“It was totally innocent, just old friends getting together.”
“Oh, so it was a get-together, was it? I thought you just happened to bump into one another.” She crossed her arms, looking dangerous even at her small size.
“I had nothing to do with it. I promise. Jess just… she’s like a sister to me. We used to date, and she knows I haven’t had much luck lately and was trying to hook me up with a friend, she meant well.”
“So, you knew she was setting up a get together with my boyfriend, and you said nothing? And you hang out with some,” she threw her hand up, frustrated, “hussy, and you lied.”
“I had no idea it was happening. And last time I check, I am the single one in this situation, and free to hang out with whomever I choose.”
“It’s whoever. And. You. Are. A. Liar.” She punctuated each word with a sharp jab in his chest, her tiny finger bringing him pain.
Wes snatched her hand up by her wrist, her finger still pointed. He leaned down, bringing his face closer to her. “Listen here, young lady.” Her face flushed at his words, and she diverted her eyes from his. “Get your temper under control. You have no right to be mad at me, and you will not call me a liar.” He held fast to her hand, lowered it to her side, then released it.
Crossing her arms over her chest, she glared at Wes. “Liar, liar, pants on fire.” She cocked her head at him.
“That’s the second time you didn’t listen to me. Let’s see whose pants are on fire, mine or yours.” Wes grabbed her left upper arm and brought her hard against his body. Hooking the three-legged stool with the toe of his boot, he dragged it over to where he stood and propped his right foot on it. Wes then bent Carrie over his thigh. Wrapping his left arm around her back, he kept her out of his way as he started to administer fast, hard, slaps to the sit spots on her bottom.
She was holding on to his other leg, trying to maintain her balance. “Wes, you stop this right now.”
“But you wanted me to spank you. Didn’t you?” He started to spank harder, continuing to alternate cheeks with his steady smacks. “You looked right at me and called me a liar after I told you not to. You were asking me to spank you.”
“Okay, okay! Maybe I was.” The spanks got harder. “Ouch, I probably was.” The spanks got faster. “I was. Okay? I just wanted to see what you would do. I’m sorry.”
“You were testing me, and you need to know when you test me, I deliver.” A few more well-placed spanks were laid, then Wes stood Carrie back up and released her.
Jumping from foot to foot, Carrie rubbed her bottom. “I’m sorry Wes. I don’t have the right to be mad at you.” She broke down in tears.
Wes quickly scooped her up in his arms, her face soaking his shirt with her tears.
“Why would Jess text him, I just don’t get it. I would never do that.” Carrie sniffled and wiped her tears, looking up at Wes.
“It’s just, Jess. I don’t know what to say.” Carrie snuggled back into his chest, and he rubbed her back. “All I know is if you were my girl, I would never leave your side,” he whispered into her hair.
“I know.” Her voice was barely audible. Carrie stretched up onto her tiptoes. She leaned in, her intentions to kiss him becoming apparent. Wes placed his finger on her lips. “Carrie girl,” he whispered, “I can’t. You are with Garrett.”
Carrie, looking ashamed lowered herself, releasing her hold on him.
“And I have already taken things too far. I shouldn’t be spanking you. You need it. I want to, but I shouldn’t be doing this.” He wanted so much more than just to discipline her. He wanted her mind, body, and soul. He wanted her to be his.
She looked up, eyes damp. “I shouldn’t have tried to kiss you, it was wrong of me.”
Wes tucked a loose curl behind her ear. “I have to tell Garrett.”
She looked up, shocked. “That I tried to kiss you?”
“No. I have to tell him that I spanked you—twice.”
“Why do you have to tell him?”
Wes ran a hand through his short hair, still unused to the length. “Because I have been a crappy brother and I need to fess up.” He scuffed the dirt with his boot before speaking quietly, “Then you have to leave.” He locked eyes with her.
Realization clouded over Carrie’s face. “We can’t see each other again, can we?”
“No.”
Carrie looked down at her hands, fiddling with her fingers. “I am so sorry I put you in this position with your brother. I would never want to come between the two of you.”
