Her Cowboy Knight Page 9

  Gabby shook her head. “I don’t want to go. It’ll be torture.”

  Cooper put his hands on his hips. “Eating ice cream is torture? Now you’re just being melodramatic.”

  Gabby crossed her arms. “I can get ice cream at a store.”

  Cooper took his hat off and wiped his brow. “You’re going, Gabby. Get used to it.”

  Gabby tightened her jaw. “I don’t have to like it.”

  Cooper dusted his hat off on his leg. “Well, you can damn well make yourself miserable if you want, but you’re going.”

  Chapter Seven

  Gabby awoke on the day of the ice cream social dreading everything that was to come. She didn’t want to go. She didn’t think she could be nice to that woman and had no desire to deal with her snide remarks all day long. Plus, she was just plain angry at Cooper for insisting she go, even though he knew how difficult it would be for her.

  She thought about the day ahead of her and covered her head, but Cooper came into the bedroom. “Come on, honey. Time to get up.”

  She tried to roll over, but he grabbed her blankets. “Uh uh, Gabby. Lots to do today. Time to get up.”

  Gabby grumped and tried to roll over, but Cooper pulled the covers off of her. She sat up then. “I don’t want to get up yet, and I’m an adult who can make that decision.”

  Cooper froze and glowered down at her. Gabby gulped but tried to cling to her bravado. Cooper said with silky softness, “Get out of bed… now.”

  Gabby hesitated only the briefest of moments before she rolled off the bed, on the other side of course, and stomped toward the bathroom. She tried to sidle past Cooper, but he caught her arm and swatted her bottom before letting her go with a push to get her going. “Lose the attitude, Gabby.”

  Gabby sulked all the way through her shower and her jerky motions caused her to get soap in her eyes. When she tried to get dressed, the button on her shirt fell off and her shoelace broke. She went downstairs and started slamming around the kitchen trying to make breakfast. Nothing she did worked out right. She dropped the first eggs, then burned the next set, the toast burned, and the milk had gone sour. She finally slammed the plates on the table just as Cooper stepped back in the house after doing some outdoor chores.

  He raised an eyebrow at her surly look and plate slamming, but he just sat down to eat. She tried to walk out of the room, but Cooper said, “You need to sit down and eat, honey.”

  Gabby shot him a look but quickly dropped her eyes at the cold steel in his. “I’m not really hungry, Cooper.”

  Cooper just looked at her, letting her make her choice. Finally, she sighed and came back to the table. She slumped down in her chair and dug at her food without ever once filling a forkful. Cooper ate slowly and finally he leaned over the table and put his hand over Gabby’s. “Talk to me.”

  Gabby looked at him briefly and only shrugged. Cooper sighed in frustration. “Suit yourself, honey. But I’ll tell you this. I’m not going to put up with the attitude. We all have bad days, but I’m going to help you sort yours out pretty soon if you can’t do it yourself. You read me?”

  Gabby didn’t look at him, but she nodded her head. Cooper lifted her chin, and she tried ever so slightly to wrest it from his grasp. He held out and she finally looked in his eyes. “Yes, Cooper.”

  He let her go and knelt down in front of her. “You could have fun today, if you’d just let yourself.”

  Gabby just looked at her hands and nodded. She knew Cooper really wanted this, but she also knew that woman would take every single opportunity to dig at her and make her angry. She looked up at Cooper and wanted so badly to do this for him. She managed a half smile and nodded.

  Cooper’s smile made her feel guilty for not being able to just give him what he wanted. He stood and pecked her with a quick kiss. “Wheels up at eleven forty-five.”

  * * *

  Gabby spent the morning trying to forget what the afternoon held in store for her. She was ready right on time, but she could not muster any enthusiasm whatsoever for the event.

  As they pulled into the yard, Gabby was white-knuckled with anxiety. As they got out of the car, Gabby immediately spotted Susan barreling toward them. She ran up to Cooper, who hugged her stiffly with a sideways glance toward Gabby. Gabby stood awkwardly on her side of the car watching the two of them. Gabby didn’t think she could handle this and looked around for anywhere she could disappear to. Susan looked over from Cooper’s embrace. “So glad you could come, Gabby. Just bring your food on into the kitchen with everyone else’s.”

