Inside the tiny cabin, he pushed aside a table and sad down heavily on one of the chairs. Erin wavered just inside the door, unsure what was coming next for them. “Should I stay here and keep an eye out?”
“They won’t be coming after us.”
She glanced over her shoulder again, like he’d tempted the fates to lead them right to their stopping place. “How do you know?” Her heart rate was escalating, and she wasn’t sure how much more of this she could take.
“Because I killed them, Erin.” The strain around his eyes deepened. She’d done this . . . made him kill men because she couldn’t rightfully sever things with her family. Erin shouldn’t have let him stay for dinner, or bring her horses back, and damn sure shouldn’t have let him keep her company in bed.
She’d only wanted a glimpse of normalcy. A taste of how the rest of the world lived. Just a taste.
“I’m sorry.”
“Well, you should be. If you’d have just talked to me from the beginning, told me what might be headed for us, I could have been ready. I could have kept you safer.” He gingerly prodded the cut above his eye. “I sure as hell wouldn’t have left you by yourself.”
“I didn’t think they’d come after me.”
“No.” He shook his head. “You didn’t think at all.”
Anger and frustration surged up in Erin. She didn’t need him telling her what she could and couldn’t do again. She thought they’d gotten past this.
Her wrists hurt from being bound, and she held them out. “Cut me lose.”
He stared at them for a long stretch. “I don’t think I will, Erin. I’m so mad right now, I could turn you over my knee and spank you.”
Something wild and wicked spiraled up from her belly. The adrenaline from being on the run for a full day was still coursing through her system, plus the gunfight, and the rescue . . . Erin’s entire body was hyper aware of everything going on. The thought of Matt’s big hands on her body again made her wish for things she shouldn’t.
After all, that’s what got them in trouble in the first place.
Matt leaned over and grabbed the short end of rope dangling from her wrists. He yanked her closer until she stood between his legs.
He turned her palms up and stroked the edge of her raw skin with his thumb. “How many times did you try to escape?”
“None. I couldn’t get the knots out.”
“But you would have, wouldn’t you?”
Erin stared at the top of his head. His voice was thick and concerned. She wasn’t exactly sure what he was asking, but she answered truthfully. “I would.”
He shook his head. “That’s what makes me so mad, Erin.”
She forced her hands not to tremble, but she didn’t know him, not really. He’d been kind to her so far, but that was before she tried to get him killed. “I didn’t mean for any of that to happen.”
“No, you thought that you could run from your problems.” He stood, her hands trapped in the rope between his fingers. She winced, and he dug a knife from his pocket. Erin stiffened as the sharp blade sliced through the rope. Matt sat the open knife on the counter and eased the fibers of the rope away from her raw skin. She hadn’t broken the skin, but it was red and raw everywhere. “Sit down.”
She did and chewed on her bottom lip. He shouldn’t be mad about her botched escape attempts. There were plenty of simpering women in the west who would wait quietly for a man to come rescue her, but no one had ever done that for Erin. She didn’t have anyone to rely on, no one to notice when she went missing.
“Why did you come after me?” She needed to know.
Matt opened a cabinet and rummaged around until he found a small tin. He unclasped the lid and brought over some linen strips and a bottle of medicine. He knelt in front of Erin and dabbed the lotion on then wound the strips around her wrists, leaving the tails dangling. He tipped his face up to hers. The pale worry was gone now, replaced by the heat of his anger and frustration. She took the lotion from him and dabbed at the cut over his eyebrow.
He rocked back on his heels and wrapped his fingers around her calves to steady himself while she nursed his wounds. “I couldn’t exactly let them have you.”
“But you told them they could. I thought you meant it.”
His eyes wandered over hers. “I’m sorry if that hurt your feelings. I needed them to think that I wouldn’t come after you. I needed them soft.”
She finished with the cut and took the last piece of linen from his hand. He was so handsome. Even with all the bruises and blood and cuts. That seemed to make him bigger, tougher, stronger. He appealed to her in so many ways. Erin sighed and her breath tickled the hair on his forehead, drawing her eyes to the thick locks. She pushed them aside gently, then let her fingers wander over his skull.
