STORY EXCERPT

“Oh, look who it is. Girlie”—McCready’s shadow fell across the back of the truck bed—“what you got in there”—a fat hand with stubby fingers pushed Elizabeth’s purchases around—“is a waste of time and money.”

“And none of your business.” Elizabeth felt her temper rising.

“Ohhhh, she’s mad,” McCready mocked.

The man with McCready laughed too. At a nod and smirk from his boss, he began taking her things out of the truck and dropping them on the ground. “Looky here, pink paint. Bet that’ll be pretty.” The man dropped the gallon of paint and laughed as the top popped off and pink splashed against her truck. “Sorry. Not.”

Elizabeth’s hands clenched into fists so tight her nails left crescents in her palm. She looked around and tried to calm down. Yup, Main Street, but not a soul in sight. This meant no one was racing to her rescue but also meant no one to stop her either. In one quick motion, she scooped up the paint can and flung what remained at McCready.

“God damn it! You bitch!” he spluttered as the paint soaked into his shirt and ran down his legs. “Do something, Trag!” McCready screamed at the man.

Trag lunged at Elizabeth. His calloused hands landed on her shoulders, pushing her into the side of the truck. She just managed to keep from falling by grabbing it. Elizabeth turned in time to watch Trag slip in the paint puddle.

“Fuck!” he yelled as he fell and landed on his ass.

Elizabeth started giggling. “Pink’s your color.”

“Listen to me, bitch. You’ll be sorry—” A car door slammed, and McCready’s eyes flickered in alarm. He took a step back, his hands held out in front of him, placatingly. “We’re sorry girl…er miss. It was an accident.”

Elizabeth snorted.

“Glad to hear it, cuz you’re going back to the hardware store and replacing whatever the fuck you ruined,” said a voice from the other side of the truck. “Got it?” Luke’s question didn’t require an answer. “You have ten minutes, asshole. And me and Brent are timing ya, so move it.”

Brent moved beside Elizabeth and put his arm around her. He pulled her into his hard body. “Hi, darlin’. You okay?” Brent felt Elizabeth rest her head against his chest. He kissed her hair as he inhaled her scent. Apples. His stomach growled.

Elizabeth resisted the urge to bury her face in Brent’s shirt. She felt safe next to him. Cared for, protected. All the things she wasn’t. In her life, she’d always been alone, on her own, or the one to do the protecting. In a few short days, LaJoie arrived, and she’d need everything Elizabeth had to give. And she’d give of herself wholeheartedly, willingly. Maybe someday, she thought, but with a medically fragile sister and a pile of hospital bills, it won’t be anytime soon. So don’t get used to this.

A squad car pulled in behind the group, red and blue lights flashing. A big bear of a man with a kind face strode toward them. “McCready. Causing trouble, are you?” The sheriff—his nametag read Reed—stood over the shorter man. Reed did not look amused.

“Stay out of this if you like that shiny badge you’re wearing.” McCready straightened and glared up at Reed. “This ain’t your business.”

“Oh, that’s where you’re wrong, McCready. Everything that happens around here is my business. On account of my being the sheriff and all.” Sarcasm oozed from every word. “Now, unless you want to be arrested for vandalism and destruction of property, you will pick up everything that your boy threw out of this truck and put it back. If anything’s damaged, you will pay for it.”

McCready and Sheriff Reed stared at each other, neither man willing to back down.

“Now, McCready.” Reed’s voice, although quiet, was not to be ignored. “And if I see something like this again, I will make arrests and you will be sitting in jail.”

Smothering a curse, McCready tossed several items back into the truck and turned to leave.

“Boss! Boss, wait!” Trag put a new can of paint into Elizabeth’s truck and ran after McCready, his pink pants sticking to his ass.

Are you all right?” The sheriff’s voice pulled Elizabeth back to earth. “I’m Josh Reed, the sheriff around here.”

