“Go ahead and say it. I know you’re dying to. Let’s just get it over with.”
His mouth twisted. “What am I dying to say?”
“That you were right and I was wrong. Ranches are dangerous places, and I ended up getting hurt. You had to take me to the hospital, and now you have to take care of the invalid.”
The medication was really messing with her. She was now so bored she was trying to pick a fight.
Cam’s eyes narrowed, and he took a deep breath. “Sweetheart, if you are trying to say I’m happy you got hurt or I resent taking care of you, you couldn’t be further from the truth. I’m very sorry you got hurt. Turismo shouldn’t have reared up like that. None of this is your fault. It was an accident, pure and simple. Yes, accidents happen on ranches, and that’s why you need to be careful. But this was nothing anyone could have foreseen.”
“So you aren’t mad?”
“No, I am not mad. And I like taking care of you, by the way. I don’t like you to be hurt, but I do like spoiling and coddling you. Although, on those pills you certainly don’t act like your usual self. You’re sweet and submissive one minute and meaner than a rattler the next. I hope there are no refills on that prescription.”
Noelle rolled her eyes. She knew she was an emotional roller coaster right now, but he didn’t need to remind her. Perhaps changing the subject was a good idea.
“Is Turismo okay? You won’t shoot him or anything, will you?”
“Of course not. We will do some more training with him, so he won’t be so jumpy next time. Luckily, Abby’s horse was much older and slower and didn’t react to the sound. It would have been much worse if you both were hurt.”
Noelle picked at her food. “Did you find out what made the noise? I swear it sounded like gunshots, Cam. I’ve heard gunfire when I lived in New York.”
A muscle worked in Cam’s jaw. “No, we didn’t. I can’t for the life of me imagine who would be out there shooting a gun. But when I find out—”
She caressed his arm, trying to soothe him. “Relax, my mean Dom. You’ve been wound tighter than a drum since yesterday. I’m okay. I was lucky. I landed on my hard head.”
That got a smile from him. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it, frowning at the bruises and scrapes from the twisted reins.
“And your back and bottom, too, sub. Why don’t you finish dinner and I’ll come up and help you into the bathtub. It’s got a Jacuzzi setting, and it might help all those sore muscles.”
Noelle smiled and lifted a spoonful of potatoes to her mouth. “Now that finally sounds like a plan. Me naked and you running your hands all over me.”
Cam laughed as he headed out of the bedroom. “No way, baby. This is going to be a chaste bathing. You’re in no condition to be seducing me.”
Her pillow hit the door just as he closed it, his laughter trailing down the hall. Her Dom was an evil man. She was just going to have to convince him she was feeling fine.
* * * *
Cam slumped on the kitchen counter, sipping at his coffee. It tore his guts up to see his woman hurting. He knew she was in pain and the marks on her body made him mad as hell. Just what had spooked Turismo? He’d talked to all the hands, and none of them admitted to firing a gun yesterday.
Guns were a fact of life on a working ranch. All the groups carried a rifle in case they came across the odd snake or coyote. But something told Cam this wasn’t an accident. He straightened up as Colt came into the kitchen. He didn’t look any happier than Cam felt.
“Well, what’s the verdict?”
Colt pulled a mug from the cupboard and poured himself some coffee.
“I asked around. Gwen was seen at a charity event for the hospital yesterday afternoon. It couldn’t have been her trying to scare the horse.”
Cam exhaled slowly. “Then who, Colt? No one should have even been in the vicinity of where Abby and Noelle were riding, let alone shooting a gun.”
Colt lowered himself into a kitchen chair with a grunt. “Listen, Gwen’s crazy. I’ll give you that. I wouldn’t put it past her to want to hurt anyone or anything that made you happy. But you know as well as I do, Gwen hates guns. She wouldn’t touch one when she lived here at the ranch. She didn’t do this.”
“I know. But Gwen has a cruel streak a mile wide as you well know. This would be something she’d do. God knows she tried to mess with your relationship with Julie.”
