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  There was no way Jake could have expected her to slap him, and yet he didn’t seem surprised by her show of violence. He did look angry, though. His jaw was clenched so tightly she thought it might crack.

  She’d never been one to run from a fight, but the strange glint in his eye made her think it was time to make her escape. Mumbling something about wanting to get back to the ranch before it got dark, Sadie started to back away, but Jake caught her wrist. Without a word, he strode across the enclosure, dragging her with him. The fury she’d felt earlier gave way to fear.

  “Wh-what are you doing?” she stammered.

  He stopped and turned to face her. “Doing what someone should have done a long time ago.”

  Sadie opened her mouth to ask him what in tarnation he was talking about, but all that came out was an “oomph,” as he sat down on a bale of hay and threw her over his knee.

  “What—?” she began, but the rest of her words ended in a startled gasp as Jake’s hand came down on her upturned bottom.

  The barbarian was spanking her! She might have been embarrassed if she wasn’t so damn furious at his arrogance.

  She shoved against his well-muscled leg, trying to push herself upright. “How dare you spank me? Let me up right now!”

  He delivered a sharp smack to her other cheek. “Not until we get something straight.”

  She pushed against his leg again, still to no avail. “If you don’t let me up immediately, I’ll scream.”

  “If you want the entire town to see you getting a spanking, go ahead.” His hand connected with her derriere again, harder this time. “After the way you acted in the saloon, I’m sure they’ll think you deserve it.”

  He was smacking her bottom with a steady rhythm now, and the light cotton her dress was made from wasn’t very good at shielding the blows. In fact, the spanks stung something fierce.

  “First of all,” Jake said in between smacks, “I’m your foreman, not your lackey. I’ll do the job you hired me to do, but I won’t take orders. Particularly if you’re so rude when you give them.”

  He punctuated the words with an especially hard spank to each cheek that made her yelp.

  “Second of all,” he continued. “I don’t need you to tell me how to do my job. If spending my nights pretending to be drunk as a skunk and seducing saloon girls helps me stop Boone from stealing your ranch out from under you, that’s what I’ll do. Is that understood?”

  He paused, his hand no doubt poised and ready to administer more spanks if she didn’t agree. She ground her jaw, refusing to answer.

  Jake smacked her derriere again. “Is it?”

  Ouch. “Yes, dammit! Now, let me up!”

  “Promise you won’t give a repeat performance like the one in the saloon, and I will.”

  “Go to—” His hand connected with her bottom again, this time managing to span both cheeks. “Owww! All right, you win. I promise.”

  Getting spanked was humiliating enough, but acquiescing to his demands was even more embarrassing. The bastard better let her up, or she was going to… What, beat her fist against his leg and order him to release her? That had worked oh-so-well for her before.

  But Jake was a man of his word. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, he grasped her wrist and set her on her feet.

  Sadie reached back to cup her poor bottom, not because it hurt—surprisingly, it didn’t sting all that much now that he’d stopped spanking her—but because she was afraid she might slap his face again. That would almost certainly get her another trip over his knee.

  She glared up at him. “I have never been spanked in my life, Mr. Wagner and any employee of mine who thinks he has the right to do what you just did isn’t one I want working for me. You’re welcome to stay in the bunkhouse at the ranch tonight, but I want you gone by first light.”

  He regarded her silently for a moment, then inclined his head. “Yes, Ma’am.”

  How dare he have the nerve to call her ma’am after he’d just put her over his knee? It was probably his way of mocking her. Well, she wasn’t going to play his ridiculous game.

  Giving him an icy look, Sadie turned and walked over to her wagon. Climbing into it, she took the reins in her trembling hands and rode out of the stable without looking at him.

  Chapter Three

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  CONSIDERING IT HAD gotten him fired, spanking Sadie might not have been the smartest thing to do. But it had been damn satisfying. She’d sure as hell deserved it. She’d not only made a fool out of him back at the saloon, but herself, too. And let’s not forget she slapped his face. That would have been enough to put her over his knee all by itself. She was a feisty filly who obviously needed a firm hand, and he didn’t mind using one. Clearly, Sadie hadn’t appreciated the lesson he’d tried to teach her. Even so, he hadn’t thought she’d fire him. He thought she was tougher—and more serious about saving her ranch—than that.

