipples, and trailed hot kisses over her breasts and neck. He left a trail of tiny bites and scrapes, marking her as his woman. The whole time, he kept up a steady, relentless rhythm of powerful thrusts, driving her steadily higher and higher.
He straightened and surveyed her body. She was flushed and glistening with sweat. Her breasts were covered by the marks he had left, and they bounced delightfully with his movements. He felt a wave of primal satisfaction. Her eyes beseeched him. She was waiting as patiently as she could for him to send her over the edge, but he could tell by her desperate moans that her control was slipping. He gripped her thighs and sank to the root, grinding his pelvis against her clit.
“Take us, kitten. Take us there now.”
With a glad cry, Leslie leapt into the fire. She squeezed her legs around his waist to hold him as deep as possible. Her inner muscles clamped lovingly onto his shaft. Gabe met and held her gaze, groaning softly as he enjoyed every fluttering tremor. He flooded her with hot bursts of his seed, and they both shuddered violently as they savored the intimacy of their connection.
The world could have come crashing down around their ears, and neither of them would have cared in that moment. All the love they needed was shining in their eyes, and they both smiled as they basked in the afterglow. No words were necessary. They had used their bodies to seal their vows. They had closed the book on their past and had begun writing the first chapter of their future, and what a promising future it was.
Chapter 14
Their newfound connection continued to grow stronger over the next few weeks. As summer turned into fall, the frantic pace around the farm slowed to a relentless but more manageable rhythm.
Gabe grew more and more protective of Leslie. He insisted that she rest more, and he refused to let her do any of the more arduous chores. He continued to be a demanding lover, but Leslie noticed that he had a care for her condition. As she started to show, he made adjustments so that he wouldn’t cause any injury to the babe while seeking his pleasure. Nevertheless, he continued to take her to the heights of ecstasy every time he made love to her.
He let her know that she wouldn’t get out of spankings just because she was pregnant. But instead of pulling her over his knee, he began placing her on hands and knees on the bed, with her shoulders on the mattress and her bottom raised high so that her stomach wouldn’t be jarred against his leg. Although Leslie grumbled about being spanked, she was secretly thrilled, and she continued to defy him occasionally just so that he would blister her bottom. She suspected that Gabe knew her game. But he didn’t confront her about her bratty behavior, because he enjoyed spanking her at every opportunity.
Pregnancy agreed with Leslie. She was the picture of good health. Her nausea disappeared, her figure became more alluring as her breasts and hips filled out, and her face glowed with radiant happiness.
When they shared their joyful news with Leslie’s family, Gabe’s face shone with pride. He laughed while her parents exclaimed and hugged both Leslie and him. He accepted their hearty congratulations while sporting a ridiculously pleased grin.
Brian McKenzie beckoned him out onto the porch while Leslie and Sarah chatted eagerly about the coming baby. Brian clapped him on the shoulder and chuckled. “Welcome to the club, Gabe.”
“What club, sir?”
Brian threw back his head and laughed, his eyes twinkling with merriment. “You’re now the newest member of the ‘I’m so in love with my wife that I can hardly stand it’ club. I knew you would eventually figure it out, but I have to say, it took you long enough.”
Gabe flushed and grinned. “I can’t argue with that, sir. Don’t tell that daughter of yours, but she’s got me wound so tight around her little finger, I can hardly breathe sometimes.”
“You’ll get used to it,” Brian assured him. “She’s had me the same way since the day she was born.”
They both shook their heads and sighed happily.
Brian glanced at Gabe. “Any more strange occurrences lately?”
“No. I’ve been especially watchful, but nothing unusual has happened for the past several weeks. I’m starting to think that maybe the incidents weren’t related. Maybe a drifter was passing through and stole one of my horses for transportation. Sheriff Wilson asked around, but no one has noticed any strangers in the area, recently.”
“That’s good,” Brian agreed. “Still, I would continue to be on guard, and we’ll continue to keep a close eye, too. If we discover anything out of the ordinary, you’ll be the first to know.”
The following day, Gabe left to cut down several large trees and clear some stumps from an uncultivated section of his land that bordered the road. He told Leslie not to expect him home until supper.
Around ten in the morning, he took a short break. He was sitting on the bed of his wagon when Bernie Phillips came riding past on his horse. Seeing Gabe, he waved and drew his horse to a halt. He dismounted and tethered his horse before climbing over the fence to join Gabe.
Bernie thrust his hand out with a friendly smile. “Hi, Gabe.”
“Hi, Bernie,” Gabe said, shaking his hand. “I see you’ve been to town. Any news?”
Bernie shrugged. “The usual. Nothing worth mentioning.”
Gabe nodded. “How have things been going for you lately?”
“I can’t complain.”
They proceeded to exchange news about their harvests, what they had each planted for the fall, the weather forecasts, and other mundane topics.
“So, what are you working on here?” Bernie asked, indicating the field that Gabe had been working to clear.
“I’ve been meaning to get the last few trees out of this section, but just never had enough time until now. If I can get it cleared in the next couple of days, I think I could get it planted in time to have some extra crops harvested before winter.”
