Cowboy 12 Pack Read online

  She was so busy fighting back tears, she didn’t see Jake trotting toward them until he was right in front of her. She was so dizzy with relief she had to tighten her grip on the reins to keep from falling off her horse.

  Her heart might be soaring at the sight of him, but that didn’t she wasn’t still angry he’d gone to Boone’s ranch alone. Or that he’d made her practically worry herself sick over him.

  She glared at him from under the brim of her hat. “What the hell were you thinking going to Boone’s ranch by yourself?”

  Jake’s eyes narrowed. “He wanted to talk, so I obliged him.” His gaze swept the men around Sadie before settling on her again. “What are you doing out here?”

  “We were headed to Boone’s,” she said.

  “What for?”

  Was he stupid? “To stop him from putting a bullet in you.”

  “All the man wanted to do was talk.”

  “Well, how was I supposed to know that?” She frowned. “What did he want to talk about?”

  Jake scowled. “Nothing that concerns you.”

  “The hell it doesn’t.”

  Jake regarded her in silence. “He offered to make me rich if I quit being your foreman and went to work for him.”

  Sadie felt her face drain of color. That wasn’t something she’d considered. “What did you tell him?”

  “I told him thanks, but no thanks. What did you think I told him?”

  Heat rushed back into her cheeks so fast her skin tingled. She looked away, ashamed to admit she’d been afraid he might have considered taking Boone up on the offer.

  Beside her, the ranch hands shifted uncomfortably in their saddles, as if they wanted to disappear into the background. She wished she could do the same. Unfortunately, they were in the middle of an open field, so there wasn’t anywhere for them to go.

  “Go back to the ranch,” Jake told them. “Miss Buchanan and I will be along shortly.”

  Relief washed over their faces. Giving him a nod, they turned their horse around.

  She slanted them a hard look. “Don’t you dare move.”

  The men froze.

  Sadie turned back to Jake. “I’m not finished chastising you for going to Boone’s ranch by yourself and I want them to hear what I have to say to you. It might keep them from making the same mistake.”

  A muscle flexed in Jake’s jaw. His eyes were hard as he looked at the ranch hands. “Go back to the ranch. Now.”

  Sadie grit her teeth. Foreman or not, that didn’t give him the right to countermand her orders. She glanced at the men over her shoulder. “If you go, I’ll fire you when I get back to the ranch.”

  Jake glowered at them. “And if you don’t, I’ll shoot you where you stand.”

  Sadie didn’t honestly think Jake would shoot them for disobeying the order, but apparently they weren’t so sure. The men turned tail and rode as fast as they could toward the ranch. Cowards. It would serve them right if she did fire them.

  She turned to tell Jake what she thought of his bossy behavior, and was stunned to see that his horse was now beside hers. Before she realized what he was doing, he grabbed her arm, then dragged her off her horse and over the front of his saddle. Her hat fell off and her long braid dangled over her shoulder. She’d been spanked enough times by now to know what he had in mind. She couldn’t believe he’d do it while she was draped over his horse, though. As he rode toward a copse of trees at the edge of the field, she knew that was exactly what he intended.

  Well, she was too furious to make it easy for him. Both for embarrassing her in front of the men, and for scaring the hell out of her.

  Sadie tried to slide off the horse, but Jake’s strong hand on her back made it impossible. That didn’t keep her from squirming and kicking her legs anyway.

  “Struggle all you want, Sadie,” Jake said. “You’re not going anywhere.”

  Tears burned her eyes and she blinked them back. “Damn you, Jake!”

  They were in the cover of the trees now. Sadie thought Jake would dismount and drag her off his horse to administer her punishment, but instead he brought his hand down on her bottom over and over right there.

  She barely felt the smacks through her denims, but she fought him all the same. Damn Neanderthal. Didn’t he see how upset she was? How terrified she’d been?

