The Sheriff and the Mayor (4 page)

Focusing
on Parker, he asked, “You’re still planning on filling in on Wednesday for me
at the sheriff’s office, right?”

He
had two deputies, but he always felt better when his brother helped out in his
absence. Parker was an ex-Seal, ready for anything…not that anything ever
happened around here.

Parker
nodded and then looked worried. “Are you and Cassie going to be on speaking
terms again by then?”

Dalton
didn’t want to think negatively about their current situation. As far as he was
concerned, this was a bump in the road. “We
are
on speaking terms. We
just needed some space this weekend.” Okay,
he
had been the one who’d
wanted some time apart. Or his wounded ego had.

He
looked at the fence they’d worked hard on all morning rebuilding. “I had things
to do here. She has paintings to finish up for her show.”

He
sensed their concern, although, fortunately, they kept further questions to
themselves. He didn’t pry into their personal business, and they—mostly—didn’t
pry into his. What he’d said was partly true: he and Cassie both had tasks to
get done this weekend. But it was also true that he’d basically told her not to
come here. He’d been angry with her decision, with her not bothering to talk
about changing her mind. They’d had an agreement, dammit. Or so he’d thought.

In
his frustration and need for some kind of control again, he’d busted her butt
for that snap decision. He hadn’t hurt her too bad, but he did feel a bit guilty
for spanking her. He was damn lucky she put up with him.

He
thinned his lips, upset with the whole blasted situation. Cassie was a good
mayor, he admitted that. But it took up too much of her time. Time
he
wanted with her. Okay, he could be a selfish bastard when it came to her.

He
took another long drink. He’d needed time to get his head straight about it
all. He’d support her, naturally, but he had to get over this latest blow to
his plans. She hadn’t said as much, but he had a bad feeling that she was
backpedaling again from the idea of settling down permanently with him…of
taking the chance of marrying him.

Damn,
damn, damn!
He sure would like to
kick Will Davis’s ass good and hard, rearrange his face a bit, too. Sorry
thoughts for a man supposedly the temporary sheriff around here.

Back
molars locked, he turned away and kicked the rear tire, hurting his toe, which
he deserved.

“What
did she do now?” Craig asked quietly.

After
a second to calm down, Dalton faced his brothers, who hadn’t been at the party
the night before. They would find out sooner or later, so it might as well come
from him.

“Cassie
is running for mayor again.” Had they heard the bitterness in his tone?

Parker
blinked in confusion. “I thought you talked your buddy Jim into taking on the
job. I thought you said Cassie had promised not to…” He slammed his mouth shut,
evidently realizing why Dalton was in such a snit today.

“Maybe
you need more than the weekend to cool down,” Craig suggested. “Maybe you
should change those get-away plans for Wednesday. It sounds like the timing
isn’t real good.”

Dalton
had been thinking about cancelling out on the Kansas City trip, but he didn’t
want to make the situation worse between them. He figured she’d been looking
forward to their getting away even for just the one day. No, he didn’t want to
disappoint her…especially after he’d insisted on having time apart this
weekend.

He
shook his head. “No, I’m taking her to KC. We both need to get away from our
commitments around here.” He sure needed time away from the ranch, his
well-meaning brothers, his part-time sheriff job, and the community all getting
excited about the month of celebrations.

“Actually,
boys, I think I’m heading back to town tonight.” Now that he’d said it, he was
anxious to get cleaned up and go do some making up with the woman he loved.
“Come on, you can drop me off at the house. Then you can do whatever else you
had planned today.”

***

Dalton
unlocked the door and, as he always did when she didn’t meet him there, he
called out, “Cassie! Cassie, I’m here!”

No
answer. But her car was in the driveway and he heard water running in the
pipes. He figured she was upstairs taking a shower. The mere idea of her
standing naked beneath a spray of water had him rock hard in an instant. Making
up to his woman in the shower stall that he’d insisted on having built special
for the two of them, had him taking off his hat and hanging it on the antique
halltree in the entry. Then he toed off his boots. A second later he took the
stairs two at a time, heart racing in anticipation, vivid images racing through
his mind.

