The Wyoming Inheritance

by Caitlin Edwards

  “Hi, Jenna. How are you feeling?” Cassie asked.

  “Better than I was yesterday. But my foot’s still really sore,” she told her friend.

  “Do you want another Tylenol?” Cassie asked as she put the book down and got to her feet.

  “You don’t have to get up, I can get it,” Jenna replied.

  “No, you can’t. Cord left instructions that you’re to stay in bed the whole day. He said that if you get up for any reason, other than to use the bathroom, I’m to call him immediately!” Cassie told her with a grin.

  “He said what?” Jenna asked in shock. Who did he think he was? Nobody was going to tell her what she could, or couldn’t, do!

  I’m making you oatmeal for breakfast, so I’ll bring them both in to you shortly,” Cassie told her with a grin.

  Jenna waited until Cassie left the room before getting up and hobbling to the bathroom. She couldn’t believe how much it still hurt to put weight on her foot. Maybe she’d stay in bed today, but it was only because she wanted to, not because that bossy Cord ordered it!

  Nevin arrived a few minutes later and she leaned back on a couple of pillows as she talked to him.

  “I just wanted to let you know that Tim did buy that hundred head of cattle we were wondering about, and they should arrive later today. I thought we’d put them in the northern pasture, because there’s quite a few calves in the herd.”

  The northern pasture sounded fine to her; she had no idea what the difference was between the pastures, anyway.

  “Cord sent two men over who were looking for work, and I hired them yesterday. So at least that’ll make branding go a lot smoother next week!” Nevin informed her with a smile.

  “Branding? Oh do we have to do that to those poor babies?” she asked. Jenna frowned as she remembered a time when she was in grade school, and she accompanied her friend Janie to her grandparent’s ranch. The two girls were running around playing tag, when suddenly Jenna went too close to where they were branding the herd. Jenna became so upset when she heard the calves crying, that she’d called her parents to come and get her.

  “It has to be done, Jenna,” Nevin told her gently.

  Jenna sighed in resignation. She’d make sure she stayed in the house that day.

  “Well, I better get up to the pasture. Cord should be up there by now. Meri will be over later to make you lunch. You do know that Cord left orders for you to stay in bed today, right?” Nevin got up off the chair.

  Jenna frowned at his words. Cord was planning her life again! Well, it was about to stop! He had no right to be giving her orders. And, last she looked; she owned the ranch, not him!

  “Tell Meri thank you, but she doesn’t need to bother coming over to make lunch for me. Especially since there’s no way that I’m staying in bed today.” Jenna told him firmly, even though that hadn’t been her plan just minutes before.

  “Cord said you were supposed to, Jenna,” he warned.

  “Who died and made him boss?” she huffed indignantly. “I’m not staying in bed. And, I don’t care what he says!”

  He shook his head and replied wryly, “Believe me, Jenna; you don’t want to cross that man. You’ll end up regretting it!”

  “Cord can go to hell!” she replied flippantly.

  Nevin headed for the door. “Well, you can’t say I didn’t warn you,” he told her as he quietly closed the door behind him.

  Jenna pulled on a pair of baggy sweatpants and a t-shirt, and then after putting a sock on over her sore foot, she headed to the kitchen for a much needed cup of coffee. She sat down and fumed. She tapped her fingernail on the table and muttered, “I’m fed up with Cord giving me orders, expecting them to be obeyed.” Her eyes became hard; it was way past time to put a stop to it! Now, if she could just figure out how.

  Jenna was on the sofa, watching a soap opera, when Meri walked in. “What are you doing up?” she asked in shock. “I thought Cord said you were to stay in bed today!”

  “I don’t take orders from Cord,” she replied absently as she continued to watch the show.

  “Then you’re braver than me,” Meri told her with a shake of her head.

  Minutes later, Meri returned with a bowl of homemade soup she’d brought from home, and a turkey sandwich. She set them in front of Jenna, who took a spoonful of the thick, delicious soup, and gave a sigh of pleasure.

