The Demure Bride(10)

Rob heard the gunshot and headed in that direction. As far as he knew,  none of his men were working that area of the ranch. He rode to the top  of a hill, took out his field glasses and looked around, and spotted  Amanda Chambers' mare running toward her home. Rob headed in the  opposite direction, his heart in his throat. What if someone shot  Amanda? The possibility didn't bear contemplation. He pushed his  stallion as hard as he could and heard screams. He hurried faster and  when he spotted the little hellcat she was trying to fend off a man with  her hands tied! Enraged, Rob galloped closer. The man attacking Amanda  finally heard horse's hooves and went for his gun. Rob drew without  hesitation and fired.

Amanda burst into tears when the horrible man fell at her feet. She  expected Robert to come to her immediately and untie her and hold her,  but instead he knelt beside her attacker.

"Who put you up to this, and why?"

"I ain't tellin' you nothin', Dude. You got someone who hates your guts."

"Who?" Rob demanded, but Amos just cursed him and died.

Only then did Rob approach Amanda. "You little fool, what are you doing  out here?" he demanded, pulling his knife and cutting the ropes from her  wrists. She'd rubbed them raw trying to escape and Robert was furious  with her. "I have a good mind to thrash you soundly!" he declared,  putting his hands on her shoulders and giving her a shake. "Do you have  any idea what that bastard intended to do to you, Amanda Chambers?"  Another shake.

"I am not a fool, Robert Thorne; I figured that out when he cut the  ropes on my feet and told me I could scream all I wanted because he  would enjoy it! And you can just stop being so mean to me!" She drew  back her foot and kicked him on the shin. Robert cursed in pain, and  grabbed the injured spot, jumping on one foot. Amanda stood there, her  hands on her hips, glaring at him, and when he turned his furious gaze  on her she belatedly realized she should have been running. Now it was  too late! He advanced on her and she backed away, but not quickly  enough. "Don't. You. Dare!" she warned, but Robert paid her no heed. He  grabbed her arm and just that quickly she was lifted off her feet with  an arm wrapped around her middle to hold her in position for the  spanking he intended. "No!" The cry was an order and a plea for mercy at  the same time.

"You are an impossible hoyden, Amanda Chambers. You have the temper of a  hellcat, and I am just the man to tame your wild ways." He dealt her a  hard slap over the seat of her pants, and then another. "How dare you  dress yourself as a boy?" Another hard swat left a stinging handprint  where she sat, and she couldn't keep from crying out in pain and  outrage. "Do you realize these pants show how womanly you are?" he  scolded, sounding very scandalized. "You will not wear these ever again,  do you hear me, young lady?" he demanded, spanking her soundly.

"I will wear what I damned well please!" Amanda raged. "Papa forbade me to wear my riding habits!"

"I am willing to gamble this ranch that he did not give you permission  to wear pants!" Rob stated with conviction, spanking her sit spots and  upper thighs with enthusiasm. She would not enjoy the ride back to her  father's ranch, of that he was certain. "I will not permit you to dress  immodestly."

Amanda kicked her legs helplessly, and swung her arms, trying to hit  him. "You have no say in how I dress!" she pointed out. "Stop it!" she  yelped when he spanked her sore left cheek again. "You are hurting me,  Robert Thorne!"

"I am not nearly finished with this lesson, you little hellcat! You were  told by your father to keep to the house, and yet, here you are! You  disobeyed and found trouble... and if I had not been close by and heard a  shot, you would be dead by now. That man intended to kill you!" he  stated bluntly, continuing to spank her backside, and not caring one  little bit that she was screaming bloody murder and cursing him for all  she was worth. Finally, Rob released her and put her on her feet.  "Damnation, Amanda. You frightened me!" he whispered, and then he pulled  her into his arms and kissed her passionately.         

