by BJ Wane
“What’s your point?” No sense in denying the obvious.
“Just saying. Oh, shit.” Connor’s gaze had shifted over Caden’s shoulder, and he knew his brother had a clear, long-distance view of the barns and corrals. “She wouldn’t, would she?”
“What?” Whipping his head around, Caden spotted Sydney’s bright red hair where she stood perched up on yet another rail, this one around the horse corral. Saddled and tethered in front of her, stood one of their bad-tempered saddle horses that refused to let anyone sit on him. “Fuck if she wouldn’t. She’s been pestering me to give her a riding lesson, but I haven’t had time. Come on.”
Spurring their horses, they both knew they’d never arrive in time to stop her and fear for her safety lodged in Caden’s throat, nearly strangling him.
Sydney ran her hand down the silky nose of the black horse, receiving a soft nudge in return. “Well, you’re friendly, aren’t you?” The afternoon hadn’t improved, ending another day on the job that hadn’t gone smoothly. She blamed Caden for that. For some, inexplicable reason, she’d set her sights on her boss and couldn’t seem to look elsewhere or keep her mind off him. She wouldn’t have gotten so turned around on her walks if she hadn’t been fantasizing about Caden tying her to that padded cross she’d seen in the loft of their club and doing whatever he wanted to her vulnerable body, or picturing herself over his lap, her bare butt on display in front of all those strangers as he smacked her cheeks. The small neck bite he’d given her the other night stung just enough to breathe life into her imagination, and coupled with those swats the other day, filled the last few nights with erotic dreams that woke her shaking for a whole different reason than the previous nightmare.
Her latest mishaps did nothing to endear her in his eyes as his continued refusal to teach her to ride proved, and she was so put out by that, not to mention bored and lonely, she developed the sudden urge to take the matter into her own hands. “The heck with waiting for him,” she told the horse, throwing caution to the wind. Worst-case scenario-he paid her the wages she’d earned and then fired her. Ignoring the pang that possibility stirred in her gut, she checked to be sure the saddle was cinched, something she’d seen the hands doing. “You’re already saddled, so you must be okay to ride. Now,” she cautioned the horse as she swung a leg over the rail, “be nice. I’m a newbie.” Stepping on the bench inside the corral, she grabbed the pommel and lifted one leg over the saddle, the sudden shift of the horse’s hooves catching her off guard. “Whoa, mister.” Sydney soothed him with a hand down his quivering neck and when he settled, reached in front to untie the reins, missing the comforting feel of Caden’s big body behind her. “Well, this isn’t so hard,” she boasted, trying to convince herself as the horse turned on its own. He’d only taken two steps before startling her by lifting his head with a loud neigh followed by a body-tossing buck of his hindquarters. Loud, male shouts reached past the roaring in her ears as she went flying then landed with a body-jarring thud.
Blinking her eyes against looking up into the glaring sun, Sydney struggled to catch her breath while testing to make sure she could move her legs. Relief swept through her before trepidation took its place when Caden’s big frame appeared in front of her, blocking the warmth from the sun.
Stooping, he ran his hands over her body, checking for broken bones. Sydney would’ve enjoyed his impersonal touch more if it weren’t for the rigid set to his jaw and his nerve-racking silence. Satisfied, he pushed to his feet and reached out a hand to help her stand. “Do you hurt anywhere?” he asked in the quietest, calmest voice she’d ever heard him use with her, one that didn’t bode well for her immediate future.
“Just my pride.” Hoping to defuse any repercussions, she quipped with a teasing grin, “I gotta tell you, boss, that toss was kind of fun, flying like that, but the landing leaves a lot to be desired.”
Those blue eyes stayed on her as he brushed her off with gentle swipes, lingering on her backside long enough to have Sydney’s toes curling inside her sneakers. “Can you take care of Ranger, Connor, while I have a word with Sydney up at the house?”
“Of course. You should’ve waited for someone to help you pick a mount, Sydney,” he admonished, and she cringed at the censure she’d never heard in Connor’s tone.
“I…”
“Quiet.”