  Jake took off his shirt and boots and flopped back on his bunk. He wasn’t sure why he’d come back to the ranch to spend the night when he could have gotten a room above the saloon. One that came with female company. But he had to get his saddle bags anyway, so it seemed easier to stay. Maybe he was hoping Sadie would change her mind about firing him. Not because he needed the job, but because his gut told him Harlan Boone could cause her a hell of a lot of trouble.

  Sadie didn’t want his help, though. She wanted him off her ranch. Just because he had to oblige her didn’t mean he had to leave Rocky River. Nothing said he couldn’t get a room at the boarding house in town and keep an eye on things. Miss Sadie Buchanan wouldn’t like it, but that was too damn bad.

  Mouth twitching, he closed his eyes and waited to drift off. Instead of falling asleep, he found himself imagining the look on his former employer’s face when she realized he hadn’t left town. She’d probably burn a hole right through him with those beautiful blue eyes of hers.

  He frowned as the smell of smoke seared his nose. His imagination was damn good, but not good enough to make him smell things that weren’t there.

  He jerked his eyes open to see tendrils of smoke drifting in the open window. The bunkhouse was on fire. No, not the bunkhouse. The barn.

  Shit.

  Jumping out of bed, Jake ran barefoot to the ladder that separated the foreman’s bunk from the rest of the small building. Not bothering with the rungs, he wrapped his hands around the side of the ladder and slid down it. On the first floor, the ranch hands were asleep in their beds, oblivious that the barn was burning.

  “Fire!” he shouted.

  Jake didn’t wait for them to respond. Grabbing the man closest to him by the arm, he yanked him out of bed.

  “The barn’s on fire,” he said. “Get everyone up.”

  The man blinked, his eyes widening at the mention of fire. Or maybe it was the smoke pouring in the windows. Jake thought he might be too terrified to follow the order, but the ranch hand turned and jerked two teenage boys out of bed, pushing them toward the door. Around Jake, the rest of the men were already on their feet and racing for the exit. Jake followed the men, giving the last one an impatient shove.

  They needed to get the horses to safety, then put out the fire in the barn before it reached the other buildings. When he saw the flames engulfing the barn, though, he realized there was no way they could possibly put out the fire. All they could do was hope to contain it before it reached the outbuildings and main house.

  Shit.

  “Half of you get water and wet down the other buildings. The other half toss water on the flames as fast as you can.” Jake pointed at the man he’d dragged out of bed earlier, then did the same to the ranch hand beside him. “You and you. Come help me get the horses out of the barn.”

  Jake turned to head in that direction when he spotted Sadie. She was running toward the burning barn, blonde hair streaming behind her, night robe billowing around her. The little fool was going inside.

  Swearing under his breath, he ran to cut her off.
When he got there, he grabbed her arm and spun her around.

  “What the hell are you doing?” he demanded.

  She blinked up at him in surprise as if stunned to see him. “I’m going to get the horses.”

  Of all the dangerous, crazy, stupid things. “I’ve already got two men in there, and I’m headed in, too. Stay here where it’s safe.”

  “Like hell!” Her eyes flashed, burning almost as hot as the blaze threatening her ranch. “Those are my horses and I’m damn well going to help get them out.”

  Inside the barn, the two men were leading out the first of the frightened horses. Jake ground his jaw. If the barn wasn’t on fire, he’d put her over his knee right there and tan her ass. He opened his mouth to tell her again to stay put, but she spun and raced toward the barn.

  Dammit.

  He took off after her, intending to drag her out kicking and screaming if he had to. But Sadie was already opening one of the stalls. It would be more dangerous to argue with her, so he hurried to the stall beside her. As he led the skittish mare out, he glanced over to see Sadie doing the same to the young filly.

