The Taming (The Black Thunder Series) (20 page)

“Yes...yes...I want to ask you out,” said Jack as he blocked her latest punch
. “Now stop hitting me.”

“Well, ask me!”  Kate stopped, crossed her hands over her chest, and waited.

Jack took a deep breath. “Kate,” he inhaled. “Will you go out with me?” He exhaled and looked into her blue eyes and waited for her response.

A s
atisfied grin formed on her face and her eyes danced in the sparkle of the moonlight. It was the moment she had waited for. She took a deep breath then exhaled.

“No!” Kate stated then spun on her heels and
marched back into the house, slamming the door closed behind her.

Jack blinked; dumbfounded in disbelief as he heard her lock the door
. Did she just say no? It was a humbling experience to be sure, and one Jack had never heard before. Nobody said no to Jack McBride. But Kate had, and he’d played right into her hands.

A slow grin formed on his face and he began to laugh
. She still liked him. He could see it in her eyes. She had upped the ante, and he was more than willing to play. He wasn’t about to accept no for an answer.

Jack walked off the porch and headed for the main house
. He would win this game they were playing and his reward would be Kate saying yes, yes to his kisses, yes to his bed, and yes for the rest of her life.

Fourteen

The Right Way to Ride

T
he chimes of the hall clock struck twelve. Midnight and Kate was still not home. Jack didn’t know how much longer he could wait before going after her. He promised himself he wouldn’t, but the later it got the more he stewed. He was not a patient man, especially where Kate was concerned.

L
ike a hungered wolf, he retraced his steps, growing restless from pacing back and forth. After another ten minutes, his will was crumbling and he couldn’t stand it any longer.

“Oh hell!”
He growled and picked up his jacket then his Stetson, placing it on his head. Grabbing his keys, he headed out the front door then climbed into his truck, started the engine and pulled out like a hell on wheels.

The Washoe Hotel
was located in the heart of Virginia City, right along the main street row. Once used as a hotel during the gold rush years, it was now a bar with vacant upstairs rooms rumored to be housed with ghosts.

By midnight most of the tourists had left
, leaving only the locals to kick back and enjoy the rest of their evening. The late-nighters gathered round bar top and tables covered with empty beer and shot glasses, and bottles of half-drunk tequila and whisky. Spirits were high, and laughter mixed with loud music filtered through the air.

“To good friends old and new; may we never part ‘til we have shared a drink or two!” toasted Dustin
. He clicked shot glasses with Kate and Tony across the table then proceeded to click his glass with an old rodeo cowboy named Zeke. Tony leaned over to Kate.

“Here’s to you
darlin,” he grinned, clicked his glass with hers, and drank.

Kate laughed and downed hers as well, no longer feeling that warm sensation since it had been more than an hour since she lost
count of how much she had to drink.

She was having a wonderful time
. She was intoxicated, but she didn’t care. For the first time in her life she was letting go and just having fun. She couldn’t help enjoying all the male attention throughout the evening. Perhaps it was the skimpy sundress and cowgirl boots, or maybe it was that after a few drinks she found it easier to flirt with the wild rugged males who filtered in and out of the bar. Sexy men wearing 501 Levis, t-shirts accentuating muscular physiques, and spurred cowboy boots that clicked on the ground. Kate thought she died and went to cowgirl heaven.

Sitting next to one of the hunky males Kate felt a little giddy
. She leaned across Tony and breathed in his earthly scent like he was a cookie cooling on a baking sheet. “You smell yummy,” she purred allowing the hint of cologne to waft up her nose and wash over her senses.

“Oh my darling, you have had way too much to drink tonight,” he chuckled and put his arm around her chair.

“I am not drunk,” she protested. Dustin, tell him that I am
ferfectly pine
.”

“She’s perfectly fine,” Dustin chuckled and winked at Tony
. He sat back and continued his conversation with the old rodeo cowboy Zeke. The old man was telling another one of his rodeo stories and soon everyone at the table stopped and listened.

“So I lassoed the steed in less than six seconds, but then the rope must have
broke loose and he went wild.” Zeke flailed his arms through the air in imitation. “He came charging right at me.”

