The Wanted Cowboy (Cowboys After Dark Book 5) Read online

  CHAPTER FIVE

  A short time later, stomach churning, Tess was in her bedroom nervously changing from her jeans into a skirt and sweater.

  “At least he’s letting me keep my panties on,” she mumbled as she pulled on her favorite pair; they were full seat, white with pink roses.

  Hurriedly making her bed, she darted around the room tidying up, wondering why she cared so much, but a gentle knock on her door interrupted her chore.

  Shit. Do I really want to do this?

  Hell, yeah. It was all you thought about after he gave you those quick few smacks for punching him.

  This is true, shit.

  “Tess?”

  His voice was low, and sounded stern, and taking a deep breath she called back.

  “Come in.”

  Opening the door he stepped in a few feet, then paused, frowning.

  “Damn, girl, you look terrified. This is just a spankin’, not the firin’ squad.”

  “I’ve never been over a knee,” she said, her face blazing red.

  “Your daddy never spanked your butt?” he asked lifting his eyebrows. “I’m surprised.”

  “Why?”

  “Cos I have a feelin’ you were quite the handful when you were a kid,” he grinned. “Come to think of it, that’s probably why you’re a handful now.”

  “What do you mean?” she asked, a challenge in her voice.

  “That right there,” he chuckled, “you’re a handful now cos you weren’t taken in hand when you were a naughty young girl. I’ll bet you had your daddy wrapped around your little finger. Am I right?”

  “Maybe,” she smiled, feeling herself relax a bit, “truth be told I still do.”

  “Well, darlin’, I may be crazy about you but I’m still gonna spank your butt, and not just now. I’ll turn you over my knee whenever I think you need it.”

  She could feel her knees begin to buckle, and the stomach churning had returned with a vengeance; dropping down on the edge of the bed she began fidgeting.

  “You won’t spank me hard will you?” she squeaked.

  “This time, not too hard, but in the future if you need it, sure I will,” he promised, “but I’ve got a few rules.”

  “Rules?” she frowned. “What kind of rules?”

  “How hard I spank you and for how long, that’s up to me,” he said firmly as he sat down next to her. “I’m fair and I’ll listen to any defense you might offer, but if I think you need a real good spankin’, you’ll get it. If that’s not okay you’d better tell me now before we take this thing between us any further.”

  She could feel the growing dampness in her panties, and her thighs were clenching. No man had ever spoken to her in such a way, and as much as it unnerved her it was also totally titillating and intriguing.

  “It is,” she breathed, “okay with me, I mean.”

  Putting his arm around her shoulder he gave her a warm hug.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll go easy on you this first time,” he assured her. “This is just about calmin’ you down, not punishin’ you. If I ever have to punish you, that’ll be different.”

  “Why would you have to punish me?” she asked.

  “If and when that time comes you’ll find out,” he replied. “Come on now, over my knee. I’m startin’ to think you’re stallin’.”

  “I kind of am,” she said timidly.

  “Where’s that cocky, difficult girl?” he grinned.

  “Good question,” she laughed. “This is weird.”

  “Nope, it’s not weird, now over my lap,” he declared, and lifting his hand to the back of her neck he pushed her forward.

  Oh, my, God, this is happening. He’s going to actually spank me. Shit.

  “My other rules,” he declared as he smoothed his hand over her upturned rump, “are quite simple. No throwin’ your hands behind you. It’s annoyin’, and you don’t wanna annoy me when I’m spankin’ your butt. Got it?”

  “Uh-huh,” she managed.

  “I suggest you lock your fingers together. It might remind you if you get tempted. Next rule, no yellin’. If you think you’re gonna yell let me know and I’ll grab you a pillow.”

  “You’re scaring me,” she whimpered.

  “That’s normal,” he said lightly. “Last, like I said before, I decide how hard I’m gonna spank you so don’t tell me to stop. You probably will, but if you do I’ll add two hard swats as punishment.”

  Yikes. This is so…real.

  “You ready?” he inquired, rubbing his hand across her skirt covered cheeks.

  “Uh-huh,” she muttered wriggling on his lap.

