For Love's Sake Only (11 page)

“You planning on stealing my horse and making a run for it?” Ty drawled coming up from behind her.

Not daring to breathe for fear of ruining the moment, Charlotte simply turned around to look at him, needing to reassure herself that it wasn’t a dream. It wasn’t. Ty was there.

Letting out a deep breath, Charlotte smiled. Relief filled her soul and tears of joy filled her eyes. He was there. He’d come for her.

“You know what we do to horse thieves around these parts, don’t you?” Ty cocked a brow, waiting for her to reply.

“Your horses are safe, cowboy.” Charlotte matched his teasing tone with one of her own. She felt lighter, finally able to breathe. Everything was going to be okay. They were going to make it. They had love on their side, how could they not? “We never did get around to the riding lesson.”

“There’s time.”

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Smiling, Charlotte agreed, there was time.

She was still here. The residual anger that had been tearing at Ty’s soul slowly began to fade away. Charlotte was there, and whatever demons she’d been fighting were conquered.

He was still going to tan her hide, though, for putting them through that little drama, but afterwards they were going to make love. Slow, sweet, deep love.

“I don’t suppose you’d be willing to overlook my little outburst and blame it on ... I don’t know ... that time of the month?” Charlotte took a step toward Ty, heart in her eyes, as Ty took a step toward her.

“We can if you’re willing to overlook my choice in business partners and submit to a punishment worthy of your bratty behavior.”

“Punishment, huh?” They were standing toe to toe, and as close to eye to eye as their height difference would permit. “Do you think I need to be punished more than I’ve already been?”

Ty wanted to burst out laughing. Did she need a punishment, was she kidding?

Charlotte had almost killed him when he she said they were over. A spanking was the least she deserved. Of course, it wouldn’t just be a spanking. It would lead to other things. Other nice things like toys, rope, and orgasms. She’d pay, all right, over and over until they both passed out from pleasure.

Just thinking of taking her over his lap made him hard. “Oh, yeah. You need to be punished.”

A slow, sexy smiled slid across her full lips. The same smile that had first caught his eyes. “It’s like that, is it?”

“You almost walked away from me. If I don’t set an example now, you’re liable to try it again, and I’m not going through that hell twice.” 84 Lena Matthews

“It wasn’t easy on my side, either,” she pouted, as if that was going to save her fine ass.

It was a cute pout and all, but Ty was really getting into the spanking idea.

“Not my problem, darlin’.” Ty had run into Ida on his way to search for Charlotte and she’d warned him where Charlotte had been heading. Not before blistering his ears on how to treat a woman though. Like it was his fault Charlotte was as stubborn as she was beautiful.

Come to think of it, that should be an extra spanking right there, because he’d had to listen to Ida. Yeah, two spankings. Ty was getting into this punishment idea more and more.

“So what’s the plan?” Pressing her breasts into his chest, Charlotte tried to tempt him.

Not that he needed any more temptation. But neither did she, if her hard nipples were anything to judge by. “Bend me over your knee until I beg you for forgiveness.”

“That’s just the beginning. After I tan this delectable ass of yours, I’m going to march you up to the house and call Judge Britton. Tell him he has a wedding to perform.” Startled, Charlotte pulled back. “A wedding! So soon?” Before all of this nonsense started, Ty had been willing to wait a decent interval, but now decency could be damned, for all he cared. He just wanted Charlotte. And he wanted her forever.

“I was going to take things slow, but you’ve pushed my hand. The only choice you now have is Christmas morning or Christmas evening.”

“I can’t plan a wedding that fast.”

Once again, she was talking like he cared. “You’d better.” Shaking her head in amazement, Charlotte let out a light laugh. “You’re insane.” Her laughter, soft and angelic, was like music for his soul. “I’m willing to take that into consideration, but that’s neither here nor there. Two choices, woman. Which will it be?”

“Christmas afternoon.”

Growling, Ty pulled her to him. She just had to have her way. Damn, he loved this woman. “That wasn’t one of your choices.”

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“You’re so bossy.”

“And you love it.” Leaning forward, Ty brushed a slow sweet kiss across her pouting lips. “You love me.”

“Yes, I do.” Sighing, Charlotte rested her head on his chest, holding onto to him with all of her might. “I guess I can plan a quick wedding. We can give this crazy marriage idea of yours a try.”

Ty picked her up and carried her back to the tack room. The same room where they’d made love, not so long ago. Setting her down on a bale of hay, Ty stepped between her legs, pulling her close to him. He might have to save that spanking for later. Right now, he just wanted to be inside of her. “There is no try with us, Charlotte. It will work.” Raising a brow, she wrapped her hands in his shirt and pulled him forward until his mouth was just a breath away from her own. “That sure of yourself, cowboy?”

“No, darlin’. I’m just that sure of us.”

* * * * *

For a quickie wedding on a horse ranch in the middle of nowhere, Charlotte and Ty’s celebration had been beautiful. Taking another sip of her cool champagne, Tamara watched the lovebirds dance on the makeshift dance floor, with tears of joy in her hazel-brown eyes.

Excited for her best friend, Tamara fought hard to hold back the mixed emotions threatening to bring her down. She was happy for them. So very happy, but at the same time she was sad for herself.