His eyes dropped closed, and he trapped her wrists. “Not so fast.”
She hadn’t meant to touch him, but she couldn’t resist. Everything about him lit up her insides. And not just because she’d gone so long without a man. It was more than that. So much more. He symbolized everything she’d been fighting for. He was freedom, and righteousness, and justice.
He pushed her hands backward until they touched the back of the chair. “I think you need to be punished for what you did, Erin.”
Her eyes widened.
Matt looped her fingers around the chair. You need to keep your hands right here, Erin. Understand?”
He backed up so she could see his face. There was a stern set to his mouth again, and she wasn’t sure what he was going to do to her. Part of her wanted him to punish her, make her pay for her horrible decisions and hasty judgments.
“Are you scared of me?”
She shook her head. Maybe she should be, but he’d done too many good things. She knew at her core he’d never hurt her. A man who rode like he does and who took out the bad guys to save the damsel in distress didn’t hurt the damsel.
“Good.” His lips parted, and his gaze roamed over her face. “No matter what, you can’t take your hands off that chair.”
“Okay.”
Chapter Three
Slices of sun warmed the cabin, filtering in through cracks in the walls and the high windows. Still, Erin shivered. Matt traced the line of her cheek, trailing his finger down to her jaw, then further down her neck. He paused at the edge of her shirt.
“You are the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.”
Of all the things she thought he was going to say, that was pretty far from the punishment she’d imagined. A tremor skittered through her.
He reached for his knife beside them on the counter. Erin’s eyes widened.
“Still trust me?”
Without hesitation, Erin nodded. She still did, even with the glittering blade headed her way. No matter what happened, she needed to trust him, wanted to trust him. Needed one single person in her life who would be who they said they were going to be. Right now, she needed Matt to be a man of his word, the man he’d been since she rode into town.
Her fingers tightened on the chair until it creaked, and he circled behind her. His boots tread heavily on the wooden floor. Each noise made firecrackers erupt inside her. The blade rested on her shoulder, then pierced the fabric. She felt the prick of it against her skin. Not enough to break through, but enough to fire off another series of sparklers. The sharp blade sliced downward through the shirt. Clumps of dirt fell to the floor and Erin drew a deep breath as the fabric released its tight bind from around her breasts. Behind her, Matt growled low in his throat and grabbed a handful of her hair. He pulled her head backward, exposing her neck. “I can’t understand why anyone would let you out of their sight, Erin.” His lips tasted the skin beneath her earlobe. “And I don’t mean to ever let it happen again.”
He bit her gently. Erin yelped at the shot of desire that puckered her nipples and made her sex throb. Her fingers tightened on the chair. She wanted to touch him so badly.
“I killed men today, Erin. Bad men, but I’ve never h
ad to do that.” He pushed her head to the side and set the knife on the counter. She risked a glance at his face, thrilling at the raw look of hunger in his eyes. Her breasts rose and fell with each shallow gasp of breath. His hands played across her collarbones, widening across the expanse of her creamy skin. Erin wanted to watch him touch her, but she couldn’t take her eyes off his face. It was fascinating to see the play of emotions stretching his features into a man half-starved with desire.
He pinched her nipples and tugged. Erin moaned and bit her lip. This was the best punishment she’d ever endured, and she hoped his intention was to make her pay for at least the rest of the day. Warmth pooled between her thighs, and she wanted him there. She hoped her pants would befall the same fate as her shirt. Matt’s hands were warm and rough as they traveled over her skin. He took his time exploring every inch of her. His palms rubbed over her breasts, kneaded them, lifted them and pushed them together. The feel of his work-rough hands on her skin was violently arousing.