  Lifting his hand he brought down with a sound slap, left it where it landed, then lightly squeezed. Raising it again he repeated the motion, swatting down, resting for a moment, then squeezing. The third smack was harder, and so was the squeeze.

  Tess wriggled but it didn’t stop his rhythm; smack, rest, squeeze, smack, rest, squeeze, delivering his blows to the same spot time after time. The target began to smart, and squirming purposefully she attempted to gyrate her hips away from the anticipated slap.

  “OW!” she yelled as it landed, “OW, OW.”

  Moving his hand across to her opposite side he smoothed the fabric and patted the virgin cheek.

  “Do I have your attention?” he asked firmly.

  “Yes, totally,” she wriggled.

  “Good. I’m gonna spank you on this side now, then let you rest for a minute, then a quick volley and you’re done,” he promised.

  “It hurts,” she whimpered.

  “Yep, this is to get your mind off things and calm you down,” he reminded her. “If you get all wired and out of sorts you’ll be right back here, so best you remember that.”

  “I will,” she promised, wriggling again.

  “Okay, gonna start up now.”

  Dispatching his palm on the fresh meat, he swatted, rested and squeezed in his slow, easy pace, continuing until she was bleating out her utterances of pain; he’d kept count, delivering exactly twenty good smacks to each cheek.

  “Owwww,” she mewed, kicking her feet.

  “What was that?” he grinned.

  “I don’t know,” she stammered, “just something I had to do.”

  “I’m gonna pull your skirt up now,” he warned.

  “What? No,” she protested.

  “Yep, but don’t worry, I’m not gonna bare your bottom, not this time.”

  Not this time? Shit, what does that mean?

  It means he’s expecting to spank you again of course.

  Oh, man!

  As she felt the skirt being slowly slid across her thin panties, the heat flared up in her face, and the dampness in the gusset of her knickers betrayed the effects of his hot hand.

  I can’t believe how hot this is making me. God, I hope he puts his fingers between my legs. Please, I want you to, I really do.

  “This is gonna sting,” he warned, “but it’ll be quick. Remember, no hands behind you, and no yellin’.”

  Gritting her teeth she waited, but deciding to add some tantalizing anticipation to the end of the spanking he fondled and caressed her, moving his hands across her bottom and down the backs of her thighs.

  Ooh, that feels sooo good, his hand is so gentle. How can a hand that gentle sting so bad?

  “You ready?” he asked, not wanting to jolt her from her lulled state.

  “Oh? Yes, I guess,” she muttered.

  The flurry of zinging smacks began, his hand landing across the fullness of her backside, hitting untouched spots with fire and adding burn to the already scalded areas, but he stopped as quickly as he’d begun.

  “Oww, oww, oww,” she gasped as she gyrated her hips in a strange dance.

  “We’re done,” he announced running his hand over her punished behind. “You’ve had that coming for years,” that and so much more.

  “Oww, oww, oww,” she repeated, aching to put her hands on her seared seat.

  “Deep breaths, and
then you’ll get your post-spanking cuddle like I promised,” he said tenderly.

  As his hand smoothed the rough, smacked skin, he listened to her sighs and soft moans, wishing he could lower her panties and view his handiwork.

  “Come on,” he said sweetly, and pulling her into his lap he maneuvered them both to the head of the bed where he leaned back and drew her into his arms.

  Tess sank into his chest. Being enveloped in his muscled, powerful hold made her feel safe and protected, and the sting in her bottom gave her a sense of intimate closeness.

  “Luke?” she whispered.

  “Yeah?”

  “Please will you kiss me.”

  The heat surged through his cock, and lifting his hand to the back of her neck he clutched her hair, tilted back her head and stared down at her.

  “There’s nothin’ in this world I want more than to kiss you,” he breathed, “but if I do, it won’t stop there.”

  “Works for me,” she twinkled up at him.

  “You sure?” he whispered.

  “Totally and completely sure,” she whispered back.

