Forrest, Dawn - Sweet Water Wedding: Sharing Shannon (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (24 page)

When all the adjustments were made, they said a cheery good-bye to Susan and headed back to the Sweet Water ranch to drop Janet off. As they pulled in front of the house Shannon noted that Joshua was stood on the veranda watching the Jeep as it rolled to a stop, but he didn’t come to open the car door, which was unusual for him. As they got out his hard stare settled on his fiancée. Hell, she wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of that look. Even Rachael appeared a little nervous.

“Where’s your phone, Rachael?” he said in a deceptively calm low voice.

Rachael’s eyes widened, and then she recovered quickly with a smug grin and said, “Here, I’ve not forgotten it, silly.” She waved it around and quickly turned back to the car.

Silly? Calling Joshua silly? Shannon thought that at this moment in time her friend had more guts than sense.

“Get in the car now, Shannon,” Rachael desperately whispered out of the corner of her mouth.

Shannon was confused and began to move back around the Jeep.

“Stop right there.” Joshua’s hard tone allowed no disobedience and they both stopped dead in their tracks. He made a deliberate show of retrieving his phone from his back pocket, tapping the buttons and putting it to his ear. “It’s not ringing is it ...
silly.
” He growled, moving one step down toward Rachael.

Shannon guessed that it wasn’t a question, more of a statement. She could almost hear the wheels of Rachael’s mind grinding. The look on her friends face was almost comical.

“Oh fuck.” Rachael’s eyes were now like saucers.

Shannon wasn’t sure what was going on but one thing was certain, there was no way they’d both get into the car and away if Joshua decided to move quickly, and she was in no doubt that he would. Rachael must have come to the same conclusion, because without any warning she turned on her heel and sprinted across the yard. At that moment Shannon thought Rachael looked glorious, like an Amazon princess, running with long powerful strides toward the barn. She turned and saw Joshua tracking Rachael’s progress with narrowed eyes and a hard, tight expression. She didn’t know him well enough to understand what that might mean. He stalked after Rachael with a steady, determined stride of his own. Shannon didn’t know what to do. She looked over at an equally baffled Janet and was about to take a step after Joshua when strong arms pulled her back against a hard body.

“You weren’t there, sweetheart, but he clearly told her that she’d get a good spankin’ if she didn’t keep her phone charged.” James spoke softly close to her ear.

She hadn’t heard him behind her and his stealth shocked her. Slowly she registered his words.

“That’s...that’s outrageous, he wouldn’t dare,” she stammered, glancing at Janet who gave a little shrug and grimace as she headed quickly into the ranch house.

Arms tightened around her and she squirmed as he drawled, “We’re ranchers, darlin’, and there are some things we know a lot about—roundin’ up, ropin’ and ridin’.”

Shannon gulped and now stood stock-still. She didn’t think he was talking about cattle and horses. Her eyes darted to the barn, Joshua had reached the large door but it was obviously barred. He moved to the smaller side door that was also locked. With seemingly little effort he kicked it in. The lock must have given because the door slammed back but was still intact. Joshua headed inside and closed the door. It moved twice as if something heavy was being placed behind it.

Shannon, still restrained in James’s arms, was breathing deeply. She wondered what the hell it was about the men in this place that had their passions running so high. Maybe they ate too many oats? Suddenly a shriek cut through the ominous silence that had cloaked the barn, followed by muffled curses, then another yelp, before silence descended again.

“I’ll think your friend will be tied up for a while,” James murmured, kissing her neck and making her knees turn to jelly. “I’d better be a good host and keep you entertained. I know a good game we can play.”

With that he spun her around, dipped down and before she could say more than ‘agh!’ she was being carried into the house over his shoulder, with her head upside down near his ass.
Nice view.

She was shocked and a little disappointed when, instead of heading to the bedroom, he dumped her on the big sofa and waved a box at her.

“Scrabble?” She blinked in surprise.

Chapter 15

Rachael had bolted all the doors and looked frantically for a place to hide. The hayloft was too obvious, but she moved the ladder so that it was slanted hoping that Joshua would think that she was up there. If he went up to check she could sneak out of the barn and make a quick getaway. By the time he found her at the cabin he would be more reasonable...she hoped.

There was a large square wicker basket in the corner of this section of the building and it looked big enough for her to fit into. She moved quickly as she heard Josh try the large barn door. She tore open the lid and jumped in on top of a few empty feed sacks. Just as she shut herself in she heard the side door splinter and crash against the wall.
Fuck me, he’s serious.
She began to panic while at the same time her pussy fluttered like the wings of a hummingbird. She wondered if there was something seriously wrong with her mentally because this surely wasn’t the reaction any sane person would have with
that
after them. Of course she knew deep down, deep, deep, deep down, that he would never hurt her. He was probably secretly enjoying this as much as she was...yes...definitely… maybe.

* * * *

Joshua shut the side door behind him and barred it with a heavy seed sack, better make that two, because knowing Rachael as he did, he expected she’d try to make a break for it. He took a piece of rope and with speed that came from lots of practice, tied a complex knot around the wooded bar holding the larger door closed. Now he could turn his attention to finding his prey.