Matt tipped her head forward and nipped at her nape, sending a shiver down her spine. “I want to keep you safe. But I need you to understand that I won’t take your disobedience lightly. I don’t want to have to go to those lengths again.” He tugged her shirt free, loosening her grip on the chair, and Erin stole the chance to touch him. Her fingers eagerly fisted the hem of his shirt, but he tugged them free and settled them on the chair again.
He moved in front of her, and Erin devoured every inch of him with her eyes. She wanted to see him without his clothes on, but she was at his mercy. So blissfully at his mercy.
He knelt between her legs and palmed her breasts again. Erin’s head fell back against the chair as his mouth claimed her nipple. She squeezed her thighs together, trapping him. He chuckled against her skin and raked his teeth along the sensitive underside of her nipple. Erin pushed her hips toward him, begging him with her body for more. She squeezed the rungs of the chair until her fingers ached and slivers of the worn wood pressed against her skin.
Matt moved lower, skimming her sides with his wide hands and kissing her belly. He dipped his tongue into her belly button. Erin cried out but kept her hands where they were even though she badly wanted to clasp them against his head. If he kept touching her like this, Erin was surely going to explode into a thousand shards of light. He was injured, had already saved her, and now he was taking her to another dimension with just his hands and his tongue. Men like Matt didn’t exist. And yet he was here, loving her body like a temple.
His hands strayed lower, gripping her hips. Erin pumped them toward him, needing him to pay them the same attention he’d devoted to her breasts. One hand traced the top of her thigh and dipped between her legs. The scorch of the denim against her skin as he moved his hand across her body nearly shot her out of the chair. He stopped just above her clit, and Erin trembled with anticipation. He flattened his palm and circled once, then sent the circle lower so it barely grazed her, then lower, and lower. Erin bucked against his hand, driving her body against the pressure. He held her, rubbing hard and constant against the growing wetness.
Erin’s orgasm built and built, just like it had last time. She cast a wary gaze at the door. Please let nothing interrupt them this time. She wanted him, needed him with a longing that started behind her heart and radiated outward with such force she couldn’t control it or stop it. His thumb found the snap of her pants, and Erin gasped as it flew open. His fingers burrowed beneath the flap of fabric, and she cried out as he touched her damp skin. He flicked her clit once then withdrew. Erin squirmed on the chair, needing, wanting his big hands all over her. Explosions of color burst behind her eyes, and she squeezed them tightly shut.
Erin’s breath came in great gasps, and she couldn’t get enough air. She couldn’t get enough anything. All she could think of was Matt’s body so close and so hard.
“Do you want to come, Erin?”
Her head fell back against the chair. “Yes, please. Please.”
“You need to learn restraint.” His fingers eased away from her core, and she cried out. She was so close. One more touch would have pushed her over the edge. She needed the release so badly. She wasn’t sure what he meant about learning restraint. Clearly she was a little light in the discipline department, but she didn’t have anyone to answer to, so what did it matter? And why did it matter right now?
“Don’t think I’ve forgotten about my promise to spank you.” He stood, and Erin opened her eyes. He took a step back and studied her. What did he see? And did he want her? Erin sat up straight, pushing her full breasts out. She wasn’t a twiggy woman like so many of the delicate wildflowers that came west. She was—and always had been—a full-bodied woman and she liked it that way. She worked plenty hard, and her body was a testament to the fuel she poured into it. Now that he had a chance to see her naked, did he not want her?”
His fingers played at the buttons of his shirt, and Erin’s mouth went dry. She wanted to see his body again. Wanted to feel it, taste it, ride it.
“I’m going to spank you, Erin. I’m going to smack that white ass of yours so hard you’re going to cry out.”
Erin whimpered. She wanted it. Wanted his hand on her ass. Even the thought of pain couldn’t scare her away.
Matt slipped the first button through the hole, and Erin’s nipples tightened. Warmth flooded her thighs, and she was grateful that he hadn’t taken her pants off yet. Embarrassment heated her cheeks, and she squeezed her thighs together. Most women could probably control their arousal, but Erin’s was so voluminous that sometimes it scared her. She wanted with a need so big that it matched everything else in her life. Another button. Oh dear god. He was so beautiful. His hands moved quickly across the remaining ones and then he split the fabric, revealing his perfect chest and stomach. She could do laundry on that stomach. Ripples of muscle clenched and gleamed in the early morning sun. Erin licked her lips and tightened her hold on the chair, wishing she could touch him.
