Cowboys in Charge

  Cowboys in Charge

  Starla Kaye

  Published by Black Velvet Seductions Publishing at Smashwords

  Cowboys in Charge Copyright 2015 Starla Kaye

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

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  All characters in this book are completely fictional. They exist only in the imagination of the author. Any similarity to any actual person or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental

  Snowed in with Her Cowboy

  “If you won’t quit your job, at least take a couple of weeks off before Christmas.” James walked into the bedroom carrying a cup of coffee for the woman he loved, the woman who frustrated the hell out of him lately. “There’s no way you can keep the community commitments you’ve made and work forty plus hours a week. You’re already dragging around, cranky.”

  Kelly peeked at him from the walk-in closet, a frown marring her pretty face. “I don’t want to talk about this again. I’m not quitting.”

  “You don’t even like working there,” he reminded her. How many times had she complained over the last six months about her impossible-to-please boss, about the other women in the office who were always trying to backstab one another. She’d taken the job at Smithson’s Architects because she didn’t want her skills as an architect to fade away. He hadn’t liked her going back to work, but he’d wanted her to be happy. She wasn’t, though, which meant they weren’t happy.

  “Kelly, honey…” He hesitated because he didn’t want to fight with her, especially before she went into Kansas City for another long day of work.

  “Don’t ‘Kelly, honey,’ me!” She stepped back into the closet. “We are not discussing this again! I’m not doing this to trample on your ego, cowboy. This isn’t about you. It’s about me.”

  After three years of marriage, he had a pretty good handle on his wife. She liked her independence and he gave her as much as possible. She spoke her mind without much thought first, which he also tolerated for the most part. She was easily twice as smart as him in many ways, which he admired. Her biggest flaw was once she made a decision, she stuck to it, even if that decision proved to be a bad one. Like this job. He was tired of watching her come home exhausted from the tension of a frustrating day at the office. He worried about her on the hour drive back to the ranch.

  “You’re wrong.” He set the steaming cup of coffee on the dresser next to the door. “This is about both of us. You’re my wife, dammit. It’s my job to watch out for you, to step in when you’re—”

  “Watch it, macho boy!” She stormed out of the closet and tossed a skirt and blouse on the rumpled bed. Her brown eyes sparked with fire as she faced him. “I don’t have time for you to go all Man in Charge on me this morning. I still need to take a shower and get dressed.”

  He curled his hands into fists at his sides. She’s tired. She’s stressed. But, damn, so am I! “Watch yourself. You’re pushing this old boy right to his limits.”

  Her eyes continued to flash with irritation, her posture rigid. Then slowly she seemed to go limp. Her lower lip quivered. Tears glimmered in those weary eyes. All of the spit and fire went right out of her. “James,” she whispered.

  What the hell? Her sudden change surprised him as much as it worried him. He moved in front of her, his irritation gone. He wrapped his arms around her and clutched her to him. He could stand a lot of rough things in life, but the sight of his woman in tears gut punched him. Tears after he spanked her for one reason or another was different, those he expected and understood. For any other reason, though, they unmanned him, made him feel helpless.

  “Baby, I’m sorry.” He stroked her bare back, smoothed his hand over the wavy mass of long dark hair. Its silkiness, its sweet scent always got to him. But not anymore than the feel of her much smaller body in only lacy bra and panties did. His erection beneath his jeans immediately pressed between them. “It’ll be okay. I’ll make it okay.” How, he didn’t know.

  She snuggled even closer, trembling. “I don’t deserve you.”

  These highs and lows in her mood, her tiredness, her lack of appetite suddenly reminded him of something his brother-in-law had once said about James’ sister. “A pregnant woman can really try a man’s patience sometimes.” His heart pounded and he fought to keep his excitement under control. He’d wanted this for so damn long. “You’re pregnant, aren’t you?” he asked quietly.

  She stiffened. “What?” She shoved him away. Her plump breasts heaved in anger. “Of course I’m not pregnant! Why would you even think that?”

  While disappointment crawled through him, she stomped toward the dresser and jerked out a slip. She tossed it on the bed beside her clothes. “I don’t want kids right now. Maybe never. We’ve talked about this.”

  They had, before they got married and many times since then. She was great with kids; she’d make a good mother. But her complicated family history kept her from wanting to have a child. He’d tried to be patient, and hoped she would change her mind. Again, discontent and hurt spread through him. His patience was wafer thin. She didn’t like her job. If she stayed home she could try that quilting stuff she’d talked about wanting to do. Or she could… He didn’t know what else, but anything had to be better than working where she did now. And if she stayed home, maybe she’d soften toward the idea of having kids.

  Her face was pinched tightly as she met him eye to eye. “Get that thought out of your head right now.” When he started to protest, she forged onward, “Don’t even try to deny it. You still think having me run around here bare foot and pregnant is the answer to my problem. God, that’s so chauvinistic!”

