Yet, here she was, balanced as precariously over his knee as her heart seemed to be in her throat. If that wasn’t the exact opposite of what she should be doing, she didn’t know what was.

  “Now, normally I don’t rush these things.”

  “You mean you’ve done this before?” she laughed nervously.

  “You could say that. And as a general rule, I tend to think that the buildup to a spankin’ is as important as the punishment itself, but since we’re in an open area and people will be comin’ out soon, I ‘spect we best get on with it.”

  “Oh, no!” Scarlett gasped. She’d been so wrapped up in making amends that she’d completely forgotten that people would be going out to their cars any moment. “Please, you can’t let anyone see!”

  “Like I said, once I start, I’m not gonna stop until I’m satisfied that you’ll keep your word. Now,” he gently patted her behind, “let’s get this over with.”

  Scarlett squirmed, partly dreading what she knew to be coming—would it hurt as much as she’d always imagined?—and partly wishing he’d hurry up before anyone could see her getting punished.

  “Are you scared?”

  She started in surprise at the consideration he was showing. “I… yes. I think so.”

  “You don’t need to be afraid of me, okay? I’d much rather you learn to be afraid of a stallion that’s ornery as hell and twice your size. Are you ready?”

  “No,” she exhaled shakily.

  “I appreciate your honesty, darlin’. That bein’ said, I think we better get down to business.”

  Scarlett’s only answer was a feeble nod. No sooner had she moved her head, she felt his hand—sounding like an angry clap of thunder—come down on her upturned bottom. For a second, she thought that it sounded worse than it felt—but only for a second. The pain quickly followed, a line of stinging that made her catch her breath. Then when she was just beginning to get used to it, another loud spank landed in the very same place, intensifying the pain in a way that was definitely not pleasant.

  Agreeing to be spanked had been a very hasty, foolish thing to do, she thought as the third swat rained down upon her vulnerable rear. The sting in her bottom mounted with each and every slap until she couldn’t help but writhe over his knee.

  “Be still,” he scolded, punctuating the order with another well-placed smack.

  “I can’t!” Scarlett wailed.

  “Best try, girl. And if I were you, I’d keep your voice down while you’re at it.”

  Her head shot up as she looked around the parking lot. To her growing horror, Scarlett made out a few shadowy figures in the distance making their way to their cars. “Please, stop!” She twisted and turned trying to break free. “I can’t be seen like this!”

  Colton had no trouble holding her still no matter how hard she struggled. “The sooner you lie still, the sooner we can get this over with. But make no mistake, I’ll stop when I’m sure you’ve learned your lesson, and not before then. I don’t care who sees.”

  “Of course you wouldn’t!” she cried, stamping her foot. “It’s not your butt on display!”

  “Better watch that tone, or yours will become more on display than you’d like.”

  The threat caused her to still instantly, even as she fretted anxiously about whether or not he would carry through with it. Surely, he wasn’t really serious! The idea of anyone seeing her bare behind was nothing short of mortifying and while she didn’t know Colton very well, she had a feeling that he didn’t say anything that he didn’t mean. She sure wasn’t in a position to test him, so despite the fact that the ache in her cheeks was growing in intensity, she did her best to stay still and bit the inside of her cheek to keep from crying out.

  “It’s a cryin’ shame that you’ve never been taken over someone’s knee before now,” Colton said as he delivered a sharp smack to her thigh. “Maybe if you had been, you would have thought twice before putting your pretty little neck in danger tonight.” His hand fell again and again in short, angry spanks. “But hopefully next time you’ll remember how your ass feels right now and think twice.”

  “I’m sorry,” she whimpered, doing her best to blink back the hot tears that blurred her vision.

  “Oh, I’m sure. You’re plenty sorry to find yourself gettin’ a spanking, but I intend to make each swat count, understand?”

  “Yes, sir,” she replied, choking on a sob.

  “Why are you getting this spanking, Scarlett?”

  “B-because I… I was stupid.”

  “I didn’t say that,” he corrected her sharply. “I didn’t call you stupid, and I don’t want to hear you do it either, understand?”

  “Okay,” she sniffled.

  Smack! His hand cracked down across her bottom. “Excuse me? What happened to ‘yes, sir’?”

  “Yes, sir!” she cried out, the pain in her ass overriding her fear of people seeing her in such an embarrassing position.

  “That’s better. Now, try again: why are you being spanked?”

  “Because I could have gotten hurt!”

  “That’s right. What you did was reckless. And what have you learned?”

  “To think before I act!”

  “Good girl. I’m glad to hear it.”

  Scarlett sagged against him, limp, but relieved that it was over. Or so she thought.

  * * *

  Instead, Colton’s paddle-like hand visited her ass again and again, bringing the burn stoked in her cheeks to a full-on raging fire. It had been a long time since he’d spanked a woman, but he found that he remembered what to do perfectly. As he punished her, he couldn’t help but think on how nicely she fit over his knee and how good it felt to have a woman there again, even if it wasn’t for the kind of punishment he enjoyed. He loved the spanking of a beautiful bottom, but preferred to use such for pleasure. Punishment usually involved blindfolds, a pair of snug handcuffs, and his leather whip.

