So unless you’re here to fuck me, get out.” Tanner knew she wasn’t going to see sense, not at the moment anyway.
“Language,” was all he said in reply.
Callie just rolled her eyes as she sat behind her desk which had paperwork strewn messily across it. Tanner moved across the messily across it. Tanner moved across the room and noticed she was clutching at her stomach.
He stilled and took a closer look at her.
She was extremely pale, her skin translucent.
Reaching out he placed his palm on her forehead, clasping the back of her head with his other hand as she tried to move away from his touch. She felt cold, clammy, and concern raced through him.
“You’re sick,” he accused her, allowing her to pull back.
“I’m not sick.” She glared up at him angrily.
Tanner raised a single eyebrow at her, his voice low and warning. “Oh no? You’re clutching at your stomach, you’re cold and clammy and so pale you’re almost a ghost.
You’re going to bed.” He reached down to pick her up, but she slapped his hands away, pick her up, but she slapped his hands away, attempting to wriggle off the seat.
“Damn it, Tanner, leave me alone. I’ve got too much work to do. I’ll go to bed when I want to go to bed not when you say I have to.”
“What work?” He frowned down at the papers strewn across the desk, taking notice of them. “What the hell is all this?” He grabbed the papers, moving them out of her reach as she tried to snatch them back frantically. He shuffled through them. “These are all overdue notices. Callie, why haven’t you paid these?” Stupid man, Callie thought to herself as she futilely attempted to wrest the papers from his hand. “Don’t you think I would pay them if I could?” she replied grumpily, unconsciously rubbing at the gnawing pain in her stomach.
His eyes stared down at her thoughtfully as he placed the overdue bills on the desk and rested his hands on her shoulders. Callie sighed; she was in for it now.
sighed; she was in for it now.
“Your surgery is full every day, Callie.
Your business should be thriving. So unless you have a secret gambling addiction or you’re spending it all…?” She shook her head no.
“Then why the hell do you have no money?” Callie glared up at him. “If I knew do you think I would be so worried? I don’t know where all the money’s gone and I don’t know what to do.” She ran her hands through her hair, sighing in frustration as tears welled in her eyes. “You know I’ve never been good at this sort of stuff. Ryan was right, I was mad to think I could run a business. It was doomed to fail from the start, just like everything else I do.”
Tanner narrowed his eyes, not liking the defeat in her voice. “As I seem to recall Ryan had plenty of problems running the ranch when he first started out, and most of those problems he first started out, and most of those problems were due to his lack of experience with accounts. Instead of telling you that you’re going to fail he could offer his help.” Callie snorted. “Like that’s ever going to happen. I’ve taken enough from him. I’m not going to ask him to give me more.” Tanner frowned, but seemed willing to give up the argument when she clutched at her stomach once more.
“Where do you keep all your accounts?” he asked her.
“Why?” Callie asked suspiciously.
“Because while you’re taking a bath I will see what I can do about your finances, okay? And if I can’t figure it out I know someone who can. Now get a move on.” Callie stood staring at him.
“Go squirt, before I change my mind and
“Go squirt, before I change my mind and just spank you instead.”
Callie threw up her hands in
supplication. “Fine. Knock yourself out.” With that she stomped off to have a bath.
Bossy, arrogant, overbearing man.
Tanner ignored her muttering as he set to work on sorting her accounts. Two hours later and he sat back with a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck tiredly before rising.
He found her lying on the couch; all rumpled and sexy as she glanced up at him through heavy, sleep ridden eyes. “You should be in bed,” he scolded lightly as he sat beside her on the couch.
“What? Sleep while you do all my paperwork, yeah, like I’m really going to do that.”
“No, I guess you wouldn’t.”
“No, I guess you wouldn’t.”
“Did you figure anything out?”
“Yep, your problem is that you’re letting too many people run up tabs, squirt. You have virtually no money coming in because no one is paying their bills,” he made certain his voice was firm, stern.