  Now he stood rigidly, tired to death of her calling him that. “It’s not wrong for me to want children with you. We’d make great parents.”

  “You might, but I won’t.” The words came out briskly, yet he heard the pain and the fear in her voice. She was afraid to take the chance.

  He shoved a hand through his hair. He just didn’t know how to get through to her about this subject. She wasn’t anything like her pitifully selfish mother. No matter how many times he tried to tell her that, she resisted. They’d discussed this last week and she’d almost left him. He’d been biting his tongue and acting as understanding as he could since then. No way was he losing her, even if he had to give up the idea of having kids.

  Frustration made him reckless. “You’re PMSing, aren’t you?” He groaned at his stupidity. What an idiot.

  Her eyes narrowed. “Because I’m not the sweet, biddable little woman you think I should be?” She snorted. “So what is your excuse for the changes in your attitude lately? Grouchy one minute, walking away the next. All kissy face one minute, turning away the next. Maybe you are the one PMSing.”

  He drew in deep, steadying breaths. This was really not going well. He should have gone on out to do his chores instead of bringing her a cup of coffee. Coffee that had probably turned cold by now. His efforts to be patient with her and not force another argument were straining things between them. His wanting to be tender with her and not pushy when she didn’t seem to want to pursue making love had also failed. Enough!

  “We need to deal with this tension between us.” He
glanced at the bed.

  “We are not having sex right now. Just forget that nonsense.” She shifted toward the attached bathroom.

  James grabbed her arm and spun her to face him. “No, we aren’t making love right now.” He purposely didn’t say ‘having sex’ because that word choice irritated him. “But I’m going to take care of someone’s attitude problem.”

  He tugged her with him to the bed, even as she attempted to dig in her heels on the rug. “This is happening, honey. Your resisting is only going to make it more unpleasant.”

  Kelly’s heart pounded, her whole body thrummed in anticipation. Her husband was going to spank her.

  She’d pushed him to the breaking point this time. How had this gotten so out of control? She hadn’t meant to attack him. Her head hurt, her heart hurt. Everything in her life seemed to be wrong at the moment. Her job. Their marriage. It was Christmas time and she usually loved this part of the year. This year it was yet another burden to bear.

  He sat down on the side of the bed and drew her to his side, jerking her from her musings. “This isn’t necessary,” she said and looked anxiously at him. The sad expression on his ruggedly handsome face made her feel even worse. She loved this man with all of her heart, and yet lately all she seemed to do was argue with him and cause him pain.

  “I think it is.” He was gentle but determined as he guided her over his muscled thighs. “It’s been a while since I’ve burned your butt. Usually it calms you down. I’m hoping it will again.”

  Sadly, he was right. A spanking took her mind away from her tendency to blow an issue out of proportion, which she realized she was doing now. It gave her something else to think about.

  Resigned to the situation, she wriggled forward until she could put her hands on the rug. Her bottom rested on his right leg; her mound pressed against his jeans, separated only by the thin panties. Even knowing what was about to happen, her body tingled with awareness, longing.

  “I’ve got to work today. Can’t you wait until tonight?” she asked without much hope of changing his mind. He never did once he’d decided to spank her.

  One of his hands eased the panties off her buttocks and she tensed, getting her answer without him speaking it.

  She would have to deal with a sore ass. It wasn’t the first time she’d had to suffer a spanking before work and then spend the day squirming on her chair. Still, she would rather not have had to experience it again.

  “Do you know why you’re getting spanked?” He settled his left forearm over her back and lightly tapped one bare cheek with his other hand.

  Her buttocks quivered, clenched at the touch. Yes, she knew why. No, she didn’t want to explain it. Instead she grumbled, “I don’t have time to drag this out.” She could imagine his frown at her not responding properly. He liked to go through this whole why thing ad nauseum, be sure she understood what she’d done wrong. Once the discussion part was over he would remind her that he only disciplined her for her own good. Uh-huh. Then came the spanking.

  She felt the tension in his body; heard his teeth grinding in annoyance. But she wasn’t in the mood for his routine. “Just spank me like you think I need,” she blustered.

  The smack that landed sent her jerking forward, had the air gasping out of her. “Okay! I’m sorry!” she cried. “I know this isn’t how you like to do this. But I have to get to work.”

  He was quiet for a few seconds and then he blew out a frustrated breath. He lifted his arm from her back. “All right, I guess this can wait until tonight.”

  Tonight? Dread this all day? No, thank you. “No, no, no,” she protested, craning her head to look back at him. “I’m already here in position, ready to accept the spanking. I don’t want to be thinking about it all day. Just do it.”

  A vein pulsed in his neck and his brow furrowed. “You’re awful pushy this morning.” He nodded. “We’ve done this a time or two before you went to work. Guess you’ll be able to deal with a sore butt this time, too.”

  She wanted to go back to his offer of doing this later, but it was too late. There would be no change of plans now. Disgusted with having pushed him to this, she lowered her head as he held her in place again. She loved and respected him, trusted him. She’d agreed to this kind of marriage, with occasional discipline.