He wanted to say, ‘pick me,’ he wanted to say, ‘I am what you need,’ but his moral code told him that what he had already done was unforgivable and he couldn’t live with himself if he went further out of his way to steal his brother’s girl. So instead, he said, “Goodbye, Carrie.”
Placing a chaste kiss on her forehead, Wes turned to leave the barn. He strode away, calling over his shoulder, “Stay away from the house for an hour or so.” Mumbling under his breath, he said, “This could get ugly.”
Wes approached the house, taking a deep breath before opening the screen door. He shut it quietly and went off to find Garrett. Walking down the hallway, he saw that his brother’s bedroom door was partly open. Pushing it the rest of the way, Wes called, “Gare?”
Garrett looked up from where he sat on the bed, phone in hand. A curious smiled was on his face as he quickly typed. Hearing Wes, he looked up and smiled, throwing his phone to the side.
“Hey, Wes. That was some night.”
Wes looked down at the phone on the bed. “Who ya texting?”
A guilty look momentarily flashed across Garrett’s face. “Jess. She just wanted to meet up for coffee before we left town.”
Crossing his arms and leaning against the doorway, Wes asked, “With, or without Carrie?”
“With, of course.” Garrett narrowed his eyes at his brother. “Hey man, I don’t like what you are implying.” Garrett stood up.
“What am I implying?”
“That something is up with Jess and me.”
“Well, you are texting her. Jessica and I don’t even text.”
“We are friends.”
“Yeah, looked that way last night.”
“Nothing happened, you were there. We just played darts. Not all of us can be a total monk and ignore every woman that crosses our path.”
Wes inwardly cringed. No, he was capable of ignoring almost every woman that crossed his path. All women but one. It was time to come clean.
“Garrett, I have to tell you something. Sit down.”
Garrett looked at Wes suspiciously. “No, I think I’ll stand up.” He crossed his arms, standing straight and tall and meeting Wes’ eye with a look of steel.
“I spanked Carrie. Twice.”
“You what? Is this some joke?”
Wes looked down. “No,” he murmured. “I’m sorry but we were alone together so much, and she kept testing me. It just happened.”
“Just happened? Things don’t ‘just happen,’ twice.” Garrett threw his hands in the air. “And spanking, Jesus, Wes. You had no right to touch her.” Garrett took a step towards Wes. “I trusted you.”
“I know, and I’m sorry. It was unforgivable.” Wes looked at Garrett.
Running his hands through his hair, Garrett began to pace the room. “Dude, not cool. You don’t put your hands on your brother’s girlfriend like that.” He was becoming more agitated by the second.
Wes knew what was coming, but when the impact landed on his jaw, the pain shocked him all the same.
Garrett shoved Wes, hard, in the chest. Then he reached up and grabbed the collar of Wes’ shirt with both hands, ready to slam Wes into the wall. Wes quickly turned his body to avoid the blow of his back to the wall and the two men tumbled to the ground. Wes would not hit his brother back, but he would wrestle him. Soon the two were crashing around on the ground, each trying to pin the other. The two had spent many hours of their childhood wrestling one anot
her, and they were quite evenly matched. Wes was bigger and stronger, but Garrett was quicker. As they crashed down the hall, the fight quickly becomes a game. Despite himself, Garrett began to laugh.
Wes joined him. Smiling reminded him of his sore cheek. He finally let Garrett get the best of him, and Garrett pressed Wes’ shoulders firmly to the ground.
“Pinned ya,” Garrett said, the quote familiar from their childhood days. Garrett glanced over Wes’ face. “Man, you are going to have a bruise. Sorry about that.”
“No worries and no need to apologize to me. I’m the one who’s sorry.”
Garrett playfully punched Wes in the chest, getting up from the floor. He extended his hand to Wes, and Wes was grateful for the gesture. Garrett pulled Wes to his feet.
“Just don’t let it happen again.”
Before Wes could think, the words were out of his mouth. “You don’t even love her, man.”
Garrett’s face fell. He looked down at the ground. He was silent for a minute, then raised his eyes to Wes. “I do, I just sometimes I wonder if we are too different.” Garretts face turned white as he looked over Wes’ shoulder. Wes turned, following his brother’s gaze.