Caden’s cold, demanding voice accompanied his tightening grip on her hand. Wariness mixed with excitement as he led her across the yard. “I don’t have time to keep bailing you out of trouble. You were told, repeatedly, not to attempt to ride without me.”
Miffed, she glared at his back as they entered the house. “I never told you to take time away from work to come to my aid. There’s always someone in the barn…”
He spun around so fast, Sydney stumbled back a step and would’ve fallen if he hadn’t yanked her forward to land against his rock-solid body. “Do not speak to me of my ranch hands. It’s bad enough you spoil the dogs, now I have to contend with those kids following you around, drooling, which they were not here to do when you just pulled that foolhardy stunt.”
A pleased smile split her face. “Do they really? Aww, that’s sweet.”
Caden gritted his teeth. “No, it’s not, and neither are the consequences I warned you about for breaking the rules.”
Before she realized his intentions, he hauled her into the den, had her jeans unsnapped and shoved down with a few quick movements, and yanked her over his lap as he sat on the sofa. Both startled and thrilled, Sydney reared her head up, shoved her hair out of her eyes and asked him in a tone a lot calmer than her racing heartbeat, “Do you know what you’re doing?” She prayed he said yes because the exposure of her bare butt under his heated gaze was enough to fill her pussy with moisture, to bead her nipples into tight pinpoints and to send her blood flowing through her veins in a hot, molten rush. And that was before he rested one wide, callused palm on the rounded curve of her bottom.
“I disciplined my first sub fifteen years ago when I was only a few years older than the employees you have eating out of your hands. What do you think?”
Throwing caution to the wind, in for a penny, in for a pound and all that, she tossed back, “Okay, then do your worst.”
The cheeky grin Sydney flipped Caden shouldn’t have surprised him, or her easy compliance when she turned her head back down and waited for his retribution. Had she kicked and screamed for him to let her go, he would’ve done so, but when had the girl reacted as he thought she should? Knowing it was a mistake and may very well end up crossing a line he couldn’t cross back over, he swatted her right buttock, the red imprint he left behind showing with vivid brightness against her lily-white skin. The terror that sent him speeding down to the corral wouldn’t abate, his mind still reeling from all the injuries she could’ve sustained with that foolhardy stunt. He spanked her other cheek and enjoyed the bounce of the soft globe and her shifting hips way too much. “Had enough?” he asked, rubbing his hand over the warm, smooth flesh.
“Would you stop if we were at The Barn and I was your sub?” she returned with a slight catch in her voice.
“Hell, no.” He refused to lie even if doing so would be in his best interest.
“Then pretend I am and don’t stop… please.”
He sighed, her whispered plea sealing both their fates. “Remember, I warned you to be careful about what you ask for.” Caden proceeded to give her what she thought she wanted ever since he’d caught her spying and caved to what he’d been itching to do.
With a volley of sharp smacks, he peppered Sydney’s ass until the pink tinge turned a deep red, her warm skin grew hot and her quiet mewls erupted into louder cries. She shifted with a moan when he stopped to rub the abused mounds. After soothing the sting, he gave her time to adjust to the soreness by palming the plump curve of one crimson cheek. She had a perfect shaped ass with soft, malleable buttocks that had clenched with each spank then softened as she adjusted to the pain. Then she shifted again,
lifting into his hand, and he barely heard another whispered entreaty of ‘please’ that drew his eyes to her glistening seam. “You continue to surprise me, darlin’.”
Sydney whipped her face around, shaking her hair out of her drenched eyes. “Does that mean…”
Caden squeezed her buttock and drew a yelp from her by delivering a final, blistering swat. “You’re new to this and don’t realize how sore you’ll be. Sit up.” Her face mirrored the color of her ass, but it was the blatant need reflected in her dilated eyes that tempted him to change the tone of this lesson and reward her, and that would not do. His actions were meant as a deterrent, not a pleasurable interlude. “Next time you disobey a rule, you’ll get a taste of my belt.” Ignoring the desire to sink his fingers between those enticing, plump, damp folds, he stood her up and pulled up her panties and jeans. Standing, he lowered his Stetson and headed to the door, saying without looking back, “I have work to do.”
