Her Cowboy's Way Read online

  She heaved a sigh, leaned over her desk and buried her face in her hands. If one more potential new client walked in the door, she would run screaming from the building. She was just one person. She could only do so much. Handling pressure wasn’t something she was good at, which was why she’d decided to have her own business. Not that there were other accounting firms in town that she could have gone to work for. She was pretty much the only multi-service accountant in the county.

  She glanced at her coffee cup. Empty. Again. Just like the pot in her office’s tiny storage room. She needed caffeine. She needed an elf or some other magical person with amazing accounting and tax skills to come in during the night and whip out a dozen tax returns. And she needed—really needed—sex. Which meant she prayed Colby got home today from the trip he’d taken to a cattleman’s convention in Dallas.

  His photo on the corner of her disastrous desktop caught her attention. Lord, he was a good-looking man. Tall and muscled from ranch work. His face always needed shaving, and the stubble felt rough sometimes when he kissed her, but she didn’t mind that. His lady killer eyes spoke of all the wondrous things he could do to a woman.

  Although illogical, it was as if he’d deserted her this last week. He knew she wasn’t good at handling stress, especially this snowballing kind of pressure. People depended on her. They needed these tax returns and they expected them to be done right. Of course, she could do that. It was just there were so many returns to do. If Colby were here to support her, to calm her down, to hug her and take her mind off all she had to get done in the next few weeks, she could handle it all.

  Damn it! He shouldn’t have gone off and abandoned her. Just an hour of mind-blowing sex and her world would be all right again.

  She glared at the phone. They’d talked each night and discussed how things were going. He’d been happy with some new things he’d learned at the convention. He’d gone on and on about the newest in breeding techniques and the latest information on castration. As thrilling as that no doubt was to a rancher, she’d been a bit Well, yuck! about it, although she hadn’t told him that.

  To be fair, he’d also listened to her complaining about how one of her newest clients hadn’t filed a tax return in ten years. She’d gone off on Colby about having to dig through a dozen boxes of almost all useless receipts in order to reconstruct those prior ten years so she could do the returns. He’d commiserated with her when she’d bemoaned all the paper cuts she’d gotten this week, and the ruined fingernails. But those phone conversations weren’t enough for her. She wanted him back here and he’d caught the resentment for him being gone in their call last night. He had been less than pleased.

  Shifting on her chair, she knew he would be dealing with her foolish resentment and unfortunate cursing at him for having decided to stay an extra day. He’d also warned he might have to give her a settling down lesson before she went off the deep end. No, she suspected, she might end up sleeping on her stomach tonight. As strange as it was, she accepted that she needed his help. Sometimes his hard hand landing on her bottom did make her feel better…not right at that moment, but later.

  She glanced at the photo again and sighed. Their bed had felt enormous and so lonely this week. She’d missed snuggling up to his big, warm body. She even missed the insane way he got up so early, and she had to drag herself out of bed to make him the same boring breakfast every morning. And she missed those morning goodbye kisses that lit a fire in her all day. The goodnight kisses were pretty darn good, too. Particularly when combined with a sheet-blazing round of cowboy-does-his-wife-good sex.

  She squirmed in her chair again, experienced the heat low in her body and the way her clit tingled. Darn, darn, darn! She needed him right this minute. He was never, ever going away again without her! She couldn’t stand this kind of deprivation, this kind of withdrawal. It had her thinking wilder, hotter thoughts with each passing day. She’d even broken down and taken care of her desperate need on her own last night after they’d talked. It had been okay, but not the same as having Colby’s nice long, thick cock inside her.

  Suddenly she realized she’d been sitting here complaining to herself for quite a while. What time was it anyway? She shifted her gaze to the wall clock. Oh damn! She should have been on the road to Kansas City at least fifteen minutes ago, more like a half hour. Sitting here pouting when she should have been in her car was going to make her husband even unhappier with her. And he’d know that’s just what she’d been doing. He always knew.

