Taming His Cowgirl (The Crooked Creek Ranch Book 1)

by Delta James

  “Aren’t we going to combine those two parcels with the rest of the Flying M?” Sierra argued with him one morning as they rode out to check on the mustangs.

  “Yes, but it’s not the same. It shouldn’t cost the Flying M for me to end things with my father.”

  “You’re such a pig-headed jerk. Why is it that everything you have is ours, but the Flying M is mine?”

  “Babe, it’s your family’s ranch… your heritage.”

  “Did you miss the part where you’re my family? So, what you think the Flying M is never going to belong to you too? Should I point out Malone begins with an M and so the M in the Flying M could stand for Malone just as easily as Morgan.”

  He reined Mouse to a stop. When Sierra turned Joker back to come up alongside him, Ryder leaned over and kissed her. “And I so love you for believing that. Let it be, Sierra. I’ll figure it out.”

  “Arrggghhh,” she growled at him. “I’m going into town today to finalize the details on the cake and the catering. Want to come?”

  He chuckled. “Always, but only with you.”

  She shook her head. “I would point out to you that you did plenty of that last night.”

  “But you did more,” he teased.

  Sierra had learned quickly that Ryder was a demanding and thorough lover. Once he’d realized she was capable of coming numerous times in any one session, he’d made it a regular habit to hold back from climaxing until he’d made sure she’d be exhausted when he was through. He’d also continued to work on her being able to accept things in her bottom. Instead of ginger, he’d used a series of smooth steel plugs designed for the sexual pleasure. Sierra had to admit that while she didn’t necessarily like the idea, the actual physical sensation was very arousing. Ryder had told her that he would only use the peeled ginger in her bottom when he was punishing her.

  On several occasions, Sierra had arisen with sore girlie parts. Generally, they accompanied a sore bottom from having misbehaved. But nothing she’d done had risen to the level of earning another session with his belt. She hoped that when he found out what her real goal was in town today, she’d be able to say the same.

  Sierra put the finishing touches on the menu selections for their sumptuous buffet dinner. They’d opted for a buffet so that guests could mingle and eat what and when they chose. As ranchers, beef was on the menu—Flying M beef to be exact. They also had both salmon and trout as a nod to Idaho’s great game fishing. And they rounded out the menu with two different pasta dishes and numerous side dishes.

  The plan was to have a huge tent with heaters to cover the large patio as a dance floor. The outdoor space would be strung with hundreds of small twinkling lights—not only throughout the structure of the tent, but throughout the landscape. They wanted it to feel like a winter wonderland.

  Sierra stopped at the baker’s. They had chosen a classic red velvet cake with cream cheese filling and a buttercream frosting. They had opted to stay with the winter wonderland design and the cake was to be decorated with dozens of handmade, edible snowflakes. Instead of the usual wedding topper, they were opting for sparklers.

  Feeling very good and very calm about the wedding preparations, Sierra went to meet with Martin Scott, their attorney.

  “Sierra,” he said, embracing her. “So good to see you.” He looked down at her hand. “Not still mad at me, are you?”

  She laughed. “Wouldn’t do me any good. I know now you were just an instrument of Dad and Ryder’s master plan. However, I need your help to get even.”

  Marty looked concerned as he showed Sierra into his office.

  “Oh, don’t worry; it’s the right thing to do… it’s just going to piss him off,” she said, smiling.

  Marty’s secretary stuck her head through the door. “Hank Malone is here. He said Sierra is expecting him.”

  “I am indeed.”

  “Sierra Morgan, what are you up to?”

  “No good,” she laughed again.

  Hank entered the office. “Martin,” he said, offering his hand.

  The lawyer reached out and shook it. He glanced again at Sierra, who looked a bit too predatory for his liking.

  “Sierra,” Hank exclaimed as he leaned down to kiss her cheek. “How is my future daughter-in-law?”

  “She’s pissed, Hank. And you?”

  Both Marty and Hank were a bit taken aback. Marty wondered if Hank recognized the feral gleam in Sierra’s eyes.