  “There are four more horses left.” Sadie’s eyes were red and watering from the smoke. “I’ll take these two while you get them.”

  She didn’t give him a chance to say no. Taking the mare’s reins from him, she turned both horses around and started for the door. Jake waited just long enough to make sure she could handle both terrified animals before going in search of the other horses.

  Acrid smoke filled the barn, making it hard to see as well as breathe, and he squinted into the darkness as he darted through the flames. Movement on the other side of the barn caught his eye. He immediately headed that way, only to do a double take when he saw a broken lantern on the floor. He hadn’t been at the Buchanan Ranch long, but he knew enough about Sadie and old Ned to know they’d never allow anyone to have a lantern in a barn filled with hay.

  A horse’s frantic neighing yanked him back to the present. Swearing under his breath, Jake ducked between the roaring flames and over to the stalls. He got the two mares out first, holding their reins tightly in one hand while he unlocked the door on the third horse’s stall. A big bay gelding even more skittish than the others, the animal reared up the moment he grabbed the reins.

  Jake swore, tightening his hold on the two mares as he struggled to gain control of the terrified gelding. The horse fought harder. Dammit. He was going to need both hands if he hoped to calm the big bay. That meant letting the mares go and praying they found their way out of the barn on their own, or leading them out to safety and coming back for the gelding.

  Hands took the mares’ reins from him before he could decide. Jake tossed a quick look over his shoulder to see which one of the ranch hands it was, only to see Sadie standing there with a nervous looking filly.

  “I’ll take the mares,” she shouted over the roaring flames. “Get the bay.”

  Once again, she didn’t wait to see if he followed orders, but turned and hurried toward the barn door. Jake didn’t know whether to be furious or impressed.

  Taking hold of the big bay’s reins with both hands, he got the animal calmed down and under control long enough to lead him through the burning barn and out the door.

  Sadie was standing with the horses a safe distance from the barn, her arms wrapped around her middle, her face smudged with soot. She sagged with relief at the sight of him. He didn’t know how, but she managed to look spittin’ mad and fragile at the same time. Jake wanted to lay into the men for allowing her to go back into the barn a second time, but they had their hands full dousing the house with water in an effort to keep it from going up in flames, too. Besides, something told him they couldn’t have stopped Sadie from going in the barn anyway. He sure as hell hadn’t been able to.

  Jake led the gelding over to her.

  She didn’t look at him a look as she reached up to gently pat the bay’s sleek neck. “Thank you for getting all the horses out.”

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t save the barn, too.”

  “The barn is replaceable. The horses and the men who work for me aren’t.”

  Except for him, apparently. He glanced over at the ranch hands. With the house wet down, they’d turned their efforts back to trying to put out the flames engulfing the barn, but it was useless. “I found a broken lantern in the barn I’m pretty sure started the fire. Someone deliberately set it.”

  Her mouth tightened. “Boone.”

  “Probably.”

  Sadie was silent for a moment. “I didn’t realize you came back tonight.”

  “You said I could bunk down here until morning, so I did.” His mouth twitched. “Don’t worry. I’ll be off your ranch by first light.”

  She ran her hand down the horse’s neck. “I told Ned about what happened in town. He seems to think I was a bit hasty in firing you.”

  He arched a brow. “You told Ned I spanked you?”

  A rosy blush colored her cheeks. “Of course not! Just that you were at the saloon pretending to be drunk so you could get information on Harlan Boone, and that I misunderstood what I saw.”

  Well, damn. Coming from her, that was practically an apology.

  She slanted him a sidelong look. “So, will you stay?”

  “Do you want me to stay?”

  “As long as you promise not to spank me again—yes.”

  “Can’t do that.” He folded his arms. “And after running into that burning barn, I’m of a mind to do it again.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Try it in front of my men and I’ll shoot you myself.”

  His mouth twitched. “I bet you would. But I’d never embarrass a lady like that, so I accept your counteroffer. I’ll spank you for what you did tonight, but only when I can do it in private.”

  She gaped at him. “What? I never agreed to let you spank me!”