“Oh.”
“Yes, oh. So from now on, clients pay their bills upon leaving and tomorrow you will begin sending out bills to everyone who owes you money.”
“And where am I going to find the time to do that? I’m already working 14 hour days. I just-I just…” Tanner clasped her close against his chest, nestling her face against him as she began to cry.
“Shh, shh, honey, I know, you’re tired, I know.” He let her pull back and stare up into his face. “That’s why you’re going to hire an his face. “That’s why you’re going to hire an office manager.”
Callie snorted, sniffling softly. “Great idea, why didn’t I think of that? Umm, maybe because there is no money to hire anyone else.
There is no money, Tanner.”
“Watch the sarcasm.” He patted her butt softly. “Now, I have a solution. An interest-free loan. I have some money and…”
“Uh-uh, no way.” She shook her head. “I am not borrowing money from you, Tanner.
No.”
He sighed at her stubbornness. “Then from your brother, you own a quarter of that ranch, get the money from him.”
“No.” She shook her head again. “Ryan has given me too much already; I won’t be a burden to him ever again.”
Tanner frowned fiercely. “You are not a Tanner frowned fiercely. “You are not a burden, you are his little sister.”
“Yeah well, he thinks I’m a burden.”
“That’s not true.”
Callie snorted. “Of course it is. I have to be grateful for everything that he did for me, for keeping me. He could have easily put me in a foster home.”
Tanner’s hands surrounded her shoulders as he stared down at her incredulously. “That son of a bitch. Is that what he told you? That you should be grateful he didn’t put you in a foster home?”
“I’ll kill him.” He stood and paced angrily, his muscles tensed.
“No, Tanner, just leave it please. I’m tired and I don’t know what I’m saying. Please, please just leave it alone.”
Tears filled her eyes once more as he walked over and clasped her face in his. “Okay, baby, shhh, shhh.”
Drawing her within the shelter of his arms he rocked her softly, soothingly. “I won’t do anything. Not tonight. Let’s get you into bed. It will all seem better in the morning.” Callie shook her head, rubbing at her eyes tiredly. “I can’t. It just all goes round and round in my head and I can’t sleep. I don’t know what to do.” She blinked fiercely, trying to keep more tears at bay, he knew.
Sensuously, he pushed her hair from her face, rubbing his thumbs under her eyes to gather up the escaping tears. “I think I have just the cure,” he murmured. He couldn’t resist her, not any longer.
CHAPTER TWO
Callie shook her head impatiently. “I don’t want a spanking, Tanner. Just leave me alone.” She slid her backside further into the sofa as a precaution. Tanner shook his head, smiling slightly.
“No honey, not a spanking, and no, I will not leave you alone. Come here.” He gave her no option as he clasped her in his arms and pulled her up off the sofa before depositing her in the large armchair opposite.
“Tanner?” she asked in shock as he stripped her quickly of her pyjama bottoms.
Leaning up he kissed her quickly, thoroughly, so thoroughly it stole every thought, every question from
her mind.
Then he was tugging at her panties.
Callie slapped her hands down over his.
“What are you doing?” she squealed,
“What are you doing?” she squealed, even as her body screamed at her to let it happen, let him touch her, love her.
“Shh, don’t overthink it, just let it happen. You know I would never hurt you right? I’d never cause you pain, Callie.” She stared at him incredulously. “And just what do you call spanking me?”
“Looking after you. I just want to look after you, Callie-mine.” He kissed her face.
“Let me.”
She threw caution to the wind, nodding.
He kissed his way down her neck and she shivered, delighting in the way each rasp of his lips against her skin made her clit tingle.
Tanner grabbed hold of her legs beneath each knee and moved them up and out, positioning her with one leg over each of the arms of the chair. She was split wide open, exposed.
“Tanner,” she protested, but he ignored
“Tanner,” she protested, but he ignored her and shifted his mouth to the inside of one thigh. Shivers of pleasure raced up her leg to pool in her womb. Moisture coated her folds and she unconsciously writhed, seeking more, more pleasure, more touch, more Tanner.
