The Cowboy's Secret (Cowboys After Dark: Book 3)

by Maggie Carpenter

  “Well,” Clint sighed shaking his head, “the horse Gods were on your side today, and they must have whispered in your ear.”

  “I guess they did,” she grinned as they started back towards the barn.

  “Are you okay to take care of him by yourself?” Clint asked. “I need to run up to the house and take care of something, it’s important.

  “Sure, but will you take his saddle off for me first,” she asked. “I’m still a bit shaky. I don’t want to drop the darn thing.”

  “Of course,” he smiled.

  When they reached the barn and Amelia slid off Jiminy’s back, Clint put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a squeeze.

  “Oh, thank you, I needed that,” she sighed.

  “I know you did,” he said warmly. “You were spectacular out there. You took my breath away. I’ve seen you ride many times, but there was something magical goin’ on. It was as if Jiminy knew he had to give the performance of his life. He was frickin’ flawless, and so were you.”

  “I think he did know. It sounds crazy but I really do, and when I clucked he knew what he had to do, even though I didn’t,” she sighed, feeling the heat in her throat.

  “Tell me,” Clint said casually as Amelia placed the horse in the cross-ties, “exactly why did you go into the field, and how did Jiminy know you were there?”

  “I’ll be right back,” she said quickly, “I have to get his brush box.”

  Clint grinned as he watched her run into the barn.

  “You go ahead, I’ll see you up at the house,” he called, and jumping in the golf cart he headed up the driveway.

  Oh, my darlin’ Amelia. You really think that’s gonna work? I don’t blame you for doin’ what you did, and I don’t know how you did it, but you’re gonna tell me, and then we’re gonna have a chat.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Amelia was still on a high when she hiked back up to the house, and as she entered through the kitchen door she found Clint sitting at the table drinking a beer.

  “Been waitin’ for you,” he smiled standing up.

  “Hi, wow, what an afternoon,” she exclaimed walking across to him.

  “You need a hug,” he declared opening his arms.

  “I need a huge hug,” she replied, and laying her head against his chest she sank into him, relishing the comforting warmth of his arms.

  “How’s Jiminy?” he asked.

  “Jiminy is terrific. He’s blanketed, eating, and none the worse after having that brat on his back, but I think he’ll enjoy his Sunday off tomorrow. I know I will.”

  “You wanna beer?” he asked.

  “No, I want a hot cup of coffee,” she replied breaking away, and pulling off her jacket she headed to the thermos.

  “Amelia, do you have-,” Clint began, but a knock on the kitchen door startled them both, and Clint walked quickly across to answer it.

  “Sam? Hey, come on in, what’s up. Wanna beer?”

  “No, I’m good, thanks, won’t stay. Just wanted to talk to Amelia for a minute. Is she here?”

  “Yep, I’m here,” Amelia called out.

  Sam wandered in and found her leaning against the counter holding her coffee, warming her hands against the sides of the mug.

  “Did you get the Princess back to her plane safely?” she asked.

  “She needs a good whippin’, that one,” Sam muttered under his breath.

  “She needs something, that’s for sure,” Amelia agreed. “I don’t think I’ve ever met a nastier, more arrogant person, man or woman.”

  “An unhappy heart, is her biggest problem,” Clint remarked, “but she has other issues, no question.”

  “So, Sam, what’s up?” Amelia asked as she sat at the table.

  “Annie, or rather, Anastasia, she really wants to learn how to jump and ride in an english saddle. I wondered if you had a horse amongst your lot that she could learn on, and if you could give her some help. She’s got a natural flair for ridin’.”

  “Of course, I’d be thrilled to help her, and yes, I have the perfect horse. His name is Henry, and I rescued him from a riding school that went under. He’d an old guy but he loves his job, and he’s safe as houses.”

  “That’s great, thanks,” Sam grinned. “I know you guys won’t be around tomorrow, but could she just meet him? Then we could arrange a time for her to come back.”

  “You bet. He’s the dark bay with the white blaze and white socks. You can’t miss him. He’s in the paddock with two other geldings who have no white on their faces at all.”