  He chuckled. “Yes, you did. At least, that’s the way I heard it. But you’ve already had enough goings-on for one night. Go clean up and get some rest. Tomorrow will come mighty early. I’ll have men patrolling the ranch for the rest of the night, just in case Boone tries something else.”

  Sadie looked as if she wanted to argue some more, but instead she nodded, patted the horse again, then turned and walked back to the house. Jake watched her go, his eyes going to her swaying bottom. Damn, that was some woman.

  *

  SADIE JERKED AWAKE so hard it almost hurt. She squinted in the bright sunlight, trying to figure out what had woken her up, when she heard it again—a loud banging noise. Someone was making one heck of a racket outside her window. Good heavens, what was that awful sound?

  Fear gripped her. Oh God. Boone’s men were back to do more damage.

  Throwing back the blanket, she jumped out of bed and ran to the window. What she saw shocked her more than last night’s fire. Half a dozen men were tearing down what was left of the ruined barn, while right beside them, a second group larger than the first, was already building a new one. They were moving fast, too. The walls were raised and the roof was already taking shape.

  Her new foreman Jake was right in their midst, lifting big beams and hammering them into place. He was doing it without his shirt, too, and she couldn’t help admiring the way the sun glinted off his sweat-covered muscles. He might be a rogue, but he was a handsome rogue.

  He was also a conundrum. In the space of twenty-four hours, he had impressed her, disgusted her, infuriated her, spanked her, saved her life, threatened to spank her a second time, infuriated her yet again, then impressed her again. She really didn’t know what to think of him. That he’d risked his life to save her and the horses last night counted for a lot in her book, but so did the extremely familiar way he had put her over his knee to administer a spanking. That was not the kind of behavior she was used to putting up with. She was surprised she hadn’t taken out the little pistol she’d taken to carrying with her and shot the arrogant bastard once he’d let her up. Instead, she’d fired him—then hired
him back again a few hours later. Why? Other than the fact she needed help with the ranch, of course. Which she’d never admit to anyone.

  Sadie bit her lip to stifle moan as Jake’s biceps flexed. She thought back to something her mother had told her. That one of the reasons she’d agreed to marry her father was because he was the only man strong-willed enough to put up with her and straighten her out when it was necessary. Had Sadie subconsciously been a little more forgiving about Jake’s transgression because he was a man much like her father had been—strong-willed, opinionated and willing to start a ruckus when the situation called for it?

  Then again, she might have been so tolerant because—though she hated acknowledging it—she had earned the spanking he’d given her in town. Employer or not, she’d been wrong to go into the saloon and call him out like that. Even if he had been drinking, it was downright rude to embarrass a man like that. She supposed she owed Jake an apology. She was willing to start fresh, if he was. Of course, that didn’t mean she was ever going to let him put his hands on her like he had last night. She might have been partly to blame for what happened, but it didn’t mean she’d put up with his Neanderthal behavior.

  She rested one hand on the window frame and let her gaze roam over Jake’s broad shoulders. Dear heavens, he was nice to look at. All lean muscle and sun-bronzed skin. There weren’t many men out in these parts with a body like that. She wouldn’t have minded sharing a few stolen kisses on the porch with him. Too bad he was the hired help. The boss couldn’t sleep with her employee. But a girl could dream, couldn’t she?

  Almost unbidden, an image flashed into her head of Jake’s mouth on hers. Something told her a kiss from him wouldn’t be a chaste peck on the lips like other men had given her, but an act of possession that would leave her knees weak and her clinging to his shoulders.

  Heat pooled between her thighs, and she squeezed her legs together to ease the ache, but it only made her more aware of the sensation. Unable to help herself, she ran her free hand down the front of her nightdress and lightly pressed her fingers to her sex. The heat became an insistent throb at her touch, one that intensified even more as Jake chose that moment to take a cup of water and pour it on his head so that it ran down his muscular chest. Before she realized what she was doing, Sadie moved her finger in slow circles, caressing herself through the thin material. She’d never touched her pussy so brazenly before, and she couldn’t believe how amazing it felt.