It was selfish and she knew it, but she was going to miss Charlotte. Sighing, Tamara walked toward the bar, intent on snagging something a bit stronger. Champagne was all well and good, but she needed a drink drink and something extremely fattening to eat, preferably covered in cheese.

86 Lena Matthews

After hijacking a startled waiter’s tray, Tamara found a table far away from the skinny women, where she could eat in peace. There was no way she was going to go hungry on Christmas. She’d been good all year, and if Santa didn’t count her vibrator, she’d been good for longer than she cared to remember.

“Is this seat taken?”

Startled, Tamara looked up with a mouth full of cheesy-stuffed-something-or-other and almost choked. Inhaling deeply, she reached for her glass. Did she look like she needed company?

“I’ve never had that reaction before.”

Sitting down, the man leaned over and handed her a napkin. Now that her breathing was under control, Tamara’s brain resumed its normal function, and she was able to breath.

Bad with names, Tamara thought long and hard on his. She knew he was the best man, but she couldn’t remember his name.

She’d met him briefly, but hadn’t given him more than a passing thought. He was white, wearing a cowboy hat, and she probably weighed more than he did. So, not her type.

“Sorry about that.” She gestured to the tray. “I think that was God’s way of telling me to back off the cheese do-dads.”

“Or maybe he was just telling you to share.” Eyeballing the platter, he rubbed his hands together avariciously. “I’ve been chasing that waiter down all night. Mind if I ...” Well, she did, but Tamara was too polite to say so. “Help yourself.” Sighing, she watched as he did just that. Cute and he ate more than she did. That was just fucked up.

“I’m Russell Chrichton, by the way. We were introduced earlier, but I could tell by the vacant look you just gave me that you didn’t have a clue.”

“I remembered,” Tamara lied. She knew it started with an R ... or a letter, or something.

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“Right.” He grinned, his green eyes twinkling. “So what’s with you bogarting all the cheesy puffs, Tamara?”

“A girl’s got to eat. And besides, I starved all day yesterday to look good in this hideous dress.”

Chuckling Russell tilted his head to side, as if studying her. Something Tamara wished he wouldn’t do. The dress wasn’t all that bad, but it did show off a bit more of her curves than she would have liked.

“I think you look lovely.”

Narrowing her eyes, Tamara snagged a cheese pastry and waved it at him. “Lookie here, cowboy, Charlotte has already warned me about y’all’s slick ways. You just stay on that side of the table, and I’ll stay on this side. I think Char and Ty have erased enough color lines for one small town.”

Russell roared with laughter, turning several heads in their direction. After his laughter subsided to a mere chuckle, he replied, “You are hilarious.” With a mouth full of food, Tamara merely smiled. Making people laugh was her specialty.

“I’m not a cowboy cowboy,” he continued, taking the black hat off and setting it down on the table next to his glass. “I just look damn good in the hat. And I don’t live in Santa Estrella anymore. I have a law office in Los Angeles.”

“I live in LA”

“Really?” Interest piqued, Russell went back to studying her. “What do you do?”

“Mainly look for jobs,” Tamara admitted with a rueful smile. She had as much luck holding down a job as she had sticking to a diet. But that was life.

“Looking for a job right now?”

“I did say mainly, didn’t I?” It wasn’t a secret. Hell, she spent more time going over the newspaper than birds did. “But something will turn up. It always does.” 88 Lena Matthews

“What do you do?”

Tamara paused for a moment to study him. She could make small talk with the best of them, but for some strange reason, he seemed genuinely interested. “I’m a photographer.”

“Really? How come they didn’t hire you to take pictures of the wedding?”

“Because Charlotte wanted to torture me by making me wear this dress instead.” Russell chuckled softly as he downed another appetizer. “Have you ever done surveillance work before?”

“You mean, stalk people with my camera?

“Sorta.”

“Do ex-boyfriends count?”

“Did you get away with it?” he countered amusedly.

“Of course.”

“Then it counts. I’m looking for someone to take a few pictures for me from time to time. Do you know anything about the law?”

Tamara shrugged her shoulders. This was the strangest job interview she’d ever been on. “Only enough to not break it.”

“That’s a start,” Russell laughed. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he pulled out a wallet and handed her his business card. “Why don’t you call me when you get back home? I’m sure we can work something out.”

Glancing down at his card, Tamara wondered if he was serious. “You’re a very odd man. Tell me the truth. Was it the cheesy poofs?”

“No,” Russell said, shaking his head. “It was your smile. I’m a sucker for nice, full smiles. I think I might have a tooth fetish.”

“Well, if the price is right, you can stare at my teeth all day.” Tamara tucked the card in the neckline of her dress. It was worth looking into. What did she have to lose?

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Lena Matthews

Lena Matthews spends her days dreaming about handsome heroes and her nights with her own personal hero. Married to her college sweetheart, she is the proud mother of an extremely smart toddler, three evil dogs, and a mess of ants that she can't seem to get rid of.

When not writing she can be found reading, watching movies, lifting up the cushions on the couch to look for batteries for the remote control and plotting different ways to bring Buffy back on the air.

Visit Lena on the Web at www.lenamatthews.com.