Ranch Rivalry

by Gray Gardner

  “She told me she’d never been with anyone,” he quietly said, suppressing a grin. He hoped that would bring a smile to her bow shaped lips.

  A grin broke across her lips as she counted the endless list of guys who’d had Virginia Welch, then she looked gratefully up at Hall for making her feel better. Her breath hitched as he stepped closer to her and his eyes lowered to her mouth. Oh God, don’t say anything stupid, don’t say anything at all!

  “Sorry your girlfriend turned out to be a vicious, lying, pyromaniac whore,” she shrugged.

  His large hands squeezed hers and she looked back up at him. “She’s not my girlfriend, Case,” he whispered, leaning his head down and pressing his lips against hers. All he wanted was for her to look at him with those adoring, green eyes. And when she did, he knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to taste her. He wanted to make her moan in pleasure like he’d done in the warehouse.

  She expected everything to be rough and dry from the day’s work, but his mouth was surprisingly soft and moist. He smelled like soap and shaving cream and sweat… and Coors. It was so hot. She opened her mouth and he fervently answered with his tongue, squeezing her wrists to pull her even closer.

  “Ow,” she squeaked, pulling back and clenching her teeth as she looked down at his thumbs holding her wrists.

  “What,” he began, hoping he hadn’t overstepped any boundaries. He followed her eyes down to her wrists and found the source of her discomfort. A couple of two inch splinters stuck out of her left wrist, probably from her clumsy spill from the gate platform.

  “Oh my God, they’re huge,” she mumbled, holding her wrist up to her face and wincing.

  “Let’s take them out,” Hall offered, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a red Swiss Army knife. He drew out the tweezers and reached for her hand but she kept jerking it away.

  “No!” she protested, holding her arm into her chest and turning her body from him as she sat on the table top. “They’ll eventually work their way out.”

  “Not before your arm gets infected,” he replied, holding his hand out and waiting for her to place her wrist into it. She had been rolling around in cow shit, after all.

  She scowled and shook her head.

  “No, don’t touch it.”

  “What… is this your first splinter or something?” he asked, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

  “No! I just don’t like pain and you seem all too eager to dole it out!”

  “Can’t argue with that,” he mumbled, reaching around her body for her arm.

  She slapped his hand away and picked her knees up to the table, the faded navy t-shirt now twisted all around her torso and sliding down her legs. She yelped as he suddenly wrapped his arm around her waist and hoisted her off the table, bouncing against his hip in her curled up little ball as he walked towards his library.

  “Okay, Case, you want to do this the hard way? We’ll do it the hard way,” he announced firmly, walking through the short wood paneled hallway and into the room where they’d hung out her first night in his house. He wasn’t really going to do anything to her, but getting mad at her seemed to be the equivalent of a cold shower… and he suddenly needed one. Her small and soft body against his mixed with the blush in her cheeks made him hard as a rock. He was finding he truly wanted her. All of her.

  “No, no! Easy! I want the easy way!” she objected, right as he dropped her onto the soft, brown leather couch. God, when he wanted his way he would stop at nothing. She panted as she caught her breath and looked up at him through her loose wisps of hair hanging over her face. Why couldn’t she catch her breath? Why was this so exciting?

  And it was. Exciting. His warm touch, his arms around her, the look of intensity in his eyes. She wanted more. He slipped on a white t-shirt hanging on the back of a chair and sighed.

  “Then hold still,” he ordered in a low, menacing voice, abruptly taking her elbow and pulling upwards just as the phone rang.

  Chapter Seven

  Case grit her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut so tightly it hurt. She banged her fists against the wall as she was pressed against it, the splinter nudging deeper and deeper into her skin. She desperately wished that time would reverse and it was Hall’s hands and attentions on her and her wound.

  The call. The loud, persistent ringing was a call from none other than Agent Longfellow, the man heading up the group of agents now residing in Case’s house. Hall grunted and mumbled a few things to the agent, never once taking his eyes off his cute little house guest. When he hung up, he disclosed the lack of progress the federal agents were making, and not-so-regretfully informed her that she wouldn’t be going home for a while.