  Snagging her purse, Brandi zipped out of the building. Maybe if she kept a good eye out for patrol cars, she could push the pedal to the metal a bit more than allowed.

  ***

  Colby changed positions as he leaned against the building outside of the American Airlines exit. He’d been standing here, shifting around, growing more impatient and more worried with each passing minute, for an hour and a half. At least the weather was nice and cool. Not cool enough to settle him down, though. Where was she? Had something happened on the drive here from the ranch? He didn’t want to even think about an accident, but he did. His gut churned.

  He shifted again, started to reach for his cell phone to try and call her once more. But the calls hadn’t gone through the other dozen or so times he’d tried calling her. He had a feeling she’d either lost her phone or left it at the office or at home. She had a habit of doing that lately, a bad habit.

  He pulled out his cell phone anyway. He’d phone the ranch and see if any kind of emergency calls had come there. His stomach knotted again. Damn. All he wanted was to see her, hug her to within a breath of her life. Beyond his concern for her, though, he wondered if she’d still be mad at him about staying the extra day. Pouting and avoiding coming to get him. He sure didn’t want to learn she’d been in an accident, but otherwise she’d better have a good excuse for being this late.

  Just as he started to punch the ranch’s number, he spotted her cherry red Mustang almost speeding into the curve leading toward his terminal. No accident. Good.

  Relieved but irritated, he straightened and picked up his duffel bag. She pulled up to the curb, flashing him a wary smile as he yanked open the rear door to toss his bag inside. He saw the fleeting guilty look in her eyes and made a quick decision. He needed something to do with his hands or else he’d drag her over his knee for a well-deserved spanking right now, no matter who was around.

  “I’m driving.” He walked around to the driver’s door and pulled it open. “Don’t push me about this, Brandi Lynn.”

  Wisely, she climbed out and hurried around to the passenger’s side. She avoided his eyes as she said, “I’m glad you’re back.”

  In spite of the anger simmering inside him, he leaned over and kissed her. It wasn’t a mere brush of lips either. He kissed her with the relief that she was okay. He kissed her with all the pent up desire he’d been dealing with this last week. A mere kiss wasn’t going to take care of all his needs, but this was a start. But he knew there would be some unpleasant matters to deal with before they got down to the more fun parts of being married.

  “I called your cell phone when I got in and got your voicemail,” he said, easing out into the airport traffic. “I’ve been calling your phone every fifteen minutes since then. Those calls didn’t even go to voicemail.”

  Brandi stared out the side window. “I forgot my phone at the office. Sorry. The battery probably died, since I don’t have a charger there.”

  He was silent as he searched for the highway entrance. He was tired, had a headache, and knew he needed to catch up with Thad about ranch matters. This extra delay didn’t sit well with him. “We talked about my arrival time just this morning. You told me you didn’t have any meetings scheduled today and that it would be no problem. So, did something come up?”

  “Uh… no. I was thinking about other things and didn’t watch the clock.” She glanced at him, must have seen the annoyance in his eyes, and turned back to the window.

  “Other things
like pouting because I went to this convention, when you wanted me to stay home with you? Or pouting because I stayed an extra day?” It still irked him that she’d cussed at him last night about his decision. He knew all the extra workload she was handling right now had ratcheted up her stress level. And he knew she was horny, which he liked. Nevertheless she needed some help with settling down. He also felt a little guilty about not being here to do it before now. It was his job to take care of his wife—in all ways. He’d accepted that when he’d said his wedding vows three months ago.

  She blew out a frustrated breath. “Both, okay! My being crazy like this is your fault, you know.”

  His hands fisted on the steering wheel. “And why is that?”

  Now she faced him, irritation sparking in her sky blue eyes. “Because I depend on you.”

  “I know. Including taking charge of you when you go a little nuts.”