“What did you do?” Kate asked in false anticipation
. She had her suspicions his storytelling was somewhat embellished.

“Why, I did what any cowboy worth his salt would do little darling,” he grinned.

“He ran his ass off,” Tony interjected and everyone laughed.

“Don’t you believe it,”
Zeke re-butted. “I grabbed that steed by his horns and dug my boots in the ground. That thing damn near pushed me to Laredo, but I hung on. By then several of the rodeo clowns came out and we were able to steer him back into the pen. I jumped over the fence and when I looked down at my boots I saw the soles had been damned near rubbed off. All you could see was the red on my socks.”

“No way,” Kate laughed.

“I swear little lady, that’s the way it happened.” He gave her a grin. “May God strike me dead if I’m lying?” The antique lights flickered overhead and everyone jumped.

“You better be careful what you wish for old man
.” Tony laughed as he looked over at Kate and winked. She smiled sweetly.

“How long you been with the rodeo?” Dustin asked
Zeke.

He rubbed the beard on his chin as he thought how to answer the question
. “Been so long I reckon I lost count.”

“I’ve never been to a rodeo,” said Kate as she stood from her chair and reached for the bottle of whisky
. Before she had a chance to sit back in her seat, Tony placed his hands on her hips and pulled her onto his lap.

“You’ve never been to a rodeo?” He took the bottle from her and poured them another shot
. He handed her the glass and they both drank. “Well next time the rodeo comes to town I’m taking you.” Tony gave her a sheepish grin.

“Really
?” Her eyes lit up.

“Why sure darling, anything for you,” he pulled Kate a little closer to him
. Tony leaned forward and breathed in the soft scent of her hair and neck. “That sure is a pretty little dress you’re wearing,” he practically whispered in her ear as he slid his hand over her bare knee and up her thigh until it rested by the hem of her dress.

“You like this old dress?”

“I like how short it is,” he said huskily. “And the cowgirl boots sure do paint a mighty fine picture.” Tony filled their glasses again and coaxed her into drinking another shot. He was hoping one or two more and she wouldn’t mind if he went exploring. She was already acting like a purring kitten, and he couldn’t wait to get her to meow when she was underneath him.

“Rodeo should be coming to town next month,” said
Zeke seeing the woman had temporarily paired up with the young ranch hand. “I’d be willing to give everyone free passes if maybe Kate here might like to go riding on me first.”

“I don’t know how to ride,”
she said.

Everyone at the table laughed
. “That ain’t the kind of riding he’s talking about,” Tony whispered in her ear as he placed both arms tightly around her waist feeling her breasts rest on his arms.

She
blushed at the realization. “I don’t ride like that either,” she scolded the old man.

“What do you mean you don’t ride?”
Zeke sat back in his chair and re-lit his cigar.

“Kate’s not the riding kind,” Dustin added his two cents.

Zeke shook his head and looked at Tony. “You mean to tell me boy, this here filly’s been working with you and you’ve never shown her how to ride?” He chuckled. “Come here you sweet thing, let this old man show you how it’s done.” The innuendoes were sailing across the table between the men.

“You have all lost me,” Kate said in a state of
intoxicated bewilderment and they laughed again.

“Well maybe it’s time you learned what riding is all about,” grinned Tony as he poured her another shot and coaxed her to drink it.

Tony twisted Kate to sit forward on his lap. “Sit up straight, darling,” he directed as he gripped her hips on either side. “Now place your feet on the floor.”

“This is silly,
” she giggled feeling quite giddy.

“Trust me, it will work,” said Tony trying to convince her so he could feel her little bottom wiggling against his lap.

They were all too busy toying with Kate to notice a new presence behind them. He had heard enough and he stepped out of the shadows.

“No, it won’t,” a low voice threatened behind them
. “That’s not the way to teach a lady how to ride.”

The color drained from Tony’s face, as his nerves shot right through his head
. He could hear Jack McBride’s spurs clinking along the wooden floorboard. They stopped directly beside him. Tony looked up and swallowed hard as his employer loomed over top of him.

“Hello, Barbie doll,” said Jack to a more than slightly inebriated Kate.

