Heart and Home: The MacAllister Brothers

by Barron, Melinda

  “And, Seth’s going to spank Virginia?”

  “Definitely. My publisher may take it out because it’s so risqué, but he’s definitely going to spank her.”

  “Good. I can’t wait to read it.” He kissed her nose, and then strode from the house, coming back in long enough to ask for fried chicken for dinner, if she had the time.

  Harmony sat down immediately and started to write. Her behind ached just enough to remind her of her husband, and of Virginia’s fake spanking that she’d received. Seth definitely did spank his wife in her new novel. And Virginia took it like the independent, modern-day woman that she was. She put up a fuss, but eventually succumbed to her husband’s punishment.

  When Harmony had written nine pages, and done it in record time, she stood and stretched, then went to the butcher’s to order a chicken. While it was being prepared, she stopped in to talk to Ruby at the newspaper office.

  “I’m going to have a manuscript done in a few days,” she said, waving at Corbin as he worked the press. “This one is very good, I think.”

  “They’re all good,” Ruby said. “What’s the news on the wedding?”

  “Probably a week from Saturday,” Harmony replied. “Ben’s very anxious to get it over with. He says all the old ladies in town are asking him about it.”

  Ruby looked affronted, then laughed. “So, he thinks I’m an old lady, huh? Well, I’ll show him. The next time he comes in, I’m going to bombard him with questions.”

  They both laughed, then Harmony went to the store, to pick up a jar of green beans, and some potatoes, to go with the chicken. While Sarah gathered her order, Harmony frowned at two men who were looking over the tack Josh kept in the store.

  “Who are they?”

  “I imagine they’re hands working the area,” Sarah replied. “Although, they’re not dressed like hands. And they’ve been in here a few days in a row. Josh is a little worried about it. He’s afraid they might rob him one day. As a matter of fact, he sent Tessie’s youngest to look for Ben. Do you know where he’s at?”

  “No, I haven’t seen him since this morning.” Harmony studied the two men, who were looking around, but trying too hard to act as if they were shopping, and not looking around. When Ben walked in, she relaxed a bit. Her handsome, lawman husband would keep things on the straight and narrow, she knew that.

  “Sarah.” Ben’s voice boomed out. “Where’s Josh?”

  The two men turned toward Ben, both of them looking nervous. They quickly left without buying anything and Ben followed them out, stopping to kiss Harmony’s forehead before he left.

  “They’re trouble,” Harmony said. “I hope nothing too bad happens. There’s never any crime here, though. It makes me wonder what they’re up to.”

  * * *

  Ben was late getting home for dinner that evening. Harmony had placed the food in the oven, to keep it warm, now she took it out and put it on the table. He took off his hat, sat it down in the living room, and then plopped down into a chair.

  “Who were they?” She could tell he was nervous about the men who had been in town today.

  “I’ve got their names, or at least the ones they gave me, written down at the office,” Ben replied. “They’re up to no good. I watched them ride out of town earlier. But that doesn’t mean they won’t be back.”

  “What can you do?”

  “Not much. I’ve put businessmen on alert to be looking for anyone suspicious. But other than that, I can’t arrest them for shopping in the store, or trying to get change for a big bill at the bank.”

  She sat down on his lap, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. “I made fried chicken.”

  “That’s good.” He smiled at her and kissed her gently. “And did you write your six pages?”

  “I did better than that. I wrote nine.”

  “I’m proud of you.” This time the kiss lingered longer, and he nibbled on her lower lip. “Did Virginia get spanked?”

  “Yes, she did.” Harmony threw back her head and laughed. “My publisher is going to be appalled.”

  “Good,” Ben said. “It’ll probably boost your sales. Now, I have something important to ask.”

  “Yes?”

  “Would you mind if we postponed our midnight ride? I’d like to stay close to town tonight, in case those two come back.”

  “Of course. I understand completely.”

  When he shook his head, she cupped his cheek. “What?”

  “This is what I worried about all those years when I said I would never get married,” Ben said. “I worried that the job would interfere, and it has.”

  “No, Ben. It’s not. Your job is part of you, and I love you, just as you are.”

  “I think I love you, too.”

  “You think? Well, if you don’t know, we need to work on that.”

  “And we will, right after dinner. I’ve been thinking about that fried chicken all day long.”

  * * *

  Three days later, the men had not appeared again, and Ben started to relax. He figured they had just been passing through town, and had seen the store, or the bank, as an easy mark. He’d let them know differently, or at least he hoped he had. Since he hadn’t seen them, he thought he’d been successful.

  Now, he needed to turn his attentions to his new wife, and let her know that he more than thought he loved her. He knew he did. He’d realized it the other night when she’d rolled toward him in bed, snuggling close to his side.

  Ben had been awake, wondering what was happening outside. He’d held her close and watched her face as she slept. She was so sweet, and so loving and giving, there was no way he couldn’t return it. He’d been glad when her courses had come that month. He’d been very afraid that their repeated couplings would produce a baby. Not that he didn’t want one, he just didn’t want one this quickly. He wanted more time with her. He wanted to be selfish for just a while longer.

