It was time to take a wife. The town was growing, and so was his bank account. He was already established and was now making extra money building houses with his best friend, Bobby, when he wasn't patrolling the streets. He didn't really need more money, but he enjoyed being sheriff and being in control of his town. No one could keep the citizens safer than he could. And they knew it—they kept voting him in, and he always accepted. He also enjoyed helping out his best friend with his business and his family. Bobby and his wife had two children and another one on the way.
Jack had been thinking about taking a wife of his own for the past couple of years. He was in his prime and knew he wasn't getting any younger. If he wanted a family, now would be the time. There'd been many women in his life, but none of them could hold his interest. Until now. There was something about Kenna that held his attention like no other woman had before. And now, she had left town and was maybe hurt or worse.
Jack had to go looking for her. He had wanted to race out the door when Pauline told him she was gone, but he knew he wouldn't find her in the dark. Besides, it was payday for the ranch hands, and so he had to stay close to town. The saloon was lively, and there was always a chance of trouble. He and his deputies had to be ready for anything.
At dawn, Jack got one of his men to watch the town and rode out to look for Kenna. He was determined to find her and show her the error of her ways. He'd finally found a woman who made him want to rip her dress off every time he saw her, and now she was out of reach. He had to make sure she was safe. It was a sunny, hot day, and he rode until dusk searching for her but came back empty-handed.
Feeling defeated, he went to the boarding house for dinner. There she was, at her little corner table by herself, eating her dinner casually as she stared out a window. Jack felt a wave of relief wash over him and then a flash of intense anger at her foolishness. She was acting as if she had never left town. He was livid that he had spent all day in the hot sun looking for her, and here she was, as nice as you please, eating a leisurely dinner like nothing had happened.
Pauline handed him his dinner, and he walked over to Kenna's table. He had to control himself. He took a deep breath and sat down beside her. "So, where have you been, missy?" he said, trying to sound indifferent. "I didn't see you here last night."
"Oh, I went for a ride. It was so nice out, I decided to camp overnight," she said. "It's such pretty country."
He detected a slight waver in her voice. Her worried expression told him that she knew he was angry.
After a painfully quiet dinner, he asked her if she'd like to sit on the porch and enjoy the summer evening with him while he had a smoke. He was surprised when she went with him. When they got out to the porch, he didn't pull out a cigarette but instead gripped her arm and told her they were going for a walk. Kenna protested but then gave in as Jack pulled her down Main Street toward the sheriff's office. She must have known where they were going, but she didn't resist. It was as if she realized that she had misbehaved and deserved punishment. Jack remembered feeling like that when he was a boy and knew darn well that he'd broken his parents' rules and earned a few lashes of his dad's belt.
They went into the office, and Jack held her arm while he lit a lantern. He dragged her to the back of the building and into an empty cell. He had been up most of the night before, breaking up a brawl in the saloon. Then he'd had to go looking for her. He was mad and tired.
He saw her eyes grow wider. "Why are we back here?" she whispered. Jack could tell she was frightened.
He glared at her. "You didn't listen to me the last time we had a discussion, so I guess I have to reinforce my point of view. Talking doesn't seem to get through to you!" he growled, feeling the anger surge in him. He couldn't believe this little woman could cause him to worry so much that he felt like hurting her one minute and kissing her the next. Jack handcuffed her to the end of the bed and pulled her across his lap roughly, then pulled her dress up and her underwear down to expose her smooth white bottom.
She tried to wriggle free from his firm grasp, but he had her pinned down. He slapped her sharply and kept going.
Kenna cried and begged him to stop. He had let her get off lightly before, but this time was different. She'd outright disobeyed him and hadn't even tried to come up with a good excuse for her behavior. He didn't really want to hurt her, but he had to make her see the danger she was in when she rode out of town. A severe spanking was better than getting herself killed—or worse.
He spanked her hard on each cheek and down the backs of her thighs until she was bright red and bruises began to show. Her cries were joined by hiccupping sobs. He finally stopped and rubbed her stinging bottom to calm the fire.
He picked her up in his arms and held her as she cried, stroking her hair gently. He felt her breasts heave with her sobs and then slowly settle as she calmed down.
"Shh," he murmured. "You know the only reason I do this is to keep you safe. It seems like the only way to get your full attention." He held her close for a long time, trying to envelop her in his comforting warmth.
There were no warm kisses, and his hand didn't roam up her dress. When Jack spanked Kenna the first time, he'd been annoyed, but he'd also desired her. He'd wanted to teach her a lesson, but passion had taken over and he wasn't as firm as he should have been. She had apparently not taken him seriously.
Tonight, had been different; he had been angry and had hit her harder than he'd meant to. Afterward, he had just held her and didn't say anything. When she had quieted down, he walked her back to the boarding house and left her on the front step without a word.
If she defied him again, he had no idea what else he could do to make her understand the danger of her behavior.