  Outraged, Case was about to go off on a rant about her home ownership when the doorbell rang across the empty hallways of the house. That was an even less welcome call.

  The chubby hands of Sheriff Franks had grabbed her when he had entered the house abruptly. He’d scolded her, pulled her out of Hall’s arms, grabbed a weapon of opportunity, which happened to be a rolled up Guns and Ammo from the coffee table, and began spanking her. It didn’t hurt very much but it was absolutely humiliating. She wanted to cry she was so mortified but she didn’t want to give the sheriff the satisfaction and she didn’t want Hall to see her as weak.

  “And if I ever, ever, ever see or hear of you in that motel again I’m going to take you to the Town Square and whip your little bottom. Do you understand me, Casey?”

  The magazine slapped over the long t-shirt one more time and she nodded quickly. Was Hall just standing there watching her spanking? Had he given them privacy?

  “Case McCann, I need to hear you say that you will take care of yourself, and not do anything so stupid again, you hear?”

  “Yes sir,” she squeaked, turning her head and looking up at the sheriff over her shoulder. His face softened and he released her shirt. She turned and blushed again as she found Hall standing in the same spot, arms folded as he stared. She gave Franks a silent pleading look.

  “Go on,” he nodded, sighing as she turned and ran out of the room, cheeks pink and only one rub to her t-shirt covered backside. He turned to look at the young owner of the property. “She isn’t wearing much. Did I interrupt something?”

  Hall had to mentally knock himself back into reality. He’d meant to leave when Sheriff Franks had burst into his home unannounced and out for Case’s blood. But he couldn’t. Her sweet little blush as she realized what Franks was going to do. Her little body so tense as she took her spanking like a good girl. His cock seemed like it wanted to burst out of his pants. He realized that he wanted to be the only one smacking her ass.

  “Halston?”

  “Sir?” Hall asked, clearing his throat and looking over at Franks who was grinning slyly. “Um, can I offer you something to drink? Eat?”

  Franks shook his head as he set his hat back on it and turned for the front hallway. “You just keep an eye on her and keep her safe. She needs you. You better show up for her.”

  “I intend to,” Hall replied, watching Franks laugh and shake his head as he walked out of the large front door. Hall didn’t have time to worry about him or town gossip. He had to get upstairs and see to Case.

  “Don’t you knock?” she shouted as he entered her room, burying her face in her pillow. What did he want, to gloat? To see her crying? Well, he’d succeeded then.

  “Are you alright?” he calmly asked, sitting on the edge of her bed and laying a large, warm hand on her back. She tensed but didn’t move.

  “I’m fine. It didn’t hurt.”

  “Good,” Hall smiled, knowing that she was just embarrassed. He’d been spanked enough as a kid to know that someone watching made it a lot worse. “Now let’s get that splinter out.”

  She turned her head quickly so that she could argue that she had had enough for one day, but he already had his hand wrapped around her arm and the tweezers digging into her skin.

  “Ow, ow, ow!” she screamed, jerking her whole body
backwards. “Get your fucking hands off of me!”

  “You can thank me or go across my lap for another spanking,” Hall smiled, holding the long splinters in his hand and looking at her shocked face.

  But that wasn’t what caught his eye. Her cheeks were flushed, t-shirt in disarray, little white panties on full display… and a large wet spot right between her legs. Unaware of her state she leaned over and smacked his shoulder.

  “Thanks, asshole. Now get out,” she huffed, hair falling in her face.

  “I will,” he replied, not moving. “Maybe we should call your brothers tonight so they know you’re okay.”

  “Fine,” she sighed, brushing her hair behind her ears and not quite meeting his eyes. She felt… tingly. Antsy. Why wasn’t he moving? Why did she really want him to stay? Maybe to hug her? Hold her? It was a need, not a desire.

  “Anyone else you need to call? Friend from school? Boyfriend?” he asked, watching her closely. She rolled her eyes. Good. That was good.