     



 

Amanda struggled, too angry for words, but the gentle pressure of his  lips on hers all too quickly turned her anger into passion, and she  found herself returning his kiss of her own free will. She was attracted  to the handsome man, even though she did not wish to be. She wanted to  be married to a gentle man, one who would permit her to do as she  pleased, when she pleased, and Robert Thorne was not that man. He was a  strong man, like her Papa, and he would rule his household. He also felt  no qualms about spanking a grown woman, and yet, the spanking was all  but forgotten as she melted against him and returned his kisses, the  rest of the world and its problems disappearing while she enjoyed his  touch.

Robert heard riders approaching and he quickly drew his gun and pushed  Amanda behind him protectively. "It is your father," he announced a few  seconds later, relieved that he wasn't going to have to deal with four  men by himself.

"Oh no," Amanda whispered forlornly. "Papa is going to be furious with  me, Rob," she stated. "I don't think I can deal with another spanking!"

"Don't expect me to interfere, young lady. You disobeyed your father and  nearly got yourself ravaged and murdered. You are lucky to come out of  this mess with nothing but a sore backside."

"What happened?" Matt asked, and it was clear as could be the man was livid. "Girl, what are you doing out here alone?"

"I just wanted to go for a ride, Papa, and you've been too busy to take  me. I found the rustlers. There were three of them, but one of them rode  off in that direction," she said, hoping to distract her parent, and it  worked. "His name is Striker."

"You get her home, Rob, and me and the boys will see if we can catch up  to the fellow." He mounted his stallion and then said, "If you haven't  already tanned her, make sure you cut a switch and stripe her until she  agrees to burn those damned britches!"





Chapter Five





Rob was not happy that Matt left him to deal with Amanda. He wanted to question the remaining rustler.

"Just go on; I will see myself home!" Amanda declared, her green eyes flashing at him.

"I will do no such thing, Amanda. You should never have ridden out here  alone, and I will not compound your foolishness by permitting you to  ride home by yourself. With your penchant for landing in trouble, I have  no doubt whatsoever that you would stumble across another group of  rustlers." Rob mounted his stallion and then held out a hand. "Come and I  shall pull you up behind me."

"No. I do not feel like riding, thanks to your highhandedness. I prefer walking."

"Do you have any idea how far it is to your home?" Rob demanded of her.  "Stop being so foolish and allow me to escort you safely home so that I  can join your father."

"If you desire Papa's company then go after him right now. I do not wish to spend another moment in your company."

Rob gave her a look that would send most who knew him well scurrying for  cover, but not the stubborn, sassy redhead. No, she dared to return his  look with every bit of cheekiness she could muster.

Amanda smiled. She was going to get her way. She turned on her heel and  started walking toward home. In the next second Rob came up beside her,  reached down to put one arm around her waist and pick her up, and then  he dropped her face down over the saddle in front of him. He nudged his  stallion to a fast pace, and Amanda screamed at him to stop.

Rob decided the redhead needed a firm lesson. He was appalled by her  defiance and disobedience. He kept one arm around her to keep her from  throwing herself off, fearful she would be injured or trampled, but when  she did not stop fighting, he decided he had had enough and gave her  upturned bottom another hard spank. She yelped and then renewed her  struggles. His mount finally gave in to his confusion and fear and  reared, nearly unseating Rob. It was only by the Grace of God that he  was able to bring the powerful stallion under control and keep Amanda  from being thrown.

Amanda suddenly realized that they'd had a close call, but it was too  late to tell the angry man that she was sorry, or that she would prefer  to ride behind him. Robert Thorne had had more than enough of her  childish temper. He dismounted and dragged her off the horse, and it  took him all of five seconds to find a bush that looked promising. He  quickly broke off one of the branches, then knelt on one knee on the  hard ground.

Amanda tried to prevent him from tugging her over his bent knee, but she  was no match for his strength. Rob laid into her with the switch and  she couldn't keep from screaming in pain. Her poor rear was already sore  and the switch was leaving fiery welts on her tender skin. "I'm sorry!  I'm sorry! Please stop!" she desperately begged. "Please... I am sorry,  and I'll behave. I promise!"