She shook her head, hoping to clear it. “I’m Elizabeth Faulkner. Yeah, I’m fine. Thank you.”

“You boys know what this is all about?” Sheriff Reed asked.

“Yeah, that damn creek water,” Luke answered. “McCready thought he’d get the Webster place and block the creek. Run us out of business then he’d buy our place cheap and develop the land. Elizabeth showing up has screwed up his plans.”

“You made a fool of him and his man, and he won’t forget that. So, be careful. You’re so far out of town he can pull anything and no one would know. Take my card. Call me if you need anything.” The sheriff handed Elizabeth his card and accepted her thanks.

ADULT EXCERPT

“Is every wife in Pinecone Creek spanked?” Elizabeth asked.

Luke’s world brightened when Elizabeth asked about other wives, like that included her. “I don’t know about spanking, but I’m sure there are. Maybe the women talk to each other and they’ll tell you. Hoping to salvage the situation, Luke stated, “Spanking can be fun.”

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. “How do you figure that?”

“We’re in our bedroom. You, me, and Brent. I’m sitting on the end of the bed waiting for you to lie across my lap. I want your ass bare, so you push your jeans and panties down until they slide around your ankles. I take your hand and pull you over my knees. My leg covers yours, and my hand is on your back. You can’t move. Your ass sticks up in the air, ready for me to spank. I rub your cheeks, feeling how soft the skin is, how firm your butt is. My finger slips into your pussy. You’re getting wet just thinking about what’s going to happen.”

Luke risked a quick glance at Elizabeth. Her soft brown eyes gazed up at him. She licked her lips.

“Brent’s sitting in a chair next to the bed. He’s gonna watch me spank you. He’s gonna watch your ass turn pink. He’s gonna hear your moans and cries. He unzips his pants and takes his cock out, waiting for me to start. He’s stroking himself. You see what he’s doing and lick your lips. You’re thinking about him in your mouth.”

 Brent nuzzled Elizabeth’s hair. “You wet now, baby? Wet for us?” He grinned at Luke.

 “Answer Brent, Elizabeth.”

 “Y-yes,” she stuttered, barely getting the word out.

“Good girl.” Brent raised her hand and kissed her fingers. “Lying to us will only get you in trouble.”

“And then I start. My hand slaps your ass. I watch the skin turn pink. I hear you cry out. I spank the other cheek and watch my handprint show. I keep spanking, and you start wiggling on my lap. I stop and rub your ass, rubbing the heat in. Your clit is red and wet. Your thighs are wet now too. Can you feel my cock getting hard? It’s pushing into your stomach, isn’t it? Are you imagining it inside your pussy? Do you see Brent? He’s stroking his cock, getting himself ready to take you too.”

Luke heard Elizabeth’s ragged breathing. Her nipples pebbled against her T-shirt.

“I keep spanking you and listen to your moans. Whenever I stop, you wiggle your ass. You want us, baby. You can’t wait much longer…”

“Oh God!” Mortified, Elizabeth freed her hands from Brent’s grasp and covered her very red face. “Stop! Please! I can’t…I don’t know…” Nothing had ever aroused her like Luke’s words. Hot and achy, her body belonged to them, the cravings, wants, and needs overwhelming her.

She felt Brent pull her onto his lap and wrap his arms around her. “Shh, shh. It’s all right, sweetheart. You’re safe with us.”

“But I…I never have…Oh God, I don’t know what to do!” Elizabeth wailed and gripped Brent’s forearms while she rubbed her tear-stained cheeks against his T-shirt. Too embarrassed now to face Brent and Luke, she looked at the passing scenery. Brent stroked her hair, trying to soothe her. She wanted him, no, them, with every fiber of her being. If they pulled over, she’d have sex with them on the side of the road.

But this wasn’t her. She didn’t want to be so out of control, so needy, desperate for their touch. God. She had to get away from them and sort out her feelings. Let her logical mind take over, before she did something she’d regret.