Her Cowboy's Way Read online

  She nodded, pulling in a breath of relief. He wasn’t a cruel man by any means, but he could be focused. Part of their agreement before they’d married was that he would be the head of their household. He took his role to heart. He’d been helping her change some bad habits. She was okay with it, even though sometimes her bottom paid a price when she failed. This had been a minor mess up, made worse because he was tired.

  Time to get out of the room and let him get some more rest. She moved toward the table where she'd dropped her beach towel and sunglasses. “I’ll just go find a chaise on the beach to sun on until you're ready to do something else.”

  He pulled her close before she could dash out the door. His erection pressed against her, thick and hard, pulsing. She shivered in his embrace and smiled when he kissed the top of her head. Then he took the towel and sunglasses from her and tossed them to the floor. Neither spoke as he walked her backward across the room until she stood against the wall.

  Her heart raced, anticipation thrummed through her. She liked this aggressive side of him, this I-want-you-right-damn-now side. Because she wanted the same thing.

  “I’ve changed my mind about letting you leave right now.” He cupped her head with his hands, bent down until he could kiss a favored spot on the side of her neck. “I’m going to have a little fun first.” He reached between them and molded her hand around his cock. “Mr. Wowser wants some action.”

  He leaned back to look at her. “And that is the last time I’m calling my dick that.”

  She didn’t care. All she cared about at the moment was how he’d begun nibbling her ear lobe behind her chin-length hair, kissing the sensitive spot beside it. She trailed a finger up and down his cock, beamed at the way it jerked within her grasp. “Guess I can spare a minute or two.”

  “It’s going to be wild, darlin’.” He untied first one side of her bikini bottom and then the other. The simple touch of his fingers on her skin made her pulse race, wishing he’d hurry up.

  As she continued stroking him, he gritted his teeth on a groan, and untied her top as well, tossing it to the floor. When she stood as naked as he was, he reached down to run a hand between her legs. She eased them further apart in cooperation.

  “Good girl,” he praised, his voice gritty, needy. He spent a wicked second touching her hardened clit, playing.

  She ground closer. “You naughty boy.” Oh, this was heaven.

  He lightly pinched the button, making her gasp. “Man, sweetheart. I’m a man.”

  “My mistake,” she said, gasping for breath, as he continued tormenting the toy he’d found. “Man, all man.”

  He grinned when he pulled his hand up and his fingers were wet. “I’m glad I didn’t let you get away too soon.”

  She circled her arms around his neck and rose up on tiptoes. “Is this the best you can do, cowboy?”

  “Bossy woman.” He smacked her bottom once and then reached down to lift her right leg up high. His cockhead nuzzled her swollen lips. “I can do better. But I don’t think I can handle much foreplay right now.”

  “Foreplay is overrated.” Brandi pulled herself up higher and seated herself on him. “Oh, yes, exactly what I needed.”

  Colby grimaced as she lifted up so she almost slid off and then drove back down again. He continued holding her right leg high which made her squeeze him tighter as she moved. “Thought you were in a hurry to get out of here,” he teased.

  She squeezed him, moved her body to circle slowly on his rod. Leaning her head back as the sensations grew, she gasped, “A few more minutes won’t hurt.”

  His tongue found her neck, licked just under her chin. At the same time he held her in place. His hips surged forward, impaled his cock deeper and deeper. She met each of his drives, savored each one. She was hot all over; he was sweating and grunting from the effort. Neither could stop moving, both searching for that place where all thought disappeared.

  Her clit hardened more and more with each piston of his cock sliding by it. The little jewel was so hard it almost hurt. She was wet and slick as he jammed into her. Drive after drive. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, and could only feel. Then it was there, that moment of agonized ecstasy.

  “Oh Colby! Oh God!” She clung to him in desperation as he pried the climax from her, all the while thrusting upward over and over. When she was finished, she leant on him, limp and drained. Still he held her. His face mirrored intense need, his jaw tight. His hips bucked as he rode harder, deeper. Seconds later he grunted out her name and ejaculated in a hot rush.