There in the doorway stood Carrie. The look on her face told them that she had heard every word. She turned to flee, the screen door slamming behind her.
“Damn it.” Garrett pushed past Wes, running to catch up with Carrie.
Chapter 4
Jess opened the door, placing a hand on her jutted hip, saying, “Well hey, cowboy,” in classic Jessica fashion. Concern crossed her face when she saw the bag in his hands. “What’s up?”
“Do you mind? I had to clear out of the ranch for a few hours. And I needed somewhere to take a shower.” He raised the bag by way of explanation.
Jess stepped back from the doorway, opening the door fully and gesturing behind her. “Come on in.” She dropped her sexy mode and went straight into bossy big sister; the Jess that Wes loved best. He followed her through her little cottage. “Here’s the guest bath. like you didn’t already know where it was.” She gestured to the cabinet to her right. “Towels in there. We will talk when you get out. Take your time.” She closed the door.
Wes took a deep breath, grateful for the privacy. He ran the water as hot as he could stand, then stripped down and stepped into the shower. The water cascaded over him, and he stood in the cleansing stream, letting the heat wash away the tension in his shoulders. He held a hand up to his stiff jaw and stretched it out. When he had drained the last drop of hot water from Jessica’s water heater, he got out and toweled dry.
Dressed in jeans and a white tee shirt, Wes sat down beside Jessica on her couch, nodding thanks for the steaming cup of black coffee that sat in front of him.
“Tell me everything.” Jess leaned in, genuine concern covering her face.
Wes took a sip of the coffee. “I spanked her again,” he confessed.
Jess threw her hands in the air. “Of course, you did.” She looked closer at his face. “And judging by the purple that is starting to show up on your face, you told Garrett.”
Wes looked down at the table. “Yes.”
“Let me get you some ice for that.” She stood and went into the kitchen. Jessica came back with a kitchen towel full of ice.
“Thanks.” Wes brought the pack to his face and held it there.
“Garrett never could control his temper.”
“It’s okay. I had it coming.”
“Yes, you did.” Jessica sat back, drinking her coffee.
“Why did you text him, Jess? Gare-bear of all things? Carrie saw that you know.”
“What? It was totally innocent.”
Wes locked eyes with her.
“Okay, okay,” she said, putting her coffee down. “I guess you aren’t the only one with inappropriate feelings.”
Wes smiled. “Some friends we are,” he said, sadly.
Jess raised her mug, “To unrequited love.”
He clinked cups with her. “To unrequited love.”
That sat in silence for a moment. Then Jess sat up straight, excitement flashed across her face. “Hey, let's go to the club tonight.”
“Jess, I don’t think…”
“No,” she persisted. “I am not taking ‘no’ for an answer. It is Saturday night; it’s the Annual Masquerade Ball. You are single; I am single. We are going. I’m calling my brother to see if he can handle the ranch chores for you.” She hopped off towards her phone. “Besides, I know Sasha is going to be there.” Jess looked over her shoulder at Wes. “And she likes you.”
Wes could tell there was no way out. What did he have to lose, anyway? It was time to move on. Tonight, Jessica would finally get her way, he was going to the club.
The music thumped, loudly, and the lights flicked on and off. Wes strolled in the club like he belonged there, following Jessica’s lead. She was dressed head to toe in black leather, her hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, and a sparkling peacock feather mask covered her face. Wes was in the same tee and jeans he had brought to her house and had refused to wear a mask, though it would have covered most of the bruise on his face.
Wes looked around, taking in the outlandish outfits. Some people wore street clothes; others were dressed up in leather get-ups like Jessica with gaudy pieces covering their eyes. Wes tried not to laugh out loud. He was a cowboy and wore less cowhide than these people.
Jessica led him up to the bar, greeted by a bartender wearing no shirt and leather chaps. His bare chest and bald head were covered in tattoos and his skin looked to be oiled down. “What can I get you, Mistress Jessica?”
Wes snorted, it was too much. “Mistress?”
