The Demure Bride(24)

"That is what I want to know!" she told them, her temper asserting  itself. "And, you all can stop looking at me like that! I am the one he  stopped seeing without so much as a word of explanation, and I damned  well want answers." The men weren't expecting to hear that and they  looked at each other in confusion. "While you are trying to sort this  out, could you please ride with me to the house so I can tell Rob I know  who is trying to kill him...? The man just accosted me and I am sure he  would have done more than threaten me if you hadn't come along." She  got down to fetch her hat and stuck her finger through the hole on the  brim. "He shot at me."

"You come along, Miss Amanda," the older man said, his eyes scanning the  area for any sign of the shooter. "We heard the shot. Did you get a  look at him?"

"I can draw his picture and we'll hope that Rob knows who he is," she  replied. "After I tell him a thing or two...!" she murmured, but after a  few seconds of thought she knew precisely why Robert Thorne was  ignoring her! "Damnation!" she whispered. It was the only explanation  that made sense, and why her Papa was determined to keep her away from  Rob. They were in on this together! It was another 'protect little  Mandy' scheme! Amanda was suddenly furious and she wanted to confront  Rob with the truth and dare him to deny it! "We are going to ride," she  warned the men a mere second before she urged Glimmer to a fast gallop,  leaving the men to catch up or stay behind.

The closer they got to the ranch house, the angrier Amanda grew. It was  another case of Rob and her father deciding what they thought best for  her, and it didn't matter to them what she thought of the situation.

Rob heard the running horses and knew something was wrong. He jumped up  from his desk, and was out the door in a moment's time. He was  displeased and yet happy to see Amanda. She looked beautiful to him as  she quickly dismounted and ran to him. He steeled himself to turn her  away, but he certainly did not expect her to slug his jaw with her tiny  fist, and he did not expect to see stars when she did! "What do you  think you are about, little girl?" he demanded, resisting the urge to  paddle her behind.

"You and my father were in on this together! You both are so high and  almighty that you know what is best for silly little Amanda. After all,  she is just a woman so what could she possibly know or understand? You  fool! You damned fool! You have put me through hell the last few weeks! I  wondered and wondered what I did wrong! While you sat over here on your  throne feeling justified for breaking my heart! Damn you, Robert  Thorne! I never want to see you again! Do you hear me? Stay out of my  life!" She turned and ran to mount Glimmer, but the older hand blocked  her.

"No, Miss Mandy. You can't ride out of here."

"Move!" Amanda glared at him. He still didn't budge, and she kicked him  hard on the shin. While he hobbled on one leg, another man grabbed her  shoulders and shook his head 'no'. "Let me go!"

"Allow her to leave now," Rob ordered, wondering at his men's temerity.

"Boss, stop her," the older man insisted. "She was shot at!" He pulled  the hat off of Amanda's head and poked a finger through it, watching  Rob's face drain of color, except for where the little redhead struck  him, and by his reckoning, the Boss had it comin' to him.

"Amanda, when did this happen?" Rob asked calmly, his voice reflecting none of the fear he felt.

"I don't answer to you, Robert Thorne!" Her green eyes were flashing.

Rob knew it was time to apologize, even though he detested doing it in  front of his men. It was embarrassing and humbling. "Mandy, please calm  down. I wanted to keep you safe, and it was a poor way to go about it. I  am sorry and I apologize. My only excuse is that I love you so much I  thought it would be easier to stay away from you than take the risk you  could be shot by accident. The last few weeks have been the loneliest of  my life."

"This is where you forgive the man, Miss Mandy. He means what he says,"  the man she kicked looked at her and said in a loud whisper.         

     



 

"I can speak for myself, Mister!" she snapped.

"Papa was in on this with you, wasn't he, Rob? That's why he's kept me from riding over here?" she asked.

"Yes, I informed him of my decision, and he reluctantly agreed. "I am  surprised you gave him the slip to ride over here," Rob said with a  smile, taking a step in her direction.

