Chapter Four #3
"Who?" Rob demanded, but Amos just cursed him and died.
Only then did Rob approach Amanda. "You little fool, what are you doing out here?"
he demanded, pulling his knife and cutting the ropes from her wrists.
She'd rubbed them raw trying to escape and Robert was furious with her.
"I have a good mind to thrash you soundly!"
he declared, putting his hands on her shoulders and giving her a shake.
"Do you have any idea what that bastard intended to do to you, Amanda Chambers?" Another shake.
"I am not a fool, Robert Thorne; I figured that out when he cut the ropes on my feet and told me I could scream all I wanted because he would enjoy it! And you can just stop being so mean to me!"
She drew back her foot and kicked him on the shin.
Robert cursed in pain, and grabbed the injured spot, jumping on one foot.
Amanda stood there, her hands on her hips, glaring at him, and when he turned his furious gaze on her she belatedly realized she should have been running.
Now it was too late! He advanced on her and she backed away, but not quickly enough.
"Don't. You. Dare!" she warned, but Robert paid her no heed.
He grabbed her arm and just that quickly she was lifted off her feet with an arm wrapped around her middle to hold her in position for the spanking he intended.
"No!" The cry was an order and a plea for mercy at the same time.
"You are an impossible hoyden, Amanda Chambers. You have the temper of a hellcat, and I am just the man to tame your wild ways."
He dealt her a hard slap over the seat of her pants, and then another.
"How dare you dress yourself as a boy?" Another hard swat left a stinging handprint where she sat, and she couldn't keep from crying out in pain and outrage.
"Do you realize these pants show how womanly you are?"
he scolded, sounding very scandalized. "You will not wear these ever again, do you hear me, young lady?" he demanded, spanking her soundly.
"I will wear what I damned well please!" Amanda raged. "Papa forbade me to wear my riding habits!"
"I am willing to gamble this ranch that he did not give you permission to wear pants!" Rob stated with conviction, spanking her sit spots and upper thighs with enthusiasm. She would not enjoy the ride back to her father's ranch, of that he was certain. "I will not permit you to dress immodestly."
Amanda kicked her legs helplessly, and swung her arms, trying to hit him. "You have no say in how I dress!" she pointed out. "Stop it!" she yelped when he spanked her sore left cheek again. "You are hurting me, Robert Thorne!"
"I am not nearly finished with this lesson, you little hellcat! You were told by your father to keep to the house, and yet, here you are! You disobeyed and found trouble... and if I had not been close by and heard a shot, you would be dead by now. That man intended to kill you!"
he stated bluntly, continuing to spank her backside, and not caring one little bit that she was screaming bloody murder and cursing him for all she was worth.
Finally, Rob released her and put her on her feet.
"Damnation, Amanda. You frightened me!" he whispered, and then he pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately.
Amanda struggled, too angry for words, but the gentle pressure of his lips on hers all too quickly turned her anger into passion, and she found herself returning his kiss of her own free will.
She was attracted to the handsome man, even though she did not wish to be.
She wanted to be married to a gentle man, one who would permit her to do as she pleased, when she pleased, and Robert Thorne was not that man.
He was a strong man, like her Papa, and he would rule his household.
He also felt no qualms about spanking a grown woman, and yet, the spanking was all but forgotten as she melted against him and returned his kisses, the rest of the world and its problems disappearing while she enjoyed his touch.
Robert heard riders approaching and he quickly drew his gun and pushed Amanda behind him protectively. "It is your father," he announced a few seconds later, relieved that he wasn't going to have to deal with four men by himself.
"Oh no," Amanda whispered forlornly. "Papa is going to be furious with me, Rob," she stated. "I don't think I can deal with another spanking!"
"Don't expect me to interfere, young lady. You disobeyed your father and nearly got yourself ravaged and murdered. You are lucky to come out of this mess with nothing but a sore backside."
"What happened?" Matt asked, and it was clear as could be the man was livid. "Girl, what are you doing out here alone?"
"I just wanted to go for a ride, Papa, and you've been too busy to take me. I found the rustlers. There were three of them, but one of them rode off in that direction," she said, hoping to distract her parent, and it worked. "His name is Striker."
"You get her home, Rob, and me and the boys will see if we can catch up to the fellow." He mounted his stallion and then said, "If you haven't already tanned her, make sure you cut a switch and stripe her until she agrees to burn those damned britches!"