  His feelings made him wonder why he’d taken so long to get married. If he’d known Harmony was so sweet, he would have married her when they were younger, and he would have even more time with her. But he hadn’t, so he needed to make sure every moment counted now.

  At five on the dot, he locked the Sheriff’s Office, sending his deputy home, reminding him that Ben would be at his cabin tonight, but would be back in the morning.

  “Make sure you keep an eye out, Mark, and take a twirl around town about ten, just to make sure.”

  Mark had nodded, and Ben had been a little upset to be missing that part of the evening. Lately, when he’d made ‘the rounds’, Harmony had gone with him. He’d grown to love their moonlight walks as they checked to make sure stores were locked and nothing was wrong in town.

  Lots of time she dressed in pants and one of his shirts, tied around her waist. He knew the older ladies in town would be shocked to see her dressed like that, but he loved it. It made him smile now, just thinking about it.

  When he got home, he found her putting the finishing touches on dinner: roast beef with potatoes, with carrots on the side.

  “Delicious,” he said. “I’m going to gain twenty pounds, you know, if we’re not careful.”

  “We’ll walk it off tonight,” she said with a smile.

  “No, tonight I’m going to take you on that moonlight ride I promised. We’ll ride down to the cabin, and make love near the creek. Then, we’ll come back late tonight, or early in the morning, depending on how we’re feeling. Either way, I’m not going to work in the morning.”

  “I love it! I won’t, either. I’m almost done with my latest novel, but it can wait a day.”

  “Good. Then let’s eat, and then get to it. I’m anxious to take you out of town, Mrs. MacAllister, even if it is for just a night.”

  * * *

  When they got to the cabin, the first thing Harmony did was run for the creek, throwing off her clothes as she ran. It was dark, and the moon was full. Ben called out after her, but she didn’t answer.

  He’d been so
stressed the last few days that she wanted to help him to relax, and going skinny-dipping in the creek would help him to relax, she knew that. She jumped into the water, crying out at the coldness.

  She looked up to see her husband, spreading out a large blanket and dropping two large towel sheets on the ground. His hands went to his shirt buttons and she laughed. Soon, he joined her in the water, his howl at the sharpness of the water making her laugh.

  “What’s wrong, Sheriff? Too much for you?” She splashed water at him, faster and faster until the water seemed to be flying through the air as if by magic.

  He frowned in mock anger, and then lunged for her. She managed to escape his arms for a few minutes, and then yelped when he leaned over and scooped her over his shoulders, slapping her bottom a few times as he held her firm.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I’m going to show you that nothing’s too much for me.” He slapped her ass a few more times, then leaned over and dumped her into the water. Her bottom hit the sandy bottom and she grunted. Then, she sputtered and laughed as he ran toward shore. She stood and raced after him, intent on pushing him into the water, too.

  But he had other plans. He tackled her, taking her down on the blanket and turning her over quickly. His hand came down on her behind sharply, but instead of crying out, she laughed. The spanking was playful, and it continued for a while, causing tingling sensations to spread through her body.

  When he leaned over and blew his breath against her neck, she shivered. She was cold from the water, true, but it was the closeness of her husband that made her body quake with need.

  “Harmony,” he whispered as he lifted her hips and slipped inside her. “I love you.”

  “Oh, Ben.” Tears of joy stained her cheeks as she turned her face to him. “I love you, too. But you already know that.”

  He turned her so that they were facing each other, and then settled himself inside her again. She wrapped her legs around him and held him close as they loved, their lips traveling over each other’s faces and necks until they climaxed together.

  “So sweet,” he said, kissing her check. “So very sweet.”

  He fell asleep on top of her, and Harmony continued to hold him, amazed that her life had changed so much in so short a time. Next Saturday would be their ‘wedding’, with a large reception afterward at Win and Vanessa’s house.

  Harmony had protested that it was too much, but Win had insisted, saying that he and his brothers had thought Ben would never marry, and were thrilled to see that he was so happy with Harmony in his life.

  She fell asleep in his arms, her thoughts straying to possible endings for her latest novel, and how beautiful her dress was for Saturday.

  * * *

  It was Ben who jerked awake at the sound of yelling. He jumped up, unmindful of the fact that he was naked and rushed toward the voices. At the entrance of the cabin he found Josh, who didn’t bat an eyebrow at his brother’s appearance.

  “They robbed the bank.”

  “What? Who?”

  “Those men. Only there were more than two of them. They showed up at Win’s house and made him go with them to open the safe. Then they hightailed it out of town.”

  “Was anyone hurt?”

  “They boxed Mark on the head, but he seems to be okay.”

  “They didn’t hurt Win, or Vanessa or the kids?”

  “No. They threatened to, though, if Win didn’t do what they wanted.”

  Ben turned to where Harmony stood, fully clothed. She held out his own clothes and he took them, dressing quickly.

  “Go back to town and ring the church bells,” Ben said. “Wake everyone up so we can set out and look for them at first light.”

  Josh nodded and ran back for his horse. Ben turned to Harmony.

  “Just throw everything in the cabin and we’ll get it later.”