  “Thanks,” she told Meri, who smiled in pleasure. Then she looked up and frowned as Meri handed her a glass of milk.

  Jenna peered into the glass, and then handed it back. “Thanks, Meri, but I can’t drink cow’s milk. Can I talk you into getting me a soda instead?” Jenna asked.

  “All right.” Meri headed for the kitchen.

  After Meri left, Jenna took another Penicillin pill and a Tylenol with a sip of soda. Even though she’d been trying to stay off her foot as much as she could, it was still throbbing. What she needed was a pair of crutches, she thought.

  What a great idea! If she had crutches, then she could walk around without putting weight on her foot, and it would be so much easier! She grabbed the phone and started making calls.

  Ten minutes later, she set the cordless phone down on the table and picked up her notepad. The nearest place that she could find crutches was a drugstore in Montana. That meant she’d have about a two hour drive to get to Billings, so she’d better get going if she wanted to be back before it got dark.

  Luckily, her car was an automatic; she wouldn’t have to worry about a clutch, she thought as she hobbled to her car. Her foot was throbbing by the time she hit the ramp for the interstate. It was going to be a long drive.

  * * * *

  Cord grabbed his ringing cell phone off his belt and put it to his ear. “Cord here.”

  “Cord, this is Meri. I’m worried about Jenna!” Meri told him shakily.

  “Is her foot worse?” he asked in an exasperated tone. He’d been getting reports throughout the day that she wasn’t staying in bed as he’d told her to.

  “I don’t know! I heard the sound of a vehicle leaving, and when I looked out the window Jenna was driving away!”

  “She did what?” he roared.

  “I don’t know what to think, Cord. I was over there for about a half hour and she was just sitting on the sofa watching soaps. Jenna didn’t say that she was having any problems, or that she was going anywhere. So why would she leave?” Meri asked worriedly.

  “I don’t know, Meri, but I’m sure as hell going to find out! Do you know what her cell phone number is?” he growled.

  “I don’t. But I think Nevin does.”

  “Okay, I’ll check with him.” Cord could feel his temper rising as he thought of Jenna abusing that foot throughout the day.

  “Cord? Will you let me know what you find out? I’m worried sick!” Meri told him as she blinked back tears.

  “Don’t worry, Meri. I’m sure she’s fine.” At least, she’d be fine until he got his hands on her, he thought grimly.

  Chapter Four

  Jenna drove to the pharmacy, where she bought a pair of crutches. By then, it was getting late, so she stopped at a McDonald’s and ordered a Big Mac meal to go. She left the drive-through to go to a nearby park and sat down at a picnic table to eat her dinner. Her thoughts kept going back to Cord; she just didn’t know what to do about him. He was one sexy cowboy, but he was determined to have his own way. Sure, his kisses turned her legs to jelly, but how would she ever get him to understand that she was her own woman, which didn’t include obeying his orders?

  She knew he was mad because she hadn’t taken his advice on appropriate footwear, but why should she? After all, it was her feet. If she wanted to wear sandals, she should be able to without Cord lecturing her about it. And, so what if she didn’t tell him about her toe; was it any of his business? Next thing you knew, he’d be insisting that she inform him when she was having that time of month, she thought with a giggle.

  And, who was he to leave orders that she was to stay in bed f
or the whole day? She was a rancher, for heaven’s sake; she had a ranch to run! Okay, so maybe she didn’t do much about running it, especially since Nevin seemed to know what he was doing. But she wasn’t a child that he could send to bed with a warning that, if she disobeyed him, her babysitters would tattle on her!

  Her bravery lasted only until she parked her car in front of the ranch house and climbed out. She’d only taken a few steps with her new crutches when she noticed Cord standing on the porch, watching her. With his arms folded across his massive chest and a deadly look on his handsome face, he was intimidating. She felt a fissure of fear race down her spine; she knew he wasn’t happy with her.

  Suddenly, Jenna felt a strong urge to run. Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to follow up on it. “Hi, Cord,” she warily greeted him.

