by Piper Stone
Exhaling, I chastised myself for the wild goose chase. The threatening call had been more about making sure I knew I was being watched than anything else. Just as I turned to go, I heard the sound of a truck closing in. Fuck me. Even if the building was empty, I didn’t need to be caught by some wayward ranch hand.
I scuttled up the ladder-style stairs to the loft, moving toward the back and sliding down. When I no longer heard the sound of the rumbling engine, I held my breath, chastising myself for being so impetuous and stupid. If I managed to get out of there unnoticed, I made a promise to myself that I would ignore my instincts and get back to my work. Maybe I was acting like a bratty child instead of a professional in the industry. While I could continue to fight for animals’ rights, I was in way over my head.
I heard nothing for a full minute and had to fight to keep from looking over the edge. When I heard a single strange sound, as if someone was tapping on a piece of wood, I cringed. The noise was definitely coming from inside.
Please leave. Please.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are.”
Dear God. The husky tone of his voice alone was enough to force my entire body into a fit of quivers. What was worse, my nipples immediately hardened. And I’d recognize that voice anywhere.
Deep.
Rugged.
Sensuous.
Commanding.
Mustang.
I bit my lower lip, fisting my hands out of frustration. I couldn’t have put myself in a worse predicament if I’d tried. Remain calm. Maybe he’ll just leave.
Somehow, the intelligent woman inside knew better, although that woman had been missing for a few days. I decided to remain quiet.
“Let me put it to you this way,” he said, obviously standing by the ladder. “I know you’re here so if I have to come up there and get you, your punishment is going to be much worse.”
Wait a minute. While I technically had broken into his barn, did the savage actually think he was going to punish me for that? Oh, no. That just wasn’t going to happen. Not today or any other day. Before I had a chance to retort, the man had already started up the stairs. I eased to a standing position, crossing my arms, trying to form words that wouldn’t make me sound like a freaking idiot.
Every step he took was beseechingly slow, as if it was his greatest desire to make me sweat. Damn him.
When he reached the top of the stairs, I had one of those girlie moments that rarely happened if ever. Granted, the man was gorgeous, his chiseled jaw portraying the perfect cowboy straight out of some action and adventure movie. And there was no denying that the muscular man with the shaggy, dirty blond hair and penetrating deep green eyes that could melt a snowman aroused every part of me. Even the way his well-worn dirty blue jeans hugged every sculpted portion of his body gave me a rush of electricity.
But I refused to be taken by this man, especially since his expression was one of utter amusement.
As if he had the upper hand.
As if he planned on taming me.
Mustang folded his arms, cocking his head as his heated gaze moved inch by inch down the length of my body. The look on his face bordered on anger, although there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. “Well. Well. What do we have here?”
“I was just leaving.” I dared to take two steps forward.
“Nah. I don’t think so.”
“Meaning what?” I challenged, remaining defensive even as my body responded to him almost instantly, my nipples aching and my legs quivering.
He took two steps closer, his scuffed cowboy boots thudding on the dense floor. “You’re the kind of woman who likes to break rules. I’m the type of man who has always been required to follow them. Discipline in my life has kept me alive. It’s a lesson I think you need to learn.”
“You don’t even know why I’m here.”
“Does it matter?” he asked as he inched closer, every thud on the wooden platform his rough and tumble cowboy boots made matched the heavy hammering of my heart. I realized I was clawing the wall, as if there was any chance of escape.
“I don’t know what you mean.” My retort was ripe with my usual rebellious tone. Damn it, his chiseled face and angular jaw were doing a damn good job of disarming me.
He took a deep whiff, the action exaggerated. “Oh, I think you do. You come on my property without an invitation, breaking in as if you owned the joint. You could have called or even stopped by the main house if you had questions or concerns, but you chose otherwise. I’m curious. Were you planning on hiding out until dark, maybe attempting to steal some information or worse?”
“First of all, you aren’t the owner, Holt Wills, or should I call you Mustang? Second, it’s obvious I wasn’t stealing anything. And third…” My argument had zero merit. He’d caught me red-handed.
After shaking his head, he closed in on me, standing barely two feet away. When I took a single deep breath, I was almost intoxicated from his scent, all dirt and forest and spices and testosterone. Jesus. A lump had even formed in my throat, my entire body aching.
“I’m waiting. And the third?” he asked coyly, his smooth voice wrapping around me like a cashmere sweater on a cold winter’s day.
A warm flush crept up from my neck, sliding over my jaw to my cheeks. I’d never felt so embarrassed in my life. “Fuck you.” While the nasty statement was ridiculous, I’d run out of excuses. And I wasn’t prepared to use what little ammunition I had against him. What ammunition? An asshole’s phone call? This had been one huge mistake.
“So, we can play this one of two ways. See, I’m a fair man in all things, including how to handle a wayward woman.”
“A wayward woman?” All I could do was stare at him. The man was serious. “Are you out of your mind? You don’t even know me.”
“Quite the contrary. I know you’re opinionated, ballsy, bitchy to a fault, and you have a foul mouth on you. I also know you’re highly intelligent, one of the best kissers I’ve ever experienced, and you refuse to back down to anyone, especially a man. All that being said, you’re still in need of a harsh punishment.”
