Erotica- So Not A Cowboy/ Spanking (11 page)

* * *

Mandy didn't know how she'd let Erik convince her to share one of the small tents. Most of the others were slept on sleeping bags out in the open. She'd intended to do the same. The temperature had dropped a little with sundown but not much and there was hardly any breeze tonight. Being inside a tent wasn't the best of places to be and she really should crawl on out of here. Except it felt good—naughty, too—having her husband's hand on her bare breast, his thumb playing with the nipple.

“We really should get some sleep,” she whispered, shuddering when he leaned over and lightly bit the nipple.

In his usual irritating way of late, he ignored her and did exactly what he pleased. One of his hands moved between her legs. He found her clit and toyed with it. While she sucked in a breath and shivered, she wondered just when she'd lost her clothes. Here she was completely naked and he was fully dressed. In her imagination he wasn't. She could picture every luscious inch of him. Including the hard length pressing against the front of his jeans. She didn't need light in here to know it was.

He eased a finger inside her and she arched upward. “Ohhhh, you can't…we shouldn't be…oh, don't stop.”

The devil man added a second finger, flicked her clit with his thumb, and covered her moans with his mouth. All sane thoughts fled her mind. She was all about need. She wriggled beneath him as he stretched over her, rubbing his denim-covered erection against her tortured vulva. His tongue slid inside her mouth and teased her. At the same time, he drove his fingers in and out until she was a crazed mass of aching woman.

She clamped her legs around his waist. Held him to her as she dug her nails into his back, panted against his still demanding mouth. Those fingers…those wonderful, wonderful fingers worked her until she creamed all over them and collapsed.

He didn't move off her right away, but she missed him when he did. Tears trickled down her face. “I'm really going to miss you,” she said on a shaky sob.

“You don't have to.” His voice was sinfully husky. “You just need to give us a real chance.”

She swallowed down a painful lump in her throat. She didn't want to talk about this subject, didn't want to argue with him. Brushing at the tears, she eased to her side and reached over to unbuckle his belt. She'd felt how hard he'd been, knew he had to be suffering. Fair was fair. He'd given her release; she'd return the favor.

“What are you doing?” He didn't try to stop her, just lie there willing to let her do whatever she wanted with him.

She unzipped his pants, pulled free the long length of hard, thick flesh. “Giving you what you need.”

“What I need is you, always.” He sucked in a breath as she traced her tongue up and down his cock. His hands cupped her head, held her to him and she took him in her mouth. “Oh, God.”

Mandy hadn't really enjoyed doing this with any other man, just Erik. It seemed right with him. She worked him with as much determination as he had her. It pleased her to have him bucking beneath her, holding her in desperation, fighting back the need to groan. She really was going to miss him.

By the time she finished with him, he was nearly dead to the world. He didn't say a word, simply pulled her to snuggle against him and kissed the top of her head. He didn't even speak when she knew he had to feel the wetness of his shirt from her tears.

* * *

Erik rode silently beside Mandy at the head of the group the next morning. He couldn't believe what they'd dared to do in the tent last night, although they had managed to keep nearly silent. Luckily they'd set their tent up well away from the others. Still it had been daring, something he would remember for a long time. But from the second they'd emerged from the tent a couple of hours ago, they'd barely spoken. She'd been busy helping get breakfast served and then with assisting the guests onto horseback once more. He'd helped as much as he could to dismantle the small campsite.

In truth, he didn't want to talk just yet. He was afraid they would launch into a real argument this time and he didn't want to do that in front of others. He was certain she hadn't changed her mind the tiniest bit. And he was tired of being the only one thinking about a compromise. Maybe she was right. Maybe their marriage couldn't be salvaged.

They were almost to the main part of the ranch when a rider came trotting in their direction. Drew. Erik tensed.
What now?

“Wonder what the problem is?” Mandy questioned, focusing on her older brother.

Then Erik spotted “the problem.” A small airplane sat just this side of the paddock.

“Damn them,” Erik grumbled, knowing exactly why the plane was here.

Mandy glanced at him, tense. “I take it that's all about you.”

Samson sidestepped anxiously beneath his legs and Erik worked to calm him down. “My partners evidently are a little impatient.”

