The group was just coming up from the creek and Morgan stood, watching them. Matthew looked pleased as punch to have both Jane and Fancy hanging on his every word as he escorted them up the slight hill. Marilee and Mead lagged behind, their dark heads close together. When they drew close, Morgan opened the door and Callie Mae sailed by him with a smug expression on her face that had him grinding his teeth.
An hour later they were on their way back to town. This time Callie Mae chose to ride in the back of the wagon with the girls so Matthew tagged along riding up front with Morgan. After about five miles of one-word answers every time he tried to talk to Morgan, Matthew gave up.
CHAPTER 9
The streets were quiet when they pulled up in front of The Duchess. All the shops along Main Street had been closed for the day as most folks didn’t hold with conducting business on Sunday. Although she tried to avoid him, Morgan managed to snag Callie Mae from the back of the wagon as soon as the other girls had been helped down and escorted to the door.
“This isn’t over,” he warned, setting her down.
“Of course it’s over. It really never began,” Callie Mae snapped, removing his hands from her waist. “From the moment you came home, all you’ve done is scold me, threaten me, and try to boss me around. Maybe Lilly used to put up with that kind of nonsense, but I won’t,” she insisted. “I can’t believe how excited I was when I heard you were back. Now I feel like a silly fool.”
“Listen to me,” Morgan growled, taking her arms in his hands and giving her a slight shake. “I’m just trying to protect you. I watched enough westerns to know what goes on at the end of these cattle drives.”
“What in heaven’s name does that mean, watched enough westerns?” she asked, staring up into his eyes. “Morgan, I swear sometimes I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I…never mind. I misspoke,” Morgan replied, cursing himself for his lack of judgment. He’d been so careful, weighing every word, and now he had to go and say something stupid like that.
“What’s a western and how do you watch one?” she demanded.
“Forget it; forget I said anything like that. The important thing is your safety, yours and the girls,’” he sighed. “I won’t be able to live with myself if I let anything happen to you.”
“Right now, the only thing bad that’s happening to me is you,” she hissed, struggling to pull away from him. “I’m doing the best that I know how. I’m trying to carve out a life for myself, Morgan, so I don’t have to be dependent on a man.”
Morgan released her and ran a hand through his hair. “Couldn’t you have found something a little safer, a little more respectable? Why can’t you be like a normal woman in this century and open something sensible, like a restaurant or a dress shop?”
“We already have a restaurant and a dress shop in this town, in case you haven’t noticed, and why should I be limited just because I’m a woman? If I have the money to open a business, I should be able to open any kind I want, even a saloon, and nobody should have a word to say about it.”
“Aw, I’m tired of arguing with you. You’re as stubborn as the day is long and half the time I wonder if you’ve got a lick of sense. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see how things turn out once the town starts filling up, but I’m warning you, Callie Mae, if I hear of you doing anything stupid…”
“The only thing stupid I’ve done is get involved with you, Morgan Whitaker. I had no idea you were such a narrow-minded, opinionated ass.”
The thin thread holding his temper snapped. Taking a firm grip on Callie Mae’s wrist, he pulled her to the back of the wagon and sat down, yanking her over his lap. Just before he flipped up her skirts, he noticed his brothers watching the scene unfold with interest.
“Why don’t you two take a nice long walk,” he suggested.
Matthew and Mead looked at one another and turned walking down Main Street towards the church. Two seconds later, Callie Mae felt her skirt flung over her head as the cool night air touched her drawers.
“Morgan Whittaker, you let me go this instant or I’ll scream my head off!” Callie Mae cried, kicking her feet frantically as she struggled.
“Go right ahead,” Morgan replied grimly. “I’m sure the entire town would be interested in seeing you get your comeuppance,” he told her, just as he brought his large hand down sharply. “You’re lucky I don’t bare this pretty bottom and give you what you really deserve,” he continued as he smacked her over and over again.
“No, you’re lucky I don’t have my gun!” she squealed. “I’d shoot you dead, you son of a bitch.”
“Now, is that a ladylike thing to say?” he asked sternly, despite the grin on his face. He was finding this immensely satisfying and he increased his tempo as well as the strength of his slaps. Obviously, she was unrepentant and argumentative, so he must not be doing it right.
The warmth of her body, squirming across his lap was distracting. He could feel himself swelling beneath her, something that hadn’t happened in a very long time, and he paused.
“Are you going to let me go?” she demanded.
“Are you going to listen to reason?” he countered.
Her answering snort was all the incentive he needed to continue and he did, with much more confidence, covering her entire backside with quick sharp spanks. When she kicked back with her foot and knocked his hat off, he swiftly trapped her legs between his and upped the ante.
Callie Mae continued to struggle, even though she knew she didn’t have a prayer of getting away. Her bottom was blazing hot, as was her face she was sure. Morgan had always been a no-nonsense sort of man. As a young girl, that had appealed to her. He was strong and dependable, not given to drink, and he certainly was attractive. A girl could do a lot worse than Morgan Whittaker. Now she was seeing a different side of him. While she wanted his attention, this was not what she had in mind. She wanted more of those kisses that made her toes curl and her heart pound, and what she was getting was a spanking of epic proportions. While he may have thought he’d forgotten how, she was here to tell him he was dead wrong.
Tears began to drip from her chin, and she realized she was crying despite her best efforts not to. She’d been gossiped about and maligned for months by the town she called home, and to top it all off, she was getting spanked like a little girl in front of her own damn business by a man she’d given her heart to years ago. It was too much and the sobs escaped in great gulping rasps as she let herself collapse over his knees.
Morgan felt her resistance give way, but being it was Callie Mae, he thought he should at least give her a few more crisp smacks to show he meant business. When he felt satisfied, he gently patted her bottom and sat her up next to him on the wagon bed.