“Over my dead body.”
“We could arrange that.”
“Such a bastard,” I managed, although my throat was tight, the sound more like a purr. “I heard you were dangerous just like you told me.”
He seemed taken aback, his lips pursing. “Now, who might that be from?”
“None of your business, asshole.”
“Such a foul mouth for a beautiful lady. What a pity. At least you’ve learned I don’t lie.”
“Everyone lies,” I retorted, instantly regretting it.
“Something else to keep in mind.”
When he crowded close enough that I could feel the extreme heat resonating from every muscle, my resolve was pushed to the point of no return. Dear God, I was turned on by the roughhewn brute.
Very slowly he planted one hand then the other on either side of my head, leaning in until our lips were mere inches apart. Everything about him reeked of the very danger I’d accused him of, and I had the distinct feeling his appetite was as huge as his bravado. He took another deep whiff, a slight growl pushing up from his throat. “As I was saying, you have a choice to make.” The bastard dared to brush his lips across mine. While he did so only once, I could tell he was shocked at the surge of electricity coursing through both of us.
“What choice is that?” I realized my body had every intention of betraying me, my back arching and my head tipping until our lips were pressed together. Everything about him screamed of primal savagery, as if he always got exactly what he wanted. I could barely think straight, the mixture of excitement as well as fury disjointing as hell.
“Well, I can spank you right here, right now, or we can handle this at the sheriff’s office.”
“You aren’t serious.”
He pulled away, lifting a single eyebrow. “I’m serious. I never joke about an infraction of the rules. Or the law. So, what’s it going to be?�
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I was floored by his suggestion, finding myself tongue-tied for a solid ten seconds. Then my aggressive side took over. I smacked him hard in the chest with both hands, enough so he was pummeled backward a few feet, almost tumbling to the floor. I took the opportunity to head toward the stairs, almost making it onto the first step before he snagged my wrist, dragging me backwards.
“I don’t think so, little girl,” Mustang huffed, immediately reaching for his belt buckle. Everything was suddenly in slow motion, my body refusing to react for a full five seconds. That was just enough time that he managed to unfasten his belt, immediately yanking to release the strap from its tight confines.
“Oh, no, you don’t.”
“Then you’d prefer a visit to the sheriff’s office? I know the lady pretty well. My guess is that she won’t be lenient on you. Breaking and entering is a crime in this state.” He didn’t give me time to consider the options any longer, forcefully pushing me to the floor then yanking the strap all the way free. He fisted my hair as he straddled me, immediately dropping the belt then moving his hand around my hip.
“God, you’re a bastard.” Even though I struggled, there was no way of getting out of his hold, the weight of his massive body keeping me almost totally immobilized.
“I’ve been called a lot worse, sunshine. That doesn’t bother me in the least. You need a hard whipping to help you understand that rules are meant to be followed.”
I squirmed and tried to kick out, doing everything I could to claw forward. Every time I scrambled a few inches, he yanked me back by my hair. Moaning, I was shocked that he managed to wrangle my jeans over my hips. But I was horrified when he wrapped a single finger around the elastic of my thong and with a single snap of his wrist, the thin material was ripped away. I’d never felt more exposed in my life.
“Damn you. I hate you!” I screeched, planning his demise in my mind when he chuckled under his breath.
“That’s just fine by me. I have all the friends I need.”
There was no way I could express the instant pain that catapulted into my system when he issued a single strike. The sound alone was terrifying but the humiliation and worry that we’d be discovered drilled into my brain.
“Oh, God. Oh…” My cry seemed to echo in the wide open space, my bellow like a bad little girl who knew she deserved the harsh punishment. Until the auction, I’d never been spanked in my life, had always followed the rules. Hell, I’d been a straight-A student pretty much my entire life, graduating a full year early from veterinary school. I didn’t deserve this kind of treatment.
The rugged cowboy obviously thought otherwise.
“I’m going to give you thirty strikes today. I think that will help you remember that misbehaving isn’t in your best interest.”
Thirty? In my mind, it might as well have been one hundred. I was torn between lashing out and simply wanting to get this over with. I also found it almost impossible to will my limbs to move. As a volley of cracks sliced against my bottom, the heat immediately building, there were no words for the escalating anguish. I was shoved into a vacuum, trying to keep my composure. One thing I knew for certain. I was going to kick his ass.
Maybe not today.
But soon.
When he rubbed his hand across my bruised skin, I sucked in my breath, my pussy aching. I couldn’t believe my body would react this way. How could I be aroused even more during a brutal spanking? I closed my eyes, biting back whimpers as he tugged my jeans down even further, taking his time to brush his fingers along the inside of my leg.
I could hear his ragged breathing, the scent of his testosterone almost as strong as the fragrance of my pussy. I was wet and hot all over, barely able to contain my breathing. There was no doubt trickles of juice were slickening the insides of my thighs. This went beyond humiliation. I was utterly mortified.
