Read Online Lipstick and Leather: Three Sexy Cowboys, Three Sexy Tales by Cheyenne McCray - Free Book Online Page A

stared her down as her jaw dropped.
    “What you need is a good spanking. You’re lucky I don’t turn you over my knee and take care of it right now.”
    He turned and walked out of the barn.
    How dare he talk to her the way he had? Brianna stared after Joe. Strange thoughts went through her mind…of Joe spanking her.
    She shook her head. Crazy. She forced her thoughts away from that and instead on her new problem.
    Looked like she needed to find a new foreman. How did this spiral out of control so fast?
    “That was a mistake.”
    A woman’s voice startled Brianna and she turned to face the woman who had come up behind her leading a black and white horse. The sixty-something woman with silver hair had a face that was neither soft nor hard, but pleasant enough.
    Brianna frowned. “You were listening to a private conversation.”
    “I was brushing down Checkers.” She held the reins in one hand as she patted the horse’s neck with her other. The horse whickered softly. “Couldn’t help but overhear.” She extended her hand. “Grace McAvoy.”
    Brianna took her hand. Grace had a grip that was neither limp nor firm, but comfortable.
    She was likely a diplomatic woman who rode the fence on some subjects, but the passion in the woman’s eyes told Brianna she was strong beneath the surface like an undercurrent stirring beneath still water.
    She tried for a smile. “Brianna Wilson.”
    Grace lightly stroked Checkers’s mane as she looked at Brianna. “I own a ranch right up against Bill’s—yours now.”
    “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Brianna looked from the woman to the horse. “And Checkers, too.” She moved her gaze back to Grace. “What brings you here?”
    “One of the hands was riding the fence with me until he had to return for your meeting,” Grace said. “He said you were back so I thought I would come say hello.” Brianna wanted to ask more but she didn’t get a chance.
    “I knew your mother,” Grace said. “Beautiful woman.” Brianna wasn’t surprised that Grace knew her mother “Did you know her well?”
    “Never had much of a chance,” Grace said. “She kept to herself mostly and left when you were pretty young.”
    Brianna felt a familiar ache. “Mother died three years ago.” Grace tilted her head like she was thinking about what she wanted to tell Brianna. “Your daddy took Tamara’s death hard. I think he believed that as long as she lived there would somehow be a chance at a reunion. Your daddy missed her like hell. She may have moved across the US, but Bill never got over her.”
    Old feelings surfaced of how much she had wanted her father but he wasn’t there growing up. “I never really knew him.”
    Grace echoed what Joe had said yesterday. “Bill was so proud of you from the moment you were born. Even when your mother took off with you and when your mother didn’t let him have any contact, he never stopped looking in on you and finding out everything he could. He watched you from afar.”
    Regret welled up inside of Brianna. “He made an attempt after I moved away from home and he came to Boston to see me a couple of years ago. I had intended to visit him but there was always something going on.”
    The horse snorted and bobbed its head. “I remember when he went to see you,” Grace said. “He was so proud of what you had made of yourself.” Grace seemed to know a lot of personal information. “Why would he confide in you?” Brianna added.
    “Your father and I tried our hand at a relationship but he couldn’t get over Tamara,” Grace said. “We stayed friends. Good friends.”
    With a smile, Grace went on. “Did you ever wonder how the ranch got its name?” Brianna shrugged. “It’s an old brand that goes back generations.”
    “Yes and no.” Grace gave a soft smile. “Bill took the Diamond Bar brand and put a B in the middle to make the Diamond B. The B is for Brianna,” she said. “He always intended for the ranch to go to you,” Grace