  Slowly he eased her to her feet and they stood there forehead to forehead while the world steadied around them.

  At last he stepped away from her and flashed a very satisfied male grin. “Okay, you can go lounge about now. I’m plum worn out.” He reached down to pick up her bikini and handed the pieces to her. He was still pulling in ragged breaths. “Thanks for obliging this ole cowboy’s need of his woman.”

  “Anytime, cowboy, anytime.” She gave him a cheeky grin and dashed into the bathroom for a quick cleanup and tied her bikini back on.

  When she came out again, he handed her the towel and sunglasses. “Don't wander off, darlin’. Stay on the beach. I haven't had a look around yet and I want to make sure you're safe.” He gave her a light swat to her bottom. “I mean it.”

  She rolled her eyes, but resisted telling him that she could take care of herself. He liked taking care of her and she didn’t mind, sometimes. “No problem. I want to get started on a good tan. Just don't make me stay there too long, or I'll burn.”

  “Half hour tops, but stay put.”

  Brandi hurried out, knowing it would be more like an hour at the earliest before he'd come for her. He wasn’t the fastest shower taker and shaver in the world. Still, it was early in the day and with her sunscreen she would be fine.

  ***

  Brandi watched yet another parasailer go by, followed by two jet skiers. Down the beach a group was getting ready to leave for a snorkel cruise. Another group behind her was donning fins to snorkel in the water by the nearby pier. Everyone but her was having a good time. She'd been here tanning and waiting for Colby for well over an hour. Well, she'd been patient enough!

  She stood, grabbed her towel and headed for the activity booth. A tingle of unease crept up her spine, but she ignored it and walked to the smiling Mexican working there and asked, “Is it too late to rent a snorkel set and fins?” She'd never snorkeled before, but how hard could it be? No one she’d watched seemed to have any problem.

  Grinning even more, the much shorter man reached behind the counter and pulled up just what she'd asked for. “Room number?”

  She hesitated a second, wondering if she was being too impulsive. Colby wouldn't like her going off by herself. But she wasn’t going off by herself. She planned to snorkel around the other guests. Besides, she'd probably be done and back sunning long before he managed to make it down here to the beach. What the heck was holding him up anyway? No doubt he’d gotten another stupid call from Thad with another issue at the ranch. His partner had already called two times since they’d gotten here.

  “1114,” she said, taking the items, and then turning to find the people she'd spotted earlier.

  Where the hell is she? Colby was not happy about coming all the way down here to the beach and not finding his wife. He should have known she wouldn't stay put. Yes, he'd taken a little longer than he'd planned to because of the call from Thad, but he'd told her not to wander off. This was a strange place and there were too damn many men hanging around the hotel—even if most seemed to be with their wife or mate. Why the hell had he allowed her to wear that bikini? Why hadn't he insisted on something one piece, something without a low back or plunging neckline? Maybe one of those ankle-length sundresses he’d seen an older woman wearing as he’d walked through the hotel lobby.

  He shook his head. Okay, he was being silly. She was a good-looking woman, but she didn't flaunt herself for anyone other than him.
Thank God. He was just acting crazy because he couldn't find her.

  Angling one hand to shade his eyes, he scanned the beach area once more. Not one sunbather. Damn.

  He started to turn away when he caught sight of two patches of hot pink bobbing in the water near the pier. His gut tightened and he headed closer. The hot pink patches he saw were definitely a bikini. He tensed when he realized it was Brandi…and she was snorkeling.

  Alone.

  His heart pounded as he strode toward the edge of the water. As far as he knew, she'd never gone snorkeling before. She didn't even swim well. Yet she was out there in who knew how deep water—alone! He was going to roast her butt!

  A minute later she dog paddled in the water and looked toward shore. He knew the instant she spotted him. She floundered a second, then righted herself and shoved off her mask and spit out the snorkel to choke out saltwater. He stood; legs planted wide apart, body rigid with fury, as she made her way out of the water.