  “He said we should break up because we’re going to college,” she offered, shrugging up a shoulder. “I guess love meant something different to him than it did to me.”

  Hall swallowed as he felt an insane amount of jealousy. “You were in love?”

  “Sure,” she half-smiled, looking out of the window. “We said it all year to each other.”

  “Saying it and feeling it are very different things, Case.”

  Her eyes turned to his with a little fire in them. Yes. She was back. “What do you know about it?” Then the same look of jealousy that he was certain showed on his face crossed hers. “You don’t think you love Virginia Welch, do you?”

  “No,” he replied with a chuckle. He didn’t feel half of the things with her as he felt when Case was near. “No, Case. I know what love is from girlfriends of the past. But that’s just what they are. In the past.”

  She swallowed and absently licked her dry lips, which sent his cock a little jolt. Jesus, if he didn’t get control he would do something to compromise her innocence. And he was fairly certain she was completely innocent.

  Case couldn’t imagine why the thought of Hall saying that he loved another woman sent her blood boiling. But it did. She watched his eyes as they raked over her, pupils dilated, looking almost… hungry. Before she could stop herself, she asked a normal eighteen-year-old girl question. “So you’ve… I mean, have you had… sex before?”

  Don’t grin, don’t laugh at her adorable question, don’t move a muscle in your fucking face. Hall had to remind himself of all of that so that he wouldn’t offend his cute little crush. And that was what she was, he admitted to himself. A McCann. A hated damned McCann, but hell if she wasn’t the most precious girl he’d ever met.

  Clearing his throat and shifting around so that one leg was relaxed on the bed and one foot was on the floor, he nodded as solemnly as he could. “I was in love with my girlfriends and we had sex. Yes, Case,” he evenly said, watching her cheeks flush.

  Case felt her face heat a little and quickly looked down at her hands folded in her lap as she sat cross-legged on the bed. Nodding, she tried to sound as grown-up as she felt.

  “Royce and I had sex, too.”

  Hall didn’t feel himself leap off the bed, but when he found her looking up at him curiously, he realized that he had his hands digging into his hips.

  “Like, how Case?” he asked, hating that he sounded like a father. But she was young and way too innocent acting for it to have been her idea… if it really happened at all.

  “I’m a month away from nineteen, Hall, it’s not unheard of,” she smirked, folding her arms and leaning back against the headboard.

  She was right but it still didn’t ease his mind… even though he and his girlfriend had been only seventeen his first time.

  “And what do you mean how?” she huffed, frowning at him. “Need a lesson?”

  Hall dragged his hand over his whiskers and paced around the bed. What should he do? She was young, but not that young. She was a McCann, but not like the rest of them. He paused and looked down at her, staring up at him with wide eyes and a slight grin. He couldn’t stand it anymore, and damn the consequences, or whatever they say.

  He took two steps to the bed, leaned down, and put a hand on her cheek so gently Case could only close her eyes and breathe deeply, not jump or become scared. They both waited. Not to savor the moment, but to savor the feel of one another. Hall’s hand was rough and warm against her soft, light pink, round cheek. His fingertips sent goose bumps down her neck and over her entire body. She clenched her thighs together. All because of one touch from Hall.

  “Sweetheart, look at me,” he gently commanded, voice throaty from his arousal. Her eyes instantly opened and looked up at him, which made him grin. He had a lot of experience with women, and when they followed his direction so readily, he found the relationship exponentially better. For both parties involved. “I’m not asking. I’m telling you that right now I’m going to taste you. I have to taste you, then you can refuse me.”

  Her confusion at the term “taste” over what she thought would be more along the lines of “kiss” didn’t last long. He leaned forward with his hand at the back of her neck and around her waist and kissed her. His tongue licked into her mouth and consumed her. His low moan matched her high sigh in perfect harmony. The electricity of the kiss crackled around them as Case ran her hands along his broad, strong shoulders, and finally gripped his shirt to try to pull him even closer than he already was.