  “She doesn’t know I was gonna ask you, so she’ll be very excited when I tell her, and now I have somethin’ for you,” he continued, and reaching into his pocket he pulled out his phone, waving it in the air. “I video’d your ride today.”

  “You did?” she exclaimed, jumping from her chair.

  “Sam, that’s great,” Clint remarked, “I was thinkin’ the whole time I wished I was filmin’ it. Dang, why didn’t I think to pull out my phone?”

  “You had other things on your mind,” Sam chuckled. “Anyway, when I get back to my cabin I’ll download it and send it to you.”

  “That’s fantastic, thank you so much,” Amelia said happily, walking over and giving him a quick hug. “I’m thrilled. I can’t wait to see that last fence.”

  “It was somethin’ I’ll never forget,” Sam remarked.

  “You and me both,” Clint commented raising his eyebrows.

  “I guess I’ll see you Monday, have a good day tomorrow,” Sam said as he headed out.

  Dropping back down at the table, Amelia abruptly laughed out loud.

  “On video, it’s on video, I can’t believe it, I’m so excited,” she beamed. “What was it you were going to ask me before Sam arrived?”

  “Ah, yes,” Clint smiled. “Do you have a dollar?”

  “What? A dollar?” she repeated.

  “Yes, go get me a dollar,” he insisted.

  “Okay, this is weird,” she remarked, but standing up from the table she hurried to the bedroom, found her bag, grabbed a dollar from her wallet and returned to the kitchen, holding it out.

  “Here you go,” she giggled, “here’s your dollar.”

  “Thank you, and this is for you,” he said, handing her a piece of folded paper.

  “What’s this all about?” she inquired, opening it up.

  Clint watched her face; her brow creased, she swallowed hard, then lifted her gaze to stare back at him.

  “Seriously,” she whispered, unable to find her voice.

  “Yep,” he managed, fighting his own flood of emotion.

  “This is for real? Jiminy’s mine, legally and totally mine?”

  “Yep, I settled everythin’ while you were cleanin’ him up.”

  Unable to speak, her face crinkled as the wave of emotion took hold, and her relieved, happy tears began. Moving quickly he engulfed her in his arms, holding her tightly.

  “You deserve it, Amelia, you deserve it,” he murmured.

  “I can’t believe you did this for me,” she managed.

  “Hey,” he said softly, gripping her hair and pulling her head back, locking her gaze, “it seemed the best way to, uh, show you…” he stammered, but unable to finish the sentence his voice trailed off.

  “Sh-show me? Show me what?”

  “How much I, uh, love you,” he breathed.

  “Y-You do?” she mumbled

  “I do,” he replied, swallowing the heat in his throat.

  “Me too,” she stammered, “so much.”

  His lips fell upon hers, and shrouded by their heartfelt admission they clung to each other as their love spilled through their kiss. When they finally broke apart, Clint swept her up and carried her down the hallway to his bed, then kicking off his boots he stretched out alongside her.

  “There’s so much I need to tell you,” he murmured.

  “You mean, about your past?” she asked tentatively

  “Yep, and about who I
am, the depth of who I am,” he said softly.

  “I’m not sure I understand,” she frowned.

  “I know, there’s no reason you should, but before we go any further you need to know what lives inside me,” he sighed.

  “Okay, but it won’t make any difference to how I feel. I’ve been in love with you for, jeez, ages,” she smiled.

  “I hope it won’t, but if it does I’ll understand,” he assured her, “and it’s okay. Well, it’s not okay, but-”

  “Just tell me,” she pressed.

  “There’s that impatience,” he grinned.

  “You can’t call me impatient, I’ve waited months, and not made a peep.”

  “You’re right,” he nodded, “and I’m stallin’. It’s not easy.”

  “I have some secrets of my own,” she remarked, hoping it would reassure him. “Would you like me to go first?”

  “Darlin’, I swear, you are the sweetest girl…no, you don’t have to go first, and when it’s your turn the first thing you’re gonna tell me is how you got Jiminy to take off and gallop into that field, and don’t even try to deny it,” he warned.