9
Truce
Kenna lay in bed the next morning, thinking it was a good thing that she usually slept on her side because her rear felt like it was on fire. There was no way she could support weight on that part of her body today! Draping cool, damp cloths over herself last night had eased the pain, along with the help of a few Advil. After prying open a floorboard under her bed, she had stashed some supplies after returning from the first trip to the base. The cache contained painkillers, some chocolate bars—not in their original packaging, of course—and a canteen full of pop. It was warm and flat, but the sugar made her feel better.
Jack had been so angry last night. He hadn't smiled at all, and the harshness of the punishment was more than she'd expected. The first time he spanked her was almost like playing in comparison. The slaps had been sharp and hurt a bit, and her behind had been tender afterward, but nothing that had prevented her from going about her daily activities. She'd enjoyed their time together—even if it was on the rough side. But last night was different. There was no teasing or passion in his eyes. Only anger.
She was always nervous when she was with Jack because he was so dominant, both physically and socially, and while the residents of the town treated him with respect and many with a certain degree of fear, she had never genuinely feared him until last night. It was hard to believe the cold, dangerous man who had gunned down the previous owner of her horse was the man she desired. How could she not only dream about this abusive man but want him to be her husband?
Because she knew he wasn't actually abusive. Disciplining her was the only way Jack knew to make her understand the danger of her actions. He was concerned for her safety as any man would be for the woman he cared about. Kenna knew that she wasn't really able to give this relationship a chance to develop normally. The overnight trips must seem to him like she was either blatantly disobeying him to get a reaction or was foolishly risking her life. Their lives would be so much easier if she could tell him the truth. Unfortunately, that was impossible.
Kenna got out of bed, took a couple of extra-strength Advil and got dressed carefully. She didn't want to spend all day in bed. With her swollen eyes not entirely concealed by cosmetics, she went downstairs to distract herself with work.
Keeping busy all day allowed her to avoid sitting. She stayed in the kitchen and ate what she could while Pauline was out in the dining room, chatting and serving her guests. When the dinner dishes were done, she painfully made her way toward the stairs. She was tired and needed more Advil.
"We need to talk, Kenna," said the familiar deep voice that was almost a growl. Jack must have seen her sneak out of the kitchen and had moved to intercept her.
She sighed. "Not tonight. I'm tired and want to go to bed." She started up the stairs, avoiding his gaze.
He put his hand on her arm. "Let's go for a walk." It was a demand, not a request.
He moved toward the front door, and she followed his lead obediently. They didn't speak as they walked down Main Street. Kenna felt a cold chill down her back, even though the night air was warm and inviting. She tried not to look nervous and took a couple of deep breaths to calm down her racing heart. He took her to the edge of town, where there was a beautiful view of the mountains in the moonlight.
Jack motioned toward a stack of hay bales along a fence. "Come sit here on the hay."
Kenna walked over to a bale and eased herself down gingerly.
He sat beside her. "How are you feeling today?" His expression was almost gentle.
"This is the first time I've sat down all day," she said with a tired, dejected voice. "Sitting still hurts, but its tolerable tonight."
"I'm sorry I hurt you. But I don't know any other way to show you that, by disobeying me, you're putting your life in danger."
"Why do you care so much about what happens to me?"
He looked at her with a pained expression. She guessed it was because he wasn't used to having to explain himself. Especially to a woman. "I've never met anyone like you. I like your company."
She looked over at him and sighed. "I liked spending time with you too. Until last night. You were so angry, you scared me." She looked at the mountains. "And you hurt me." Tears welled up in her eyes and she quickly looked away.
"Then sell your horse and stop riding out of town. Do what you're told, and I won't get so angry."
Kenna shot a glare at him. "I can't sell Arwen; I'm attached to her!"
"Arwen?"
"That's her name. I want to keep my horse."
"Fine. You can keep—Arwen? Or whatever you said its name was. But no more riding unless you're with me. We can go riding when I'm not busy. But you have to promise me to never go out again by yourself!"
"Why are you trying to control what I do? I'm not your wife! We haven't even been seen around town together during the day. You take me to your office at night when no one is around. For all I know, you're married and I'm just a girl you fool around with!"
"I'm not married! You know that." He wiped one hand down his face and then gently brushed a wisp of hair from her face and touched her cheek. "I'm busy during the day so the evening is the only time I can spend with you. And now you're helping Pauline, so you're busy too." She felt his frustration growing as he shook his head and looked up briefly at the stars. "What do you want me to say? We've only known each other for two weeks! I care about you, and I want to get to know you better. I can't do that if you're dead in the fucking mountains!"
She looked down at her hands folded demurely on her lap and knew that she'd have to either mollify him or piss him off even more. She chose the former, conjuring the most submissive attitude possible and conceded to his wishes. "All right. I'll do as you say."
He eased closer and put his arm around her. They sat in silence for a while, lost in their own thoughts.
Jack tilted her head so she had to look into his dark, penetrating gaze. His lips met hers softly, and she felt a rush of excitement. How could her body betray her like this? Kenna wanted to be mad at him for a while! Much to her dismay, she felt herself melt with his kisses and draw closer to him. He was gentle with her and didn't push to go further.