Gwen had tried to come between Colt and his wife by putting doubts about Colt’s fidelity in Julie’s mind and throwing herself at Colt. It had been just one of the many mind games Gwen had played when they were married.
Colt’s expression grew hard. He didn’t have any patience for Gwen’s crap. “She’ll never do that again. Your punishment for her behavior was extremely effective.”
Cam had forbidden her to go to the club for several months. Gwen had bitched and fumed the entire time, but he hadn’t backed down. Taking away her means to get the pain she craved had been his only weapon to combat her continual bad behavior.
“So now what? If it’s not Gwen, are we saying it was an accident?”
Colt nodded. “For now, I think we have to think it’s possible it was an accident. Maybe one of the hands was using a gun and is afraid to admit it. Shit, Cam, you have to admit you were pretty intense when you questioned them. They were all scared as fuck for their jobs.”
“Hell, I just wanted a fucking answer.”
Cam glanced at the clock. “Noelle should be done with dinner. I’m going to help her take a bath.”
Colt snorted. “Help? Is that some kind of euphemism?”
“She’s hurt, bro. I don’t think she’s in any shape for a scene with her Dom, for fuck’s sake.”
“Yeah, she’s going to look up at you with those golden-brown eyes and her soft, naked skin, and you’re going to be a fucking angel. Don’t let your halo fall down and strangle you, big brother.”
“I can be an angel.”
Colt slapped him on the back and grinned. “Sure you can. A fallen angel. Take good care of your woman and think pure thoughts.”
Cam walked up the stairs with a grimace. He hadn’t had a pure thought since meeting Noelle.
* * * *
Noelle steadied herself as she stood up from the bed she’d been occupying for the last several hours. Cam was in the bathroom running her a hot bath, and she was thoroughly sick and tired of doing nothing. She didn’t want to take any more pain pills, either. They were messing with her head and making things fuzzy.
She limped across the room, wincing at the soreness in her limbs. Every inch of her ached, and this soak in the tub was going to feel heavenly. She had almost made it across the room when Cam came out of the bathroom and immediately scowled.
“I told you I would carry you. You could fall and hurt yourself.”
He crossed the room in seconds and scooped her up in his arms.
“I’m already hurt, Cam. The only way I could hurt myself more is if I took a flying leap from the bedroom window. I’m sick of lying in bed. I just wanted to stretch my legs. You don’t want me to get a blood clot, do you?”
He dropped her on the bathroom vanity, and the V between his brows became even more pronounced.
“Of course I don’t want you to get a blood clot. I’m trying to look after you, dammit.”
Noelle had to hide her laughter. He really was cute in this mood.
“I know you are, and you’re doing a great job. Dinner was great. But I can’t lie in bed forever. Even with a man as sexy as you are.”
She trailed her hands down his chest, heading straight for his cock. She was pretty sure he wouldn’t punish her for touching him without permission when she was in this shape. He caught her hands and rolled his eyes.
“No way, Noelle. Practically every inch of your body is covered in bruises. We’re not having sex.”
She looked at his erection pressing against his zipper.
“Are you sure? Little Cam doesn’t lo
ok convinced.”
He started pulling her T-shirt over her head.
“Using the word ‘little’ anywhere in the vicinity of my cock isn’t going to get you laid, pretty sub.”
Laughter bubbled up. “Your cock is huge, and you damn well know it. I’m just asking you to use it, that’s all.”
Cam tossed the T-shirt on the floor and unwrapped her ankle and wrist, before lowering her gently into the swirling water. She sighed in contentment as the hot water soothed her aches and pains.
“No.”
“No? Just ‘no’?”
“You want a complete sentence? Okay. No, I am not using my cock. No. And don’t say ‘damn.’ I’ll catalog that offense for a future punishment.”
Noelle crossed her arms over her breasts and pouted. “You’re mean.”
Cam started washing her long hair, and it was hard to stay cranky when his strong fingers were kneading her scalp. He was careful to stay away from her bandaged forehead.
“Yep, that’s me. One mean-assed Dom. I’m not sure why you put up with me, frankly. Lean back so I can rinse your hair.”
