Page 207 of Giddy Up, Daddy

“Okay, okay, we’ll stop. I’m sorry. We shouldn’t be pressuring you. Just the things you said, and the way he looked at you earlier, and lassoed you and carried you off like some romantic hero in an old western… It just seems like you guys belong together.”

“Well, if you believe in this Ranch Magic you keep talking about, then maybe that’s where we’ll end up, but for now can we talk about something else?”

Reese and Wren both instantly dropped the subject, which I appreciated, and we spent the late afternoon snuggling animals before ending up eating pizza and watching movies in Reese’s little apartment above the barn. It was the most fun I’d had in forever, and I was so relieved for the reprieve from the mental Olympics that were cartwheeling through my mind.

Chapter Six

Cade

This was not the vacation I had envisioned, not at all. I hated being away from Rip all day. I had messed up so many things in less than twenty-four hours, and I just wanted to get back to normal life. Coming to the Ranch had obviously been a huge mistake. I was just about ready to pack up everything and say goodbye to the Ranch for good when Rip walked in.

She looked madder than a wet dog, and I forced myself not to react too strongly to seeing her. It had been hours since our argument, and all I wanted to do was scoop her up and hold her. To physically feel her closeness. But everything about her demeanor said I should do the opposite.

“Did you get to see the animals?” I asked.

“What’s it matter to you?” She stomped past me toward the small dining area and snagged a water bottle out of the refrigerator.

“It’s been a few hours, so I was just wondering what you were doing, and if you’d gotten to see them or not.”

“It's none of your business what I do or who or what I get to see. You don't get to just decide that my business is your business. I’m a grown fucking woman, and I will go where I wantto go and do what I want to do.” As she spoke, she closed the gap between us, and when she was done she put her hand on my chest and all but shoved me out of her way.

I grabbed hold of her wrist to keep myself from stumbling. I’d had enough. Her anger toward me was unfounded as far as I was concerned, and I was not going to sit there and just let her lash out at me. I’d tried being kind and gentle and giving her space, but the more I gave her, the madder she seemed to become. Against all of my better judgement, I reacted.

Keeping my grip on her wrist, I walked the few steps to the couch and sat down. Before she could protest anymore, I upended her and began to spank.

“I have had just about enough of your attitude and odd behavior. You have been completely out of sorts since we got here, and that will end now. You do not get to treat me like this and refuse to talk to me and tell me what’s going on. We respect each other more than that, and I’m not going to tolerate it any longer.” My hand rained down against her jean-covered ass and I knew for a fact she could barely feel anything, but my hope was that the act itself was enough to get her attention. Something had to give.

At first she just laid frozen in place, but after about half a dozen smacks, she began to fight like her life depended on it. After another dozen or so, I let her scramble away. The second she was off my lap, the guilt began to creep in.

Standing, I reached to help her up off the floor.

“I’m sorry, Rip. That was completely out of line.”

“Oh my god, would you please shut up and stop backing down!” She clenched her fist and stomped her foot.

If I wasn’t confused before, then I surely was after that comment.

“What do you mean?”

“What do I mean? I mean….” Her voice cracked a bit and lost some of the animosity it had held before. “I mean if you’re going to lasso me and throw me over your shoulder, then you better be man enough to not let me get away. If you’re going to throw me over your knee, then you better be prepared to spank me for real, not some half-assed love tap over my jeans. Man up, dammit!”

I blinked a few times before pinching the bridge of my nose. It felt like my head was about to explode. “Rip, I’m not completely sure I get what is happening right now.”

“What’s happening is I’m telling you to pull your head out of your ass. We came to the Ranch for a break and to get some of our needs met that have been neglected, and I didn’t realize ‘til we got here that all I needed was standing right in front of me the whole time.”

My heart pounded in my chest. I wanted everything she was saying to be true, but how could it be? How could she want me like I wanted her? That seemed way too good to be true. She was my best friend’s widow, for god’s sake.

“Are you going to say something, or are you going to just stand there and stare at me like you’re a few crayons short of a box?”

“I’m not sure what to say, Rip. You just laid some pretty heavy information at my feet.”

“I knew it. I should have never listened to Wren and Reese. Forget it. I’m going to bed.”

There was not a snowball’s chance in hell I was going to let her run out on me again after that. I blocked her retreat by positioning myself between her and her bedroom door.

“No, that’s not how we will be ending our conversation. Not again. Not ever again, if I have it my way.”

“Fine, I’ll sleep in your room, then.”

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