Count This Cowboy In (8 page)

She
had used so much energy before he even started the spanking that it didn't take long before she was plain exhausted.  And sore.  And angry.  And shocked.  She was plain worn out, physically and emotionally.  She lay over his lap, panting for breath, but not seeming to find much. 

When she gave up her struggle Trevor stopped the spanking, but held his hand on her bottom.  Partly because he couldn
't help it.  Sam had the cutest little bottom he'd ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on.  It was absolutely perfect – not the tiny, skinny little things that women now seemed to strive for, but a perfectly shaped female bottom.  As much as he wanted to rub it gently and ease the pain a bit, he steeled himself.  He shouldn't even be having these thoughts.  She was his employee.  Even though he finally admitted to himself that he'd like more than just that employer – employee relationship.  But for now, that's all it was and he was determined not to rush it.  That would scare her off for sure, if this hadn't already. 

After a couple minutes she
'd calmed some and her sobs were a bit more under control, as was her breath.  Gently, he picked her up and sat her on his lap, taking care to be sure she was straddling his thighs.  He was sure she was sore.  It was time to comfort her now, not remind her how sore she was going to be every time she sat down for awhile.

He was afraid she was going to try to jump up and run from him, but to his great relief, she did just the opposite.  He sat her down and pulled her against his chest, wrapping his arms around her
and she snuggled in against his chest, crying.  With one hand she tentatively reached out and grabbed a handful of his shirt, almost like it was her security blanket.  That innocent little movement did something inside his heart and he reached down and kissed the top of her head.  He tightened his arms around her and just held her.  With his mouth close to her ear he whispered, "Cry it out, Darlin'.  I've got you and I'll keep you safe.  It's all over now and you're forgiven.  We're back on level ground again and everything's good.  You're safe here.  Take your time.  Calm down, darlin'." 

He kept those soft comforting words flowing next to her ear and his strong arms tightly surrounding her, hoping to calm her down.

His words did something to her, but it wasn't exactly calming.  She was confused.  She was so angry during the spanking that she should be scratching, clawing and biting right now.  But she wasn't.  She was so sore and so embarrassed that she should hate him with every fiber in her body.  But she didn't.  She was so appalled at his high handedness that she should be screaming at the top of her lungs and making a beeline back to the ranch and calling the sheriff.  But she wasn't.

So why wasn
't she?  Why did it feel good sitting here cuddled up against his chest?  Why did his arms feel good embracing her and holding her tight?  Why did she feel so safe and content sitting here?  She was still trying to answer at least one of those questions when he broke the silence.

"
Darlin', I think we need to talk a few minutes.  Are you okay with that?"

She
'd screamed so much during the spanking she didn't think she even had a voice left, but she nodded and thankfully, that seemed good enough for him.

"
Good.  First off I want to answer the question you asked me before the spanking.  You insinuated that my spanking you is treating you like a child.  It's not and I want to explain that to you.  That first reminder was my way of telling you to watch your language.  Your sarcasm and attitude earned you the full spanking."  He looked at her seriously as he said, "And you better take me seriously, Sam, about not coming here without me.  You will be spanked again if you come here alone.  Do you understand?"

Sam studied him several moments. 
"You're serious, aren't you?"

"
I am. Sam, we need to talk about this now, before you get moved in." 

She didn
't make any effort to get up and leave, which was a positive sign.  She was looking down, though, not up at him, but he could tell her face was flushed. 

"
Sam, first of all let me tell you that if you're embarrassed, you have no reason to be.  Not around me.  You may not believe me now, but again, as you get to know me better you'll start to believe me when I tell you things like that."

He didn
't get a response, but he didn't expect one, either.  He went on.  "You need to know, before we go any further with your employment and you move into the guesthouse, that I firmly believe in spanking." 

She looked up at him, almost asking for an explanation.

"I was brought up to respect and protect females.  When I meet a young lady I care about, I automatically feel protective of her.  Because of that, I need to be sure she listens to what I say when I'm trying to protect her from something.  Especially out here on my ranch where there are definitely things that can hurt her.  When she doesn't listen, I've found that a spanking is very effective.  It's a quick way to get her attention and let her know I'm not happy with what she did or is doing.  It gets my point across, leaves a lasting impression, but is over with quickly."  He grinned a bit as he admitted, "Except for the lasting impression.  But that serves as a reminder."

"
Are you saying that you would consider doing this to me again?"

"
No, I'm not saying I would consider it.  I'm saying that if you're working for me and you go against my rules, you can count on getting a spanking.  Occasionally you may receive a simple reminder like you got earlier, a couple swats over your jeans to remind you to watch your language or some such thing, but for breaking a more serious rule you will receive a full spanking, over my knee, on your bare bottom."

She immediately tried to get up as she said,
"You wouldn't dare."

He tightened his arms a bit, holding her still. 
"Darlin', don't dare me because I most definitely will do anything I tell you I'll do.  But think about that concept a minute." 

She looked at him, confused. 

"If I tell you you'll be spanked if you come up here alone, you can count on it.  However, if I tell you I'll have the boys clean up the guesthouse so you can move in tomorrow evening if you want, you can count on that, too.  If I tell you we'll go riding, we'll go riding.  If I tell you you're safe with me and I'll protect you, I will."