  The tears she’d kept at bay earlier spilled down her cheeks. She went limp over the saddle, all the fight draining out of her. She didn’t even realize Jake had stopped spanking her until he slid off the horse with her in his arms. Cradling her against him, he carried her over to a fallen tree and sat down with her on his lap.

  He cupped her face, gently wiping away a tear with his thumb. “Why are you crying?”

  She looked at him through wet lashes. “Because I was afraid.”

  “Afraid of what?”

  She sniffed. “That Boone was going to kill you.”

  Jake muttered something under his breath and pulled her close. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I was never in any danger, darlin’. Boone wouldn’t be stupid enough to try anything, not when Wayne and Brody knew I went to see him. His dumbass son, Charles, tried to pick a fight, but I ended that quickly enough.”

  Sadie pulled back to look up at him. “What did he do?”

  “Never you mind.” Jake smoothed her hair. “The most important thing is that we have Boone right where we want him.”

  She wiped the last of the tears from her cheeks with her fingers. “We do?”

  Jake grinned. “He’s nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. He knows we’re leaving on the cattle drive soon and it galls him to know he can’t stop us. You’re probably the first person to ever stand up to him and he can’t imagine living in a world where his money can’t buy him the same loyalty you get for free. I figure he’s already thinking he may have lost that ten-thousand acres he bet.”

  Sadie wasn’t too sure about that. She cupped Jake’s cheek. “Promise me you won’t take a chance like that again. I was beside myself with worry.”

  He caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. “I promise.”

  She rested her head on his shoulder, calmer now. This was the first time in days they’d had a chance to be alone, and she didn’t want to waste it. Even if she was a little hysterical there for a bit.

  “Were you really worried about me?”

  Sadie lifted her head to look at him. “Of course I was, you big cow patty!” she shoved his shoulder, but he just smiled at her. “Didn’t you think I’d be worried?”

  He shrugged. “Not really. Never had anyone worry about me before.”

  She felt a pang at that. “Well, you do now. And if you ever do anything like that again, the shouting I did when you spanked me will look like a gospel choir singing in church.”

  “Only if you want the spanking to be harder next time.”

  She laughed. “Next time? Does that mean you’re done with this time?”

  “Are you saying you need a stronger reminder not argue with your foreman in front of the men?”

  “Maybe.” She caught her lower lips between her teeth. “I have to admit, it’s been hard to think about anything but your hands on my bottom since you spanked me in the hay shelter.”

  “What about those smacks on your ass in the study the other night?”

  “Those didn’t count. That wasn’t even enough to be a tease.”

  “They didn’t, huh?” His mouth quirked. “Then why don’t you push down those denims and lay across my lap so I can make up for it.”

  She blinked. “What if someone comes looking for us?”

  He gave her a slow smile that just about stopped her heart. “Then that someone is going to get an eyeful because I want you so bad right now I’m going to explode. From the way you’re looking at me, I figure you feel the same.”

  Sadie nodded. She didn’t realize it had been so obvious. Heat suffusing her cheeks, she got to her feet. The hunger in Jake’s eyes made her tremble
and it was all she could do to unbutton her denims. It was silly to be shy in front of him considering he’d already seen her naked, but she couldn’t look at him as she pushed down her pants.

  “Your pantaloons, too,” Jake said.

  She hesitated, but then slowly did as he commanded. Her long shirt hung down to her thighs, covering her sex, but her blush deepened all the same.

  Taking her hand, Jake guided her over his knee. She went willingly, even wiggling around a bit to find the most comfortable position. As much as she wanted this spanking, she couldn’t keep from tensing as she waited for the first smack. But Jake didn’t spank her right away. Instead, he trailed his fingers up the back of her legs, pushing up her shirt. Sadie’s face colored again as her bottom was exposed, but as he caressed her cheeks with his calloused hands, she forgot all about being shy. Getting spanked for doing something naughty had been exciting, but she had a feeling getting spanked for pleasure was going to be so much more fun.

  “You have the most beautiful bottom I’ve ever seen, Sadie Buchanan.”