His fiancée never disappointed him, she was a sure source of sexual inspiration, but he was serious about teaching her a lesson that she wouldn’t quickly forget. Being without a working mobile phone out here could be the difference between life and death. He let his eyes adjust to the gloom and saw that the hayloft ladder was a bit askew,
bingo.

Just as he was about to climb he noticed the disturbed dust and straw on the floor, leading away from the ladder to a large basket in the corner.
My clever girl
. He discovered a certain amount of pride at her attempted little deception, but his darlin’ was out of her league. He idly thought that when he had the time later he’d mention that she should cover her tracks better.

He rattled the ladder and clunked his boots on the bottom rung. Then he quietly moved to a dark corner stall and waited, counting silently to ten. Right on cue the lid of the basket slowly lifted. He watched as she poked her head out, checking that the coast was clear. She carefully slivered out of the basket and tiptoed across the room. First she went to the side door. He saw her fists clench and shake when she realized that the noise and time it would take to move the heavy sacks rendered that option hopeless. As covertly as possible she moved to the larger barn door only to reel in shock a finding it tied shut.

As he soundless moved behind her, he heard her whisper, “The sneaky, cunning devil.” Despite the words he detected admiration in her voice.

Joshua stood silently waiting, his eyes boring into the back of her head. He wiped the smile off his face when he saw her stiffen. She slowly drew herself up to her full height of five feet seven inches, a whole foot shorter than him, and turned around.

“Oh, there you are,” she blustered in clipped tones, her chin tilted defiantly as she looked up at him. “I’ve been waiting for you. Now come along and open this door.”

He had to hand it to her, his fiancée had guts and he loved the fact that she was such a living challenge. He’d watched her from behind a stall as she’d sneaked across the room and now she was trying to blab her way out. He didn’t say anything, just slowly shook his head keeping his expression neutral. Before she could bolt, his arm struck out with lightening speed and his hand caught her wrist yanking her to him. She shrieked in surprise but then began to level a few choice words at him as he dragged her over to the wicker basket.

She tried to tug away from him but he might as well have been reeling in a small fish for all the effort it cost him to drag her closer. With both of her wrists now held in one large hand he roughly undid her jeans and yanked them down her thighs. As Rachael squirmed and cursed in protest it actually helped him work the material further down her legs.

“Don’t you dare,” she snarled.

Joshua just raised an eyebrow, sat down on the basket and in one fast, fluid motion he had her over his lap, head down, and ass in the air, pinned with one arm across her back. She yelped in surprise at how easily he manipulated her physically. Her somewhat moist panties lasted one further second before being ripped off and tossed away and then...nothing. He waited and waited, while her gluts clenched tight in expectation. Just when she began to relax he slapped her hard on first one cheek and then the other.

“Ow!”

“Don’t,”
slap
, “let,”
slap
, “the battery,”
slap
, “run down,”
slap
, “again,”
slap
.

“You...you...barbarian!” she shouted.

Slap, slap
. “Yes, I am, but that’s not the right answer.”

* * * *

Rachael was now outraged not only at the spanking but also at her traitorous body’s response to it. Her clit was thrumming and she couldn’t help but grind against his lap, noting that it appeared to have a similar effect on him.

“You didn’t ask a question!” she yelped.

He shook his head and gently ran his palms over her red butt.

“You want a question? Okay, how about this? Will you,”
slap
, “ever let,”
slap
, “your battery,”
slap
, “run down,”
slap
, “again?”

“Ow! No.” She gasped.

“Promise?” he asked, sounding very smug.

“I promise I won’t,” she whimpered, not really in pain from the slapping, which had gentled somewhat, but at the need now throbbing between her legs.

“You’ve been a naughty girl, Rachael. You disobeyed me, you ran away, you hid, you lied about waiting for me, and then you challenged me.” He sounded distinctly put out. “What should I do with you?”

“Let me go?” she answered hopefully.

He snorted. “Now
that
wasn’t really a question honey, it really doesn’t matter what
you
think, it’s what
I
want that matters because right now
I’m
in charge.”

That did it, hearing him talk like that had her slicking the top of her thighs. Keeping her held in place with the one arm still across her back, Joshua rubbed his other big hand over her hot, red ass then dipped a chunky finger into her sopping pussy.

“Oh, yes, a very naughty girl,” he growled. “I wonder, do you need further discipline or do you accept I’m the boss?”

Rachael didn’t fancy another spanking, so she nodded her head vigorously as she agreed. “Oh, I most certainly think that you are the chief… here and now.”

She liked to push it, but he seemed to let that little bit of defiance go.

“Prove it. Prove to me you’ll do what I say.” He released his restraining hold and helped her to stand up. “Take your jeans all the way off.”

She complied shaking slightly with excitement and a smidgeon of fear, such a delicious blend she found. First she kicked off her leather ankle boots and socks, then the jeans.

“Turn around and spread your legs shoulder width apart.”

She did as he instructed, locking her legs at the knees to keep steady.

“Bend over. That’s it. Now pull your ass cheeks apart. Mmm,” he rumbled in appreciation, “I gotta say, darlin’, that you have a pretty pussy and ass, even when it’s bright red. You look great in jeans but nothing is better than seeing you all bare and presented to me like this, well nothing except seeing my cock sliding inside.”