"It wasn't easy," she said, and then pointed a slender finger at him.  "If either of you had bothered to tell me you thought I could be in  danger, I could have taken precautions. As it is, I was accosted on my  way here, and your men saved my life."

"What happened?" he asked, looking once again at the hat Rex had on his  finger. When she just glared at him, he turned to Rex and asked, "Rex?"

The man stopped rubbing his leg and said, "We got there after he done  rode off, Boss. We was busy jawing with Miss Mandy for a few minutes  before we heard the truth, and by then he was gone." He had a sheepish  look on his face as he waited for Amanda to tattle on him and the  others. They'd be lucky if they had jobs once Thorne learned what they  said to her.

To Rex's surprise, Amanda smiled at him and said politely, "I haven't  thanked you men yet, but I am truly thankful, and I know that Papa will  be, too."

"We heard the shot, Miss, and figured we should check it out," the younger man said earnestly.

"I am grateful, too," Rob said sincerely. "Thank you, men." He paused  and then said, "I would appreciate it if you would see to it that  Glimmer is cared for. I'm going to take Miss Chambers inside and see if  we can figure out who is behind this." He offered her his arm, and was  thankful when she slipped her arm through his. He had had all the public  humiliation he could stand for one afternoon.

"I could make us some coffee," he offered once they were inside.

"I'd rather have something stronger," she said firmly as she walked over  to his liquor cabinet and helped herself to a glass of sherry. "You  really hurt me, Rob," she admitted.

"Yes, I know."

"No, I don't believe you do know. I have cried over you!" Her pretty  green eyes were brimming with tears even now. "I have never cried over  any man!"

"I am truly sorry, sweetheart," he whispered, moving to take her in his  arms. "I hurt, too. I was so lonely, and I thought I was keeping you  safe from all of this. Mandy, I punished us both, and I regret your  tears. Will you forgive me?" he begged of her.

"Yes, I forgive you, Rob. I love you too much not to forgive you!" When  he lowered his mouth to hers, she kissed him with longing and passion,  feeling as though she was 'home' once again, and all was right in her  world. "Rob, you must promise me you'll never pull something like this  again!"

"I promise." He was sincere. "I do not think I could have survived much longer without you in my life, sweetheart."

"That is why I had to ride over here today, Rob. I needed to know why...  what I did wrong...? I wanted to promise I would never ever do it  again," she explained. "I have been so miserable. Papa is ready to shoot  me," she admitted.

"I doubt that," Rob held her close for a moment, "but I suspect he felt like doing this..."

Amanda was shocked when Rob suddenly flipped her through the air and she  found herself pinned to his side, dangling over one arm. Rob's deft  fingers went to her gun belt, and it was soon lying on his desk. "What  are you doing?" she demanded, knowing full well what he was doing. He  was going to spank her!

"My jaw stings, little girl," he announced, and proceeded to give her a  dozen sound spanks on her jean clad bottom. "Now, I might have deserved  that punch, but ladies do not go around punching men! Is that  understood, young lady?" he asked sternly."

"Yes! I am sorry I struck you, Rob! I was just so angry and frustrated... I didn't plan to do that; it just happened!"

"I believe you, sweetheart," he whispered, smiling. "Now, then, there is another matter that I shall not let pass."

She immediately knew what he was referring to. "But, Rob, I only wore  the jeans because you were being so difficult. I had to do something!"  she insisted.

"I understand," he stated matter-of-factly, and she sagged in relief.  "Now I have to do something... And I believe you know what that  something is, since I promised you what I would do if I caught you  wearing these particular pants again!"

"No!" she gasped, but in the next instant, Rob's hard hand spanked  against her sit spots, and it was obvious this was not going to be a  little reminder spanking. He was perfectly serious, and determined to  make his point about her wearing britches. "I'm sorry, Rob!" she offered  immediately. "Please don't spank me. I still have to ride home!"