Drew came up in front of them and stopped. As Erik and Mandy reined in, Drew motioned for the others to keep on riding to the main area. With curious glances, the hands and guests continued onward.

“The plane somehow managed to land and taxi in a couple of hours ago. Surprised the hell out of us.” Drew looked straight at Erik. “There are a couple of very determined men waiting for you. Something about not letting you find another excuse to stay a day longer.”

“I'm sorry if they did any damage to your field. We'll pay for any repairs.” Erik was thinking about how he would deal with his partners. If they weren't such good friends, he would buy them out and be done with the whole mess. Except he liked them. Except he loved his business.

He looked sadly toward Mandy, who he loved even more. Tears glistened in her eyes, but she held her stubborn chin high. “This isn't the end,” he said grimly.

“What's the point, Erik? Really. What's the point? Just let it go.” The last was said on a sob and she forced her horse into a trot as she headed for the paddock.

Erik started to head after her, but Drew rode up next to him. “Go back to California. Seriously think about this. I don't want my sister hurt.” He sighed and blew out a breath. “I'd hate to see you hurt either.”

Chapter Seven

“So,” Tanya said loud enough to catch Mandy’s attention where she stood waving good-bye to the last of the latest batch of ranch guests, “when are you going to California?”

Mandy spun in her friend’s direction and shook her head. She tipped her hat lower to avoid the glare of the mid-day sun. “And
why
would I be going there?”
To see Erik, of course.
The man she loved so much it hurt and who hadn’t returned to the ranch as he’d sworn he would when he’d left a month ago. No, she wasn’t going to his turf. But she also wasn’t comfortable on
her
turf here any longer either. She didn’t know where she belonged.

“If you don’t stop mooning around here all love struck and miserable and go see Erik, your brother is going to get involved.” Tanya walked closer to the arena fence and leaned back against it. She rubbed her mounded stomach tenderly. “Between my mood swings and yours Drew is hard-pressed to play nice with us.”

“He needs to mind his own business.”

Tanya glanced around and seeing they were alone, lowered her voice anyway. “Your brother is grumbling about the need for his well-applied hand around here. It’s been a few months since he toasted my bottom, because he was worried about the baby.” She frowned. “Darn doctor told him a trip over Drew’s knee would probably do me more good than bad. I can’t believe he asked the man about spanking me.” She huffed in irritation.

Mandy smiled at her annoyance. “I can. And I’ve seen him holding his temper in with you, wondered how long he could stand it.”

“I’m not the only one he wants to turn bottom up.” Tanya looked pointedly at her. “Just this morning he mentioned that he’s been far too patient with you. He thinks Erik has too. I think he’s planning on confronting you later today. And by that I mean he’s going to do all of the talking…part of it with that big hand of his. Just warning you.”

Darn, darn, darn
. Not something she wanted to hear or deal with. Not totally unexpected, though. She’d seen her brother all but biting his tongue a few times when she’d stormed around lately. It seemed like her attitude got worse every day when Erik called, only talked a few minutes, and then didn’t mention coming back here. He had also stopped asking her to come there.

“I’m a married woman now. Drew has no right to spank me, only Erik….” Her face flamed. She’d spent far too much time thinking about the last time she’d gone over her husband’s knee. In play. Before they’d had marathon sex. She felt warmth low in her body, moisture beading.

Drew walked out of the horse barn, spotted them, and bee-lined in their direction. The scowl on his face didn’t bode well. Mandy noticed Tanya stiffening, noted her cheeks turning pink. No doubt she was in trouble with her husband for something, but Mandy didn’t want to get involved in their personal business. She was pretty sure she had enough problems of her own as far as her brother was concerned.

“Go take a nap, Tanya. I’ll be in shortly to discuss a matter with you.” He barely glanced at his wife, his tone curt.

Tanya opened her mouth to protest, clearly thought better of it, and walked away in resignation. But Mandy heard her grumbling about impossible men.

She, too, thought walking away was a good idea. But before she could even more Drew shifted in front of her, frowning down. “Nope, you’re not going anywhere. Except with me. You and I are going to the barn for a few minutes.”