  Lowering his lips on to hers he moved them softly, then slowly began to press harder, his grip growing tighter, until their fervent passion took over and their tongues began to dance as their mouths locked together. When they breathlessly broke apart he peeled off her clothes, starting with her panties. Layer by layer was removed, until he was staring down at her nakedness.

  “Damn, you’re so beautiful,” he breathed.

  “I need you, I want you so badly,” she mewed.

  Ripping off his robe he fell beside her, lowering his mouth to her breasts, sucking hungrily as he squeezed and caressed.

  “Luke, I’ve thought about this so many times,” she moaned, and lifting her body to meet his tongue as he moved down her stomach, she gasped with every inch he journeyed, until he landed between her legs eliciting a squeal of delight.

  Recalling his fantasy he moved his hands under her spanked cheeks, and feeling the heat he’d just delivered sent his engorged cock pulsing as it pressed against her leg.

  “Luke, please, please, make love to me,” she groaned.

  Her yearning plea was too tempting to ignore, and sliding up the length of her body he allowed his cock to slither through her slick wetness.

  “Tess,” he groaned, “you feel…” but he let his voice trail off, unable to find the words that could describe the extraordinary rush of physical and emotional joy.

  “Sooo amazing,” she moaned, finishing the sentence for them both.

  His thrusts were slow and deliberate, his whispered words and roaming hands seeking out the body he’d dreamed of every cruel night he’d been locked up. Kissing her shoulders, the inside of her arms, her fingers, her chest, her stomach, his lips could not be satisfied, and continued their loving exploration until their mutual climax could no longer be denied.

  “I’m there,” she panted.

  “Come with me, Tess, come with me,” he breathed, and as his cock erupted he dropped his head into the pillows to bury his deep, soulful groans.

  Her high-pitched cries were pealing like church bells, and she bit her lip to stop them as the rising tide of her orgasm took her to the crest of the mighty wave. Lifting his head he dropped his mouth over hers, muffling their passion until the last convulsion had shuddered away, and breathless and drained he collapsed at her side.

  “We have to fix this,” she panted nestling close to him. “You have to be free so we can be together.”

  “Keep the faith,” he promised breathlessly, “we will.”

  After luxuriating in their post-orgasmic bliss they shared a quick shower, and Luke took great delight in admiring the hot pink blush on Tess’s seat.

  “That will keep you company for a while,” he grinned as they toweled off, “and you feel calmer, right?”

  “I do, I feel so strangely…peaceful…somehow,” she admitted. “It worked better than a massage, way better.”

  “Now you can deal with you brother and not lose your temper,” he remarked.

  “Where do we go from here?” she asked, pulling on a pair of jeans and wincing as she zipped them up.

  “The ‘we’ you speak of only pertains to one thing,” he said firmly. “The rest I have to do by myself.”

  “But I want to help, I mean, really help,” she protested.

  “You can help me by staying safe, and doin’ what you’re told,” he declared, “and I know you’re a tough, determined, independent spirit, but I mean it, Tess. If things go wrong you could end up behind bars yourself. Remember, I’m a wanted man! You’re harboring a fugitive.”

  “Fine,” she sighed. “What is it you want me to do?”

  “I want you to make me some more of that coffee,” he grinned, “and while we’re drinkin’ it I’ll tell you the first step of my plan.”

  A short time later they were back in the kitchen, Luke sitting at the table as Tess set the coffee to brew.

  “We need to get Jeb off your tail, and I need him distracted for a bit so I can get back to my ranch. By any chance do you have any men’s clothes here, anything at all?”

  “Hmmm, let me think. I do have box of things dad gave me for the church sale next month,” she replied. “There might be something in there. If not I have a jacket I layer sweaters under in the winter. It’s huge on me without them. That might fit you if you don’t do up the zipper.”

  “Please go see what you can find, then you got an errand to run, but it’s an errand that could get you in trouble, so it’s okay if you don’t wanna do it.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  A little while later Tess was pacing in the living room as Luke stuffed a fresh pair of jeans, a warm white sweater, and a grey wool suit jacket into a duffle bag.

  “I still don’t know how you’re going to pull this off,” she frowned. “I’m worried. What if they catch you?”