Her confusion and protests turned to pleading. “Tanner, please,” she moaned as her head thrashed back and forth, her eyes closing as she focused on the pleasure.
“Please what?”
“I need, ohh, I need you so much.
Pleeeasssee.”
He must have heard how close she was to the end of her endurance, because he was suddenly there, his mouth on her pussy, his clever tongue taking her higher and higher until she shattered into a million pieces.
Floating back down slowly, she was Floating back down slowly, she was barely aware of him lifting her, carrying her into her bedroom to settle her into bed. The last thing to filter through her brain was how nice it was to feel loved, to feel safe, and to be able to let someone else take control.
***
Callie stormed around her clinic aware she was being an utter and total grouch to everyone around her but unable to help it. She was confused by her feelings. She’d wanted Tanner last night, had thoroughly enjoyed what she’d experienced. But it wasn’t enough. Why hadn’t he made love to her?
And she didn’t know how to reconcile his spanking her with how she felt about him.
Why was she so attracted to someone who spanked her, disciplined her, tried to boss her around?
Typical man, he thought he knew what was best for everyone around him. She was a was best for everyone around him. She was a grown woman for God’s sake, she didn’t need to be spanked. Her cheeks grew warm as she remembered the orgasm he’d wrenched from her. Lord, she hadn’t felt something like that in, well, forever. It had blown her mind. She would have allowed him anything. He could have taken her in that moment and she wouldn’t have stopped him.
She couldn’t deny it. She’d wanted him.
She’d melted under his touch. She sighed, irritated with herself and with him. He’d done something to her last night, now she couldn’t stop thinking about him touching her, licking her, pushing his cock inside her. She shivered.
Why was she so obsessed with him?
She’d had sex before. Not much, admittedly. But she’d been with a couple of men. But none had affected her like Tanner.
She could not get him out of her head.
This wasn’t simply attraction. A thought occurred to her. Dear Lord, could it be possible? Could she love him? She paused, staring off into this distance. Could this be love? This overriding need to be with him, touch him, spend time with him?
And if it was love, how did he feel about her? She knew he was attracted to her. He wouldn’t touch her like he had last night if he didn’t, right?
God, her head hurt just thinking about it all.
Callie sighed as she examined the oversized black and white rabbit on her table.
“Callie! Callie, you okay?” Callie looked over into Emma’s concerned face and smiled; aware it was a weak imitation of a real smile.
“I’m fine, sorry. Did you want
something?”
something?”
Emma gave her a concerned look.
“You’ve just been standing there for the last five minutes thinking.” She looked down at the large, fluffy rabbit that was lying contentedly on the exam table.
“Is something really wrong with Thumper?” she asked in concern. This was the reason Callie had hired Emma, Callie knew she was a bit flighty and she often slacked on things like the cleaning up when she had other places to be. But she really loved animals and she never overlooked or rushed things when it came to dealing with one.
“What? Oh no, nothing a strict diet won’t fix. You can take him out to Oscar now and tell him I said no more chocolate or sweets, he’s not a child.” Thumper’s elderly owner doted on the rabbit like he was a grandchild, unfortunately that had resulted in the poor bunny exploding in weight.
“Okay.” Emma lifted the large rabbit into her arms and Callie sighed, thankful when Emma took her at her word. Had it been Tanner he would have poked and prodded and probably spanked her until she told him what was going on. Callie frowned at the thought, that man took entirely too many liberties with her body. No more, she vowed to herself, from now on she was going to treat him strictly as a customer, an acquaintance. That man was getting nowhere near her butt or any other part of her anatomy again.
“Uhh, Callie?” Emma called out.
“Yes?” Callie answered on a sigh, already feeling exhausted and it wasn’t even noon.
Maybe Ryan was right, maybe she couldn’t handle this. Lord knew she felt far older than twenty-six.
