Nash: A Rough Romance by Piper Stone (book series for 12 year olds txt) 📕

for any signs of them. Footprints. Anything. That’s why I called you.”

“Uh-huh. Which made you an easy target for a sharpshooter.”

“Okay. Maybe I was an idiot. Maybe I’m exhausted and uncertain of everything that’s happening including my surroundings. Even you. I don’t know what the hell I’m supposed to do. I wasn’t entirely certain you were even coming back.”

She glared at me with all the defiance in the world.

“And maybe I just wanted some fresh air!” she continued. The way she jerked off her jacket reminded me just how infuriating she could be.

And how damn exciting.

I wanted to rip off her clothes and keep her body pressed against mine, fucking her over and over again.

“I would never leave you stranded, Mitch. Never,” I said quietly.

After taking a deep breath, I pulled the phone from her hand, very slowly walking toward the table and putting it down. I yanked off my coat, tossing it over the back of the couch. After pushing up my sleeves, I did my best to snuff out my anger. Then I returned, taking her hands into mine and squeezing. “We are going to talk this through, but you need another lesson in following the rules. If this one doesn’t stick, then we’re talking handcuffs.”

“What? Are you serious?”

“Does it look like I’m serious?” As I dragged her toward the couch, yanking her over my lap, I couldn’t stop thinking about what could have happened.

“Don’t! I promise I’ll be good.”

“Promises. Promises. Not something I can buy any longer.”

When I brought my hand down across her backside, the dull ache in my heart had turned into one hell of a sharp pain. After a few seconds, I was able to recognize exactly what it was.

Fuck.

Love.

I was falling in love with the pigheaded, refuse-to-listen, beautiful, ballsy woman.

What the hell was I gonna do now?

Chapter 16

Mitch

Humiliation.

Shock.

Relief.

They were all filtering from my mind to my toes even as a fresh round of pain reminded me that I had indeed been one stupid girl. What the hell had I been thinking? The point was I wasn’t thinking. At all. I’d drifted into some never-neverland of refusing to accept the level of danger I was in. This wasn’t some fantasy being fulfilled, a virtual reality game.

This was real life.

And real men with bullets were out to kill me.

As Reaper brought his hand down against my bottom several times, I yelped louder than I’d intended. “You’re a bastard.”

“Uh-huh. I wasn’t the one who decided to lose all her common sense,” he huffed.

Okay. Okay. He had more than just a point.

I closed my eyes as the spanking continued, unable to stop from throwing my hand across my already aching ass cheeks.

“None of that, little brat,” he said in his commanding voice, the tone sending shivers dancing down my spine. “I really thought you understood.” He stopped long enough to rub his fingers across my bottom. “You just don’t get it. I’m completely disappointed that I can’t trust you. At all.”

Why did I have the feeling this was only the beginning of my punishment?

Well deserved. You are a huge brat, not just a little one.

Shut the hell up, inner voice. I don’t need a lecture.

I struggled in his arms, regretting my stupidity as well as disappointing him.

The sound of the door opening, heavy boots walking inside was just another slam in the embarrassment department. Now he was spanking me in front of his friends. At least he hadn’t jerked my jeans down.

Yet.

“Hmmm… Am I interrupting something?” his buddy asked and damn if he wasn’t enjoying this far too much.

Heat rushed into my face, my cheeks burning as much as my bottom would be later.

“Nah. Not at all. Just handling some business,” Reaper answering, smacking me four times in rapid succession.

I was ready to lash out, my mind blown by what he was doing.

“There were some bear tracks out there. That’s what she must have heard,” Scorpion commented, amusement still in his voice. “Bears can make a lot of noise.”

I threw my head in his direction. “Bear tracks? As in a bear?”

“Yup. We grow ‘em big around here. Big enough they can eat a person whole.” Scorpion had a serious look on his face.

“What?” I pushed my hands against the couch, struggling to get out of Reaper’s arms. All I managed to do was rub back and forth across the massive bulge between his legs. He was aroused? “A real bear?”

Scorpion nodded several times then burst into laughter. “We do get an occasional bear down here, but maybe you heard a deer munching on the shrubbery, feeding her fawn. There were several sets of tracks and they’ll come right up to the house. That’s likely all it was, although you went in the opposite direction.”

Reaper smacked me at least six additional times, a growl permeating the space around us. “But bears do roam out here. You just don’t understand how much danger you put yourself in.”

“Stop. Okay? I get it. I do.” I knew my wails had to be the funniest thing in the world to the two burly men.

“Hey, buddy. Why don’t you give her a break? It’s been a hell of a couple days.”

I was surprised at Scorpion’s suggestion, even more shocked when Reaper exhaled, drumming his fingers on the small of my back then easing me onto my feet. He continued to hold my arms for a few seconds, slowly lifting his head. There was something entirely different about his beautiful eyes. They were more soulful, and there was tremendous concern.

“I don’t give anyone a break,” Reaper said as he towered over me, the same look remaining. He brushed his fingers across my cheek as he shook his head slowly. “I was worried about you.”

“I know you were. I’m sorry. I’m just frustrated that I can’t do anything.”

He chuckled. “Toss me those jump drives, will ya, buddy?”

Another rush of relief washed through me. Thank God they hadn’t been found.

Reaper caught them easily, holding them in front of me. “The sheriff is aware of