When
he stepped into her bedroom, he heard Cassie singing a country western song in
the shower, off-key and at the top of her lungs. It made him smile. He didn’t
care a bit that she was clearly tone deaf or that she got the lines all mixed
up. She was warbling about some guy riding in his truck and a gal waving her
arms. All he could think about was
his lady
all nice and naked, water
caressing her sweet body…

The
apology he’d rehearsed coming here got lost somewhere in his lust-filled mind.
Maybe later he’d remember it.

Praying
she’d stay in there a little longer, he stripped off his clothes and tossed
them at the bed in the middle of the room. What the hell was that about?

Not
really caring at the moment, he started for the bathroom. At the last second,
he spotted the nightstand also now in the middle of the room. With a sigh of
regret, he grabbed a condom from the drawer. It frustrated him that they
couldn’t be making a baby right now. He was more than ready to start a family.
But Cassie wasn’t. So he shoved the idea aside, yet again, and put on the
protection, and continued on to his goal.

Of
course she screamed when she spotted a man suddenly appearing there through the
fogged up glass door.

Idiot!
What the hell were you thinking?
Well, he
hadn’t been thinking, except about how soon he could have his way with her.

Then
she recognized him as he hurried closer. She pulled open the door and a myriad
of emotions crossed over her face: relief, pleasure, anger, pleasure, and
finally annoyance. Still, she seemed to have trouble looking up from his very
interested cock, and that gave him some hope this little plan would work out.

“What
are you doing here?” she asked in a semi-cool tone.

Still,
she hadn’t told him to get the hell out or tried to cover herself up. He took
that as a good sign. “Do you need some help, darlin’? I’m real good at…” He
gave her his best sexy grin, waggled his eyebrows.

As
she drew in a deep, shuddery breath, her plump breasts rose and fell. Eyes
warming, she still managed to snap, “No, I don’t need your help.”

Disappointment
hit him, though his cock didn’t get the message. It remained hopeful.

An
instant later, she heaved a sigh of resignation and that hope grew—so did his
cock.

She
inched back and motioned him into the over-sized shower. A sassy smile tipped
up one corner of her mouth.  “Actually there are a few places…”

Thank
the good Lord!
He was in the shower
stall before she could finish the suggestion. First thing he did was turn off
the water. No sense them drowning while he begged her forgiveness in the best
way he knew how. “I’ll scrub you down real nice…after.”

“After?”
But her gaze was locked on the thick fullness he held in his hand, slowly
stroking it. “Okay, after.” She licked her lips, her body quivering.

Having
done this a time or two or more—who the hell knew how many times, she turned to
the front wall. She put her arms up and flattened her palms on the wet tile. Water
dripped down her long hair, down her back, and she shivered. But he figured it
wasn’t from being cold, more from eagerness. Then she pushed her sweet ass out.

“Ready,
cowboy.”

Words
were pretty much beyond him. He reached down to make sure she was as ready for
him as she’d said. He grinned, finding she was. It only took him another second
to slide slowly into her more than willing body.

Agreeably,
she bowed her back, pushed at him.

“Oh,
darlin’,” he crooned and moved slowly forward, even deeper.

Cassie
pulled in a long, shuddery breath as her body gladly accepted Dalton’s shaft.
Torture. Pleasure. Each slow thrust made her give a tiny moan, made her wiggle
and demand more.
This
was what she’d wanted last night.

She
moaned again, struggling to keep her hands on the shower wall. Well, maybe not
exactly
this
, but something equally enjoyable. Not going to sleep with a
hot bottom after the spanking…not alone without his comforting.

He
seemed to double in size inside her, which, of course, wasn’t possible. Her
irritation faded. “Oh, Dalton,” she purred and rocked backward. Every slap of
flesh against flesh was heaven and hell.

Her
stubborn cowboy took his own sweet time picking up the pace, although she knew
it cost him. She heard his groans and felt the tension in his big, powerful
body behind her. At first he held her to him with strong arms around her waist,
as if she might move away and stop this bliss. Then he moved his hands up to
cup her breasts.

Again,
she moaned. She loved his hands on her breasts, how they massaged, how they
made her skin tingle, and made her nipples harden. He plucked at them and made
her even more desperate.

“Quit
playing around!” She squeezed him with her inner muscles in attempt to drive
him as crazy as she was. “I need…God…I need…”

“I
know what you need, darlin’.” At last he began seriously driving back and
forth, panting, holding her even tighter.

