sister. Even if he had to tame some of that feistiness a bit for her own good, she’d still be left with plenty of fire. One week ago, having anyone share his home or his life had been just about the farthest thing from Rafe Stanton’s mind. Now the thought of Annie being anywhere other than right here, in his home and his bed, was unacceptable to him.
* * * * *
The next morning proved almost as dark as the night before as the heavy snow continued to fall and block anything and everything else from sight. Annie woke to the smell of coffee that Rafe must have set to brew before heading out to the barn. She dressed quickly, checked the fire in the hearth and then set to making biscuits and frying some bacon to go along with the coffee.
The smell of fresh biscuits and bacon greeted Rafe as he came through the door, covered head to toe in white. Rafe shook the snow from himself and nodded toward Annie. He proceeded to remove his coat and hat and then took a seat as she placed the food on the table.
Annie winced a little as she sat down at the table after pouring coffee for the both of them. Her backside felt raw from the strapping Rafe had given her last night. It didn’t feel like it would be better for a few days at least. And she was surprised to realize that she felt a bit embarrassed about it. And why should she be? If anything, Rafe should be feeling a bit of remorse over the fact that he had punished her so harshly. Too harshly, as far as Annie was concerned. She sneaked a peek at Rafe to see if he had noticed her discomfort. He was looking at her with his usual serious scowl. Maybe he hadn’t been paying attention.
“Let that sore backside of yours be a reminder to you, young lady...”
No such luck, apparently.
“...to mind me from now on. You’ll do as I say, especially while you’re here on my ranch. If you don’t, I’ll take my belt to your bare behind as many times as it takes for you to learn that lesson. Do you understand me?”
Nope, no remorse there at all. Annie quickly looked down at her plate.
“I asked a question, and I expect an answer.”
“Yes, sir,” Annie whispered, still staring at her plate, unable to meet his harsh gaze. Annie was glad he didn’t insist that she look at him when she answered.
Rafe sensed that Annie was the type that, if given an inch, would take a mile. He didn’t want her to sense any remorse from him over her strapping, even though he did wonder if he had been too harsh with her. He was beginning to sense that she wasn’t as all-fired tough as she wanted folks to believe. Yet he needed to remain firm and resolute, for her own good. If he was to have her obedience, she couldn’t know that he was softening to her by the minute.
He was pleased with the way she had immediately pitched in and begun to do her share of the work without being asked to do so. Rafe hadn’t asked her to fix breakfast; she had just done what needed doing. She wasn’t spoiled by any stretch of the imagination. She hadn’t shirked the few chores she had been given at Tom’s ranch, either. Rafe began to wonder about her upbringing. He realized that he really knew nothing about her.
They ate their breakfast in silence, with Annie finishing as quickly as possible so that she could stand again.
* * * * *
By the third day, Annie was ready to be done once and for all with snow. Even though the snow had stopped falling the day before, there was still too much of it on the ground for them to travel back to Tom’s, least that was what Rafe claimed. They’d have to wait another day or two before attempting the trip. That seemed like an awful long time to Annie. She had been stuck inside Rafe’s cabin the entire time and didn’t think she could stand to be inside the same four walls – and most of the day by herself – for very much longer.
Rafe had busied himself with chores in the barn for the better part of the past few days, leaving Annie to her own devices in the cabin. It
* * * * *
The next morning proved almost as dark as the night before as the heavy snow continued to fall and block anything and everything else from sight. Annie woke to the smell of coffee that Rafe must have set to brew before heading out to the barn. She dressed quickly, checked the fire in the hearth and then set to making biscuits and frying some bacon to go along with the coffee.
The smell of fresh biscuits and bacon greeted Rafe as he came through the door, covered head to toe in white. Rafe shook the snow from himself and nodded toward Annie. He proceeded to remove his coat and hat and then took a seat as she placed the food on the table.
Annie winced a little as she sat down at the table after pouring coffee for the both of them. Her backside felt raw from the strapping Rafe had given her last night. It didn’t feel like it would be better for a few days at least. And she was surprised to realize that she felt a bit embarrassed about it. And why should she be? If anything, Rafe should be feeling a bit of remorse over the fact that he had punished her so harshly. Too harshly, as far as Annie was concerned. She sneaked a peek at Rafe to see if he had noticed her discomfort. He was looking at her with his usual serious scowl. Maybe he hadn’t been paying attention.
“Let that sore backside of yours be a reminder to you, young lady...”
No such luck, apparently.
“...to mind me from now on. You’ll do as I say, especially while you’re here on my ranch. If you don’t, I’ll take my belt to your bare behind as many times as it takes for you to learn that lesson. Do you understand me?”
Nope, no remorse there at all. Annie quickly looked down at her plate.
“I asked a question, and I expect an answer.”
“Yes, sir,” Annie whispered, still staring at her plate, unable to meet his harsh gaze. Annie was glad he didn’t insist that she look at him when she answered.
Rafe sensed that Annie was the type that, if given an inch, would take a mile. He didn’t want her to sense any remorse from him over her strapping, even though he did wonder if he had been too harsh with her. He was beginning to sense that she wasn’t as all-fired tough as she wanted folks to believe. Yet he needed to remain firm and resolute, for her own good. If he was to have her obedience, she couldn’t know that he was softening to her by the minute.
He was pleased with the way she had immediately pitched in and begun to do her share of the work without being asked to do so. Rafe hadn’t asked her to fix breakfast; she had just done what needed doing. She wasn’t spoiled by any stretch of the imagination. She hadn’t shirked the few chores she had been given at Tom’s ranch, either. Rafe began to wonder about her upbringing. He realized that he really knew nothing about her.
They ate their breakfast in silence, with Annie finishing as quickly as possible so that she could stand again.
* * * * *
By the third day, Annie was ready to be done once and for all with snow. Even though the snow had stopped falling the day before, there was still too much of it on the ground for them to travel back to Tom’s, least that was what Rafe claimed. They’d have to wait another day or two before attempting the trip. That seemed like an awful long time to Annie. She had been stuck inside Rafe’s cabin the entire time and didn’t think she could stand to be inside the same four walls – and most of the day by herself – for very much longer.
Rafe had busied himself with chores in the barn for the better part of the past few days, leaving Annie to her own devices in the cabin. It
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