After a series of long, slow kisses, he drew back from her slightly and gave her a puzzled look. "I need to know why you go on these overnight rides. Losing track of time isn't a good excuse. I know you're smart and wouldn't risk your life unless it was for a darn good reason."
She looked up at him intently while her mind worked to find a reason. As she smiled slowly, she said, "I used to go on overnight trips with my father. He taught me how to ride, shoot a gun and protect myself. When I go out and camp under the stars, I think about him and feel like he's close to me. I guess it makes me a little less homesick."
He gazed at her and narrowed his eyes. "That's a good story, but something doesn't ring true. If you're so homesick, why don't you just go home?"
"Because my parents are dead, and I have no family to go home to!" she blurted and quickly looked away. "There, now you know!" Kenna felt a wave of sadness wash over her, along with a surge of annoyance that he was always questioning her judgment. She gathered her thoughts and finally said, "I had to get away from the city because everything reminds me of them and my happy life before they died. I came here, where everything is unfamiliar and I don't know anyone, so I'd have time figure out what I want to do. My parents had a house, but they also had a lot of debt. By the time their estate was settled, I had nothing."
She felt her eyes well up with tears as she spoke because most of it was the truth. She still missed her parents very much and hadn't really grieved their loss properly. They had taken her camping often, and with her father's interest in guns, he had taken her to shooting ranges to practice as soon as she was old enough, much to her mother's dismay. She'd always been her father's daughter. She'd learned how to start a fire without matches and how to use a compass before she went through puberty. If Jack wanted to test her skills, she'd easily be able to back up her story.
He looked at her searchingly. "Well, then, maybe you can show me where you go on these trips of yours, and I can see for myself how you handle yourself." He looked down at the ground and shook his head. "I still think you're not telling me everything. It doesn't seem reasonable that a young woman would risk her neck just to get over being homesick. I believe what you've told me, but I know there's still something you're hiding."
She sighed as she watched him stare at the shadowy outline of the distant mountain range. "I was broke and alone, and I saw the posting for a job to come out west and write stories about everyday life here. People in the east are very interested in the taming of the west. The job was intended for a man, but my employer thought a woman's point of view would be interesting. I was given enough money to live here for six months. I'll write my stories, and when I go back, I'll be paid a large sum of money if they like my work and I make myself available to answer questions about my experience. They want a lot of details about animals and plants and anything else I can find. So, I thought it would be interesting to write about overnight trips in the wild. I wanted to write about something unusual, and I'm trying to have something different to offer other than the regular stories about the goings-on around a town. I need the payment at the end of this job to support myself until I can find a suitable husband." She looked up at him, trying to look as sincere as possible.
The doubt had vanished from his face and his gaze had softened. He had bought her story of a desperate woman doing what she could to survive. She knew it sounded convincing because, in reality, she hadn't lied about anything except leaving out the part about the time travel.
To add to the believability of the story, she said, "I fully understand the risk I'm taking. That's why I wear men's clothing and stay off the main trail. I do whatever I can to not draw attention to myself and stay out of trouble. It's worked so far. I've never been bothered by anyone." She looked down at her hands.
Jack put a finger under her chin and gently lifted her bowed head. He was smiling. "Thank you for being honest with me. Survival drives people to do reckless things." He softly kissed her on the forehead. "If you stay here in town with me, you never have to worry about money again. I've got lots of it."
She looked
up at him and smiled. "What are you saying, Sheriff?"
"I'm saying that I'll protect you and I'll never let you starve." He smiled at her teasingly.
That was not the answer she'd been hoping for. There was no mention or even a hint that Jack wanted her as his wife.
She was careful to keep the smile pasted on her lips as her heart sank. "That gives me great comfort, Jack. I'll keep that in mind." She adopted a look that she thought matched his teasing smile.
He stood up, still smiling. "Come on now. I'll walk you home, and we can continue this conversation tomorrow."
She carefully got to her feet, minding her sore backside, and allowed Jack to walk her back to the boarding house. Kenna felt tired and discouraged, and she knew what she had to do.
10
Decision
Kenna woke up to the sound of Pauline's quiet knock on the door. She was getting used to her human alarm clock. As she stared at the faint water stains on the ceiling, she thought about the discussion with Jack last night. She had decided to enjoy the sheriff's company over the next couple of weeks and then return home. He hadn't even hinted at the possibility of marriage, and she couldn't risk the certainty of financial independence on a wink and a smile.
She fell back into her routine of writing in the morning and working around the house for the rest of the day. After Kenna had finished the dishes with Pauline, Jack would either sit with the two women while they ate or would show up later in the evening. He'd then escort her around town as they talked. Kenna loved hearing about the details of his day-to-day life. She learned what was important and what frustrated him. In turn, she shared her small victories and disappointments.
She also managed to get Jack to tell her a little about growing up in a small city in the south. He'd had a happy childhood, along with parents who had made sure he was well educated. His father took him fishing and hunting, so he'd learned how to fend for himself from a young age. Unfortunately, both of his parents and his younger sister had become very ill when he was seventeen and had died from cholera.
Sheriff's Desire: Time-Travel (Escape To The Wild West Book 1) Page 7