  “If they catch me, they catch me, and I’m not fool enough to think that can’t happen, but try not to worry too much. I think this’ll work just fine.”

  “All it will take is one small thing to go wrong,” she argued, “and you’ll be toast.”

  “Everything I’ll be doin’ in the next few days will be risky, and that’s why you can’t be anymore involved than this,” he said firmly.

  “Let me come along. I can run interference, maybe cause a-”

  “Damn, girl, I said, no. Absolutely not!” he said sternly. “You stay here, you understand?”

  “I’ll do my best,” she muttered.

  “Not good enough,” he frowned.

  “Okay, okay, I’ll stay here,” she promised, but not before subtly moving her hands behind her back and crossing her fingers.

  “You’d better,” he warned, “now let’s get our burner phones coordinated.”

  Hurrying to her bag Tess pulled out the three phones she’d surreptitiously whisked out of the local drugstore a short time before. It was the errand, and her heart had been pounding when she’d covertly slipped them into her bag.

  “I can’t wait to go back in and pay for these,” she said nervously. “I’ve never stolen anything in my life.”

  “That’s why you were able to get away with it,” he grinned, “because everyone in this town knows how straight and honest you are. Even if someone had watched you put them in your bag they would have thought you’d already paid for them.”

  “It was totally nerve-racking,” she remarked, her eyes wide. “I was trembling when I walked out of there.”

  “Soon I’ll be able to make you tremble in a good way,” he whispered, leaning down and kissing her softly. “Now let’s trade numbers so I can get moving. I’m running out of time.”

  “Right,” she nodded,

  Ripping open the packages they made sure they had entered each other’s numbers correctly, he dropped the third in his bag, and placing his arm around her waist he pulled her into him.

  “I’ll talk to you soon,” he whispered, “
thank you for doing all this.”

  “I’m still so sorry about all those months ago, when I didn’t-”

  “Shush. That’s ancient history. Now remember, you stay here. You know what time to make the call.”

  “Yep, don’t worry.”

  “That’s my line,” he smiled.

  Picking up the duffle bag and grabbing his lucky hat he smiled down at her.

  “Keep the faith, and don’t forget, I’m a crafty fella,” he chuckled.

  “I’ll try, but you have to call me as soon as the coast is clear.”

  “Of course I will,” he promised, and after leaning down for one last, warm, lingering kiss, he moved quickly through the kitchen and out the back door.

  At the Sheriff’s headquarters Jeb had his feet kicked up on his desk, and was staring at the freshly printed wanted poster of Luke Larson.

  “Don’t worry, Jeb, we’ll catch him.”

  Looking up Jeb saw the tired face of Dwayne Johnson. He’d been on patrol all night but was still loitering.

  “Sure we will,” Jeb nodded dropping his feet back on the floor and sitting up. “He and my sister were nuts about each other. He won’t be able to resist comin’ back here.”

  “I can pull a double shift,” the young deputy offered, “I just took a nap in the lounge.”

  “You go on home, Dwayne. If I need you I’ll call you.”

  “Okay, Jeb, but I wanna keep workin’, I really do.”

  “Like I said, I’ll call you if we need you, but you’ll be no use to anyone if you’re too tired.”

  “Okay, well, I’ll see you later then.”

  Jeb watched him amble away and shook his head. Dwayne was a good kid with a huge heart; his uncle was determined to make a cop out of him, but Jeb knew it was like trying to teach someone with two left feet how to dance.

  Dwayne had told him over beers at the local bar that what he really wanted to do was work at the animal shelter, ultimately becoming an Animal Control Officer. Jeb could see it; Dwayne was like a big puppy himself.

  Tess was right. I shouldn’t put you anywhere near where Luke might be. If he did clock old Ned, if he has that violence in him, you wouldn’t stand a chance.

  Frowning, Jeb looked back at the poster. In spite of going along with the Sheriff’s determination that Luke was the guilty party, Jeb hadn’t been completely convinced. Jeb hadn’t know him well, but Luke Larson had struck him as the kind of guy who’d step up to rescue an old man, not smash him over the head with a crowbar.