His scattered breathing continued and when he stopped again, daring to slide the tip of a single finger down the crack of my ass, I was unable to stop a moan from erupting.
“Oh, God…”
“You’re wet,” Mustang said oh-so quietly, as if saying the words shoved the incident into something else entirely.
“I…” The damn words were stuck in my throat.
The growl he emitted sent another wave of shivers down to my toes. I could almost envision what he wanted to do to me. “Ten more,” he stated with the kind of commanding voice that refused to be denied.
“Asshole,” I whispered, although every expletive crossed my mind.
“Yep. You’ve pegged me.”
Crack!
The sharp slap was even more brutal than before, the strap catching me across my sit spot. “Fuck! Damn, that hurts.”
“Looks like a little lady needs her mouth washed out with soap.” He brought the belt down four times in rapid succession, the pain almost blinding.
I gritted my teeth, doing everything I could to keep from cursing a blue streak. The entire situation was unreal, my eyes stinging from my attempt to keep from crying. I would not allow the man to see me cry. He wouldn’t break me even in a tiny way. But as he brought down the last five strikes, there was no holding back my wails.
“Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh!”
My mind in a daze, my body tingling all over, I was barely aware when he drew me to my feet, struggling to open my eyes. His were like mesmerizing lagoons of gorgeous water, peaceful and inviting.
Then he opened his mouth.
“You did very well. All your sins are forgotten, but I damn well better not catch you breaking the law again or you won’t be able to sit down for a week.”
That was the last straw. Managing to give him a butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-your-mouth smile, my reflexes took over once again. The hard cracking sound as my hand smacked against his chiseled face echoed more than my screams had. Immediately shocked at my actions, I gasped.
The force was just enough his head was tossed to the side. He opened his mouth, twisting his jaw before rubbing it with his fingers. When he pushed me hard against the wall, knocking the wind out of me, not a sound erupted from my throat. But when he lifted my arms, his fingers digging into my wrists, a single whimper escaped past my lips.
“That wasn’t nice,” he muttered, struggling to take several shallow breaths.
“I never said I was a nice girl.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Mustang crushed his mouth over mine, immediately thrusting his tongue inside.
I was taken aback, my body arching to get closer to him. Then I started to struggle, trying desperately to free my arms. That simply wasn’t going to happen. He held me fast as the kiss turned into a passionate roar, his tongue dominating mine as he explored the dark recesses of my mouth.
It seemed all time stood still as the kiss continued, my heart racing and every cell in my body on fire. Within seconds, I felt myself melting in his arms, the taste of him far too sweet. When he finally broke the kiss, his growl like a wild beast hungering for his prey, I closed my eyes. He took his time brushing his lips across my jaw then down to my neck, licking and nipping my skin.
“Goddamn, you taste heavenly,” he murmured then licked down the length of my neck, dragging his tongue into the cleft of my breasts.
Stars floated in front of my eyes as he ground his hips against mine, the feel of his throbbing cock only adding fuel to the bursting embers. My mouth watered to taste him, to have every inch of his thick cock inside my mouth.
My pussy.
My ass.
The thoughts were sinful and filthy, erasing every rational thought. I continued to wiggle in his hold, fighting to get to him, longing to crawl my hand down his tight stomach until I could stroke his shaft.
He lifted his head, the look in his eyes carnal. “I want you. You are mine. All mine.”
He was so infuriating.
Possessive.
Dominating.
The electricity exploded between us, the desire uncontrollable. He took a stride away, immediately reachi
ng for his jeans. I watched him for a few seconds, marveling in his exquisite features before the eruption of need took over. I fought to remove my boots, shoving my jeans and panties to the floor and kicking them away.
Every move he made was jerky, his entire body straining as he fought to remove his boots and jeans, barely tossing them aside before gathering me into his arms and slamming me against the wall once again.
I pushed against him as he yanked one leg then the other around his hips, the rough pads of his fingers creating goosebumps over every inch of my naked skin. Then he gathered both wrists into a single hand, using the other to toy with me, brushing his fingertips down my side. There was no stopping him, the hulking mass of a man taking exactly what he wanted.
And he wanted me.
“You’re damn beautiful, sunshine.”
“You’re… an animal.”
“Yes…” he growled, a slight smile crossing his face.
Every sound coming from his throat was animalistic, a mischievous smile crossing his face as he shoved his cock against my pussy. “You’re so freaking wet. I’m going to fuck you now and I won’t take no for an answer. And sunshine, next time I’m going to fuck you in the ass.”
He captured my mouth again as he thrust the entire length of his cock deep inside.
I squealed into the kiss, the wind knocked out of me. My muscles strained to accept the thick invasion, stretching and clamping down, drawing him in as deep as possible. The tingling sensations rocketed through me, leaving me aching all over.
Mustang pulled almost all the way out, plunging in again. And again. Everything about his actions was savage, possessive.
As if he planned on ravaging me.
As if he owned me.
Lightheaded, I was tossed into utter bliss as he fucked me like a wild animal, driving in harder and faster. The light was suddenly dim, my pulse racing and when he finally let go of my arms, I clung to him, tangling my fingers in his hair.