“Ohhhh,
yes!” He did know exactly what she needed. “This…you…I need you.”

Finally
she went rigid, tossed her head back and shook. She cried out as her orgasm
took her past the moment, shot her into mindless oblivion.

He
held still behind her, letting her find her way back to reality. As her body
sagged and her arms quivered against the wall, he began slamming into her
again. She was impaled on that blessed rod, her body clenched around it.

Amazingly,
another orgasm was building. She gasped for breath, trembled, climbed once more
toward that second of pure heaven.

“I’m…oh
damn…” he growled. He went wild, driving harder, deeper.

She
felt his tension, the frantic need to find release, rolling off him. Her body
felt the same way, desperate, aching. She could hardly think, until Will
slipped into her fading thoughts. He’d claimed she could never…

Don’t
think about him! Only about Dalton.

Will
didn’t matter anymore. Only this proud, sometimes gruff cowboy could make her
feel like a real woman. He craved her body, liked to be in control. Yet he was
confident enough to let her take charge at times. He gave her a sense of power
that she’d never known before.

Contentment
washed over her. A sense of being safe and treasured skittered through her.
Dalton held her firmly, although he controlled his strength.

Again,
her ability to think faded. Her body was ready to collapse, but she fought that
urge. Dalton needed her. She needed him.

His desperate
gasps for breath matched hers. His tortured sounding groans echoed her own.

And
then he stiffened, exploded inside her, the condom capturing his life giving
juices.

Life
giving juices
.

The
thought of that, of them using protection now, saddened her. She might not be
ready to have a family, but she knew how badly Dalton wanted it. She was
letting him down. Again.

Tears
streamed down her face and she couldn’t look back at him. She couldn’t let him
know how much of a failure she felt like at the moment.

Chapter Three

It
took a couple of minutes before Dalton’s breathing returned to normal, before
he could move again. His brain slowly started fully functioning. Even after his
massive explosion, he was still semi-hard and reluctant to pull out of the
sweet heat surrounding him. But Cassie had gone perfectly still and he sensed a
change in his woman. She almost didn’t even seem to be breathing. She had been
wild one second, flying high into orgasm right along with him. Now she stood
silently facing away from him.

Worried
and feeling helpless, he eased out of her body.

She
still didn’t move and his concern grew. He stepped back and listened harder.

Then
he heard it. She was crying ever so softly, trying not to let him know. God
a’mighty, had he hurt her?

“Cassie?”
he asked warily.

No
answer.

His
gut tightened. She’d seemed right there with him. Whatever inner pain she
suffered now tore at him. The sex had been good, as always, but it hadn’t
solved anything. Had it made things worse?

He
gently stroked her back. They weren’t over the problems between them. He hated
this limbo. He wanted everything back to the way it had been before it had all
changed again at the community party.
That damn party!

Beneath
his hand, she tensed. It sickened him. “Tell me what’s wrong, sweetheart.”

She
shook her head, keeping it bent over so that her mass of wet hair hid her face.
She pulled in a shuddery breath before saying, “Nothing.”

Nothing
. Meaning “everything.” It annoyed the heck out of him
when she got this way. How could he make things right if she didn’t tell him
what was bothering her? He wasn’t a mind reader, but he sure could read body
language. She’d withdrawn into herself. Hadn’t they talked about this a dozen
times, more?

Irritated
now as much as he was worried, he jerked off the condom, pulled open the stall
door, and stepped out to toss the rubber into the small trashcan by the toilet.
When he turned around once more, she hadn’t moved even an inch. Except that he
could see her shoulders trembling as she continued quietly crying.

He
hated not knowing what to do, how to help her. He rinsed off his hands and then
marched right back into the shower, determined to get her to talk to him.
Lowering his voice, he coaxed, “Cassie, darlin’, tell me what’s wrong.”

Again
she shook her head. “I told you,
nothing
.” But her voice broke with the
last word.

“I
know it’s
something
not
nothing
. You only clam up on me when
you’re upset.”

She
didn’t even acknowledge him, just kept her head lowered.

“Come
on, tell me.”

“Just
go away,” she muttered, sniffing back tears.

She
was hurting; he was hurting. “You can be the most stubborn woman,” he gritted
out.

Still
tension filled the room.