  Doing an awkward one-legged stand to remove her fins, she gave him a weak smile.

  He didn't return it. “We're going back up to our room for a while, Brandi Lynn Pennington.”

  She blushed and removed the other fin. “I waited a long time.”

  “Not long enough.” Colby stepped into the shallow water and took the fins, then latched onto her hand and tugged her behind him. “I distinctly remember telling you to stay put. Not to wander off.” He glanced back at her. “You scared the hell out of me.”

  “I didn’t mean to,” she said, her tone sincere and tinged with regret.

  In spite of the fins and snorkel gear they were holding, he drew her to him and hugged her close. A shudder went through him at how worried he’d been. “If something had happened to you…” He hugged her again before releasing her.

  They dropped off the snorkel equipment and walked without speaking through the beach area, through the lobby, down the long hallway, and all the way to their secluded suite on the top floor of the hotel. Neither said a word even as they walked into the suite and Colby shut the door.

  Her nerves tingling, Brandi waited as her husband glanced around the rooms. Finally, he moved to the Spanish-style sofa and sat down right in the middle. She started toward him, but he held up a hand to stop her and said, “Bring the brush.”

  The brush! She wanted to refuse. She'd prefer getting a spanking, a nice simple hand spanking. But then she'd not only disobeyed him but she'd also been caught in the water alone. Colby had hard and fast rules when it came to water safety, especially with her since he knew she couldn’t swim. She'd broken those rules. She’d made a decision to do something just because it seemed like fun. She’d been both bored and irritated with him for not coming to find her. She wasn’t a child or a young adult anymore. She was a grown up woman who ran a business and joined a man in marriage. It was time she acted more responsible.

  Angry with herself more than him, she went into the adjoining bathroom and found her large, wooden hairbrush. She should have left the stupid thing home.

  As she approached, Colby patted his leg. He took the brush and set it down, nodding. “You know what to do.”

  She hesitated, worrying her lip a second and studying his khaki shorts. “I’m wet. I’ll….”

  “Okay, take off the bikini.”

  She thought about turning away to do so, then realized how stupid that was. Still, her face heated as she untied the bottom, let it drop to the floor and then removed the top as well. She stood naked before him about to be spanked and ashamed that she deserved it.

  “Stretch over, sweetheart,” he said, his voice husky, which made her feel somewhat better. At least her being naked was affecting him. Not enough to change his mind, though.

  She crawled onto the leather sofa by his right side and slid across his lap. The mixed feel of his cotton shorts and hairy thighs seemed odd beneath the bare skin of her abdomen. The leather felt cool against her legs and arms as she stretched out. If only they were going to do something else here, something much more enjoyable.

  He nudged her forward until her bottom was in the spot he preferred on his right thigh. “You might want to grab hold of the cushion,” he said, “because this is going to sting.”

  A warning like that was never good. In a flash, she latched onto the cushion in front of her and dug her toes into the one behind her. Her buttocks clenched, then she forced herself to relax them, knowing it hurt a whole lot more if she was tense. Before she could take another breath, it started.

  Colby’s hand connected with her bottom in a steady rain, a biting downpour of pain. No warm up this time. She squirmed and dug her toes in further, hissing under her breath. He meant business.

  “I was hoping not to have to spank you at all on this trip.” Eight sizzling smacks landed on her sit spot. “But you just can’t seem to stay out of trouble. This time something bad could have happened. I could have….”

  She heard him pull in a deep breath, knew he was trying to calm down. She hated that she’d frightened him. If the situation had been reversed, if he’d been the one to do something potentially dangerous, she would have been every bit as frustrated.

  “I’m so sorry,” she whimpered, braced to accept whatever he needed to do.

  Another dozen smacks sailed onto her quivering buttocks. “You mean so damn much to me,” he gritted out, smoothing his hand over her burning bottom.