  Her blush deepened. She should thank him, but getting the words out while draped over his lap was impossible. Not that she probably could have gotten them out anyway. In the next moment, Jake lifted his hand and brought it down on her right cheek with a loud smack. The sound seemed to echo in the trees, and Sadie let out a gasp.

  His hand connected with her other cheek a little harder. She caught her lip between her teeth to stifle a squeal, and lifted her derriere up a little higher for the next smack. When it came, she moaned. Moisture dripped down her legs and made the inside of her thighs wet. What was it about Jake spanking her that got her all hot and bothered? He’d said it didn’t make her deviant, that lots of women liked to have their bottoms warmed, but it still made her naughty, didn’t it? Maybe just a little. She was only glad she’d provoked her foreman into putting her over his knee or she might never have discovered this side of herself.

  As Jake moved from one cheek to the other, she squirmed to ease the tingling between her thighs. It didn’t help, mostly because Jake stopped spanking and went back to massaging her bottom again. She trembled, wishing he would slip his hand between her legs to touch her pussy. But he only continued to tease her. She tried to spread her legs, hoping he’d get the hint, but the denims banded around her ankles held her captive. For some reason, that aroused her even more.

  If she wasn’t so shy, she’d ask Jake to touch her. The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn’t make herself say them. The tingle between her legs became a throb, and she bit back a moan.

  When Jake stopped mid-caress, she thought for sure he’d read her mind, but he only started spanking her again. The smacks were firmer than before, and within moments, her bottom was hot all over. Even though she loved what he was doing, she squirmed and kicked—as much as her pants would allow anyway. Of course, all that moving around only made her pussy grin against the rough material of his denims.

  The hell with being shy. She opened her mouth to beg him to touch her, but gasped in surprise when she felt him press his lips to her red-hot ass cheeks.

  Oh, my!

  His mouth was cool, and she whimpered in pleasure as his stubble scraped against her tender skin. She was so caught up in the sensation, she almost didn’t feel his hand slip between her legs until his fingers glided along her slick folds.

  She moaned, trying to spread her legs again, but the pants around her ankles refused to allow it. Jake didn’t seem to notice as he shoved a finger deep in her wetness and wiggled it around.

  Sadie caught her breath, pushing back against his hand. She hadn’t considered her might put his finger there, but it felt incredible.

  Which was why she groaned in protest when Jake slipped his hand out from between her legs. She expected him to continue spanking her, but he caught her arm and hauled her upright. Getting to his feet, he caught her face in his hands and kissed her long and hard on the mouth.

  When he lifted his head, his eyes were so full of desire it took her breath away. In all her wild fantasies, she’d never imagined a man looking at her like that. She would have told him as much, but he took her arm and gently spun her around. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he pulled her back against him, then pressed his lips to the curve of her neck. His other hand glided over her breast, then down her shirt to give her freshly-spanked bottom a firm squeeze.

  “Bend over,” he ordered raggedly.

  Legs trembling, Sadie did as he told her, putting her hands on the tree to steady herself. Dropping to one knee behind her, Jake ran his hands over her hips and down her legs, then helped her out of her boots and took off her denims. She thought he would resume spanking her after he was done. When he didn’t, she looked over her shoulder.

  “Spread your legs,” he commanded.

  Sadie obeyed. Her eyes went a little wide as he grabbed her derriere in both hands. What…?

  Jake leaned forward and ran his tongue along the folds of her pussy.

  Good heavens.

  Sadie gripped the tree, afraid her already weak knees might buckle beneath her if she didn’t hold on tight. She hadn’t known it was possible for him to lick her pussy in this position. It felt even more incredible than when he’d pleasured her with his mouth the other night. Or maybe it only seemed that way. She was much more sensitive spread wide and bent over like this.