  Gabby’s eyes flew to Cooper’s and she saw him cringe. “Uh, Susan, I forgot to tell Gabby to bring anything. It’s my fault.”

  Gabby glared at him as Susan said, “Oh, that’s probably for the best anyway. I mean, she’s not really… Well, she’s a guest and doesn’t need to bring anything but herself.”

  Gabby felt her anger swell immediately and her hurt at Cooper for not telling her it was customary to bring a dish. How was she to know? She’d never done this kind of thing before.

  Susan suddenly gasped, “You’ll never believe who’s here, Coop. Come on and see.”

  She dragged him by the hand and he went, glancing back at Gabby, who looked away. Gabby quickly found Aggie and Dave and sat with them, trying not to look as if she was counting the minutes until she could leave.

  Eventually, she got into the spirit of the party and started to tell some of the stories her mother told around the campfire.

  Susan walked up at the end of a story. “Yeah, Gabby, why don’t you tell them about the combine the other day?”

  Gabby stiffened and someone else called out for Susan to tell the story. “Well, you see, Gabby here tends to crash things and she decided to drive one of Coop’s combines right before haying.”

  Aggie said, “I didn’t know you could drive a combine, Gabby.”

  “She can’t. So, of course she went and tipped it right over. Cooper was fit to be tied.”

  Everyone laughed at Susan’s words, not suspecting the meanness behind them. Gabby’s face felt as hot as the barbeque pit, and she wished for a quantum worm hole to open so she’d never have to see any of these people ever again in her entire life. She stood stiffly. “Yes, it was an unfortunate event as I’m sure you all can guess. If you’ll excuse me…”

  As she turned to leave, Susan said, “Yeah, I’m sure sitting is still a problem.” Susan turned and faced the group to deliver her killing blow. “Cooper was so mad, he spanked her right there in the field. Saw it with my own eyes as I was leaving the barn. She was kicking and crying, so he must have really been laying into her.”

  Dead silence followed that pronouncement. Susan laughed brittlely, and a few of her closest cohorts joined in, but they all knew she had crossed a line. Gabby felt her vision narrow and everyone else fell away. Her blood boiled, and she finally understood the cliché about seeing red. She took one flying leap onto the table and one more leap onto Susan from above. Suddenly, Gabby felt an arm around her middle, and she lost her breath as she was lifted high in the air and whirled around. Gabby’s arms and legs windmilled and she kicked her feet, screaming obscenities.

  She was jostled once and heard Cooper’s harsh voice in her ear. “Stop it. Now. You’re in enough trouble as it is.” She elbowed him in the ribs. At that she was quickly raised and dropped over his shoulder, the wind knocked out of her as Cooper strode away from the scene. Gabby heard a laugh from the group as Cooper walked away. She pummeled Cooper’s back, which only earned her three smacks on the bottom. Gabby of course imagined that she heard people laugh even more.

  Gabby struggled until Cooper walked into a shed and shut the door. He set her down but she only tried to wiggle away. Cooper turned her up and paddled her bottom with his hand as she fought and struggled, only stopping when she lay on his knee sobbing. He stood her in front of him then, and she saw the anger and disappointment on his face. She felt all the anger leave her, replaced by guilt, shame, and helplessnes
s.

  He lifted her and set her on a bench. “You sit there and cool down.”

  * * *

  He left the shed with one last look at her, crying into the crook of her arm with her knees pulled up to her chest. As he stepped outside, his shoulders drooped in frustration. It killed him to see her looking so forlorn. He sighed before squaring up his shoulders and heading back to the melee to sort things out.

  When he arrived back on the scene though, what he found was not at all what he expected to find. Instead of a circle of people trying to comfort Susan, he found her sitting alone at one of the tables, and everyone else milling around talking in hushed tones. As he neared the group, Aggie said, “Where’s Gabby?”

  Cooper was a little taken aback by her accusatory tone. “She’s in the shed getting herself under control. She’s been under a lot of stress, but that was no call to get into a fight.”

  Aggie pulled him aside. “I’m really going to hope you didn’t do what I think you did, Cooper.”

  Cooper bristled a little defensively. “What are you talking about, Aggie?”