  Again, guilt weighed on him. He’d let her down. She was ten years younger than him, still struggling to adjust to being a responsible adult. She’d had too many years being a spoiled rancher’s daughter and pretty much doing as she pleased.

  “Yes!” She raised her stubborn chin. “I know what needs to be done, what I deserve. It won’t be pleasant, but you’d damn well better do your take charge thing tonight.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Probably much sooner than tonight from the way you’re talking.”

  Some of the sass went out of her, yet she still demanded, “My bottom better be good and red and sore by bedtime.”

  Amusement had his lips twitching. His little wife sure could be a spitfire. “Count on it, sweetheart.”

  ***

  An hour and a half hour later when Colby drove into the garage, he faced Brandi. She saw regret in his chocolate brown eyes and that his jaw was set in determination. Her stomach clenched. This wasn’t going to be good. What had she been thinking, sassing at him? She wanted his undivided attention, but not in that way.

  “I’m sorry for snapping at you earlier. That doesn’t change anything, does it?” She couldn’t believe she’d pretty much demanded he spank her. Just one more bit of proof how much she needed him in her life. But when she acted up like this, she wondered how much longer he would put up with a sometimes-childish wife like her. He deserved far better than her.

  “I love you, Colby. Please don’t give up on me,” she said, desperation in her tone.

  His brow furrowed and worry entered his eyes. “I love you, too.”

  But he hadn’t commented on the other part of what she’d said. Heart heavy, she put her hand on the door handle. “I know you’ve got ranch things to do. Thad is no doubt waiting to talk to you.”

  “I’ve got a wife to deal with as well.” He climbed out and grabbed his bag from the back seat. He opened the door to the kitchen and motioned her inside. Then he set his bag just inside the room. “I’ve missed you, sweetheart. A big old hotel room bed feels mighty lonely.”

  She blinked back tears, grateful for the words. Yet she knew things still weren’t right between them. Not after the way she’d acted, what she’d said to him the night before. If she could take it all back…. But she couldn’t.

  “Get the brush out, Brandi Lynn, and be waiting for me in our room when I get back from talking to Thad.”

  She sucked in a breath and her body tightened with dread. Her eyes misted again, but she wouldn’t plead with him to change his mind.

  Before she could move, he pulled her to him. She felt the tension in his much larger body, sensed he was fighting with his decision to punish her. To let him know how much she cared about him, no matter what he intended to do to her, she swept her arms around him and pressed into him. She disappointed him time and again and she hated herself for doing so. She was trying to mature, not be so irresponsible, so needy. But it was a struggle.

  He held her close and she heard his powerful heart beating beneath her ear. His arousal was evident as his hard erection pressed against her. He fingered her short hair, which she’d finally had returned to blonde as he’d requested. He’d been upset with her when she’d cut off the long length of it and had it dyed auburn right before their wedding. Her changing the color back was one of her efforts to please him.

  “Have I said how much I like seeing your blonde hair again?” he asked, proving that she had pleased him. “And it’s growing, too, which I also like.”

  “It was a bad decision, I admit it.” She savored the way his fingers continued playing with her hair. His thick, dark hair was getting a little scruffy and she couldn’t wait to sink her fingers into it as well. Later. When things were right between them once more.

  He eased her back, studied her for a second, and lowered his head. She rose on her toes and met him halfway for the kiss. One she needed so bad. The way he kissed her long and hard told her he’d needed this as much as she had.

  With a sigh, he pulled her arms away and stepped back. He hesitated and then said, “I’ve got to go, but I regret it.” He strode back through the garage and out toward the heart of the ranch.

  She closed the garage door and picked up his duffel bag. Hugging it to her, she inhaled his scent. He was finally home. Her world would be alright now. Okay, her world was going to be filled with a bit of pain for a while, but she’d get over that. All that mattered was Colby was home!

  She carried his bag to their bedroom, wishing she hadn’t acted so childish. She knew being upset with him for going away on business was selfish, just as he’d said. Spending so much time moaning and groaning about his being gone had wasted a lot of work time. Pouting about all of it…. Well, that was immature and not worthy of the adult she wanted to be.