  “Well, if the boy isn’t treating you right, I’ll have a talk with him. Your daddy and I always wanted to unite our ranches with you two.”

  “I’m aware,” she said softly. “Only what I didn’t know back then was that Ryder had already decided to marry me and was waiting for the right time to ask. Did you know he had money set aside so that if the two of you threw a fit, we could start on our own?”

  “Doesn’t really matter now, does it? It all worked out,” said Hank, the hair on the back of his neck starting to stand up. “So, why did you want me to meet you down here?”

  “You’re in financial trouble, Hank, more than Ryder knows. You owe a lot of back alimony and need a ton of cash to get out of your current disastrous marriage.”

  “How do you know any of that… and I’m not saying it’s true.”

  “It is. I hired an investigator when I took a trip to Boise. It didn’t make sense to me that you came back to the ranch more than two months ago and stayed. I can’t remember a time in my adult life that you ever stayed more than a week or two. You’ve stayed because you can’t afford to go anywhere you’d rather be.”

  Martin looked at Sierra with newfound respect. Gone was the tempestuous young woman. In her place sat a confident woman ready to pounce on someone who had wronged the man she loved. He suddenly felt just a little bit sorry for Hank.

  “You know anything about this, Martin?”

  “Nope, I’m as much in the dark as you, but I think we’re about to get enlightened.”

  Sierra smiled and leaned forward. “Here’s the deal, Hank. Ryder wants the original homestead and the parcel of land that sits between that and the Flying M and I mean to see he gets it.”

  “I’ve told him my price… he can’t meet it.”

  “Maybe not, but the Flying M can. You sign over those two parcels; you can keep the rest of the land as well. The Flying M will take on all the financial obligations of Crooked Creek. You’ll own the land free and clear. Get an even halfway decent price for it—and some of the surrounding ranches might want pieces—and you’ll be set for life.”

  Sierra could see the greed begin to shine in Hank’s eyes. Her heart ached for Ryder. He deserved a better father. She might not be able to give him a father, but she would make damn sure he had a better family.

  “This is a one-time-only offer, Hank. You agree to my terms and I’ll meet your price. You can stay on at the ranch at Crooked Creek until Ryder says differently. But you’re cut off. You don’t get to take the money Ryder worked his ass off to earn. You don’t get to destroy everything he’s built over there.”

  “Now, see here, Sierra.”

  “No, Hank, you see me. I will not allow you to be a millstone around our necks. You can have the life you always wanted… or I swear I’ll make it my life’s mission to break you. I’m my father’s daughter. You know I can do it.” She turned and smiled at Marty. “Can’t we?”

  Marty leaned back in his chair. “That we can. As this is a pretty straightforward land deal, I can have a letter of agreement drawn up before you leave here today. It will be legally binding until we can have the property surveyed and the sale documents finalized. Today is Monday. I can have it done no later than the end of this week. That work for you, Sierra?”

  “It does. Hank?”

  “You’re right. I was never cut out to be a rancher. You have a deal… oh, and I want the Beamer.”

  Sierra offered him her hand. “Done.”

  Hank shook her hand and Marty asked him to make himself comfortable in the l
obby. He turned back to Sierra.

  “You know all expenditures of his magnitude are supposed to be approved by Ryder. You know he’ll never go along with it.”

  The predatory look was gone and she smiled sweetly. “That’s where you being one of my daddy’s oldest and bestest friends comes in. You know it’s the right thing to do. And you know if Daddy was alive, he’d be all in. Crooked Creek is Ryder’s heritage… his home. Can’t we just divert the money for a week or two? You know, what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

  “Honey, I could keep it from him for a few weeks, a month at most…”

  “You’re my lawyer, Marty, you have to respect my confidence.”

  “Sierra…”

  “I just need a couple of weeks. Then Ryder and I will be married and the Flying M will be his as much as mine and vice versa… that would fix it, wouldn’t it?”

  “A couple of weeks? What do you mean? Everybody knows you two are getting married… gonna announce the date at the big party, but…”

  “No buts. We’re getting married at the party.”