Connor stood waiting for him by the corral when he stepped outside, a knowing grin playing around his mouth as he handed Caden the reins to his steed. “Not a word, got it?” Caden snapped in warning.
“Wouldn’t dream of it, brother.”
Chapter 4
Sydney stood rooted by the sofa, her body humming with unfulfilled arousal as she watched Caden saunter out. Squeezing her thighs together, she tried to still the heated pulses between her legs that mimicked the lingering, warm throbbing encompassing her butt. Nothing could have prepared her for the surprising pleasure/pain of her first, bare-butt spanking, or the longing she’d felt for him to increase after his erotic abuse. There’d been a certain intimacy to lying over his lap with only her bottom exposed. The rough abrasion of his hard, denim covered thighs against her soft abdomen added to the exciting strength of his control; the roughness of his leathery palm connecting with stinging force against her cheeks demonstrated who had the upper hand and who was the boss, and she liked it.
Shaking her head at her own foolish mistake that had inadvertently given her what she’d been pining for, Caden’s hands on her, she wondered where they would go from here. Somehow, she doubted this meant he’d have a change of heart and would allow her into his club, but hope springs eternal, and all that. She’d just have to keep working on him until he caved, or fired her, whichever came first. Heading to the kitchen to start dinner, she shied away from delving into the reason behind the way her heart contracted from that last thought.
The next morning, Sydney rolled over in bed, the slight pressure on her tender backside tickling her with a frisson of pleasure. Shaking her head at the unaccustomed responses still making themselves known, she padded into the bathroom, cooled her heated cheeks with a splash of cold water and winced as she pulled her jeans up over her butt. “It’s going to be a long day,” she muttered, brushing out her hair before strolling into the kitchen to whip up breakfast.
She had just poured the eggs into a frying pan when Caden beat any of the others inside. “Almost ready,” she tossed over her shoulder, wishing her pulse rate wouldn’t kick up every time he looked at her with that intense, probing stare. “What?” Wariness colored her voice.
“I wanted to check on you before anyone else came in.” Striding across the tiled floor to stand in front of her at the stove, he lifted her chin with two fingers. “Are you okay this morning?”
“Are you inquiring about my fall from the horse or your punishment for that infraction?” she asked dryly.
“Both and be honest.”
The nearness of his tall, imposing body unnerved her, in a wholly good way. She turned back to the eggs, stirring them as she assured him, “I’m fine, boss. Thank you for asking.”
“Good,” he replied.
She felt his pause and then heard him sigh before he moved away as the door opened, and several others tromped inside. With a mental headshake, Sydney finished putting breakfast on the table, wishing she could figure out what made her rancher tick.
That evening, she stood at the kitchen sink again, rinsing dishes and fighting back frustration and a sweep of overwhelming despair. Caden had spent the entire day either keeping his distance or treating her with aloof politeness, the same as any boss would behave toward an employee, damn it. Every step she’d taken today, every time she’d sat down, the lingering soreness from his spanking had made itself known and her sheath still wept in response. Her agitated, needy state didn’t faze him however, since, after the hands left the house following dinner, he wouldn’t even discuss allowing her to visit the club tonight. Instead, she watched him walk out with Connor without a word after getting called to the barn on an emergency birth.
“Stubborn, frigging moron,” she muttered, snapping off the faucet.
“More like a fucking ass,” Connor injected from behind her, surprising her with his return. “You know, Sydney, I’m equal partners in the club.”
Whirling, she gaped at him before a slow smile stretched her cheeks. “You are?”
He nodded, returning her grin. “I am, and I say you’re welcome to attend as a guest tonight. I’ll let the other Doms know you’re there to observe first, and that you’re a newbie. You can take it as far as you’d like. But I suggest we leave before big brother gets wind of it. It won’t take him long to tend to that birthing.”
Tossing the towel on the counter, she threw her arms around Connor and hugged him tight. “I can be ready in a few minutes. Don’t leave without me.”
