Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 38157 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 191(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38157 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 191(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
He pulled his mouth away and cursed, the guttural growl somehow making her need him more. Everything in her instinctively yearned for his power, his strength, his unabashed masculinity. He raked his fingers through her hair, tugging her head back with surprising tenderness, though she felt the pull on her scalp, a reminder of his unbridled strength. He made her feel small, feminine, and somehow beautiful. His whiskered mouth graced her cheek with a kiss.
“You’ll be a good girl, Aida,” he said, and she nodded. Yes. Yes, she would, she’d do anything he said. “You won’t give Daddy reason to punish you again like that.”
Daddy.
Why did hearing him say that make her thighs clench, her nipples tighten against the bodice of the dress? It was so wrong.
She swallowed, utterly consumed with her need for him, as she gasped a response. “No. I’m sorry.” Her voice caught at the end. She was sorry.
She’d needed to defy him, needed to push. The feeling of being out of control was unsettling. But now as he held her close to his chest, she felt calmed. No longer out of control or angry. He was strong. He would protect her. She’d needed the stern reminder. Her entire life she’d been allowed to do as she’d wanted. She’d been spoiled terribly. Cole was the first man who had ever held her to a higher standard, and though she’d deny it, deep down inside she felt the magnetic pull of his authority. It was calming and undeniably erotic.
“I want to hold you,” he said, his mouth trailing down to her neck. His tongue flicked out, licking the bare skin of her collarbone. She gasped at the sensation as his teeth gently nipped the sensitive skin at her neck. “I want to lay you down and strip you.” His voice was so deep and raspy it traipsed across her skin like liquid fire. “I want to taste you,” he growled. “Every bit of you. Your mouth, your breasts, and your sweet little pussy.”
She closed her eyes against the flames that licked through her. God, if only…
“I whipped you now, and I don’t regret it,” he said. “But you took that whippin’ like a good girl. And in my book, good girls get rewards.” He paused before he continued. “I forget nothin’, Aida.” His voice hardened, but the roughness of it made her insides tremble. “I remember who deserves to be punished. I mete out punishment when the time is right.” His tongue flicked out against her skin again, and her hips bucked with need. “But I also remember who deserves to be rewarded.” His hand traveled beneath the layers of dress, one finger dipping between her legs. “Can you be a patient girl? Obey Daddy? Stay away from those men up there, and stay by my side?”
“Yes,” she moaned. Anything. She’d do anything.
“Try again, darlin’?”
It didn’t feel wrong this time. She didn’t feel anger. Now, she reveled in it. “Yes, Daddy.”
* * *
Cole walked her back up to camp, and as the cool air hit him, his haze of arousal began to lift.
Goddamn it.
What had come over him just now? All he’d wanted was her obedience. He didn’t have time for anything short of complete obedience from everyone. He wanted her to trust him, yes, and it was far easier to get it from her that way. But damn, if he hadn’t been sincere back there. He didn’t want Monty and his boys seeing him come back to camp with Aida, so he walked up ahead, caught Junior’s attention, and flagged him over. “Take her to the creek and see she gets herself ready to sleep,” he ordered. Junior was more than happy to obey. Cole ignored Aida’s look of confusion and sent her on her way.
It wouldn’t do to fall for the girl. He was so consumed with anger, he almost missed his brother standing up against the tree, one leg propped up as he chewed before he spat. Chewing tobacco. Cole’s crew had none. Monty had plenty.
“Why’d you whip the girl again?” Justice asked. So he had seen.
Cole frowned. “She disobeyed me. Had a fit worthy of a spoiled brat. Trust me, she was askin’ for it.” How much had Justice seen? “And who told you it was okay to spy on me?”
“Wasn’t spyin,” Justice said with a shrug, though his eyes shifted to the side and he didn’t meet Cole’s gaze. “Had to take a piss, and happened to see you take a switch to her.” He shrugged. “Just wondered why.” He started to walk away but looked briefly at Cole. “You need to do it again, don’t forget your brother,” he said. “I’d be happy to save you the hassle and whip her myself.”
Cole growled. The hell he would.
The men were rolling out their bedrolls, the fire mere embers now. Monty was talking in low tones to his men on the other side of camp. Doc was already lying down and likely asleep, as Junior and Aida came back up to camp. They were talking amiably, but both quieted when they approached Cole.