No
doubt this wasn’t the answer, but Dalton didn’t know how else to make her pay
attention to him and to get her out of this momentary mood. “Maybe if I redden
that sweet ass of yours you’ll talk to me.”

She
stiffened, craned her head around but otherwise didn’t move. He saw the tears
wetting her miserable face. As if in challenge, she glared at him. “Go back to
your ranch.”

“The
hell I will.” He wasn’t leaving her until whatever this new problem was got
dealt with. “Not until you tell me what’s bothering you.” He could be as
stubborn as she was.

To
his surprise, she stomped a foot, barely missing his toes. “I don’t
want to
talk to you.” She glanced at his semi-erect shaft. “You came, you conquered,
and you got off. Great. Now go back to your ranch.”

He
gaped at her. It had been a while since she’d been in this pissy of a mood. The
last thread of his patience snapped. “You need a butt burning.”

Her
chin tipped up. “Do not. I just need you to leave.” But she didn’t try to shove
him out of the shower stall. And she wasn’t crying anymore. She seemed to be
waiting for him to make the next move.

He
decided to take it as a sign. She was all mixed up for some reason and needed
him to straighten her out, although she sure wasn’t going to tell him that. But
he understood her. He’d damn well do anything for her, including heating up her
ass.

She still
didn’t move.

Resigned
to what he had to do, he stepped to her left side.

Her eyes
met his, wary, yet accepting.

Drawing
in a breath, he put a hand to the middle of her back and raised his other hand
so she could see what was coming. “Unless you want to watch me spanking your
ass, look away.”

“I
don’t want you to do this.” But her tone told a different story.

“I’m
thinking you do.” He didn’t really want to do it, but she seemed determined not
to tell him what was bothering her. She was messing with both of their heads.
Giving her a sore butt tended to end these crazy stubborn moments she had every
once in a while.

Her
pretty little buns quivered. A hint of spirit returned and she protested
“You’re going all man-in-charge just because I don’t want to talk to you.
That’s so wrong.”

“Not
‘man-in-charge,’ darlin’.” He brought his hand down smartly on her right cheek
and she gasped. “I’m the man who loves you, enough to do this when needed.”

She
finally looked away. “Why can’t you leave it be? Just go back to your ranch.”
Still, she stayed in place.

His
hand connected with her bottom again and the sound echoed around the room. He
noted the handprint on her creamy flesh, knew there would be more. “Because you
don’t really want me to go.”

This
time she didn’t disagree with him and some of his anxiety eased. “Sometimes you
just need this.”

“Do
not.” But her protest was weak.

Dalton
swatted her pretty little buns again. He’d much rather be in her bed, feeling
those warm cheeks as he drove into her from behind.

“Dalton,”
she began and grew quiet once more.

“What?”
He held his hand against her bottom. His cock pulsed and he struggled to steer
his thoughts away from sex, back to what was happening.

“Never
mind.”

Frustrated
again at her refusing to talk to him, he sent a pair of smacks down that had
her dancing on her toes.

With
a yelp, she reached back to rub at the sting.

“You
know better than that.”

“That
hurt,” she pouted, but moved her hand back to the tiled wall.

“It’s
only going to get worse unless you—”

“Just
do it if you think you have to!”

Obligingly
he sent a brisk half dozen swats to her clenching and unclenching cheeks.

She
hissed and arched forward. “Aren’t you done yet?”

He
rubbed the red spots on her ass, lightly. “Ready to talk?”

Instead
of answering him, she settled into place again.

“Why
are you being so stubborn?” he growled and swatted her butt again harder than
he’d intended.

She
yelped and glowered at him. “No one is more stubborn than you, cowboy.”

“We’re
a good match when it comes to that, I guess.”

She
squeezed her eyes shut and looked away again. Her refusing to admit they were a
good match rubbed him wrong. They were. She knew it, too.
Damn it!

“Duck
your head; I’m turning on the water for a second.” He reached around her for
the faucet handle.

“No,”
she protested, but ducked her head just before the brief spray came down on
them both. As he turned the water off again, she glanced at him, pleading in
her gaze. “Not on a wet bottom. That stings so much.”

They’d
done this another time in the shower when she’d gotten all snippy. She’d yelped
like crazy. But he was tired of trying to get through her stubborn streak,
decided to up the spanking a notch. He raised his hand and her eyes widened
before she quickly looked away again.