“Hello, asshole,” she giggled. “Tony was showing me how to ride.”

“He was, was he?” Jack’s eyes narrowed
on Tony and the boy gulped. “Let me show you how a real man teaches you how to ride, baby.” Jack held out his hand to Kate, never taking his eyes off Tony. She placed her hand in his and he pulled her from his ranch hand’s lap. Jack sat in the adjoining chair. “Come here,” he commanded as he pulled Kate to him and straddled her against his legs. Their eyes met. Kate felt a sweet surge go through her as he pressed his hand in the middle of her back. “You ready?” he whispered.

“Yes,”
she whispered back, barely able to get the word out.

“Press your thighs against mine,”
he said huskily. “Now grab hold of my shirt and lean back.”

Kate did as she was instructed
. Jack slid the top of his thigh in between her legs and moved it back and forth; feeling the silk of her panties slide across his jeans. He rubbed her slow and steady. As he did the sweet surge moved from her belly to where he was rubbing her. Kate closed her eyes, getting lost in the feeling. A slow smile of satisfaction formed on his face when he heard her purr.

Kate felt like she was in a dreamy
state of intoxication. The outside world disappeared and it was only her and Jack, always her and Jack. She opened her eyes and seemed to beg him for more. She was transfixed on the darkness of his eyes, the smoldering heat brewing beneath them and her breath caught in her throat. She leaned forward and laid her head on his chest.

“Take me home, Jack,” she whispered as he cradled her in his arms.

“I had every intention of taking you home, baby,” he spoke softly.

Tony had enough
watching this exchange. It was bad enough that Jack came barging in here, but he would be damned if Kate was going to leave with him. “Now just wait a minute there, Jack. Kate came with me tonight.” His chest bored up to inflate his pride.

“She may have come with you boy, but she’s leaving with me
.” Jack lifted Kate to her feet and stood then took her hand.

“What are you doing, son?” said
Zeke. “You just can’t come in here and cart this little filly away like you own her.”

“Stay out of this old man,” warned Jack.

Tony took a step forward. “Let go of her hand,” he placed his own warning.

Kate saw the anger building between the two of them
. It sobered her up quick. “Jack, Tony does have a point. It wouldn’t be right for you to take me home,” she said suddenly feeling bad for the young man she came with.

“Be quiet,”
he chastised her as his eyes never left the boy’s. “I’m taking what’s mine to begin with, so don’t get any foolish notions in that boy head of yours.”

“Come on Jack, have a seat,” said Dustin trying to diffuse the situation
. “Why don’t you have a drink and we can talk.”

“Don’t feel much like drinking tonight, Dustin,” said Jack
. “I have other things on my mind.” He looked over at Kate and she understood what he meant.

“Jack, no
.” She pulled her hand away and moved closer to Tony. He pushed her behind him and faced Jack. Jack looked at Tony, then at Kate.

“I’m taking you home,” Jack stated again
. “You can come willingly, or I can take you kicking and screaming. It don’t matter to me either way.”

“You’ll have to go through me first,” said Tony angrily.

“Go ahead boy, take your best shot,” he laughed. “But you’re only getting one, so it better be good.”

Once more they squared off
. Eye to eye neither one moved. Then Tony took his shot, his fist barreling into Jack’s jaw. Jack didn’t flinch. The lad’s eyes grew wide with fear. Jack curled up his fist, and before Tony knew what hit him, a blow to his nose sent him sailing back onto the floor and knocked him out cold.

“Oh my God,”
cried Kate and she rushed to the boy’s side. She knelt and heard a slight groan escape his lips. Angrily she turned and glared up at Jack. “What did you do?”

“Get up, Barbie doll,”
he scowled.

“I’m not going anywhere with you
.” She shouted back.

“Fine,
we’ll do this your way.” He bent and pulled her up by her arm. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Before Kate could object further, Jack leaned over and tossed her over his shoulder.

“Put me down!”
  She bellowed.

“Goodnight, folks,” Jack stated
tipping his hat with a kicking and screaming Kate flung over his chest and back. “I’m taking my woman home.” No one made a move to stop him and he nodded farewell.

“I am not your woman!”
She screamed again as she beat her hands against his back.