  “This is my fault,” she said. “They were just waiting for an opportunity, and they took it when they saw you leave town. And you left town because of me. Oh, Ben, I’m sorry.”

  “This is no one’s fault,” he said. “Except the men who did it. I won’t allow criminals to dictate my life, even if my job is catching them. I allowed that idea to keep me from marrying, which was bad. I deserve a life, too. I left town with you tonight for us, because I wanted some time with my wife. Don’t you dare blame yourself, do you understand?”

  She nodded, her face as grim as his.

  “These men will be behind bars in Denver before the sun sets tomorrow. Mark my words.”

  Chapter 5

  Harmony paced the floor of the Sheriff’s Office, worried sick about where Ben was, and if he was all right. Of course, she was worried about the other men who’d joined in the posse, but she was more worried about her husband, since he led them.

  They’d ridden back to town in forty-five minutes, pushing their horses as fast as they would go. By the time they got there, a crowd had already gathered at the Sheriff’s Office. No one questioned why the sheriff was out of town. Instead, they banded together, forming groups to go in three different directions.

  Win told them there were five men, ranging in age from teens to mid-twenties. “They’re well armed,” he said.

  “And they’ll use them, if they feel threatened,” Ben replied. “Everyone needs to be careful, and to make sure they watch their surroundings carefully. I’ve sent a wire to the Marshall’s Office in Denver. They’re sending out several men to help. But if we wait much longer, they could be to Texas before we find them.”

  The crowd nodded their assent, and then Ben sighed. “Don’t approach them. If you find them, send for me. Watch them carefully, but wait until we outnumber them before you try and capture them.”

  Now, several hours later, Harmony was worried sick. She’d tried to talk Ben into letting her go with him, but he’d refused, saying a posse was no place for a woman. She’d narrowed her eyes at him, and tried to argue. But when he’d held up his hand and gave her a look she’d never seen before, she stopped.

  “No. Absolutely not. You will stay in town with the ladies, and we will be back. I promise.”

  The more Harmony thought about his refusal, though, the madder she became. She let him help her with her work, didn’t she? She’d allowed him to lead her into writing a spanking scene in her latest book. If she’d let him help her, then he should let her help him. It seemed only fair.

  “Don’t,” Ruby said, coming up behind her. “We have to stay here.”

  “Why? Because we’re women? That stinks.”

  “Yes, it does,” said Dawn, Rob’s wife. “But what else can we do? If we all left, then they could come back into town and attack the store, and other places in town. Think of it that way. We’re here protecting the things in town.”

  “We’re waiting around doing nothing,” Harmony said. “I want to ride out there and see what I can find. I want to be doing something instead of just pacing the floor.”

  “You want to be here for your husband when he comes back,” Sarah said.

  “I want to be by my husband’s side,” Harmony replied. “And that’s exactly what I’m going to do. You guys can sit here, but I’m riding out to see if I can help.”

  She looked down at her dress. “As soon as I stop by the house and change my clothes, that is.”

  “You’ll get spanked,” Vanessa said softly. “I know my husband, and I’m sure Ben is the same. Win would redden my bottom if I disobeyed him, especially in something so serious.”

  “So will Ben,” Harmony confirmed. “But I don’t care. I’m going to go, now.”

  She hurried out the door before anyone could stop her, going to the house and changing back into the pants and shirt she’d been wearing last night. Then, she saddled Miss Priss and headed out on the road to Denver. She knew that was the way Ben had gone. He’d said the marshals would be coming that way, and he wanted to be able to talk to them when they arrived.

  Plus, he thought that was the likely road the r
obbers had taken, since it led to the biggest city in the area, and there they could allow themselves to get lost in a crowd.

  Harmony looked at the ground, to where hoof prints had gone off in three different directions. She knew which group Ben wanted to be in, and decided he would take the one that led northwest, and would curve toward Denver. She went that way, traveling by herself and finding no one. After several hours of riding, she decided it was time to head back to town. She’d found nobody, either friend or foe, and she knew she’d probably wasted her time. But at least she wasn’t sitting around, waiting. That had almost driven her insane.

  She’d traveled a few miles when a noise in some bushes caught her attention. She pulled Miss Priss to a stop, then stared toward the noise. A man stepped out, someone she’d never seen before. He smiled at her, and then a second man stepped out. She recognized him as the man who had been in the store the day she and Ben had been there.

  “Well lookie here. It’s the sheriff’s wife. What a stroke of luck for us.”

  * * *

  “She did what?” Ben stood in the Sheriff’s Office, his anger rising with each word Sarah spoke.

  “She said she was tired of sitting around and waiting. She saddled her horse and she left. That was hours ago.”

  Ben turned toward one of the bandits, who sat in his jail cell. According to the man, they’d split up after robbing the bank, saying they would meet in Denver when things had cooled down. He had five hundred dollars on him from the robbery, but he’d been alone. Plus, Win had been wrong about the number. There were not five of them, but seven.

  “You’d better hope your friends don’t hurt my wife,” Ben said. “’Cause I’ll take it out on all of you. Tell me where they might be.”

  The man swallowed hard, then moved to the back of the cell when Ben took off his gun and handed it to Mark.