  Setting his duffel down, she went to his nightstand and opened the top drawer, where he kept the implements he occasionally used on her poor bottom. The well-worn leather strop her father had given to Colby not long after their marriage. The paddle Colby had found somewhere. A tube of Ben-Gay he sometimes applied after a spanking to make the sting last a little longer. Nasty stuff! And the big, wooden hairbrush he’d insisted she buy one day when they were out shopping together. He liked it, how easy it was to use, how it got her attention. She hated it.

  She didn’t want to even touch the awful brush, but knew he would be annoyed if it wasn’t on the bed waiting for him. She should have married a man not interested in domestic discipline. She should have….

  What was she thinking? Even if her husband burned her bottom now and then, she loved him with her whole heart. And she’d agreed to this occasional discipline. She could have said no and he would have accepted her decision. They had discussed all of this during their engagement.

  Resigned to standing behind her decision and to what was to come, she snatched the evil brush from the drawer and tossed it to the bed. It had no sooner landed there than she heard Colby’s familiar boot steps coming down the hallway. Already? No! Not yet.

  He strode into the room as she moved away from his nightstand and closed the drawer. His gaze went from her to the bed. “Good girl.”

  “I thought you would be a while,” she muttered. “I can wait….” Her buttocks were already clenching and unclenching in anticipation.

  He shook his head, went to sit on the edge of the bed. “No sense putting this off. We’ll get this little chore taken care of and then I’ll go catch up with Thad.” He patted his lap. “Come stretch over, sweetheart.”

  Don’t do it. Don’t do it. Don’t do it. But her mind told her feet to move. She was so not going to like this, but she knew without a doubt her husband loved her. He might make her uncomfortable for a few hours, but he’d never really hurt her.

  She stopped a few feet away. He hadn’t asked her to bare her bottom and would just fold her denim skirt over her back, then pull down her panties. She decided to show him her acceptance even more and removed both her skirt and the panties. Then she pulled off her blouse as well, leaving her lacy bra on.

  When she glanced at him, his eyes had darkened. His bre
athing appeared deep and ragged. He seemed transfixed at the sight of her and that made everything easier for her. She slid in silence across his lap, the rough denim rubbing her bare skin, making her shiver. He still hadn’t said anything, so she stretched her arms out, then her legs on the mattress.

  He smoothed a hand slowly over the entire surface of her bottom. It was the first halfway intimate touch from him she’d had in a week. Heat spread through her, settling in her woman’s place that ached for him. His touch turned more intense, kneading first one cheek and then the other. She moaned in pleasure.

  “Damn, but I’ve missed you, sweetheart,” he admitted, his deep voice husky. “I’m tempted to forget this spanking.”

  “Your choice, but we both know I’ve earned it,” she said, knowing it was the truth.

  His erection pressed next to her side jerked and he caressed her bottom again. “That you have. Still….” He couldn’t seem to stop smoothing his rough hand over her sensitized flesh. “I’ve been thinking about this spanking ever since you ragged at me, since you cursed at me.”

  “I shouldn’t have said any of what I did. I’ve just missed you so much,” she explained, glancing back at him. “I depend on you more than I should, I suppose.”

  His nostrils flared and their gazes locked as he lifted his hand and brought it down on the center of her buttocks. Not too hard, but enough to have her hissing.

  He kept his hand in place, studied her, and his chest pulled in air on a deep breath. “You deserve to be spanked.”

  She didn’t deny it, but kept her focus on his eyes, even though her neck was beginning to hurt at the strain of looking backward. “Whatever you say, my husband.”

  “Obedience,” he said, one side of his mouth lifting in his crooked smile. “You’ve struggled with that ever since before the wedding. Actually, on the wedding day.” His fingers kneaded her bottom right where he’d spanked her.