  She sucked in a sharp breath and dashed at her tears as he stopped to pick up the brush. “I can’t seem to help myself,” she gasped out. “I got bored, acted foolishly.”

  “You’ll think before you do something so dangerous again. I guaran-damn-te it.” The first swat landed in the middle of her right cheek with a resounding crack!

  She yelped, arching backward. “Oh! That hurts!”

  He pushed her into place again. “I reckon it does.”

  The brush whacked down on her blazing bottom over and over and over. All she could do was suck in frantic gasps, only to hiss a second later. It was impossible to lie still. She wriggled from side to side and began kicking up her legs.

  “I’ll think first.” She squirmed at another smack. “I promise!”

  One more swat landed and he held the brush against the underside of her buttocks. “We’re done here. You’ve been punished for your foolishness.”

  “Yes,” she whimpered, sniffling back tears. He hadn’t spanked her this hard in a long time, not since he’d caught her driving to his place drunk after her bachelorette party. She’d earned that spanking, too.

  “You'll be spending the afternoon here in the room recovering.” He lifted the brush and threw it on the tiled floor. He feathered his fingers over her throbbing bottom. “Such a pretty color of red. Hot, too.”

  Any other time she would have enjoyed his gentle touch. Now she squirmed in discomfort. “I hate wasting time recovering.”

  His hand settled with firmness in warning. “Are you going to go against me again, sweetheart?”

  “No,” she grumped.

  “Wise decision.” He removed his hand. “While you’re getting over this little reminder business, I’ll be down on the beach, enjoying a few drinks and reading a good book.”

  “That’s so unfair!”

  “Not my fault you got your butt burned.”

  She snorted. “It kind of is.”

  A low rumble of laughter escaped him. “I guess you’re right. Still, you earned it.” He grew serious, helping her to stand. He took her hands to keep her standing in front of him. His eyes held warmth. “You scared me, sweetheart.”

  Her bottom was on fire, but the need to make love with the man who’d set it ablaze was almost overpowering. They were going to have their differences during their marriage. No doubt she’d suffer a trillion more spankings in the next fifty or so years. But they would be worth it to be married to this man who loved so deeply, who cared enough to be as patient as he could with her.

  “Have I mentioned today how much I love you?” she s
aid, inching closer to him.

  Those beautiful brown eyes heated and he gave her the sexy, crooked grin that made her go weak in the knees. “No.” He chuckled. “Well, you might have screamed it out a time or two this morning.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You’re so bad, cowboy.”

  “Damn straight I am.” He appeared to struggle with what to say next. At last he nodded toward the rumpled bed. “Go. Lie down and think about why I just roasted your sweet ass.”

  “Already know why,” she countered, disappointed he wasn’t ready to pursue what they both wanted. Still, her bottom was pretty sore. “Because you like painting my butt red.” She hoped he understood she was just teasing him, not sassing him.

  He did, chuckling as he headed for the door. “Red looks good on your ass. Not all the time, of course. I like it all nice and creamy, too.”

  “Cocky cowboy.” Her cowboy and she wasn’t sure she deserved him.

  Stopping to glance back at her, his gaze shifted to the bulge growing in his shorts. “And I know how to use this cock, don’t I, sweetheart?”

  She crawled onto the bed, looked back at him on hands and knees, and wiggled her bottom at him. Like a matador waving a red flag at a bull. “You might need a little more practice before you reach perfection.”

  Again, he chuckled, but he didn’t come to her like she’d hoped. “I’ll be practicing more later. For now, you need to do some practicing of those three little words you swore to me last week.” He held her gaze, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Particularly that one word you had so much trouble with. Obey.”

  Would he ever forget her last minute panic? Something that had resulted in her walking down the aisle with a red bottom. That spanking hadn’t been as intense as this one. Thank goodness.

  “I’m still working on it,” she said on a sigh.

  He winked at her. “And I’ll be helping you get a good handle on the definition. Because I love the hell out of you, sweetheart.”

  Chapter Three