dropped her face down over the saddle in front of him. He nudged his stallion to a fast pace, and Amanda screamed at him to stop.
Rob decided the redhead needed a firm lesson. He was appalled by her defiance and disobedience. He kept one arm around her to keep her from throwing herself off, fearful she would be injured or trampled, but when she did not stop fighting, he decided he had had enough and gave her upturned bottom another hard spank. She yelped and then renewed her struggles. His mount finally gave in to his confusion and fear and reared, nearly unseating Rob. It was only by the Grace of God that he was able to bring the powerful stallion under control and keep Amanda from being thrown.
Amanda suddenly realized that they'd had a close call, but it was too late to tell the angry man that she was sorry, or that she would prefer to ride behind him. Robert Thorne had had more than enough of her childish temper. He dismounted and dragged her off the horse, and it took him all of five seconds to find a bush that looked promising. He quickly broke off one of the branches, then knelt on one knee on the hard ground.
Amanda tried to prevent him from tugging her over his bent knee, but she was no match for his strength. Rob laid into her with the switch and she couldn't keep from screaming in pain. Her poor rear was already sore and the switch was leaving fiery welts on her tender skin. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please stop!" she desperately begged. "Please... I am sorry, and I'll behave. I promise!"
Rob gave her another ten hard strokes before he asked, "Are you going to stop this preposterous tantrum throwing, young lady?"
"Yes!" She didn't hesitate to answer. "I'm truly sorry!"
"You should be, Amanda Chambers. You behave like an undisciplined child most of the time." He stood her on her feet and gave her a hard look. "If you give me the least bit of provocation I will strip those britches from your body and thrash you every inch of the way home."
His brown eyes were flashing and Amanda knew he was serious and would do precisely as he threatened. Subdued, she accepted his hand and allowed him to swing her up behind him. "Hold on," he ordered, and once her arms were around his middle, he headed to the Circle C.
Once his temper cooled Rob was aware of two things; Amanda was quietly crying and she felt good pressing against him. It scared him to realize how close he came to losing her today. He stopped, and stood in the stirrups to remove a clean handkerchief from his pocket. "Here," he offered the square of white linen to her. "Wipe your eyes now and stop this crying."
"I can't. I hurt," she told him, sounding pitiful. "Why are you being so mean to me, Rob?" she wanted to know. "I didn't mean to run into those rustlers. I was so frightened and I thought that one was going to..." She cried even harder. "And then... you... were so... mean..."
"You gave me a bad scare, Amanda," he said softly. "You are safe now," he told her. When she cried even harder, he slid her to the ground, and then dismounted so that he could take her in his arms and hold her close. "You are safe. I promise no one will harm you while I have a breath left in my body." He spotted a rock and led her over there so he could sit and hold her on his lap. He felt terrible when he realized she was actually shaking. It was a reaction to what happened with the rustler who tried to attack her... and instead of realizing that she was upset, he had lost his temper and thrashed her.
Amanda did feel safe in Rob's arms, and she was finally able to stop shaking. "I am sorry, Rob. I should have listened to Papa, but I was tired of being cooped up in the house, and he's been so tired and grumpy and short-tempered... I just wanted some freedom, and I really messed up. I am so thankful you came along and saved me from that horrible man."
"So am I, Amanda," Rob assured her, and then he kissed her again, and it was just as exciting this time as it was before. She must
Rob decided the redhead needed a firm lesson. He was appalled by her defiance and disobedience. He kept one arm around her to keep her from throwing herself off, fearful she would be injured or trampled, but when she did not stop fighting, he decided he had had enough and gave her upturned bottom another hard spank. She yelped and then renewed her struggles. His mount finally gave in to his confusion and fear and reared, nearly unseating Rob. It was only by the Grace of God that he was able to bring the powerful stallion under control and keep Amanda from being thrown.
Amanda suddenly realized that they'd had a close call, but it was too late to tell the angry man that she was sorry, or that she would prefer to ride behind him. Robert Thorne had had more than enough of her childish temper. He dismounted and dragged her off the horse, and it took him all of five seconds to find a bush that looked promising. He quickly broke off one of the branches, then knelt on one knee on the hard ground.
Amanda tried to prevent him from tugging her over his bent knee, but she was no match for his strength. Rob laid into her with the switch and she couldn't keep from screaming in pain. Her poor rear was already sore and the switch was leaving fiery welts on her tender skin. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please stop!" she desperately begged. "Please... I am sorry, and I'll behave. I promise!"
Rob gave her another ten hard strokes before he asked, "Are you going to stop this preposterous tantrum throwing, young lady?"
"Yes!" She didn't hesitate to answer. "I'm truly sorry!"
"You should be, Amanda Chambers. You behave like an undisciplined child most of the time." He stood her on her feet and gave her a hard look. "If you give me the least bit of provocation I will strip those britches from your body and thrash you every inch of the way home."
His brown eyes were flashing and Amanda knew he was serious and would do precisely as he threatened. Subdued, she accepted his hand and allowed him to swing her up behind him. "Hold on," he ordered, and once her arms were around his middle, he headed to the Circle C.
Once his temper cooled Rob was aware of two things; Amanda was quietly crying and she felt good pressing against him. It scared him to realize how close he came to losing her today. He stopped, and stood in the stirrups to remove a clean handkerchief from his pocket. "Here," he offered the square of white linen to her. "Wipe your eyes now and stop this crying."
"I can't. I hurt," she told him, sounding pitiful. "Why are you being so mean to me, Rob?" she wanted to know. "I didn't mean to run into those rustlers. I was so frightened and I thought that one was going to..." She cried even harder. "And then... you... were so... mean..."
"You gave me a bad scare, Amanda," he said softly. "You are safe now," he told her. When she cried even harder, he slid her to the ground, and then dismounted so that he could take her in his arms and hold her close. "You are safe. I promise no one will harm you while I have a breath left in my body." He spotted a rock and led her over there so he could sit and hold her on his lap. He felt terrible when he realized she was actually shaking. It was a reaction to what happened with the rustler who tried to attack her... and instead of realizing that she was upset, he had lost his temper and thrashed her.
Amanda did feel safe in Rob's arms, and she was finally able to stop shaking. "I am sorry, Rob. I should have listened to Papa, but I was tired of being cooped up in the house, and he's been so tired and grumpy and short-tempered... I just wanted some freedom, and I really messed up. I am so thankful you came along and saved me from that horrible man."
"So am I, Amanda," Rob assured her, and then he kissed her again, and it was just as exciting this time as it was before. She must
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