  “Lie still and we’ll get this chore taken care of right quick.”

  The “right quick” part wasn’t necessarily a good thing. She braced herself and gritted her teeth, determined to take her spanking with as much grace as possible.

  With wicked aim, he sent smack after smack down to her vulnerable bottom. There wasn’t time to breathe between the swats or to do more than wriggle in discomfort. It didn’t take long before he got her to the point of understanding—or so he called it. He burned her bottom until she couldn’t lie still, until she couldn’t keep stoically quiet. He took her right to the point where she swore between sobs, “I’ll…I’ll behave better! I promise! I promise!”

  A minute later she stood in front of him, between his legs, holding her hot, stinging bottom. Yes, she would have a tough day ahead, but at least she didn’t have to spend all day thinking about going over his knee tonight. She gently rubbed at the sting, which didn’t really help.

  His expression softened as he watched her, satisfied that he’d done what he’d thought necessary. He never apologized for spanking her, but she knew he didn’t enjoy doing it.

  He reached up to thumb away the tears still trickling down her face. “Are we okay?”

  “I’ve got a burning ass, but…” She sniffled and gave him a wobbly smile. “But, yes, we’re okay.” She would be sore today, but she didn’t feel as testy anymore.

  * * * *

  James stood by the fireplace and sadness moved over him. Where had the time gone this month? This year? Christmas was only a couple of days away. He and Kelly hadn’t fought since the spanking. She’d settled down, but her normal Christmas vigor was missing.

  He stared at the Christmas tree he’d cut down this morning and hauled back to the house with the help of his ranch foreman. Tom hadn’t said a word as they’d put the tree up and then toted box after box of decorations down from the attic. This was the first year she hadn’t picked out a tree and helped him with the hauling and the decorating. It didn’t feel right to do this alone but they needed a tree. He knew how busy she was, how stressed she’d been. If all he could do to help her was put up their tree, he was more than glad to do it.

  He stepped back to study the tree that sat by the stone fireplace. Had he hung too many lights? Not enough? Had he put on the ornaments she liked best? This wasn’t his expertise, but he wanted to do it right for her. He wanted to take at least one of the usual tasks she performed at Christmas time off of her shoulders.

  She’d spent several evenings this past week baking cookies for the ranchers’ party and another one helping wrap presents for the community party last weekend. Plus they’d gone caroling with their church group one night and gone to a couple of get-togethers with neighbors. Between those long nights she’d worked extra hours at her job and squeezed in some shopping, which he’d done very little of. He didn’t want to disappoint her, but he hadn’t known what she wanted this year. Usually she gave him all kinds of hints. This year she hadn’t said a word, not left one note around for him to find.

  The pine scent drifted around him, made him miss Kelly. They hadn’t had another argument in days. She’d been calmer since then, as usually happened after he helped tone down the craziness in her behavior. But he’d been right about the PMSing thing, so they hadn’t made love yet. Fact was, he worried about them. She hadn’t said anything, but he felt an uncomfortable distance between them. He wasn’t sure they were okay, even if she’d told him they were after he’d burned her sweet ass. He was concerned.

  He glanced out the window overlooking the ranch yard and frowned. It had started snowing not long after she’d left for the city this morning. He’d spent most of the day worrying abo
ut her. She was a good driver, but you never knew what could happen driving in snow. What he should have done was go into the city and get her. She’d probably have been irritated with him. No “probably” to it, she’d have been pissed. How many times had she told him, “I can take care of myself”? For the most part, she could. Still, with this weather, this time was different.

  His cellphone rang and he blinked back to the moment. He pulled it from the holder on his belt. Seeing her number, his heart pounded. “Are you all right?” he asked in a rush.

  “Yes, but...” She hesitated and he thought he might have a stroke while he waited for her to continue.

  “But what?” He strode out of the great room and headed for his coat in the entry area.

  “I left work early. I would have been home by now, but I sort of slid off the side of the highway.”

  He froze, felt the blood draining from his face. Oh, God. “Are you hurt?” He mentally kicked himself for letting her leave this morning when he’d heard on the news that snow was headed their way.

  “I’m fine. Just have a bruise on my forehead from where I hit my head on the steering wheel. No big deal.” She drew in a breath and said warily, “A man stopped to help me back onto the road. But there was some damage to my car. My front bumper hit a big rock in the ditch. It’s not too bad, though, I promise.”

  He punched Speaker and set his phone down on the hall table while he pulled his heavy coat on.

  He didn’t know exactly where he was going, but he needed to get to her. In his near-panicked state, he recalled what she’d just said, heard the worry in her voice. “I could care less about the damn car, Kelly. You are all that matters to me.”

  She gave a weak sob and he felt almost certain it was one of relief. The thought that she might think he would be angry with her hurt him. Nothing mattered more to him than her. Nothing. Had he not made that clear to her already? Well, he damn sure would.