  Aggie said, “Just what everyone else here is talking about, and what Susan announced just before Gabby finally had enough.”

  Cooper had a feeling he wasn’t going to like the answer to his next question. “And what was that?”

  Aggie pulled Cooper a little farther away from the group. “Well, Susan thought it would be really funny to tell everyone how Gabby tipped the combine during harvest.”

  Cooper said, “Go on.”

  Aggie lowered her voice even further. “And when Gabby tried to just walk away, she ended her story with you spanking her in the field.”

  Cooper felt his heart hit his stomach. His eyes shot to Susan, who looked at him with a messed-up face, but she looked guilty as hell. He gave her a cold look, then shook his head and turned his back on her. He returned to the shed, hoping like hell Gabby was still there and not halfway to the East Coast.

  He opened the shed door, and she was still in exactly the position he’d left her in. He slowly walked across the room, waiting for her to acknowledge him, but she only stilled and kept her eyes fixed on the floor. He picked her up and sat down on a low box, cradling her in his lap.

  She broke down then in heaving sobs as he held her to him, cursing himself for not preventing this whole mess. He should have just listened to her when she said she didn’t want to come to the party. He’d known Susan could be awful, but he had no idea she was capable of this kind of hurt. He was grateful Gabby still turned to him instead of away.

  After listening to her sob for what seemed hours, he squeezed her to his chest. “I’m so sorry that happened to you, honey, and I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you.”

  She hiccupped out, “Are you sorry you spanked me, too?”

  Cooper nuzzled his forehead into her hair and kissed her hairline. “Well, maybe a little bit. You still had it coming for launching yourself at her and kicking me, but I wish I had known all the facts, and I’m sorry I spanked you without finding them all out.”

  She drew her hand across her eyes. “Ugh.”

  Cooper asked, “Will you forgive me?”

  Gabby said sleepily, “For what?”

  Cooper said, “For not listening to you about Susan and for not protecting you better.”

  Gabby said through a yawn, “I can take care of myself. She just made me so mad… and now they all know…”

  Cooper squeezed her tight. “I know I asked you to try to get along with Susan, but she crossed a line, and I’m sorry I was the weapon she used.”

  Gabby just hugged him tight. “I’m sorry I hit you.”

  Cooper chuckled. “You sure pack a punch, little lady.”

  They sat like that until Gabby fell asleep in his arms. When he walked out carrying Gabby, most of the party had broken up. Susan’s mother came to open the truck door so Cooper could put Gabby in the truck. He could see Susan sitting in the porch swing, woodenly drinking a cup of coffee. She looked at him, but he just looked away and spoke to her mother. “Thanks, Jan.”

  Jan shook her head. “This is hard for her, Cooper. What she did wasn’t right, but this is hard for her.”

  Cooper said, “I know, Jan, but I can’t be the one who makes it easier for her.”

  Jan sighed. “No, she’d made that impossible. Thanks for everything, Cooper.”

  Cooper set Gabby in the truck, then turned to the woman who’d been like a mother since he was twelve years old. He leaned down and wrapped her in a huge hug. “I love you, Jan. Don’t ever forget that. And don’t think I ever forget everything you and Hank have done for me.”

  Jan hugged him back fiercely and patted him on the shoulder, then turned toward the house and walked away.

  * * *

  The next morning, Gabby woke up smiling. She rolled over to her back and the memories of the night before hit her. She covered her head and groaned. Memories and shame flooded her in waves as the night’s events played through her mind in a continuous loop that got more defined with each repeat. Squeezing her eyes tighter only brought the images into sharper focus.

  Cooper rolled up onto his side and tugged on the blankets covering Gabby’s head. “Gabby?”

  Gabby mumbled through the covers, “Please tell me all that didn’t happen last night.”

  Cooper sighed and tugged a little harder, but Gabby wouldn’t let go. “Gabby, let me see your pretty face.”

  Gabby shook her head. “I’m never going to show my face again.”

  Cooper lay down beside her. “Baby, it’s kind of hard to talk to you through all these layers.”

  Gabby stubbornly held onto the covers when he tugged again, and Cooper put just a little touch of authority in his voice when he said, “Gabriella… turn loose of the covers.”