  “Why, you little sneak. I take it Ryder knows that secret?” he said, grinning at her.

  “Yeah. He’s been rather blasé about all the wedding plans. Once he got my ring back on my finger and I said yes when he proposed, he was good. So, can you help a girl out? I thought this could be my wedding present.”

  “Call me a sucker for a happy ending. You can count me in and your secret wedding is safe with me. If I can do anything for the two of you…”

  “Well, I understand you have a license to marry folks… we kind of thought we’d ask you to perform the ceremony—nothing fancy, just make it legal as Ryder likes to say.”

  Martin Scott’s eyes filled with tears. “I’d be honored, Sierra. Truly.”

  The letter of agreement signed, Sierra headed home.

  Chapter Twenty

  As Sierra drove up to the ranch, she saw Ryder shaking hands with one of the suits from the BLM. The suit looked pleased with himself… something that didn’t sit right with Sierra. Two weeks ago they’d received a letter from the BLM wanting to make trouble about the mustangs being on the Flying M. The BLM felt the mustangs had been illegally appropriated and were willing to go to court to be able to confiscate them.

  The suit passed her in his sedan and waved. Sierra knew the man. He was a pencil pusher of the first order. She gave him the finger. Parking her truck next to Ryder, she got out.

  “What the hell…”

  Ryder cut her off with a kiss.

  “Sierra Morgan, soon to be Malone, you do not flip off a government official.”

  “That pipsqueak? I’d have rather given him my boot in his ass.”

  Ryder kissed her again and whispered in her ear, “That’s enough, Sierra. You behave.”

  Ryder never made a show of dominance in front of the men, never undercut her authority, but he also ensured she never forgot that she answered to him. When she forgot, he had no trouble getting her alone or sending her to their room for an old-fashioned bare-bottom spanking.

  “I hate those assholes…”

  “Sierra, watch your language.”

  “Well, they are and I hate them and I don’t want them here.”

  “Then when they have to be here, I’ll deal with them.”

  “Why was that sonofabitch here on the Flying M?”

  Ryder hugged her to him. To anyone watching, it would seem that he was merely trying to comfort her. Instead he whispered, “I said enough. Since that hasn’t deterred your misbehavior, why don’t you go up to our room, get yourself naked, and stand in the corner until I come up and deal with you?”

  “Ryder…”

  “Now, babe,” he said, smiling. But the look in his eyes was pure blue steel. “Go.”

  “Okay,” she said brightly. “I am a little tired, maybe I’ll just go upstairs for a bit.” She sauntered off, ensuring any witnesses to their exchange or her departure would think that she was either tired or issuing Ryder an invitation… one he would take her up on.

  Ryder smiled and looked at his men. “Boys, it’s getting to be that time of day. Think I’ll head on up to the house unless any of you need me.”

  He was assured they could carry on without him. Once Ryder had climbed the hill to the house, the men of the Flying M burst out laughing. It had become great sport to watch Ryder and Sierra work and spar together. The general consensus was that they were a fun, sexy couple and actually made a great team.

  Ryder strode up to the house and through the kitchen.

  “Ryder,” Ruth called to him.

  “What can I do for you, Ruth?”

  “Will you two be down for dinner? Sierra looked a little upset.”

  Ryder glanced at his watch. “It’ll depend on just how big a tantrum she decides to throw.”

  “She hates those BLM agents. I warned you about that earlier.”

  “Yes, ma’am, you did. But Sierra needs to learn to trust me and she needs to learn that sometimes for the greater good you have to make deals with the devil’s disciples.”

  “Ryder,” she said as he turned to leave.

  “Yes?”

  “Have you and Sierra thought about moving into John’s old room? It’s much bigger in every way and has a king-size bed…”

  “We’ve talked in general about some day. I don’t want to push her. Has she said something to you?”

  “Same thing. In general, but nothing specific. I think part of her feels like you should as you’re now the head of the Flying M.”