She swallowed hard, pretty sure what he had in mind. Tanya had warned her. It had been a while since he’d burned her bottom. She didn’t particularly want the experience again. “It isn’t your place to—”

“I just had a long talk with your husband. He seems to be the only one trying to find some kind of compromise in your situation. And he’s getting damn tired of that.”

Compromise?
She couldn’t remember Erik suggesting anything that might be a compromise. “There really isn’t anything to compromise about. He lives there. I live here.” But lately she wasn’t enjoying living here as much as she’d thought she would. She liked managing the guest part of the ranch, but it didn’t seem enough anymore.

Pulling her thoughts back to the present, Drew took her wrist and tugged her with him. “Erik has basically given me permission to warm your ass for continuing to be so blasted stubborn.”

She stumbled after him, constantly looking around to make sure nobody was watching them. This was so embarrassing. “Given you permission? What right does he have—”

Drew stopped in the doorway of the barn and faced her. His expression was fierce. “The man is crazy in love with you.” He shook his head. “God knows why. You’re a real trial sometimes.”

Crazy in love with me
. “He told you that? That he loves me?” she asked quietly, hoping it were true, wishing Erik would tell her that himself. Demanding they make the marriage work wasn’t the same thing. He’d never said that he actually loved her. She felt more like he couldn’t accept failure.

Drew pulled his cell phone from the holder on his belt and shoved it at her. “Call him. Now. Ask him.”

“I can’t just ask him something like that.” Her stomach fluttered. What if he avoided answering her? What if he….

Taking a huge chance, she took the phone and punched in Erik’s number. As it rang, she looked anxiously at her brother. “I’m not sure I can do this.” She disconnected and tried to hand the phone back to Drew.

A vein pulsed in the side of his neck and he snagged her arm again. He led her into the barn to a hay bale between the first two stalls. Before she could resist, he sat down and pulled her over his lap. His hand blasted down on her denim-covered bottom even as her braid whacked the side of her face. Automatically she threw a hand still holding the phone back to protect herself. He shoved her arm down. “I said call him. Now.”

She attempted to wriggle off Drew’s hard thighs but he wouldn’t allow it. Instead he smacked her again and the sound echoed around the empty barn. Tears stung her eyes at the burst of pain . She gritted her teeth in frustration and dialed Erik, but she hoped he wouldn’t answer.

Of course he did. “I’ve got a meeting to go to, Drew. Is this important?”

The sound of his voice sent tingles through her. “It’s me. Mandy.”

“Mandy? Can I call you back in a couple of hours?” He sounded stressed and yet reluctant to let her go. “I don’t have time right now.”

She was feeling pretty stressed, too. After all, she was face down over her brother’s lap and he’d already swatted her twice. “I really need to—”

“I’m sorry, sweet thing, but I’ve got people waiting on me.”

Drew’s hand settled on her bottom and she sucked in a breath. “I’ve got someone waiting on me, too. Drew. His damn hand is even now resting on my bottom.”

“What?” Erik sounded confused.

Well, she would paint him a picture. “You talked to my brother, evidently expressed your frustration with me. You two discussed how I needed to focus on something besides my concern about our marriage. Right?”

“We talked, yes.”

She tried to get more comfortable but Drew’s hand remained in place and she was very unhappy about that. “Big bro said you gave him permission to spank me. Is that true?”

“I guess maybe I did. But—”

“So I’m in the barn now, with him sitting on a hay bale.” Now she craned her head around to scowl at Drew. “I’m bent over his knee about to get a spanking.”

“Really?” Erik sounded almost amused.

“This isn’t funny!” She shouted and again tried to wriggle off Drew’s lap.

Smack! “Settle down. Ask him your question.”

“I heard that. He actually spanked you. Did it sting?”

Mandy didn’t hear regret in Erik’s tone, which annoyed her. “Hell yes it stung! Drew has a hard hand, even through a layer of denim.”

“I heard Drew say something about a question. What did he mean?”

She really didn’t want to have to ask; she wanted Erik to just tell her on his own. But Drew’s hand had lifted and she knew he would smack her again to prod her into asking the question. “Do you love me?” she asked boldly and held her breath.