“Do you need any help?” Bernie asked. “I’ll pitch in, if you think you need it.”
“No, but thank you for offering. I think I’ve got enough time, and I’m sure you have urgent chores of your own.”
“It’s a pretty ambitious project,” Bernie commented. “Why the rush to get it done this year?”
“I wouldn’t mind the extra income. With the recent setbacks, I suffered some losses on my fruit crop, and I’m hoping to make up the difference.” Gabe met Bernie’s eye and smiled proudly. “Plus, Leslie’s going to have a baby, come spring. There’s nothing like impending fatherhood to stir a man’s ambitions.”
Bernie looked momentarily taken aback, but then he smiled and shook Gabe’s hand enthusiastically. “Congratulations! That’s wonderful news. Please be sure to give my best wishes to your missus.”
Gabe nodded. “I’ll do that. I’m sure Leslie would appreciate your thoughtfulness.”
“Well, I’d best be on my way. I still have lots of work to do today.”
“It never ends,” Gabe agreed. “I probably won’t get home until after dark for at least the next few days. Makes me almost long for winter.”
“I know what you mean,” Bernie said with a smile. “Even though the winter months can get long and boring, at least we don’t have to work so hard every day.”
“Amen to that,” Gabe replied. He was secretly looking forward to being cooped up with Leslie over the
long winter months, but he didn’t share that with Bernie.
They shook hands again, and Gabe watched until the other man had mounted and ridden away. Then, Gabe resumed his work. He chopped down several large trees and cut them into smaller logs for transporting them home. Then, he started to load them into the wagon. After depositing one, he happened to glance down, and he frowned.
In the soft soil where Bernie had been standing, there were several clear boot prints. Gabe bent down to look closer. They were the same size and had the same distinctive boot notch as the prints he had found the day his horse was stolen.
“Son of a bitch,” Gabe growled.
He would never have believed that Bernie would do such a thing. Bernie had always been a good neighbor and, to the best of Gabe’s knowledge, the man had no reason to dislike him. They had never gotten into any disputes. They had even helped each other out on a number of occasions.
Gabe knew that Bernie had carried a torch for Leslie for years. However, they had run into him several times since their marriage, and he had always been friendly and polite. It hadn’t seemed as if there was any lingering resentment or jealously on Bernie’s part.
Gabe hitched the horses and turned them toward home. Bernie lived on the far side of Gabe’s farm. He was going to drop off the wagon, then, he was going to confront Bernie about what he had discovered.
Leslie was busy making a fruit tart when she heard a rider approaching outside. She wasn’t expecting Gabe back so soon, and it didn’t sound like a wagon. She wiped her hands on a towel and walked out onto the porch to see who had come visiting. When she saw that it was Bernie, she mentally groaned. As he drew his horse to a halt and dismounted, she pasted a smile on her face.
“Hi Bernie. It’s a fine day for a ride.”
He removed his hat and mounted the porch steps, returning her smile. “Yes, it is. I just dropped by to ask a favor.”
“Certainly,” she said, trying not to sound exasperated. “What can I do for you?”
“I’ve had an awful itch lately, and I was hoping you might help me with it.”
Leslie frowned. “Did you get into some poison ivy or something?”
“No. It’s nothing like that.”
Bernie suddenly advanced on her and pushed her up against the outside wall of the cabin. Leslie thrashed and struggled, but he easily subdued her.
His smile was ugly as he leaned down and got right in her face. “I’m talking about a totally different kind of itch, Leslie.”
Catching his meaning, her cheeks burned with fury. “How dare you! Get your hands off me, Bernie. This isn’t funny.”
“I’m not trying to be funny. I’m tired of waiting for you to see reason, Leslie. I’m here to take what I’ve got coming. You were mine long before that bastard husband of yours moved here. If it weren’t for him, you and I would have been married long ago.”
“You’re insane. I would never have married you. Now, let me go this instant!”
Leslie renewed her struggles, but Bernie held her without any difficulty. He pulled a length of rope out of his pocket and bound her wrists behind her. He grabbed her by the arms and pulled her down the steps.
“You’re coming with me,” he stated.
As he dragged her toward his horse, Leslie tried her best to pull out of his grasp, but he held her firmly.
“Gabe is going to be home any minute,” she yelled. “He’ll kill you for this.”
Bernie merely laughed. “I just spoke with Gabe. He told me, himself, that he wouldn’t be home until late tonight. By the time he gets home, you’ll be long gone, and he won’t have any idea where to find you.”
Leslie began to panic, and she screeched and fought, trying to gain her release. Had she been wearing britches, she might have had a chance to break loose. But her skirts hindered her movements, and without the use of her hands, Bernie easily restrained her.
Getting her onto his horse proved more difficult. Each time he lifted her up, she scrambled off and landed in the dirt on the other side. After two unsuccessful attempts, Bernie grew frustrated. He took a knife out of his pocket and used the handle to clobber her on the back of the head.