“Maybe
this will end your mood.” He sent a pair of blistering down to each wiggling,
wet cheek.

“Owwww!”
she screeched, bouncing up on her toes. “Dalton, please. No!”

She
still hadn’t said anything about actually talking to him. Grimly, he held her
in position and whacked away on her quickly reddening butt. He ignored her
dancing around, her squirming to try and avoid his hand. He tuned out her
cries. He knew in his gut that his lady needed this. Sometimes only a sound
spanking was the only way he could get her out of a blue funk. She had a way of
holding things inside until they all but ate her up. He had a feeling that was
what was happening today. And it probably had to do with the way he’d told her
stay in town this weekend.

So
he was partially responsible for this spanking session, too. The realization
made him sick. He released her and waited uncertainly, holding his breath,
praying he hadn’t gone too far.

To
his relief, she spun around and threw herself into his embrace. Sniffling back
tears, she cried, “I’m sorry, Dalton. I’m so sorry.”

He
held her close, absorbed her trembling, felt her misery and knew it had nothing
to do with the spanking he’d given her. He gently put his hands on her hot
butt, which immediately made him press his rock hard body against her. He
couldn’t help it, even as wrong as that was.

“I-I
can’t, Dalton,” she mumbled against his chest.

“Oh,
darlin’, it’s okay,” he said, although he wanted nothing more than to lay her
down and drive into her. He was man enough to control his urges. “I know you
don’t want—”

She
tilted her head back to look up at him. “Not
that
, you crazy man. Sore
bottom or not, I want you inside me.” For proof, she rubbed against him.

She
was confusing the hell out of him. Before he lost all sense, he asked, “Then
what did you mean? You can’t
what
?”

Her
beautiful eyes misted over with fresh tears. “I can’t…I can’t give you
children.” She swallowed hard. “At least not now.” A tear slid down one cheek.
“Please don’t give up on me.”

Dalton’s
vision blurred and he squeezed her so hard she squeaked. “Never. I’m
not
giving up on us.”

He
felt her shiver of relief and eased up on his hold. “Was that what you were
stressed about? What was making you irrational?”

She
bobbed her head and focused on his chest. “I know how badly you want to start a
family.” She trembled again. “I hate letting you down, but I just seem to do it
over and over again.”

He
kissed the top of her head and then said, “There are more condoms in the
drawer.” He was a man and he could only think of one way to settle matters with
the woman he loved. “I mean if…”

Feeling
foolish now, he let her go and pulled open the shower door, started to walk
out. “Damn, I’m sorry. Forget I said that.”

But
she followed right after him and grabbed his hand to pull him with her into the
bedroom. She gave him a hesitant look as she neared the bed. “How about kissing
away my ouchies first?”

He
grinned and scooped her up to toss her on the bed. “Be glad to this time,
sweetheart.”

***

Cassie
made ham and cheese sandwiches for them both, making Dalton’s twice as thick as
hers. Her man worked hard and burned a lot of calories. She smiled at that
thought. He’d certainly “worked hard” ever since he’d shown up earlier and
surprised her in the shower. She tingled all over at the memory. Oh, yes, he
could be so good sometimes.

She
felt his gaze on her and was pretty sure what he was looking at. She glanced at
him over her shoulder. “Are you staring at my bottom?” He’d probably been
watching her the entire time she’d been making the sandwiches. Not that she
minded really. After the way her ex had constantly told her she was “getting
pudgy” or that “maybe you should go on Jennie Craig’s diet,” to have a man
actually
like
looking at her was a heady thing.

“Hell,
yes. It’s the prettiest little ass I’ve ever seen.” He got up to help her with
the plates, grinning and winking at her. “It sure pleases me when you go around
half-dressed like this. ‘Course, completely naked is even better.”

She
rolled her eyes and walked past him to the table in the kitchen alcove. He’d
given her a real workout, twice. The first round in the shower had been fast
and wild. Round two, when he was determined to smooth things over after he’d
spanked her, had started out nice and gentle. He’d ended up going every bit as
wild. She was kind of sore, not that she minded. Sex with her cowboy was always
worth it. Still, between the hot sex and a tender bottom, she’d decided to only
wear his shirt. And she knew he liked when she did that. She hadn’t even put on
panties, which he also liked. Too bad he wasn’t naked because
she
sure
liked that.