  Jake swiped his tongue across her nether regions over and over again. Hoping he might give her bud some much-needed attention, she leaned forward, thrusting her bottom higher in the air. A moment later, she felt his velvet tongue on her plump, little nub. She moaned as he made slow, rhythmic circles round and round the sensitive bud. A little more of that and she’d be screaming in ecstasy.

  But Jake must not have been in a hurry to make her come. He only licked her there a moment longer before running his tongue up and down her folds. As much as she loved the feel of his mouth on her clitoris, she couldn’t really complain. What he was doing felt amazing, and she let out another moan as he dipped his tongue in her pussy. She thought she might come just from that, but Jake moved back up to her bud before she could find out.

  Instead of making lazy circles before, he flicked his tongue over her clitoris once, then twice before closing his mouth over it and gently sucking. She gasped, unprepared for the pleasure that came with it. She would have orgasmed for certain, but Jake backed off to make those same light, circular motions with his tongue again. He was going to kill her with all this teasing.

  Sadie closed her eyes, letting herself get lost in how unbelievable it felt. It was like every nerve in her body had converged in that one spot. Before long, she was barely even aware of what he was doing as he lapped her with his tongue.

  Her orgasm swept over her like a wave, and she dug her fingers into the bark of the tree, crying out as Jake coaxed every bit of pleasure from her body.

  He didn’t stop until every last tremor had left her. Only then did he press a kiss to each ass cheek and get to his feet. Her breathing quickened in anticipation as she heard him unbuckle his belt and push down is denims.

  Grasping her hips, he positioned his cock at the opening of her pussy, then ran the head up and down her wetness. She moaned, torn between wanting him to continue doing what he was doing and plunging deep inside her. He made the decision for her, sliding into her pussy with a swiftness that made her gasp. He pulsed inside her, waiting to be unleashed, and she cried out when he slowly began to pump in and out.

  Sadie rocked back against him, a move which earned her a hard smack on the bottom. Another quickly followed, this time on the opposite cheek.

  “Harder,” she begged.

  Jake complied, pumping into her forcefully each time his hand connected with her derriere.

  “Don’t stop! Please don’t stop!”

  He didn’t. He kept spanking and thrusting harder and harder until the big tree she was leaning against actually moved a little. Jake suddenly stopped smacking her botto
m and gripped her hips in both hands. Sadie didn’t complain, especially since he was now pumping into her more fiercely. Her pussy spasmed around his cock, and she screamed as she came.

  Some part of her—the part that was still coherent—was aware of Jake sliding out and coming all over her freshly spanked ass cheeks with a hoarse groan. As wonderful as feeling his creamy cum on her hot skin, she wished she could have felt him explode inside her instead.

  Taking her arm, Jake gently pulled her to her feet, then turned her in his arms and kissed her. The feel of his mouth took her breath away like it always did, leaving her weak-kneed and unable to form coherent thoughts.

  “Do you have any idea what you do to me, Sadie?” He sighed and brushed back a stray piece of hair that had escaped from her braid. “We should get back. We don’t want the men thinking I did something unhealthy to you.”

  She frowned. “Why do you always assume people think you’re dangerous?”

  “Because I am.”

  He said it so matter-of-factly that Sadie felt a chill run through her. But then he kissed her again and she forgot what they’d been talking about in the first place.

  As they rode back to the ranch a little while later, his words came back to her. There was no way he could be as dangerous as people thought. But of course, no one knew him like she did.

  Chapter Nine

  ‡

  SADIE WAS SO busy over the next few days she wasn’t able to go into town until the night before the cattle drive to get some personal supplies. It wasn’t as if she could depend on the men to have an extra hair clip or set of pantalets in their saddlebags. Besides, she needed a new corset if she was going be riding ten to twelve hours a day for ten days. All that bouncing would make her breasts hurt.

  There was only one store in town that sold corsets, so she went there first. She only hoped she could find something lightweight and thin enough to hide under a shirt. When she described what she was looking for to the shopkeeper Bessie Lockhart, the redhead’s eyes immediately lit up.