Leslie saw stars, and her knees buckled beneath her. She blinked against a wave of dizziness, and bile rose in her throat. Bernie took advantage of her weakness. He tossed her onto his horse, mounted behind her, and spurred his horse toward his farm at a gallop.
The ride was pure hell for Leslie. Bernie kept an arm banded around her waist, and he squeezed so tightly that she could hardly draw breath. Every pounding stride of the horse sent agonizing shards of blinding pain through her skull. She could feel a trickle of blood flowing down her scalp from where Bernie had hit her. She thought for sure that she would vomit. Despite her discomfort, she dreaded arriving at Bernie’s home, and his cabin came into view all too soon.
Bernie dismounted and tied his horse to the porch railing. While he was distracted, she hopped down and tried to run. He caught her within just a few strides. She butted her head into his chest and tried to knee him in the groin. She managed to bite his hand, and he knocked her to the ground. They wrestled in the dirt, but Leslie couldn’t do much with her arms restrained behind her back. Bernie scooped her up and carried her, kicking and screaming, to his cabin.
“Let me go, Bernie. You don’t want to do this. Gabe will kill you for this, I swear it.”
“Gabe isn’t even going to know,” Bernie said calmly.
“Of course, he will. I’ll tell him, you idiot. Then, he’ll hunt you down and skin you alive.”
“I don’t think so,” Bernie insisted, as he carried her inside and slammed the door behind him with a kick. “You won’t be around to tell him, and he won’t have any idea where you’ve gone.”
Another frisson of fear snaked down Leslie’s spine. If Bernie didn’t intend for her to be around to tell Gabe, then he either intended to kill her or keep her indefinitely. Either possibility terrified her.
He set her on her feet in the middle of the living room, but he kept hold of her arms as she struggled and squirmed. He jerked her back against him, and his hot breath fanned her cheek as he growled in her ear, “I’ve been waiting for this day for a very long time, Leslie.”
Leslie felt tears welling in her eyes, and she blinked rapidly to clear them. “Please, Bernie,” she whispered. “Don’t do this.”
“Oh, I’m definitely going to do this, Leslie. And being the little whore that you are, I expect that you’re actually going to love it.” He met her eye and flashed a malevolent smirk. “At least until I get to the really good parts. Once you realize what tortures I have planned for you, you’ll be wishing that you’d never treated me so disrespectfully. You’re going to pay for each and every time that you’ve brushed me off and insulted me.”
“Get your hands off me,” she cried, thrashing some more. “I hate you. Let me go, Bernie.”
Bernie laughed and turned her around to face him. He pulled her wrists higher on her back, painfully wrenching her shoulders until she cried out.
“You don’t fool me for a second. I know what kind of dirty little slut you really are. You like being treated this way.”
Leslie glared at him. “You’re crazy. You make my skin crawl.”
Bernie eyed her breasts greedily. “No matter. I don’t really care how you feel.” He squeezed her breast crudely, grinning when she tried to pull away but couldn’t. “I only care about finally getting my revenge. And believe me, Leslie, I am going to take great delight in using and abusing your delightful little body until I get my fill. It might take me a few weeks, who knows? But I’m not going to put you out of your misery until I’ve satisfied every single one of my cravings.”
Leslie couldn’t suppress a whimper of fear, and he laughed again. “That’s right. You’re finally starting to understand. If you want to live through this, you’d better start working harder to please me.”
He reached behind her with both hands and untied her wrists. L
eslie tried to break free, but he easily restrained her. He pulled her wrists in front of her and quickly tied them so tightly together that the rope bit into her skin. Then, he pulled her arms over her head.
Leslie glanced up and noticed a sturdy hook that had been anchored in the ceiling. Bernie lifted her wrists and secured them to the hook. Then, he stepped back and released her. His lips curled into an ugly sneer as he surveyed the results.
Leslie was suspended from her bound wrists with her toes barely touching the floor. Any time she moved, she lost her footing and swayed helplessly. The strain on her arms and shoulders was agonizing. It was only by remaining still that she could stand on tiptoes to relieve some of the tension. Her heart pounded as her helplessness began to fully sink in, and she fought back tears.
She glared at Bernie. “You filthy bastard!”
Bernie slapped her across the cheek with the back of his hand, stunning her into silence. He leaned close, and his vile breath felt hot on her face.
“Enough! I’m going to have my due. If you behave yourself, I might even make it pleasant for you, at least for a little while.”
She narrowed her eyes, her anger and hatred flashing in her eyes. “I’d rather die than to have you touch me,” she gritted out.
Leslie spat in his face, and Bernie growled low in his throat. He wiped his face with his hand, then he backhanded her even more viciously. Her head whipped to the side from the force of the blow, and pain blossomed in her cheek. Her arms wrenched with pain as she swayed from the hook. Another wave of dizziness and nausea nearly overwhelmed her, and she blinked to clear her vision as she struggled to breathe. When she managed to regain her footing and look at him, Bernie slapped her again, just as hard. This time, he split her lip, and blood trickled down her chin. Leslie whimpered.
His Sweet Kitten (Return To The McKenzies Book 1) Page 23