“The Sheriff’s here to see you.”
“The Sheriff’s here to see you.”
“So give him Montana, Emma. He
doesn’t need to see me for that. Oh, and make sure he pays before leaving, will you?” Callie grinned wickedly. He wanted everyone to pay, did he? Well, he could be the first to feel the pinch of the new rule because she hadn’t enforced it with anyone else. Most people round these parts were hard up and Callie just didn’t have the heart to charge them.
“I’ve already paid up, and I do need to see you. I didn’t come for the dog, I’ve come for you.”
She should have bristled at that very dominant tone to his voice; instead a small shiver of pleasure crossed her skin.
“What the hell do you want? I’m busy,” she snapped at him, angry at the sensations he caused to race through her body.
His raised his eyebrow at her tone—it was enough to have her reigning back on her irritation before she said something he would really take exception to.
“Leave us please, Emma,” he ordered as she glared over at him. But she didn’t object, as much as she wanted to keep Emma around as a witness. Part of her wasn’t certain that he wouldn’t punish her in front of someone else.
Crossing her arms, she tapped her foot impatiently while he merely stared down at her calmly.
“Well? What is it?” Callie finally snapped, breaking the silence.
“Do you need a bit of an attitude adjustment before we go to the doctors?
Because it’s going to be mighty embarrassing for you if the Doc wants to examine you and you’ve got a blushing backside. So you might want to get that temper of yours under control want to get that temper of yours under control before my patience wears thin.” His hands were on his hips as he stared at her sternly. “I don’t know why you’re in such a grump, but is it fair to take it out on everyone around you?” Callie gaped at him for a moment before snorting inelegantly. “What patience? And what doctor’s appointment? I don’t have a doctor’s appointment.”
“Yes, you do,” he replied calmly. “I made one for you in twenty minutes.” He made a point of staring down at his wristwatch. “That should give you just enough time to
clean up before we go.”
Callie narrowed her eyes at him, her temper flaring at his high handedness. “I did not make a doctor’s appointment therefore I am not going to the doctor’s. I have another appointment in ten minutes. I don’t have the time or the need to go to the doctors.”
“I rang Emma this morning and told her to change your next three appointments.” Her jaw dropped. “You did what?
Emma!” she yelled.
Tanner grabbed her arm. “Don’t blame Emma. I made her swear she wouldn’t tell you.”
“Oh, don’t worry, I know exactly who to blame.” She glared at him until Emma walked through the door, a look of trepidation on her face. Callie felt bad at that, she didn’t want Emma afraid of her.
“Yes, Callie?” she asked.
“In future, you do not take orders from the Sheriff. He does not pay your wages, okay?” Callie made sure that she kept her voice calm.
Emma bit her lower lip. “Sorry, boss.” Emma bit her lower lip. “Sorry, boss.”
“It’s okay. I know how intimidating Sheriff Jamieson can be.”
Emma nodded and left.
“Satisfied now?” Tanner asked in his deep voice. “Now, can you clean up so we can get going?”
She turned away. “I’m not going to the doctor’s, Tanner.”
His hand rested heavily on her shoulder and she felt his touch throughout her body. Her pussy clenched, felt herself grow wet as the scent of him surrounded her. He was like a drug and she really didn’t want to become addicted.
Abstinence, that’s what was needed. She had to stay away from him.
Yeah, right.
That was like asking her to never take care of another animal. Tanner was as essential to her as breathing.
“Callie, I don’t want to fight over this.
You’re pale, exhausted and underweight, and I bet your stomach is hurting right at this moment, isn’t it? You will go to this doctor’s appointment. Now, the question is, do you walk out of here calmly, with your dignity in tact or do I carry you there kicking and screaming?”
Callie knew he meant every word of his ridiculous threat and her eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she tried to figure a way out of it. She already knew what was wrong with her, had known for quite a while. But if Tanner found out, well, he’d blister her butt but good.
Laying Down the Law Page 3