She was listening
and he was glad that she'd settled back down on his lap again.  She still looked confused, though and he didn't like that.  "I know you've got some questions, I can see it in your eyes.  Ask them.  I'll answer anything you want to ask me and I'll answer honestly.  You can count on that, too.  I'll always be honest with you, Sam."

"
I don't get it.  Are you saying that if you're driving, if a lady pulls her car out in front of you and you hit her, you'll spank her?"

He chuckled as he said,
"No, of course not.  There's a major factor missing there, in your example."

"
What's missing?"

"
My protective instinct only kicks in with ladies I care about."

Sam looked up at him, eyes wide again.  As much as she wished it were true, he
couldn't really be saying he cared for her, could he?  "What?"

"
You're my employee and I care about you."

His heart skipped a beat when he saw the disappointment in her eyes.  Hoping he knew what that meant, he quickly added,
"Sam, to be honest, for some reason that protective instinct is very, very strong with you.  I know you're my employee, but you feel like a friend, as well.  All I know is that protectiveness kicks in big time with you."  Again his heart skipped a beat when he saw the smile working at the corners of her gorgeous lips. 

But he had to slow things down.  Even if he felt something for this lovely little lady, she was his employee, so he probably shouldn
't be thinking of her that way at all.  But then again, what would it really hurt?  There'd only been a couple other times he'd felt this way about a woman and never anywhere near this quickly, so maybe he shouldn't rule anything out.  Especially if she seemed interested, as well.  But he was determined not to push anything.

He looked up and realized that while his mind had been wandering, she was deep in thought herself.  He gave her all the time she wanted
and eventually she asked, "So you're saying that if I want to work here I might be ––"

He smiled at her and said,
"I'm saying that if you work for me, which I truly hope you do, anytime you break a rule you will be spanked.  Now, if you watch your language and sarcasm and follow all my rules, you'll have nothing to worry about."

She was the cutest thing he
'd ever seen when her face started to blush again.

"
However, if you still have a bit of that spoiled little brat inside you, you just need to know what will happen and be willing to accept it."

She thought a bit, looking at him the whole time. 
"What do you mean, be willing to accept it?  Because if you mean you expect me to lay there over your lap and let you turn my butt into an inferno without moving or trying to stop it, I can tell you right now, that won't happen." Her face turned red again, but bless her brave little heart, she looked straight into his eyes as she said, "That really hurt.  Worse than anything I can remember ever hurting before.  And if you're saying you expect me to lie there and take it, I can't.  I have to yell and I have to try to avoid it, get away from it."

His heart was pounding in his chest.  She was so cute, red face and all, standing up to him like that.  And she didn
't seem to be objecting to the basic concept. "Darlin', you can yell and wriggle all you want.  It won't do you any good, but you can do it all you want.  All I meant is I want you to know what'll happen and not be surprised or expect to be able to talk your way out of it."

Darn if the little lady on his lap didn
't work her way deeper into his heart when she grinned and said, "First of all, when you said yelling and wriggling won't do me any good, you're wrong.  It'll make me feel a little bit better because at least I'll be trying to stop the awfulness.  And you said I shouldn't expect to talk my way out of it.  I'm glad you didn't say I can't try."

He chuckled and tightened his arms around her. 
"Awfulness?"

"
Yes, awfulness.  I'm sure you don't know your own strength or it wouldn't have felt that awful."

"
Or maybe I do know my own strength and it could feel even awfuller."

"
Awfuller?"

"
It's in the dictionary right above awfulness."

She smiled at him, but then settled back in against his chest
. "I'll have to give that awfuller concept a bit of thought."

"
That'd be a good idea."

She leaned against him, looking peaceful for a few minutes before asking,
"Can I ask another question?"

"
Absolutely.  Ask me any questions you have."

"
Does this always happen after a spanking?"

"
Absolutely.  This part is very important.  After a spanking it's important to me that you know that yes, you made a mistake, but now you've paid the price.  There are consequences for bad choices, but after the consequences, we're good again.  I won't stay angry or upset once the debt is paid."

The only part of that Sam really heard was that after any spanking she would get to cuddle
with Trevor again.  That was fantastic.  Leaning against his chest, smelling the wonderful blend of Trevor's after shave and the pure man himself, she could stay there forever.  If only her butt didn't hurt so badly.

They stayed there, just as they were, talking a little bit now and then about nothing in particular, just enjoying their closeness. 
The sun had dropped below the tree line, though, and the temperature had gone down with it.  Trevor cleared his throat. "Sam, if we don't get back to the house pretty soon Grant will be sending out a search party for us."

"
Yeah, I guess you're right and I have to get back to the motel yet.  But it's so pretty here.  I could stay here longer, just taking in the sight.  I love it."

"
I know.  I like it here, too.  But remember what I said about coming here without me."

"
At the moment I don't know how I could ever forget."

He chuckled as he stood, gently standing her next to him. 
"That's part of the idea behind a spanking."

S
he helped him fold the blanket before they went back to their horses.  He put the blanket back in his saddlebag and glanced over to see Sam staring doubtfully at her horse.  Hiding a grin, he put a stern face on and said, "Yes, you have to ride back to the house.  That's another part of the idea behind a spanking."

"
So what; if you ever spank me again you're going to make me ride a horse afterward?"

"
No, of course not.  But after a spanking you go on with life, no changes.  No pillows on your chair, no walking your horse part of the way instead of riding it."