I'm not sure I should have written this chapter, but somehow it demanded that I do. I just couldn't help myself is all. I'm sure that some of you may not like it, but maybe some of you will.
This is not happening to me, Coralee thought as he slowly removed her clothes, this is happening to someone else, a person I don't even know.
She crossed her arms over her breasts, "I can't do this, I'm going to marry Travis."
With gentle hands, he moved her arms, "You're going to marry someone who is almost twice your age and you're not thinking about what you're getting yourself into. Miss Coralee, you deserve a last fling. Let yourself be a bad girl one last time, with me. I'm married, the only thing I want from you is what we're doing right now." He bent down and kissed her again, "I want you to be with me only for tonight. I don't want to break your engagement; I just want you to have a little fun."
He was young, handsome, and hard to resist. His silky blond hair brushed her face as he kissed her again. "Let me make you feel good," he said softly, "One last sin, and then you can be good forever if that's what you want."
Her clothes fell around her feet, his soon joined her. In the back of her mind, she was saying, "I don't want this," but another voice told her, "Yes you do."
He picked her up and laid her on the bed, then he joined her. The skill with which he was caressing her made her wonder how often he did this. He did it well, his caresses brought her to a peak before he parted her legs and entered her.
She kept her eyes closed while they made love, she couldn't bear the thought of looking into his, she was afraid she might lose herself. Physically she had given herself over to him while trying to keep some of herself back.
He took hold of her hands, saying, "Open your eyes, look at me. You're not smiling, I want to see that smile that I love. Look at me, Coralee."
"I can't," she told him, feeling embarrassed. He was different than the other lovers she'd had during her barrel racer days. He was married, yet he was demanding something of her that she was not sure if she should give.
He got up out of bed and looked at her. "Hmm, young lady, you are not giving me your full attention, I think I need to do something about it." He looked at her intently and she wondered what he was thinking.
She did not even know how it happened, but before she knew what was happening, she found herself over his knee, her hands held behind her back as she dangled helplessly.
"I bet you haven't been spanked since you were a little girl," he said, "I am going to remedy that, I won't promise that this won't hurt, but it will be over quickly. We'll see what your attention is like after that."
She felt him smack her bottom again and again. With her hands imprisoned she could not struggle but she wriggled around trying to escape his hand, mortified at what he must be thinking. Was he laughing at her?
He stopped, then released her and turned her over on her back. "Now let's see how focused you are," he told her, a wicked grin on his face.
He began to make love to her again. She found she was aroused, there was no denying that, and he had broken down the last of her resistance. She felt like she should be angry, but what she felt was the opposite.
"My attention was focused on you, cowboy, you just wanted to spank me." She smiled at him, now understanding his game.
"Well, I can't deny that, but you needed some help. You're doing much better now."
"Tell me, do you spank your wife?"
"Sometimes." Again, his impish smile.
"Does she like it?" she asked.
"I wouldn't do it if she didn't. I think it would help if Travis spanked you once in a while, I think you need it."
"Well, I don't intend to give him ideas."
"Well, I can promise you I won't tell him. You just make sure you don't have an attack of guilt and tell him about what happened. We aren't the only ones here cheating on their spouses, you don't know what goes on at horse shows, do you?"
"No, I don't, but I know what it was like being a barrel racer. I don't know why but it seemed like there was a lot of sex going on. It was almost expected but I don't know why."
"You know Travis is no angel, right? You're young, sweet, and unworldly, that's what he likes about you. He thinks he can set aside his past with you. Tell me, Coralee, do you love him?"
She was silent for a moment; she didn't want to lie but she was not sure if she wanted to tell him the truth.
"No," she said at last, "I don't think I love him, but I like him, and he makes me feel safe. He makes me laugh, he spoils me, and he encourages me. He's taught me a lot, he gave me Coronado so I'd have a better horse. He's known our family for years. When I was twelve I had a huge crush on him, I thought he was so handsome and smart. He's like family, you know."
"Well, that might be enough to make it work, but it doesn't sound very romantic." He grabbed a handful of her hair and tugged gently on it.
"He makes me happy, maybe I have a different definition of happy. I know his faults, my brothers used to kid him about being such a rounder. I don't know what he sees in me, I never dreamed that he'd be interested, I never thought I'd marry him."
"You're a strange girl Coralee, but maybe I'm not giving you enough credit. You just might be able to make it work, just make sure you keep our secret, okay?"
His hands found her again when they took a shower the next morning, but she didn't mind. If she was going to sin, let it be worth it. If her secret was safe, she was satisfied.
Someone was knocking at the door. It was Katie, knocking before she and Bob came in. Coralee was grateful she and Bob had finished dressing.
"Well, I see you two had a punishing night, Bob and I were going to grab breakfast and then get the horses ready, you two up for it?"
"Bob and I need to see to our horses, then we'll meet you for breakfast. We can load yours after that." He kissed Coralee then he and Bob left the room.
"Well, I must say I didn't expect this, little sister, but as long as Travis doesn't find out no harm was done. I think you needed it." Katie was forthright as usual.
"Well, you're the one who's been pushing me to marry him, and now you're saying, 'You cheated on your fiancé but it's okay'. Make up your mind, which is it?" Coralee felt irritated, had her sister set this up?
Katie began to pack her belongings in her suitcase. "You're not married yet so technically you're not cheating. I must say, this wasn't what I expected but then again it doesn't surprise me. Bill has had his eye on you ever since we met him and you didn't seem to notice. He's married, you're engaged, and neither one of you is going to do anything beyond this. So you had a little fun, nothing wrong with that as long as you don't go and confess everything to Travis. You have your whole life to be married, and didn't you say you wanted him to wait until next year to propose?"
"Yes," Coralee sighed, "I feel like he's been pushing me and I don't like it. I like Travis, a lot, but I'm not in love with him. He's a catch, he is; he's funny, he's smart, he's hard-working, he's generous, and he's taught me a lot. What scares me is he wants to move to his ranch in Texas and that's going to take me away from my family and friends." She began to cry, she couldn't help it.
Katie put her arm around her, "So that's what's wrong," she said, "Neither of us have spent a lot of time away from family, we're all so close. Look at it this way, if it gets really bad you can always get on a plane and fly home for a visit. I'm sure Travis knows you're going to get homesick but I bet he keeps you busy competing, so you don't have time to dwell on it. Look, I still think you should marry him, sometimes reformed rakes make the best husbands."
"And what if he doesn't reform?"
Katie shook her shoulders gently, "Then you lead him on a merry chase, don't be the wife that people feel sorry for because her husband cheats on her. You give back as good as you get, and I promise you he'll be jealous. We're the Dutton twins, remember? We're the ones the men chase after at horse shows."
They guys bid them farewell after breakfast. Coralee was eager to get on the road, Bill was too close and she was not sure she could resist him successfully a second time. Katie was having a hard time saying goodbye to Bob, but they had a show to get to. No time for romance now, Katie, Coralee thought, we're going to Missoula and we're going alone.