Matt stepped closer until his skin nearly brushed her face. Erin managed to control her urge to rub her cheek against his stomach or lick the indention above his belly button. He was so strong and big. His hands reached for her and Erin stood, eagerly letting go of the chair. Before she could run her hands over his chest, he trapped them and held them together in one of his hands by the loose ties of her bandages. “Not yet, sweet Erin. Not yet.”
He sat in the chair and turned her to face him. Her legs trembled, and she wanted to climb up in his lap and ride him home again. But Matt had other plans. He looped the bandages together and wrapped the ends over the opposite wrists, binding her hands together. He tied the ends securely and smiled up at her.
Erin ran the back of her hand slowly down the side of his cheek, unable to resist. He caught her hands and held them to her chest. “Not yet.”
She was going to die if she didn’t get to touch him. Spirals of desire radiated through her, crashing against the spikes of her orgasm and making her insides a mess. His fingers tugged on the waistband of her pants, pushing them down over her hips. Erin devoured him with her eyes, watching each movement of his hands and the way his muscles flexed and bunched as he slid the fabric lower, exposing all of her.
His eyes shuttered for a moment, and Erin was pretty sure his resolve flagged as she stepped out of her pants. He flattened a palm against her hip, releasing another flood of desire. The dampness wet her curls, and Matt’s eyes flew to the spot. His lips parted and his tongue flicked out. Erin’s legs nearly gave way. He drew her closer but didn’t move his hand to explore. Erin couldn’t resist letting her eyes drop to the massive bulge in his pants. She licked her own lips, and he groaned. He patted the tops of his thighs. “Lay on your stomach, Erin.”
Her gaze flickered up to his, but he wasn’t smiling. Was he really going to spank her? Erin would be a puddle on the floor by the time they finally got to the sex. And oh dear god, could they please go all the way this time. She needed him in her. Deep in her. She looked at his l
ap, then up at him again. She wasn’t entirely sure the chair would hold them both. It had seemed sturdy enough while she was on it . . . but . . .
“Quit stalling, Erin. Every time you disobey me, I’ll add more punishment.”
A thrill shot through her at the sternness of his voice. He’d always been so kind and gentle. This bad man side of him was exhilarating. Erin lowered herself onto his lap, bare ass high in the air. Her clit rubbed against his thigh, and she moaned. Her hips rotated once, grinding her throbbing need against him and nearly doubling her orgasm.
Smack! Erin cried out as the flat of his hand came down painfully on her right ass cheek. Her skin was nearly electrified from the pain.
“You don’t get to come until I tell you, Erin.” He smoothed his palm over the spot where he’d just hit her, making her moan with desire. She hadn’t been spanked since she was eight and that had been an entirely different experience than being buck-naked on a gorgeously sexy sheriff’s lap. His hand circled gently over her ass, dipping into the crack and coming way too close to the pool of her desire. Erin wanted to lift her hips and spread her legs, but she didn’t want him to spank her again. Well, she did, but she was scared of the pain.
“Does that feel good?” He rubbed her gently, softly, with none of the malice and pain of the spanking.
She nodded.
“Tell me, Erin. Tell me how good it feels when I touch you.”
Erin’s throat was dry, and she wasn’t sure she could form the words. Until now, her sexual experiences had been young boys who’d taken her behind the barn. She liked the feel of a cock, but the sex never lasted long enough. Now Matt had taken her to the other extreme and promised to drag this out in torture. Her body ached with the need for release. All it would take would be one swipe of his finger through her damp curls, one rock of her hips against his hard thigh, one dip of his cock inside her. Erin moaned at the thought. “Good. It feels better than good.”
Western Homestead Love (Trilogy Bundle) Page 4