  There was no pleasure for him in hearing Scarlett’s pitiful sobs, yet he spanked on until he was satisfied that she had learned a lesson. If not, she would at least be suitably sore to tread carefully for the next few days, if nothing else. When he helped her off his knee, he was surprised when she launched into his arms, clinging to him as she cried.

  “Shh, it’s okay,” he murmured, gently patting her back. “You’re alright. It’s just a sore bottom—it’ll heal, I promise.”

  “It’s not that,” she whimpered into his chest. “I-I can’t believe I got you h-hurt! I am so sorry!”

  “I know, darlin’. Now don’t mention it again. Your slate’s been wiped clean.” She cried quietly for a few minutes and Colton held her, inhaling her strangely intoxicating feminine scent. It had been a long time since he’d held a woman like this, too. He was surprised by how much he liked it. He never lacked for female company, but there was something about Scarlett that was different. There was a softness to her, a vulnerability that had nothing at all to do with her tears.

  Give it up, man, he thought, shaking his head. You’ve known her for all of two seconds. You’re going to let her go now and that will be the end of it.

  Trouble was, he didn’t want to let go.

  Just then, Scarlett pulled away from him, sniffling and smiling up at him shyly. “Sorry. I got your shirt all wet.”

  “Oh, well.” He shrugged a shoulder as he looked down at his white tee. “I ‘spect it’s no worse for the wear.”

  “Are there people looking at me?”

  Colton glanced around to see that they had indeed attracted a little crowd of people that had clearly stopped to see the show. For some reason, though, he couldn’t bear to tell her. “Everyone’s tired, darlin’. They’re goin’ home.”

  “Okay,” she said, exhaling shakily. “That’s good then.”

  “Yep.”

  “Well… it was, uh… nice meeting you. I think.”

  “Yeah,” Colton laughed. “I think so, too. Stay safe.”

  “Thanks.”

  He backed away and watched as Scarlett got into her car. He stood in the same place as she started her car, giving him a little wave before she drove away. He lingered for a moment longer, looking at the spot her car had occupied and wondering why he wasn’t off to the nearest bar having a celebratory Scotch.

  “Who was that?”

  He started when he realized his brother was at his elbow. “Hell, where’d you come from, Jas?”

  “I was staying scarce until the lady left. I didn’t want to embarrass her by lettin’ her know I saw her get her tail tanned. I’m a gentleman that way.”

  “Oh, yeah,” he snorted. “You’re a regular Casanova.”

  “We’re not talking about me. What’s her name?”

  “Scarlett.”

  “She’s a cute little thing.”

  “Yeah, I reckon. If you go for that type.”

  “What kind of type is that?” Jason asked.

  “You know,” he shrugged. Sweet, angelic, he answered silently. “She’s young. Naïve.”

  “Huh. Wasn’t the word I would have used. How’s the shoulder, bro?”

  He winced, mention of his injury bringing the pain to the forefront of his mind. “Remind me not to get clobbered by a horse again anytime soon.”

  “Can do. I don’t reckon handin’ out whippins’ helps any.”

  “Yeah, well.” The sting in his palm was one that he could definitely live with. “It was worth it.”

  “Give it up, bro! She’s too young for you!”

  “Yeah, yeah. I’m too old for the rodeo, too old for her now, too, huh? Is this your not-so-subtle way of tryin’ to tell me something, Jas?”

  “Nah, you know I don’t do subtle very well.” He slapped Colton on the back, grinning when his brother grimaced. “So, whatcha think, drink or doctor first?”

  “Drink,” Colton answered without hesitation. “I need a good, stiff one, I think.”

  Chapter Two

  “Go away!” Colton groaned as loud banging on his door woke him up. He turned over and tried to bury his head under his pillow, but whoever was on the other end of the door was quite persistent. When he couldn’t stand it any longer, he hauled himself to his feet. “I’m comin’!” he hollered begrudgingly. It was a damn shame—he’d been in a coma-like sleep that practically had him drooling on his pillow. He hadn’t slept that good since God knew when and he was sorry to leave it. Especially since his shoulder didn’t hurt near as bad when he was knocked unconscious.

  “What?” he demanded as he threw open the door. To his surprise, he saw little Scarlett from the night before on his stairs, her arms laden with paper bags.

  “Hello,” she replied, looking a tad bit frightened by his less than friendly demeanor.

  Which, of course, immediately made him feel like a jerk. “Here, let me help you with those.” He relieved her of both paper bags and opened the door wider in invitation. “What are you doing here?”

  “I, uh, just thought I’d bring you a few things. I mean, I felt so awful about what happened to you, and seeing as how it’s my fault and all… well, I thought the least I could do was stop by and bring some things to cheer you up.”

  “That’s mighty thoughtful of you,” he commented, thinking that just the sight of her in that white, form-fitting sundress was enough to cheer him up. It accentuated the cornflower blue of her eyes and the delicate sheen of her golden hair, not to mention the womanly curves of her body. In this light, admiring her gentle swells of her hips and the fullness of her breasts, it was hard to believe that he’d mistaken her for a little girl only the night before.