  Gabby slowly let go of the covers, but as soon as Cooper pulled the blanket free, she shut her eyes tight. She heard Cooper jostling and peeked out of one eye to see what he was doing. He was lying on his side with his head propped on one bent arm. He smiled as soon as he saw her eyeball, brushed her hair back, and leaned over to kiss her forehead.

  She groaned and tried to roll away, but he pinned her to the bed, catching her hands when she tried to cover her face. After a brief struggle she capitulated, but closed her eyes against his piercing stare.

  Cooper tugged on her hair. “Open your eyes.”

  Gabby squeezed them more tightly closed. Cooper held her arms over her head and straddled her upper body. “Open. Your. Eyes.”

  Gabby whimpered, at this point not wanting to do as he said out of stubbornness. She frowned and pouted. “I don’t want to.”

  Cooper waited, silently. Gabby squirmed then, trying to unseat him and pull her hands away from him. He let her wear herself out, then said, “You’re being naughty, Gabby. Keep this up and you know what will happen.”

  She humphed then. “Yeah, and so does the rest of the town.”

  Cooper leaned over halfway. “Now, Gabby. I won’t say it again.”

  Gabby fought an internal battle. She wanted to resist out of a perverse sense of mischief, but she also didn’t want to really anger him and ruin their whole morning. She knew she was close to pushing a button that would take this out of playful and into ultimatum territory. No matter how that went, it wouldn’t go well for her.

  She pushed her limit until the very last second when she felt his body start to shift, then she opened her eyes slowly. He stared. “I’m deliberately letting you off for that.”

  Gabby’s sad smile didn’t meet her eyes.

  Cooper said, “Talk to me, Gabby.”

  Gabby looked away until Cooper cleared his throat, then her eyes shot back to his. “They all know, Cooper.”

  Cooper said, “What do they know? They only know that I spanked you once, and I guarantee a lot of them would honestly have done the same in my shoes. Everyone knows how touchy everyone gets around haying and about their combines. They probably think I slept on th
e couch for a few days. Even if they do know, it’s between us. I guarantee you we are not the only people who play a few spanky games in the bedroom.”

  “Or barn, or office, or field…”

  Cooper smiled and continued, “Hey, I’ll admit it. I like spanking your bottom, but I’m sorry she embarrassed you like that. I wouldn’t have had it happen for anything. Don’t worry, I’ll never force you to have anything to do with Susan again. She crossed a line last night. I know that.”

  Gabby said, “And I attacked her… would have fought with her like a five-year-old boy.”

  Cooper nodded with a hint of a smirk. “Yes, you did.”

  Gabby shut her eyes again, and Cooper leaned down to kiss her. “Honey, everyone in that place made sure to tell me exactly how much she had provoked you and that you had tried to walk away.”

  She opened her eyes. “Then why did I still get a spanking?”

  Cooper’s eyebrows rose. “That was hardly a spanking worthy of a fight of that magnitude, little girl, and you know it. You were out of control.”

  Cooper kissed her again. Gabby eventually broke contact with a groan. “How am I ever going to go into town now, Cooper?”

  Cooper looked her straight in the eye. “I’m really sorry, Gabby. Do you forgive me?”

  The expression on Gabby’s face turned into a sly, teasing, sexy look. “I could probably be persuaded to.”

  She wriggled again, but this time to flex up against his groin. He groaned slightly and leaned down to nudge her neck and nibble a little bit. Gabby really wriggled then. Cooper sat up, his eyes half closed and a calculating look on his face. He took her hands and placed them above her head. He wrapped her fingers around the bars of the headboard and said very softly in her ear, “Your hands stay right there. Understand?”

  She was breathing more shallowly now, but she nodded her head. Cooper smiled. “Good girl.”

  Cooper sat pondering his next move. He ran his hands down her arms until he reached her shoulders, then cupped her breasts. He circled both nipples slowly, teasing, as he looked in her eyes. His look held no mercy as he pinched both nipples, hard. Gabby sucked in a breath and let out one little sound of protest, her breath now coming a little more rapidly. She looked down at his hands causing such exquisite pain, then back to his face. He was consumed by the project in front of him.