  “I’ll talk to her. Maybe we can do something about it after we get married. Maybe we could plan any changes and have them done while we’re gone to France.”

  Ruth beamed at him. “I think it’s so romantic you’re taking her to France.”

  “She wanted to see our house there and I want to show her off.”

  “You’re going to spoil her if you’re not careful,” said Ruth, grinning from ear-to-ear.

  Ryder walked over and kissed her cheek. “I’m going to give it my best shot, Ruthie.”

  He turned and sprinted up the stairs.

  Ryder opened the door to their room and saw Sierra standing in the corner—naked and waiting.

  “Good girl. Shame you couldn’t behave when I first asked you to.”

  “Ryder, I don’t like…”

  “Did I tell you that you could talk, little girl? I’m pretty sure I was about to lecture you on the pitfalls of acting like a spoiled brat. I had business with what’s-his-name.”

  She whirled around. “What kind of business?”

  “You turn back around and put your nose back in that corner.”

  “I won’t until you tell me why he was here,” she said, stomping her foot to make her point.

  “You will or this will be a whole lot worse for you than I’d planned it to be.”

  “Why was he here?”

  “Nose in the corner, Sierra. Mind me.”

  Ryder’s tone had lost all of its affection and understanding and had become hard and determined.

  “Ryder, why won’t you tell me?”

  “Why don’t you trust that it isn’t anything bad?”

  She started out of the corner. “Oh, no, you do not get to turn this around on me. I’m not going back in that corner until you tell me what’s going on.”

  “You sure about that?” he asked quietly.

  “Yes,” she said and stomped her foot again for emphasis.

  “Your choice, little girl,” he said, fisting a handful of her hair and marching her into their bathroom.

  Sierra realized too late his intent. She’d already had her mouth washed out a few times for not mitigating her language. She knew if she didn’t submit, he’d spank her right there at the sink and then use the whole bar of soap as opposed to some just rubbed on his hand.

  “Ryder, you’re not being fair.”

  “I’m not being fair? You’ve jumped to a conclusion again, casting me as
the bad guy. The last time I let you get away with that, you threw your ring in my face. Now, open your mouth, Sierra. Apparently the last time wasn’t nasty enough to make much of a deterrent on your mouth.”

  “Ry—”

  Before she could finish his name, his soaped-up hand was in her mouth, rubbing the goat soap all over her tongue, cheeks, and teeth. When he finished, he handed her a small glass of water with barely any water.

  “Now, do you think you can go back and stand with your nose in the corner until I come get you to spank you or do you need to get a spanking before you go into the corner to wait for your spanking?”

  Sierra could see he was pissed… but so was she. She tried to knock his hand away. When that didn’t work, she tried to punch him.

  “So that’s the way you’re going to play it? Bad choice, little girl. I warned you about throwing punches.”

  Without turning her hair loose, he marched her back over to their bed, sat down and dragged her across his hard thighs. It did not go unnoticed by her that his cock had been swelling the entire time they were arguing.

  She had little time to consider the ramifications of that before his hand descended on her ass in a decidedly angry manner.

  “Ouch! Ryder, no!”

  “Yes, Sierra. You have been an obnoxious brat since you got home. You should have learned by now how I deal with you when you behave like that. Good thing I checked on the mustangs today while you were out… you’re not going to be in any shape to sit down, much less ride tomorrow.”

  Ryder’s hand came down repeatedly on her bare bottom. He’d spank one cheek twice, the second strike being harder and then move to the other cheek. He continued to spank her in that manner until her entire backside was covered with red imprints of his hand.

  “Ow, Ryder, please stop,” she wailed.

  Ryder realized a little of the heat had left her tone. He thought it must have migrated down to her butt cheeks because they were red and very warm to the touch. He stopped spanking, but reached into the bedside table, taking out one of the butt plugs as well as some lubricant.

  “No, Ryder…”

  “Yes, Sierra. I’ve told you before that very naughty brats get their bottoms punished inside and out. This is the one we used the other night that you found very uncomfortable.”