  “I won’t, and you’re right, I did it, guilty as charged, and I will tell you everything,” she promised. “So, go ahead, I’m all ears.”

  “I think I want a scotch,” he frowned.

  “No, you don’t, you’re going to stay right here and just talk,” she insisted.

  “Listen to you!”

  “I mean it. Clint, it’s time,” she said meaningfully.

  “You’re right, it’s time,” he sighed, “but I’m going to start by showing you something,” and let the horseshoes fall where they will.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Amelia studied the two large wooden trunks in front of her, and as Clint spun the first of the combination locks, popping them open, she held her breath.

  “This is as much a part of me as horses are,” he said soberly. “This is my other great passion. The things inside these two trunks have been locked away for over two years.”

  “Because?” she asked.

  “Because I couldn’t be in a relationship. I needed a huge time-out, time away from women, time to regroup, and now, well, now I’ve found you, but…”

  “But what?” she frowned.

  “What’s in these trunks, it has to be a part of our life together,” he finished.

  “I can’t imagine…” she mumbled, feeling a bristling fear.

  “Are you ready?”

  “I guess,” she replied, steeling herself.

  Slowly he lifted the lid, and as Amelia’s eyes scanned the contents she broke into huge smile.

  “Ooooh, Clint, are you a…a dungeon guy?”

  “Yep, darlin,’ I am. I’m a Dominant, a real serious Dominant.”

  “So those crops and paddles in the guest house, they’re a part of this collection?”

  “Just a tiny part. Spankin’ the naughty females around here kinda kept me sane, like a few drops of water in the middle of the desert. Enough to keep me alive…just.”

  “Wow, you have so much stuff,” she exclaimed. “You could open a store!”

  “Yep, well, there’s a reason for that and it’s all part of my story,” he remarked, “but if we’re gonna be together…” he said somberly, “are you open to all this?”

  Gazing into the trunk, staring at the many toys and implements, the lubes and oils, she felt the butterflies springing into dust devils.

  “I am more than open to all this,” she said quietly, turning to face him. “In fact, I’m totally excited, the anticipation of everything, it’s really hard to contain myself. I know I’m coming across as calm right now but I’m not. My stomach is churning like crazy. I just don’t know how to express everything I’m feeling so I’m trying to be super controlled.”

  “Amelia,” he chuckled, “you don’t know what being super controlled is, but you will, and you just…damn…I don’t know how to tell you how happy you’ve just made me.”

  “You brought a truckload of sunshine into my life today, getting Jiminy for me, so maybe it was my turn,” she smiled, “but this is making me super happy as well. Can I ask you one thing though?”

  “Of course,” he nodded.

  “Can you take it slow for me? I want all of this, but-”

  “Hey, you don’t have to worry about that,” he interrupted. “What I do, it’s all about instinct. I’ll listen to you, to your body, and I’ll push you a bit, it’s called testing limits, but I’ll stop if it gets too much, all you have to do is tell me.”

  “I honestly didn’t think…I mean, my mind didn’t take me here,” she sighed looking back into the trunk. “What’s in the other one?”

  “Ah, bigger things,” he replied, and moving across to the second lock he spun the dial and opened the lid. “It’s so good to see all this,” he murmured, “it’s like meeting up with old friends, friends I’ve missed every day.”

  Moving to his side she peered in, and spied several poles that appeared to screw together, blocks of rounded wood with flat bases, heavy chains and lengths of rope.

  “Damn,” she mumbled.

  “It’s equipment. To use it I have to put it all together, like a jungle gym,” he explained.

  “Where do we start with this?” she asked, turning her eyes back to his.

  “It’s where do I start,” he corrected her, “and I’ll decide that very soon. If you ever have any fantasies just tell me. I’m sure I’ll have whatever we need, and if I don’t I’ll know where to get it,” he grinned.

  “I’m sure,” she nodded.

  Closing both trunks and locking them down, he took her hand and led her back into the bedroom.