  Then he leaned back, breathing heavily, his cock pushing painfully at his pants.

  Case slowly opened her eyes, her head still tilted from the kiss, and looked at him silently. There was no shame, no question, only need. For both of them.

  “All you have to do is tell me to stop and as much as I’ll hate it… I will, baby girl. You just have to tell me,” he said, looking right at her as his hand absently rubbed up and down her leg.

  “No, don’t stop,” she hastily replied, leaping into his lap and kissing him again. His hands wrapped around her little waist and he held her up on his lap as she straddled him, rubbing against his cock as it begged to be freed. He wanted it, but he wanted more of the control, too.

  “I want this, Case, I do. But we have something to take care of before we move forward,” he panted, blowing wisps of her brown hair back she was so close to his face.

  “Huh?” she asked in an aroused haze, kissing the side of his mouth. At this point, she usually had to fight guys back and repeat the word ‘no’ over and over. What did he want to talk about?

  “I don’t do casual and I don’t think you do either. Am I right?”

  “Yes, but…”

  “If we do this then we’re going to be in a relationship, Case. Are you sure that’s what you want? An older man? A Blackhill? A rancher?”

  “Hall,” she grinned, sagging her shoulders and taking his large hands into hers. “When I’m with you I don’t care about any of that. I feel happy… safe. It’s not a feeling I want to discard easily. Don’t you feel the same way?”

  “Of course,” he nodded, bringing her hand up, flipping it over, and kissing her palm. He felt her shiver and continued speaking through kisses. “But if we’re together there’re going to be things you do that I don’t like. For example, staying in that motel, where a man tried to hurt you.”

  She gave her head a shake and looked away. She’d been punished for that. Over and over. “So you… you think I’m an irresponsible child?”

  Grinning, he took her chin in his fingers and turned her face back up to his. “I just think you’re used to doing what Case McCann wants to do. And that’s perfectly fine, unless there’s an attempted rape involved.”

  The look he was giving her wasn’t stern. It looked like he was in pain. She nodded in acknowledgement. “I usually make good decisions,” she softly said.

  “And I understand that your parents have been gone a long time, Baby, so you’re used to answering to onl
y yourself.”

  “I just answered to Sheriff Franks, didn’t I?” she huffed, rolling her eyes. Again, she was paying for staying in that motel over and over. What was he getting at?

  Hall grinned as he kissed the tip of her finger. “If we want to do this, to move forward, then you have to answer to me too, Case.”

  A tremor of anticipation coursed through her. She didn’t understand it. She wanted to be in control of herself but the way Hall was speaking to her gave her a thrill. He was so handsome, so strong, and she wanted him all to herself. Something occurred to her.

  “So, like, if I answer to you then… wh-what?” she asked, hating the stutter of uncertainty but liking how he didn’t laugh at her.

  “You will be getting a little spanking from me for staying in that motel after I told you not to,” he replied, rubbing his thumb along the inside of her wrist. God, he never knew how much he liked the flush of a girl’s cheeks until that moment.

  “A little spanking?” she asked, wondering about the different degrees of pain and humiliation that he had in mind.

  “Yes, Case. You’ve already been hurt and terrified by that man, on top of having to deal with your missing brother, the Feds taking over your home, and Sherriff Franks spanking you. You’re going over my lap for a spanking, over those panties, and then I promise… I’ll make it up to you.”

  Case swallowed and licked her lips. “H-how will you… make it up to me?”

  “After you come to my room, take your spanking, and answer a few of my questions, you’ll learn how much we’ll both love it when I make things up to you,” he stated, kissing her hand one last time and standing up. “Ready?”

  Swallowing and frowning, she squeaked, “Now?”

  “Now,” he repeated, folding his arms over his chest and nodding his head at the hallway.

  She looked right and left, losing confidence by the millisecond.

  He was so ready to feel her hot little ass under his hand and to make her come over and over, that he really didn’t want her second guessing anything. “If you try and run from me, baby girl, I’ll catch you. And then those panties are coming down.”