  He didn’t answer her, which she knew wasn’t a good sign. He just pushed the screen door open while motioning for her to enter. Jenna was wishing she’d spent the night in Montana as she hopped past him on her crutches.

  She started heading for the living room, but he put his arm on her shoulder and ordered coldly, “Not in there, Jenna. Go to your room.”

  Here we go again, she thought. “I don’t want to go to my room. I’m going to sit on the sofa and relax!”

  “Young lady, I’ve had it with you not listening today,” he told her between clenched teeth as he reached down to pick her up. The next thing Jenna knew, she was over his shoulder, staring at the floor.

  They both ignored the crutches that fell with a loud thud. Jenna was shocked— she screamed and pounded on his back. “How dare you! Put me down!”

  He placed a hard smack on her upturned bottom, which made her yell even louder. His tone was hard when he bit out, “You’re about to find out there’s a lot more that I dare!” He popped her again.

  “Owwwie!” she screeched as her hand shot back to cover her bottom.

  Before she realized what he was doing, he was sitting on the edge of the bed, and she was dangling over his knee.

  “Cord! You let me up this instant,” Jenna demanded, struggling to get away. When that didn’t work, she begged, “Please, Cord! Don’t spank me!”

  He ignored her pleas and yanked down her sweatpants, then after pulling her up next to his body, he placed a hand on the small of her back.

  She screamed in outrage when his hand slapped down hard over her lacy panties. Her struggles increased, as he aimed for the center of each cheek; then moved to the bottom and thighs.

  She was kicking wildly when he started to spank the same places all over again. She bucked as he brought his hand down in a volley of crisp slaps to her sit spots. She finally began to softly cry, and he paused to rest his hand over her hot cheeks. “Do you have any idea how worried we all were when we found you gone?”

  “I’m s-sorry,” she stuttered.

  “Not as sorry as you’re going to be,” he retorted, slipping his hand into the elastic waistband of her panties and sliding them down to her knees. As soon as she felt his fingers at her waist, she knew what he was planning. She tried to stop him, but she wasn’t any match for his strength.

  Jenna reached behind her, trying to cover her butt with her hands, but he grabbed them and held them securely in his. Cord tipped her forward slightly, which gave him access to her lower cheeks, and then brought his hand down hard. He peppered her bottom with quick smacks, sending her hissing and wriggling over his lap.

  “You bastard!” she cried, when his hand found a tender spot and left three stinging swats.

  “That language just made your punishment worse,” he grated, picking up the pace.

  “No! Please, Cord! I’ll behave,” she begged, as his hand rained down, leaving a fire in its wake. She squirmed, trying to get away, but his arm just hooked her in closer to him. She knew she wasn’t going anywhere, when she felt the weight of his hand on the small of her back.

  He finally stopped when her bottom was a dark shade of pink. He was determined she’d feel it for a long time. She was sobbing uncontrollably by the time he stopped to lay his hand on her burning butt.

  “Young lady, if I ever have to do this again for the same reason, you’ll be feeling my paddle on your ass. Is that clear?”

  When she didn’t answer, his hand slammed down again onto her burning cheeks.

  “Yes,” she managed to say before he could repeat his action.

  He picked her up, and then set her on the bed, where she scrambled to pull her panties back up. Every time her swollen bottom touched the bed, fresh tears would start falling. Jenna didn’t think she’d ever sit comfortably again.

  Cord walked over to the dresser and took out her nightgown. He handed it to her with an order to put it on. She waited until he left the room before taking off the t-Shirt, and then slipping the nightgown over her head. She was still sniffing and wiping the tears off her face when he came back into the room.

  He crossed over to where she was sitting dejectedly on the side of the bed to pick her up, and then he sat, placing her on his lap. Jenna struggled to get away; she didn’t want anything to do with him.

  When his deep voice growled, “Knock it off, Jenna! Unless you want another dose,” she quickly became passive. There was no way she could take any more. Her whole bottom and thighs felt like they were on fire. She was dying to go fill the tub with ice-cold water, and sit in it until the burning quit. But, by the feel of it, that might not be for a long time.