Jessica shot him a dirty look. “Bourbon and Coke, Barney. And Wes will have a whiskey, neat.”
“Coming right up.”
Wes saw a masked Sasha making her way towards them. She looked amazing if you were into the look; she wore a tight and very short curve hugging black dress that showed off every inch of her womanly shape. Wes knew when a woman looked sexy, but he couldn't stop the tug at his heart when he thought of Carrie that first day with her innocent curls and flowy skirt.
“Well, hey.” Behind the mask, Sasha’s eyes had a sparkle that Wes often saw with the ladies in town. Desire for a roll in the hay with a handsome man. He was not the right man, but he had to move on.
“Hey, yourself.” Wes took a sip of whiskey, the burning in his throat quenching the ache in his heart.
“What happened to you?” Her fingertips lightly traced the outline of the fist shaped bruise.
“Nothing much.” Wes downed the rest of his drink and put the glass on the bar.
“Wanna play?” She looked at him seductively, her eyes smoldering.
“What would you like to play? Chess, Checkers?” Wes turned to the bartender. “Hey, Barney, another whiskey.”
Sasha giggled. “No, let’s play in a room. We can do a scene.”
Barney slid another drink over to Wes. Like the last one, he tipped the glass and drained the liquid into his mouth in one shot. He slammed the empty glass onto the bar.
“You want to play? Let’s play.” He grabbed Sasha’s hand and followed her as she led him away.
They entered a room that was painted red, and one of the few with a door. Sasha shut the door. “No one will come in. When a door is closed, it means privacy.” She walked towards him like a lioness on the prowl.
“I’ve been a naughty, naughty girl.” She stood in front of him.
The whiskey hit him all at once. His stomach felt sick, but he wanted to forget about Carrie. He grabbed Sasha in his arms, pulling her hair and grabbing the back of her neck. He whispered down in her ear, “Then you need to be punished.”
A moan escaped her lips, and she melted into him. He felt empty inside. He leaned down to kiss her, hungry to fill the void, if only for a minute.
Sasha kissed him back, grabbing him, putting her hands all over him. He could only think ‘what would i
t feel like to kiss Carrie.’ Abruptly, he stopped kissing her. He held her at arm's length.
“I can’t.”
Confusion crossed her face. “Yes, you can. I’m okay with a one-night fling.” She moved towards him. “Come on; I need this and you need this.”
“I can’t use you like this. I’m sorry.”
Confusion turned to anger. “You aren’t using me. I am a grown woman. I make my choices.”
“Fine. But I’m not okay with a one-night fling.”
“Oh.” She looked hopeful. “Then let’s not make it a one night fling,” she said huskily.
“Sasha, you are a sweet girl. But I’m not looking to play.”
Sasha stopped her purring, her beautiful face turning stormy. “It’s your brother’s girlfriend, isn’t it? You’re in love with her,” she spat the words at him.
“It’s none of your business.” He turned cold.
Sasha gave him one last glare, then stormed out of the room.
Wes headed to the bar and took an empty seat. He would love nothing more than to leave, but after two whiskeys he would wait an hour before driving.
A nod got Barney’s attention. “Whad’ya like?”
“Milk. A cold milk, please. And a pen.”
Barney smiled and reached below the bar to the mini fridge.
“You got it.”
Wes looked over to his right. Jessica sat at the bar talking to a handsome man. She flashed her ultra-bright grin. Sasha sat next to Jessica, scowling. She shot Wes an angry look.
“Barney.”
“Yeah, man.”
“Can you ask the brunette in the black dress what she's drinking?”
“Sure.” Barney walked over to where Sasha sat. She looked at him suspiciously. Barney walked back to the bar and started mixing the red liquid with cherries and several liquors.
Wes quickly scribbled on a cocktail napkin, “Sorry about tonight. I hope you find your playmate, soon.” He folded the note and passed it to Barney to deliver with the drink.
“Thanks.” He watched as Sasha accepted the gift. She read the note, smiled a bit and grudgingly raised her glass to Wes.
Daddy Mine (Sweet Texas Love Book 1) Page 6