“Since I don’t want to spend a good portion of the night looking for you, I’ll give you five minutes. After that, offer’s off the table.”
She heard him chuckle as she dashed into her room. Changing into a skirt and low-cut, long-sleeved tee, she met him at his idling truck with time to spare. “Made it!” she exclaimed, tossing her hair back and slamming the door with a quick glance toward the barn.
“So, you did. Caden’s still tied up out there, but let’s hope he doesn’t take a strip off both our hides when he shows up at the club.”
The Barn, as they’d named the club, proved to be even more pulse-pounding exciting inside than it had been watching from the window. Sydney figured there were around thirty people gathered on the first floor when she and Connor entered, with several others already up in the loft, enjoying the BDSM equipment she’d only gotten a glimpse of last week. Connor handed her a one-night punch card for her two-drink limit then led her over to the bar and introduced her to the drop-dead gorgeous man eyeing her with piercing grey-green eyes filled with speculative interest, a toothpick dangling from the corner of his mouth.
“Grayson, this is our new cook and my guest tonight, Sydney Baker. Sweetie, Grayson is Willow Springs’ sheriff and the third owner of the club.”
“Nice to meet you, Sheriff.” Sydney held out her hand, surprised at the warm tingle his grip elicited. She put her reaction down to a normal response, given her long celibacy followed by her frustrating, unrequited lust for her boss this past week.
“The pleasure’s mine, Sydney. Have you taken a tour yet?”
“No, but I think I’ll stick to this level for now.” She glanced toward the dance floor, noting a few, bouncing bare breasts before scanning the rest of the spacious room. Her face warmed as she caught sight of a woman slipping to her knees, her hands and mouth reaching for the jutting cock of the man standing before her. “Then again,” she stated with a rueful grin, “down here may not be any tamer than the loft for a newbie like me.”
The midnight-haired sheriff winked and drawled, “Trust me, sugar, upstairs, any Dom here can take you much further.” He stood to his impressive height of six-four and clasped her hand. “Connor, if you don’t mind, I’d like to dance with your guest.”
“Feel free.” He looked from Grayson to her. “Sydney, the only thing you need to remember tonight is that red is the club’s safeword. Say it, and whatever is happening will stop immediately, including something innocent like dancing.”
From the little she’d seen, even dancing wasn’t so inno
cent, but Sydney nodded, too thrilled with the sheriff’s attention after a week of pining for a man who wanted nothing to do with her outside her job to wonder if she was in over her head. “Got it, thanks.”
Caden entered the club in a pissy mood. As if the memory of a world-class ass with soft, malleable buttocks that reddened to a beautiful hue under his hand wasn’t enough of a burden the past twenty-four hours, he’d also developed another bout of guilt to contend with. The thought of leaving Sydney alone for another long night kept biting at his ass during the difficult breech delivery of a calf. When he’d returned to the house intending to offer to stay home with her and found her gone, his first thought was she’d gotten herself lost again. A quick call to Connor had set his mind at ease over that possibility but hearing his brother mention her whereabouts took his mood from tepid to boiling in the blink of an eye, effectively erasing the guilt.
He spotted her bright, waist-length hair across the room, her slim body swaying too damn close to her partner, keeping perfect time with the upbeat country western song. Stomping over to the bar, he ignored the questioning looks from friends and glared at Connor across the bar top. “Explain.”
Grayson, whom he hadn’t noticed sitting on the stool next to him, slapped him on the back none too gently. “Lighten up. We’re keeping an eye on her. She’s having fun and is a damn good dancer for a city girl.”
Connor shrugged, just as unperturbed over Caden’s anger as Grayson. “I have every right to invite a guest and don’t need your permission.”
“Fuck.” Running a hand through his hair, he looked over at Sydney again and had to admit they were right. His gut tightened when she laughed up at Dan, a long-time friend and member, her green eyes alight with pleasure. The tight band of her skirt hugged her slim hips before flaring out around her thighs, her twirls revealing creamy, soft flesh he itched to touch again. Small breasts swayed braless under the cotton tee, and his eyes weren’t the only ones enjoying the rigid outline of pert nipples.