  And yet, there was something about her, an innocence of sorts, a fragility that made it easy to believe her much younger than her nineteen years. He saw it every time he looked at her, and it fascinated him. The only trouble was, his fascination both confused and shamed him, for reasons he couldn’t understand.

  “Set them there, please,” Scarlett asked, pointing to his counter.

  He was happy to oblige and as soon as he’d put them down she was behind him, moving around his small trailer as though she’d been there many times before. He stepped back and watched as she began to unpack the sacks.

  “Chicken soup,” she said as she placed a large Tupperware container on the counter. “And orange juice. Oh, and I got you some magazines in case—”

  “It’s a torn rotator cuff,” he scoffed. “Not a cold.”

  “I know,” Scarlett said, ducking her head as if to avoid his eyes. “I was just trying to help.”

  Colton felt like a jackass when he saw the embarrassed flush in her cheeks. “I’m sorry, Scarlett. My mama raised me better, but you wouldn’t know it, would you? What I meant to say was thank you.”

  “You’re welcome,” she said, but she still looked unsure, so he moved toward her and put his hand on her arm.

  Touching her had been exactly the wrong thing to do. Her skin seemed to sear his fingertips, making him yank his hand back. It didn’t matter—his fingers tingled where he’d touched her. “It was sweet of you to go to all this trouble. You shouldn’t have,” he said, trying to distract himself from the strange, excited thudding in his chest. This wasn’t like him.

  “Well, I had to do something. After all, you wouldn’t be like this,” she gestured to his shoulder, “if it weren’t for me.”

  “I appreciate it. Really, I do, but it’s about time to take my meds, and Oxy makes it hard to keep my eyes open, so…”

  “Right. Well, I guess I’ll be going.”

  “Sure. Thanks for stopping by.” Yet, when she made to move toward the door, he stepped in her path almost without thinking. “So, how did you know where to find me?”

  “Oh.” She smiled faintly. “I came back this morning and asked around.”

  “That was pretty gutsy, considering everything that happened.”

  “You mean considering that I’m wearing your palm print on my ass?”

  Colton was so startled by the casual way she brought it up that he laughed despite himself. This woman was full of surprises, it seemed. “Your mouth is much too pretty for those naughty words.”

  “You think I’m pretty?” She batted her long, dark lashes at him in a seductive manner that was all woman. “Or just my mouth?”

  “You don’t need me to tell you what you already know,” he chuckled. “I’m sure you got catcalled with every step you took to get to my trailer.”

  “You know no one out here is up at this hour,” she laughed, shrugging her shoulders adorably.

  Under normal circumstances, he would have chuckled right along with her, but something in her expression told him that she wasn’t taking him seriously. “Scarlett. You do know how pretty you are, don’t you?”

  “Oh, I don’t know.” She shrugged. “It’s kind of a father’s job to tell you you’re pretty and I’ve never had one.”

  Colton’s brow creased as he looked at her. There was no way she was serious! She was nothing short of drop-dead gorgeous, yet in a way that was unique to any woman he’d ever seen before—and he’d seen plenty. “Your mom never told you?”

  “She did, sometimes. I mean, I didn’t see her much, growing up. She had to work all the time. She always promised that when Brent graduated—that’s my brother—that we’d spend more time together, but…”

  “She passed away,” he recalled, his heart aching for her. She was all-American, curvy, gorgeous woman one moment and vulnerable little girl the next. He didn’t know quite what to make of it, only that it touched his heart in a way that he hadn’t experienced in a long, long time—if he ever truly had.

  “Yes. But I’m okay—really. Now, I should let you take your medicine. I know you’re probably in pain.”

  “I really shouldn’t take them without eating. Are you hungry?”

  “Oh.” Her eyes widened slightly in surprise. “Um, sure, I could eat.”

  “Good thing I happen to have some fine chicken soup right here.”

  “Actually, believe it or not…”

  “What’s that, darlin’?” he asked, wondering at the deep stain in her cheeks. She sure did blush more than any woman he’d ever known. Not that he minded—it made her look even prettier, like a porcelain doll in a store window.

  “I don’t really like chicken soup,” she confessed.

  “Oh, is that all?” Colton tossed his head back and laughed, making her smile, too. “Well, then isn’t it lucky I know a place nearby? It’s a hole-in-the-wall, but they’ve got the best barbecue in town. Maybe in the state. You’ll be licking your fingers clean, I promise.”

  When he winked at her, Scarlett felt her cheeks go even warmer. What was it about this man that made her incapable of going two minutes without blushing? “Okay. Let’s go.”

  “You won’t regret it, I promise.”

  She very much doubted that. On the one hand, while she wanted nothing more than to spend more time with him, she also knew that at the end of the day she didn’t have a chance in hell with a guy as amazingly hot as Colton. It would probably be best for the both of them if she just declined and went home, but she’d never been one for doing the smart, safe thing.

  Oh, hell, she thought as his hazel eyes crinkled around the edges as he looked at her. If I’m gonna get my heart broken, at least I should enjoy myself for a little while first.