She closed her eyes and let herself relax. She knew he would take the utmost care with her.
“You’re a wonderful man, Cam. The best I’ve ever known. Frankly, that’s why I put up with you.”
His hands paused and then she felt his lips against hers, very softly. She raised her arms and wound them around his neck, starved for his kiss. She didn’t want to go another twenty-four hours without his masterful touch ever again. The kiss seemed to go on forever, their tongues playing tag and sending arousal sizzling through her veins. She forgot all about her bruises and scrapes, letting the world slip away to just her man and how he made her feel. She whimpered when he lifted his mouth from hers.
“You’re gonna be the death of me, sweetheart. But damn, it’s a hell of a way to go. I can’t deny you anything.”
He leaned over and captured a nipple in his mouth, running his tongue around it and scraping it lightly with his teeth. She tried to arch her back, but he held her down firmly so she wouldn’t jar her sore body. His mouth was sending sparks of pleasure straight to her cunt. It had been too long since she’d felt his cock driving them both to the heights of passion.
“Please, Sir.”
Her voice sounded breathless and needy. His hand skimmed down her belly and parted her folds to stroke her sensitive flesh. Heat suffused her entire body, and she grabbed his arm to stop the dizzy sensation that had nothing to do with her medication, and everything to do with how he could make her feel.
“I’ll take care of you, sweetheart. Just lie still and let me do the work.”
His mouth captured her other nipple as his fingers found her swollen clit. She was so turned-on it only took him seconds to bring her to climax. He held her tenderly as her body shook and waves of pleasure ran through her, making sure she didn’t further injure herself. She slumped in the water as the final wave ebbed away. She reached for Cam and ran a hand down his chest.
“I can’t feel any pain. You washed it all away.”
Cam’s jaw was tight. “Endorphins. They’ll wear off eventually. Let’s get you dressed and in bed before they do.”
He lifted her from the tub and set her on her feet, uncaring that he was getting soaked in the process. She looked down and his cock was clearly outlined in his jeans. He had to be in pain.
“Please, Sir. May I bring you pleasure, too?”
Cam swung away to grab a towel. “No. You’re hurt.”
“But I—”
Cam lifted her chin to stare into his blue eyes. “I said no. Stop topping from the bottom. I mean it, Noelle. I am in charge in this bedroom, and I have a long memory for transgressions. I’ll add this to your ever-growing list for punishment at a later date.”
Noelle bit her lip. “I’m sorry, Sir.”
His started drying her legs with a towel. “Thank you, Noelle.” He looked up at her, his face softening. “And thank you for caring. It’s not something I’m used to.”
She gave him a saucy smile. “Best get used to it, Sir. I’m going to drive you crazy and get hundreds of spankings.”
He swung her up in his arms and carried her to the bed.
“I’m a lucky Dom.”
She shook her head. “No, you’re a lucky man.”
Chapter Nine
The short scruff of his beard teased the inside of her quivering thighs as he kissed his way up her body. She wanted to beg for his tongue, but couldn’t bring herself to utter the words. She’d wanted him for so long and still couldn’t believe he was really here with her. She kept thinking he would disappear and she would be alone with her vibrator like so many other lonely nights. He seemed to sense her disquiet and ran a soothing hand up her thigh.
“I’m going to fuck you until you can’t walk or remember your own name. The only thing you’ll remember is my name, and you’ll scream it over and over when you find your release.”
His arrogant words brought her out of her reverie. She gave him a challenging smile and spread her legs wide.
“Bring it on, cowboy. Fuck me like you mean it.”
He brushed her pussy lips with his hard cock.
“Make no mistake, Gisella. I mean it.”
Then he thrust into her all the way to his balls, sending pleasure shooting through her body. She couldn’t stop herself crying out his name.
He gave her an evil smile. “That’s right. Scream my name, witch.”
Tori smiled wistfully. “I want to be fucked until I can’t walk or remember my own name. I’m jealous.” She looked at the other women hopefully. “Please tell me it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.”