  “I won’t be spankin’ anyone but you from here on,” he said soberly. “Fact is, I haven’t for some time, don’t know if you noticed.”

  “I did, actually,” she smiled. “I was hoping it had something to do with me.”

  “Yep, it was all about you,” he nodded sitting on the edge of the bed and pulling her down next to him.

  “Can you tell me about the other stuff now? You know, about your past?”

  “I could, but after lookin’ at all my wicked wares I’m of a mind to celebrate,” he winked.

  “Oooh, that works,” she sighed, feeling a renewed flurry of excitement.

  “First, though,” he frowned, “I think you’d better tell me about what you did this afternoon.”

  “Can’t we celebrate first,” she begged, leaning closer and lightly kissing him.

  “Nope, confession first,” he replied, firmly pushing her back.

  “Okay,” she sighed. “If you insist.”

  “I do,” he said, “let’s hear it. I want all the gory details.”

  “It’s simple. I couldn’t stand hanging around the kitchen so I took the back way down behind the guest house and hid behind the tractor. When I saw what she was doing I just, ooooh, it was so frustrating. She was so awful. I decided to show her just what a lousy rider she was, and scare the pants off her at the same time. I just wanted her to get off him and leave us alone.”

  “But how did you get him to take off like that?” he pressed.

  “He always comes when I do my trilling sound. Always, and she had absolutely no connection to him at all. I called to him once from behind the tractor, and that got his attention, then I did it a couple more times while I was running into the field, and those told him where I was.”

  Clint shook his head and let out a low whistle.

  “Darlin’, I get where you were comin’ from, but you coulda really hurt that girl,” he scolded.

  “I know,” she sighed. “I wasn’t really thinking clearly, I was so upset and I couldn’t let her take him, I just couldn’t. I didn’t know how else to get rid of her.”

  “What am I supposed to do about this?” he sighed, raising his eyes to the ceiling.

  “Why do you have to do anything?” she frowned. “I just did what I had to, and I did open th
e gate; I didn’t think he’d take the direct route and jump the fence.”

  “That’s hardly the point,” he grimaced.

  “Well, I couldn’t sit back and do nothing, and just hope that she’d change her mind? She was going to take him away.”

  “This is a toughie,” he remarked. “I know you weren’t thinkin’ straight, but we coulda pulled that off together. If you’d told me I would’ve made sure she was off him; just the sight of him takin’ off like that would have scared her plenty.”

  “You’re right,” she said quietly. “It didn’t occur to me. I was just so panic-stricken.”

  “You put that girl in real danger. You know she could’ve fallen off and broken her neck,” he said soberly.

  “I do know, but like I said-”

  “You weren’t thinkin’ straight, I get that. Maybe a hot spankin’ will help you think straight next time. Do you think you need a good spankin’? Tell me, I’m leavin’ this up to you, darlin’.”

  She wriggled at the thought of his hard hand punishing her bottom, but everything he’d said had been right; she’d been a loose cannon and totally irresponsible.

  “Yes, I should be punished for what I did,” she finally whispered. “It was foolhardy and impulsive. I should have gone straight to you and told you my plan the minute I thought of it.”

  “Yep,” he nodded. “Don’t worry, I won’t spank you too hard, just enough so you know you’ve been dealt with. Take off your clothes and get on over my lap.”

  Standing up she stripped quickly, then laid herself across his knees, her feet touching the ground, her torso and face on the bed.

  “I’m gonna make this fast and quick,” he said sternly, immediately landing his palm with a stinging smack, and as he continued to zing his spicy hand back and forth she began to squirm, unable to remain still under the forceful torrent of his slaps.

  “Owwww,” she wailed.

  “You can yell all you want, darlin’, gotta get this bottom well and truly spanked. You can’t be takin’ the law into your own hands.”

  “I get it,” she howled.

  “Yep, I know you do, just gotta make sure you remember this,” he said sternly, pausing for a moment. “Like I said, Caitlin could have been badly injured, and you’re real lucky she wasn’t. I promised her dad I’d look out for her, and damn, girl, that was just plain dumb what you did.”