  Jenna leaned her head against his chest as his arms went around her, holding her tightly against him. She hated him, she thought. How dare he put her over his knee and spank her like a naughty child! She couldn’t wait until he left, so she could start avoiding him like the plague, she told herself with a little sniff.

  She was thinking up all types of torture that she’d love to do to him when his cell phone rang. She could have jumped for joy when he told the caller that he’d be right there.

  “I have to go; I’m needed at my ranch. I’ll stop by tomorrow to see how you’re doing,” he told her as he lifted her into his arms and stood up. Jenna just stared at him when he gently placed her on the bed.

  She waited until she heard the slamming of the screen door before muttering, “Don’t hurry back on my account!”

  Jenna looked out the window the next morning when she heard Cord pull up. She groaned when she realized he was heading for the house; he was the last person she wanted to see.

  “How’s your foot?” he asked when he saw her resting on the sofa.

  “My toe feels better since I’m using the crutches,” she replied.

  “That’s good, honey.”

  “Now, if I could find a way to keep the weight off my butt, I’d be fine! And don’t you ‘honey’ me.” She glared at him, as she squirmed to get comfortable.

  He ignored her look. “I’m glad you’re feeling better. How’d you like to get out of the house for a few hours? I thought we’d go to town for dinner tonight.”

  She’d rather have a root canal then go anywhere with him. “No thanks. I think I’d rather stay home.”

  “Then maybe we’ll plan it for tomorrow,” he suggested, turning to head for the door.

  “Don’t hold your breath.”

  Jenna thought he was far enough away that he wouldn’t hear, so it surprised her when he stopped and turned to face her. “Don’t think that you’re going to start avoiding me, Jenna. Because, I can guarantee it won’t work. You’ll be going to dinner with me. I don’t care if it’s tomorrow, or next week. But, make no mistake, you will be going!”

  She cursed him under her breath, as he headed for his truck.

  Three days later, Jenna went into the huge garage that housed her uncle’s vehicles. She wanted to check out the late-model truck and the two older ranch trucks. She was hoping to start driving one of them, since she didn’t like driving her car on the gravel roads.

  Her toe had healed to where she could now walk around virtually pain-free. She made sure that she didn’t step a
foot outside the house without her tennis shoes on. That was one lesson she’d learned the hard way!

  Jenna looked up at the sound of a vehicle coming down her road; she frowned when she didn’t recognize the truck. She watched as it stopped in front of her barn, and then two men jumped out.

  She felt a flicker of apprehension race down her spine as they walked toward her. “You must be Ms. Davenport,” the passenger said, with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

  “That’s right, I’m Jenna Davenport. What can I do for you?” she asked.

  He gave her a toothy smile. “I’m Lyle Southworth.” He paused as if the name should mean something to her, before adding, “I’m here to talk to you about what I can do for you!”

  Good grief, not a bloody politician, she thought with a frown.

  “Whatever it is, I’m not interested,” she retorted, then turned to head for the barn. There was something about him that made her skin crawl.

  “But you haven’t heard my offer, yet.” Lyle gave a little laugh that held no amusement.

  Jenna sighed; she just wanted him to go back to whatever rock he’d crawled out from under. “What offer?” she asked.

  “I’m going to buy your land from you,” he told her as if he was doing her a huge favor.

  “I’m sorry, but my land isn’t for sale,” Jenna told him with a false smile.

  The other man, who’d been quiet, spoke up, “You’d be wise to take Mr. Southworth up on his offer.”

  Lyle chuckled. “I haven’t even told her what I’m offering yet, Josh!”

  “Whatever it is, I’m not interested. Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I have work to do.” She ignored them when they tried calling her back, quickly heading for the house.

  Later, she peeked out the window at the sound of a vehicle arriving. “Not again,” she muttered, thinking those two men were back. She groaned when she saw Cord getting out of his truck. She didn’t know if his arrival was better or worse!

  Cord was on the porch when Nevin called his name. He turned and walked over to where Nevin was standing, a few feet away from the garage.