Page 3 of Punished by the Cowboy
Chapter One
Excitement curled in Liz’s stomach as she hurried through the hotel parking lot. She felt awkward in her cowgirl outfit, especially the uncomfortable boots and short denim skirt, but shewason her way to a Halloween party. As she glanced at the stunning full moon, a cold breeze whipped her neatly braided pigtails around.
She clutched the string dangling from her pink hat to prevent it from blowing away. It was bad enough that she was fifteen minutes late. Losing a crucial piece of her costume was the last thing she needed.
She passed two women dressed as gypsies smoking outside the entrance and held her breath as she rushed through their cloud of fumes. A tall man in a tuxedo opened the door, and a wave of warmth hit her as she stepped into the ballroom.
Ah, much better. She handed her ticket to a bouncer and made her way into the crowd. She exhaled and surveyed the party in progress.
Was Jacob here yet? Would she be able to recognize him in this packed ballroom? Worse yet—did he think she’d gotten cold feet? Being fifteen minutes late sure didn’t help her make a good first impression.
A rock band with a female vocalist was performing on a small stage to her left. The music was loud but not deafening. Dozens of people moved about on the dance floor, and multicolored spotlights fell over their bodies like swirling paint on a black canvas. The majority of the guests were congregated in small groups, sitting at the large circular tables, or hovering around the bar.
Where was the cowboy to her cowgirl?
She squinted and tried to find her date. She’d exchanged photos with Jacob on the Internet, but locating anyone at a party this large would prove a challenge. She’d suggested they pick a specific place to meet outside, but he’d insisted he would be able to find her. Her heart pounded faster as she wondered if he was secretly watching her from some darkened corner.
She recalled all their intimate conversations on the computer, and her face heated with the rush of memories, most of them quite naughty. She’d met Jacob in an online dating forum that catered to individuals with a spanking fetish. After corresponding via email and instant messages in the forum for six weeks, they had decided to finally meet. Jacob insisted they do so at a public place for her peace of mind and safety. To her surprise, he’d suggested the annual Halloween party at the swankiest hotel in town and emailed her a ticket.
Even though they’d yet to meet in person, Liz shared a deeper connection with Jacob than anyone else currently in her life. Both of them had been spurned in the past by lovers who didn’t understand their kink. Liz craved a dominate man who would spank her bare bottom for fun, and even for punishment. She was tired of wasting her time going on dates only to later discover the man couldn’t fulfill one of her strongest desires. A few halfhearted slaps on her ass weren’t enough.
She wanted something real.
Her gaze swept around the ballroom again, as she searched for her cowboy.
“You’re late,” a deep voice rumbled in her ear, drowning out the music.
Liz froze in place and felt hot breath against her neck. Oh God. He’d found her. This was it. This was the moment she’d finally stare into his eyes for the first time. Her stomach flipped, and she inhaled a deep breath in an effort to calm her nerves. It didn’t help. Her pulse only raced faster.
“I-I know,” she eventually said.
When she summoned up the courage to turn around, a pair of gorgeous, dark brown eyes held her captive. Mr. McDreamy Spanko himself was standing right in front of her. Finally. After weeks of sharing their naughtiest fantasies with one another.
He knew things about her that no one else did, and a flush crept up her neck until her entire face felt aflame. She tried to speak, but the words caught in her throat. Her heart flickered in her chest, and her mouth dried up completely.
Jacob was taller and broader in the chest than she’d expected. In fact, the pictures hadn’t really done him justice at all. He was so incredibly sexy that her pussy spasmed with a sudden force that almost made her gasp.
She pressed her thighs together and peered up at her handsome date, trying to swallow past the dryness in her mouth. From beneath a black Stetson that matched his trousers and leather vest, blond hair peeked out. He had a strong, square jaw and a commanding presence that caused the shy, submissive girl inside her to rejoice.
“Why are you late, young lady?” He crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow.
She gulped hard. “I, um, forgot I’d have to drive so slow through town because of all the kids running around trick-or-treating. I-I’m sorry.”
His expression remained impassive for a long moment, and she wished she could read his thoughts. Was he angry, or only mildly annoyed? What if he thought she wasn’t serious about him, since she hadn’t been considerate enough to leave her apartment early? A dozen morewhat ifsdanced through her mind, and her spirits started sinking. She’d been looking forward to this date, and now, through her own carelessness, he might not be interested in her anymore.
He sudden smile caught her off-guard and filled her with relief at the same time. He tugged playfully at the hat string hanging from her chin. “You didn’t drive over any witches or ghosts, did you?”
“There were no casualties.” Liz laughed at his jibe.
The tension in her body lessened, and she relaxed further under his kind gaze. She’d gone on plenty of first dates, but this was her first date with a fellow spanko, and she had high hopes for a second, third, and fourth date with Jacob. Oh, hell, who was she kidding? She hoped this was herlastfirst date ever.
His smile vanished and his jaw tightened. “If you’re late for our next date, young lady, there will be consequences.”
Young lady? Consequences? Her pussy clenched at his choice of words.Young lady,consequences, along withpunishment,discipline, andspankingwere but a few of her trigger words. She lifted her chin and met his eyes boldly, reveling in the direction this conversation was headed. “What kind of consequences?”
Jacob grabbed her arm and guided her against a secluded wall for more privacy. His warm touch sent a thrill through her body, and he didn’t release his hold on her arm. He had large hands. She licked her lips. Those hands could do serious damage to her backside. She imagined the sting of his palm connecting with her bottom cheeks and shivered as the pulsing between her thighs deepened.
“If you’re late for our next date, I’ll turn you over my knee, bare your bottom, and give you the sound thrashing you deserve.”