The other women looked at each other dubiously. Finally, Lisa pointed to the camera where Noelle was attending via Skype.
“I, personally, think it is, but maybe Noelle can say it’s not.”
Noelle thought about her mean Dom and their naughty sex play. He hadn’t fucked her since her riding accident, and it was driving her crazy. She was practically good as new, and still he held back. She was ready to find his toys and tie him to the bed for her own pleasure.
“Sorry, Tori. It’s freakin’ awesome. You need to find yourself a man.”
Sara giggled. “Or two.”
Brianne rolled her eyes and sipped her cosmo. “Most people don’t find two men who are willing to share one woman. You won the lottery, my dear.”
Sara sighed, a blissful look on her face. “I know. Jeremy and Cole are the world’s best lovers.”
Noelle shook her head. “Cam is the best lover. Hands down.”
Lisa arched her perfectly shaped eyebrows. “I’d argue for Conor, and I’m sure Brianne would argue for Nate, but I want to hear more from you. Seems like you and Cam have gotten very close. Is it love?”
Noelle was silent for a moment as her time with Cam rushed through her mind. The laughter, the fun, the lovemaking were out of this world. “Yes. It’s love. I love him. Shit, I haven’t even told Cam yet. I’ve barely admitted it to myself until now. But, fuck it all, I love him. How could I not fall in love with him? He’s everything I’ve been looking for in a man, but could never find. He’s honest, hardworking, respectful, he likes kids and dogs, he’s caring and gentle, yet knows when to take control. He’s handsome as sin and amazing in bed. He’s everything.”
Brianne grinned. “Elle, you have no idea how happy we are for you. We’ve been hoping you would find someone who made you feel this way. Isn’t finding the right man wonderful?”
Brianne had been euphoric since falling in love with Dr. Nate Hart, but she had always had a romantic streak in her.
“Yes, but I need to think practically right now.”
Sara popped a truffle in her mouth. “Practically? What about?”
“Does he love me, too? I think he does, but he’s never said it. Also, we live, what, twenty states apart? I can’t ask him to leave the ranch. It’s not only his livelihood, it’s his famil
y home. I’d have to move to Montana. It snows in Montana. I remember snow in New York. It’s cold and wet.”
Tori laughed. “You’ll have your love and very hot sex to keep you warm on those long winter nights.”
Sara leaned into the camera. “If you love each other, you’ll work it out. Look at me and the boys. You’re self-employed, and technically you could work anywhere you wanted to. Do you want to be with him?”
Noelle nodded. “Hell, yes.”
Lisa raised her martini glass. “Then go all out and do it. Hell, we know you’re not afraid to take chances. Don’t be a pussy now when it really counts.”
Noelle raised her glass in agreement. “Got it. No being a pussy allowed. I’m going after what I want. Starting tomorrow night.”
Brianne smiled. “What’s tomorrow night?”
“My thirtieth birthday party, that’s what. I’ll show Cam my appreciation for throwing me a birthday party in my own inimitable style. In other words, I’m gonna rock his world!”
The women laughed until Lisa cleared her throat. “Speaking of birthdays…You should be getting a little birthday care package from us tomorrow. Enjoy it. And we’ll want details next week.”
Noelle shook her head, laughing at Lisa’s mysterious smile.
“I’m truly scared of what you all have wrapped up and mailed to me. I hope it’s not flammable.”
Lisa frowned and turned to Tori. “It’s not flammable, is it?”
Tori put her finger over her lips. “You’re going to ruin the surprise.”
Noelle groaned. She now knew to open the box in private. Heaven only knew what her crazy girlfriends had sent her. But she had to admit, finding out would be fun.
* * * *
Noelle was walking slowly across the barn, looking luscious in tight blue jeans and a white silk blouse. Her long hair was loose and wavy around her shoulders, and her lips were shiny and kissable. His cock immediately stood up and took notice, pressing against his button fly insistently.
Down boy. The night’s just begun.
His Submissive Jewel [The Martinis and Chocolate Book Club 3] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic) Page 11
